Aberdeen

Turing Pont Worship Center, located at 16433 U.S. 15-501 south of Aberdeen, holds worship services at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. Bible classes are held at 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

To submit items for the Aberdeen news, please email shelbiperson@emnbarqmail.com.

- Shelbi Person

Addor

The Addor Community Center cleanup day will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the center. Everyone in the community is urged to come out and help.

The center board will host a Christmas parade at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. The first one was held last year. Board members hope this one will be bigger and better.

Elizabeth Chapel Free Will Baptist will hold its 100 Men in Black program at 3 p.m. Sunday. The speaker will be Marcus Martin, from Richmond, Va. The church is asking all male choirs to participate. Dinner will be served after the service.

Everyone in the community is invited to attend New Zion A.M.E. Zion Church. Sunday School is at 10 a.m., and worship is at 11 a.m. every Sunday. The pastor is the Rev. Charles McKnight.

Great things continue to occur at the 21st Century after-school program at New Zion A.M.E. Zion Church. The program operates Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Snacks are provided. Please contact the Rev. Charles McKnight, the church pastor, at (910) 639-1893. They thank everyone for their support.

Birthday wishes go out this week to Shawn Bright (Dec. 2) and Joshua Brown (Dec. 4).

In memoriam: Dorothy Little and Georginia Chavis (Dec. 6).

The community was saddened to learn of the passing of Charlie Chandler, a longtime worker at McCain Hospital. He lived in Cameron Village after his retirement. The funeral service was Saturday. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Please keep the Cox and Jones families in your prayers on the death of Sheldon Cox. The funeral service was held Friday.

Sick and shut-ins: Betty J. Ellerbe is in the hospital. Delmont Cox is home from the hospital. Sarah F. McMillian is in rehab. Jessie McNeill is home from the hospital. Betty L. Moses, Philip McMillian and Nora Smith are among the homebound. Stella Gillispie, Connie L. Covington, Diana Brown, Portia Smith, Marie Berry, Sampson Blue and Lewis Swan are in nursing homes or assisted living homes.

Please continue to pray for all the sick and shut-ins.

If anyone has church or other community news, please contact me at (910) 281-3385.

- Lorine McCants

Eastwood

The McLaughlin Thanksgiving reunion was held at the Lewis McLaughlin and Rochelle estate.

Those in attendance from out of town were Lewis McLaughlin Jr. and his wife, Dolores; Mandrill and his wife, Pamela; son Drill Jr. and his daughter, Meme, and husband, Reginald; Larry Johnson and his wife, Melinda; Preston and Penny Neal; and Artilus and Nathaniel Lett.

The Eastwood community was saddened to learn of the death of Timothy Mason. Please keep the family in your prayers

St. Peters will have its Christmas program and dinner Dec. 18.

St. Peters has Bible study on Tuesday after the first and third Sunday each month. Prayer meeting is held at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday.

Bishop C.L. Curry and his wife, Gretchel, celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary Sunday. James and Elaine Jones will celebrate their wedding anniversary this week.

Christopher McLean celebrated his birthday Friday with his family.

Birthday wishes go out this week to Sandy McRae and Dwight Brown (Dec. 1), Princess Wilson (Dec. 2), Trayevon Cotton (Dec.4) and Chelsie Shamburger and Jessica Khan (Dec. 5).

Sick and shut-ins: Lewis McLaughlin, Paula Neal, Michael McLean, Charles Jackson, Joe Jackson, Hoover Brown, Cornelia Adkins, Evelyn Clegg, Minister Wrencher, Carolyn Swinnie, Mary Russell, Margret Thompson and Alma Jones.

- Wilma Monroe

Hoffman

Bible study is held each Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Macedonia and at 7:30 p.m. at Fletcher's Chapel. Pleasant Hill holds Bible study at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

The Macedonia ushers will celebrate their 56th anniversary at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The Red Hat Club will have its Christmas party at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. Members will attend worship Sunday, Dec. 11, at Fletcher's Chapel. The Women in Red program will be held at 3 p.m. The speaker will be the Rev. Brenda Roberson.

Brenda Swann, Colin Swann, of Washington, D.C., and her daughter, Reshia, and grandchildren, from Raleigh, visited the Little family in Hoffman over Thanksgiving. The Kerry family spent Thanksgiving in Charlotte for a family dinner. Alice Little celebrated with family at the Bakers in Raleigh.

Birthday wishes go out to all who are celebrating this week.

Sick and shut-ins: Flossie Hagins, Frank Smith, Lang Harrison, Albert Hailey, Lacy Jackson, James Anderson, Shadeed Hart, Jaqua Hart, Mattie White, Retha Sloan, Henretta Little, Bessie Little, Latoya Ratliff, Cathy Harrington, Lula Smith, Ernest Gilmore, Juanita Gilmore, Leana McRae, Arlene McRae, Thelma McKoy, Dan McKoy, Eugene Martin, Johnny King, Nancy Ellerbe, Lillie Ellerbe, Bunie Ellerbe, Jimmy Ellerbe, Letha Isaac and Mary Jamison are among the homebound.

Please continue to pray for the sick and shut-ins, church leaders, our children, government and one another.

- Bea Little

Little River

Cypress Presbyterian Church invites the community to several events celebrating Christmas.

This coming Sunday, a celebration of the Lord's Supper will be held at the 11 a.m. worship service.

A covered-dish supper will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in the fellowship hall and the Joy Gift program "Journey to Bethlehem" will be presented.

The adult choir will present a Christmas cantata during the 11 a.m. worship service Sunday, Dec. 18. At 5 p.m., the Cypress Christmas party will be held in the Fellowship Hall.

For additional information on these and other events, please call the church at (910) 245-4731 or visit the website at www.cypresspres.org. Cypress Presbyterian is at 2012 Cypress Church Road.

This coming Saturday, the Mount Pleasant Church fellowship hall will be the place to be. From 7 until 10 a.m. the newly formed Girl Scout troop will be serving a pancake breakfast to raise money to support the troop. Everyone one is encouraged to come out and support these young girls and their leaders as they serve you a wonderful breakfast. A $5 donation will be requested from those attending.

A senior citizens' Christmas banquet will be held at 4 p.m. this Sunday. The middle adults Sunday School class will host the senior citizens of the church and friends for a meal and celebration in the fellowship hall. It will begin with a program by the children of the church and a special solo by Pete Vazquez.

The choir continues to practice for its Christmas cantata, which will be presented Dec. 18 during the morning worship service. At 6 p.m. that day, the church will celebrate Christmas with the children's program. A churchwide fellowship featuring Christmas goodies will follow.

Since Christmas Day falls on Sunday this year, the church will hold worship at 10 a.m. There will be no Sunday School that day. This will allow families with small children a little extra time at home on Christmas morning, and the early worship will also allow for families to join together as a Christian family on this very special day and still have time to go "over the river and through the woods" to grandparents' homes for their family celebrations.

The church is holding a silent night Christmas quilt auction. Six hand-made quilts have been donated to the church by Doris Haynes. Each quilt is most beautiful and a treasure in its own right.

These quilts have been donated to raise funds to assist in the benevolent ministry of the church for families who are in need this year. Anyone who would like to see the quilts or place a bid should contact the church office or the pastor. The quilts are on display in the vestibule of the church.

Mount Pleasant Church will again be one of the collection places for Bikes for Wright. It's not too early to start turning in those bikes so "Santa" can get started on those repairs.

If you need someone to come and pick up a bike, please call Sunny at (910) 245-4747 to arrange for pickup.

Please remember, with positive thoughts and prayers, all of our soldiers and their families, whether here in the States or abroad.

If you have any information you'd like to share with our community, please call me at (910) 245-4747.

- "Sunny" Sidley

Shawtown

Please pray for those in rest homes and assisted living facilities, hospital patients, the homebound, caregivers, our president and our other leaders, our troops and each other.

If anyone has an announcement for the Shawtown news, please submit it a week before publication.

My new email address is adamsminnie29@yahoo.com or call me at (910) 783-7822.

- Irene Ray

Taylortown

Thank you for your support of the "Hill Top Shops" this holiday season. They include Not "Jus" Any Bag, Bono Abstract Clothing, Sew What?, 360 Creations Beauty Salon and New 2 U Everyday Rummage. Fresh Discipleship Center, with Pastor Cora Murphy, resides on "the Hill."

There is also an outreach ministry with household goods and clothing for those in need on "the Hill." It serves many throughout the county and is owned and managed by Minister Gerald and Tia Brown.

Thank you to the Taylortown Ministerial Alliance for the love and support of those in need during the holiday season. The Rev. Kenneth Stewart is the president.

The Rev. Angela Headen Davis' church, Long Leaf A.M.E. Zion, will have its annual musical and praise program, which is sponsored by the Men's Boosters Fellowship, at 5 p.m. this Saturday. The guest groups include the Gospel Mellowtones, Sensational Jubilaires, Angelaires, of Vass, and the New View All Stars, of Robbins. Everyone is invited.

A memorial services will be held for Timothy Mason at 5 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Aberdeen Elementary School Auditorium. Please remember the family in your thoughts and prayers. Tim's wife, Nicole, mother, Lottie, father, James, children, brothers, grandparents, and other family members thank everyone for all the many acts of kindness.

Tim was a wonderful young man, businessman (barber by trade), church member, athlete, student, husband, father, son, brother and good friend to many people in the Sandhills area.

The building fundraiser at Galilee Missionary Baptist Church was canceled because of a death in the church family. The program will be rescheduled at a later date. The pastor is the Rev. Charles Nabors.

Thank you to the local churches, ministries and faith-based organizations for considering making a donation to United Way of Moore County. The United Way supports many nonprofits, including those that provide programs for youths, victims of abuse and those recovering from substance abuse. For more information, call United Way at (910) 692-2413. Linda Mills Pearson is the executive director. The Rev. Rose Highland-Sharpe is a board member. Call her at (910) 295-0013.

Nursing assistant 1 will be offered through continuing education at Sandhills Community College's Hoke Center in Raeford beginning in January. You must register before Dec. 6 and have the assessments and enrollment process completed. For more information, contact Dottie Bement, the NA 1 coordinator, at (910) 695-3965.

Thank you to the ladies who continue to help with MANNA! at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at Spaulding Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church. Some of the helpers include Melba Bostic, Esther McNeill, Hulene Morrison and Kathy Murphy. Pastor John Roberts is the day-to-day operations manager for MANNA! The pastor at Spaulding Chapel is the Rev. Charles Allen.

Michael Robinson thanks all the musicians for coming to the Taylor House on Saturdays for the "jam sessions." The sessions open to experienced musicians Saturdays from noon until 6 p.m. at the Taylor House on Main Street.

If you have a passion for playing any musical instrument, please join this lively "jam session" every Saturday. There is no charge. Contact Robinson at (910) 725-1582 for more information.

You are invited to participate in free music classes at the Taylor House on Main Street. The classes are open to all ages. For more information, contact Michael Robinson at (910) 725-1582.

Musicians are still needed at some local churches. Call Minister James McNeill at (910) 384-4369 (Word of Life Ministries) and Pastor Shirley Gillis at (910) 692-5185 (Outreach Ministries for Jesus). Also, contact Rev. Rose Highland-Sharpe regarding other pianist-organist opportunities at rosesharpe37@gmail.com.

Many thanks for your continued prayers and support of Edward and Sharonda Wilson.

Spruill Temple Church of God in Christ has a prayer service every Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Call in your prayer request at (910) 295-0071. The pastor, Elder Jerry Chesney, welcomes everyone to drop in at any time during this informal prayer time and "to come as you are."

Join St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 198 Gaines St. in Jackson Hamlet, for weekly services. Sunday School is held at 10 a.m. Worship begins at 11 a.m. Prayer meeting and Bible study are held at 7 p.m. each Wednesday. The pastor is the Rev. Elgett Floyd.

Thanks for listening to "Good News Inspiration" on WEEB-990 AM from 6 to 11 a.m. on Sundays. Send your church and community announcements to the Sunday program director-announcer, Rose Highland-Sharpe, at P.O. Box 4653, Pinehurst, NC 28374, or email rose-sharpe37@gmail.com. Other WEEB gospel family members include veteran announcer Felton J. Capel, substitute announcer Niniji Lloyd, and new trainees Pastor Ren Lee and Ken Capel.

Job opportunities are available at Smithfield's meat packing plant in Tar Heel, N.C. As part of the application process, register for pre-employment skills classes in the human resources development program at Sandhills Community College. The classes are free to those who qualify. Call Jenny Troyer at (910) 695-3926.

Career development, basic skills and GED classes are available at the Westmoore Center in Robbins and at the Day Reporting Center in Carthage. Other basic skills and GED classes are offered at Aberdeen Elementary School and in Van Dusen Hall at Sandhills Community College. Call the recruiter for basic skills education at SCC, Rose Highland-Sharpe, at (910) 695-3783.

The 21st Century 2011-2012 after-school program is accepting applications for youths in kindergarten through 12th grade. Leave a message at (910) 295-5813. The program is held at Christ Way Deliverance Church in Eastwood and New Zion A.M.E. Zion Church in Addor. Pastor and Mrs. E. Nathaniel Jackson are the directors. Special thanks to Pastor Charles McKnight Sr. and his wife, Barbara, at New Zion in Addor.

The December prayer list includes Deacon Leroy Alford Sr., Jaion Barrett, Carol Blackmon, Mr. and Mrs. George Brown, Evelyn Clegg, Christine Ellerbe, Sandy George Gaines, Geneva Goins, Phyllis Goins, Cathy Harrington, Alice Jackson, Pauline Levine, Rosa Mills, Willa B. Monroe, Catherine Morrison, Dorothy R. Morrison, Vera Moses, Lolita Robinson, Mr. Shamberger, and Johnnie Stanford and Alice Thompson.

Please remember all the sick and shut-ins, the widowed, orphans, bereaved, incarcerated, homeless, youths and the United States military in your prayers and good deeds.

If you have any questions, comments and community news, please respond to R. Highland-Sharpe at P.O. Box 4653, Pinehurst, NC 28374, or at rosesharpe37@gmail. com. Send announcements at least two weeks in advance.

- Rose Highland-Sharpe

Vass

God's House of Prayer Ministry holds Sunday School at 10 a.m. every week. Worship services are held on the first and third Sundays of the month at 11 a.m. Bible study is held every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and intercessory prayer is held every Saturday at 8 a.m. Pastor Mary Kelly is the church pastor.

The Gospel Mellowtones will perform at 5 p.m. Saturday at Longleaf A.M.E. Zion Church in Robbins for its Men's Booster annual fundraiser. The church pastor is the Rev. Angela Davis.

Minister Betty Ray will be the guest speaker at a pastor aid service at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at God's House of Prayer Ministry.

Pastor Mary Kelly will be the guest speaker at New Birth Church in Sanford at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, for its church anniversary.

Birthday wishes go out to Rasheda Kelly (Dec. 5).

Word of Truth Christian Center of Vass, where the pastors are Micheal and Cheryl Blue and Overseer Helen Spencer, has Bible study at 6 p.m. every Wednesday. Sunday School is held every Sunday at 10 a.m., and the worship service starts at 11:15 p.m.

New Direction Outreach Ministries, where the pastor is Pastor Linnie M. Saunders, has worship services every Sunday at 11:30 a.m., except any fifth Sunday.

Bible study is held from 7 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday. It is led by Elder C. Taylor.

The church is at 3623 North U.S. 1 Business in Vass across from the Vass Ball Park. For more information, call (910) 638-8441.

Continue to pray for all the sick and shut-ins, including all in the hospital and in rest homes, each other and our U.S. troops in Iraq and worldwide.

To have your news included in the Vass section, send an email to anitafinch38@ yahoo.com or mail items at least one week in advance to P.O. Box 176, Vass, NC 28394.

-- Anita Finch