Cultural, heritage festival

* Chattanooga's Indian community will hold its annual celebration of the Diwali festival of lights and of Indian culture in general today from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Frierson Theatre of Girls Preparatory School, 205 Island Ave. The free event will consist of around 25 short group performances by young adults and community members in temporary and contemporary music, dance and other entertainment. For information, visit http://www.gps.edu/pages/Directions/.

Lecture

* Lee University will present the third, and final, part of its Middle East Lecture series on Monday at 7 p.m. in the school's Johnson Lecture Hall in the Humanities building. The featured speaker for the lecture, "Peace or Apocalypse: The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict," will be Dr. David Holt, director of the Middle East Studies Center in Cairo, Egypt, with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. His discussion will center on the issues and challenges involved in resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. For information, call Dr. Suzanne Holt at 614-8623.

Music

* The Chattanooga Gospel Orchestra, under the direction of Danny Sample, will present a concert at First Baptist Church, 506 E. Eighth St., on Sunday at 5 p.m. There is no charge to attend. For information, call the church at 265-3229.

Tax seminar

* The Hamilton County Baptist Association, 508 N. Market St., will host its annual free tax seminar on Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The seminar is geared to ministers, financial secretaries, treasurers, administrators, bookkeepers, finance and personnel committee members, volunteer workers, and those who prepare various church and nonprofit tax and financial forms. The event will be led by CPA Deborah Taylor of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. For information, call 267-3794 or visit www.baptistassociation.com.

Thanksgiving services

* Bethlehem Baptist Church, 130 Bethlehem Church Road, Madisonville, Tenn., 7 p.m. Wednesday (dinner follows).

* First Church of Christ, Scientist, 612 McCallie Ave., 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

* First Presbyterian Church, 554 McCallie Ave., 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

* Hawkinsville Missionary Baptist Church, 7463 Pinewood Drive, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

* Hickory Valley Baptist, 2320 Hickory Valley Road, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

* Lookout Mountain Baptist, 901 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Tenn., 10:30 a.m. Thursday (community service with Church of the First Born, Church of the Good Shepherd-Episcopal, First Baptist of Lookout Mountain, Grace Fellowship, Lookout Mountain United Methodist, Lookout Mountain Presbyterian, Our Lady of the Mount and Rock Creek Fellowship).

* One Accord Community Church, 343 Sweetland Drive, 7 p.m. Tuesday (Red Bank community service).

* Ooltewah United Methodist Church, 6131 Relocation Way, 7 p.m. Tuesday (Collegedale-Ooltewah community service).

* Rising Fawn Baptist Church, 4411 Highway 11, Rising Fawn, Ga., 7 p.m. Tuesday (Lookout Valley Baptist Association service).

* St. John United Methodist Church, 3921 Murray Hills Drive, 7 p.m. Sunday, (community service with Harrison, Lighthouse and Washington Hills UMCs).

* Signal Mountain Baptist Church, 960 Ridgeway Ave., 7 p.m. Wednesday.

* Silverdale Baptist Church, 7236 Bonny Oaks Drive, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Thanksgiving meals

* First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St., third annual Unity in the Community celebration for the homeless and disadvantaged (entertainment, showers and clean clothing available), 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday; 756-1023.

* Friendship Central Community Church, 7 N. Tuxedo Ave., The Great Supper geared for Brainerd community, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, 698-3471, ext. 6.

Youth conference

* Transform Students Ministries, an arm of Precept Ministries International, 7324 Noah Reid Road, will host a "Resolve" conference for teenagers (ages 12-18) Dec. 4-6. Ritchie Johnson, the Transform director, will be the main speaker. The conference also will use Precept's inductive Bible study method to engage participants in Scripture. The cost ranges from $115 to $170. For information, call 888-678-5660 or visit www.transformstudent.org.