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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
February 5, 2026 - Do you have a winning recipe? Enter your favorite chili, gumbo, or soup—or just come hungry! Sample the entries and vote for your favorites on Sunday, February 22, 2026 from 4pm until 5:30pm at First Methodist Church of Center. Awards presentation will be at 6pm.
Additional happening during the cook-off:
- Silent Auction
- Dessert Auction
Entry and Voting:
- Amateur Team Entry Fee: $10
- Ages 13 and up: $5 (includes 5 voting tickets)
- Ages 3–12: $3 (includes 3 voting tickets)
- Under 3: FREE
- Additional voting tickets: $1 each
Bring your appetite, invite a friend, and join us for great food, fellowship, and fun for a great cause!
Team Registration ends Thursday, February 19th. All proceeds benefit Missions and Outreach.
February 14, 2026 - A shared ministry of First Methodist Church and St. John's Episcopal Church will be holding an Annual Pancake Supper on Tuesday, February 17th from 5pm to 6:30pm in the parish hall at First Methodist Church, 211 Porter Street, Center, Texas. Everyone is invited to attend.
February 16, 2026 - Mt. Zion C.M.E. Church's Black History Program is at 3pm on Sunday, February 22 and the 2026 Black History Month Theme is "A Century of Black History Commemorations."
Speakers:
- Ms. Linda Harris, MSW, LMSW, Director of Field Education / Clinical Instructor and Stephen F. Austin School of Social Work - Nacogdoches, Texas
- Jeremy Small, Doctor of Education Director of Secondary Education, Bastrop I.S.D. - Bastrop, Texas
Guest musician is Bro. Johnathan Fountain and Orator is Sis. Vanessa Davis. Additionally, Joyce Johnson - Program Chairperson; Rev. Richard Edwards - Pastor; Rt. Rev. Lawrence L. Reddick, III - Presiding Bishop; and Rev. Milton Proctor - Presiding Elder.
"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations."
February 16, 2026 - Saint John's Episcopal Church will have an Ash Wednesday service at 12 noon on Wednesday, February 18th. Pancake supper will be Tuesday, February 17th at Center Methodist Church parish hall. Everyone is invited to attend.
Let’s take a moment to consider the religious affiliations of our chief executives. More of them were Episcopalians than any other denomination - 11 in all - including George Washington. In second place, with 8 presidents, comes the Presbyterian faith. Ronald Reagan was in this group. Donald Trump was raised Presbyterian, but now presents as non-denominational. There’ve been 4 Baptists (Jimmy Carter), 3 Methodists (George W. Bush), 2 Quakers (Richard Nixon), and 2 Catholics (John Kennedy and Joe Biden).
A couple of presidents never officially joined a church - Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Jefferson is no surprise, being known for his Deist beliefs, a system based on rational thought and revelation through nature. But Lincoln, famous for using scripture references in his speeches more than any other president, is something of a spiritual enigma. An internet search of all the Bible verses he used, and how he used them, would make an interesting self study.
There is a particular verse that speaks to us on this holiday morning - I Peter 2:17 - “Love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the emperor”. And so, on this day, we honor our presidents, and we pray that each of our elected leaders will seek God for wisdom, for strength, and for direction.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
February 16, 2026 - St. Paul MBC announces that due to unforeseen circumstances, the Black History Month program is cancelled at this time. Normal church service will continue as scheduled.
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church will have 4th Sunday on February 22 featuring their Black History Month program starting at 10am.
The focus of the program will be dealing with power of youth leadership in the church in the civil rights movement.
Special guest speaker will be Derrick Rainey from Little Rock, Arkansas. He is the Student Pastor for Longley Baptist Church in Little Rock and he is also the mayor of Wrightsville, Ark.
February 12, 2026 - Lone Star Baptist Church warmly invites the entire community to join us for a powerful and encouraging Grow and Go Weekend, a time of spiritual growth, fellowship, and hands on training in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
This special weekend is designed to equip believers to confidently witness to others, deepen their understanding of Scripture, and be nourished by God’s Word. Together, we will walk verse by verse through the book of Epistle to the Philippians (Chapters 1 through 4), discovering the joy, courage, unity, and strength found in Christ.
Whether you are new in your faith or have walked with the Lord for years, this weekend will strengthen and refresh you.
What to Expect
- Biblical teaching and study
- Practical witnessing training
- Role play and live interaction opportunities
- Group table discussions
- Fellowship with other believers
- Encouragement and spiritual renewal
We will provide:
- Supper on Friday
- Breakfast, lunch and Supper on Saturday
- Pens, notebooks, and highlighters
- A Bible if you do not have one
Everything you need will be provided. Just come with an open heart.
- Friday – February 20, 6pm to 8pm
- Saturday – February 21, 8am to 6pm
- Sunday – February 22, 9:30am to 10:45am
All are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there.
Grow and go weekend: Don’t make ways to witness, make witnessing your way!
Lone Star Baptist Church is located at 2026 Highway 87 South, Center, Texas 75935.
February 12, 2026 - There is a little obscure sentence found in Philippians 3:10 that expressed the deepest longing and desire of the apostle Paul, where he writes, “That I may know Him.” Paul’s deepest and most fervent longing evidently was to know Jesus better. That ought to be our deepest longing also. The knowledge of God revealed in Jesus Christ gives us a grip on the great spiritual realities. If we are to know Jesus better, then we must spend time with the book of God, the Bible. You see, it is the Bible that reveals Jesus Christ, the son of the living God to us.
Right here, right now, this very minute, how real is Jesus to you? Jesus Christ needs to be real in our lives and we need to make Him more a part of our lives.
If we are to come to know Jesus, if He is going to be real to us, there is a price to be paid to know him. Let’s be honest, everything worthwhile has a price to pay. To be a world class athlete, an individual must pay a huge price in training. To be an accomplished musician, long hours must be spent in practice. There were those in the New Testament who left everything for Jesus. Peter, Andrew, James and John got out of the fishing business. Paul said he counted all things loss for Christ. If we want to know Jesus Christ, really know Jesus Christ, we must be willing to surrender our will to the will of Jesus and make him first in our lives.
It’s something to think about. . . tbp
Come and join us for Worship
Center Church of Christ
www.centerchurchofchrist.com
February 10, 2026 - Smyrna Church is raising funds to send our youth to Go Tell Church Camp, where hearts are changed and faith is strengthened.
A BBQ Chicken plate fundraiser on the downtown Center square is Friday, February 13, 2026 starting at 10am until plates are sold out! Plates are $12 and includes ½ chicken, baked beans, potato salad, bread, and water.
There will also be a Bake sale the same day on the Center Square and at the Huxley Fire Station.
Delivery available for orders of 10+ plates. Reserve plates by calling or texting Levi Willoughby at 936-332-4443.
Please consider supporting our youth and helping us plant seeds that will last a lifetime.
Jesus First. Something Different.
February 9, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, February 9.
This Saturday is Valentine’s Day. So today, here at the Daily Devotions, we begin a week-long series on the subject... of love.
Tonight marks the 62nd anniversary of a momentous moment. 78 million Americans tuned their TVs to the Ed Sullivan Show, and the world of popular music was changed forever, as four young lads from Liverpool took the stage. John, Paul, George, and Ringo - The Beatles. Maybe some of you were watching. It was a Sunday night, so I was at church!
The Fab Four sang five songs that evening. All five, not surprisingly, were about love. The centerpiece was a simple little song that would become the best-selling single of the sixties, “She Loves You”. You remember that one. It features the immortal lyric - “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”
The Beatles were trailblazers in so many areas of music and culture. But they were far from the first artists to focus on the subject of love. Songwriters and poets and playwrights have been focusing on that lofty theme for as long as there has been language. Why? Because we human beings are created to need love in our lives. That instinct is so strong that sometimes we make poor choices in pursuit of it.
When the Bible talks about the love of God, it uses the Greek word “agape.” This term describes a selfless, giving, steadfast, faithful kind of love. Agape is the word being used here, in this famous scripture verse - “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
In other words - He loves you! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50yahoo.com
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