First Memorial Baptist Church, Sunday, April 27
Sis. Inez S. Hughes, Chairperson
Sis. Renita S. Hill, Co-chairperson
“Christian Women living by faith and building the kingdom by God through love, service, and, commitment.” – Galatians 2:20
Morning speaker –10:30 a.m.
First Lady Shanine Moore – Min. Shelly Holt Pulpit conductor.
Evening Speaker – 3 p.m. – Sis. Terilyn Patterson, Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church
Mistress of Order – Min. Janice Smith
By Angela Moore
Ever had something that was once considered a blessing then something happened and it started feeling like it was sent straight from the devil’s zip code? Well, I have.
In December of 2013, I finally made the move to buy a new vehicle, as my car that I’d had since 2002 decided it was in need of a break. I purchased the vehicle, was initially excited then eventually started having trouble out of it that I shall not discuss as to not revisit those lovely emotions I experienced. While to some, the issue I had might have appeared minuscule. To me it was major enough. My first thought was, “Drats, I wish I could just go back to my old car.” But I couldn’t, so I didn’t. I then entertained the gamut of wild and rapid questions like, “How will I afford to pay for it?”, “How can I pay insurance on two cars?”, “Where will I get money for gas?” I pressed on and drove the newer vehicle, grateful that I had the credit to buy it and growing in certainty that the Lord was going to give me the monthly cash to keep it.
When the 2014 winter storms hit I was stuck in downtown Birmingham, Ala. more than 35 miles from my home. As with many, I glided and was guided by guardian angels who allowed me to make it to my godmother’s house just 10 miles away. It took four hours just to get 10 miles. As I was taking off my boots in the warm comfort of the room I used to nap in as a child when I was sick (or pretended to be sick) I thought about how much worse my drive to Powderly could have been had I been in my old car rather than my newer, bigger, and safer truck. I realized then that a blessing is a blessing even when it doesn’t feel like it. God knew I would need that truck, and no matter how much I tried to go back to what was, He wouldn’t let me.
Fast-forward to now, and I’m in the throes of revisiting some tough choices that many might not have understood (many meaning me too) and having recently made some difficult decisions personally that I believe with my whole heart are in my best interest and will pay off for me in the end. And yes, it feels like these choices are bringing along companions that would like nothing more than to drench my dreams with doubt and a splash of “you know you should have just kept things the way they were”, but I have to believe that these decisions too, are a blessing. I have to believe, and I do, that like the newer truck that I tried to give back not one, not two, but three times, these choices will one day help guide and glide me safely to where I’m supposed to be with an AWESOME, AWESOME story attached.
Angela Scott Moore has sported many hats in her lifetime. She’s a former broadcast anchor/reporter/producer, a trained motivational speaker, fundraiser and marketing/PR expert.
Contact Angela Scott Moore about speaking engagements at amazingkreations2@gmail.com, follow her blog at www.angelamooreblog.wordpress.com, on twitter at @AngelaMMoore316 or check out her facebook page for people experiencing separation or divorce at I’m More Than What Happened.
by Jerry Kingery
Day Unto Day
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.
Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
from Psalms 19-22
For a free Scripture packet, please write From the Bible, BIBLE FOUNDATION, PO Box 908, Newberg, Oregon 97132. Email: bf@bf.org.
The First Baptist Church of Fairfield took it to the streets on Saturday, April 19th, for an Evangelism Prayer Walk. The Walk was coordinated by Charletta Sheehy and Irene Williams. The purpose of the walk was to share God’s Salvation to the people of our city and to pray for our city and its leaders. Our church’s mission is to Exalt, Equip and Evangelize. It was also part of our upcoming Women’s Day Celebration, “Women Walking in the Light.”
We began at the church with praise and worship led by Ann Niles, Lorraine King, Shirley Fennell, Charletta Sheehy, Theresa Mack and Helen Smith. Our walk through the streets of Fairfield was led by our Pastor, Rev. Robert G. Twyman. Others participating in the walk were: Cynthia Morton, Bama Gray, Jackie Chancellor, Catherine Bush, Hubert Bush, Vera Penny, Nadine Walker, Charlotte Sneed, Brenda Smith, Joyce Lloyd, Maxine Starks, Ethel Shuford, Don Murray, Reginald Nall – Galilee Baptist Church.
As we walked we sang hymns of praise and thanksgiving. We also witnessed to and prayed with citizens along the way. We shared handouts on God’s Salvation.
Our destination was City Hall. Once we reached City Hall, songs of praise were led by Ann Niles. Pastor Twyman and Missionary Society President Charletta Sheehy prayed for the city of Fairfield and it leaders. Women’s Day Chair Cynthia Dickey Morton gave words of encouragement.
We left City Hall and continued our walk back to the church. We continued to sing, pray and witness.
Christian sold 112 books at a grand total of $2,400, the most of any student in the Jefferson County School System. Half of the proceeds from the sale of the coupon books will go the the Shades Valley School library towards the purchase of new books and other resource materials that will benefit students from both Shades Valley and Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School. Christian is a freshman this year at Shades Valley and actually participated in the coupon book sales towards winning a Regions Scholarship last year as an 8th grader. He sold 51 books at that time and ranked 6th in the district for coupon books sales. After attending the awards celebration last year, Christian became really motivated and determined to win the top prize this year while helping his school at the same time. Christian hopes his win and recognition will motivate other students at his school not only because of the scholarship and other prizes, but that they to see it as an opportunity to help their school in a great way.
Prizes:
$1000 Regions Scholarship
Regions “Green Bike and Helmet
iPad mini
$100 Wal Mart Gift Card
$100 Check for selling 100 books
20 Coupon Books
Coca Cola Family Prize Pack (Tickets for 4 to 6 Flags, Birmingham Zoo, McWane Science Center, Barons Baseball Games, Oak Mountain Amphitheater, Rave Cinemas)
Coca Cola, Golden Flake, and McDonald’s Coupons
The City of Bessemer held a sledgehammer/groundbreaking event on Tuesday, April 15 to celebrate the start of a planned renovation of Roosevelt Park and construction of the city’s first-ever Recreational and Wellness Facility.
The event was held at the site of the former James A. Davis Middle School. The school building is being demolished as part of the first phase of the renovation project.
On hand for the event were Mayor Kenneth E. Gulley, members of the Bessemer City Council, Architect Charles Williams, Sr. of Charles Williams and Associates of Birmingham, and Walter Howlett, of the A.G. Gaston/SARCOR Program Management team.
The Reverend C.D. Patterson of Second Avenue Beulah Baptist Church in Bessemer gave the invocation and blessing of the project. Patterson is the longest serving pastor in the City of Bessemer.
The program included comments from Mayor Gulley, Council President Sarah Belcher, Williams and Howlett.
The proposed 55,000-square foot Recreational Facility is expected to be bid later this year. The demolition of Davis School will take approximately 60 to 90 days and is being done by Meredith Environmental.
The Recreational Facility is expected to open in Spring of 2016. The Recreational Facility is one of two major building projects the city is doing this year. The city is also building a new City Hall building at the corner of Third Avenue North and 17th Street in downtown Bessemer. That project is slated to begin later this summer.
A Public Comment/Presentation of the proposed park program will be held on April 29 at 6 p.m. at the Bessemer City Hall Auditorium.
Current proposals call for the 55,000-square foot Recreational Facility to be built and front Highway 150. The rest of the park will be dedicated to baseball fields, a walking track, a picnic pavilion, amphitheater, tennis courts and basketball courts.
“This is a special moment in the history of the City of Bessemer,” the mayor said.
Are you walking a troubled road? If you are, you have lots of company. Thousands of people in America are walking troubled roads due to a series of disasters. First, there was the Great Recession, the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression. Thousands of people lost their jobs and livelihoods and suffered without income or meaningful activity. After the recession, tornados swept through several states, turning homes and businesses into rubble and killing hundreds. Now, a large section of the Midwest has been destroyed by flooding, to the degree and extent not seen in a hundred years.
Luke’s Gospel tells us of two followers of Jesus who walked a troubled road (Luke 24:13-29). They were sad and troubled because their Savior and Lord was tried like a common criminal, found guilty of something, and had been crucified. Their hope and faith was shaken to the core. Adding to their troubled thoughts, they heard rumors that Jesus’ body had disappeared –maybe stolen.
They were talking about everything that had happened. While they were discussing these things, Jesus came and walked along with them, but they didn’t know it was him.
Jesus often comes to us on our troubled road. He promised he would never leave us nor forsake us, and he keeps his promises. The old Gospel hymn states it well when it says, “…and the God of the mountain is the God of the valley, and the God of the good times is the God of the bad.” Jesus comes to us, but like these disciples, we don’t know Him. Jesus speaks to us in different ways. Sometimes we will read a scripture and know it was meant for us. When we gather to worship and listen to the spoken Word of God, we will hear something that Jesus meant especially for us. Jesus often speaks through people who come to us with words of encouragement and hope. Sometimes Jesus comes to us through special events. He is a way-maker. He can make a way for us. He can open doors and bless in wonderful ways, and He often will, if we have faith and are patient (wait upon the Lord).
We need to ask ourselves, “Has Jesus come to us? Will we know Him when He comes?” If we haven’t seen Him, keep waiting and watching. He will be here soon!
Dr. Robert Wilkerson is a minister, writer, and founder of People for the Christian Way, an organization whose mission is to encourage all people to practice Christian principles in business, politics, and every area of life. drbobwilkerson@bellsouth.net, www.peopleforthechristianway.com
