Newspaper Page Text
December 17, 2008
e:
Reporter
PAGE 5B
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Christmas services
Dec. 23
Rogers UMC presents
Christmas program
Rogers United Methodist Church will
hold its annual Christmas program at 6
p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23. The musical pro
gram, entitled “Prince of Peace,” is writ
ten and arranged by Marty Parks.
Refreshments will follow the program.
Dec. 24
Candlelight service and
communion at Christ UMC
Christ United Methodist will have a
Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6
p.m. There will be a midnight communion
service beginning at 11 p.m. on Christmas
Eve.
Christmas Eve children’s pageant at 5:30
pm Dec. 24. The mass for children will be
held at 6 p.m. Carols and special music
will begin at 9:30, followed by the Vigil
Mass at 10 p.m.
Dec. 25
Little Rogers hosts Christmas
breakfast
The Little Rogers C.M.E. Church cor
dially invites everyone to worship with
them on Christmas morning. Services
will begin at 6 a.m. Breakfast will follow
the service.
Mt Zion UMC to have
Christmas Eve service
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church will
have a Christmas Eve candlelight service
at 5 p.m. This will be a short service and
will include communion. Mt. Zion UMC is
located at 40 Rumble Road in Smarr. For
additional information call 994-8983.
Christmas Mass at
St. Peter the Rock
St. Peter the Rock Catholic Church in
Thomaston will hold its Christmas Day
Mass at 10 a.m. Dec. 25.
Dec. 28
Christ UMC
Fulfillment Sunday
Christ United Methodist Church will
host fulfillment Sunday at 11 a.m.
Sunday, Dec. 28.
Dayspring to host music service
Dayspring Presbyterian Church, located
at 1045 Hwy 41 South, invites the com
munity to join them at 7 p.m. on
Christmas Eve for an evening of special
Christmas music and carols.
Mt. Zion Baptist Communion
Mt. Zion Baptist Church will host a
Christmas Eve communion service at 6
p.m. Dec. 24.
First Baptist
Christmas Eve
communion
First Baptist Church
of Forsyth will host a
Christmas Eve
Communion
service at 6 p.m.
Dec. 24.
Zion Hill Baptist to host
Christmas program
Zion Hill Baptist Church will be hosting
its annual Christmas program after regu
lar services at 11 a.m. Dec. 28. The theme
for this year's program is " Happy
Birthday Jesus". The program will include
a Christmas wish list, Sing -a-long
Christmas caroling, gift giving and food
box give-a-ways. Everyone is invited.
Zion Hill Baptist Church is located at:
1393 Jarrell Plantation Road, East
Juliette.
Dec. 31
Tessie Hall watch night service
Watch Night service will be held at 10
p.m. Dec. 31. For more infromation you
may call 478-319-1104
St. Peter the
Rock
Christmas Eve
pageant and
mass
St. Peter the
Rock Catholic
Church in
Thomaston
will hold its
Union Hill Watch Night service
Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church is
having a Watch Night service at 10:30
p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31. Their pastor Rev.
Rufus J. Whatley will deliver the message.
Wrights Grove to host
Watch Night service
Wrights Grove Baptist Church and Mt.
Gilead Baptist Church families annual
Watch Night services will be at 9:30 p.m.
Dec. 31 at Wrights Grove Baptist Church.
St. Peter the Rock
St. Peter the Rock Catholic Church in
Thomaston will hold a vigil mass for the
Solemnity of Mary Mother of God (a Holy
Day of obligation) at 7 p.m. Dec. 31.
Pastor’s Column
Preacher caught in disgrace
For all have sinned; all
fall short of God’s glorious
standard. Yet now God in
his gracious kindness
declares us not guilty. He
has done this through
Christ Jesus, who has
freed us by taking away
our sins.
Romans 3:23-23 (New
Living Translation) -
T g
T
_L
■got a speeding ticket.
Yes. Can
you believe
it? A
■preacher in
our community,
of all people, was
speeding! What’s
worse, I was
speeding in a
school zone
(and I have
kids in that
school zone)!
Oh the
shame...
I’d just dropped my kids
off at Hubbard
Elementary and turned
right out of the school. I
was running late and anx
ious to get going. Now, I’m
usually very conscientious
about following the speed
limit when dropping my
kids off for school. I’ve
seen the police dutifully
handing out tickets to
those “speeders” who
dared to endanger the
public’s safety. I never
wanted that to be me, so
I’m always careful to drive
the posted 25 MPH— and
not without suffering per
secution I might add.
Irritated drivers often
tailgate behind me, glar
ing as if to say, “Hey slow
poke! What’s your prob
lem? Would you hurry it
along! Good grief.”
I pay them no attention.
I poke along anyway. It’s
for the safety of our chil
dren, right?! (Besides, I
don’t want a ticket!)
It was just a momentary
lapse of attention. I
turned right out of the
school and started to
accelerate. I was in a
hurry and thinking of my
destination and not the
journey. It doesn’t take
long to accelerate past 25
mph and within just a few
seconds I was going too
fast. I realized my error
almost as quickly as I
made it and let off the
gas, but it was too late.
Straight ahead, I saw the
police car on the side of
the road angled toward
me and had the dreaded
May the coming season renczc your
belief in the magic of this special season.
We do believe ip: thd goodness
of people like you.
Merry Christmas
and many thanks
for your faith in
ns this past year.
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realization, “I’m busted.”
Sure enough, the lights
came on as soon as I
passed.
So there I was, pulled
over on the side of the
road in shame with the
flashing blue lights of a
squad car slapping me in
the back of my neck like a
guilt inducing ray gun.
Every person in Monroe
County must have drove
past gawking that
morning. “Yep,
there he is. That
good for nothing
Methodist preach
er! Speeding in a
school zone...
Shame, shame...”
The officer, who
was very courte
ous and profes
sional, asked for
my license and
proof of insur-
I thought of
ance
how I could plead for
mercy. I could say,
“Please, can’t you let me
go this time? I’m not real
ly a speeder. I always
drive safe on this road.”
But the truth is: I broke
the law. I did not deserve
to be let go. I deserved a
citation and I received
one. I am thankful for our
law enforcement officers
who help keep our com
munity safe by enforcing
the law. Someone has to
keep us all in line.
Speeding is speeding
and sin is sin. The Bible
tells us that all have
sinned and fall short of
God’s glorious standard.
(Even preachers sin.) If
we obey every command
of God but break just one
command, we have fallen
short of the perfection
God deserves and we
deserve to reap the penal
ty of our sin.
The Good News is God
doesn’t give us what we
deserve. Instead, God
gives us Christ. Because
of God’s great Gift, our
standing before Him is
not determined by our
ability to refrain from vio
lating a single command
of God. We are made right
with God when we trust
in Jesus to take away our
sins and help us live the
very best life we can. I’m
so glad because otherwise
there would be no hope
for me.
God’s love and accept
ance is available to you no
matter what you’ve done.
If you humble yourself
and admit you’re wrong
and ask God for help, He
will forgive you and give
you the grace you need to
live from day to day. “Yes,
‘tis sweet to trust in
Jesus, Just from sin and
self to cease; just from
Jesus simply taking Life
and rest, and joy and
peace.”
May the grace and love
of God found only in Jesus
Christ complete you.
Amen.
Chris Mullis is the pas
tor ofMt. Zion United
Methodist Church in
Smarr and a member of
the Monroe County
Ministerial Association,
which sponsors the pas
tor’s column each week.
Two Great Jeuielry and Gift items sale
Open to the public
Hosted by
Monroe County Bank
to benefit Save A Pet, Inc.
Bolingbroke Branch -
December 19th 10 am - 4 pm
Forsyth Branch -
December 23rd 10 am -4 pm
Wonderful items, great for
Christmas gifts.
All proceeds go to Save A Pet, Inc. 501(c)(3) non profit corporation.
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