Sunday December 1
Mount Olive will honor pastor, wife
Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Tillatoba, will celebrate the anniversary of their pastor, Carl Ray, and his wife on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Marcus Dudley, pastor of New Kingdom Movement, Coffeeville. All are invited.
United Voices of Hope plan concert
On Sunday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m., United Voices of Hope will present their annual Christmas concert at Saint Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, 617 W. Main St., Charleston.
The theme will be “The Cradle, Cross and Crown, Christ the Lord.”
“We want to embrace the holiday season and inspire all with love and gratitude,” said choir spokesperson Melba Taylor. “A wonderful time is planned and your presence is so important to this celebration. Help us bring the season of joy, love and hope.”
Tuesday December 3
Water association plans gathering
Blue Cane-Cowart-Tippo Water Association will have their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m., at 535 Sharkey Road, Charleston. For details, call 662-375-0007.
Wednesday December 4
Tutwiler center welcomes seniors
Senior citizens are invited to gather at the Tutwiler Community Education Center on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m., for singing, games, fellowship and lunch. For more information or to arrange for a ride, call Genether Spurlock at 345-8393.
Thursday December 5
CARE Holiday Market planned
The Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort’s Holiday Market will be held Thursday, Dec. 5, from noon until 5:30 p.m. Merchants will set up in the CARE gallery, and shoppers will be able to find items ranging from clothes and jewelry, to arts and crafts.
Friday December 6
CARE offers ‘Cookies with Santa’
The Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort’s annual Cookies with Santa event will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Bring your little ones in for crafts, cookies and, of course, Santa Claus.
Living Puppet Christmas Tree slated
The youth ministries of Calvary Chapel of Parchman and Faith Baptist Church, Charleston, will join forces to present the 25th annual Living Puppet Christmas Tree program three times on the weekend of Dec. 6-8.
On Friday, Dec. 6, the youth’s puppet teams will present the event at Faith Baptist Church, 6372 Highway 32 E., Charleston, at 6:30 p.m.
On Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m., they will present the same program at Calvary Chapel of Parchman.
The program shares the message of Jesus through a mixture of sacred and secular music and skits presented by puppets among the branches of a lighted Christmas tree.
There is no charge for admission. No offering will be taken, but those who wish may bring canned goods for the church and community’s food pantry ministry.
Saturday December 7
Church sets Gloria Bradford benefit
Rocky Branch Missionary Baptist Church will host a benefit program for Gloria Bradford starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. All are invited, noted pastor Willie Davis.
Sunday December 8
Piney Grove will honor pastor, wife
Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church of Cascilla will host a sixth-year appreciation service honoring the pastor, the Rev. Norman Small, and his wife, Sunday, Dec. 8.
The Rev. Sidney Townes, pastor of St. Andrews Missionary Baptist Church of Oakland, will be the speaker for the 11 a.m. service. The Rev. Riley Suggs, joined by members of his Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Grenada, will speak at a 2 p.m. program. The public is invited to attend.
CARE’s Christmas home tour set
The Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort (CARE) is sponsoring a Christmas tour of homes in and around the city on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 2-5 p.m., followed by a reception at the Charleston Arts Center.
Featured on the tour will be the homes of Lee and Sunday Flagg, JacQueline (Jackie) Prince, Julius and Molly Roberson, and the enclosed backyard wonderland of Myrna Colley-Lee. Complete addresses will be coming.
A grand finale reception will be held at the Arts Center, where music will be provided by Jess Hays Dickinson and Dr. Sam “Jay” Cox, and there will be refreshments and a silent auction of locally crafted Christmas ornaments will occur from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Advance tickets for the tour are available at the Arts Center for $10 now until Dec. 6. Tickets on tour day will sell for $12. CARE members will get a discount of $2 per ticket.
For more information, call 647-0942.
Wednesday December 11
Triad will gather at Tutwiler center
Triad (Tallahatchie County senior citizens) will meet at the Tutwiler Community Education Center on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 10 a.m., for a Christmas program and lunch. For more information or to arrange for a ride, call Genether Spurlock at 345-8393.
Saturday December 14
Robert Neal Food Pantry to be open
The Robert Neal Food Pantry at Calvary Chapel of Parchman will distribute food on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9-11 a.m. Clients are asked to bring their own box to carry food. Anyone who is new, or anyone who is picking up boxes for more than one family, should come at 10:45 a.m. Do not come before noon as there is insufficient parking. The pantry, which serves western Tallahatchie and northern Sunflower counties, usually distributes food on the third Saturday each month, but the December date was moved up to accommodate the church’s busy holiday schedule.
Charleston Christmas parade set
The city of Charleston’s annual Christmas parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, starting at 3 p.m. The theme is “A White Christmas, A King Was Born.”
Churches, schools, clubs and others are invited to enter floats or other entries. There is no charge to participate.
Lineup will begin at 1 p.m. adjacent to the former National Guard armory. Judging will occur during lineup. Trophies will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners.
Oakland Christmas parade on tap
The Oakland Christmas parade will be conducted Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m. There is no entry fee, and all churches, businesses, factories, schools, social clubs, groups and individuals are encouraged to participate.
Booth space is available for $20. Participants must bring their own tent and table.
If interested in participating in the parade, contact Stephanie Patterson at 662-934-4671 (email stpatter14@gmail.com), Vera Walls at 662-709-0440 (email v.walls10@gmail.com), Sharonda Jones at 662-589-0040 (email jonessharonda69@yahoo.com) or Marzet Bland at 662-647-7750.
Tree-lighting ceremony scheduled
A ceremony to light the community Christmas tree will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at 5 p.m., in the courtyard at Charleston City Hall. Carols will be sung. All are invited to attend.
Sunday December 15
Old St. Mark will honor Christian
Old St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church invites the public to help honor their musician, James Christian, during a special appreciation service on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. All choirs and musical groups also are invited, noted church pastor, the Rev. Norman Small.
Wednesday December 18
Seniors to gather at Tutwiler center
Senior citizens are invited to gather at the Tutwiler Community Education Center on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m., for singing, games, fellowship, bingo, a December birthday celebration and lunch. For details or to arrange for a ride, call Genether Spurlock at 345-8393.
Saturday December 21
Faith Food Pantry tells distribution
Faith Food Pantry at Faith Baptist Church near Charleston will distribute food on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The pantry, which serves east Tallahatchie families, distributes on the third Saturday each month.
Due to parking limitations, Faith Food Pantry will serve families whose last names begin with A-H from 10-11 a.m. From 11 a.m. to noon, families whose last names begin with I-Q will be served. Family names beginning with R-Z will be served from noon to 1. Clients are asked to bring their own carry-out box.
Anyone new, or picking up boxes for more than one family, should come at noon.
Clients who are unable to pick up their own food may designate a person to pick up their box. However, to avoid fraud, those picking up the food must (1) be the person designated on the back of the client’s form, (2) bring an ID to prove they are the designated person and (3) bring an ID of the client to demonstrate that they were sent by the client.
All persons picking up for themselves and another person, as well as all persons who come in a group, will have to wait until noon.
Tuesday December 24
Christmas Eve service set at Faith
The annual Christmas Eve communion service at Faith Baptist Church, 30028 Highway 32 E., Charleston, will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24. Everyone is welcome, and clients of the Faith Food Pantry are especially encouraged and invited to attend.
Miscellany
City sponsors decorations contest
The city of Charleston’s second annual “Dress Your Business” contest invites business owners in the city to decorate the exterior their business for the Christmas season.
There is no cost to participate, but registration at City Hall is required. Only those businesses which have registered, thereby expressing a desire to participate in the contest, will be judged on Dec. 27.
First-, second- and third-place trophies will be awarded in each of three categories for Best Door, Best Window and Best Tree.
For more information, contact Charleston City Hall at 647-5841.
Christmas lighting contest planned
Charleston’s Magnolia Garden Club is sponsoring the annual Christmas lighting contest. Judging will be Friday, Dec. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m., in the following categories:
» Best doors and windows
» Best religious
» Best overall
Criteria for judging include proportion, scale and color contrast.
“Show us your holiday spirit,” urged the club’s contest chairman, Flora Vance.
WTHS Class of 1979 seeks grads
The West Tallahatchie High School Class of 1979 Alumni are trying to contact classmates. Anyone who graduated in the Class of 1979 is asked to contact Fred Cox, vice president of the group, at 314-482-6348 for information.
CHS Class of 1980, mark calendars
The Charleston High School Class of 1980 is planning a 40-year class reunion at the Gateway to the Delta Festival in Charleston in the fall of 2020. All classmates who graduated in 1980, or left a little early or stayed a little longer, are invited to attend.
Join the Class of 1980 40th Class Reunion on Facebook or contact Karen E. Countiss at countiss@bellsouth.net for more information.
“Please share this information with other 1980 graduates with whom you have contact,” said Countiss. “We want to see everyone there.”
Report local littering, vandalism
Eyewitness accounts of littering and road sign vandalism/theft in Tallahatchie County may be reported to 647-7711 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days per week. If there is no answer, leave a message as to the exact location of the dump site or sign vandalism or theft, the date and time called and your name and telephone number. Someone will contact you.
Correction or clarification
None.
To report the need for the correction or clarification of any item that appears in print in The Sun-Sentinel and/or on the online sites at www.facebook.com/TheSunSentinel, Twitter or at www.tallahatchienews.ms, call the newspaper office at 662-647-8462 and ask for the editor, or email clay@charlestonsun.net.
