Mt. Springs Methodist Church

Sunday morning, Ricky Cleckler led the choir in the hymns of “Heaven’s Jubilee” and “This World is Not My Home”.

Roger Cleckler brought a devotion from Mark 16:15. If you got in your car to come to church this morning, you preached a message. How you live your life and how you go through your situations daily, is a message you are preaching to those around you.

After Sunday school, Sherry Moates sang “I Need You More Today.”

Bro. Travis Marler preached from 2 Samuel 9:1-12. In spite of your faults and failures, God loves you! God knows where you are. You are not forgotten. The promises of God have not changed just because you can’t see Him!

God knows your struggle even in the midnight hour. He already has a way of escape planned! In the midst of discomfort, Gods comfort has not changed! On the other side of the storm, the sun is still shining! There’s never been a time that God has left your side. It’s all good, Gods got this!

Sunday evening, the congregation sang the following hymns: “Come and Dine,” “Power in the Blood,” and “Just Over in the Glory Land.”

Bro. Ronnie Moates brought his devotion from Hebrews 11:24-25 which reads: By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (KJV).

Bro. Travis Marler then read from Daniel chapter 3. We are saved by the glory of God. When we are blessed, it is by His purpose. Our hope is in the Lord. Jesus is everything!

New Salem Baptist Church

May 1. was Homecoming at New Salem Baptist Church.

Brother Larry Reeser opened the service by welcoming the many visitors and members. The Dennis family presented an inspirational song and testimony program. During their intermission the congregation sang “Victory in Jesus” and “He keeps me Singing.” An offering for the cemetery fund was received.

Brother Reeser delivered a message from Colossians 3:15 and his theme was “Peace of the new man.” What is real peace? As someone once said, “Peace is a heart that sits down.”

Peace is of Jesus Christ. It must be a ruling peace. A ruling peace is our allowing God to rule our own life. God desires to live within us and we must submit; we must let God rule in our own hearts. Paul wrote in Romans 5:1 that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Psalmist wrote that we have great peace when we love the law.

We often tell God that we need His help, and then decide to handle it ourselves, only to hinder God’s process and make a mess of our problems. Many things hinder our allowing God to rule in our lives, such as job, sports, entertainment and other things which have no lasting satisfactions.

After Brother Reeser’s message, the Dennis family sang again and presented an invitation which resulted in several keeling at the altar for prayer. Lunch was served in the fellowship hall and all enjoyed a well prepared lunch. Many former members and guests attended and the fellowship was great. The evening service was cancelled.

New Salem Baptist Church extends a cordial welcome to all to worship with us: Sunday morning at 10:00 am for Sunday school; 11:00 am worship; 5:00 pm evening worship service; Wednesday at 6:00 pm Bible study and prayer meeting. Presently we are studying the life of Moses. You are invited to join with us at any of our services and if you need additional information call 205-389-1102.

Submitted by Lucille Price Pierce

 

Rocky Mount United Methodist Church

Can those of us in Alabama believe the amount of controversy on bathrooms lately? Probably not! Social changes and social media are putting our values and morals to the test! There are many things going on around us relating to the song most of us learned as children, “The B*I*B*L*E”! When all seems out of control, read John 14:23-29 (NIV).

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords says he is our rock and He will not move! Jesus is our savior and He can be trusted and relied upon! Is He your savior? Join us at Rocky Mount United Methodist Church in Jemison! We are spreading the news! Youth and Adult Bible study every Wednesday night, plus Sunday school and worship every Sunday morning.

Calvary Independent Baptist Church

Calvary Independent Baptist Church of Clanton would like to thank everyone who came out and took part of the services this past week.

Sunday morning services included a message from James 4: 1-6 on “Man is his own worst enemy.” We all seem at one time or another to have that Adam syndrome and blame someone else for the problems in our life. If we would earnestly compare our lives with the written word of God we could solve our problems a lot quicker and easier.

Sunday night services included a message from Acts 17:10-14 and other passages on the effect of the word of God in a believer’s life. We all have desires whether we are lost or whether we are saved, but when one has been born again, his heart’s desires have changed. We looked at several scriptures on the desires of Paul’s heart, before and after salvation. We all need to be hearing the word of God, finding the will of God for our personal life and following in the way of Christ.

We pray that you are saved and personally serving the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in and through a local church near you. If you are in or near Clanton and looking for a church, come visit with us this Sunday.

We are located in South Clanton just past the Dollar General, right off 31 on Fulmer Drive. Our regular weekly services include Sunday School at 9:00 am, Children’s Church and Adult Worship Services Sunday Morning at 10:00 am, Sunday Night Services at 5:30 pm, Wednesday Night Services at 6:30 pm, and a Bible study on every other Tuesday Night at 7:00 pm. For other services and events check us out on Facebook, Twitter, visit our website at www.cibc-clanton.com or call Pastor Oscar Mims at 205-755-9399.

Submitted by Oscar Mims

 

Mt. Carmel No. 1 Baptist Church

Has something so wonderful ever been done for you that made you ask “What did I do to deserve this?” and received the answer “nothing, I did it because I love you”? We could say that about the blessings that God bestowed on us last Sunday. God blessed us so much, not because of anything we did, but because He loves us. He blesses us every day, not just on Sundays. We are so thankful for each and every one of them.

Our morning services started with Libby Warren playing “Oh, how I love Jesus” for our penny march. Kaitlyn Burnett signed to “The Blood of Jesus”. Bro. Travis Burnett went back to John 1 to continue God’s message to us on ‘John the Baptist – The Man, Mission, and Message”. He used verses 6 & 7, 15 – 36. We were reminded that John knew who he was and who he wasn’t. He wanted people to know this as well. John was positive in stating that he wasn’t even worthy to untie the shoes of the One that was to come. We need to take a lesson from John and not try to be something or someone that we aren’t. John also knew his mission was to be the witness of the person the Bible calls the Light. He was the Light the people had been waiting for.

We Christians have the same mission today. We should be sharing the message of the Light to people that are wandering in the darkness of sin not knowing which way to go. Those in spiritual darkness have a need that only Jesus can supply.

Bro. Travis read the words of the song “Do you know how it feels?” If we do, we should want everyone to know the Good News about the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. John didn’t doubt it. John knew Him by faith just as we must do today. Faith in Jesus is the only way sin can be taken away.

Sunday evening Bro. Travis continued the message on the mission of John the Baptist. John had been sent to a people that had been told for many years that the Messiah was coming. They were waiting for something to happen. John was proclaiming that He was here. Today we are as those people were then. We have been told for years and are being told today by the messengers of God that Christ is coming. Are we looking for Him or have we heard it so much that we are rejecting it? We as Christians must continue to be a witness of Him. It is a matter of where some will spend eternity.

Along with our prayer request this week we had several praise reports. It is always an encouragement to know that God is still answering prayers and healing when mankind has done all they can do. Among those in and connected to our church family that stand in need of your prayers this week are: George Campbell, Minnie Childress, Gladys Franklin, Joyce Hill, Mary Dean Higgins, Phillip Campbell, Libby and Elijah Warren, Elladene Mims, Hilda Cary, Reba Chandler, Leona Liveoak, Janice Franklin, Marlene Hayes, Mary Maudlin, Ruthie Jean Giles, and Christy Lowery.

Best wishes to Jonathan Bowman and Abby Muller. They were married on April 30th.

Upcoming events: On Thursday, May 5th, at 6:30 p.m. there will be a VBS workers meeting; there will not be any evening services on Sunday, May 8th; Wednesday, May 11th, a financial management class will start at 7:00 p.m. There is a cost for this class. There will be Bible study for those that do not attend the financial class; Sunday, May 15th, Deacons meeting at 4:00 p.m. and business meeting about 5:45 p.m.; Saturday, May 21st, at 10:00 a.m. there will be a ladies prayer breakfast. Kayla Carroll will be the guest speaker. All ladies are invited to join us.

 

Samaria Baptist Church

Before services today, our youth were photographed with our supplies that we collected to donate to Butterfly Bridge. Hopefully they will make their way into the paper this week as well.

Our prayer concerns today are for Bennie, Tracy and Ozelle Mims, Ms. Nita Smith, Paul Shearon, Diane Bullard, The Jerry Gray family, and praise and continued prayers for Ashley Minor.

Our special music today was “He Hideth my Soul.” sung by Brother Aubrey Brown. Scripture text today comes from Matthew 7 v. 21. Brother Shane’s message today was about ‘Knowing who you are” and “Are we generic Christians?” It’s good food for thought. It gave us all a time to examine our Spiritual lives and see what status we are in. Do we tell folks one thing and act another way? Jesus cannot be our excuse to ignore the 10 Commandments. He fulfilled the Old Testament, and did not remove it. Until we have truly given our heart and lives to Christ we aren’t in the place He intends for us to be. When Jesus Christ has the meaning to us that He should have, many of our questions to problems will find solutions.

People get tired of hearing this message, but it is of utmost importance if we are to wake up in Heaven. “Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter Heaven.” God prepared a way for us to choose to follow Jesus. We are left with the most important decision that we will ever make, followed by our spouse, children, and employment. Christians must please Jesus. If our focus to please Jesus comes to fruition, then our relationships will follow appropriately. Making things look like something they’re not is not genuine behavior. We cannot be world pleasers, and please God the Father. None of us are identical. People are all different by our creation.We may get by with showing one side to people on earth, and being someone else. However, God knows the truth about every facet of our lives. Put God first….change priorities, and strength in Him will prevail.

Join us at Samaria for true worship of our living Savior. God bless you this week.