Shelby County Today

December 19, 2016 - Sunday was the Fourth Sunday of Advent, bringing our Advent journey to an end.  The four words of Advent are hope, peace, joy, and love.  I agree with Paul when he says the greatest is love, and that is today’s theme.  Christmas comes on a Sunday this year.  At Paxton, we will have Christmas Morning Worship Service at 10:00.  There will be no Sunday school.  Only two of the four Gospels speak of Christmas morning.  Christmas was not celebrated in the Christian Church until the 4th Century CE.  Even after the universal church made Christmas an end-of-year celebration, many Christian sects refused to participate.  In the Puritan colonies it was a crime to observe Christmas.  Workers were ordered to the fields and expected to give a full day’s labor.

The Gospel for the 4th Sunday of Advent is Matthew 1:18-25.  If Luke is Mary’s story, then Matthew is Joseph’s story.  And it is a story of love and devotion.  The angel spoke to the handyman Yosef and said, “Mary will bear a son, and you are to name him Yeshua.”  There is no greater example of someone discounting his own pride and feelings to do something out of love than Joseph, a model of humility and love. 

Our Sunday School lesson came from Luke 1:8-20, which tells about the promise of a child to Zechariah and Elizabeth.  We are familiar with this story and reminded that we must trust God even when it challenges us.  Our writer had one whole section called “Silencing the Skeptic”:  We have to admit that we are often skeptical just like Zechariah.  I remember reading about a scientist and  Christian who said sometimes she has to “will” herself to believe.  We all have to do that sometimes. 

Last Tuesday many of us went to Lakeside Village for song and stories.  Joyce, Lori, and Wyatt sang and played piano and guitar, delighting everyone with their special talents.  Fannie shared a poem that she wrote for Christmas 2016 and had copies of a wonderful Christmas story set at the end of WWII; she gave both to all the residents and guests.  Gene Casto sang a song about that special little boy, Jesus.  Nora shared her version of “Mary, Did You Know?” a haunting  Christmas song.  All of our nursing home ministries are made possible because of the work and planning Hilda does.  Our Holiday Nursing Center ministry has been cancelled for this month, but we’ll pick up next year!

In Methodist tradition, pastors will meet with their District Superintendent (Presiding Elder) in January, and around the world Methodist churches will submit their yearly reports on January 9th.  With all the new technology, these reports are done online.  That saves an extra trip to Lufkin. 

Everyone at Paxton Methodist wishes all our friends and neighbors a Happy Christmas.  Each New Year comes with challenges, and 2017 will be no different.  But our wish is that many joys will be found in this New Year. 

“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. God’s Speed!

December 14, 2016 - The Beatles recorded a song back a few years ago titled "Let It Be".  The gist of the song had to do with the wisdom that was in the words that the young Mary spoke when confronted by the angel Gabriel when he informed her that she had been chosen by God to carry His son. You see Mary didn't understand how all this was going to happen asking, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" The angel explained it to her in detail. Then realizing that this was going to be an event that was far beyond her understanding, she uttered those words of wisdom that the Beatles sang about: "Let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)

What is so wise about those words you may ask?  Well its the attitude of the one saying them that makes them so wise. She is telling God and everyone else, that she has surrendered to the will of God. That even though she doesn't understand what God is doing with her or how all this is going to turn out, that she is going to trust God through whatever happens. We need to understand that if we have that same attitude in our relationship with God, that He can, and will be able to use us to change the world. What we have to do is quit trying to figure everything out and just "let it be" and let God work out His plan for our lives.

Mary had found that following Gods plan was always better than following her own. Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."  When we let God direct us into His will, we will always come out on the right side of trials, adversities, and life in general. Gods plan for you is way grander than anything you could plan for yourself.

As we reflect on this Christmas season let us never forget that the greatest gift that has ever been given, is the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus was given through a young lady who was full of grace, who had surrendered her will to that of loving Father when she said "Let it be."  Let me encourage you to just let go of the things that are burdening you and turn it over to God. Trust Him and "let it be" for your life what is His true and perfect will for you. You will never regret it. Accept the gift of Jesus this Christmas season.

                                                                            I'm Just Sayin,
                                                                            Mike Belgard

December 12, 2016 - Sunday was the Third Sunday of Advent. Traditionally this Sunday has been known as Gaudete Sunday and the command is that we rejoice. This Sunday we used the Magnificat or Canticle of Mary as our Gathering Words. Mary, a young peasant girl around 13 or 14, speaks of her spirit rejoicing; her joyous words tell of good news where the powerful will be brought low and those that struggle will be exalted. 

The Epistle Lesson for Sunday was James 5:7-10. This small group of verses set inside this small epistle reminds the faithful to be patient, just like the farmer who waits for spring or rain. We humans do not do a very good job of being patient. I remember my father saying that he wanted patience and he wanted it right now! James is dealing with a growing problem in the Jewish Jesus communities. The faithful are waiting for Jesus to return and set things right. They remember that he said that this generation will not taste death as the Kingdom was coming very soon. And yet more and more of “this generation” were dying off, and anxiety was setting in. Patience, says James!

Ms. Hilda and the faithful headed off to Green Acres last Monday. Pastor Matt was home from seminary and led the singing. On Monday Sue had to take me to the doctor in Shreveport to have my eyes checked out. I got a good report, always a nice feeling. This coming Thursday we will go to Lakeside Village Assisted Living. Ms. Hilda said Joyce Hughes plans to be there, which means we will have some wonderful music and singing. Then a week from this coming Tuesday (December 20th) our monthly ministry is at Holiday Nursing Center . 

Last Tuesday 33 folks met at Paxton Methodist for our annual Paxton Community Christmas Party. We had plenty of good music and stories and, of course, food. We love seeing our neighbors and folks who have long ties to Paxton. Christmas Morning Services will be at 10:00 AM, and there will be no Sunday School that day.

Our new District Superintendent is the Reverend Tony Vinson; I will meet with him for a yearly meeting in January. In fine, organized Methodist fashion, churches are preparing the “End of Year” Reports for the District and Conference. All United Methodist Churches, large or small, must fill out pages of numbers. I have really good help from the Paxton folks. Gene is our treasurer and keeps close tabs on the monies. Gene has gotten me answers to all the finance questions, so last night I started entering data into the End-of-Year Reports. In years past all Methodist ministers would head to the District office to have their records audited. But with the Internet our reports are sent through Ezra Reporting System to our District and Conference. John Wesley was always a forward-looking person, but he would be amazed by all the advancements since his day. He would also be saddened to see that war is more common than peace and that the powerful and well-heeled are even more in charge than in his day.

Community Christian Services is in full swing this holiday season. Food and clothing giveaways at the former Haslam Baptist parsonage are monthly now; that part of CCS is so well organized—and making plans to expand further. First Baptist has been gathering, organizing, and wrapping children’s Christmas gifts of clothes and toys: Their pick-up day is set for Friday, December 16. The East Texas motorcycle guys had a rally at Joaquin Methodist this past weekend, with all proceeds going to the part of CCS run by that church. Everyone seemed to be having a great time at the rally, and their big hearts make life easier for needy families here.

“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. God’s Speed!

December 12, 2016 - In 1984, I became the Pastor of The Magnolia Baptist near Vinton, Louisiana in a community called “Big Woods”.  It was a utopia for anyone wanting peace and quiet.  The church was so hidden on a backwoods road that that there were days that not a single vehicle passed through “The Woods”.   I was particularly overjoyed when I learned that my sister Meri had married my friend Mike Duggan and that they’d be living only six miles from me.  My sister’s living near me not only gave me her excellent company……it also gave me her excellent cooking.   Her son Jeremy was a senior in high school and often visited the night service at our church.   After church,  Jeremy, Pam and I would cross the river for a hamburger at Nick’s Café.

One afternoon I was on my way to photograph a high school Rodeo star at the Louisiana Tourist Bureau. As I changed lanes to approach my turnoff, I remember a loud jolting boom….. and awaked  minutes later staring at long strands of  hair hanging from my smashed windshield.    Then someone shouted from the highway: “Don’t move, Preacher…don’t move!”  On the way to the hospital Sherriff Landry told me that I had crashed into a car that was stalled on the inner-lane of the highway.

When I got home the next day my brother-in-law came and picked glass fragments from my scalp and forehead.  My cracked ribs made it impossible for me to get out of the bed and as I lay wondering what to do,   Jeremy walked in the door. “How’ye doing,  Docta?”, he laughed. “I’ve got a week off from school and have come to take care of you.” He stayed with me all week and did everything   needed to speed me to recovery.

Pam and I met Jeremy and his wife for lunch in Marshall, Texas last week.  Jeremy was the same boy (just 30 years 0lder)…jovial… and still laughing at my warmed-over jokes. He plays the bass guitar and teaches Sunday School in his church in Tyler, Texas.

I’m not just so proud of Jeremy.…… I love that boy.