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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
October 14, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Monday, October 14.
Today we focus on Change, on Christianity, on Columbus. Happy Columbus Day, by the way, or maybe you had forgotten about this holiday. That would be understandable - Columbus Day isn't what it used to be. But if you've studied the history of this holiday, you know that it has always been marked by change.
Christopher Columbus, on October 12, 1492, landed on an island in what is now the Bahamas. He thought he had reached the Far East, what was then called The Indies. And so, the native people who greeted these strange visitors were given the name "Indians", a name that unfortunately stuck, and forever after has been a reminder that Columbus had no idea where he was. With the way history usually works, it's amazing that we don't call our nation "Columbia". But Amerigo Vespucci, another noted Italian navigator, recognized that this was a New World, and so we live in America.
The first official observance of Columbus Day in America came in 1792, the three-hundredth anniversary, with a celebration in New York City. During the 1800's it was celebrated mostly in major cities, especially those with large Italian immigrant communities. New Orleans was one of those places, but along with Italian immigrants came violent racism. And there, in 1891, the largest single lynching in U.S. history occurred, as 11 Italian Americans were seized by a mob and brutally murdered.
President Grover Cleveland, partly in response to that tragedy, declared a one-time commemoration of Columbus the next year, the 400th anniversary. But it wasn't until 1934 that Franklin Roosevelt signed a proclamation declaring the second Monday in October to be Columbus Day. Before Congress could make it a federal holiday, though, the United States found itself at war with Italy, and during the 1940's many Italian immigrants were put into containment camps, some right here in Texas.
It wasn't until 1971 that Columbus Day was officially established. But in the last 50 years, public opinions about this holiday have continued to change. Most states - Texas included - no longer officially observe it, and many have changed the name to Indigenous Peoples Day. Change has always been a part of Columbus Day.
Christopher Columbus' first name means "bearer of Christ". He reached the new world on a ship called Santa Maria - "Holy Mary". And when he stepped out on what he thought was Asia, he called it San Salvador - "Holy Savior". An initial goal of the Spanish was to spread the gospel of Christ. But that goal soon gave way to another purpose - greed.
Still today, we who call ourselves Christians struggle with change, struggle with finding our purpose, struggle to keep our faith relevant in this ever-changing new world.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
October 10, 2024 - King David, the man after God’s own heart could not build a temple, but he wrote a psalm! Three temples, one after another, crumbled in the dust, but the psalm lives today in the hearts of millions. Through three thousand years, the Twenty-Third Psalm has been a source of inspiration. It is the Christian’s great symphony, the theme of which is God’s care for His own.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Or, as Paul says it, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
After announcing the theme, the writer gives us the three R’s of the abundant life. They are Rest, Refreshment and Restoration. First, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” Second, “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Third, “He restoreth my soul.”
Rest and relaxation are essential to our well being. Many a man or woman is in the hospital today because they could not afford to rest or could not rest. God makes us rest and then he leads us beside the still waters for refreshment. Restoration just naturally follows rest and refreshment. How wonderful are the still waters that God leads us to. Make your plans to be in worship with the saints of God on the Lord’s Day. You will find yourself rested, refreshed and restored by being in Worship. It’s something to think about.
It’s something to think about... tbp
Join Us for Worship this coming Lord’s Day at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
October 9, 2024 - New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church in Timpson will honor their musicians on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 7pm. Everyone is invited to attend. Sis. Joyce McCoy, president and Rev. Rayford Caraway, Pastor.
October 8, 2024 - The members of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church (BoBo) invite the community to fellowship with us at our annual "Family and Friends" day. Service starts at 2pm on Sunday, October 13, 2024.
Special Guest will be Pastor Derrick Rhoades and the Wallace Chapel Baptist Church (Timpson, Texas).
See you Sunday.
Pastor Jeremy Moore
October 8, 2024 - Blount Chapel Baptist Church invites the community to attend its Annual Harvest Program at 3pm on Sunday, October 20, 2024. The theme is ‘Harvest of Transformation’ Romans 12:2. Speakers will be Sis. Stephanie Hicks, Sis. Yolanda Neal, and Sis. Pearl Nash.
Church pastor is Bryon Coutee, Jr.. Blount Chapel Baptist Church is located at 298 Co Rd 3760, Center, TX 75935.
October 8, 2024 - October 27 at 1pm will be the New Prospect Church Harvest Celebration.
Superintendent Marvin Jackson will be bringing the message. Lunch will be served after the service
October 7, 2024 - Mt. Gillion Annual Harvest Celebration will be held on October 13th at 11am. Rev. Caraway will bring the message. Lunch will be served. Come celebrate and worship the Lord with us.
October 7, 2024 - St. John Missionary Baptist Church and Rev. Winston Kibbles, Pastor, will be celebrating the 135th Church Anniversary at 2pm on Sunday, October 20, 2024. Special guest is Rev. Steven Standley, pastor of the East Liberty Baptist Church.
The theme is “Celebrating the Journey, Thanking God for the Past, Pressing forward to the Future” Psalm 126:3.
October 7, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Monday, October 7.
I like big dogs. Okay, if I'm being completely truthful, I pretty much like all dogs. If I made a list of the unlikable dogs in my past, it would be pretty short. On the other hand, if you asked me to make a list of the unlikable people that I've known, I'd have to go get the Big Chief tablet. Most of the dogs on that naughty list would be little lap dogs. My grandfather had a Chihuahua named Jiggs that would bite you as soon as look at you. And one time I was going door-to-door for my church, when a teacup ankle-biter came out from under a truck and... bit me on the ankle. At least with big dogs, you see them coming.
When I'm sitting on my porch, I usually see my neighbor's dog coming. He's a Labrador/Pyrenees mix, pure white, and weighs in at about 150 pounds. He always tries to get up in the porch swing with me. If you've ever been around big dogs, like Great Danes and St. Bernards, you know that they have no sense of how big they are. They are the farthest thing from lap dogs, but they will do everything they can to get in your lap. I like big dogs.
Big dogs do have a downside, though. Their lifespan is relatively short. While a Chihuahua may live into its twenties, a Great Dane is lucky to make it to ten. With a large breed, your time with them is short, and you have to make the most of it. The Bible speaks often about time. It reminds us that we're not promised tomorrow - "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." (Proverbs 27:1) It teaches us to number our days (Psalm 90:12), and to redeem them (Ephesians 5:16).
Time is precious. Make the most of today.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
October 3, 2024 - The great defense attorney Clarence Darrow once said, “Everyone is a potential murderer. I have not killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction out of obituary notices”. We find humor in that because it comes so close to the truth of our lives.
Of all the things that Jesus commanded, the command to “Love our enemies” in Luke chapter 6 and verse 27 is perhaps the most difficult. Especially it seems during this political season when emotions are running high, tempers are on edge and rancor and vitriolic language seem to be the order of the day.
I may not love God like I should, but I’m determined to get a handle on it. I may not love my wife the way I should, but I intend to work at it. I may not love my neighbor as I should, but I have nothing against trying. But, love my enemies? That is something we struggle with.
I don’t want to love these people, but Jesus said I must. When someone wrongs us, when someone says something evil about us, when someone calls us names, our first instinct is to get even. We want to make them hurt as much as they have hurt us. Jesus tells us that is not the way He wants us to live.
He also tells us we must do good to those who hate us. We must bless those who curse us. We must pray for those who mistreat us. It may not be what we want to do, but loving our enemies shows others that we belong to Christ.
It’s something to think about... tbp
Join Us for Worship this coming Lord’s Day at Center Church of Christ or online at www.centerchurchofchrist.com
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