Shelby County Today

December 18, 2019 - There is a sad and tragic statement in the Gospel According to Luke in regard to the coming of our Savior into this world. Dr. Luke tells us that when Jesus came into the world he was “wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn”.

We read that passage through the prism of 2,000 years of history and are quick to speak harsh words about the innkeeper who forced Jesus to be born in a stable with the animals. We wonder why he could not have found a room for a woman who was great with child.

Yet, there is a far greater tragedy in our day and time than the tragedy of Jesus being born in a stable and laid in a manger. That is the fact that in our day and time there is no room in the hearts of a great many people for Jesus.

In this season of the year, the majority of the world is focused on the birth of Christ. Yet, has Jesus really made a difference in the way that we live? Has He made a difference in the way we treat our fellowman or our families? Has He made a difference in the way we conduct our business affairs? Has He made a difference in the priorities of our lives? Do we put Him first? In that day there was no room in the Inn. Is there room in our hearts for Jesus today?

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 www.centerchurchofchrist.com.

December 16, 2019 - Grace and peace from our brother and savior, Jesus, Amen. It is less than three weeks until Christmas. We are moving through Advent quickly: During the lighting of the Advent Candles in worship time, we speak of the themes of Advent—hope, joy faith, and love. In Advent we not only celebrate the coming of the Christ child, but also the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth. 

As is typical for Texas, last Monday we had a warm and humid day followed by a really cold and raining Tuesday. I am starting to add things to my weekly article on Wednesday morning. The thermometer says it is 29 outside, so I am not looking forward to my two-mile walk in the park. But my four-legged buddies, Gunter and Sam, will demand that I bundle up and take them for their morning constitutional. 

Tuesday is our Paxton Community Christmas program and dinner; we are always so happy to have many friends and neighbors join us. We sure hope the weather is better than it was last year, when it was arctic and rainy. But regardless, it will be pleasant and warm inside Paxton Methodist.

Today Fannie and the church completed the Clergy Assessment of their pastor to be sent to the District Office.  It is a lengthy report, one of many required of Methodist churches.  One thing I have discovered since becoming a Methodist is that Methodists are methodical folks!  I am also working on the End-of-Year Reports for the District and Conference.  One section deals with the finances of the church, so Gene, our treasurer, has to look up information about last year.  He always does a great job. 

Paxton Methodists have been collecting cans of soup this month for Community Christian Services. In January 2020 we will be collecting cans of tuna. Our church also writes a check for the Children’s Christmas Gifts program that First Baptist Joaquin organizes. Sue is dropping off some angel tree gifts that she collected for a young man. On Wednesday, the gifts will be going out to the many families, and Sue is going to help translate Spanish to English and visa versa. 

Because of the holidays, we’ve had to rearrange our nursing home programs. So we just went to Focused Care last week. But even though it was a different time, day, and date, we still had an enthusiastic crowd.  Hilda romped the piano while I emceed. We sang lots of Christmas songs but also some of the old regulars.  Pastor Sarah spoke about joy in all the activities and decorations (although she dropped and broke the first one intended for her own tree). She further reminded us that Christianity doesn’t stop with Christmas—it carries through the whole year. Fannie read a Christmas poem about baby Jesus, definitely on our minds as we celebrate his birth. Sue tested everyone with the “Jingle Bell Quiz,” reading partial Christmas lyrics and three possible ways of finishing each. Nora sang a haunting song, “The Call of Christmas.” I honored Jo and Margie, who so faithfully join us for our programs. And Sue thanked Tina, the Activity Director, for helping rearrange our schedule.

Our Sunday School lesson today was about how surprising God often is. Gene read our scripture, Isaiah 42: 1-9, about the suffering servant.  For the writer of the Matthew Gospel, this was how Jesus the Messiah had to be viewed—as the suffering servant. Most Jews imagined the messiah as a conquering superhero: Once again, God’s work in our world is often surprising.   

The Gospel Lesson for Sunday was Matthew 11: 2-11. John the Baptizer is in prison but gets a message to Jesus asking him if he is the messiah…or should John and his disciples keep looking. Jesus tells the messengers to report back what they see and hear—the blind are able to see, the crippled are walking, lepers are cleansed the deaf now hear, and the dead are raised up. In our search for faith that has real meaning in our everyday living, we like to deal with authentic—real—people. We have become pretty good at spotting people who say one thing but then act in a different manner. We become leery of these kinds of people, with our guard naturally going up. The title of my sermon was “Let Your Lives Speak,” asking everyone to “show we are Christians by our love.”

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 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

December 13, 2019 - If Santa Claus ever had a helper it was my mother-in-law, Leta Howell.  Though she has been gone from among us for 35 years, her love of the Christmas season has inspired all of her children to do many of the things that she did.  She was a minister’s wife and thus understood the true meaning of Christmas, and she passed that along to everyone she knew.
 
Although she was educated with college and seminary degrees, she retained the roots of her upbringing in the plains of West Texas.  While living in the piney woods of East Texas, she began several Christmas traditions.
 
“Granny” Howell was an excellent seamstress.  She made Christmas stockings for each family member.  She used red felt for the main stocking, then she put a green border around the top.  As grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born into the family, she would make sure the new baby would have its own stocking to hang across the fire place mantle.  She stuffed each stocking on Christmas Eve with candy, fruit, and simple useable gadgets.  Near the end of her life, the Christmas stockings were almost too numerous to hang on the mantle.  This tradition has been taken up by many of her children and grandchildren, most of whom are now married with families of their own.
 
One Christmas, she got the idea of making red outfits for all the members of her family.  The good seamstress that she was, she made red suits for every one to wear on Christmas day.  Even her husband, Rev. Howell, got a new red coat to wear.  She sewed for months on them, and gave each family member their red outfits on Christmas Eve, in packages wrapped in red paper.   On Christmas morning everyone donned their red clothes, and the house looked like a collection of walking poinsettias.  Rev. Howell continued to wear his bright red coat every Christmas until his death in December of 2006.
 
Now you know who put the red in Christmas.

December 12, 2019 - Strong Triumph Church, under the leadership of Elder Faye Dell Allen, invites everyone to join them in their Joyous Christmas Revival which will take place on December 20-22. 

• Friday night, Dec. 20th at 7pm - Rev. Javoris Gatlin, pastor of New Life COGIC, Bonham, Texas;
• Saturday night, Dec. 21st at 7pm - Rev. Richard McCowin, pastor of Lone Star Baptist Church, Chandler, Texas
• Sunday afternoon, Dec 22nd at 3pm - Prince Archie Thompson, Shepherd of Triumph Church, Todd Springs Community

The theme for the revival is Romans 15:13: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

For more information, please contact Elder Faye Dell Allen at 936-368-2611 / 936-572-5810.