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PAGE 2B PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. APRIL 15. 2021
Jehovah’s Witnesses adapt to not going door-to-door
“We realized we had
to talk to people
somehow, ” Talking
Rock’s congregation
member Rich Little
field said. “It’s part
of our faith, sharing
the good news."
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
Think about this for a sec
ond, when was the last time
the neatly dressed members
of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
came by your house?
It’s been a while. Of all
the activities changed by a
pandemic, door-to-door min
istry must be at the top of the
list.
Rich Littlefield of the
Talking Rock congregation
of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
explained of their global
headquarter's decision to sus
pend all door-to-door activi
ties, “It was a very deliberate
decision and not made just
Mountain Light
A \ UNITARIAN
UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH
An Accepting Community
with Open Hearts & Minds
2502 Tails Creek Rd.,
Hwy 282 W • Ellijay, GA
Dress: Casual
Sundays • Fellowship 10 am.
•Service 10:30 a.m.
www.mluuc.org
locally. It was announced
right at the beginning of
March that all in-person wit
nessing globally would be
suspended due to the pan
demic. We have a respect for
life and love of neighbors
and sure didn’t want to bring
anything to anyone through
the preaching activities.”
But, both figuratively and
literally, when one door
closes another opens and the
members of the two Jeho
vah’s Witness congregations
here (Talking Rock and Hen
derson Mountain) found
other ways to keep reaching
people. “We realized we had
to talk to people somehow,”
Littlefield said. “It’s part of
our faith, sharing the good
news. And we’ve always had
older members who couldn’t
get around in the mountains
and they used letters and
phones. So, it’s not unheard
of, but rare in our area.”
The local congregations,
who share the Kingdom Hall
location on Cove Road got
out their pens, for younger
Jasper Community
Worship
On Saturday, April 17th the
community is invited to Lee
Newton Park for a community
worship. The event will be held
from 6-7:30 p.m.
One community, one body,
one voice. The event will be
hosted by God-loving citizens of
Pickens County.
Hot dogs, chips and cold
water provided. Bring your own
lawn chairs or blankets.
Youth from the local Jehovah’s Witnesses attending a Zoom service. The church that
may be best known for their door-to-door outreach has adapted with new ways to spread
the good news during a pandemic.
members crayons, and found
a comfortable chair next to
their phones. Littlefield esti
mated they have sent at least
5,000 letters and made many,
many calls - all personalized
and each written from the
heart by local congregation
members.
“It was all personalized,
not writing and photocopy
ing,” said Littlefield. “People
write what they want to
write, no one is proofreading
or running them through a
committee. Kids would draw
a picture of the paradise the
Bible promises.”
Littlefield said he and
other members were unsure
of how this would work at
first.
“Surprisingly a good re
sponse,” he said. “Realize
that we’re not trying to re
cruit people, just bring the
good news. I figure with
what’s going on there is a lot
of bad news so this is some
good news.”
He said a number of peo
ple have written back to say
Continued on Following Page
Come Grow with Us in Christ!
Sermon Series:
Sunday, April 18th
The Blessings that
Flow Out of Jesus'
Resurrection
Worship Services:
9:00 and 10:30 a.m.
45 Appalachian Circle, Talking Rock
fi 706-301-9191
First left turn off US 515 north of Philadelphia Rd. in Jasper
www.kingofkingslcmsga.org • kingofkingslcmsga@gmail.com
Kins of Kings
LUTHERAN CHURCH
GRIEF SHARE Ministry offered beginning April 25
Community members
who have experienced the
death of a family member
or friend are invited to par
ticipate in a 13-week semi
nar held at King of Kings
Lutheran Church in Jasper.
This nondenominational
support group features
Christ-centered, biblical
teaching that provides help
and healing for those expe
riencing grief. The DVD
seminar features nationally
respected grief experts and
real-life stories of people,
followed by small-group
discussions. Grief-related
books/materials are made
available for participants.
Your bereavement expe
rience may be recent or
more distant. You may be
grieving the death of a
spouse, child, parent, sib
ling, other family member,
or friend. No matter what
the cause of your loved
one’s death (e.g., illness,
King of Kings members Barbara Liptak, Stephanie
Patric and Bill Peplinski prepare for the upcoming classes.
accident, ‘old age’ or sui
cide), this is an opportunity
to be around and supported
by people who are experi
encing many of the same
things you are.
GRIEF SHARE will be
held April 25—July 18 on
Sunday afternoons from 2-4
at King of Kings Lutheran
Church. The church is lo
cated at 45 Appalachian Cir
cle, Talking Rock, GA
30175. Call the church and
leave a message if you
would like more informa
tion: 706-301-9191. More
information at
www.kingofkingslcmsga.org
/griefshare
Minister’s
Corner
Dealing with the
Weeds in Our
Lives
a
By Rev. Tony Elder
We recently had a
spring work day at our
church property where
some of our members
came together to mow
grass, trim bushes, and
generally get the grounds
looking nicer. One of the
main projects involved
dealing with a prominent
area in front of the build
ing and along the steps
where shrubbery grows.
It badly needed weeding,
along with a fresh cover
ing of pine straw.
It always proves to be
a constant, difficult job
throughout the growing
season to remove pesky
weeds that keep popping
up through the ground
covering in that spot. If
left alone, the undesirable
vegetation would quickly
overrun the whole area.
Therefore we decided to
take an extra preventative
step prior to spreading the
pine straw this time by
laying down some mate
rial underneath which
should hinder the growth
of weeds. I guess we’ll
find out how successful it
is as time goes by.
Do you ever get tired
of having to deal with the
unwanted outcroppings in
your life? You know they
don’t belong in the land
scape of a believer, but
they keep popping up on
Continued on Following Page
Deep Calling
unto Deep
“Deep calls to deep in the
roar of your waterfalls; all
your waves and breakers
have swept over me.”
Psalm 42:7 NIV
T here is something deep within
us which longs for communion
with God. As the psalmist tells
us: “As the deer pants for streams
of water, so my soul pants for you,
my God. My soul thirsts for God, for
the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2 NIV)
There is something deeply
mysterious, but also deeply
comforting in this, to know that in
our innermost being there is
something which seeks its creator.
Perhaps a better metaphor is that
our souls contain a lock for which
God is the key. How wonderful that
God speaks to us in the depths of
our souls, from the depths of His
being. How blessed we are to taste
and see and hear God so directly.
These experiences of God within us
are usually powerful and
transformative. Our bodies, our
minds, and our souls can hardly
contain the experience of God, and
so our hearts overflow with
gratitude. The experience often
drives home the frailty and puniness
of our human bodies, and makes us
aware of the deeper treasure within:
“But we have this treasure in jars of
clay to show that this all-surpassing
power is from God and not from
us.” (2Corinthians 4:7 NIV) That God
calls to us and we to Him in the
depths of our souls gives our faith a
firm foundation and makes us feel
at home in an otherwise uncaring
world.
-Christopher Simon
Cornerstone Church
of Jasper GA
140 Cornerstone Dr.,
Jasper, GA
9:30 A.M.
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612 East Church St., Jasper
706-692-5136
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BAPTIST CHURCH
4671 HWY 53 East, Tate, Georgia
(770) 735-2799 A
Sunday School 9:45 am ^
Worship Service 11:00 am (3)
www.coolspringschurch.com gr*
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING CO., INC.
700 South Main Street, Jasper
(706) 692-3533
www.densonhvac.com
I 744 Noah Dr., Jasper
Franklin 706-692-3402
Serving Our Neighbors Since 1941
*All Loans Subject to Our Liberal Credit
Policy and Limitations, If Any. 1 st Franklin
Financial Corporation, Georgia Residential
MortgageLicensee #5656, NMLSR #141654
MOUNTAIN
CITY AUTO PARTS
706-253-2657
521 North Main Street
Jasper, GA30143
JASPER DRUG STORE AND GIFTS
JASPER PHOTO CENTER
2 Kodak YOUR OH
“Good Neighbor Pharmacy”
Prescription Specialists
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1 North Main Jasper, GA 706-692-6427
Richard F. Buhl, D.D.S
Specialist in Orthodontics
Changing the world one smile at a time
South Main St. • Jasper, GA 30143
705- 692-7989 Fax: 706-692-0228
706- 253-7989 www.orthodonticsbybuhl.net
Two locations in Jasper:
820 S. Main St. and 1305 Old Philadelphia Rd.
706-692-5900
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70 Caring Way • Jasper, GA
Jasper TV & Appliance
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935 East Church St. • 706-692-5611
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MIKE DENSON
PARTNER/AGENT
NORTON-DENSON INSURANCE, LLC
P.0. BOX 787
150 NORTH MAIN STREET
JASPER, GA30143
706-692-6451
FAX:706-692-6452
mdenson@nortoninsurance.com
Harmony Henderson
Exclusive Agent
Personal Financial Representative
Allstate
3850 Camp Road, Ste.B /&tQl
Jasper, GA 30143
Phone 706-253-5800
Fax 706-842-6922
Cell 678-234-8134 Allstate
harmonyhenderson@allstate.com “““
www.allstate.com/harmonyhenderson
HEATING am COOLING
770-894-7429“
Jeremy Young
Owner
PO Box 811
Jasper, GA30143
HEATING.COOLING.GEOTHERMAL
service and Licensed & Insured
INSTALLATION jyoungac@yahoo.com
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Mon-Th: 7am-9pm, Fri-Sat: 7am-10pm, Sun: 7am-9pm
70 Foothills Parkway (770)893-1000
Marble Hill, GA30148 foothillsiga.com
Cagle Funeral Home
364 E. Church Street • Jasper, Georgia 30143
Office (706) 692-6615
Sunrise Memorial Gardens & Chapel Mausoleum
Office (706) 692-4349
Obituary Line (706) 253-6399
Helen Cagle Fax (706) 692-9399
CONTRACTORS, INC.
GRADING, HAULING & DEVELOPMENT
1204 West Church Street ~ JASPER, GEORGIA 30143
706-692-3400 • Fax 706-692-3405
H&R
BLOCK
Chuck Wigington
770-893-7217
cwigington@ellijay.com
Stephen Wigington
770-893-8699
swigington@etcmail.com
AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND
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SEAN
MCNEAL, CPA
FRANCHISEE
675 Noah Dr.
Ste. 104
Jasper, GA 30143
Office: 706.692.3178
Fax: 706.692.6405
sean.mcneal@hrblock.com
NCM
Nancy Cochran Maddox Attorney at Law, P.C.
Two Locations to Serve You:
23 Mary Street 489 Highland Xing #202
Jasper, GA 30143 East Ellijay, GA 30540
706-253-3707 706-276-3707
maddoxlaw@etcmail.com ell ij ay @mac. com
www.nancymaddox.com