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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
July 18, 2022 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, July 18.
Have you ever taken a wrong turn in your life? Found yourself going in the wrong direction? Douglas Corrigan became famous for doing just that. He was born in Galveston, Texas in 1907 and was always fascinated by one thing - airplanes. He became a pilot and flight mechanic, and was part of the team that prepared “The Spirit of St. Louis,” the plane that Charles Lindbergh piloted across the Atlantic in his historic flight.
Corrigan was obsessed with following in Lindbergh’s footsteps, but was never able to get clearance for a Tran-Atlantic journey. Officials took one look at his plane - a cobbled together rattletrap - and turned him down time and time again. And then, on July 18, 1938, Corrigan was supposed to take off from New York City and fly to California. Instead, he took a wrong turn, headed East, and 27 hours later, landed in Dublin, Ireland!
When "Wrong Way" Corrigan returned to New York, he was greeted with a ticker-tape parade bigger than Lindbergh's. He became a national celebrity and made a fortune endorsing products like a wristwatch that ran backwards. And until the end of his life in 1995, he continued to swear that it had all been an accident, a mistake, a wrong turn.
Wrong turns in our lives don't usually lead to fame and fortune. They typically lead to damage and disappointment. So, if you find yourself moving away from God, headed away from His best for your life - don't follow the example of Wrong Way Corrigan. Turn around!
Acts 3:19 - Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
July 12, 2022 - St. Therese of Lisieux Parish is having a Cheeseburger fundraiser on Friday, July 15th at the Center Square from 11:00AM - 2:00PM. Please come to support our fundraising efforts.
Proceeds benefit St. Therese of Lisieux Parish construction projects. Please help us raise funds to build a soccer field, remodeling project in the Parish Hall and build a new Conference Center to continue with our evangelization mission. God bless you!
July 14, 2022 - Due to Covid, Pleasant Grove MBC is canceling their Revival, which was scheduled for this upcoming week, July 18-22. We are sorry for the inconvenience. We will regroup and plan a Revival in the future. Please pray for all those dealing with Covid within the churches and our community. God Bless.
July 14, 2022 - Take a leafy branch from a tree. Lay it carefully aside and watch. Slowly the color fades, the leaves go limp, they curl up and it is dead.
Take a fish out of the lake. Lay it carefully on the sand and watch. Frantically it twists and struggles and gradually weakens, moving its gills slower, then quivers and it is dead.
Take a church member. Carefully allow him to be separated from God in Bible Study, worship, fellowship, prayer and active service. Gradually his conscience quivers as he misses the Lord’s Supper. He frets at himself for being absent as questionable activities begin to occupy his time. Soon, there are many hypocrites in the church, the church is always asking for money and finally he takes a stand against Christian living and he is dead.
When members of the Lord’s church do not attend worship because they sleep late, they forsake the assembly. When members of the Lord’s church do not attend worship because of inconvenience, they forsake the assembly. If you have separated yourself from the family of God, re-attach yourself to the tree, get back in the water, make your plans to be in Worship this coming Lord’s Day.
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
July 14, 2022 - Local pianist extraordinaire Tim Verner will present a program at the Golden Harvest Senior Club Luncheon, Monday, July 18, 11:30 at First Baptist Center, 117 Cora. This community club meets to greet and eat every third Monday of the month. Lunch is free and any senior adult is welcome. Contact David Mathis at 979-533-1575 for more information.
July 11, 2022 - Harmonia Baptist Church and Pastor Bryan Gates Presents 1st Pastoral Anniversary. Hosted by University Baptist Church(UBC) and Pastor Travis Hayman, 2505 N. St. Nacogdoches, TX 75965.
Speakers:
Bishop Cedrick Grace at UBC - July 22nd at 7pm
Evangelist Alva W. Taylor at UBC - July 23rd at 7pm
Pastor Mario Osby at UBC - July 24rd at 3pm
Pastor Varrick Butler at Harmonia - July 24th at 11am
July 12, 2022 - Homecoming July 24th, 2022 !!! and 3-Day Revival!!! July 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2022
Sunday, July 24th, 2022 our Annual Homecoming Celebration begins at 12 PM with Rev. R. Kirkendoll, Pastor of St Luke Baptist Church, Logansport, LA as our guest speaker. St Paul Missionary Baptist Church 617 Hopkins St, Center, TX and Rev. Dr. Freddie D. Wilson, Pastor is inviting all friends, family, and guests and expecting all members and former members from surrounding areas and other cities to join us in this joyous celebration and exciting 3-day revival.
The celebration continues with a soul stirring 3-day revival with 3 dynamic and powerful speakers you won’t want to miss.
July 25th @7PM—Rev. A. Douglas, Pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
July 26th @7PM— Rev. T. Teel, Pastor of Bell Chapel Baptist Church, San Augustine, TX
July 27th @7PM—Rev. A. Horton, Pastor of Reed Chapel Baptist Church , San Augustine, TX
July 11, 2022 - Pleasant Grove MBC will have their Revival the week of July 18 – July 22. Please come and worship with us! We would love to have you come. We would also love to hear a special if you have one. Service begins at 7:00 pm each night. The evangelists are Bro. Kevin Windham, Bro. Billy Windham, and Bro. BJ Windham. For more information, please contact Pastor Josh Crawford. You can find him on Facebook or call him at 936-572-5303. Hope to see you there! God Bless you all!
July 11, 2022 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, July 11.
What’s the middle verse of the Bible? Well, that depends on which translation you use. Did you realize that there are variations in chapters and verses between the different versions of the Word? The King James Version (good enough for Jesus, good enough for me!) has 31,102 verses. Since this is an even number, there is no center verse. But the center pair of verses is Psalm 103:1-2.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
Chapters and verses, of course, weren’t arranged until many centuries after the Bible was written. So, there’s no particular spiritual significance to the position of this passage. But, perhaps, there is meaning in the fact that, at the "center" of the Word, there is a passage of praise.
Let us make praise a priority. Let us put praise at the center of our hearts.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
July 11, 2022 - Grace and peace from our brother and our teacher, Jesus. Amen. I didn’t have an article or newsletter last week, as my little dog Sam and I went to see family in Dallas. I stayed with my daughter, and my son drove down from Denton. He took home a car full of stuff from his growing up. I don’t know how he did it, but he got all the bags, boxes, and tubs in his car. The three of us had a nice dinner together in between. I didn’t get to see my brother Kent and sister-in-law Mary: They both had mild cases of Covid, with Mary quarantined at home and my brother (a lung transplant patient) in the hospital. Both are better; Thursday Kent got to come home, where he will isolate for awhile longer. Cases of Covid are really starting to spike again. The best protection is to get vaccinated and wear a mask.
On July 3, we celebrated Independence Day by saying the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the National Anthem for the Gathering Words. Our hymns were “America” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” With Communion also that Sunday, our bulletin was full, leaving no room for quotes.
In July, we are collecting cans of spaghetti and ravioli for Community Christian Services. Last month I delivered paper towels and toilet paper to CCS. As always it was really nice seeing old friends about the work of helping others. The downtown Blessing Box has been full of cantaloupe and vegetables, along with the usual cans, jars, and boxes. Next to it, the little library on the square has had many customers taking and leaving books.
We had a very special guest at Sunday School and worship this morning: Gene and Joy’s niece Debbie visiting from Maryland. Our Sunday School lesson was about Philip and the Ethiopian from Acts 6: 26-39. Phillip is guided to the carriage carrying a well-to-do and important official. This man had been to Jerusalem, studying the Jewish scriptures. Philip explains scripture to him and then tells him the story of Jesus. The man is baptized right there by Philip and then, as suddenly he appeared, he was gone. Our author thinks that Philip being guided by the Spirit to the carriage was a “divine interruption.”
We began Sunday’s service with Gathering Words based on Psalm 82. We used once again the 21st Century Affirmation to declare our faith. The two songs were “O How I Love Jesus” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” both well-known to our congregation. Just based on the chosen hymns, you can probably get the idea of the theme for my sermon.
The scripture reading was Luke 10: 25-37, about the Good Samaritan, Jesus’ most famous parable. Every time I read this lesson I learn new things. We all know the story of the injured man on the road who was left for dead. Rather than help, two very privileged Jewish men, guardians of the law, walked on the other side of the road, ignoring the injured man. It was a Samaritan, of people hated by many Jewish folks, who stopped and showed compassion.
Jesus used a most controversial and unusual person for the hero—the person who demonstrates the essentials of our faith. We are to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus makes it very clear that we are all neighbors worthy to be treated with dignity and respect, as valuable a lesson today as it was back in the first century. No matter the time period, there are “Samaritans” in our lives; Jesus doesn’t give us a pass but expects kindness of us toward all.
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.
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