October 28, 2019 - “The Word of God is quick to see the thoughts and purposes of the heart”…  Heb. 4:12

We got in a discussion after a church service last week about who said, “You can fool some of the people all the time and all of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all the people all the time”. One lady said it sounded like Will Rogers and another thought it was Shakespeare. I later checked the internet and found it was President Abraham Lincoln.

Fooling people is one of man’s favorite pastimes and P.T. Barnum was a master at it.  He is responsible introducing more new expressions to the English vocabulary than any other modern person. “Jumbo” was the name of his elephant and now we have “jumbo shrimp,” “jumbo jets”, etc. etc. “Throwing your hat in the ring”, “grandstanding”, “let’s get this show on the road”, and “come rain or shine” are a few of his originals. 

Strangely enough, his best-known saying, “there’s a sucker born every minute”, actually came from his competitor, David Hannum who was referring to the people that P.T. had fooled in his “Barnum and Bailey Circus.”

Barnum’s “What is-it Animal,”” “Feegee Mermaid,” and 161-year-old woman fooled a lot of people but he never tried to fool God. The inscription on his tombstone reads: “Not my will but thine.” He knew what all men should know:

You can’t fool God any of the time.

October 28, 2019 - Pastor Freddie Wilson and the Saint Paul M.B.C church family celebrates 110th Church Anniversary. Service will be Sunday, November 3rd, at 10am. Evangelist George Cartwright will be the guest speaker.

Everyone is invited to come help us celebrate 110 years!!!

October 28, 2019 - Grace and peace from our brother and savior, Jesus, Amen. It is Friday morning, and I am starting on next week’s newsletter and newspaper article. Woke up this morning to rain, rain, rain!  We certainly need the rain, so no complaints here. I tried to coax the puppies out this morning, but Gunter and Sam just looked at me like I was crazy. The only way they will voluntarily go out in the rain is if I take them for a walk and get wet too. I am debating this idea as I write. 

Our long season of Ordinary Time comes to an end as we have several holy days coming up on the calendar. We Protestants celebrate Reformation Day, and of course November 1st is All Saints Day.  I always think of All Saints Day as kicking off a new season—cooler temperatures, “fall back” out of Daylight Savings Time, Thanksgiving, and of course Christmas.  I learned watching the news that the way the calendar falls this year we will have six fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is the reason why retailers are starting the Christmas Season before Halloween. I don’t really accept that explanation, though, as this silly season of buy-buy-buying seems to start earlier and earlier each year.

All Hallowed Saints Eve (Halloween) and All Saints Day were festival days in pre-Christian Europe. As the emerging Christian Church did everywhere, it took these days over and repurposed them to the new faith. I like Halloween and am not bothered by its pagan roots. If we threw out every Christian holy day that had some pagan features, we would have to throw out most if not all of our festival days. 

All during October we have collected peanut butter & jelly for Community Christians Services. In November we will start collecting rice and beans. On Sunday, November 10th Paxton will have a Gideon Speaker.  Paxton has long supported the work of the Gideons; several of our past members were Gideons. Last Sunday I handed out new church phone directories. When you are as small as Paxton Methodist, you can fit all the names on one page! So Sue took pictures of Paxton folks and our pretty church, an album that makes up most of the directory.

Last Thursday was our program at Lakeside Assisted Living. Hilda was lively on the piano. I emceed, telling stories between singing, including the parable for my sermon yesterday. Since I missed Nora’s singing last week, she graciously did an encore of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” one of my very favorite songs. Ollie spoke about miracles in her recent life, leading in to the Bible according to kids and a poem about hugs. Pastor Sarah’s devotional started with some of God’s smallest creatures, progressed through a tale about her dog Maple, and finished with Jonah running from God. Stellar discussed miracles in her life and then accompanied herself on guitar, singing “Peace in the Valley.” Her mom and Margie, by the way, were important parts of our group today. Fannie talked of the value of optimism in life, with some catchy slogans. Sue read a piece from the Texas Co-op Magazine called “Native Soil”: The author explains how his children were born outside Texas but with a bag full of good old Texas dirt under the delivery table.  

We had a really good Sunday School lesson that focused on Romans 6: 1-14. Today was Reformation Sunday, and the book of Romans was very important to reformers like Luther, Calvin, and Wesley. The emphasis was on the need to live each day as best we can. The author reminds us that we cannot live a self-serving, self-centered life and at the same time live a God-serving, God-centered life. Paul also says that believers have already been raised to a new life in the present, a life that should be lived to and for God. 

Before the sermon we had a short business meeting. We are quite informal at Paxton Methodist. The church voted to give $600 yearly to the work of the VFW. We have several members who are very active in the local VFW, doing so much good for our local veterans. Their programs to remember sacrifices made in the past also help educate all of us.

The Gospel for Sunday was from the Luke Gospel 18: 9-14, the parable about the tax collector and the Pharisee. Jesus picked the most despised person possible and contrasted him with the Pharisee, who was very virtuous and correct in his religious doing but lacking in the humility vital for living in God’s Kingdom.  The tax collector was, by contrast, humble, knew his shortcomings, and prayed to do better in the future. 

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, 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 me 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

October 26, 2019 - Gates Chapel Baptist Church Celebrates 106th Church Anniversary Sunday, November 3, 2019 at 2:30pm Rev. Anthony Jackson and Bright Morning Star Baptist Church will be the special guest.

Gates Chapel Baptist Church is located on CR 2310 Shelbyville, Texas. Everyone is invited.

October 25, 2019 - You are invited to worship with us in our Annual Usher Day on Sunday, October 27th at 2:30pm!

Bishop W.C. Martin and the Bennett Chapel Church Family are our special guests. Sis. Stephanie Hicks of St. John Baptist Church is our guest Mistress of Ceremony. Rev. Richard Edwards, pastor. Sis. Anita Williams, President.

October 25, 2019 - The Dreka Pentecostal Church is having their annual fall festival on Saturday, October 26th. Come join us for bouncehouse fun, chili dogs, hayride, carnival style games, fun and fellowship. Hope to see you there!

The festival starts at 5pm and if it rains it will be moved to indoors!

October 25, 2019 - The Senior Nutrition Site is having a Halloween Fundraiser this weekend, on Saturday, October 26, 2019! There will be live music, food, and raffles! OH! And you can't have a Halloween party without a costume contest! The fundraiser is from 6 - 11 pm and it will be $10 for adults, $5 for children. The Senior Nutrition Site is located on Loop 500, next to the college. So be sure to come and have a ghoul time with us! For more information, call us at 598-7768 and ask for Mrs. Dee.

October 24, 2019 - On behalf of Pastor Bradley A. Hale and the Mt. Horeb Baptist Church family we would like to invite everyone to our 111th Church Anniversary, Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 3pm at the Mt. Horeb Baptist Church in the Bland Lake Community.   

Bishop Cedrick Grace and the Mt. Zion Baptist Church will be our special guests for the evening, please join us and be blessed.

October 23, 2019 - When we meet Moses in Exodus chapter 4, he is 80 years old. He has spent 40 years in Egypt, growing up in the household of Pharaoh and 40 years in Midian, herding sheep for his father-in-law on the back side of nowhere.

He had a stammering voice and some serious self-esteem issues. There was nothing about his physical appearance or disposition to make him outstanding as a leader among men.

But, when he submitted himself to the Lord, when he allowed God to direct him, he became mighty in the history of the people of God. You see, God can take the little things and change them into something great. God asked Moses, “What is that in thy hand?” Moses answered “A rod”. Something that was simply a stick in the hand of Moses by the power of God became the force that brought the plagues on Egypt, divided the Red Sea, brought water from a rock, and won a battle when Moses used it as God directed him. Little things, when placed in the hand of God become great things.

David’s sling and five small, smooth stones by the power of God were able to slay a Philistine Giant. Five loaves and two fish that belonged to a small boy became enough by the blessing of the Savior to feed five thousand.

We must be willing to take our talent, our ability and commit fully to God and become an instrument in the hand of God to do great things to His glory.

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

 

October 23, 2019 - Cecily's family shares the story of her battle with brain cancer from the early days of her illness until the bitter end in a book, 'Cecily's Hope: A Story of Faith, Hope, and a Courageous Cancer Battle.'

'Cecily's Hope' releases on Amazon on October 24, 2019.

Regina Raymond, Cecily's mother, said, "My daughter Cecily was an amazing young lady who fought a battle so great it was exhausting. She had the most amazing faith and love for God. This is a story of love and faith and the little brown eyed girl we love so much. She touched many lives with her battle and I hope to make her proud."

The book is part of the CRG Ministry which was created to fulfill Cecily's dream of bringing people closer to God with her battle of brain cancer!

Cecily was diagnosed with brain cancer, as a senior in high school, in 2008. That tumor was removed and she received radiation and chemo. Cecily went on to graduate with her class, just as planned! Cecily recovered well and went on with a very happy life! But in 2014, just a few short years later, her cancer returned, she began her battle and 16 months later she became a glorious Angel in Heaven!

Cecily's aunt, Kim Adams, explained it was a conversation Cecily had with her family of her desire to share her story and to fellowship with churches, groups, businesses, or any organization. Cecily started the book during the early days of her illness hoping to be the one to share but wanted her family to finish the book and her ministry in her absence in celebration of her life!

The CRG Ministry was started to fulfill Cecily's desire. Other missions of the ministry is Cecily's Closet which includes giving Christmas toys; SHS Scholarship; coloring books, crayons, and stuffed animals to children's hospitals in Houston; and bibles.

To learn more about CRG Ministry, visit online at crgministry.com

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith! - 2 Timothy 4:7

Cecily fought the fight, she lost the battle, but won the war... because she kept the faith!!!

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