Plates of barbecued chicken will be on sale from 11 a.m. till 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at White Memorial Presbyterian Church on White Memorial Church Road in the Willow Spring community. The cost is $7 per plate, with takeout available. Also, the church will deliver five or more plates in the following communities: Willow Spring, Fuquay-Varina, Angier, Cleveland, Benson and McGee's Crossroads. For advance orders, go to wmpcwillowspring.org and click on the barbecue icon or call 919-639-9973 by Oct. 7.

Yard, bake sales

A yard sale and bake sale will get under way at 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Smithfield Advent Christian Church at N.C. 210 and Galilee Road west of Smithfield.

Chicken and pastry

Plates of chicken and pastry will be on sale from 11 a.m. till 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Barbourtown Church of God, 502 Zack's Mill Road, Benson. An auction will begin at 6 p.m.

Blackman's Grove

Plates of barbecued chicken will be on sale from 4 till 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Blackman's Grove Baptist Church fellowship center on Wood-Lee Road near Blackman's Crossroads. The cost is $7 per plate. An auction will begin at 7 p.m.

Blessing of pets

A blessing of pets is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, on the grounds on Elizabeth United Methodist Church, 4269 Cleveland Road, Smithfield.

Sharon Baptist

Sharon Baptist Church in West Smithfield will celebrate homecoming Sunday, Oct. 11. Here's the schedule: Sunday School, 9:45 a.m.; worship and Communion, 11 a.m.; and lunch, 12:30 p.m. The church is at 11 Britt St.

Galilee homecoming

Galilee Missionary Baptist Church is celebrating its 134th homecoming. The following will perform at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10: the choir from Bible Believing Baptist Church, the Male Chorus from Union Hill AME Church and the Puppet Ministry from Interstate Ministries. On Sunday, Oct. 11, lunch will follow the 11 a.m. worship. The Rev. James K. Herder will deliver the homecoming message at 3 p.m. Sunday. He is pastor of Good Samaritan Baptist Church in Garner. Galilee Baptist is at 2017 Galilee Road, Smithfield.

Festival at Antioch

A fall festival is scheduled from 5 till 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at Antioch United Methodist Church on U.S. 701 south of Four Oaks. The festival will feature homemade vegetable soup, ham biscuits, grilled cheese sandwiches, a variety of baked and canned goods, crafts and a "white elephant" table.

Wilson's Mills Baptist Church

Wilson's Mills Baptist Church will celebrate its 125th homecoming Sunday, Oct. 11. Sunday School will begin at 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Billie Lawson will speak during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Lunch and singing on the grounds will follow. The church is on Swift Creek. For more information, call 919-934-4181.

Prayer Shawl

If you knit or crochet or want to learn how, join the new Prayer Shawl Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Smithfield. An organizational meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. today (Wednesday, Oct. 7) at the church.

Calvary UMC

Calvary United Methodist Church will celebrate homecoming Sunday, Oct. 11. Pastor Becky Balentine will speak during the 11 a.m. worship hour, and the Crossroads praise team will perform. The team is from Horne Memorial United Methodist Church. A covered-dish meal will begin at 1 p.m. Calvary Church is at 249 Medlin Road, Clayton.

Small Chapel Church

Apostle Melvin Blue of Linden will speak at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at Small Chapel Church, 8055 U.S. 701 north of Newton Grove. Pastor Joseph Moore will speak at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11. Bishop R.B. Mott is celebrating his 29th year as pastor of Small Chapel.

Choir anniversary

J.W. and the Higher Prayze Mass Choir will celebrate its 11th anniversary at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Howell Chapel Church, 214 E. Preston St., Selma. The following will be on the program: Dr. Ron Bigelow and the Interdenominational Mass Choir of Burlington and the Mass Choir from St. Paul Church of Christ in Wilson. For more information, call Joseph Whitley at 919-936-2781 or 919-631-3354.

Mt. Livingstone

Evangelist Hattie Lofton of Smithfield will speak at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, Oct. 7-9, at Mt. Livingstone United Holy Church, 403 Ethel St., Selma.

Burnell Baptist

Burnell Baptist Church will dedicate its Family Life Center at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11. An open house with refreshments will follow from 3 till 5 p.m. The church is at 3720 Old School Road, Four Oaks.

Sanders Chapel

Sanders Chapel United Methodist Church will celebrate homecoming Sunday, Oct. 11. The Rev. Eddie Jordan will speak during the 11 a.m. worship hour. Lunch will follow the service. The church is at 4484 Brogden Road, Smithfield.

Pleasant Plain

A homecoming service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Pleasant Plain Free Will Baptist Church, 1991 Old Beulah Road, Selma. The Rev. Billy Nowell will speak, and the Jubilee Boys of Four Oaks will sing. Lunch will follow the service.

Antioch UMC

Antioch United Methodist Church will celebrate homecoming Sunday, Oct. 11. Lunch will follow the 11 a.m. worship hour. The church is on South Bright Leaf Boulevard in Smithfield.

Antioch Baptist

Antioch Baptist Church on N.C. 39 will celebrate homecoming and its 150th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 11. The worship hour will begin at 10 a.m. Lunch will follow at noon. Antioch Church was constituted on Nov. 24, 1859, and was originally known as Johnston Antioch Church. The charter members were William Tippett, Roby Stancil, Ricey J. Narron, Evaline Dean, Elizabeth Bailey, Milley J. Hinton, Quilly Narron, Elizabeth Hicks, Stephen H. Hocutt, John O. Woody, Robert Stancil and Elizabeth Stancil. The first church building was demolished in 1910, and the second building, begun in 1911, now serves as a fellowship hall and community building. The present brick church building was built in 1958.