Mount Carmel No. 1

Services started on Sunday morning with the teaching of a great Bible lesson for all ages. We at Mount Carmel welcome all to come study the Sunday School lessons with us at 10 a.m. each Sunday.

We are thankful for all of our church family and the visitors who worshipped with us this week. We had a special prayer request this Sunday. The congregation gathered at the altar to pray for our friend, Winston Liveoak. Winston is in the hospital in Alabaster, and we ask you to band with us in our prayer chain as we pray for him.

In our morning service, we observed “The Hanging of the Greens.” The meaning of the service is to make room in our hearts for the arrival of Christ the King. The poinsettia, the flower of Christmas, is a vivid plant full of meaning.

Our church family joined in sharing a part of Christmas with each other by placing an ornament on our tree.

One of the most heart-warming expressions of Christmas is the nativity. We find ourselves bowing before the manger with Mary and Joseph, overwhelmed by God’s expression of love in coming to us.

Everyone took part in singing Christmas carols.

Bro. Derrell’s message for Sunday, taken from John 3:16, was “God’s Christmas List.” God has a Christmas list with two items on it: mercy and grace. God has mercy to forgive all of mankind. God’s grace is given to us for forgiveness.

Let God work through you this week and find someone with whom you can share God’s mercy and grace. Give to them them the best and most beautiful gift you can: the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

We have begun our Christmas card post office. Please bring your cards for our church family and make a donation for the postage. The children will deliver the cards on Sundays. Proceeds benefit our Lottie Moon Christmas offering. Thank you for your help with this.

This Friday, Dec. 7, we will go to Kingwood Church to see the play “The Gospel According to Scrooge.” We will leave the church at 5:30 p.m.

Our choir, under the direction of Bro. John Dennis, will present “Heaven’s Child” this Sunday, Dec. 9, in the 11 a.m. service. Come and listen to the story of the Promised Child of Heaven.

We ask you to pray with with us this week as we pray for Winston Liveoak, baby Jacob Jones, Candice Hostetter, Cecil Franklin, Mary Sue Poore, Harold Bolton, Mary Mauldin and the Jeremy Bowman family.

See you in church on Sunday.

Mountain Springs Church

Services started this Sunday with Bro. Kenneth Moates leading the church in the following hymns: “There’s Power in the Blood,” “That Glad Reunion Day,” “Getting Ready to Leave This World” and “Heaven’s Jubilee.”

Bro. Roger Cleckler gave a devotion from 2 Kings 6:15-16. God says we should not fear because he knows the plans in store for our future and he will take care of all our needs.

After Sunday school, Bro. Kenneth led the church in the hymns “Where the Milk and Honey Flows” and “Redeemed.” Sam Ross and Debbie Barnett sang “He’ll See You Through” and blessed the church with a wonderful song.

We had Bro. Travis Marler and his daughter with us this Sunday. Bro. Travis preached from Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23. No matter what we go through in our lives, we are still expected to serve God. God paid a high price for us to have salvation because he loves us.

Sunday night was our 10th annual “Hanging of the Greens” service. This is always a sweet, spiritual service to begin our Christmas season.

Our service times: Sunday at 9:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday at 7 p.m. Hope to see you there!