Partying, poetry, prayer.

It’s all available this New Year’s Eve around Suffolk.

As the last evening hours of 2004 roll by, Java 149 will be holding a poetry reading night on Main Street from 7 to 9 p.m. The first even in the coffee shop’s history packed the place two weeks ago, and co-owner Brian Jones expects another large turnout.

&uot;We want to keep it fresh,&uot; Jones said of the readings, held every other Friday. &uot;We’ll probably close about 10 p.m., but we’ll never close the door on people. Usually, people want to spend New Year’s Eve in a place where they can smoke and be served alcohol. I think we capture people who want a different atmosphere.&uot;

After the readings, visitors can stroll down the street to Baron’s Pub, where the local classic rock band D.C. Three will welcome in 2005. The Pub will offer a special on dinners, where two ribeye steak meals can be purchased for $18.95. As always, the parties will range until roughly 2 a.m.

Several local churches will help their parishioners start the new year off on a spiritual note. Missouri Baptist (934-1176), Lakeview Missionary Baptist (465-0350), Little Mount Zion (923-1996), Friendship Catherdral (255-4434) and St. Paul Church (539-9692) are some of the places of worship holding New Year’s Eve services.

&uot;We bring in the New Year with Christ,&uot; said Rev. John E. Jones of Lakeview, who has been holding New Year’s ceremonies for 13 years. &uot;One of the things that happens in society today is that we get disoriented and put our priorities in the wrong place.

&uot;At the first of the New Year, we ought to be thinking about what the Lord has done for us and repent to what we should have done. We should look to the light of the New Year that the Lord has made.&uot;

A mini-sermon will end at roughly 11:55 p.m., and a prayer session will carry over into the new year.

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com