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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 5, 2017 - Blount Chapel Baptist Church presents Pastor Byron Coutee, Jr. and Sis Larissa Coutee 3rd Annual Celebration of Love and Appreciation on July 9, 2017 at 3pm.
Guest speaker will be Pastor Dr. Derrick White of Bethesda Baptist Church, Lufkin, Texas.
The Lord directs the steps of the Godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23
July 5, 2017 - We the members of Carroll Chapel CME Church in Shelbyville, would like to invite you to our Pastors Appreciation Program, Sunday July 16, 2017 at 3:00 pm. Our guest speaker will be Reverend Karen Christopher of the Pine Flat CME Church in Nacogdoches, TX. Everyone is invited.
July 3, 2017 - Beginning Sunday at Clever Creek Baptist Church, July 9th, at 10:55am there will open a special meeting on the theme of two old hymns—“Rise Up, O Men of God” and Break Out, O Church of God”.
Pastor Robert Horn will be preaching in the Sunday morning service with his wife Jeannene singing along with Maureen Kennon. For the Sunday night service at 5:30pm the service will be at Neuville Baptist Church with Pastor Larry Byrd preaching and his church furnishing the special music.
Monday through Wednesday nights the service will be back at Clever Creek Church at 7 PM with Dr. E. L. Sharp, pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church, Vicksburg, Mississippi, preaching. Liberty Hill Baptist Church will provide special music on Monday night; Spanns Chapel Church special music on Tuesday night; and Clever Creek Church on Wednesday night.
Gleaner Baptist Church from Linden, Texas, will also be involved in this annual meeting. Dr. Jerry Hopkins is the pastor of Clever Creek. He is celebrating 24 years with Clever Creek Church.
July 3, 2017 - Peggy Ross, a Christian author, conference speaker, and missionary wife, will be the featured guest at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday morning, July 15, at 10:00. The event is free and open to everyone.
The church is located on FM 1970 approximately 4 miles south of Clayton.
July 3, 2017 - Sunday was the 4th Sunday after Pentecost. Our Gospel Lessons have been from Matthew and focus on the five long talks by Jesus found in this Gospel. The five symbolize Jesus’ Torah and a way for the Matthew writer to tie Jesus to the Jewish faith. Matthew 10: 40-43 speaks of a cool cup of water as a sign of hospitality. This passage is only found in the Matthew Gospel. Methodists are always to be practicing “radical hospitality” as seen in their motto—“Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” Unfortunately, as a denomination we don’t make enough of an effort. In Jesus’ time if someone offered and you accepted a cup of water, both of you would be contracted for a year to provide assistance, kindness, and help to each other.
Sunday was the first Sunday in July. In just a few days we will celebrate our nation’s 241st birthday. All of us are fortunate, blessed, or just lucky to live in this country, which has grown in freedom and liberty. We still have quite a distance to go, however, to become that “more perfect union.” Like the verse from “America the Beautiful” says, “God mend thine every flaw.” In July our little church will be collecting cans of spaghetti and ravioli for Community Christian Services. Monday, July 3rd will be our ministry at Focused Care, AKA Green Acres. The program begins at 2:00. Sunday we celebrated Holy Communion. Before heading to Paxton, I went to worship with my friends at Tenaha Methodist. Pastor Matt brought a great message on a difficult passage of Scripture. Being a preacher, most Sundays I miss hearing preaching. Preparing and delivering sermons is not the same, even though I enjoy that too.
We were in double digits at Paxton, which is always exciting. Joy and Gene’s daughter Cherie was up from Houston—always nice to visit with her. Cynthia once again made a side trip to Paxton and played the piano for us this morning. Joe selected patriotic songs in honor of Independence Day, and Cynthia played a lively version of “God Bless America” for the offertory.
“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.
“These are wells without water…” 2 Peter 2:17
July 3, 2017 - John Perkins was a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Starks, La. when I was the church’s pastor in the sixties. One day I went with him to the old abandoned house where he was raised on what’s now “John Perkins Road”. As we drove up, I spotted an old rusty hand pump in the front yard and began vigorously pumping for water. I was about burned out when John hollered from the porch, “Aint no use, Preacher! “That well’s dry!”
John went to heaven many years ago and I have often thought of our visit to his old house place. My pumping that day reminds me of the many times I failed to get church members to produce spiritual water. There were probably many reasons for my lack of success. Maybe I wasn’t winsome enough…or was just using the wrong methods of persuasion. But there was also another possible reason. I learned it that day at John’s old house place:
You can’t pump water from a dry well.
June 28, 2017 - Short United Methodist Church presents an old time gospel singing featuring Heather Hart.
Come enjoy an evening of praise and worship Saturday, July 8th, 2017 6pm.
Admission is free- love offering will be taken. Open mic. For those who would like to sing. Potluck dinner following singing.
For more information call 936-288-2382
June 27, 2017 - "Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." Colossians 3:20
As we were growing up, Monday was the most dreaded day of our summer-time week..…and it probably was for Mother, too. It meant getting up early, gathering wood, building a fire under the wash pot, and filling up three number 2 tubs from the well. It also meant cutting up a bar of lye soap in the pot and getting our rub board and broom handle "punch stick" ready for action.
One this particular Monday morning while my brothers and I were getting ready to go fishing, Mother called out, "Come on, boys." "It's Wash Day". For some senseless reason, I put my overalls on, grabbed a hammer and began breaking up pieces of a discarded iron stove to shoot in our slingshots. I didn't know that Mother had followed me down the hill, so when she boomed, "Young man, get back to the house!" I was so startled that I spun around with my fists doubled up. I expected a swift response from Mother, but instead she began laughing and walking back to the house. About half way back, she turned around and was noticeably unsurprised when she saw me right behind her.
We all punched and "rub-boarded" till mid-afternoon and finally got the clothes on the line. But as exhausted as we got that day, it seemed well worth it when we all slept that night on sheets that smelled just like sunshine.
After Bill and I left home, our brother Joe bought Mother a Bendix Washer/Dryer Combination…. and since Monday wasn’t Wash Day anymore, my younger siblings never had one like ours.
They don't know what they missed.
June 26, 2017 - We will have our July 4th celebration on Sunday, July 2nd with hamburger cook out after morning services. Then we will move back in the church for an old-time Sunday singing out of the Heavenly Highways song book. Come and enjoy in the celebration and singing
For more information call Robert Ortigo 903 407 3570
June 26, 2017 - Sunday was the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. There were some pretty heavy storms around Timpson that morning, but thankfully they moved off before folks started out for church. I was the fill-in for Fannie, teaching our Sunday School lesson. Our lessons this quarter have focused on Judges; today’s was about Samson. Of course, what I remember from childhood Sunday school days is a tough-guy Samson who had really long hair. The readings today focused not on this but on his miraculous birth and that even as God’s chosen, he seemed to do everything contrary to the wishes of God. Our author said he was impulsive, violent, prone to rage, arrogant, and reluctant to lead. He was supposed to be a Nazirite—a holy order of upright men—but he violated every rule and restriction. He was to begin the resistance to the Philistines, but he ended up marrying one of their tribe. In many ways his disobedience mirrored the disobedience of the people of Israel. Through it all, God, who is love, remained faithful to Samson, continuing to love him even though he was a reckless and often disobedient person. This is definitely good news for us!
We had a small crowd this morning, but we had some very special folks. Cynthia came once again to play the piano for us. Also, Hilda was here this morning—so great to see her. She is out of her boot and getting around pretty well. We all certainly miss Hilda when she is not with us. We pray that she keeps getting stronger every day.
Those who participated in our Holiday Nursing Home ministry last Tuesday were surprised to find Hilda there. This time, her friend Minnie—who also volunteered to play piano—did the driving. We had a lively time, singing lots of old favorites, including some requests. Fannie read a piece as if America were speaking—for example, saying “the Declaration of Independence is my birth certificate.” Nora had forgotten the accompanying CD, but her strong a capella voice brought glory to the song thanking Jesus for caring for her. Sue read a Dr. Seuss favorite, Gertrude McFuzz, and was the emcee for the program.
All this month we have been collecting paper towels and toilet paper for Community Christian Services. I will deliver the goods early in the week. It is hard to believe that 2017 is half over, and Saturday is July! In July we are going to collect cans of spaghetti and ravioli.
The Gospel lessons since Pentecost have come from Matthew, focusing on the long sermons or discourses. Today we were reminded how much God cares about us and loves us. God’s love and grace is never-ending: We can begin each day secure in that love regardless of what we will face.
“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.
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