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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
Sun, Mar 22
March 17, 2026 - Jackson Missionary Baptist Church is hosting its 105th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 11am. Join us for a special day of worship and celebration as we mark 105 years of God’s faithfulness!
Special guests are the The David Hallmark Family, a Bluegrass Gospel Music family from Mabank, Texas.
This talented family group shares a heartfelt blend of traditional bluegrass and gospel music. With a passion for ministry and a calling to serve through song, their music is sure to be a blessing and encouragement to all who attend.
Everyone is warmly invited! Come celebrate with us and be part of this special milestone.
March 19, 2026 - Pre-orders are being taken for the Spring Plant Sale benefiting First Methodist Church Children's Ministry. Available plants are 12" Geraniums ($20), 10" Boston Fern hanging basket ($20), 12" Kimberly Queen Fern pot ($25), 10" Hydrangeas ($25), and Dogwood Trees - 1 gallon ($35). Order deadline is March 22nd.
A second way to support the Children's Ministry is Saturday, March 28, 8am until 12 noon or until sold out at First Methodist Church, 211 Porter Street, Center, Texas 75935. Available will be various vegetables - squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, etc.; various herbs - basil, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, etc.; and Marigolds.
Click here for preorder form. For more information, call 936-598-2707.
March 19, 2026 - Abundant Love Ministries celebrates its the 17th Annual Church Anniversary and the 5th Annual Minister Mike Sparks Day on Sunday, March 22nd at 2:30pm. Reverend Marvin Jackson from Clayton Temple Church of God in Christ, Timpson, Texas, will be our guest minister.
ALM regularly scheduled morning services are cancelled for the day.
You are welcome and invited to join us in celebration of this joyous anniversary. In addition, we look forward to seeing you in any of our regularly scheduled weekly services.
Abundant Love Ministries is located at 1426 Shelbyville Street, Center, Texas 75935. Pastor Marlin Cloudy, Sr., is the Senior Pastor and Founder.
February 23, 2026 - Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (Pastor Johnny R. Jones) at Hwy 96N., CR 4356, Center Texas 75935 is hosting their Annual Family and Friends Day program, Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 2:30 pm.
Guest speaker will be Bishop William Nash of the House of Refuge Ministries.
March 13, 2026 - The McWilliams-Rather Cemetery Association invites you to attend and participate in our Fundraising Drive and Annual Meeting to be held on Sunday, March 22nd at 3pm at Todd Spring Baptist Church.
We need your involvement to continue to maintain the resting places of our family members for the upcoming year. McWilliams and Rather Cemeteries have enjoyed many years of support from the community and beyond, and we need that support now more than ever.
Thu, Mar 26
March 19, 2026 - Enjoy a casual evening of learning and good food on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 6pm. Each table will be set with fresh flowers and all the elements required for the Passover celebration. This is a family event but a nursery for infants and toddlers will be available upon request.
Everyone is welcome. Reservations are required by Thursday, March 26th. Tickets are $15 and includes the full Seder and catered dinner. More info http://www.CenterFirst.org.
Sat, Mar 28
March 16, 2026 - First Baptist Church Shelbyville will be hosting our 2nd Annual "He is Risen" on Saturday, March 28, 2026 from 11am to 2pm. Bring your family and enjoy bounce houses, games, prizes and most importantly, the Story of Jesus. This is a free event. We will have catfish, fries, chicken strips, popcorn, funnel cakes, ice cream, dirty sodas, and much more.
Sun, Mar 29
March 10, 2026 - Southern Gospel music veteran Trey Wilson will appear in concert on Sunday, March 29, during the 11am worship service at Lydia Missionary Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Texas. Admission is free, and a love offering will be received during the service.
With more than 26 years of experience in gospel music, Wilson is widely respected for his powerful voice, heartfelt delivery, and deep roots in traditional Southern Gospel music. Raised in the piney woods of East Texas, his musical foundation was shaped in small rural churches where gospel hymns, family harmony, and the Heavenly Highway Hymnal were a central part of his upbringing.
Wilson’s career includes lead vocalist roles with the Southern Plainsmen Quartet and New South, spending a decade with New South as headliners for one of the most successful shows in Branson, Missouri. He later helped form The Downing Street Boys, a quartet praised for its sound and style reminiscent of the golden age of Southern Gospel music. Throughout his career, Wilson has toured nationally, appeared in televised broadcasts, and shared the stage with both gospel and country music legends.
Across his group work and solo career, Wilson has logged thousands of performances and reached millions of fans through live concerts, television appearances, and special events. Known for his warm, soulful delivery and authentic connection with audiences, his performances reflect a lifetime of faith, experience, and conviction.
The March 29 service is open to the public and promises a morning of uplifting music and encouragement for all ages.
March 10, 2026 - The Roberson family will be at Old Home Baptist Church Sunday, March 29th at 11am. The family will be bringing the music and Timothy will be preaching the Word. Everyone is invited to come and join us. You will be blessed!
March 16, 2026 - Woods New Hope Baptist Church will be hosting 5th Sunday singing on Sunday, March 29, 2026, starting at 5pm.
Join in for worship and music. A meal will be provided after the singing.
For more information, please contact Justin Pierce at 903-754-1496.
Woods New Hope Baptist Church is located at 120 CR 425, Tenaha, Texas.
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Faith
March 20, 2026 - When Saul was King of Israel, he became insanely jealous of David. Jealous to the point where he tried on several occasions to kill David. In I Samuel chapter 20, we read that it was the new moon, however, David was going to be absent from his place at Saul’s table. In verse 18 we read that Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.”
That is a concept that all of us are familiar with. In our homes, there are seats that are empty. Some have gone home to their eternal reward and we cherish their memory. Some seats are empty because some have done as did the younger son in Luke chapter 15 and left home. Still others are empty because of desertion. Whatever the cause, when seats are empty, it is a source of sadness.
Have you ever thought of the sadness it causes the Lord when the saints of God gather for worship and your seat is empty? There are some seats in the church that are empty because of death, yet the works and memories of faithful saints fill our lives. Some seats are empty because people have left the Lord and the story of the cross no longer has any effect on their life. Still others are empty because some folks just simply don’t care. When the saints of God assemble for worship and your seat is empty, it suggests to those members who are present, “Why don’t you stay away next Sunday, too!” Where will you be on the Lord’s Day?
It’s something to think about... tbp
Center Church of Christ
110 Hurst Street, Center, Texas
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
March 19, 2026 - Abundant Love Ministries celebrates its the 17th Annual Church Anniversary and the 5th Annual Minister Mike Sparks Day on Sunday, March 22nd at 2:30pm. Reverend Marvin Jackson from Clayton Temple Church of God in Christ, Timpson, Texas, will be our guest minister.
ALM regularly scheduled morning services are cancelled for the day.
You are welcome and invited to join us in celebration of this joyous anniversary. In addition, we look forward to seeing you in any of our regularly scheduled weekly services.
Abundant Love Ministries is located at 1426 Shelbyville Street, Center, Texas 75935. Pastor Marlin Cloudy, Sr., is the Senior Pastor and Founder.
March 19, 2026 - Pre-orders are being taken for the Spring Plant Sale benefiting First Methodist Church Children's Ministry. Available plants are 12" Geraniums ($20), 10" Boston Fern hanging basket ($20), 12" Kimberly Queen Fern pot ($25), 10" Hydrangeas ($25), and Dogwood Trees - 1 gallon ($35). Order deadline is March 22nd.
A second way to support the Children's Ministry is Saturday, March 28, 8am until 12 noon or until sold out at First Methodist Church, 211 Porter Street, Center, Texas 75935. Available will be various vegetables - squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, etc.; various herbs - basil, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, etc.; and Marigolds.
Click here for preorder form. For more information, call 936-598-2707.
March 19, 2026 - Enjoy a casual evening of learning and good food on Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 6pm. Each table will be set with fresh flowers and all the elements required for the Passover celebration. This is a family event but a nursery for infants and toddlers will be available upon request.
Everyone is welcome. Reservations are required by Thursday, March 26th. Tickets are $15 and includes the full Seder and catered dinner. More info http://www.CenterFirst.org.
March 17, 2026 - Jackson Missionary Baptist Church is hosting its 105th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 11am. Join us for a special day of worship and celebration as we mark 105 years of God’s faithfulness!
Special guests are the The David Hallmark Family, a Bluegrass Gospel Music family from Mabank, Texas.
This talented family group shares a heartfelt blend of traditional bluegrass and gospel music. With a passion for ministry and a calling to serve through song, their music is sure to be a blessing and encouragement to all who attend.
Everyone is warmly invited! Come celebrate with us and be part of this special milestone.
March 17, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, March 17. We continue our week-long series leading to the first day of spring. And so it’s appropriate to celebrate a day that’s all about green - St. Patrick’s Day. We’re starting to see a whole lot of green here in deep East Texas. In San Antonio, Texas they dye their river green today. Growing up, if you didn’t wear something green to school on St. Patrick’s day - you got pinched!
Who was St. Patrick, the man? He was born in England in the 5th century and went to Ireland as a Christian missionary. Legend tells us that, among other miracles, he drove all the snakes out of the Emerald Isle. There is historical proof that there were no snakes on the island as early as the 3rd century - but never let the facts ruin a good story.
Patrick was also said to have used a three-leaf clover, the Shamrock, as a tool, a visual aid, to teach the doctrine of the Trinity. Three leaves, one clover - not a bad object lesson. The Trinity has always been a difficult concept for humans to wrap our minds around. How can the Father, the Son, and the Spirit each be unique and, at the same time, One? Believers in the 17th century were still grappling with this doctrine, and the classic hymn, “Doxology”, was written in response to that. Sing it again this morning as a testimony of faith, of trust, and of praise.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen. And Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
March 17, 2026 - New Life Church presents the Easter Trivia Show, The Ultimate Final Answer! Join the fun on Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 11am. The fun includes drama, praise and worship, snow cones, hot dogs, jump house, games, prizes and giveaways!
March 16, 2026 - Strong Triumph Church Youth Revival is March 17-19, Tuesday through Thursday, at 7pm nightly.
Guest Speaker is Pastor J. R. Gatlin of Bonham,Texas and host Shepherd is Elder Faye Dell Allen.
The church is located at 2611 County Road 2545, Shelbyville, Texas 75973.
March 16, 2026 - First Baptist Church Shelbyville will be hosting our 2nd Annual "He is Risen" on Saturday, March 28, 2026 from 11am to 2pm. Bring your family and enjoy bounce houses, games, prizes and most importantly, the Story of Jesus. This is a free event. We will have catfish, fries, chicken strips, popcorn, funnel cakes, ice cream, dirty sodas, and much more.
March 16, 2026 - Woods New Hope Baptist Church will be hosting 5th Sunday singing on Sunday, March 29, 2026, starting at 5pm.
Join in for worship and music. A meal will be provided after the singing.
For more information, please contact Justin Pierce at 903-754-1496.
Woods New Hope Baptist Church is located at 120 CR 425, Tenaha, Texas.
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