It took a year, but a golfing trip here has resulted in a group of First Baptist Church of Pinehurst youth and adults heading to West Virginia Sunday, Aug. 8, for a week-long mission trip.

The travelers will be at Calvary Baptist Church of Follansbee, W.Va., for Vacation Bible School and work mission.

“Last summer, Tim Colvin, pastor of Calvary, and a group of his deacons were here to play golf,” said Kevin Garner, First Baptist’s Youth and Children director. “David Marks, our pastor, had announced a meeting on our VBS, and Tim commented that he would love to have VBS, but lacked the people to run it.

“Well, that led to us setting up a mission trip to help him out. We will conduct VBS in the mornings. We have several service projects scheduled during and after VBS.”

There will be two efforts at the church. One is painting the exterior of the fellowship hall; the other is to replace the church entrance steps.

“We also will be building a handicap ramp for one of the Calvary members,” Garner said.

The visitors will be staying at Bethany College, with meals provided by the college and members of local churches.

First Baptist members Denny and Betsy Graff, who have a home 20 minutes from Follansbee, have invited the group for a pool and hot dog outing on Friday of the mission week.

The group will return from Follansbee on Aug. 14.

Musical Duo

The musical duo Dust and Ashes will perform during the 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services Sunday, Aug. 29, at the Southern Pines United Methodist Church, 175 Midland Road, Southern Pines.

Dust and Ashes (Tom Page and Mary Lou Troutman) began their music ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Tom Page, an ordained United Methodist minister, is a founding member of the group. For 17 years, Tom also worked as an associate editor for the Upper Room in Nashville, Tenn.

Dust and Ashes has recorded 13 albums and performed in virtually all arenas. Using guitars and keyboard, they have taken their music to local churches and national church events, to colleges and universities, radio and television, prisons — and the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

Bible College

Solid Rock Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ Inc. will be opening the doors of Solid Rock Bible College on Sept. 30.

Registration will be on Fridays beginning Aug. 6, and continuing through Sept. 10 at 5 to 6:30 p.m., at 220 Leak Road, Jackson Springs.

Tuition is affordable. Solid Rock College is accredited; one can earn an associate or bachelor’s degree.

For more information, call Pastor Judie Hackett (910) 673-0604 or (910) 585-8458.

Beth Moore Event

First Baptist Church of Aberdeen will host a Beth Moore simulcast from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18.

The cost is $20 per person, and lunch will be provided. Call Deborah Richardson at (910) 944-1421 to make a reservation.

Registration should be made by Wednesday, Sept. 1, with checks made payable to First Baptist Church.

Upward Registration

Upward basketball and cheerleading registration is now under way for the 2010 season.

Registration forms have been mailed to those who participated last year. Forms are also available at Chick-Fil-A, Mac’s Restaurant on U.S. 1 in Aberdeen and may be picked up at the Aberdeen First Baptist Church on U.S. 1, in Aberdeen, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For those who prefer, registration forms may be downloaded at www.upward.org and dropped by Aberdeen First Baptist Church or mailed to P.O. Box 1066, Aberdeen, NC 28315.

Upward basketball and cheerleading is open to boys and girls from kindergarten through the eighth-grade. Evaluations will be held at Southern Middle School the week of Aug. 2, with practices starting Monday, Sept. 13.

Early registration for basketball and cheerleading is $50 through July 31, and $60 thereafter. The deadline for registration is Aug. 7.

Values such as sportsmanship, teamwork, integrity and respect are stressed, and devotions are held halfway through each practice.

For more information contact Rodney or Melanie Fleming at (910) 725-0133, Larry Richardson at (910) 690-4700 or contact the Aberdeen First Baptist Church at (910) 944-1421.

Additional information is also available by e-mailing rodfleming@nc.rr.com.

Mixed Chorus

The Piney Grove Mixed Chorus will celebrate its 16th anniversary with a service at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7.

Several guest groups are expected.

The church is located in the Windblow community near Ellerbe.

Sandy Grove

Sandy Grove Bible Church of God will hold a pre-anniversary service for Pastor Elwood Hooker at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6. The speaker will be Elder Frazier Davis, of Little Galilee, Sanford.

The annual women’s day program, which will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, features speaker Eldress Ola Greene, of Greengrove Church, in Star.

The church is located in Vass.

Reading Room

New staff members at the Christian Science Reading Room in Southern Pines are bringing new ideas to better serve visitors who come to the site for study or to borrow or purchase Christian Science Publishing Society publications such as the world-in-scope Pulitzer Prize-winning Christian Science Monitor.

Other resources include Bible commentaries and translations and the availability of Bible research computer programs.

Since the space is small, the challenge has been to accommodate sales, study and library areas. Changes have accomplished privacy for study, as well as a new open feeling.

Tucked between Sweet Charity and First Choice Insurance at 173 NE Broad St., the Reading Room is a quiet spot where people are invited to spend time reading or in meditation or prayer.

The Reading Room is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For further information, call (910) 692-7759.

Anniversary

Spring Branch Missionary Baptist Church, Old Wire Road, Wagram, is celebrating 150 years of ministry with an anniversary banquet Friday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. at Unionville Baptist Church Banquet Hall.

Dr. Gregory K. Moss Sr., president of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, will be guest speaker for this event. Ticket donation is $20.

For more information, call (910) 369-2877.

Soup Kitchen

Page Memorial United Methodist Church, of Aberdeen, “The Church That Serves,” operates a soup kitchen every Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the church fellowship hall.

MANNA! also serves lunch there every Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

A contemporary worship service begins each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Breakfast is served at 8 a.m. The fellowship hall is located between U.S. 1 and Poplar Street.

The traditional worship service begins at 11 a.m. in the church sanctuary.

The Rev. Jane Leechford, pastor, leads both services.

Bible Study

Community Bible Study, an international study with classes held throughout the United States and more than 120 countries, is now taking enrollment for the 2010-11 season in the Sandhills for women, which will begin Sept. 7.

Nondenominational classes meet each Tuesday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Southern Pines. This year, women representing 17 local churches attended, attesting to the unity of the Christian message. Next fall members will be studying the book of Genesis.

Women meet together for a short program with singing and special music or testimony. They then proceed into small groups where answers to printed lessons that had been distributed the week before are shared.

Love, caring and prayer are emphasized, and lasting friendships are often forged through participation. There are classes for preschool children with crafts and Bible stories, classes for home-schooled children and a nursery for babies; young mothers are welcomed.

There is a small charge to cover materials, with scholarships for those who cannot afford the fee. Anyone interested in registration or more information about Community Bible Study should call Noel Roberts at (910) 235-5271 or Betty Rossi at (910) 295-0489.

Caregivers

The Village Chapel Caregivers will not meet during the month of August. Meetings will resume the fourth Thursdays of each month, beginning Sept. 23.

The group is open to the public. For information, call June Vetter at (910) 295-8026.

Dial-A-Meditation

Need encouragement and inspiration for these troublesome times? Call Dial-A-Meditation at (910) 947-2002 to hear a message sponsored by Community Friends Church, in Carthage.

Lunch ’n Learn

The Village Chapel of Pinehurst hosts a Lunch ’n Learn program from noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays with Dr. Larry Ellis, senior pastor.

He will answer questions and provide insight into the scripture readings each week.

“You can send your questions to info@TheVillageChapel.net,” says a spokesman. “We will be meeting in Chapel Hall and don’t forget your lunch.”

For information, call (910) 295-6003.

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

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.