Newspaper Page Text
October 19, 2022
Page 3C
lEeporter
Spotlight on Local Churches
PASTOR S CORNER by Rev. Debbie Lefevers
God's help makes
salvation simple
T he best known scripture in the
Bible is: “For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begot
ten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have ever
lasting life!’ (John 3:16 KJV) This passage
is packed with the Good News and is a free
gift to all who “believeth in him” (Jesus),
recognize and repent of sin, and turn away
from the former life to follow him. Sound
simple? Yes, it does sound simple, and in
fact it is simple.
The not so simple part is
the “turning away from the
former life” thing. Today, let
ting go of a former life filled
with the things that satisfy
emotionally, mentally, and
physically is not only dif
ficult but almost downright
impossible.
What kind of things need
to be let go? Mark 7:21-
23 has a short list for us:
“21 For it is from within,
from the human heart, that evil intentions
come: sexual immorality, theft, murder,
22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, de
bauchery, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All
these evil things come from within, and
they defile a person.”
God, the Father, is well aware of the dif
ficulty we have in turning away from the old
and toward the new. He knows well each
and every vulnerability and weakness pres
ent in the lives of his children.
Look for a moment, if you will, at the
verse following that famous John 3:16
promise: “17 Indeed, God did not send the
Son into the world to condemn the world
but in order that the world might be saved
through him. 18 Those who believe in him
are not condemned, but those who do not
believe are condemned already because
they have not believed in the name of the
only Son of God.” John 3:17-18 (NRSVUE).
If a person has truly turned from a former
life of sin to a new life believing in the
Jesus, that person is no longer subject to
condemnation. In addition, Romans 8:1-2
reinforces the “no condemnation promise:
”1 Therefore there is now no condemna
tion for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set you free from the law of sin and of
death.” (NRSVUE)
Does that mean we no longer sin? No.
Does it mean we can sin and suffer no
consequences because of the grace given in
that promise? No. The Apostle Paul ad
dresses this issue in the book of Romans
6:1-2: “What then are we to say? Should
we continue in sin in order that grace may
increase? 2 By no means! How can we who
died to sin go on living in it?”
So here’s the simple part.
When a heart has been
changed by the belief in the
name of Jesus and has been
made new, sin no longer has
sway. The person has died
to sin and no longer desires
things that are an offense
to God the Father. The new
creation no longer wants to
sin, rather, hates those things
considered to be sin.
This new creation no longer
intentionally seeks to harm a neighbor, wife,
husband, sister, brother, father, mother be
cause they are no longer a slave to sin. They
are no longer seeking a way to sin because
they are seeking a new way apart from sin.
God the Father KNOWS we cannot
accomplish this transformation alone nor
does he intend for us to do so. Even in our
darkest, most wretched times, he is ever
present - waiting, helping, rescuing, loving,
and forgiving. He knows all, sees all, hears
all, and with a simple confession from the
lips, forgives all.
God created us with his love. God saved
us with his love. God sustains us with his
love.
Yes, it is that simple. Believe. Repent.
Confess. Follow.
Rev. Debbie Lefevers is pastor of Christ
United Methodist Church, 417 N. Front
age Road, Forsyth. The Pastors Corner is
sponsored by the Monroe County Ministerial
Association. The Ministerial Association will
meet on Thursdays Oct. 20 and Dec. 1 at 9
a.m. at Christ UMC, 417N. Frontage Road,
Forsyth.
Rev. Debbie Lefevers
CALENDAR
Continued from Page 1C
grown produce and homemade
goods. For more information,
call 478-994-7747 or email
mcordy@cityofforsyth.com
Oct. 22
Boy Scout Troop 51 Ham
burger Plate Fundraiser
Monroe County Boy Scout
Troop 51 will have a Ham
burger Plate Fundraiser on Sat
urday, Oct. 22 from 4-7 p.m.
at Old Mill Market, 94 East
Adams Street, Forsyth. Plates
are $10 and include Sleepy
Creek Farms beef hamburger
and fixings, chips, and an Old
Mill Market cookie. Tickets
must be purchased in advance.
Call 478-258-1453 to pur
chase tickets.
Fox City Witches Ride
The Fox City Witches Ride/
Walk to benefit United in Pink
with be Saturday, Oct. 22 at
5:30 p.m.with check-in at 4:45
p.m. at the Farmers Market on
North Jackson Street. Cost is
$25/person. Register online or
in-person at Monroe County
Tag Office, A Girl & A Goat
or Old Mill Market by oct. 6
to guarantee a t-shirt.
Dog Leg Classic Charity
Golf Tournament
The 2nd Annual Dog Leg
Classic Charity Golf Tourna
ment will at Forsyth Golf Club
on Saturday, Oct. 22 with
registration at 7:15 a.m., shot
gun start at 8 a.m. Proceeds
benefit Monroe County Band
programs. Registration is $50/
player, $200/foursome.
Oct 22
Bolingbroke Community
Cleanup
Volunteers are needed for
Bolingbroke’s fall cleanup on
Saturday, Oct. 22 at 9 a.m.
Volunteers will meet at Mount
Zion Baptist, 179 Mt. Zion
CHURCH CALENDAR
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.
Oct. 20, Dec.l
Monroe Co. Ministerial
Association
The Monroe County Ministe
rial Association meets monthly
at Christ United Methodist
Church, 417 N. Frontage
Road, Forsyth. There are two
meetings scheduled for the re
mainder of 2022. The Ministe
rial Association will meet at 9
a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20 and
at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1
(combining the November and
December meetings). Ministers
at all churches in the Monroe
County area are welcome.
The Ministerial Association
meetings are an opportunity
for ministers to share informa
tion about opportunities in
the community and to work
together on projects that ben
efit the community, like aiding
travelers who need assistance,
sponsoring the Mary Persons
baccalaureate, organizing
the annual National Day of
Prayer program, contribut
ing weekly articles to the
Reporter’s Pastors Corner and
working with Kingdom Builders
to assist with home repairs.
Oct. 25
St. James Baptist hosts
Food Distribution
St. James Baptist Church, 1 10
James Street, Forsyth will host
a Mobile Food Distribution on
Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 10 a.m.
Oct. 29
Bethany Baptist Fall
Festival
Bethany Baptist Church, 365
Pea Ridge Road, Bolingbroke
will have a Fall Festival on
Saturday, Oct. 29 from 5-7
p.m. There will be a bounce-
house, snow cones, cupcake
walks, live-action board
games, candy and food at no
charge. All are invited.
Church Road, Bolingbroke.
Gloves are suggested.
Oct. 25-27
Gordon College presents
Frankenstein Lives’
Gordon State College
Humanities & Fine & Perform
ing Arts opens their season
with a 3-day performance
of Playwright Douglas Jones'
“Frankenstein Lives” on Oct.
25-27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fine
Arts Theatre in , Barnesville.
Following Wednesday's, Oct.
26, performance will be a
Gala Community Night where
Jones will join GSC professor
Dr. Erik McCarthy for a discus
sion session. Tickets are $10
adults, $7 seniors, $5 children
1 2 & under.
Oct. 29
Save-A-Pet Yard Sale
Save-A-Pet will hold a yard
sale on Saturday, Oct. 29 from
10 a.m.-2 p.m. at its shelter at
430 Maynard Church Road,
Forsyth. Donations are appreci
ated. For more information, cal
478-994-5223.
Oct. 30
Family fun at First Bap
tist of High Falls
First Baptist Church of High
Falls, 4408 High Falls Road,
will have an evening of family
fun on Sunday, Oct. 30 from
4-6 p.m. Bring treat bags,
wear costumes, grab some
popcorn and stroll around for
games, fellowship and lots of
sweet treats.
Oct. 31
Trunk or Treat at Paran
Baptist Church
Paran Baptist Church, 5691
Ga Highway 42 N, Forsyth
will hold a Trunk or Treat
event for the community on
Monday, Oct. 31 from 5:30-
8 p.m. Stop by for candy and
grab a hotdog. The Paran
Baptist family would love
to meet you and see those
costumes.
Nov. 6
Karen Peck & New
River will be in concert
at Bethany Baptist
Bethany Baptist Church, 365
Pea Ridge Road, Bolingbroke
will present Karen Peck &
New River in concert on
Sunday, Nov. 6 at 1 1 a.m.
worship and at 6 p.m.
Nov. 9
Food Distribution at
Christ UMC
The Circle of Care Mobile
Food Distribution at Christ
United Methodist Church, 417
N. Frontage Road, Forsyth will
be on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 10
am-1 2 noon.
Ongoing
First Baptist Forsyth has
Lunch & Learn
First Baptist Forsyth, 95 West
Morse Street will begin a
Lunch & Learn program on
Oct. 30
Trunk or Treat at the
Sheriff’s Office
The Monroe County Sheriff's
Office will host a free and safe
Trunk-or-Treat for the whole
family on Sunday, Oct. 30
from 2-4 p.m. Wear costumes,
bring trick-or-treat bags and
collect goodies from decorated
trunks.
Those who would like to
participate in giving out treats
should contact 478-957-3795.
Oct. 31
Trick or Treat on the
Square
Forsyth Main Street will
sponsor Trick-or-Treat on the
Square on Monday, Oct. 31
from 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 1
Heating Assistance
Middle Ga. Community Action
Agency will begin accept
ing appointments for heating
assistance in Monroe and the
other 10 counties it serves for
Thursday, Sept. 1 that will
meet in the Fellowship Hall
every 1st & 3rd Thursday. All
ages are welcome. Pastor Dr.
Hambric Brooks will lead Bible
Study. Gather for coffee and
fellowship at 1 1:30 a.m. Bible
study and lunch will begin
at 1 2 noon. Participants are
encouraged to bring a sack
unch. It will be an interac
tive study where dialogue is
encouraged, and discussion
and questions are welcomed.
Bring your Bible.
Bread & Blessings
food pantry is open at
Bethany Baptist
The Bread & Blessing food
pantry is open at the fellow
ship hall of Bethany Baptist
Church, 365 Pea Ridge Road,
Bolingbroke every Monday
from 10 a.m.-1 2 noon. There
are a variety of shelf stable
items available for families
who need them. For more
information, call 478-974-
0002.
Rocky Creek Bapt.
Church Motorcycle
Ministry Community
Breakfast
The Rocky Creek Motorcycle
Ministry hosts a community
breakfast every 2nd Saturday
of the month, and all are
invited to attend. Rocky Creek
Baptist Church 225 Rocky
Creek Rd„ Forsyth.
Rock Springs 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.
households where all members
are 65 or older or homebound
on Tuesday, Nov 1. Other
income eligible household may
contact the scheduling system
for an appointment beginning
Dec. 1. To schedule an appoint
ment call 1-844-588-1552
or go online to https:mgcaa.
appointment.works/ea/home.
To be eligible households must
document income, identities
and utility bills.
Nov. 3
Federated Garden Clubs
of Macon hosts luncheon
& virtual Garden Tour
Federated Garden Clubs of
Macon, Inc. is hosting the “Sa
voring the South” luncheon and
"A Grand Tour: Great Gardens
of Europe," a virtual tour with
Carleton Wood, executive di
rector of Hills & Dales Estate in
Lagrange on Thursday, Nov. 3
from 1 1 a.m.-l p.m. at Highland
Hills Baptist Church in Macon.
Tickets are $45. There will be
Baked Goods- Raffle Baskets-
Bulb Sale. For more informa
tion, call (478) 719-3340.
BROOME
Continued from Page 1 B
therapist,” Walton said.
“Harold was somebody
that was easy to confide in
and you would tell your
whole life’s story to, and he
would listen. Four o’clock
in the morning, 2:30 in
the afternoon, Harold
was there to listen, and
he was there to try to
help you. And don’t expect
him to try to sugarcoat
anything.”
Other fallen firefighters
whose names were added
to the GPSTC Public Safety
Memorial Wall on Friday
included: Christopher
Applebee of the Statesboro
Fire Department, Dar-
rol Brazil of the Bulloch
County Fire Department,
Christopher Clifton of
the Screven County Fire
Department/Newington
Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, John Gaddy of the
Forest Park Fire Depart
ment, James Guiler of the
Heard County Fire Emer
gency Services, Tommy
Hopson of Carroll County
Fire Rescue, Thomas Kerr
of the Brooks County
Fire Department, Richard
Knight of the Winterville
Fire Department, Royce
McNeese of the Claxton
Fire Department, Timothy
Watson of Barrow County
Emergency Services, John
Cash of the McDonough
Fire Department, Justin
Robinson of the Haralson
County Fire Department,
George Childs of the
Arcade Fire Department,
Micheal McFadden of the
Savannah Fire Department,
and Fonnie Williamson of
the Augusta Fire Depart
ment.
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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
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jerraff@bellsouth.net 478-256-0253
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