+ Church Directory
+ Read the Bible Online (Link)
Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
May 11, 2021 - National Day of Prayer Event is set for Thursday, May 13 from noon until 12:30pm in front of our Historic Courthouse.
Join the leaders and pastors of our community as we pray for America, for our First Responders and Military, for our Churches and for our Schools.
Join us as we meet "in the center of Center" to celebrate the Power of Prayer.
For more information call David Mathis at 979-533-1575 or 936-598-5605.
Rev. and 1st Lady Winston Kibbles Sr.
May 11, 20213 - St. John Missionary Baptist Church is hosting the 14th Appreciation Service for Rev. and 1st Lady Winston Kibbles, Sr. on Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 2pm. Special Guest is Rev. A. L. Horton Sr., Pastor of Reed Chapel Baptist Church, San Augustine, Tx.
Come celebrate this great occasion with us. The theme is “Celebrating the Laborer that dwells among us.”
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13: And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church is located at 2308 CR 2050, Center, Texas 75935.
May 10, 2021 - Powdrill Cemetery Homecoming will be Saturday, May 15, 12:00 noon in the Neil Grant barn, located 1 mile north of Arcadia on FM 1645. Please bring your favorite dish and stay for a short business meeting afterward.
If you are unable to attend this year, you may mail your contribution for upkeep of the cemetery to the following address. We thank you in advance for your generous contribution as costs have increased through the years.
Powdrill Cemetery Fund
c/o Derek Grant, DVM
549 Lakewood Drive
Center, Texas 75935
May 10, 2021 - Sitting for a meal with my parents (and five sisters and four brothers) brings back sweet memories. Daddy built a long bench on each side of the table and put a nail keg at each end for us to sit on. Naturally, we all wanted to sit on a keg and had a good many scuffles trying to be the first to get there. The familiar call, "you kids come eat" was always music to our ears and we didn't have to be called twice.
We weren't allowed to eat the last biscuit, piece of cake, etc. and were forbidden to talk while food was in our mouth. We couldn't chomp on our food, take huge bites, play with our food, reach across the table or eat with our mouths wide open. (It is obvious that this is an ancient story)
We were allowed to talk and encouraged not to rush through our meals. The interaction with my siblings and parents at the table is one of the fondest of my childhood memories. They sat down with us, talked about our day with us and let us talk to each other. There was no time limit except that we had to be done before bedtime.
People who can sit thru a whole meal gorging…but never saying a word…are almost as repulsive as those who talk with a mouth full of food. . I think Mother had it right: Talk at the table. Eat at the table.
But don't talk with food in your mouth.
May 6, 2021 - Lone Cedar's Homecoming Service is this Sunday, May 9th. Services start at 10:30am.
If anyone would like to make a donation to the cemetery fund please mail it to: John Paul Lawson, 2926 County Road 3373, Joaquin, Texas 75954 or Irada Oates, 204 County Road 3182, Joaquin, Texas 75954.
May 6, 2021 - It was Mark Twain who said, “They did not know it was impossible, so they did it”. When you think about it, that is a very inspirational thought. It conjures up thoughts of perseverance, courage and accomplishment. It is amazing to think how many interesting and worthwhile things most of us could do, if we did not put mental handcuffs on ourselves.
When we are young, we are filled with dreams of the future, and of the idea of attaining great things in this life. Sometimes, failures are made, and after a number of failures, we become permanently discouraged, we become cynical and decide that we cannot really do anything worthwhile after all. And so it is, as we grow older, the lives of the vast majority are filled with “it can’t be dones”. Along with the statement of impossibility is a myriad of excuses for why it cannot be done.
How long has it been since you took stock of yourself? Are you bound down by the idea that you cannot accomplish those things you need to accomplish?
It is time for us to realize that with the help of the Lord, anything can be done! It was Paul who wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13) We need to eliminate from our vocabulary the expression “It can’t be done”!
It’s something to think about… tbp
Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street, Center, Texas or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." Romans 8:28
May 3, 2021 - My brother Bill enlisted in the Navy when we graduated from High School in 1950 and soon afterwards, I hitch-hiked to Springfield, Missouri and enrolled in the Baptist Bible Seminary. I got there with three dollars in my pocket and joined a number of other "pore" young preachers. My parents didn't have a phone, so Mother often wrote letters to keep me in touch with the family.
Even though postage stamps were only 3 cents back then, eight children were still at home and even a stamp was hard to come by at times. Each of Mother's letters were enclosed in a small "lick to seal" envelope and she faithfully wrote on the back of them, "All things work together for good to them who love the Lord...” "Romans 8:28." "Hen Doug, all things that happen to us won't be good," she used to say ... "but they will all work together for our good."
On February 25, 1999, our saddened family gathered around Mother's casket for her burial in the cemetery at Center, Texas. As I stood reminiscing, I envisioned Mother's hands, her letters, and her special left-handed handwriting. And I recalled her saying to me, "Remember, Hen Doug ...All things.'" And under my breath I whispered, "I know, Mother." "I do remember."
"I always will."
May 3, 2021 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus. Sunday was the 5th Sunday of Easter. Springtime has come to East Texas! The temperatures have warmed into the 80s, and we have had plenty of spring rain. My garden looks so good. I notice when I am driving around how pretty people’s roses are this year. My roses have been fantastic. I don’t know if it is really true, but it seems that the best-smelling roses have the most and meanest thorns (should be a life lesson in there somewhere).
Since we resumed in-person worship, our music has been on CD. We can hum under our masks, but no vigorous singing! This week our songs were related to each other. We started with “Song of Joy,” by Julio Iglesias. I heard it for the first time while in the car heading to Louisiana, Missouri, many summers ago and liked it so much my daughter found a CD for me. As you can tell from the title, Iglesias’ song is based on “Ode to Joy,” AKA “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” that is in the Methodist Hymnal. The words were written by Henry Van Dyke and put to the music of Beethoven. The two songs made nice “bookends” in our service.
Our Sunday School lesson was from Exodus 33 & 34, where we are treated to conversations between God and Moses. We see that Moses feels comfortable speaking to God about his questions, doubts, and fears. Our author says that one of the key themes in the Bible is God’s faithful presence. The risen Christ of Easter assures us that God will always be at our side in our living as well as our dying.
We are marching toward the Day of Pentecost. This religious holy day comes to us from our spiritual foremothers and forefathers of Judaism. These fifty days leading to Pentecost, referred to as Eastertide, give us a chance to explore the meaning, not only of death and resurrection, but also of God that we see in Jesus. When we sense God in Christ, we realize that God has everything to do with compassion and empathy. In my sermon I continued to focus on John’s first letter, Chapter 4: 7-21. Last week I tried to speak to what God is like. John the Elder refers to God as unknowable, certainly the eternal mystery. And John says if we can perfect the love that flows from God by loving others with great compassion, then we will know who God is.
Compassion, empathy, and love are what Joaquin Christian Services is all about. Last week, when I took our April donations—toothpaste and toothbrushes—they were busy handing out much-needed and -appreciated boxes from the Farmers to Families program. It is always such a pleasure to see these volunteers doing God’s work! In May, we will be collecting cans of fruit.
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.” 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.
April 29, 2021 - Have you ever seen items on sale at a greatly reduced price and in the fine print you read “slight imperfections?” Have you ever thought about how that describes us? The church is composed of folks that have imperfections. There are members, preachers, bible class teachers, song-leaders and others with “slight imperfections.” Amazingly, God has over the years been able to work wonders through imperfect people. In fact, God has never had a chance with any other kind.
If a preacher ever finds a congregation with no faults, he will have found a place where no teaching, preaching or training is necessary. If a congregation finds a perfect preacher, he will seem unreal, completely without understanding of the difficulties and burdens and sorrows people with slight imperfections struggle with.
It is imperfect Christians, working together, forgiving one another’s faults, who come nearest to presenting Christ the “perfect” church.
If you know of someone who stays away from the church, away from the worship because there are people there with imperfections, invite them in. There is always room for one more imperfect person. Also, just how perfect does it make you when you refuse to forgive the imperfections of another? How perfect does it make you, when you try to destroy the usefulness of another in the kingdom of Christ because they might be “slightly imperfect?”
I don’t guess we should take a personal inventory. We might find that we have “slight imperfections.”
It’s something to think about… tbp
Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street Center, Texas or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
April 28, 2021 - The annual Sardis Cemetery Homecoming and Fish Fry will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021 beginning at 11 AM. Catfish plates with all the trimmings will be available for $10 per plate. All proceeds will benefit the upkeep of the cemetery and grounds. We are encouraging our young folks to get involved.
The annual business meeting will follow the fish fry about 1:30pm. The CHURCH building has had some structural damage inside that was caused from foundational issues. To restore it will require funds that we do not have at this time, therefore, we are asking for your help in the form of donations from the community or anyone interested in preserving the building. Additional donations are also necessary and appreciated to help with the up-keep of the cemetery.
Any donations can be mailed to Sardis Cemetery, 6034 FM 414, and Center, TX 75935.
Pages
