Joy Seekers Women’s Conference - February 1, 2012
Submitted by Olinda Hale

The annual Joy Seekers Women’s Conference is Friday evening, March 9 and Saturday, March 10 at the Family Life Center of First Baptist Church, Center, Texas.

Janet White is our conference speaker. Janet is a gifted communicator and has the unique ability to speak to audiences of various ages and needs. She always speaks to her listeners’ hearts out of what is happening in her own life. Her depth in the scriptures is evident as she speaks. Janet is able to take common everyday experiences that we all can relate to and use them to illustrate the truths from the Word of God. Listeners will come away with practical answers to life’s questions from the Word.

Prior to March 1 the early registration cost is $20.00. At the door, registration will be $25.00. Registration begins at 6:00 p.m on Friday, March 9 and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 10. A light breakfast and lunch are provided. Scholarships are available by calling the church office at (936) 598-5605.

Childcare will be provided for a minimal cost. Childcare is by reservation only. For more information call First Baptist Church in Center, Texas at (936) 598-5605.

Lydia MBC to host One Night Youth Revival Featuring Ronny Cates - January 27, 2012

Lydia Baptist Church presents a one night Youth Revival this Friday night, January 27, 2012 at 6pm with special guest and speaker Ronny Cates. Praise and worship lead by Gravity. Everyone is invited! Lydia is located on FM 139 in Huxley. Call Bro. Wes Hall for more information at 936-368-2462.

Ronny is a former bassist for the group Petra. Ronny joined Petra in 1988 recording numerous albums with the band. During his period, the band won three Grammy Awards and nine Dove Awards. Cates left the band in 1996 to dedicate his life to a career of producing and recording. As the bass player for the group, Cates also enjoyed song writing for the band. Adding to the accomplishments during the Petra years was his being voted "Favorite Bass Player" for five consecutive years in a reader's poll given by the leading Christian music magazine CCM. A few years later, Petra, with Cates, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. In the years after he left the band, Cates has contributed with them in several occasions filling the bassist spot in some presentations.

A fellowship will follow the Revival and a love offering will be collected.

Message from Shelbyville First United Methodist Church - January 13, 2012
Submitted by Carla Reed, Pastor

From now until transfiguration Sunday on February 19th at Shelbyville Methodist church we are going to be reading the Old Testament readings with, of course, the response to the Old Testament reading from Psalm. The liturgist will read the gospel passage each week. The gospel and OT readings are connected by the experience of call of God in our lives and the (sometimes unexpected) challenges and joys of responding to his call. The scriptures are a series of stories from people who have heard the call of God in the Old Testament and who have heard the call of Christ in the New Testament. I know that each of you has her / his own story. I would love hearing them as you read the scriptures and reflect on the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in our lives. Here are the scriptures for both OT and gospel. If you read the scriptures and are perhaps touched or inspired, feel free to share with me your thoughts, stories or questions. And of course you are invited to come and share our worship on Sunday morning at 11:00.
Lovingly pastor, Carla

January 15th 1 Samuel 3:10, (11-20) John 1:43-51

January 22nd Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Mark 1:14-20

January 29th Deuteronomy: 18:15-20 Mark 1:21-28

February 5th Isaiah 40:21-31 Mark 1:29-39

February 12th 2 Kings 5:1-14 Mark 1:40-45

You can contact me by email at creedumc@gmail.com or by telephone at 936-598-7388

The Dark-Eyed Junco by Doug Fincher - January 30, 2012
Submitted by Doug Fincher

“Is anything too hard for God….?” Gen. 18:14

Last December, my daughter in New York emailed me a picture of a broken-winged bird she’d found in her yard. She asked what kind it was and if it could be saved. It was a dark eyed junco and I told her that there was no way she could save him because he’d never eat in captivity.

But to my utter surprise, four months later this little bird was eating, drinking, and singing in a cage in her living room. “We’re trying to get him a larger cage. I’m afraid that Bentley (her cat) would catch him if we put him outside.”

My advice to Caralee about her bird reminds me of the advice I got from Aunt Johnnie when I tried to win my father to the Lord. “You couldn’t touch Henry Fincher with a ten-foot pole!” she insisted. “Getting him saved would be the miracle of the ages!” And the miracle happened when Daddy was later converted and served the Lord till his death in 1983.

I’m glad my daughter didn’t take my bad advice on giving up on her little junco. And I’m even gladder we didn’t give up on Daddy. And God would be glad if we never gave up on any of the crippled people of the world.

Regardless of how crippled they are, our Savior can heal them.

The Gift of Reconciliation - January 2, 2011
By Minister Cassandra Bering

As we are vastly approaching the end of the year 2011 and entering into the year 2012, most of us evaluate our lives, goals accomplished, relationships, finances and dreams deferred, to name a few. We can’t of course, leave out the famous New Year’s resolutions and promises we make to ourselves and to other’s that most likely we won’t keep.

This year has been a very trying year. Everything that could be shaken has been shaken. It has been the worst of times and the best of times all at the same time. It appears that all that we have relied on in the past is now unreliable. The government and elected officials can’t agree upon anything, the economy is unstable, job loss; companies and corporations are closing, merging and downsizing. I have felt like King David when he wrote in Psalms 27:13: I would have fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

One thing that we must always be reminded and certain of is that our relationship with God is secure, consistent and everlasting to all who believe. God is not slack on His promises to us. So many times, we operate in the spirit of fear, doubt and unbelief because we live in this world and sometimes overwhelmed and overtaken with the cares of this world. To be truly victorious and over comers, we must activate and apply the Word of God concerning every circumstance and situation we encounter in this life. The opposite of fear, doubt and unbelief is faith, hope and love. The scripture has stated: Greater is He that is within us than He that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

God opposes us when we do not walk according to the spirit (Romans 8:1). He opposes us because we have forfeited the Gift of Reconciliation, thus limiting HIM to do in our lives what only HE can do. In Romans 1:16-17, the Apostle Paul writes: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

God’s Gift of Reconciliation is plain and simple as written in Jeremiah 29: 11, For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future; Further, For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life (Romans 5:10).

Let us embrace God’s Gift of Reconciliation and be reconciled to HIM and to each other. Happy New Year and Be Encouraged in the Lord!

Happenings at FUMC of Joaquin & Paxton - January 30, 2012
Submitted by Randy Smith, Pastor

Sunday was the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. It is really hard to believe that January is just about gone. Paxton and Joaquin have been collecting cans of tuna this month to fill the shelves at Christian Services and in February we will be collecting cans of chili. The Gospel Lesson for Sunday was Mark 1: 21-28 in which the disturbed man interrupts Jesus at the synagogue at Capernaum . Jesus did not dismiss this man or wait until embarrassed members of the congregation got him out. Instead Jesus took the opportunity to encounter the man and to save him from his afflictions. That is the way of the Christ. Thirty-six times in the Old Testament we are told to care for the stranger.

We had a small crowd at Paxton Sunday morning. We were all saddened to hear that Ms. Hilda’s brother-in-law had died. We certainly missed her and send our prayers. At Joaquin it was great to see Trevor, Peggy, and Michael. Michael’s little brother Christopher was sick and we sure missed him. Peggy and Trevor reported on Roy and said he was feeling good and enjoying the visits by all his children. Get well soon Roy !

Sunday Night was the 5th Sunday Singing at Jackson Baptist Church . There was plenty of song and afterwards plenty of food. There was a really good crowd. Thanks to our good friends at Jackson for being such good hosts. This week will be a busy one. Family Night is Wednesday at 6:00. Prayer Breakfast is Thursday at 8:00. Thursday night at 6:00 will be Pickin’ & Praisin’ at Tenaha Methodist. Friday at 2:00 will be the Pine Grove Birthday Party.

Services at Paxton United Methodist Church begin at 9:30 with Sunday School at 10:30. Spanish language services are at 11:00 with the Rev. Carmelo Dominquez delivering the message. Sunday School at Joaquin Methodist is 10:00 and worship service begins at 11:00. Our website is at joaquinumc.com. Our web master is Jason Gill. Our email address is at joaquinumc@hotmail.com and prayer requests may be sent to joaquinumc@gmail.com and we will post them on our website. Take care and God’s Speed.

Viewpoint - January 26, 2012
By Pastor Steve Harris

Over the Moon

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46

Several years ago, NASA gave each of the fifty United States a special gift--a small rock from the moon. Now it turns out many states have lost them. Arkansas has looked for years for the valuable lunar rock, which came from the Apollo 17 mission. It was finally discovered in a small plastic box among the papers of former governor Bill Clinton. The rocks are priceless; but unless they're found, they are worthless.

The Bible teaches that our faith is like a pearl of great price. We must always cherish and value our relationship with Christ and be faithful with all that is entrusted to us. When we find this pearl, it costs all we have. We give Him our souls, our possessions, our faith, our future, our goals, our habits, our dreams. But in the process, we become infinitely and eternally richer.

Don't be careless with your pearl of great price. Don't misplace your faith. God rewards the faithful with a bounty of blessings.

I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown. George Bennard

(Steve Harris serves as pastor of the First United Pentecostal Church of Center on HWY 96 S. You can hear him daily, Monday-Friday on Morning Manna, heard at 8:45 AM on KDET 930 AM & 92.5 FM. Find out more at www.centerfirstupc.com)

Pull Up a Chair, Bro. Michael - January 17, 2011

Read the BIBLE for LIFE!
By George Guthrie

Join me Sunday in a special study, as I introduce “Read the Bible for Life!”  Over the weeks ahead we will learn how to read the Bible more effectively.  Each of us will have a work book that will help guide you to read, understand and apply God’s Word.  Each week we will listen to Dr. Guthrie by way of a DVD.

Reading the Bible on a daily basis enables us to grow in faith, our joy in Christ increases.  Our walk with God becomes stronger.  Eugene Peterson has said of the Bible, “We open this book and find page after page it takes us off guard, surprises us, and draws us into its reality, pulls us into participation with God on his terms.”

So join me Sunday January 22 at 4:30, in my office as we study together on ‘Read the Bible for LIFE!”

Bro. Michael

Center First United Methodist Church News - February 1, 2012
Submitted by Mary Lynn Tinkle

Sunday was a blessed day at Center First United Methodist Church. Virginia Watlington, Polly McKissick, Peaches Conway and Lisa Thomas served a delicious coffee fellowship. The choir sang a beautifully moving version of “Jesus, The Sweetest Name I Know” combined with Chris Watlington doing a reading.

The Pastor’s sermon “Let’s Get Started” helped us understand how we can know and follow God’s plan for our lives. He compared following God’s plan for our lives to a child’s game Connect the Dot. Although we won’t see the whole picture when we start on our journey if we follow “God’s dots” the picture will be revealed to us.

The scripture was about the young ruler who felt something was missing in his life. He sought advice from Jesus. Jesus told the ruler to give away all his riches and follow Him. The young ruler was not willing to do the one thing Jesus said he should do. God gives us the same choice today. We must put aside anything we put above God and be willing to follow His plan – not our plan for our lives. He gives us free will to make up our own minds. If we choose to follow His plan for our lives, He will show us the way.

Even after we make the decision to follow Him there are times we will detour from the path He has set for us, but through prayer and determination we can get back on the path and it will lead us to be able to connect the dots in the right order so that the plan He has for our lives will happen exactly as He intended.

We enjoyed having our acolyte program back. Our young members light the candles on the altar and assist with communion. Serving as acolytes offers the opportunity for our children to be an active part of the worship service. Acolytes this past Sunday were Sydnee Haley and Zach Carlton. We appreciate Mrs. Yvonne Permenter working with our acolytes.

Anyone interested in exercise is welcome to join our exercise class on Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 to 9:45 in the Fellowship Hall. The class is for adults of all ages and all fitness levels. Mary Lynn Tinkle’s/Runnels Chapel Sunday School class enjoyed lunch out together in Timpson this past week.

If you do not have a church home, you are invited to come worship with us at the 8:30 or 11:00 worship service and Sunday School at 9:45.

The members of the Center First United Methodist Church pray you will have a blessed week.