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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
February 27, 2020 - A Women's Conference, "Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord!" will be held April 18, 2020 starting at 10am.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts." (Psalm 159:23).
Hosted by the Open Door Women's Ministry 900 Cotton Ford Road, Center, Texas, Pastor Alvin Davis.
1st Lady Pearl Nash; Sister Stephanie Hicks; Sister Rockie Williams; and Sister Sharon Hamilton. Special Keynote Speaker: Prophetess Ronda Coleman.
Vendors: My Find Accessories by the Clark's Melody's Paparazzi.
February 24, 2020 - The congregation of St. Paul's Missionary Baptist Church in Center took it upon themselves to offer sustainance to many in the community Saturday, January 25, 2020.
Members cooked vegetable soup and passed it out in the community to anybody interested in a meal.
Dwight Preston, a member of the church, stated the day had been busy but everyone had smiles on their faces as they reached out to people in the community, some of which were shocked to be handed their lunch. Preston explained the idea was a vision of Pastor Freddie Wilson.
"We're a Missionary Baptist Church and God is not confined to these walls in our church," said Preston. "We wanted to make for sure that we wanted to benefit our community. We want to take the message that we have here that we have on Sundays, that joy, and give it back to the community."
A group of the church is tasked with culinary decisions and chooses the potential items for the mission. All church members are always looking for places in the community where they might focus their efforts.
Church members traveled to different areas to hand out soup. Some may have been just walking down the sidewalk and were thrilled to be handed a meal. Meals were otherwise handed out door-to-door. Over 100 meals were passed out and the church is looking forward to potentially handing out meals once a month.
February 24, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother, Jesus, Amen. On the Christian calendar, Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday of the Epiphany. Wednesday will be Ash Wednesday, and next Sunday will be the First Sunday in Lent. All that has theological importance, but I guess the big question is how modern people and the modern church remember these significant signposts in our world.
Next Sunday will also be the first day of March. Paxton Methodist celebrates communion on the first Sunday of each month. During February we have been collecting soap and shampoo for Community Christian Services, which I will deliver this week. In March we will collect cans of chili.
This summer we will be wondering where the rain is. Our yards and gardens will be parched, and it will be miserably hot outside. We won’t remember those weeks in February when we complained about so much rain and cold weather. As I start writing my article, it is Saturday morning. The sun is shining, but it was really cold outside as I took the puppies for our walk in the park. We had extra excitement when the Old Spanish Trail Riders went by; the dogs were intrigued but a little fearful.
I got my computer back, and I am a more contented person. I have my sermon completed and started writing the email I send out to church folks each week. There are some things that are different on my computer now, but I am slowly adjusting. I really don’t like change even though I know this one is progress—certainly improved over the old manual typewriters we were reminiscing about on Sunday.
Our Sunday School lesson, the last one in the winter edition, continued with the idea of holiness. Gene read the scripture lesson from Isaiah 61: 1-11, which reinforced the idea of God’s desire for justice. The prophets of the Old Testament stressed that God will tip the scales in favor of the powerless. The big question for those who call themselves Christians is what our class struggled with: As a people of faith, what are we to do about injustice that we see all around us?
The Gospel Lesson from Matthew is about Jesus being transfigured on the mountain, which all three Synoptic Gospels relate. Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, journeys up the mountain. None of the Gospel stories name the mountain, so we assume where this transfiguration happens isn’t important but what happens still speaks to us today. For the three disciples and later the early Jesus followers, having Jesus appear with the big two of Judaism—Moses and Elijah—was very important. To us Christians today, the voice in the clouds telling us to listen to Jesus is the main significance of the story.
This week, we will have our monthly program at Lakeside Assisted Living; last week, we were at Holiday Nursing Center. Sue and I slid in a couple of minutes late to find Pastor Sarah and Hilda already singing with the group. Hilda continued as the accompanist, but Sarah decided to cede to me the emcee job. Pastor Sarah’s devotional linked Valentine’s Day to the Christian love we are commanded to share with all. Fannie promoted patriotism with the poem “God Bless America.” Sue introduced Shel Silverstein with partial lyrics from his songs “A Boy Named Sue,” “Hey, Loretta,” “Put Another Log on the Fire,” and “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” followed by his children’s poem, “The Ball Game.” Nora had us rollicking along to “Billy Boy” and then favored us with my favorite hymn, “Morning Has Broken.”
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.
February 21, 2020 - Bright Morning Star Baptist Church is hosting the 1st Anniversary of Pastor and People on Sunday, March 8th, 2020 at 3pm. You and your church are invited to come and share in a Celebration Service honoring Pastor Anthony Jackson and wife Sis. Aretha Jackson. My Father in the Ministry, Pastor George McCain and New Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana will be special guests. Please make plans to attend. Your presence will be greatly appreciated.
Pastor Jackson and Bright Morning Star Baptist Church
February 20, 2020 - The Pastor and Members of the House of Refuge Apostolic Ministries invite you to join us for our 2020 Black History Service on February 23, 2020 at 11am. There will be a special performance by the Horman Youth Department.
February 20, 2020 - St. John's Episcopal Church would like to invite everyone to their annual Pancake Supper on February 25th from 5pm to 7pm. We will also be having Ash Wednesday Service on February 26th at Noon. We are located on 96S just past Southview Circle.
February 18, 2020 - Pastor Freddie Wilson and the members of Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church invites you to our Black History Program on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 10am. The theme will be "Knocking at the Door of Being First" with special guest speakers, Dr. A'mie Preston and Coach Juan Day.
February 18, 2020 - Please let me show you this day who owns this universe and all the things within it and let us all learn how we can gain favor with this all powerful, all knowing, all seeing God above us.
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." (Psalm 24:1-2)
And so we can plainly see that this world, this earth, this universe do indeed belong to the Lord, and that all the things upon the earth also, for it is he and he alone that has created all things including the earth and everything upon it.
So if all things belong to the Lord, the One who has created all things, how then can we come to partake of his goodness, to enjoy the fruits of his labor as we live on this earth?
"Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?" (Psalm 24:3)
This my friends is the question that all people should be asking the Lord each and every day of our lives until we have the answer we seek. That answer we seek, as all others, is in the pages of his Bible.
"He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully."
"He will receive blessings from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalm 24:4-5)
Jesus tells us that those who do give up their current life to follow him will receive the treasures of heaven that all seek.
"Truly I say to you, "there is no one who has left house or wife or bother's or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life." (Luke 18:29-30)
All who follow Jesus who deny the sinful life of this world and obey his words and wishes, they will receive his rich blessings of joy and peace while on earth and the blessing of eternal life in heaven.
"Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob." (Psalm 24:6)
May we give all glory, all blessings to the one who has saves us from our sinful ways and makes us a part of his heavenly family, may we all give praises to the King of glory!
"Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in."
"Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!"
"Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." (Psalm 24:7-9)
Yes, remove all the obstacles that can prevent the Lord from entering your heart and cleansing you from all wrong, humble yourself and accept him as Lord and Savior.
"Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." (Psalm 24:10)
May you receive him today and forever know his joy and peace within your heart.
February 17, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother, Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. I am still waiting for my computer to be updated; my wife’s computer has viruses, so it takes forever to get something typed and ready to send out. This past Saturday I attended a mandatory workshop in Longview on Sexual Ethics. Many of our area Methodist pastors were there—it was good to catch up with them.
We had a small group at Paxton Methodist Sunday. The Paxton Methodists are collecting soap and shampoo for Community Christian Services this month. On Tuesday at 2:00 we are going to meet at Holiday Nursing Center for our ministry there. We will sing songs and tell stories, hear scripture and share encouraging words.
Our Sunday School Lesson was titled “Holy People,” with the scripture Psalm 24: 1-6. Fannie, as always, had an inspirational lesson: We had good discussions about worship and what it means to be God’s people. The writer said we are all, in some way, shape, or form, pieces of the world’s holiness. A comforting idea!
The Gospel lesson continued where last Sunday’s left off. Since the Epiphany Season is quite long this year, we get to spend several Sundays reading and studying Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Gospel lesson and the Sunday School lesson matched up well. Jesus proclaims that the Kingdom of God has arrived and then explains what we are to do to live in that Kingdom—in God’s World.
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.
February 17, 2020 - Stewardship - what is the meaning of that word, how does it apply to the life of a Christian.
Stewardship - according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is: The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.
If we are talking about stewardship, then stewardship of what? The management of the things the Lord has entrusted to each one of us, for all anyone has is given him by the Lord.
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, and the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." (Psalm 24:1-2)
All that I or you or anyone has is entrusted to him by the Lord for all has been created by the Lord and all belongs to the Lord, we are only entrusted with the good-keeping of what we have for the time we are here.
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
And Good said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." (Genesis 1:26-29)
And it was so with Adam and Eve and their descendants until the flood came and all mankind except for Noah and his family were destroyed for all were evil in every way.
As Noah and his family departed from the ark along with all of the animals that he had kept for the Lord, the Lord blessed them as he had done with Adam and Eve.
"And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything." (Genesis 9:1-3)
God made man stewards of every living thing on earth, for with Noah he added the animals of the earth to the things which he gave man, not to abuse nor to waste but to use for his own food and welfare. It is the same with all material things of the earth, they are God's, we are only allowed to use what we need for our lifetime here on earth.
God's word says this about treasure, here on earth and in heaven.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
And so I ask you, are you being a good steward of the things the Lord has entrusted you with?
Are you working each day to do his will and to follow in his footsteps in your journey through life?
Are you laying up your treasures in heaven where you will have them throughout eternity, or, are you chasing the treasures of this world, establishing your kingdom on earth where it will all burn away one fateful day?
Follow the Lord Jesus Christ and his treasure, eternal life with him in the kingdom of God in heaven.
May you be receive the blessings of our Lord, his joy and peace even on this earth!
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