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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
August 17, 2020 - Amos 3:3 Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?
Dr. H. D. Bruce was the President of The East Baptist University where I graduated in 1958. We were required to attend Chapel every morning, and that meant hearing Dr. Bruce’s welcome each semester. I heard it for four years and know it by heart. It was his advice to the College’s ministerial students, most of them still single. He began: “Men, get you a good wife because no man goes any further than a good woman pushes him. And remember, ‘she ain't gonna push where she ain't gonna go.”
Over the years, some of my preacher friends were pushed by a wife who pushed in the wrong direction. “If you still want to be a preacher, you’ll go alone” has been a deadly ultimatum to many. When I was a young feller, I thought the best marriages came when opposites married. But how wrong could I have been? Some think that all they need is union but tying two cats together and hanging them over a wire gives you that. Union is getting together. Unity is getting along together. And a good marriage needs both.
So Dr. Bruce was right.
August 12, 2020 - At long last and after an extensive search, the perfect preacher has finally been found.
His knowledge is deep, his delivery is eloquent and he preaches only 15 minutes. He condemns sin in unmistakable terms and does not offend anyone.
He works from 8:00 a.m. until midnight, including janitorial and maintenance work. He makes $200.00 per week, wears good clothes, buys good books, drives a nice car and gives $100.00 per week to the church.
He is 28 years old and has 30 years preaching experience. He has one brown eye and one blue eye and a great shock of hair on a distinguished bald head so that he is perfectly wonderfully handsome.
He relates well with teenagers and spends all his time ministering to older folk. He smiles with a straight face because his well developed sense of humor keeps him seriously dedicated to his work in a no nonsense manner.
He makes 15 – 20 calls per day on church family, shut-ins and sick folks while spending most of his time evangelizing the lost being always in his office when needed.
NOTE: Of all of God’s creation, only men and women are able to laugh and to smile. Hopefully, this brought a smile to your face and a chuckle to your heart.
It’s something to think about…..tbp
Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street, Center, Texas or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com.
August 11, 2020 - Huxley Helping Hands will have a Drive Thru Food Pantry, August 15 at 9 am at Hillcrest Baptist Church, Center, TX. Please park in the order you arrive. Must be in line by 9:30am to receive a box. One box per household and Identification is required. There will be a devotional at 9 am in the parking lot.
August 10, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time. We have had more rain, slightly cooler temperatures, and lower humidity the last week or so—but that is changing. The temperatures are reaching the high nineties, and the air is really thick. A relatively mild August was too good to last.
For many years, this was when Sue and I geared up for the beginning of another school year. We are especially enjoying our retirement this year and would hate to have to make decisions on how to start a school year in the Covid pandemic. I saw the school parking lots full of cars here in Joaquin as the staff was getting ready to welcome the kids back on August 10th. But then I read Friday night that a staff member tested positive and that the school district was going to start the year remotely. Some are probably sighing with relief, while others are saying, “Here we go again.” Our hearts go out to them all.
Our Sunday School lesson was a difficult one, as it dealt with the radical hospitality of God. The word hospitality in Greek context refers to someone who has a love of strangers. Jesus certainly showed this love in the scripture for our Sunday School lesson about the Samaritan woman at the well. There had been distrust and dislike between Jews and Samaritans for generations. Our author said it was regrettable that prejudice and racism still separate people. He went on to say that some individuals or groups of people somehow conclude that they are better and more deserving than others. His point of view, by contrast, is that racism and other forms of discrimination are ugly and have no place in the body of Christ.
The Gospel lesson for Sunday came from Matthew 14: 22-33. In this story, a favorite of many, we see Jesus walking on water: Peter steps out of the boat in faith but weakens and must be rescued by Jesus, who calms the waters. Mark and John also have a story of Jesus calming the waters, but only Matthew tells of Peter stepping out. Luke doesn’t have this story at all. Our Old Testament Lesson was 1 Kings 19: 9-19, where we see Elijah having a close encounter with God. It doesn’t come accompanied by winds, earthquakes, or fire. Instead God comes to Elijah as “a softly whispering voice.” This mystical experience reminds us that God can appear to us in the most ordinary of circumstances if we have honed our spiritual eyesight and hearing.
All month long we will be collecting children’s underclothes and socks for Community Christian Services. Christian Services has collected these items at the beginning of the school year for thirty years. We hope and pray that everyone will be careful and safe during this deadly pandemic. We need to stay home as much as possible and at least six feet from others when we are out. And of course, we should wear masks in public. Health officials say that if we all wear masks, we can save over 70,000 lives between now and the end of the year. We need to care enough to help out.
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.
Randy & Sue Smith/Paxton United Methodist Church
August 6, 2020 - Once upon a time there was a man who called himself a Christian, but he was indeed an unusual one.
On Monday, while at work, something went wrong. He forgot about God and cursed and swore, using the name of God freely.
On Tuesday, he heard some “juicy gossip” about a brother and passed it on to another without determining whether it was true or not. He even embellished the story and made it worse than before.
On Wednesday, making a business transaction, he saw an opportunity to take advantage of someone by misrepresenting an article and did so for a few dollars involved in the transaction.
On Thursday night, he went to a friend’s home for a little game of cards – he didn’t lose too much. Naturally, there was a cocktail or two and a couple of beers. “A cheap night’s entertainment”, he said.
On Friday, he became angry at everyone at work. They simply could not see things ought to be done his way, so he told them off.
On Saturday, the grocer made a mistake and failed to charge him for a pound of butter. He said that was their own fault.
On Sunday morning, he went to church and took part in the services – you know, the part where you sit in the pew and mutter that the services are too long, and the sermon is boring.
This man was indeed a strange Christian!
It’s something to think about … tbp
Center Church of Christ
110 Hurst Street,
Center, Texas
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
August 5, 2020 - Friendship (Bobo) Baptist Church Cancels Annual Homecoming and Revival Services.
Pastor Jeremy Moore
August 5, 2020 - Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church would like to announce their upcoming dedication service to celebrate the completion of their new church building. Saturday, August 15th at 10:45. Everyone is welcome!
The new building is located on FM 139 in Joaquin, approximately 2 miles from Hwy 7.
August 3, 2020 - The Homecoming “2nd Sunday” for 2020 has been cancelled. The Revival also has been cancelled due to our concern for our neighbor in gathering in a closed setting. We are told to love our neighbor and we do not see how putting your health at risk is a show of love.
August 3, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. It was also the first Sunday in August—hard to believe it is already August. We have been lucky so far in that we have gotten adequate rainfall and have had no triple digit temperatures. I got up early this morning so I could water my gardens. It was 67 outside, and I actually felt chilly! I know it is not going to last, but the rainfall and slightly cooler temperatures have made summer more bearable.
Because it was the first Sunday of the month, we celebrated Communion. We are using the same liturgy that we always do, but when sharing the bread and juice we are staying at a social distance—and using prepackaged cups and wafers. We are small in number so that is not difficult. All of us are also wearing masks in the church building.
In August we will be collecting children’s underclothes and socks for Community Christian Services. Gayle and Joaquin Christian Services started this collection over 25 years ago, and Paxton Methodist is continuing the tradition. This collection always coincided with the beginning of school, the idea being that kids could start with new underwear. After Undie Sundays were so successful, we chose different items to collect for Christian Services each month. We are not sure what school will look like this year, but we are praying for students, teachers, and staff.
Last month we collected cans of ravioli and spaghetti for CCS. I delivered the cans along with checks and donations from church members. It was great to see so many wonderful people volunteering and helping others, especially in this time of huge need. We had a request from one of Lillie’s granddaughters for a Paxton scholarship. She is studying to be a nurse, and the church voted to give her a scholarship. We sure do need good nurses, now more than ever!
We had a great Sunday School lesson about Zacchaeus. Most of us learned that song about Zacchaeus climbing the tree as children. Our author said that “Christ bids all to seize the ‘now’ of this moment in discovering the wonders of God’s love.” Ms Fannie said that God is still calling. The only question is if we are listening. I am always amazed how the Sunday School lesson and the Sunday sermon tie together.
My sermon continued with the idea of searching and being open to God moving among us in our daily living. Christian mystics have taught this for centuries, but most denominations and churches focus on creeds and dogmas. This includes my denomination—The United Methodist Church. One of the first mystical experiences in the Bible was when Jacob dreamed about the ladder joining heaven and earth and encountered angels as well as God. Later, as Jacob was heading home , he had a wrestling match with God and came away with a blessing. These mystical experiences should give us pause and encourage us to look for the Divine in the ordinariness of life.
I closed my sermon with some words from the late Congressman, John Lewis. He said, “Never hate, for hate is too great a burden to bear.” In an essay written shortly before his death, he said, “Walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.” Amen to 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, 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.
July 30, 2020 - During the middle part of the 20th century, one of the most popular religious writers was Norman Vincent Peale. He was most famous for his book, “The Power of Positive Thinking”. Many today would not recognize his name, however, they would recognize the names of Max Lucado, Joel Osteen, John McArthur, Charles Swindoll and others.
The books written by these writers are quite popular and widely read. Yet, I remember reading the advice that an old preacher one time gave a young preacher when he said, “be careful young man that you don’t find yourself some day reading more and more books about the Bible and reading the Bible less and less.”
I wonder how much of that is going on in our world today. How many people are reading more and more of the writings of popular religious authors and reading less and less of the Bible.
Perhaps we should give consideration to spending more time in the reading of the word of God. How much time do we spend in reading the Bible? We might say we don’t have time to read the Bible, and yet that is just one more of the many excuses we offer for not living God’s kind of life. Friends, we find the time to do almost everything we really want to do. If we don’t have time to spend in reading God’s word, it’s because we really do not have the desire to spend time studying the Bible.
When we offer some lame excuse for not reading and studying God’s word, do we really think God is buying what we are selling?
It’s something to think about…..tbp
Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street, Center, Texas or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
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