Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B
March 16, 2022
Spotlight on Local Churches
PASTOR S CORNER by Rev.Marilyn Tucker-Marek
m
Reporter
Monroe Co. CHURCH CALENDAR
Consider new faith
habits this Spring/Lent
W ere a couple of weeks into
the church season of Lent,
and despite the cold snap
this weekend spring feels
in full swing here in middle Georgia.
New seasons offer an
excellent opportunity to
create new routines or
habits.
For Christians faith
habits are also known as
spiritual practices and they
draw us closer to Christ.
Traditionally Christians
focus on three spiritual
practices during the season
of lent: alms-giving,
fasting and prayer.
Today, some Chris
tians suggest a slight reformulation of the
traditional three: giving, simplifying, and
prayer.
Giving may take many forms. Alms-giv-
ing focuses on charitable giving to those
in need, such as placing items in one of
the blessing boxes around town. How
ever, giving, more generally, may include
giving: time to our family, friends, and
co-workers; labor through volunteering;
or moments of honesty and compassion.
Simplifying takes many forms. For
some, simplifying might mean fasting
from food, or from a set of specific foods
for a set period of time (usually no more
than 24 hours). Simplifying might also
mean replacing some screen time each
week with a walk around the block, in
town, or in a park. It might mean choos
ing to buy fewer products and donating
gently used items, such as clothing or ap
pliances which we no longer need or use,
to a donation center or charity thrift store
like Circle of Care.
Prayer also takes many forms. I think
people most often offer God prayers of in
tercession, which lift to God specific con
cerns or petitions. But prayers may also
offer adoration, thanksgiving and confes
sion. In prayer we may freely confess our
sins and mistakes, knowing we will have
a forgiving heart. We may celebrate all the
joys and blessings of each day, both great
and small. And we may honor, celebrate
and enjoy God.
But amidst all the talking
to God, we should also make
space and time to listen.
As spring continues to bloom,
consider combining these prac
tices. Give your time to an old
friend, family member, or new
acquaintance, and invite that
person to join you for a walk.
For the walk, silence or even
turn off your cell phones. Pray
together by each shar
ing: your favorite name
for God (adoration); a
mistake you’ve made (confession); a
concern you are carrying (intercession);
and something for which you are grateful
(thanksgiving). You can share these things
informally, in a conversational way trust
ing God to listen, or you can phrase each
of them as a more explicit prayer.
Then take some time to walk in silence,
noticing the beauty of the world around
you. It’s a good idea to let the person you
invite know what kind of walk you have
in mind.
If you and your walking partner find
this a meaningful experience, consider
repeating it, and possibly even making it
a new good habit, a spiritual practice, for
this season and beyond.
And may these words bless and guide
you: “Rejoice always, pray without ceas
ing, give thanks in all circumstances; for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Rev. Marilyn Tucker-Marek is pastor of Forsyth
Presbyterian Church, 63 N. Jackson Street. The
Pastor’s Corner is sponsored by the Monroe
County Ministerial Association, which meets on
the second Thursday of each month at 9 a.m.
at Christ United Methodist Church, 417 N.
Frontage Road, Forsyth.
Did you know?
Snapshots from
Monroe County History
BICENTENNIdL
* CELEBRATING EDO VERR5 *
EST. 1821
D id you know that Forsyth
once had an airport--and
that Cary Bittick parked his
airplane there in a hangar?
It was located on Highway 42 North
just outside the city limits.
Pilots flying into Forsyth had an
official advisory: There may be cows
on the runway. [It was a grass, not a
paved, air strip.]
The Zellners ran a restaurant near
by. Capitalizing on its proximity to the
airport, they called it "The Skyway."
Of all the pilots using the air field,
John Boatwright was probably the
most colorful and daring. With the
young Harold Clarke in the passen
ger seat, he once flew so low over the
Monroe County Courthouse that
Clarke had to look up to see the court
house clock. [This is Clarke's written
testimony.]
That same flight Boatwright flew
over the Clarke house so low that
Clarke's five-year-old nephew was
able to see and identify his uncle, the
future jurist. Clarke later said that in
that flight he "surrendered all hope of
survival...pondering the hereafter."
While news rocked the town that
Boatwright had been killed in a fiery
airplane accident, he calmly walked up
to his house, having bailed out before
the crash.
Email church calendar news to Diane Glidewell at news'-mymcr.net by Monday at
1 0 a.m. Church information is published free of charge as space permits.
March 20
Tessie Hall Baptist
celebrates 142nd Church
Anniversary
Tessie Hall Baptist Church,
320 Boxankle Rd, Forsyth
will celebrate its 142nd
Church Anniversary on
Sunday, March 20 at 10
a.m. The speaker will be
Rev. David Blalock and Mt.
Pleasant Baptist Church of
Barnesville.
March 21-23
St. Peter s Rock Mission
ary Baptist has Spring
Revival
St. Peter's Rock Mission
ary Baptist Church, Rev.
Tremaine Johnson Sr., Pastor,
invites everyone to 2022
Spring Revival at 7 p.m.
nightly Monday-Wednesday,
March 21-23. On Monday,
the guest speaker will be
Rev. David Blalock of Mt
Pleasant Baptist Church. On
Tuesday the guest speaker
wi I be Rev. Robert Walker.
On Wednesday the guest
speaker will be Rev. Jarvis A.
Barrion Sr. of Brown Chapel
Baptist Church, White Plains
Baptist Church. For more
information, contact Ruth
Middlebrook at 478-986-
5269.
March 22
Food distribution at St.
James Baptist
St. James Baptist Church,
1 10 James Street, Forsyth
will host a drive-through
food distribution on Tuesday,
March 22 beginning at
1 1 a.m. in partnership with
Middle Georgia Community
Food Bank. The distribution is
at St. James on the 4th Tues
day of each month, weather
permitting.
April 9
Garden Hill Baptist
holds Easter celebration
Garden Hill Baptist Church,
88 Vining Street, Forsyth
will have an Easter celebra
tion on Saturday, April 9 at
4 p.m., sharing the story of
Easter, having an egg hunt
and grilling out hotdogs and
hamburgers. All are invited
and welcomed.
Rocky Creek Baptist
has Men's Fellowship
Breakfast
Rocky Creek Baptist Church,
225 Rocky Creek Rd, Forsyth
will have a Men’s Fellowship
Breakfast on Saturday, April
9 at 9 a.m. The Rocky Creek
Motorcycle Ministry will
honor Law Enforcement. All
law enforcement personnel
are invited.
Rocky Creek Baptist Church,
225 Rocky Creek Rd, Forsyth
hosts a Men's Fellowship
Breakfast on the 2nd Satur
day of each month at 9 a.m.
All men from the community
are invited.
April 13
Circle of Care Food
Distribution will be at
Christ UMC
The Circle of Care, with
the assistance of com
munity churches and other
volunteers, will distribute
food packages provided by
Middle Georgia Community
Food Bank on Wednesday,
April 13 at Christ United
Methodist Church, 417 N.
Frontage Road, Forsyth.
Recipients should begin lining
up at 10 a.m. Future monthly
distributions are planned for
the second Wednesday of
each month. Check Christ
United Methodist Church’s
Facebook page or cal
478-994-1232 for updated
information.
Ongoing
Rock Springs Church
Clinic
The Rock Springs Church
Health Clinic in Forsyth is
open every Wednesday from
8:30 a.m.-noon. New patient
consultations are available at
1 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th
Wednesday of each month.
The clinic is near Monroe
County Hospital at 100 MLK
Jr. Drive; the phone number
is 478-992-9581.
Forsyth to hire contractor
for right of way clearing
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
In her city manager’s report to city
council on March 7, Forsyth city manager
Janice Hall said she has an estimate on the
cost to replace the sewer line from Mary
Persons out to the Southeast Water Treat
ment Plant and will send out bid requests
for the work, which will be paid for with
SPLOST funds.
Hall said she and city attorney Bobby
Melton are working on the list of 22
blighted properties created by the city’s
code enforcement officer. The city will
hire an appraiser/inspector to assess the
properties before any other action is
taken.
Hall said work has begun on the city’s
2021 audit and she will bring items to be
moved within the budget to council at
the next meeting. She said there are more
purchase orders than usual because orders
have not been filled because of delayed
shipments. She will be noting and reissu
ing the purchase orders but won’t bring
them back to council because they have
already been approved.
Because the city hasn’t been able to get
more of the residential electric meters it
has been using, it is moving to a different
kind of meter with more brass instead of
plastic. Hall said the annual water audit
has been submitted.
She is getting quotes for an annual
contract to clear right of ways in the city.
Council member Julius Stroud said the
city should be sure the contractor cleans
up after cutting right of ways because he
has gotten complaints about tree cuttings
staying in yards for a week or more after
they are cut. He said they have eventually
been cleared, but workers should clean up
before leaving the site instead of coming
back a week later.
Hall said that must have been when the
city’s electrical workers cut around lines
and street department employees had to
come back with the city’s grapple truck
to clean up later. Council member Chris
Hewett said he was sure a city contractor
had left debris for days before returning
to clean up. Stroud said the contractor
should also be asked not to leave a tree
so unattractive that homeowners need to
have the rest of the tree removed at their
own expense. Hall said she will keep this
in mind in hiring a contractor to do a full
job.
Hall said a committee has picked an
artist’s design for the “unity sculpture” for
which the city has a grant. Plans are to
present the design to council at its March
21 meeting. Hall said “Carlos” will be in
Forsyth on March 25 to get the splash pad
ready for the season. She said she is work
ing with Police Chief Eddie Harris on po
lice department policy changes, including
personnel policy changes, and Harris will
present them to council on March 21.
In his Mayor’s Report Eric Wilson said
he would be attending crossover day at
the Georgia legislature with the Georgia
Municipal Authority on March 15. Julius
Stroud and Chris Hewett said they would
also like to attend. Wilson asked Stroud to
report on the Pickle Ball task force; Stroud
said he talked with Martin Presley and
will have a report later.
Stroud asked what council needs to do
to get Forsyth’s Park Plan moving because
other communities that developed park
plans after Forsyth are ahead in getting
theirs implemented, including Macon.
Stroud said there needs to be action on
sidewalk repair, especially on Highway
41. Also, he would like the city to buy or
lease a street sweeper or leaf vacuum by
fall instead of having city employees clear
leaves with a pitchfork.
CHURCH
PAGE MADE POSSIBLE BY:
•5; DISC
V CENTERS Of AMERICA .
■ FORSYTH
• Back • Neck • Arm • Leg • Pain
•Auto Injuries • Family Care
• SPORTS INJURIES
DR. GARY BIGGS
Certified Physiological Theraputics
478-994-1562 In Office X-Ray
255 Tift College Drive • Forsyth Most Insurances Accepted
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 9 a.m. -12 p.m., 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Thursday by Appointment Only • Friday: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
www.ForsythDiscCenter.com
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”
Lee’s Haircutting
Lee Smith
994-1666
Mon - Fri 10 to 7
...Unless Playing Golf
WBIB-FM 89.1
Forsyth-based Christian Radio
Believers in Broadcasting
478-957-9164
www.wbibfm.com
We are here to serve the
local church and community.
Sunday morning local sermon schedule:
9 a.m. Dayspring Presbyterian Church
10 a.m. Rock Springs Church
11 a.m. New Providence Baptist Church
facebook.com/believersinbroadcasting
^ ANIMAL^
MEDICAL
CLINIC
Dr. Brandon Pinson
Ready to Meet
Your Pet Needs
• Boarding • Bathing
• Medical Management
• Wellness & Preventive
• After Hrs. & Emergency
60 S. Jackson St, * Forsyth. GA ♦ 478-994-4986
Voted 2014 Best Veterinarian by readers of the Reporter
Quality & Compassionate Care
Owned & Operated
by a Licensed Nurse Practitioner
CAROUSEL
HOME CARE
PERSONAL CARE HOME FACILITY
"Care with dignity and love"
478-994-3694
173 S. Lee Street
Forsyth, GA 31029
carouselhomecare.com