October 21, 2019 - Grace and peace from our brother and savior, Jesus, Amen. The past week has been really nice—pleasant temperatures and some much- needed rain. I hope autumn hangs around for a long time—until January or February would be fine by me! Saturday night we got an unexpected rain shower. It didn’t last all that long, but we had an inch in our rain gauge.
Thursday was the flu shot clinic at the Joaquin Community Center. The Joaquin Senior Center uses the Joaquin Community Center every week day and they, along with the local Quick Care, sponsored the clinic. Those who got their flu shots were invited to lunch with the seniors. Each weekday the Senior Center provides a meal for seniors at the Center. They are not funded for “take out” or “meals on wheels.” There is no paid staff: The four volunteers—Lynn, Doug, Delores, and Sue—plan and prepare meals Monday through Friday and keep the Center open from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Many seniors come early and stay late to play dominoes, and on Friday a big group comes to play bingo.
It was Homecoming week at Joaquin. The Ram football team won a hard-fought victory over Timpson. Hard to believe I have been retired from the school business over ten years. We live close enough to the football field that we can hear the play-by-play of the football games (our dogs are not amused). Tenaha had its homecoming a couple of weeks ago, and several of our church members attended various homecoming functions.
Larry McNeil, who attends Paxton Methodist, has a real passion for Texas history, especially Shelby County history. In the old McNeil/Brown Drug Store in downtown Tenaha, Larry set up a display of one of the classes that went through Tenaha schools. He has had several displays; it is worth the stop to check out local history. I have heard many glowing reports about Ms. Fannie’s talk at the Shelby County Historical Museum. She spoke about the beautiful historic court house on the Center Square, which she shares with pride and knowledge.
Several of our members give to the East District Second Mile Club. The money that the Second Mile Club collects from donors goes to small churches in the East District of the Methodist Church who have big repair or other financial needs. I have finally put together a phone directory for Paxton Methodist. I have been working on it for awhile and thought I was going to have to change the title from 2019 Directory to 2020 Directory. Finally I got them put together and handed out at church. We are so small that the directory part only took one page. Sue took pictures of the folks at church and Sunday School, and we added those along with the church’s mission statement and some pictures of the church. That was the hard part—technology and I don’t always agree.
Last week was our ministry at Holiday Nursing Center. I had a doctor’s appointment in Shreveport so Sue headed up the program. Minnie played everything that was thrown at her. Pastor Sarah talked about a nature walk she took, tying it to appreciation of even God’s smallest creations—and to Genesis. I missed Nora singing one of my favorites, Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” but she says she’ll do it again this week. She also shared a quote from Mother Teresa and hand-clapped the group through “Do, Lord.” Sue read two short pieces—“A Bee in Her Bonnet,” from Country Woman magazine, and Ten Turkeys in the Road, a comical picture book. Hilda and Margie were on hand to help with the singing, and Bobbi, Holiday’s new Activity Director, joined in also. This coming Thursday we head to Lakeside Village Assisted Living for our monthly program.
Ms. Fannie had a great Sunday School lesson. Gene read the scripture from the Luke Gospel about Nicodemus’ meeting with Jesus. Jesus tells him that he must be born anew. Nicodemus has all the advantages possible in his culture and society, but there still remains a “chasm” between him and God. I am always amazed how our Sunday School lesson ties into the scriptures for that particular Sunday.
The Old Testament Lesson for Sunday came from the part of Jeremiah that is called The Book of Consolation. Jeremiah tries to get them from doom and despair to hope and promise. Once again God is going to “covenant” with his people. But this time God isn’t going to write the Torah—“The Way”—on stone tablets but into the very heart and soul of people
In the Gospel Lesson from Luke 8: 1-8, Jesus tells about the persistent widow who confronts a corrupt judge. The widow did not give up until eventually the judge came around to justice. And we can tell that widow never gave up on God! In the New Zealand Anglican Church, after the Gospel has been proclaimed, the reader says, “Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.” I really like that.
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.
