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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
March 19, 2020 - First Baptist Church Center Sunday Morning Worship Services will be held online and FacebookLive Center, Texas, March 19, 2020 — Worship with us during this Crisis.
In accordance with National, State and County disaster strategies, of not meeting in groups of 10 or more, we will be hosting our Sunday Morning Sunday school and Worship Services to our online platforms and radio/cable ONLY.
We invite you to join us at the following links and stations:
- http://fbccenter.org/live-video-stream
- https://www.facebook.com/firstbaptistcenter/
- RADIO: KQBB 100.5FM
- Suddenlink Cable Channel 2
All other activities are postponed.
Further updates will be by Facebook, Email, Text and at www.fbccenter.org
First Baptist Church is committed to helping people of Shelby County develop a relationship with Jesus Christ
March 18, 2020 - Shelby County Pastors — We want to offer our assistance to you as we navigate this time together. We have the capability to record your sermons so that you can distribute them to your church membership. IF you would like for us to partner with you please contact Pastor Bobby Bressman or David Mathis at 598-5605
Our leadership team met this afternoon with an increasing amount of discussion surrounding COVID-19. We want to make plans for our congregation, we encourage you to heed the advice of the CDC, and to take common sense precautions in daily life.
Remember that we serve a sovereign God who instructs us not to live in a spirit of fear. God is good, He’s faithful, and we know that He’s still at work all around us.
Let’s continue to be the Church and walk with God together in the days ahead as we strive together to Connect People to Jesus Christ and One Another.
Because of the developing situation:
- We are postponing the scheduled "Walk thru the Bible" that we had planned for Sunday for a later date.
- Wednesday evening and Children’s activities and Adult Bible Study are postponed.
- This Sunday we WILL NOT have our regularly scheduled Sunday school and Worship service.
- Connect with staff through hosted live chats during the Sunday morning service. We want to continue to help you grow and pray with you, even when you aren’t attending in person.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
If you feel uncomfortable with being in a group we invite you to worship with us live at 10:15 AM on our Facebook page, and on our webpage
Kids Prayer Guide for families at home:
It’s important to remind our kids that they can talk to God about anything! No matter where they are or what they are feeling, God hears our prayers.
These simple ideas can help guide your prayer time as a family:
- Focus on and praise God for who is – “Thank you God for being loving”; “I praise you Lord because you protect us and heal the sick”; etc...
- Pray God’s word – Choosing one verse to focus on can help you stay focused and help your kids not wander on too many rabbit trails.
- Take turns – listen to your kids! God often speaks through our kids tender hearts. Offer a turn for each of your kids to voice their prayers.
- Keep an ongoing family prayer list – a list that you can add to and check back with frequently. Keep this list somewhere the whole family can see it.
SENIOR ADULTS
All of our normal weekly rehearsals have been canceled until further notice.
FAMILY LIFE CENTER (GYM)
Until further notice, the FLC will be closed due to COVID - 19.
CENTER LEARNING ACADEMY
Our CLA will be closed along with the schedule for Center ISD.
HELP US LOVE OUR COMMUNITY
One of the best ways to help us love our community during the spread of illness is simply to be a good neighbor. If you live beside or are in close contact with families who have high-risk individuals in their homes, reach out to see if they need anything. Maybe that means offering to pick up supplies on your next trip to the store or dropping off some food if they’re unable to get out. Simply look for ways that you can Love Where You Live in the coming weeks and commit to praying for our leaders and community.
Further updates will be by FACEBOOK, EMAIL, TEXT, AND AT WWW.FBCCENTER.ORG
First Baptist Church is committed to helping people of Shelby County develop a relationship with Jesus Christ!
(Update) March 19, 2020 - The First UMC garage sale has been postposted until further notice.
March 11, 2020 – The First United Methodist Church (UMC) of Center is planning a garage sale on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28 from 10 am to 6pm and Sunday, March 29 from 2pm to 5pm in the Fellowship Hall located at 211 Porter Street. The community is invited to attend the garage sale. All proceeds from the garage sale fundraiser will benefit First UMC Missions.
For additional information about the garage sale, please contact Polly McKissick Montemayor, First UMC Missions Committee Chair at (936) 591-5586, swimsuits@yahoo.com, Rev. Karen Jones at (936) 598-2707 or visit www.fumccentertx.org.
March 19, 2020 - I read something the other day that has a lesson in it for all of us. It seems that a Bible Class Teacher, in order to get her lessons over to her students, would describe some character and ask the class to tell her who the character was. One day, she described Jesus. She told how gentle and kind he was, and how he was always helping others, then she asked the children to tell he who she had described. One little boy said, “That’s my neighbor”.
That made me stop and think. What impression do our neighbors have of us? Why do they have that impression? It is a proven fact that most of what people think of us we have caused them to think because of our actions. The impression that others get of us will more often than not be given by the way that we live.
What would our neighbors think about us? If someone described Jesus, would our neighbors think they had described us? We must order our lives so that others will see Jesus living in us, we must live His kind of live.
It’s something to think about… tbp
Join us for worship this coming Lord’s day at the Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street Center, Texas, or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
March 19, 2020 - We have multitudes of people in the world today who do not believe in God, neither the Father nor the Son nor the Holy Spirit.
The world is no different today than it was 2000 years ago when Jesus walked the earth and taught those who would listen and believe the gospel truth of His Way.
Jesus worked to convert those of Israel who followed the teaching of Moses, what is called the Mosaic Law, to his gospel, the message of repentance and redemption and salvation from sin.
Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, "You will become free?" (John 8:31-33)
"I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father."
They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did." (John 8:37-39)
As Jesus drove his points home to them they began to claim to be children of God, to which Jesus answered them.
"If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires." (John 8:42-44)
"Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not if God." (John 8:47)
Many things happen in this world that are meant to glorify God and make people realize that he is God and that there is none other like him.
One day as Jesus saw a blind man, he stopped to help him and his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "it was not that his man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:2-5)
And Jesus then restored the man's sight and God was highly glorified by him as the people saw that he who could now see.
I ask you today, "Can you hear the words of God, do you understand the gospel message of Christ our Lord?" If the answer is no, then please turn to him, repent of your sinful life and accept him as your Sovereign Lord and Master.
There is no other way to salvation, no other way into the kingdom of God but through Jesus Christ.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
Won't you come today, believing in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, confessing with your mouth that God raised him from the dead and that he now lives forever at the right hand of the Father. Do this and you will be saved...
March 18, 2020 - The Catholic Church Diocesis of Tyler has announced that all public Masses and scheduled events within the diocese are temporarily suspended. Bishop Joseph Strickland has promulgated a decree stating this, with concern for and acting on his responsibility for the Catholic faithful of the diocese. This decree is in effect until April 1, 2020, when it will be reevaluated and possibly extended. For more information, please visit dioceseoftyler.org.
March 18, 2020 - Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, the Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church weekly meetings and church services for the week of March 16th through March 22nd have been cancelled. Please continue to check announcements as we will be updating from week to week.
“Preach the Word...” II Tim. 4:2
March 16, 2020 - In 1952, my pastor, Dr. Chadwick of Center, Texas invited me to a revival he was preaching in the Clayton Community near Carthage, Texas, Texas. He made arrangements for me to stay that week with the church Music Director and work with the youth. Brother Bass was short, loud, and wore a pocket watch with a long gold chain. He vigorously snapped his fingers as he led us in songs like “Turn the Radio On” and “I’ll Fly Away”.
I was thrilled when Bro. Chadwick asked me to preach on Wednesday night while he returned to his home church. It would be my third sermon to preach… ever. As we gathered for the evening service, dozens of cars suddenly appeared on the highway and slowly turned into the church’s parking lot. They had driven all the way from Shreveport, Louisiana to hear Dr. Chadwick preach… and they were about to hear me!
Embarrassed and apologetic, I stumbled into a sermon. Several of the bugs that swarmed the yellow light bulb above me wound up in my throat. Coughing and stuttering, I preached “from generations to revolutions and the accidents of the apostles” all in one sermon. I got David instead of Daniel in the lion’s den and never did get him out.
After making remarks like, “Good sermon," and “You’re another Billy Graham," the dejected visitors fled to their cars. As he patted me on the back, Bro. Bass thundered, “Great sermon, Junior!” “I can’t preach like Brother Chadwick,” I sighed. Eyeing me intensely, he calmly replied: “That’s right, Junior… but he cain’t preach like you, neither!!”
It took me years to fully appreciate Bro. Bass’s wisdom. God doesn’t compare us to others, but expects us to do our best with what we have. That’s always been a great comfort to me…
… and a great conviction.
March 16, 2020 - The McWilliams-Rather Cemetery Association will meet on Sunday, March 22nd at 3:00 pm at Todd Spring Baptist Church.
March 16, 2020 - Why is there so much trouble in this world today? Why most do many suffer in despair? Why does God allow this to happen?
Let us look to the words of the Lord given all people through the teachings of the prophet Isaiah for our answer to this age-old question.
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness." (Isaiah 59:1-3)
Let us look at the basic commandments given all people by the Lord our God and see how we have performed in relationship to those.
1. "You shall have no other gods before me."
2. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain."
4. "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
5. "Honor your father and your mother."
6. "You shall not murder."
7. "And you shall not commit adultery."
8. "And you shall not steal."
9. "And you shall not bear false witness (lie)."
10. "And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or any of his possessions."
Ok, so let us look at the situation in our world today and see how well, as a people, we have followed God's Ten Commandments.
Have we in fact held other gods before the Lord our God, do we devote more time to others things than to God?
Do we have carved images, statues or people or games or things that we worship with our time instead of devoting more time to God?
Have we ever used the name of the Lord our God in vain, used his name in a trivial manner or as a part of a curse toward another person or thing?
Have we always honored the will of our earthly father and mother or have we often rebelled against them to do our own wicked desires?
How many innocent babies have we murdered as a society, torn apart, limb from limb, and sold their body parts for profit?
How often have we committed adultery with the wife or husband of another person?
How often have we stole from others, their possessions, their money, their time, their trust?
How often have we lied against our neighbor to gain an advantage over him, against another business to gain over it or against another country to gain over it?
How often have we looked at the possessions of another person, state or country and said, "Oh, I wish I had that ___________!"
Ok, so you tell me why is there so much trouble in this world around us? Why do so many suffer in despair?
How well do you follow the commandments of the Lord our God in your daily life?
I think we all have the answer don't we...
Might it be that we all should turn back to the Lord our God in humility, asking for forgiveness, repenting of our own sinful lives and seeking his face and his mercy?
I think so, cruel and evil world, repent of your sins and know the blessings of the Lord our God, or remain in your wickedness and know the wrath of God that is surely to come on the day of final judgment.
Seek God, seek his face and his forgiveness and know the joy and peace of living for him...
Trouble and Despair or Joy and Peace, the choice is yours to make, choose wisely!!!
March 16, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother, Jesus, Amen. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! On the Christian calendar, Sunday was the Third Sunday in Lent. It has certainly been a strange week on Planet Earth. Who would have thought a month ago that the whole world would be in lockdown! Who would have thought that a virus would cause a state of emergency to be declared in the United States! I always figure that out here in the sticks we wouldn’t be affected by things that trouble urban areas and other parts of our country and world—but who knows. We all have been or will soon be impacted by events. Area nursing homes have asked visitors to stay away, so our ministries to Holiday and Lakeside have been canceled. We will keep collecting cans of chili for Community Christian Services during the month of March.
Liz has texted several times to keep Paxton Methodist updated on Lillie since her hip surgery. It sounds like Lillie is making good progress—always good to hear. Maybe by the time she is ready to run a race, things will be back to normal and baseball will start! Until then, we hope Lillie has plenty of ice cream. Fannie told the folks that Carlie and Derek are expecting their first youngster. I know there is excitement in the Watson family! Fannie also told us that Charlie had a horse riding fall: We hope he gets to feeling better soon.
Our Sunday School scripture came from Number, when God sent poisonous snakes to kill the complaining Israelites. If God wants my attention, sending snakes would certainly do it! I am fearful of snakes even though I know they do much more good than harm in the natural order of things. Still, I am a big fan of St. Patrick and the idea of chasing out the snakes. I wonder if St. Patrick would drive out the snakes from Texas! That would be a pretty big job.
The Gospel Lesson for Sunday was John 4: 5-42. This passage is the longest dialogue between Jesus and another person found in the Bible. I think it is important and intentional that the conversation is between Jesus, a Jewish rabbi, and an unnamed Samaritan woman. Once again, the scripture uses the “hated Samaritan” to illustrate a foundational story and idea of faith. I wish the woman had been named so I didn’t have to always refer to her as a Samaritan woman. There are many sermons that can be preached and many lessons learned from these 37 verses and this intense, personal, and meaningful discussion between Jesus and the woman at the well.
Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here. Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist, you can send your email address to the Paxton email address, and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.
Randy & Sue Smith/Paxton United Methodist Church
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