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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
September 28, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We got rain and the promise of fall-like temperatures this week. I went last Sunday to Dallas and visited with my daughter and son. Megan and her faithful dog Stella then returned the favor and spent a few days with us. Our two dogs really like Stella, and Stella enjoys running around our big fenced-in yard. Megan and Sue were able to visit family in Nacogdoches, including Grandma Dixie in assisted living. Megan and I went to Center’s Lily Farm to get plants for our gardens.
Schools continue to operate with a mixture of remote and in-person learning. We wish them a successful year and hopefully, a healthy one. Joaquin and the other Shelby County football teams won their high school games this week. It’s good to see some normalcy in this anything-but-normal time.
Paxton Methodist Church is meeting each Sunday wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Our music is just on piano and CD—no singing to spread germs. And, by the way, remember to get your flu shot this year! Especially with Covid still very much in our lives, you need to stay healthy every way you can.
All during the month of September we collected macaroni and cheese for Community Christian Services; we loaded them into my truck Sunday for me to deliver. Next month is that kids’ favorite, peanut butter and jelly. CCS is also starting on their annual Christmas for Kids. Our church received a letter from Joaquin First Baptist this week announcing their plans and asking for donations—checks and/or Angel Tree gifts.
My sermon preparation got off to a late start because I was in Dallas this week. On the way to Dallas and then Thursday going to a Shreveport doctor’s appointment, I listened to ten lectures on Early Christianity. Several of the lectures speculated what the very earliest Christians believed about Jesus—long before the four gospels were written and even before Paul’s letters around CE 50. While I was listening, I tried to put myself in the shoes (or sandals, I guess) of those first believers. That is not easy to do because our frame of reference is so different from people who lived two thousand years ago. But that became the focus of my sermon: How did early Christians view Jesus, God, the idea of a messiah, and so on? The scripture I used was Matthew 16: 13-20 when Jesus asks the disciples who people thought he was. Then he asked who the disciples thought he was; only Peter spoke, saying that he was the Messiah and the Son of the living God.
We had two special guests at Sunday School and church today. Fannie’s granddaughter, Carly and her son Brooks came. Brooks is 6 months old! For most of us, this was the first time we met Brooks. It was great to have them, and I know Fannie was thrilled. At church, Larry, Gene, Joy, and Theresa presented Fannie with a Blue Star Banner of three stars. The stars represent Fannie’s two grandsons, Will and Jake, and a great- granddaughter, Alexis, serving in the military. We at Paxton Methodist appreciate their service, and I know that Fannie is proud.
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
September 28, 2020 - “In due season we’ll reap if we don’t faint….” Gal. 6:9
It was not until Pam escorted me into Wal-Mart yesterday that I knew we were planting a garden this fall. Suddenly she began cramming plants into the buggy …broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach…and mustard seed…. I should have known when she had that recent conversation with her dad about his garden, this was bound to happen!
I immediately set up my defense: “We could buy it cheaper than we could grow it…and we’ll have to keep it watered.” “We’re going on vacation in a couple of weeks and who’ll take care of it?” When I thought I’d just about convinced her, she informed me she’d already bought an automatic watering timer. So before dark the next day we had tilled, raked, planted and watered our fall garden.
I’ve noticed that we always have a good garden when we take care of it, but when we plant it and ignore it, it fails. And planting in the Kingdom is the same. Churches don’t grow by inertia or happen-so. They grow when we follow God’s rules for enlarging them and when they don’t grow it doesn’t mean the King failed.
It means we did.
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2)
September 24, 2020 - Around January of 1974 my insurance company transferred me to our new office in Littleton, Colorado. Living in Colorado was a blast for our family. My wife, Clara, had taken a job at Denver Children’s Hospital in downtown Denver. She was working for the chief cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. George Pappas, as his secretary and assistant. It was a very exciting, though stressful position.
In the summer of 1976 the hospital was hosting a cardiovascular surgery conference. Clara was in charge of working out all the details for this event. A rather famous Indian heart surgeon had been invited to be the primary speaker. It was Clara’s job to obtain a copy of the Indian physician’s background and education, a resume if you will. Everything was going smoothly until she received a faxed copy of the doctor’s information.
On the morning of the conference she was preparing to make copies of the speaker’s resume when she discovered that the document was in a foreign language. She was unable to identify his education or anything else about him. She could find no one in the hospital who could translate for her. This dilemma would be very embarrassing to all concerned if not worked out.
Running out of time, Clara walked down the hall to a break room in search of someone to help her. Suddenly a woman tapped her on her shoulder. Clara turned around to see a young Indian woman, dressed in her Sari, complete with her Bindi on her forehead. In broken English the woman ask Clara if she could be of assistance. Showing her the doctor’s papers she inquired if the mystery lady could translate it into English. “Of course,” she replied, and proceeded to do so.
Clara thanked the mystery lady repeatedly, explaining that she had just saved her day. Then she ran back to her office to retype the resume and make copies of it, just in the nick of time. The conference was a success, thanks in part to this Indian lady. Clara tried to find her to express her appreciation again, but she had disappeared. She was never seen again.
Clara had prayed that God would send someone to help with her insurmountable problem. Did God respond by sending an angel in the proper attire to help her? After all, He does promise to answer prayers.
Related Article:
"Entertaining Angels" (Part One) By Neal Murphy
September 21, 2020 - It's time for the annual Yellowpine homecoming planned for Sept. 26-27, 2020 on the campus of Yellowpine-Macedonia Baptist Church.
At 6pm Saturday, Sept. 26, there will be a community gospel singing. Everyone is invited to attend and participate.
The homecoming service kicks off at 10am, Sunday, Sept. 27. During this service there will be singing by The New Day Spirituals, as well as congregational hymns other specials. The homecoming message will be delivered by Dr. David C. Digmon of Lumberton.
Dr. David C. Digmon of Lumberton
A covered dish lunch will be served followed by more singing at 1:15pm with New Day Spirituals and the congregation.
The New Day Spirituals
A warm hearted invitation is extended to anyone for any portion of the weekend's activities, especially welcome will be former members of the church or community.
Yellowpine-Macedonia Baptist Church is located at the intersection of State Highway 87 South and FM 2343 in Sabine County's Yellowpine community (south of Hemphill). For information, contact T.A. Lane at (409) 584-1144 or (409) 382-8765.
“Go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in…that my house may be filled..” Luke 14:23
September 21, 2020 - A few years ago, Pam and I visited Arizona’s Saguaro National Park near Tucson and it has since become one of our favorite vacation stops. Along with the display of animals in their natural habitat, there’s a large avian enclosure that houses numerous species of gorgeous birds. Orioles, warblers, doves, and buntings all fed, watered and nested in the lush trees of this large wire enclosure. They all seemed so happy, and none of them were trying to get out.
Then we noticed an unusual thing. Scores of wild birds were hanging on the outside of this wire enclosure trying to get in! Woodpeckers, jays, and wrens frantically sought to get through the wire mesh to be with the tame birds.
And I thought: this place is like some of our churches. The members are so busy eating, drinking, and enjoying the safety of their home that they haven’t even noticed that wild ones are wanting in. And there’s one thing for sure: They’ll never get in...
...until we show them The Way.
September 21, 2020 - I would like to invite all pastors, people in the community, all leaders and anyone that loves Timpson to come join us for a morning of prayer September 26, at 10am in SOSO Park.
We need to come together in unity for our town and community.
Thank you. Hope to see everyone there. Spread the word.
If you have questions give me a call or send me a message on Facebook. Tuffy Green - 936-332-6361.
September 21, 2020 - The McWilliams-Rather Cemetery Association will meet at Todd Spring Baptist Church at 4:00pm on Saturday, September 26th.
September 20, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was the twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Later this week we officially enter fall, AKA autumn. The temperatures have finally started to moderate, and we are lulled into the idea that summer is over. Unfortunately we are still in hurricane season, with another storm brewing in the gulf.
Paxton Methodist Church is meeting each Sunday wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Our music is just on piano and CD—no singing to spread germs. All during the month of September we are collecting macaroni and cheese for Community Christian Services.
In fine Methodist tradition, Paxton Methodist will have its yearly Charge Conference. We don’t have the technology (or truth be told, the know-how) to do Zoom, so our District Superintendent is coming to Paxton on Saturday, November 21st. We will be getting together yearly reports and a congregational and clergy assessment. Working on these reports reminds me of my days as a school principal. But I never faced what administrators at our schools are having to confront with the pandemic. What a frightening time for school employees, students, parents, and the entire community!
The scripture for our Sunday School lesson was Romans 8: 1-11. The purpose of both the reading and the lesson was to overcome selfishness, learning to live in God’s Spirit. Paul says that the Spirit of God leads to life and peace. A preacher at Joaquin Methodist, when Sue and I first started going there, said all sin was selfishness. Forty-five years later, I can still hear him saying that, and have come to believe it is really true.
We had a small group for Sunday School and church this morning. It was really nice to have Sue and Fred worshiping with us this morning. Today is Gene’s birthday and we hope he has a really nice, special day.
The Old Testament Lesson for Sunday was the last part of Jonah. The reading starts after the cool parts—getting swallowed by a great fish and then thrown up on the beach. I titled my sermon “Grumbling with God” because Jonah just knew that God was going to be merciful and forgive the people of Nineveh: Jonah wanted those no-good people to suffer! And God didn’t disappoint Jonah. He did forgive, and he was merciful; Jonah was ready to pack it all in.
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
September 17, 2020 - Often there is a heavy mood among people in our day and time. The rioting and lawlessness taking place in our cities, the pandemic of Covid 19 along with the quarantines and shutdowns are having a profound effect on people. The mood often is one of disillusionment mixed with discouragement. Things we once thought certain are no longer certain. Things we once thought secure are no longer secure. Our political landscape is like a minefield and one wonders what ordinary people like us can do.
How can we make a difference and change the shape of things? What's the use of hoping and praying for a better world? It seems the odds against us are overwhelming.
We need to hear the words Jesus spoke to that handful of men He chose to carry out His mission to change the world. Jesus told them they were the light of the world in Matthew 5:14-16. Jesus told His friends to leave off cursing the darkness, He wanted them to spend their time lighting candles. That is what we need to spend our time doing. We need to light the candle of prayer and the candle of exemplifying Jesus in our daily lives. When we pray for our nation and its leaders and when others see Jesus living in us, then we will be a beacon of light in a dark world.
It's something to think about... tbp
Center Church of Christ, 110 Hurst Street, Center, Texas or online www.centerchurchofchrist.com
September 15, 2020 - Mt. Herman Cemetery Homecoming will be held Sunday, September 20 as usual. The cemetery is located on Hwy 7 W in the Mt. Herman community in Center, Texas. We will begin at 12:00 Noon with covered dishes available. All is welcome to attend.
If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation to the cemetery please send to:
Mt. Herman Cemetery
c/o Deanne Sample, Treasurer
1106 CR 4314
Tenaha, TX 75974
Questions may be addressed to any board member or by calling President Jerryl Adams at 936-590-1321.
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