Newspaper Page Text
The Monroe County Reporter • April 25, 2018
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
PASTOR’S CORNER by Rev. Keith Harris
God brings new life
to the world and to us
little girl was distraught that her
cat had been hit by a car and
killed. Her mother, seeking to
console her, said, ‘Well, honey,
at least you know that your cat is now with
God.’
The girl scrunched up her face, thought
for a second, and said, ‘I don’t think so.
What would God want with a
dead cat?”’
What would God want with
a dead anything? Actually, He
specializes in working with the
dead. Every spring he takes trees,
plants, and shrubs that appear
dead and brings them new life.
Spring is a time of new life.
I love Spring. The flowers are
blooming, every morning the
birds are singing, the trees are
coming back to life and turning
green. Plants that had seemed
to be dead are brought back to life. That
which had been barren is brought back to
life.
The reality is that all of those outward
beautiful signs of spring are just symp
toms. It is really an inside job. The true
cause is the transformation within. The
soil is warming up. The trees and shrubs
are drawing the sap from deep within the
root up through the trunk and into the
branches. This sap is bringing life to the
branches, which then begins to produce
leaves. This life flowing from the trunk of
the tree starts the cycle of life or photosyn
thesis all over again.
In our front yard we have a maple tree. I
noticed that one of the branches was not
turning green. It had no leaves, no flowers.
The lack of fruit is an indication that it was
diseased, that it was not getting the nour
ishment from the root. That is how we are
when we are disconnected from God.
In our lives, we try to be good, we try
to love God and love others. But with
out a transformation within, it is only an
outward show of religion. Without the
transformation within, we are like the
branch that is not receiving life from the
trunk. To fully live as we were designed
by God, we must remain connected in
intimate relationship and fellowship with
God. We must learn to draw our life, our
energy, our strength from God. We cannot
do it on our own.
Sure we can look better than someone
else. We will never reach our full poten
tial if we just compare ourselves to other
people. I have worked in prison
ministry for several years. In jail,
even the worst criminals com
pare themselves to others. “Yea,
I might be a murderer, though I
was falsely accused, but at least
I am not a snitch.” We are not
much different, comparing our
selves with others.
We become connected to God
through accepting Jesus Christ.
When we stay connected with
God through Jesus Christ, his life
flows in and through us.
God took his son Jesus who willingly
died on the Cross and conquered death
through the resurrection. God was busy
working his plan. He takes tragedy and
uses it for redemption. He doesn’t cause
the tragedy but he uses it. He knew that the
same people who hailed Jesus as their King
would turn on him within one week and
call for his execution. God knew that the
Jewish leaders would nail the hands and
feet of Jesus to a cross.
It should have been my hands. It should
have been my feet.
He takes us who are dead in trespasses
and sin and brings us back to life.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, be
cause of His great love with which He
loved us, 5 even when we were dead in
our transgressions, made us alive togeth
er with Christ (by grace you have been
saved) - Ephesians 2:4,5
Rev. Keith Harris is the pastor of Mt. Zion
UMC, 40 Rumble Rd., Forsyth. The Pastors
Corner is sponsored by the Monroe County
Ministerial Association, which meets on the
second Thursday of each month at 8 a.m. at
The Pickled Okra, 33 W. Johnston St. on the
Square.
Rev. Keith
Harris
CHURCH CALENDAR
Email church calendar news to Diane Glidewell at
news@mymcr.net by Monday at 10 a.m.
Church information is published free of charge as space permits.
April 27
The Sanctuary holds
Annual Anti-Bullying
Rally Event
The Sanctuary Church, 12643
Highway 87, Juliette will hold
its Annual Anti-Bullying Event
on Friday, April 27 beginning
at 6 p.m. This is a free family
event. There will be bounce
houses, speakers, games, live
music, a bonfire and food
and soft drinks. Donations of
snacks and drinks are appre
ciated and can be dropped
off at the church duri ng the
day Friday. For more informa
tion, call 478-508-4746.
Tabernacle Baptist
Church Annual Special
Children’s Day
Tabernacle Baptist Church
will host its Annual Special
Children’s Day for children
with special needs from Bibb
County schools and sur
rounding counties. It will be
a carnival and a festival day
of events on Friday, April 27
from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at
881 Tharpe Road, Musella.
April 28
Tessie Hall Baptist has
workshop
Tessie Hall Baptist Church,
320 Boxankle Rd., Forsyth will
have a workshop on Satur
day, April 28 at 12 noon. The
speaker will be David Stanley
of Macon.
April 29
Pine Grove C.M.E.
celebrates Missionary
Anniversary
Pine Grove C.M.E. Church
of Culloden will celebrate its
Missionary Anniversary on
Sunday, April 29 at 11 a.m.
Rev. Jarvis Barron of Brown's
Chapel Baptist Church of
Juliette will be the guest
speaker. Everyone is invited.
Rock Springs in Forsyth
has Worship & Fellow
ship Sunday
Rock Springs Church, 1278
Juliette Road, Forsyth will
have Worship, Fellowship &
Fun on Sunday, April 29. The
11 a.m. worship service will
be followed by a covered
dish luncheon with a time
of fellowship and singing
afterwards. Bring a covered
dish (with something in it) and
your best singing voice or
instrument.
St. Peter's Rock Baptist
hosts Ordination
Rev. Theodore Madison and
the St. Peter’s Rock Baptist
Church family at 10496 Hwy
87 Juliette invite all to share
in the Ordination service for
Minister Tremaine Johnson on
Sunday, April 29 at 2 pm.
Rev. Rufus Watley of Union
Hill Baptist Church in Forsyth
will be the guest speaker.
For more information, contact
Mrs. Ruth Middlebrook at
478 986-5269.
May 5
First Baptist of High
Falls will have a Fish Fry
Fundraiser
First Baptist Church of High
Falls, 4408 High Falls Rd., will
have a Fish Fry Fundraiser on
Saturday, May 5 beginning
at 6 p.m. Plates will include:
fried fish, coleslaw, French
fries, hush puppies and a
dessert. The cost of a plate is
$7 and all proceeds will be
used to support our mission
projects. Come for a delicious
meal and a great time of
fellowship.
Maynard Baptist hosts
Women's Conference
Maynard Baptist Church,
1195 Juliette Rd., Forsyth, will
host a Women's Conference
prayer retreat, “May Day:
Hear and Be Heard," on Sat
urday, May 5 from 9:30 a.m.-
3 p.m. There is no charge to
attend, and lunch is provided.
Childcare is available upon
request. Come hear how one
church has been transformed
by the power of intentional
prayer. Register online at
MaynardBC.com/events or
call 478-994-2120 by April
28.
Christ UMC Men have
Chicken-Que
Christ UMC Men of Christ
United Methodist Church,
417 North Frontage Rd.,
Forsyth invite everyone to
a Chicken-Q on Saturday,
May 5 for some lip-smacking
pit-grilled chicken. Rain or
shine, pickup times are from
11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Pur
chase tickets now (available
at the church office or from
most Christ UMC members)
to reserve a meal or upon
arrival based on availabil
ity. The cost of one meal is
$10. For more information,
call 478-994-1232 or email
ChristUnited@Outlook.com.
Christ UMC Women have
Annual Yard Sale
United Methodist Women
of Christ United Methodist
Church, 417 North Frontage
Rd., Forsyth will sponsor the
annual indoor yard sale on
Saturday, May 5. Come rain
or shine! Doors open at 8
a.m. until 12 noon. For more
information, call 478-994-
1232, or email ChristUnited®
Outlook.com.
May 6
Mt. Airy Baptist has
117th anniversary
Mt. Airy Baptist Church,
Highway 83 N, Forsyth will
be celebrating its 117th church
anniversary May 6 at 1:30
p.m. The speaker will be Rev.
Henry D. Leonard Sr., pastor
of the Wrights Grove Baptist
Church of Forsyth. All sur
rounding churches are invited.
Rocky Mount UMC has
Women's Day Celebra
tion
Rocky Mount United Method
ist Church, 1387 Highway 41
South, Barnesville, will have
its Women's Day Celebration
on Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m.
The guest speaker will be
Rev. Angela Wootsen of Wil
iams Chapel CME Church,
Jeffersonville.
Union Hill Mission
ary Baptist has Men &
Women's Day
Union Hill Missionary Baptist
Church invites everyone to
its Men & Women's Day
Program on Sunday, May 6
at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Prince H.
Morgan III of Mt. Olive Bap
tist Church of Monticello will
deliver the message.
Job Fair helps seekers
and careers connect
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
At least 104 individu
als took advantage of the
chance to talk with repre
sentatives of 10 businesses
and institutions that could
offer them jobs, career
paths or funds for training
on April 12. Some of them
were hired on the spot.
As part of the Annual
Hubbard Alumni
Association Celebration,
Monroe County
Workforce Development
Center hosted its first Job &
Career Fair at the Monroe
County Conference Center.
Dianne Walker, coordi
nator of the Workforce
Development Center, said
that the venue worked well,
providing room for tables
and displays, other rooms
for interviews and plenty of
parking.
She said there were
people waiting before they
intended to open the doors
at 10 a.m. Although a cou
ple of the employers who
had planned to come had
to cancel at the last minute,
there were enough employ
ers and opportunities pres
ent to give the event a posi
tive review from both those
looking for workers and
those looking for work.
Richard Hinson was
recruiting for IBEW elec
trician’s apprenticeship
program and explained
the requirements and ben
efits to several interested
persons even as the Job &
Career Fair started winding
down.
He explained how an
apprenticeship program
means earning while learn
ing, with guaranteed ben
efits and rewards for hard
work.
“It’s a career and a good
living, too,” said Hinson.
“We can use 30 more elec
tricians today.”
Amy Barnum, business
service specialist grant
writer with Middle Georgia
Consortium, said that
she came to tell job appli
cants about funds that are
available to help them get
trained for jobs.
Department of
Corrections interviewed
about 15 good candidates
for available positions.
Other representatives were
present from Continental
Tire, Middle Georgia
Electrical, Waffle House,
Wagner, Forsyth Police
Department, Central
Georgia Technical College,
Mercer University and Fort
Valley State College.
“We can find you a job,”
Monroe County com
missioner and Hubbard
alumnus Farry Evans
told those attending
the Hubbard Alumni
Association Banquet on
April 21, speaking of the
success of the Workforce
Development Center. “We
have people coming in. We
have an outstanding thing.
It is working, ladies and
gentlemen.”
Evans said there is virtu
Pictured above, left to right, Mable Smith, Winifred Berry and Dianne Walker work at
the Job & Career Fair hosted by the Monroe County Workforce Development. Below: left,
Richard Hinson, left, tells one of the individuals talking with employers about the electrical
apprenticeship program. (Photos/Diane Glidewell)
ally zero unemployment in
Monroe County now. He
said there is no more going
to jail because you can’t pay
child support.
He thanked Walker and
Winifred Berry, “one of
the hardest working vol
unteers, doing it from the
heart,” for helping with the
success.
CHURCH PAGE MADE POSSIBLE BY THESE SPONSORS:
Lee’s Haircutting
Lee Smith
994-1666
Mon - Fri 10 to 7
...Unless Playing Golf
Freeman Funeral home
A name that can be trusted for funeral and burial arrangements
26 Brentwood Place • Forsyth
994-6483 • 994-6576
“Servicing Each Family With Equal Respect”
Ready to Meet
Your Pet Needs
r ANIMAL ^
MEDICAL
CLINIC
• Boarding • Bathing
• Medical Management
• Wellness & Preventive
• After Hrs. & Emereencv
Dr. Brandon Pinson
60 S. Jackson St. • Forsyth.GA * 478-994-4986
Voted 2014 Best Veterinarian by readers of the Reporter