St. Thomas More School, 920 Carmichael St., will hold its annual "Christmas Holiday Shoppe" craft show on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the school gym.

Shoppers can save time, gas and money as they experience one-stop shopping with more than 55 crafters and artisans from across the Triangle.

A wide array of unique, handmade gifts and specialty items will be sold, including jewelry, Christmas ornaments and decorations, baby and children's items, wood crafts, purses and handbags, kitchen items, greeting cards, knitted items and candles.

Christmas Shoppe also will feature a raffle, bake sale, letters to Santa, musical entertainment and the Reindeer Cafe serving a hot lunch.

Admission is free and there will be plenty of parking. All proceeds from the event will support St. Thomas More School and the enrichment of its education programs. Further information available by calling 490-8493.

Closet provides free clothing

The Take and Wear Clothes Closet at Lystra Baptist Church, 686 Lystra Road in northern Chatham County, will be open on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. This ministry provides free clothes to any who need them, including men, women, teens, children and infants. Winter coats are also available.

Further information available by calling the church at 933-6812 or e-mailing lystrabaptist@earthlink.net.

Havens to perform at Community Church

Richie Havens, whose soulful singing style has made him popular since his historic appearance at Woodstock in 1969, will perform on Sunday, Dec. 7, at The Community Church, 106 Purefoy Road.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and doors will open at 7 p.m. A brief social where coffee and baked goods will be offered is set for 6:30 p.m.

Community Church Concerts, formerly known as the Community Church Coffeehouse, is celebrating its 10th season with a remodeled facility that seats 320 and a new sound system for acoustic music.

Tickets are $27 and available at tickets@communitychurchconcerts.org. There are no reserved seats.

Series explores spirituality, health

Is there a link between spirituality and health?

The Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center offers monthly seminars during which speakers explore links among spirituality, theology and health.

The upcoming seminar on Dec. 4 will be led by Heather Curtis, an assistant professor at Tufts University. Her topic is "Faith in the Great Physician: Spirituality, Theology and Health in the History of America."

The event from noon to 1:30 p.m. is free and open to the public. Lunch is provided, but registration is requested by Dec. 1 by e-mail to elizabeth.alford@duke.edu.

The center's phone number is 660-7556.

The seminar will be held in the Medical Center Board Room 1170B in Duke Clinic (South), yellow zone. Parking in the garage across the street is $1.

Donations sought for clothing drive

University United Methodist, 150 E. Franklin St., is collecting new warm clothing and educational toys for the Robeson County Church and Community Center. Robeson County is among the poorest counties in North Carolina, with more than 20 percent of its population living in poverty.

University UMC is accepting new coats, hats, mittens and scarves as well as educational toys for children through age 11. These will be given to the Christmas Store at the Robeson County Church where families in need may shop free of charge. Monetary contributions for older children will be accepted, as well.

Items are being collected at University UMC between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14.

Photo exhibit to go up at Duke Chapel

An exhibit of photographs of life in the Blanchard community in Haiti will be on display during the month of December at Duke Chapel in Durham.

A health clinic funded in large part from the offerings taken at the chapel's Christmas Eve service each year is located in the suburban community of 225,000 residents, many who fled the violence of Cite Soleil.

In late 2003, Family Health Ministries, a nonprofit organization established by Dr. David Walmer of Duke Medical Center, learned of the need for a health clinic in Blanchard, which is overwhelmed by extreme poverty.

That first year, the Christmas Eve offering at the chapel was given to support the creation of the clinic. The following spring, the congregation organized a mission team to travel to Haiti to help lay the foundation for the clinic. Since then, the Christmas Eve offerings have been given for the construction and maintenance of the Blanchard clinic.

The "Clinique De Sante Soins de Famille" opened its doors on Dec. 4, 2006, and today it has a staff of nine who see patients five days a week.

The congregation is in the process of planning another trip to Haiti next year with Family Health Ministries. Further information is available by calling Shea at 684-3917 or mckennon.shea@duke.edu.

Please let us know what's going on in your church or faith group, so we can share your news with our readers. E-mail news and announcements to Flo Johnston at fjohnston3@nc.rr.com.