Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 3. 2020 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 5B
Church News
Rev. Jennifer Dalton to speak at Mt. Light
Unitarian Universalist
Baptist preacher to speak
at Mountain Light
Being concerned with the
health and safety of our
beloved community, Moun
tain Light UUC now live-
streams our Sunday services
on Zoom.
However, for those who
prefer gathering in person,
we have limited seating
available in our sanctuary
(on some Sundays). If you
would like to reserve a seat,
please visit our website
(mluuc.org) for more infor
mation on how to attend dur
ing the COVID-19 Pan
demic.
On Sunday, December 6,
Rev. Jennifer Dalton will be
our guest minister. Rev. Dal
ton was born and raised in
the mountains of Virginia.
She is currently ordained and
recognized by the Alliance of
Baptists and considers her
self a Unitarian Universalist
Baptist.
Mountain Light UUC,
2502 Tails Creek Road (GA-
282 West), in Ellijay, wel
comes guests of all faiths,
ethnicities, and gender iden
tifications. Our worship serv
ice begins at 10:30 a.m. Join
us at 10 for fellowship.
Mountain Light
An Accepting Community
with Open Hearts & Minds
2502 Tails Creek Rd,,
Hwy 232 W • Ellijay, GA
Dress: Casual
Sundays ■ Fellowship 10 a.m.
•Service 10:30 a.m.
www.mluuc.or^
UNIVERSALIST
UNITARIAN
CHURCH
Covid is a concern but so is the cold,
says organizer of yearly coat drive
Continued from Church Page
hand out while still pack
aged.
Holy Spirit pastor and
founder Joe Betts said, “I
know COVID is a concern
but so is the cold.”
Betts said aside from
fears of handling used cloth
ing and creating more face-
to-face contact among
people, the ministry is a tak
ing a cautious approach as
most of his team is retire
ment age. “I can’t ask them
to do this, this year, but I
want to keep it going,” he
said.
Betts, who has been
working on mission projects
in the Philippines for much
of 2020, said since returning
in November he has been
surprised by how much less
strict COVID precautions are
here. In the Philippines, you
would be arrested for being
on the street without a mask
and even the smallest stores
would take your temperature
before you could enter, so he
has gotten accustomed to
taking pandemic precautions
seriously.
Betts said they are still
working out how to distrib
ute coats, but have several
avenues. In the past the coats
have gone first to any local
needs (for anyone with a
local need call Betts at 770-
826-0202) but rarely has
anyone from Pickens County
called for the coats. Next
they are used in the homeless
ministry Holy Spirit has con
ducted in downtown Atlanta
parks for more than a
decade. Coats are also used
in mission trips to the Pine
Ridge Indian Reservation in
South Dakota.
He said Holy Spirit Min
istries has several partners
serving those in extreme
poverty and the coats will
“be a blessing” to many. He
said all donors can rest as
sured, the coats will be used.
The initial donation will
buy around 100 coats, which
will handle the immediate
need with limited distribu
tion. However, warm coats
are always needed and if
anyone wants to contribute,
Checks and cash may be left
at the Pickens Progress of
fice on Main Street; to do
nate online go to Holy
Spirit’s website,
https://www.holyspiritranch-
ministries.org/give/
Betts thanked Progress
readers for their past gen
erosity of donated coats. As
he has explained in previous
articles, for the homeless
who spend their winter days
outside and often sleep out
side and lacking laundry fa
cilities, coats don’t last long
and are often stolen or lost.
You can find more infor
mation on Holy Spirit Min
istries by searching for them
on Facebook.
Minister’s Column - Continued from Church Page
Continued from Page IB
Hole in One wins tmck for Lovell
Andrew Diemer of Day's Chevrolet congratulates Chief
Greg Lovell in winning the prize.
on number seven, you win a
truck from Day's.
Andrew Diemer, general
manager of Day's Chevrolet
of Jasper, has sponsored for
nine years but this is the very
first one ever made. It is also
the first winning hole-in-one
ever made at the Optimist
golf tournament which has
been held for over 20 years.
Chief Lovell noted that he
is usually a bit of a pessimist
and thought that the ball had
rolled off the green when it
disappeared from sight. But
in fact, it was in the hole.
After all the paperwork
was completed and state
ments taken, it was deter
mined that Chief Lovell had
won a new truck or equiva
lent.
Andrew Diemer congrat
ulated the chief and the chief
noted that was a pretty good
payoff for one swing of the
club.
Join us next year for the
Optimist annual scholarship
golf tournament and try your
luck on Number 7.
Continued from Page IB
N. Ga. Christian hosts tournament
Middle School Girls Champions - L-R: Assistant Coach Nix, Alivia McNa
mara, Caroline Walker, Kiana Jones, Baylee Bracewell, Emmy Beaver, Coach Nix,
Amayah Jones, Abby Putnam, Addie Jones, Molly Kate Sebastiani, Addison Nealey, Han
nah Maxwell, Lydia Bowman.
with tremendous effort during the champi
onship game and finished 2nd in the tourna
ment. Luke Beaver was named to the middle
school All-Tournament Team for NGCA. The
middle school girls also advanced to the tour
nament championship. The girls had a very
strong game and walked away with the tour
nament championship. Representing NGCA
was Emmy Beaver who was named to the
middle school girls All-Tournament Team
and Amayah Jones was named Most Valuable
Player for the tournament.
Congratulations to all of the NGCA bas
ketball teams during the NGCA Preseason
Invitational Tournament. A very special
thank you to all the parent volunteers that
helped make this tournament so awesome.
do not be afraid." Then He
went up into the boat to
them, and the wind ceased.
And they were greatly
amazed in themselves be
yond measure, and mar
veled. For they had not
understood about the loaves,
because their heart was hard
ened. -NKJV
In this story from Mark’s
gospel, we read that the dis
ciples’ lives are in jeopardy
because of a storm. While
the winds and waves are rag
ing against them, and they’re
doing everything in their
power to stay afloat, the men
didn’t realize that Jesus was
walking toward them, on the
water. As Jesus came into
view, they didn't recognize
Him and cried out in fear.
Can you imagine how it
must have been to see this
"figure" walking toward
them on water? Once Jesus
realized that His appearance
had frightened the disciples,
He made Himself known and
told them not to be afraid.
The Lord gives us stories
throughout His Word to
show us how He responds to
us when trouble arises in our
lives. How is life for you
today? Are you experiencing
a season of calm or are you
facing the greatest storms
and trials of your life? In this
particular story, we are
taught valuable truths to help
us understand the ways of
God when we’re in a fight
for our very life.
Just as the disciples didn’t
recognize Jesus as He
walked to them on the water,
we don’t always recognize
the Lord in the storms or tri
als of our lives either. Per
haps you’ve heard the
saying, “God moves in mys
terious ways?” There’s an
other reason why the
disciples didn’t recognize
Jesus, and it’s because their
hearts were hardened (spiri
tually) as it states in the verse
above.
Satan attacks us in the
hope that it will shake our
confidence in God. If he is
successful, it can cause us to
harden our hearts against the
Lord. If we allow ourselves
to become offended at the
Lord when we have to face
uncertainty or tragedy, it can
become more difficult for us
to recognize the Lord in our
storms.
Therefore, we must guard
our hearts and not harden
them against the Lord when
we're faced with situations
that we don't understand.
Understanding why God
does things the way that He
chooses is always going to
be a mystery. Even so, if we
choose to respond in faith to
the problems of life that we
don’t understand, this will
please God. Moreover, it will
keep our hearts in tune with
the Lord, so that He can re
assure us that He is with us
in our trials.
If you are in a fiery trial in
your life, do you sense that
God’s presence is with you?
Do you notice how God is
moving on your behalf to
make the trial bearable? If
not, then ask God to help
you, and He will do it. You
are not alone. Help is on the
way, but you have to reach
out to the Lord, or it will feel
as though He has passed you
by.
[Pastor Asa Dockery of
World Harvest Church North
and a published author who
has been writing devotions
for more than 11 years. Asa
is also the host of Keys to
Kingdom Living Television
program. ]
Christmas in the Mountains December 12th
Everyone is invited to Christmas in the Mountains at
Tails Creek Community Building, 75 Cross Road Church
Rd., Ellijay on Saturday, December 12th from 1-6 p.m.
Evangelist Winston Ledford, an anointed man of God, will
be preaching.
Gospel singers The Terrys, Skeeter Hindman, Tonk
Turner and Gary Winningham will also be on hand.
There will be a Christmas dinner for everyone to enjoy
for free. Toys will also be given to children. Clothes and
household items will also be given out.
For information, contact Faith Deliverance Ministry at
706-671-7988. Ask for Evelyn.
Church
listings are
free for
special
events.
Submit your
Christmas
services/pro
grams now.
articles@
pickensprogress.com
Adventist
Community
Food Pantry
The Seventh Day Ad
ventist Church in Jasper
offers a food pantry
open this week on
Wednesday from 1 p.m.
until 2 p.m.
The church is located
at 600 Burnt Mountain
Road (just past the li
brary).
Printing
The Pickens Progress can handle all
set up and printing for everything
from business cards to flyers.
706-253-2457
Middle School Boys Runner-up - L-R Front Row: Alex Swisher, Reece
Hyatt, Zed Blackwell, Andrew Rich; Second Row: Jon Harrison, Luke Beaver, Landon
Roland, Lennon Hodges, Titus Maxwell, Coach Nicholson; Third Row: Coach Giddens,
Carter Burdette, Hemi Holt.
Continued from Paste IB
Sports
History
take
aways, including three intercep
tions. New Orleans made the
key plays when they mattered
most and hung on for the 20-16
win. The Saints topped their
next four opponents following
their win over the Steelers and
accomplished another first along
the way, their first postseason
berth.
November 30th:
On this day in 1993, the Na
tional Football League an
nounced the Jacksonville
Jaguars as its 30th franchise.
The Jaguars' expansion season
came in 1995, but they finished
with just four wins, which is
usually the norm for a first-year
team. Still, one of their victories
came against the eventual AFC
champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
Perhaps beating the black and
gold was a small sign of things
to come since the Jags made an
immediate rise in 1996. With
head coach, Tom Coughlin,
steering the ship, Jacksonville
won nine games and earned a
Wild Card playoff berth. The
Jags also went on a shocking run
that took them all the way to the
AFC Championship Game that
same year. Three more postsea
son appearances quickly fol
lowed over the next three
seasons, including the club's
first home playoff game in
1998. In '99, the Jaguars won a
franchise-record 14 games be
fore making a return-trip to the
AFC title game. Without ques
tion, Jacksonville's run was the
most successful of any expan
sion team in NFL history.
Dec-ember 1st:
On this day in 1924, the
Boston Bruins hosted the Mon
treal Maroons in the very first
NHL game ever played in the
United States. This contest took
place at the Boston Arena,
where the Brains downed the
Maroons, 2-1. It was one of
three home games that Boston
won during a dismal six-win
campaign.
December 2nd:
On this day in 1914, the
Green Bay Packers' organization
retired the number 14 that was
worn by fonner wide receiver,
Don Hutson, from 1935 until
1945. Hutson's numeral was
also the first of six to be retired
by this historic franchise. Dur
ing his 11 NFL seasons, Hutson
racked up 488 catches for 7,991
yards and 99 touchdowns as a
pass-catcher. A two-way player,
he also gathered 30 intercep
tions as a safety, even leading
the league with six picks in
1940. Despite his defensive ac
colades, most of Hutson's dam
age came on offense. He topped
the NFL in receiving touch
downs nine times, receptions
eight times and receiving yards
seven times. Hutson had three
campaigns of 10 or more touch
downs and his only 1,000-yard
season came in 1942. He was
elected to eight All-Pro squads
and four All-Star teams, led the
Packers to three league champi
onships and won two Most
Valuable Player awards. Hutson
became a member of the 1930s
All-Decade team as well as the
NFL's 50th, 75th and 100th An
niversary squads. He was in
ducted into both the Pro
Football (inaugural class of
1963) and Green Bay Packers'
(1972) halls of fame.
December 3rd:
On this day in 1950, the
Cleveland Browns became the
last team in NFL history to win
a game without completing a
pass. It's hard to believe when
you have a hall of fame quarter
back in Otto Graham, but that
was very much the case. The
Browns gained all 68 of their
yards on the ground while man
aging one first down, but their
defense picked up the slack.
Cleveland's only touchdown
came on Warren Lahr's 30-yard
interception return in the first
quarter. The Browns also got
four takeaways, including two
interceptions, during their 13-7
win over the Philadelphia Ea
gles.
December 4th:
On this day in 1987, the
NBA announced its four new
expansion franchises. Joining
the league would be the Char
lotte Hornets and Miami Heat,
both of whom entered in 1988.
The Hornets and Heat were fol
lowed by the Minnesota Tim-
berwolves and Orlando Magic,
who broke into the league in
1989. The Heat, Timberwolves
and Magic remained in tact
since their first days in the
NBA. The Hornets, on the other
hand, moved from Charlotte to
New Orleans before switching
their name to the Pelicans. How
ever, the Charlotte Bobcats en
tered NBA expansion in 2004
and lasted for a decade before
becoming the second coming of
the Hornets.
December 5th:
On this day in 1981, USC
running back, Marcus Allen,
won the Heisman Trophy. The
'81 campaign saw Allen become
the third 2,000-yard rasher in
college football history. He even
became the second Trojan to ran
for 2,000 in a single season,
with the other being fellow
Heisman winner, Charles White,
in 1979. Allen completed the
year with 2,342 yards and 22
touchdowns on 403 carries and
the Heisman was one of the
many awards he received. He
took home the Pac-10 Player of
the Year, Walter Camp and
Maxwell honors as well.