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Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
"I am with you always….." Matthew 28:20
May 21, 2018 - As I was growing up, we lived near the railroad tracks in Center, Texas. They were dangerous and illegal to walk, but my brothers and I always got to our fishing holes at Mill Creek and Weaver's Pond by walking on these rails. In time we became quite good at balancing on them for long distances.
My brother Joe and I were recently bragging to each other on how good we were at it when he asked how far I thought we could have gotten if they'd been ten feet off the ground. "Then we couldn't have walked them", I replied.
When I was fourteen, I attended a tent revival in Center, Texas and got on the high rails to heaven. Many times since that night, I almost lost my balance and would have most surely fallen off….
…had Jesus not walked them with me.
May 21, 2018 - Sunday was the Day of Pentecost, which is seen as the birth of the church. This Sunday we celebrate wind and fire and the excitement of something new. But Pentecost is not really a new celebration. It was the Festival of Weeks in the Jewish faith that commemorated the harvest and later the Torah. But for us Followers of the Way, it is when the Spirit of God infused the Jesus Community, giving birth to a new way of seeing.
Last week was warm for May and gave us just a taste of what a hot, humid, summer day is like in East Texas. All this month we have been collecting cans of fruit to take to Community Christian Services. Friday night was graduation in Joaquin. Joaquin had a big graduating class this year, and I know there are many proud parents and grandparents. One of my students who then taught in Joaquin is retiring this year. Mark Lawrence is retiring but his son Chad is coming home to Joaquin to teach and coach. Congratulations, Mark, on your many years of service to your school.
Our Sunday school lesson focused on the old idea of a Jubilee Year. The scripture from Leviticus told how they came up with the timing for the special year every fifty years. The idea was to set things right—or to return to the way they were when God gave the Israelites their land. Much of the lesson spoke of the importance of cleaning the slate and starting anew, which is certainly a theme found in both Old and New Testaments.
Last week was our program at Holiday Nursing Home. They were readying for a fifties-themed celebration right afterward, so we stopped a little short of 3PM. But we had a good time while we were there. Mrs. Hilda was lively on the piano, and we sang mostly spirited hymns to keep up with her. Mrs. Fannie read about God making mothers—sweet and sometimes bittersweet. It was wonderful to have Pastor Matt back among us; he talked of his upcoming graduation from Perkins at SMU—not really looking forward to the ceremony, but certainly pleased about being finished. Nora sang a couple of her beautiful songs, inviting us to accompany her. (I always hum or sing quietly so I can still hear her.) It was Jo’s birthday and also another of her and Nora’s sisters; they were headed after the program for a sisters’ day out. Because it was a shorter program, Sue didn’t read to the folks, but she kept us moving along as emcee. I closed us out with prayer and our usual hymn, “God Be with You ‘Til We Meet Again.”
“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. Godspeed.
May 18, 2018 - St. John Baptist Church 2308 County Road 2050, Center, Texas Pastor & Wife's 11th Appreciation Service.
Rev. Winston and 1st Lady Terri Kibbles, Sunday, June 3, 2018, 2:30pm.
Special guest Rev. Shan Gilder, Pastor of Holy Temple C.O.G.I.C. Silsbee, Texas.
May 17, 2018 - Ramah Cemetery in Tenaha, Tx will hold its annual meeting and dinner on the ground on Saturday, June 2, 2018. All friends and relatives of those buried at Ramah are invited to attend and bring a covered dish dinner for after wards. Time is at 11am for the meeting and dinner will follow in the Ramah Baptist Church gym.
May 17, 2018 - For those of you that don’t know, Trent Sims started Project Cemetery almost a year ago after losing his best friend Victor.
While visiting the cemetery one day he began to ask why so many graves had empty vases. That day he repurposed some of the discarded flowers from the cemetery trash bins and spread them out as far as he could. He left the cemetery that day but the thought of those empty vases didn’t leave his heart.
He soon began asking family and friends for small donations. He would use the money he collected to purchase small $1 flower bundles and would take them back to the cemetery and fill as many vases as he could. He continued to ask for donations as his goal was to cover the entire cemetery in flowers. Now most people would not have taken on such a huge task but as a lot of you know, Trent is not most people. He never stopped for a moment to think that it wasn’t possible. He just continued to work until it was. Trent along with over one hundred supporters (some of whom had never met Trent) showed up to that first event and had that huge cemetery completely covered in under 30 minutes!! Trent was so thankful for all of the help. But he didn’t stop there.
Since that first project last year, he’s managed to fill 3 additional cemeteries with flowers! Although we haven’t taken an official count, thanks to Trent and his followers, we estimate that he’s placed over TWO THOUSAND flowers! We have met so many amazing people along on this journey.
Our next event is coming up soon! We will be at Rather Cemetery in Shelbyville on May 19th at 6:30 pm. Please help us spread the word. If you would like to donate please get in touch with me. There are many ways to donate and there is still time. (Facebook Page: Project Cemetery) No donation is too small. $5 covers 5 graves! We are also selling Project Cemetery T-shirts and all proceeds go to the purchase of new flowers. We would love to see you all on the 19th!! Come out and grab a bag and help Trent spread flowers. We will have coolers filled with cold water.
We hope to see you all this Saturday, May 19th at 6:30pm at Rather Cemetery in Shelbyville.
May 15, 2018 - The Pastor and Members of Carroll Chapel CME Church in Shelbyville, would like to invite you to our Annual Building Fund Program, Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 3pm.
Guest Speaker will be; Elder Archie Thompson of Shelbyville. Everyone is invited.
May 16, 2018 - There are universal questions about God and heaven, asked by most people during their lifetime. Those questions are; “Is there really a heaven? Is there a place where God lives, far above where I live? Can I someday go there and be with him, forever?
For the answers we need only to turn to the pages of God’s Word, the Holy Bible to see for ourselves the answers we all seek.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
Is the knowledge of heaven so important that it is given us in the very first verse of the Bible? That we will know that both the heavens and the earth are Gods creations!
Yes, I think so.
“Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Isaiah 66:1)
There can be no question about the existence of heaven for those who truly believe in the Lord for we are told many times through His Word that heaven does exist and it is His current place of residence, the place where all who truly believe will eventually go to be with Him, forever.
Jesus has said to us; “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that were I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3)
God’s house is located in heaven and there also is Jesus standing in for his children.
“According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
So the born-again Christian has an inheritance that cannot be destroyed but is being kept for him in heaven by the power of God!!! WOW!!! GIVE ME SOME OF THAT!!!
We know from the Bible that the old heavens and earth which we see today will be burned up at the end of this age and the lost will be thrown into the fires of hell but for those who are true believers, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13)
And here is a warning for those who are having trouble turning away from the world and turning to God today.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1John 2:15-17)
So do I know that there is heaven, the home of God, yes I know it. I know it because the Bible tells me so when it says; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”(Genesis 1:1) Blessed be the name of our Lord God of Heaven…
May 15, 2018 - UMARMY (United Methodist Action Reach-Out Mission By Youth) will be in town June 10th-16th staying for a week at Center First United Methodist Church located at 211 Porter Street. They will be building wheelchair ramps, porches, painting houses and doing other small repairs.
If you own your home and are in need of the things listed above, please come to the church office to fill out a application. You must own your home and have a desperate need. Feel free to contact Kelli Snider for more details at (936) 598-2707.
Deadline for applications is May 25th.
May 15, 2018 - Pastor Marlin Cloudy, Sr. and the Abundant Love Ministries family will host a “Seniors Recognition” Service, on Sunday, May 20th at 3:00 pm. Mrs. Eboni Booth Taylor, Associate Principal of Instruction, Spring ISD, Claughton Middle School is our guest speaker.
All area high schools’ 2018 graduates and their families are welcome and invited to attend. Graduates are asked to be at the church at 2:30pm with their cap and gown.
Refreshments will be served.
Abundant Love Ministries is located at 1426 Shelbyville St., Center, TX 75935.
May 14, 2018 - Pastor Byron Coutee, Jr. and the Blount Chapel Missionary Baptist Church cordially invites all area churches to our Annual Usher Day on Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 3:00pm.
Guest Speaker is Pastor Rayford Caraway of the New Prospect Baptist Church in Timpson, Texas.
"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." - Psalms 84:10 KJV
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