Calvary Independent Baptist Church

We want to thank everyone for attending church services this weekend.

Sunday morning services included a message delivered by one of our missionaries from the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry. He preached about the grace of God, using many passages of the Old and New Testaments to show how God bought the firstborn in the book of Exodus by the blood of a lamb. Then he showed it, picturing how we are bought today by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Once we are saved by grace we are then kept by grace and we are forevermore standing on that solid rock of Jesus Christ. We hope you are saved and standing on that Solid Rock.

Sunday night’s services included a message from Acts 22 and 2 Timothy 2 on the freedom we have and the fact that we should be ready to fight the spiritual battles, as well as the physical battles we are called unto. If we considered applying for a job serving Jesus Christ like we do applying for jobs in the workforces of America today, we would all be serving Christ. He qualifies all the called. Have you heard his call to serve? We may be nearing that midnight hour when there are going to be some changes made. Are you a part of that work which the Lord is doing? We hope that the Lord is doing a wonderful work in and through your life today.

After regular services Sunday night, we held a business meeting. As part of the result of that meeting, we are proud to welcome Bro. Joel Huffstutler as the Minister of Music at Calvary.

You can add prayer requests, check out our events calendar, download and listen to sermons or email our pastors at www.cibc-clanton.com, or if you need more information by phone, call Pastor Oscar Mims at (205) 755-9399.

Mt. Carmel No. 1 Baptist Church

As we gathered in God’s house this past Sunday, we missed some of our faithful members who were not able to be with us because of sickness. We pray they will soon be well and back in our fellowship. If you were able to attend, but just didn’t, you missed a wonderful blessing. You certainly could not say it was because of the weather. (Wasn’t it a beautiful day?)

After giving a very gracious “thank you” to all the veterans for their service to our county, Bro. Derrell brought a message titled “The Christian Veteran,” using 2 Timothy 2:3-4 as his text. Christian veterans are those that have been or are now in God’s army. The war we fight is continuous. Our enemy, the devil, is never asleep on the job. He is always ready to attack. There are characteristics of a Christian veteran that are essential in the fight we have. We must be enlisted (called into service); we must have endurance; we must have the willingness to be engaged in the battle; we must avoid being entangled with affairs of life that hinder our fight. The commitment is complete, the training is serious, and the journey is not easy, but the results and rewards are worth it all. Just as we are proud to stand and give our pledge to the American flag, always be proud to stand as a Christian.

Our Sunday evening message, “A Chain of Blessings,” was taken from Psalms 103:1-5. These verses contain some of the blessings that David was praising God for. Using the old hymn, “Count Your Blessings,” Bro. Derrell reminded us that there is no way that we can count all the blessings God has given us. If you are alive and well enough to be reading this paper, that is a blessing from God. No earthly person can give life and health to us. Let’s not wait until Nov. 28 to have a thanksgiving day; it needs to be each day we are granted life. God is so great!

Those in our church and church community who need our special prayers are Hershel Scott, Sarah Scott, Elladene Mims, J.R. Lowery and Jacob Jones.

Special announcements:

The annual Harvest Supper will be held on Sunday evening, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m., along with the dedication of the shoeboxes that are being filled for Operation Christmas Child.

Our midweek service during Thanksgiving week will be on Tuesday night, Nov. 26, instead of Wednesday.

If you are bringing items to help with the Chilton-Shelby Mental Health Mission project, please bring them on Nov. 26.

Practice for our upcoming Christmas program is held on Sunday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. This is for all ages. Please consider being a part of this program.