Newspaper Page Text
May 25, 2022
Spotlight on Local Churches
PASTOR’S CORNER by Rev. Nathan Jackson
iReporter
Page 3B
CHURCH CALENDAR
Graduates—Remember
to stay hydrated
M any graduates from Monroe
County, and all over Georgia
and the U.S. are preparing to
leave for college soon. Others
will stay close to home and have a good
chance of staying connected to their local
church. Therefore, it is the first group I
wish to convey this message to the most.
Both groups can gain from this old adage
of advice, but I feel it is those
who travel far and wide who are
at the most risk of becoming
dehydrated. Dehydrated! You say
what does dehydrated have to do
with anything?
Well, you see this old saying
appeared in literature over the
centuries in a variety of forms;
for example, in the play "Narcis
sus," which was published in
1602, of unknown authorship,
subtitled as "A Twelfe Night
Merriment," played by youths
of the parish at the College of
Saint John the Baptist in Oxford:
“Your parents have done what they
coode,
They can but bringe horse to the water
brinke,
But horse may choose whether that
horse will drinke.”
As you see your parents, grandparents,
friends, and family can bring you to
church and help you stay plugged in when
you are home but even then, they can
not make you pay attention and listen, or
drink if you will.
Matthew 6:24
24 No one can serve two masters, for
either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God
and money.
The Bible is saying here that you must
decide between following the world and
all its shiny riches or staying centered on
Gods word as your foundation.
While at times we may feel depleted,
desperate, bewildered, dehydrated, even
helpless. And yet...
We have a River of Blessing to draw
from. Yes, there is fuel for the journey.
John 4:14
14 but whoever drinks of the water that
I will give him will never be thirsty again.
The water that I will give him will become
in him a spring of water welling up to
eternal life.
Yes, The Lord says He will give us a
drink, that will quench our inner soul,
and we will never thirst again. Our life will
never feel utterly empty or wasted if we
seek the LORD. But if we don’t find a local
church (even when we are away at school)
we risk becoming parched, dehydrated,
and even death.
“you can lead a horse to water, but you
can’t make him drink.”
You have been led to church, introduced
to the life giver, Jesus, what you do now
is between you and God. As Paul says in
the Bible, “if you confess with your mouth
‘Jesus is Lord'and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the
dead, you will be saved. For
it is with your heart that you
believe and are justified, and
it is with your mouth that you
confess and are saved.”
Many professing Christians,
though, stay out of church
regularly The sad thing is that
this failure to drink regularly
from the river of God will lead
to apathy. It will lead to a dry
walk, and a heart that wants
to give up on GOD.
I am convinced that much
of the physical sickness today is a result of
being clinically dehydrated. - How much
more do God’s people suffer spiritually, as
a result of not partaking of the Lord’s sweet
Spirit?
It’s clear from passages like Hebrews
10:25, “... not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as is the manner of
some... ”, that God wants His people to
be actively involved in the church (even
students).
From the account in Acts of the first
church in Jerusalem to the seven churches
listed in Revelation, it’s obvious that the
Bible teaches the importance of local
church involvement. The community
provided by a local church is essential for
believers because the Christian life was
never intended to be a solo act.
So, Graduates, as you go out, find a local
and church and get connected. This will
help you stay connected to God through
the Spirit and reading of the Word. If you
need help finding a local church where
you are, ask your pastor or call me. I will
be glad to help you find a local body of
believers wherever you are.
Rev. Nathan Jackson is Youth Minister
at New Providence Baptist Church, 2560
Highwy 41S, Smarr. The Pastors Corner is
sponsored by the Monroe County Ministe
rial Association, which meets on the second
Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at Christ
United Methodist Church, 417 N. Frontage
Road, Forsyth.[The Ministerial Association
will not meet in June or July and will meet
on the 3rd Thurday, Aug. 18, for August.]
Rev. Nathan Jackson
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.
May 29
St. Paul Baptist has 5th
Sunday service
St. Paul Missionary Baptist
Church, 591 Elbert Jack-
son Road, Forsyth invites
everyone on Sunday, May
29 at 1 1:30 a.m. for 5th
Sunday service. Minister
Juanita Hogan will be guest
speaker. All women are
asked to wear white. Rev.
Rufus Whatley is pastor; Rev.
Barbara Reid is assistant
pastor.
June 5
Garden Hill Baptist cel
ebrates Parents Day
In honor of Mother's Day
in May and Father's day in
June, Garden Hill Baptist
Church, 88 Vining Street,
Forsyth will celebrate Par
ents Day on Sunday, June 5
with dinner on the grounds
after the morning worship
service. All are welcomed.
Sunday School starts at 10
am and morning worship
starts at 1 1 am.
Tessie Hall Baptist
celebrates Pastor's 28th
Anniversary
Tessie Hall Baptist Church,
320 Boxankle Rd, Forsyth
will celebrate Pastor T.O.
and First Lady Gwendolyn
Sams 28th Pastoral Anniver
sary on Sunday, June 5, at
10 am. Reverend David
Blalock and Mt. Pleasant
Baptist Church of Barnesville
will be the special guest.
June 6-8
VBS at First Baptist
Forsyth
First Baptist Church Forsyth,
95 West Morse Street will
have Vacation Bible School
on Monday-Wednesday,
June 6-8 from 9 a.m.-1 2
noon for children entering
kindergarten to 5th grade.
VBS this year will follow the
theme of learning God's
truth through science experi
ments. Plan to be a part of a
fun and exciting week—regis
ter at the church website.
June 8
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,
June 8 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 call
478-994-1232 for updated
information.
June. 12-17
VBS at First Baptist
Church of High Falls
First Baptist Church of High
Falls, 4408 High Falls Road
wi II hold Vacation Bible
School June 12-17.
May 8-June 19
Pregnancy Center An
nual Fundraiser
From Mother’s Day to
Father s Day the Annual
Baby Bottle fundraiser for
the Pregnancy Center of
Monroe County is underway.
Pick up a baby bottle at a
participating church or the
Pregnancy Center at 562 N.
Lee Street, Forsyth and fill it
with coins, cash or checks.
For more information, call
478-994-3173.
June 28
Food distribution at St.
James Baptist
St. James Baptist Church,
1 10 James Street, Forsyth
will host a drive-through
food distribution on Tues
day, June 28 beginning at
1 1 a.m. in partnership with
Middle Georgia Community
Food Bank. The distribution
will be at St. James on the
4th Tuesday of every other
month as food is available
for distribution from the Food
Bank.
Ongoing
May 22-June 30
First Baptist of High
Falls starts a Why?
message series
First Baptist Church of High
Falls, 4408 High Falls Road
will begin a Why? Sunday
Morning Message Series
on May 22 that will include
Why Am I Here? What's My
Purpose? Is Life an Illusion? Is
there Meaning? You matter
to God; we want you here.
May 22 - June 30 will be
Forty Days of Purpose and
Prayer, along side a book
called "What on Earth Am I
Here for?" By Rick Warren.
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.
Nominate Father of the Year
He works long hours,
fixes the car or maybe
just sets a positive tone
for the home. So why
not honor dad in a
unique way this year for
Fathers Day by nomi
nating him as Monroe
County’s Father of the
Year?
Nominations are due
at 5 p.m. on Thursday,
June 9, and the winner
will be announced in
the June 15 Reporter,
just in time for Fathers
Day on Sunday, June 19.
The winner will receive
prizes from local busi
nesses. Email to pub-
lisher@mymcr.net, mail
to PO Box 795, Forsyth,
GA 31029, fax to 994-
2359, or drop by 50 N.
Jackson Street.
N. Lee Street
Continued from Page 2B
LLC, Carter of Carter En
gineering Group said that
10.458 acres at the back of
the N. Lee Street tract will
be the site of a 483 unit
storage facility but that
4.679 acres near N. Lee
Street will be reserved for
another development.
Carter said the planned
project will be covered
under the Highway Busi
ness zoning of the tract
and will not need ap
proval for a conditional
use. In response to Plan
ning & Zoning members’
inquires about what type
of project it is, Carter an
swered, “a use we’d enjoy
having.” He said the back
part of the front parcel
will be a “storage yard for
the future building.” He
said the yard will prob
ably be gravel rather than
asphalt.
The 10-plus acres where
the storage facility will be
built includes a retention
pond that was built to
serve both Volume Chev
rolet and the future use of
the property to be devel
oped, which is currently
owned by USC Timber
Holdings LLC. He said the
main building of the stor
age facility will be similar
to one behind the CVS
on Zebulon Road in N.
Macon. Carter described
it as an attractive building,
especially at night, and
said the rest of the build
ings would be “standard”
storage buildings. He said
the contractor has built
several similar facilities in
Macon-Bibb and Houston
counties.
The storage facility is
planned for 233 climate
controlled units and 250
non-climatized units. The
city requires 12-19 park
ing spaces for the storage
facility, and there are 13
spaces in Carter’s design.
The proposed exterior
building materials are
brick, stucco and metal
panels, consistent with
Walmart and Volume.
Carter’s application said
the storage facility won’t
adversely affect adjacent
or nearby properties and
should have minimal
impact on traffic and the
environment.
Carter said most of the
storage units won’t be vis
ible from the road because
of the front building. The
only access will be from
N. Lee Street. Planning
& Zoning chair Steve
Coleman said his only
concern is that the facility
be screened from Railroad
Ave. The land is currently
an undeveloped tract.
There will be 24-hour
security.
The application from
Popeyes Louisiana
Kitchen asked for a 60’
sign that can be seen from
1-75. It said that three
nearby restaurants (Mc
Donalds, Hardees, Burger
King) have similar pylons,
which are necessary to
attract business from
the interstate. Columbus
Signs & Lighting LLC has
been contracted to secure
the variance and permits
and install the signage at
150 N. Lee Street, where
the Popeyes Restaurant is
under construction. The
sign will include a chicken
cutout and the lettering
“Louisiana 1972 Kitchen”
above in a circle and
“Popeyes” below.
The representative from
Popeyes noted that im
pulse buying is an impor
tant part of the fast food
business so that reaching
those passing by on 1-75
is important. Planning
& Zoning members said
several similar sign vari
ances have been approved,
including one for the
nearby Zaxby’s.
CHURCH PAGE MADE POSSIBLE BY:
8msc
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■ 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
r ANIMAL^
MEDICAL
CLINIC
> i
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
RAFF, INC.
Better Built By Raff
Jerry Raff contractors
jerraff@bellsouth.net 478-256-0253
www.facebook.com/raffinc