Lime Springs United Methodist Church

Our Sunday School lesson focused on Revelation 21.

The morning message was taken from Ephesians 5:15-17. Bro. Shannon reminded us of all the “year in review” magazine and newspaper articles, as well as “predictions” for the coming year. The problem with these reviews and predictions can be summed up in the following way: things don’t always happen the way we plan.

One of the reasons for this problem is our busy schedule. Bro. Shannon used the words of Paul in our scripture reading to present three keys to having a successful year in 2011. First, we must remember our time is limited on earth. Second, because time is limited, we must make the most out of the opportunities afforded us to serve God. Finally, we must understand the will of God for our lives while planning ahead for 2011 so we can make adequate time for church, pray, Bible study, family, friends and serving God.

Following these three steps will help us make 2011 the best year ever. Bro. Shannon closed the service by reminding us that we will be given 8,760 hours in 2011. Over 35 of these hours have already been spent. How have we used those precious hours? Hopefully by serving the Lord!

Our Sunday evening Bible study focused on James 5.

Happy birthday to Billie Ruth Harris and Chandler Craig.

We invite everyone to join us for worship at Lime Springs. Our service times are as follows: Sunday School at 9:30 a.m.; Sunday morning worship at 11; evening Bible study at 5; and Wednesday night prayer meeting at 6:30.

For more information, please call 755-4950 or 755-6356.

Friendship Baptist Church

Bro. Gene Hitchcock’s sermon was from Hebrews 10:19-25. The sermon was titled, “Therefore Be It Resolved.” He talked about perseverance in faithful obedience.

Bro. Gene’s message for Sunday evening was from Romans 8:28 and titled, “Is Everything that Happens To You Good?” In all things God works for the good of those who love him.

If you are looking for a church, please come visit with us.

The youth trip to Gatlinburg will be Jan. 14-17.

Our Christmas presentation from the choir was “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Bro. Raymond and the adult choir did a great job.

Our youth and children’s presentation of “The Christmas Invitation” was awesome. There was such a powerful message in this play. Thank you, Brenda Conradi, youth, children, Steve, Pam and Matthew Jones, Anita Glover, Janice Wyatt, Michelle Riley and Regeana Funderburk.

Happy birthday to Bill Davis, Sandra White, Jacob Ellison, Jessie Moore, Mark Riley, Steve Jones and Ty Moore.

Prayer requests: the Wilhite family, the Price/Varden family, search committee, Janie Northington family, Velma Easterling, Elsie Hill family.

Mt. Carmel No. 1

Sunday we sang praises to God in new ways to us on this first Sunday of the New Year. We have so much to sing praises for; our prayer for the New Year is to have a closer walk with our Lord. We welcome all visitors and church family that joined us for our morning service.

Our message, “Re-Digging Old Wells,” was taken from Genesis 26:17-22. God had blessed Isaac, but the Philistines envied him. Isaac would move on and dig another well, and the Philistines would come and fill the well.

Do you have a spiritual vision for the coming New Year, or are you re-digging old wells? God has blessed us more richly than we deserve. God has blessed America; let us trust God more and be more obedient to him in the New Year.

Sunday night’s service was a special blessing. The congregation of Mt. Carmel gathered at the home of Johnny and Ruthie Jean Giles for a good time of praise, devotion, fellowship and testimony service. We praised our Lord in songs by Johnny Giles and the congregation. It’s so good to get together and worship.

Our Jan. 9 nursery worker will be Pat Hayes. Children’s church is Jeremy and Chanda Griffin. We are so thankful for our workers in our church. God will bless you.

We must always remember the importance of prayer. We had prayers answered this past week as we prayed for Bro. Robert Childress. Robert suffered a heart attack and is home now doing very well. Keep him on your prayer list.

God bless you this week, and we always offer a special invitation to you and your family to come worship with us at Mt. Carmel.

Christ Independent Methodist Church

One thing is sure about our weather: if you don’t like it today, don’t be discouraged; be patient. It will change one way or the other, in short order. Contrast this Sunday with last Sunday when we arrived at church amid a flurry of very large snowflakes. This week the sunshine was glorious.

Dr. Mac Stinson took his scripture reading from Ephesians 1:3-14. He preached on the revelation of salvation of the Gentiles. He might have called his sermon, “Adoption of Gentiles by Christ Our Lord.”

The book of Ephesians, written by the Apostle Paul, is a letter intended for circulation among the early churches. It is more like an essay than a letter, the central theme of the essay being the inclusion of Christian Gentiles into the family of God.

Ephesians 3:6 says, “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partake of His promise in Christ by the Gospel.”

Chapter 3 continues along the same lines of Paul’s explanation to the early churches. In today’s vernacular, we might well say that Paul is advocating the adoption of Gentiles into the family of God thereunto considered the privilege of Jesus.

Pray fervently for our pastor that he might be made well again. He has served us faithfully while coping with his own illness. We love him and need he and Glenda.

Pray for Kelly Parker, who is much better after a long, serious surgery and recuperation.

Join us Wednesday night as we continue our study of the book of Revelation.

Beginning Jan. 9, we will be studying the book of Acts on Sunday nights. We will do this through a verse-by-verse video drama presentation. We invite you to come.

Others on our prayer list include Jeanette Frost, Opal Miller, Horace and Mary Ann Carden, June Simms, Wilma Thrash, our military and their families, our church and each other.

I wish for each of you a blessed and happy New Year.

Bethsalem Baptist Church

We had a great time in God’s House worshiping together on the first Sunday of the New Year. Our morning service began with Sharion Williams directing the music. We sang “Happy Birthday” and “Happy Anniversary” to all those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries this week.

Bro. Brad Eubank brought our special music, “It’s Still the Cross.”

Bro. Brad’s State of the Church message, entitled “To Him Be the Glory,” came from Ephesians 3:14-21.

We were blessed again by Stanley Cooper and Cassie Clark joining our church.

Wednesday night is family supper at 5 p.m., followed by prayer meeting, choir practice for all choirs and the youth group meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Pray this week for Denny Carroll, Nate Jones, Hunter Moore, Jim Beck, Gloria Bradberry, Brent Jackson, Dale Gandy, Zach Clemons, Cathy Patton, James Smith, Ricky Kendrick, James Harris, Pete Burnette, Christy Harmon, Shorty Short, Mary Ann McGee, Bro. James Moore and Carol Hayes.

Also pray for all families who have lost loved ones, those affected by cancer, our shut-ins, and the residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Happy birthday this week to Patsy Lockhart, Brittany Hines, William Eubank, Elise Atchison, Eugene Stange, Gabriel Kelley, Abby Clackley, Ruby Jones, Josh Pack, Shane Courtney, Bailee Nelson, Robert Bradberry, Tim Cox and Dawson Rohrbough.

Happy anniversary to George and Kim Edwards (22 years) and Charlie and Martie Elgin (39 years).

Have a blessed week and tell someone about Jesus. God is so good all the time. Come worship with us at Bethsalem.

Mars Hill Baptist Church

Our pastor, the Rev. Terry Harris, was out sick this Sunday and Bro. Roger Mims spoke in his place. He based his talk on “What If.” This was very thought provoking.

Let’s just think for a moment. What if we each prayed every day in 2011 for our churches? What if we prayed for each other every day? What if we prayed for our country every day? Only God knows the weight of a prayer. If we all banded together I’m sure they would be heavy.

We extend our sympathy to the family of Annie Mae Jones in their time of bereavement; we will all miss her.

We look forward to having you with us this year. You are welcome to join us for each service. Sunday School is at 10 and regular worship service is at 11 with Children’s Church during this time. Sunday night at 5 is Discipleship Training and regular worship at 6. Wednesday night Bible Study is at 7.

We still have several out sick, some having test, some having surgery. Please remember these in your prayers.

A good question to think about: Who will pray for you this week?

Jackson Chapel

Bro. Dewayne Castleberry got the Sunday School hour started off with a good lesson entitled “Uzziah: God-Given Success.”  Bro. Gary Fant got the morning service started off with “Footprints of Jesus” and “Are You Washed in the Blood.”  Bro. Dennis blessed us with a beautiful song, “He Didn’t Throw the Clay Away.”

Bro. Dennis’ message came from 1 Samuel 4:12-18 with a message entitled, “Without God.”  If we as Christians don’t have God, we don’t have anything.  We need God every second of every day because there is no way we can make it without God.  There is no way we can prosper this New Year without Jesus Christ.  We have got to serve Jesus Christ with a whole heart because if we don’t, Satan is going to be right there trying to get us back in the world.

The service ended with several coming to pray.

Bro. Gary Fant got the evening service started off with “Canaanland is Just in Sight,” “Heaven’s Jubilee” and “I’ll Fly Away.” Bro. Gary Fant blessed us with a beautiful song, “He’s Coming Back” and Bro. Dennis’ text came from Romans 3:10-20.  God is looking for people that are thankful for the grace he bestows on us everyday.  We should be thankful for the opportunities that he gives us to testify of what he has done for us.  We as Christians are so guilty of the fact that Jesus Christ gives us opportunities every day to testify to this lost and dying world, but we don’t use those opportunities because we are so busy running here and there that we tend to forget about Jesus Christ.  We need to start taking advantage of those opportunities because he will return one day to get his chosen people, and we need to make sure the lost people make things right so they won’t be left behind.

The service ended with an altar full of people praying for Jesus Christ to be no. 1 in their lives for the New Year.

Happy birthday this week to Chris Burnett, Johnny Burnett and Shirley Burnett.

Happy anniversary to Freddie and Jean Mayfield.

Please remember these as you pray this week: Dale Lett, James and Marie Johnson, Hershell Rhodes, Shelby Edwards family, Cole Riley, Juanita Wyatt, Janice Williams, Robert Matherson, Margie Baker, our lost loved ones and our service men and women.

We are located at 4020 Yellowleaf Road in Clanton.  Our service times are as follows: Sunday School at 10, morning worship at 11, evening worship at 6, and Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study at 7.  We also have Kid’s Club on Wednesday nights at 7 for grades 1-6.

Cedar Grove

It seems like only yesterday that we were all concerned about Y2K; now that has been 11 years ago. How time has flown.

Now we have a New Year, so let’s all pray for our country and try to make things better. We were truly blessed by so many visitors this Sunday. We were glad to have all of them, including Sachea Crowe’s family from Ohio, Deana Campbell and her son, Taylor; Amber Smith and Taylor Brooks. We didn’t get the names of everyone but we welcomed them all in person and hope they will come again.

Happy birthday to Tyler Boothe, Kacie Belk and Fay Cunningham.

We have several on our prayer list.  Brother Hollis Foshee went on to be with the Lord, so pray for his family. He will be greatly missed. Pray for Sister Ruby Neeley; she is having a bout with the flu. A very dear friend called and asked for prayer for her husband, Brother Robert Childress, who had a heart attack and had to have two stents. Minnie said he was still very sick, so remember both of them when you pray. Also, Brother Ken Robinson, Rosa Cleckler and all our spoken and unspoken requests.

We had several good, old-time songs led by Brother Steve Price, and Sister Amelia Hubbard directed the choir in several beautiful songs. Jordan Harvely and Kip Cleckley were featured in singing “Greater Is He That Is In Me,” and Sister Sandra Carroll was featured singing “God Says You’re Gonna Make It.” Sister Amelia sang the special, “I Want to Know How It Feels.”

Brother Jeff Carroll preached a good sermon from 2 Corinthians 5:17 entitled, “New Life.”

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

“Pass Me Not” was the song of invitation, and the altar filled. The Lord truly came by.

The evening service began with “He Set Me Free” followed by “Jesus is Coming Soon” and “Jesus Hold My Hand.” Jordan Harvely sang “Love is the Cross” for the special.

Brother Heath Vines preached a good sermon from Matthew 16:26 and Acts 8:26-39.

Chris Cleckley sang the song of invitation, and the altar filled again. We had an anointing service, and everyone prayed for the ones to be anointed.

We pray that everyone had a good Christmas and New Year’s.

If you are looking for a home church, give us a try at Cedar Grove. We are three miles south of Thorsby just off County Road 37 next to Brother Harold Garrison’s beautiful farm. For more information, call 646-2390.

Bethany Baptist Church

“I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).

Gathering in the House of the Lord was a good way to begin the New Year. Lori Knight, Barbara Miller and Elaine Staton sang “How Great Thou Art” accompanied by Jane Vines on piano.

Bro. Aubry’s sermon was taken from Hebrews 6:18-20, “Putting Doubts to Death.”  Many doubt their salvation; others doubt they are saved right now, and many doubt that God is able to keep them saved.  But the promises of God and the oath of God to keep us are true!  And our hope is an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast.  We can trust God to keep His word!

Prayer list:  Lillian Burkhalter, Sherry Cooper, Jean DeLoach, Ashley Friday, Jack Friday, Ernestine Hatch, Gloria Headley, Mary Knight, our military, Larry Miller, Nell Mims, Billie Neeley, Pvt. Josh Peppers, Jesse Wallace, Pastor Wallace, and revival in America.

God bless you all during this New Year.

Mt. Springs

We had a wonderful New Year’s Eve service with Karen Peck and New River, and CanaanLand.  We had a full house gather to hear the music, share in the food, and pray out the old year and in the new.  It was a good place to be.

We all gathered again to worship the Lord this first Sunday in the New Year.  We had good attendance and everyone is looking forward to a good year in 2011.

Please remember the upcoming events and those involved in planning the Valentine Banquet and Vacation Bible School.

At the beginning of the preaching hour, Sherri Williams sang “If That Mountain Don’t Move” and people began to gather at the altar for prayer.  Testimonies of praise and love were given.  The Holy Spirit moved so strongly among the members that Brother Don just followed His leading and we all were blessed.

As I’ve heard people say, “The real preacher showed up” and Brother Don didn’t mind letting Him take control.  If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, come join us at 315 County Road 43, Clanton, Sunday mornings at 9:45 for Sunday School, 11 for worship, 5:30 Sunday nights and 7 Wednesday nights.  We’d love for you to be part of our worship service.