Contributed

The Moore County Literacy Council will be sponsoring Christmas in the Pines on December 7th at the historic Pinehurst Fair Barn. 

Christmas in the Pines will be an ecumenical Christmas service raising awareness of efforts to combat low literacy in Moore County. The service, modeled on the Cambridge Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, will tell the Christmas story in chronological order through nine readings from the Old and New Testaments, each followed by an anthem or carol. Readings will be performed in part by students of the Read Moore Center who have, as adults, improved their reading with the help of the Literacy Council. Principal musical performances will be provided by local choirs, ensembles, and musical groups. 
 
Mrs. Kristin Cooper, the First Lady of North Carolina, will be the honorary chairperson of this event. 

As the first lady, Kristin Cooper is dedicated to issues that improve the lives and well-being of children and families in our state. She is using her platform to focus on issues related to literacy, childhood hunger, abuse and neglect, and the arts.

“Literacy is so important, particularly in our increasingly complicated world,” said Cooper, “and I salute the efforts of the Moore County Literacy Council, the libraries and schools in Moore County, other social service agencies, and their equivalents all over the state, for addressing literacy challenges head-on.  I am honored to be involved with Christmas in the Pines.”
 
Slated for December 7, Christmas in the Pines will coincide with Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.  The holiday service will be preceded by a Pearl Harbor commemoration ceremony around the flagpole outside the Fair Barn.  Troubadours from the Golf Capital Chorus, one of the Literacy Council’s principal sponsors, will provide music for the commemoration.
 
“I hope that Christmas in the Pines will offer our community an opportunity to come together in support of something we all believe in – reading, writing and speaking in English,” said Stuart Mills, Executive Director of the Moore County Literacy Council.  “Worshipping together under the exposed pine beams of the Fair Barn will be a rare treat.  The extraordinary local musical talent participating in the service should also be inspiring.  We are very grateful to Mrs. Cooper, many local churches, and our patrons for support of this endeavor.  As always, none of our work would be possible without the support of our corps of 85 volunteer ProLiteracy trained tutors.”
 
All are welcome at this joyful and poignant celebration of the season, but reservations are required.

Make your reservations at the Read Moore Center in Southern Pines (910-692-5954), The Country Book Shop, Given Memorial Library, or at any of the following participating churches:  Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church, Community Congregational Church of Southern Pines, Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Southern Pines, First Baptist Church of Southern Pines, Pinehurst United Methodist Church, Seven Lakes Chapel in the Pines, St. Mary Magdeline Episcopal Church, Southern Pines United Methodist Church and Trinity AME Zion Church of Southern Pines. 

Tax-deductible donations of $50 per person are suggested.

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