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Contributing Writers: David Mathis | Tim Perkins
Past Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard
Faith
July 7, 2025 - Come join us for all the fun at Vacation Bible School at the First Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ this Thursday through Saturday, July 10-12 from 6pm to 8pm for ages 5-12. The church address is 480 FM 2026, Center, Texas 75935. Join us for kid oriented games, skits, crafts, music, puppet theater nightly, and meal and snacks!
July 7, 2025 - Good Morning. It’s Monday, July 7.
Texas is a big, big state. El Paso is closer to San Diego, California than it is to Texarkana. Dallas-Fort Worth Airport is larger than Manhattan. The entire state of Rhode Island could fit inside the King Ranch. Texas is so huge that it has at least seven distinct geographical regions. From the rugged Trans-Pecos mountains of West Texas to the verdant Piney Woods here in East Texas. From the majestic Palo Duro Canyon in the Panhandle to the beautiful Padre Island beaches on the Gulf Coast. The Lone Star State has a little bit - or a lot - of everything.
But perhaps the most beautiful part of our state is at its center, an area called the Hill Country. When the early Texas settlers first saw it, they wrote back to their families in Tennessee and Kentucky, describing it as “paradise”. Growing up, my family spent every summer vacationing in New Braunfels on the lovely Comal River. The Comal is a quiet, cool (72 degrees) tributary of the much larger Guadalupe - the site of this past weekend’s horrifying disaster.
It was, in the most negative sense, a “perfect storm”. Freak amounts of rain, coming in the dead of night, on Independence Day Friday, the beginning of a 4th of July weekend. An area that attracts thousands and thousands of visitors, dotted with resorts and RV parks and youth camps. By this morning, the confirmed death toll had risen to 81, with many still missing, many of them children. These words do not adequately describe this catastrophe. It is an indescribable loss.
This morning our hearts go out and our prayers go up. And we claim the promise found in Psalm 34:18 - “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those with a crushed spirit.”
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
July 4, 2025 - St. John Baptist Church of Center and Pastor Rev. Winston Kibbles are hosting its Annual Homecoming and Revival Services July 20 through July 23.
Homecoming service on Sunday, July 20 at 2pm will have a message brought by Rev. Mario Osby, Smith Chapel Baptist Church, Timpson.
The Three Night Revival starts Monday, July 21 and ends Wednesday, July 23 at 7pm nightly. Revival services guest pastor is Rev. Cedric Grace, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, San Augustine.
Revive, Revive, Revival!
St. John Baptist Church is located at 2308 County Road 2050, Center, Texas 75935.
July 4, 2025 - We would like to remind and invite everyone to the annual homecoming for Tennessee Cemetery on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
Homecoming will be held at the Tennessee Presbyterian Church on FM 947. The business meeting will begin at 11am with lunch following at 12 noon. Please come to enjoy a wonderful lunch and catching up with friends.
If you are unable to attend and would like to contribute to the upkeep of the cemetery, send your donations:
Tennessee Permanent Trust Fund
% Jeanie Rhodes
1434 CR 4916
Timpson, TX 75975
Tennessee Working Committee
% Billie Jackson
7607 RM 947
Gary, TX75643
July 3, 2025 - We are living in turbulent times. Our political landscape has become a minefield and it seems that every day the rhetoric becomes more hateful and divisive. Yet, there is a very significant passage of scripture from Paul in Romans chapter 12. Paul tells how we should treat each other. He tells us to be kindly affectioned toward each other, to bless them that persecute us, to rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those who are weeping. He then writes this very meaningful statement in verse 18: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
Have you ever thought, really thought about that passage? Paul wants us to understand there will be people we can’t get along with. There will be people we can’t be popular with. There will be people who just plain do not like us. If we are honest, this should not come as a great shock to us. You see, to be truthful, none of us completely likes everything about the way we are.
Yet, Paul says we are to live peaceably with others as much as possible. That means we are to understand that the Body of Christ, the Church, is bigger than any individual and more important than any individual. That means we must turn loose of the idea that “it’s all about me” and realize it’s all about the Lord. Until we do that, we will never please the Lord and the Church will never thrive and prosper the way the Lord wants it to.
It’s something to think about... tbp
Come join us for Worship at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com.
July 1, 2025 - Wallace Chapel Baptist Church 109 South Marcus Street Timpson, Texas 75975. Reverend Derrick Rhodes, Pastor; Sister Shaneeta Rhodes, First Lady.
Theme: "Dwelling in the Secret Place" Psalm 91:1
- Homecoming Speaker: Elder Donald Baker, July 6, 2025 12:30pm.
- Monday night speaker: July 7, 2025 - Superintendent Marvin Jackson I, Clayton Temple C.O.G.I.C. Timpson, Texas
- Tuesday night speaker: July 8, 2025 - Overseer Marvin Graves, Eagle Wings Ministry Carthage, Texas
- Wednesday night speaker: July 9, 2025 - Bishop Cedrick Grace, Sr., Mount Zion Baptist Church
- San Augustine, Texas
- Homecoming and Revival: Homecoming Sunday, July 6, 2025 Revival, Monday through Wednesday July 7, 8, and 9, 2025 7:30pm nightly.
Everyone is Invited!
July 1, 2025 - First Methodist Church of Shelbyville would like to invite any one in need of a loving and supportive church family to come grow with us. We are a church that loves God and stands firm on his word.
We meet each Sunday. Sunday School Classes start at 10am and Worship at 11am. We are located at 252 FM 417 West, Shelbyville, Texas 75973.
Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.
The First Methodist Church of Shelbyville was established in Shelbyville in 1825. As years passed, the name was changed to First Methodist Church in conformity with many historical records. Tradition holds that the first church service held in Shelbyville was held by “Brother” James English, a local Methodist preacher and circuit rider. As one approaches this, now, sleepy, but once lively community deep in the piney woods, the spire of the First Methodist Church may be seen from some distance. As early as the 1820’s another church building stood on the same spot, but it was destroyed by a storm and rebuilt in 1897. The congregation celebrated the present building hosting 125 years of continuous service in October 2022 and will be celebrating its 200 Anniversary of the formation of our congregation October 26,2025.
It is said that all the architectural elements used in this House of Worship point to God; the gothic windows, high pitched room, the steeple, and inside, even the pews hand made by the Architect, Mr. J.M. Pigg, in 1897. The colorful Victorian glass windows, in vibrant shades of green and amber, cast a golden glow throughout as permeates the nave on both sides. Its peacefulness is esteemed by all who come.
Our Shelbyville Methodist women meet the second Tuesday of each month where we take part in different ministry opportunities such as, our prayer blanket ministry and our teddy bear ministry. Our Shelbyville Methodist Men meet every Tuesday for breakfast.
The word of God tells us in Psalm 100:1-5 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
We are not a perfect church or perfect people, but we serve a perfect God who is worthy of all praise, and we invite you to come grow with us in God’s love, service, and word.
Please look for the little white church, with stained glass windows and the steeple pointing to God as you drive up the hill entering Shelbyville and come worship with us.
June 30, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, June 30. Over the next four days we’ll take a patriotic journey that leads us to this Friday, our nation’s 249th birthday - the 4th of July!
In 1831, a young 24-year-old minister named Samuel Francis Smith was concerned about the spiritual condition of his young country. He decided to write a hymn that would, in his words, “bring America back to God”. His song - “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” - became hugely popular and was considered, for a hundred years, to be America’s unofficial national anthem.
That changed in 1931, when “The Star Spangled Banner” was voted to be our official song. I would have voted for Rev. Smith’s composition. For one thing, it’s so much easier to sing! In the last century, it has continued to be sung whenever Americans celebrate our freedom. In 1939, opera star Marian Anderson was barred from giving a concert at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. because of the color of her skin. Instead, on Easter Sunday, she stood before an integrated crowd of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial. And she sang this song.
On August 28, 1963, a young 34-year-old minister named Martin Luther King stood before 250,000 people at that same Lincoln Memorial. His legendary “I Have a Dream” speech quoted the final phrase from Samuel Smith’s hymn, as he passionately exhorted his country to “Let Freedom Ring!” For almost two centuries now this patriotic song has encouraged us to do just that, as it brings honor to our country, and to our God.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
June 30, 2025 - Strong Triumph Church is hosting a Three Days Conference - A Spiritual Awakening starting July 18 and ending July 20.
Friday, July 18th at 7:00pm
Saturday, July 19th at 7:00pm
Sunday, July 20th at 2:00pm
For more information, contact Elder FayeDell Allen at 936-572-5810 or the church at 936-368-2478.
June 27, 2025 - Join us Sunday, June 29, 2025 at 2 pm for our Sneakers and T-Shirt service at First Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ in Center. We have a seat saved for you! Following service there will me a meal, cake walk, games set up, an inflatable obstacle course for the kiddos, and snow cones.
The church address is 480 FM 2026, Center, Texas. The church is lead by Pastor Richard Goodwin, Sr.. Come and worship with us!
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