The Village Chapel will hold its annual Thanksgiving worship service Wednesday evening, Nov. 24, at 5 p.m.

"Everyone in the community, including visiting family and friends are invited to participate," says a spokesman. "This special event will focus on recognition and appreciation for our many bountiful gifts from God, especially our faith, family and country. As part of sharing our plenty, a nonperishable food donation for the Interfaith Food Pantry in Aberdeen is requested in lieu of other offerings. This community-wide food bank provides thousands of meals each month to the less fortunate. Canned goods, peanut butter and baby care items are always in short supply."

Contact The Village Chapel at (910) 295-6003 for more information.

Thanksgiving Event

The Christian Science Reading Room, 173 N.E. Broad St., Southern Pines, will celebrate the special November events relating to Thanksgiving and National Bible Week.

A Thanksgiving Day Service will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., Nov. 25, at the Christian Science Church around the corner at 240 E. New Hampshire Ave.

National Bible Week is always celebrated during the week of Thanksgiving. There will be Bibles, Bible study aids, commentaries and Bible computer resources available, as always.

During the month of December, all visitors to the Reading Room will receive a 10 percent discount on all items, except magazines.

The Reading Room is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and a librarian is on hand to share ideas relating to the Bible's guidance for everyday living. The Room also provides a place for quiet meditation and prayer.

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

Blessing of the Hounds

The Blessing of the Hounds attracts thousands on Thanksgiving morning to witness an equestrian tradition.

Wearing official hunt attire, riders along with hunting dogs gather in Hobby Field. Local clergy provide the "blessing" for riders, animals and all gathered. Then, the hunt master sounds the horn and the hunt begins.

Riders return exhilarated and ready to share Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.

The public is invited to watch this ceremonial kickoff of hunt season. The hunt starts at 10 a.m., but it's best to arrive early to find a good place to park, tailgate and socialize.

Hobby Field is at 3116 Youngs Road in Southern Pines.

For more information, call (910) 692-6889.

Thanksgiving Flix

On Thanksgiving Day, the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines continues its annual tradition with a free showing of the concert film "The Last Waltz."

Widely acclaimed as the best of all rock-concert documentaries, the film will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, "The Last Waltz" is a chronicle of one -important group in rock music of the late 1960s and 1970s and a commentary on those times.

The film is rated PG and runs 120 minutes.

The Sunrise Theater is at 250 S.W. Broad St. in Southern Pines.

For more information, call (910) 692-3611 or visit www.sunrisetheater.com.