Celebrating 25 years of praying for children and schools, Moms In Touch International is hosting a historic prayer event, inviting Christian women from around the world to "Arise! Cry Out!" for this generation of children on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fern Nichols, the founder and president of MITI, believes that our children are in desperate need of our prayers. One out of five high school seniors do drugs. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24 years. Approximately one out of three teenage girls gets pregnant (under the age of 20). Approximately 143 million children worldwide are orphans.

Nichols believes that the "Arise! Cry Out!" prayer event can impact our schools, our communities, our world and the next generation.

The ACO format will feature corporate and small group prayer sessions interspersed with short, inspirational teaching by Pastor Miles McPherson and Nichols, as well as praise singing led by the Crimson Bridge Worship team.

The live event took place on Oct. 9 and 10 at the 3,500-seat Rock Church in San Diego. The event was professionally recorded and will be used at host sites throughout the United States and in countries around the globe on Saturday, Nov. 14.

"I am particularly excited that Christ Community Church will be our local host site for this unprecedented prayer event," says Moms In Touch Area Coordinator Penny Terry.

"We hope teenage girls, mothers and grandmothers will take advantage of this special opportunity to gather together and unite our hearts in prayer to God to bring repentance, restoration and transformation to the children in our own community and those around the world," says Terry. She encourages fellow moms to carve out time in their busy schedule for this event.

"Ask your spouse, a friend or an older woman to watch your children so you can gather together with women universally to unite, cry out and pray for this generation."

Moms In Touch International started 25 years ago as the cry of one mom's heart as her children went to junior high school. It has expanded to include an estimated 175,000 moms throughout the Unites States and in 132 countries.

Moms In Touch International encourages moms/grandmothers to gather for one hour a week to pray for their children and the schools they attend.

Active Moms In Touch prayer groups in the Sandhills exist for Pinecrest High School, Southern Middle School, Sandhills Classical Christian School, Sandhills Alliance Pre-School and college and career ages.

Register at www.momsintouch. org. For local information, call (910) 638-1679 or visit www.ccc pinehurst.com.

Christ Community Church is located l.9 miles north of the Pinehurst Traffic Circle on U.S. 15-501. The doors will open at 8:15 a.m.

Bensalem Presbyterian

Bensalem Presbyterian Church in Eagle Springs will host the Montgomery County "Operation Inasmuch," Sunday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m.

"Operation Inasmuch" mobilizes believers in a hands-on local church missions blitz in their community. It offers a proven model of local ministry for any size congregation in any location.

Co-ordinator Rebecca Blake will share information on "Operation Inasmuch" history, how it has worked in her community, and how churches can get involved. A chili dinner will follow the presentation.

For more information, contact the Rev. Wes Brandon at (910) 691-2942 or visit the "Operation Inasmuch" Web site at www.operationinasmuch.com.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek Baptist Church sponsors the following: If you are a widow, widower or single, our ministry welcomes you to a fellowship dinner (dutch) at Andy's in Sanford on Friday, Nov. 6, at 5:30 p.m., and a free Thanksgiving dinner will be served for families in need on Saturday, Nov. 21, beginning at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in our Family Life Center.

The church is located at 2280 Nicholson Road, Cameron.

Call (919) 499-9632 or (800) 681-8602.

Carolers

The Southern Pines Business Association is looking for singers/carolers to stroll the streets during its holiday open house, Sunday, Nov. 29, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The annual tree-lighting ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m. Get a group together of friends, family, church groups, etc. and join in on the fun.

For more information, contact Claudia Miller at (910) 692-5356.

Crossroads

A gospel singing jubilee will be held at Crossroads Community Church, Carthage, Saturday, Nov. 14. Food will be available at the Fellowship Hall from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Gospel singing will begin at 6 p.m. at the church. Admission to the singing is free.

Featured singers will be: Corbin and Linda Whitaker, Robert Wicker, Darrin Locklear, Jack Dove, Mechelle Kelly, Anne Lane and many more.

The church is located at the Whispering Pines Intersection of Vass-Carthage and Niagara-Carthage roads in Carthage.

For more information, call (910) 949-3971.

Fellowship of Churches

The Sandhills Fellowship of Churches will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at noon.

The meeting will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church at 385 E. Indiana Ave., Southern Pines.

Highland Baptist Church

Highland Baptist Church on U.S. 1 holds Sunday School at 10 a.m. and worship services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. every Sunday. Services are also held at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Children's Care Ministry volunteers go out at 10 a.m. every Saturday. Anyone interested in joining can contact Pastor Bill Vaughn at (910) 692-6430.

The church has a bus ministry for those who need a ride to and from church on Sunday mornings.

Sunday, Nov. 8, is "Children's Christmas Program Sign Up Night." Those wishing to be in the program or who are willing to help in any way should be at the church at 5 p.m. to meet with Jane Edmisten.

After-school child care is available through Highland Christian Academy. Call the pastor at (910) 692-6430 or the church at (910) 695-0494 for information.

Revival

Jesus Is King of Deliverance Ministries will be having revival services Wednesday, Nov. 4, and Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. The guest speaker will be Pastor Eddie Davis from Word of Life Christian Center Ministries in Bennettsville, S.C.

The church is located at 550 Ashemont Road, Aberdeen, off N.C. 211 near McCain.

For information, call (910) 944-5536.

Anniversary

On Sunday, Nov. 15, the Calvary Gospel Singers will celebrate their anniversary at Piney Grove Church, Windblow Community, Ellerbe.

The service begins at 2:30 p.m. Several groups are expected to render music.

For more information, call Clara Williams, president, at (910) 652-5946.

Barbecue

Priest Hill Presbyterian Church will hold its annual chicken stew and pork barbecue supper beginning at 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14. Plates are $8 and are available for drive-through, eat-in or takeout.

The church is located at 2792 Old River Road in Carthage.

Revival

Fellowship House of God will be holding its "Winter Revival" Monday, Nov. 9, through Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 p.m.

On Monday, the speaker will be Pastor Deborah Bloom of Kingdom Minded Ministries in Southern Pines; Tuesday, Elder Timothy Worthy of Oak Grove Ministries of Tempton will be the speaker; and on Wednesday, Apostle Andria Weeks Hart of God's Love in Action Deliverance Ministries, West End, will bring the word.

Fellowship House of God is located at 328 Bryant Road in Carthage. Bishop Willie Gilmore is the pastor.

Ladies Auxiliary K of C

The 13th annual White Elephant Sale and Raffle, sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary Of The Knights of Columbus, Father Robert T. Lawson Council No. 11103, will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The sale will be held in Founders Hall adjacent to the church, located at N.C. 211 and Dundee Road, Pinehurst.

Household items, electronics, tools, jewelry and recreational equipment will be offered for sale at reasonable prices. An assortment of cakes, pies, cookies, breads and preserves will be for sale at the homemade goodies table.

Raffle tickets will also be available at the sale. A single ticket will be $2 or three for $5. Winners need not be present at the drawing, which takes place after the sale. Among the 93 prizes are weekend hotel stays, golf certificates, dining certificates, gift baskets, home accessories and service certificates.

A pre-sale of furniture and outdoor equipment will be held Friday, Nov. 6, from 2 to 6 p.m. in the church parking lot.

"This event raises funds for Moore County charitable organizations while providing the shopper with an opportunity to purchase useful, needed goods at reasonable prices," says a spokesman.

Greater Harvest

Greater Harvest House of Prayer Ministries, located at 760 Midway Road, Aberdeen, will be celebrating its fourth church anniversary. Speakers are: Pastor Melvin Chambers (Wednesday, Nov. 4); Bishop Otis McPhatter (Thursday, Nov. 5); Elder Darrell Harris (Friday, Nov. 6); and Elder Nathaniel Jackson (Sunday, Nov. 8).

Services are at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Elder Walter O. Thomas is the host pastor.

Security

A security awareness for young ladies seminar will be offered Saturday, Nov. 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Community Presbyterian Church, corner of Kelly and Everette roads, Pinehurst.

This class is offered to young ladies of high school and college age in the community.

"As these young ladies become ever more involved in school, church, sports, the workplace and traveling, they are faced with potentially violent situations and security threats they have never dealt with or even thought about," says a spokesman. "The intent of this class is to raise awareness, discuss practical incident prevention and communicate some common sense mitigation measures."

This class will be taught by two recently retired veterans of the armed forces, one of whom is currently a law enforcement officer.

For more information or to register, call the church at (910) 295-6848 or e-mail Margie Nicks at mnicks@cpcpinehurst.org.

Special Lecture

Community Presbyterian Church (USA) hosts respected author and sought-after speaker Dr. John W. Kuykendall for a special lecture Sunday, Nov. 8.

Kuykendall will address "A New Church in a New World," discussing what it means to be a Christian in the 21st century. He will draw upon his own abundant experiences as both scholar and theologian.

A Charlotte native, Kuykendall served as president of Davidson College for 13 years, beginning in 1984.

Kuykendall has written two books: "Presbyterians: Their History and Beliefs," which he co-authored with Walter L. Lingle, and "Southern Enterprise: The Work of National Evangelical Societies in the Antebellum South." He is also the author of numerous articles and reviews.

The lecture is free and begins at 6:30 p.m. Dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. for a fee of $8.

Kuykendall will also speak at Community Presbyterian Church's morning services at 9 and 11 a.m. His visit is the inaugural lecture in the Homer C. and Martha N. Phifer Endowed Lecture Series, a program presenting fresh perspectives on religious topics.

The series was begun in honor of the extraordinary service of the Phifers, and its purpose is to inspire the community at large in their faith.

Community Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of Kelly and Everette roads in Pinehurst.

Visit www.cpcpinehurst.org or call (910) 295-6848 for more information or to reserve a space.

Page Memorial Bazaar

Page Memorial United Methodist Church in Aberdeen will host its 65th annual Holiday Bazaar Thursday, Nov. 12.

Plates are $8 and include a full course turkey dinner. Dine-in or takeouts available. Dine-in from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Takeouts available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A craft room and bake room will also be open. Orders of 10 or more can be delivered if pre-ordered. All proceeds go to support local missions.

For more information, call the church office at (910) 944-1093.

Sweet Lew

The date, time and location for the Sweet Lew and the Jayhawks musical performance at Emmanuel Episcopal Church has been changed.

The rock 'n' roll and beach music band, which features Emmanuel's rector, the Rev. John Tampa, is now scheduled to play in the church's Parish Hall beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7.

The evening will also include a potluck meal and chili cook-off, but no children's activities.

For tickets or more information, call the Emmanuel Church office at (910) 692-3171.

Parenting Course

Beginning Jan. 11, Cypress Presbyterian Church will offer the new "Active Parenting Now" workshop for parents of children ages 5-12.

"Parents with children of different ages may attend, but the materials work best with this age group," says a spokesman.

The eight-session program will be held on consecutive Monday evenings beginning Jan. 11, from 6:45 to 9 p.m. in the church fellowship hall.

This program combines entertaining video, PowerPoint presentation and plenty of time for discussion to help parents learn how to raise children who are cooperative, responsible and able to resist peer pressure. Using scriptural materials and psychological insight, it also guides parents in dealing with sensitive issues such as drugs, sexuality and violence.

The program will be led by Dr. Robert B. Whitehouse and Dr. Gwen Simmons. Simmons is a retired counseling professor and co-author of the recent book "See Jane Not Run." Whitehouse has been a Presbyterian pastor for 22 years and worked with parents of all types of children, including many parents of special needs children.

The church is located at 1220 Cypress Church Road, seven miles east of Vass.

To register or for more information, contact Whitehouse at (910) 245-7024 or visit www.cypresspres.org.

Praise Services

Pastor appreciation services for Pastor Ruby Shepherd will be held Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, at God's Vision of Praise Ministry in Vass at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. at the Douglass Center in Southern Pines.

Spaghetti Dinner

The West End United Methodist Church Men will host a spaghetti dinner at the church from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

The spaghetti will be available for dine-in or takeout. Tickets are $7, and are available from the Methodist Men or by calling the church office at (910) 673-1371.

Proceeds from the dinner go to support the West End Scouting program.

Giving Back

The Restoration House Praise, Worship and Deliverance Ministries of 149 Woodlawn St. (Suite A), West End, is scheduled to have "a giving back to the community giveaway" Saturday, Nov. 7, from 8 a.m to noon.

The purpose is to give back to those who are in need in the community. The church will be accepting gently used items to be given away that day.

"We will pick up all donations excluding dressers, beds, tables and chairs till Nov. 6," says a spokesman.

For more information, call (910) 673-1950.

Relationship Series

Jesus Is King of Deliverance Ministries will feature a series on relationships taught by Deacon Jerome King Sr. and Pastor/Founder Virginia D. King during upcoming Sunday services.

Virginia D. King is currently pursuing her doctorate degree. She has a master's degree in theology and has been married for 41 years.

Services begin at 10:30 a.m. weekly.

The church is located at 550 Ashemont Road, Aberdeen, off N.C. 211 near McCain.

Mission Agape

Mission Agape is in need of donations and financial assistance, says a spokesman.

"We are the only mission in this area that helps Hispanics," says the spokesman. "We need someone to help us apply for a grant."

Mission Agape is located at 2256 N.C. 211, Eagle Springs. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 316, Eagle Springs, NC 27242.

For information, call Marian at (910) 673-3333.

Acoustic Music Circle

McDonalds Chapel Presbyter-ian Church invites local musicians to participate in an Acoustic Music Circle on the third Sunday of each month from 4 to 6 p.m. in the fellowship hall.

Music of various genres will be played, especially old-time and traditional music of Appalachian, Irish and Celtic influence. The type of music played will vary depending upon the musicians who attend.

"Listeners are welcome too," says a spokesman.

There is no admission charge.

McDonalds Chapel is located at 1374 Foxfire Road, two miles from Linden Road in Pinehurst and one mile from Foxfire Village.

For more information, contact (910) 295-6608.

For Young Mothers

Christ Way Church is sponsoring a weekly opportunity for all young mothers up to the age of 20 to gather and discuss issues concerning parenting.

"They can be single parents or married," says a spokesman. "We want to offer them a chance to discuss problems specific to them and receive information about caring for their children."

Advice will be forthcoming from experienced mothers and grandmothers.

Refreshments will be served at the weekly meeting.

"You are welcome to bring your children," says the spokesman.

The church is located at 7681 U.S. 15-501, Pinehurst.

For information, call Elder Nathaniel Jackson at (910) 235-3715.

Dance Classes

Creative Learning Center of the Sandhills presents beginning dance classes at First Missionary Baptist Church.

The church is located at 315 S. Gaines St., Southern Pines.

For information, call Judy at (910) 692-2022.

Reading Room

First Church of Christ Scientist, Southern Pines -- a Bible-based religion that follows the teachings of Christ Jesus -- provides a Reading Room for community use.

There are ample resources to choose from at a Reading Room: Bibles and multiple commentaries, all the published materials about Christian Science including the core teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, the inspirational magazines she founded and the international newspaper The Christian Science Monitor.

Here too, technology offers opportunities to study and research online and the possibility of listening to lectures or topical articles at www.spirituality.com

The Reading Room is located at 173A NE Broad St., Southern Pines, and is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

Healing Service

A healing service will be held at 5 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at The Village Chapel, Pinehurst.

The service includes the reading of God's Word, confession, prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Communion and the anointment with oil.

Health Ministry

Sandhills Health Ministry meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Monday of the month, at the Pinehurst United Methodist Church, Airport Road, Pinehurst.

All Sandhills churches are invited to send representatives.

Inquiries for wellness information and programs from area congregations may be directed to (910) 295-1577.

Unitarian Gathering

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Sandhills will meet on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, at 10 a.m., at the Pinehurst Executive Center, N.C. 5, Suite 7, Pinehurst. Refreshments will follow.

For more information, e-mail uucsandhills@gmail. com or go to www.uua.org.

Winter Revival

The Fellowship House of God in Carthage will host a "Winter Revival" Nov. 9 through 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Each night will feature speakers from local churches. Pastor Deborah Bloom, of Kingdom Minded Ministries in Southern Pines, will speak Monday. Elder Timothy Worthy, of Oak Grove Ministries in Tempton, will speak Tuesday, and Apostle Andria Weeks Hart, of God's Love in Action Deliverance Ministries, Inc. in West End, will speak Wednesday.

For more information, call (910) 695-0627.