Friendship Baptist Church

Mrs. Callie Moore opened our service by singing “I Can Only Imagine.”

Bro. Ken’s message was taken from Luke 15:11-32, titled “A Tale of Two Sons.”

Why would a father favor a child who squandered his share of wealth? In these passages, we read that the older son stayed and worked for his father for years, never disobeying him. The younger son spent everything he had been given, then there was a famine and he was in need. He got a job feeding pigs, and he was so hungry, he wanted to eat the pods the pigs were eating. The young son came to his senses and returned home asking forgiveness. The father told his servants to bring the best robe for his son, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; kill the fatted calf and plan a feast. His son was lost, but now he was found.

When the oldest son learned of this, he became angry. The father explained that he had always been with him, and everything he has had always been his.

After the sermon, Pam Jones sang “Amazing Grace.”

Our evening service continued from last Sunday with “Blessing of Salvation,” from Ephesians 1:3-14: God lovingly adopts us; he has a plan and a purpose for each of us, and has given every believer all the provisions necessary to have victory over Satan’s attacks.

Upcoming events:

May 4: Youth pancake breakfast at 6 a.m., then bagging groceries at Winn-Dixie as a fundraiser for the “Give Kids the World” mission trip

May 10: Youth lock-in at Shades Mountain

May 11: Dusty’s Drive-In movie for the youth

May 12: Mother’s Day: Our brotherhood will serve breakfast for the ladies at 7:30 a.m.

May 25-June1: “Give Kids the World” youth mission trip

June 1-7: Chilton Baptist Builders mission trip to Merryville, Ind.

June 7-8: Men’s fishing trip to Gulf Shores

Give Kid’s the World is a location in Florida where children with life-threatening illnesses can go with their families to put aside their illness for a week and have fun. During their mission trip, our youth will serve food, clean and do activities with the families there.

Prayer requests: Yvonne Welcher, Dorothy Watts, Pate Hugins, Alisha Mims, William Heaps, Tyla Kline, Andrea Sanders, Dawn Jesko, Carol Cauldwell, Candy and Chuck Ulrich, Jennifer Martin, John Bucklou and Cindy West.

Christ Independent Methodist Church

This morning, our church service began with the congregation singing “Love Devine,” “All Loves Excelling,” “I Am Resolved” and “I’ll Live For Him.”

Dr. Mac Stinson’s service was based on Acts 11:1-18. His sermon title: “Who’s Side Are We On? Are We On God’s Side or Are We in God’s Way?”

The Book of Acts tells how the church got started as the backbone of the Bible. Acts brings out the turning point in the life of the church. Jews viewed themselves as set apart to be a holy people. Even those Jews who had become Christians clung to this belief that Gentiles were in some way unclean and unfit to belong to the body of Christ.

This book is a record of certain acts of some of the apostles. The book forms a natural sequel to the four Gospels, and has been called the first church history, its scope from the Ascension to A.D. 61 or A.D. 70-80. By almost universal consent, the author is conceded to be Luke, a close companion of Paul. The purpose of the book is both religious and historical.

Within the half-century or so after the death of Jesus, churches had been established throughout much of the Mediterranean world. Multitudes of Christians, especially Gentiles and Jewish converts, were unacquainted with the nature of the missionary enterprise, which had brought the church to their community. It was in answer to these questions that the Acts of the Apostles came to be written.

Peter concludes, “The Holy Spirit came on them as he has come on us (on the Day of Pentecost.) Then I remembered what the Lord had said: “John baptized in the Holy Spirit.” So, Simon Peter says with finality, “If God gave them the same gift (of the spirit) who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”

What a wonderful passage of scripture. It is a passage that you and I should be mighty thankful for, or else, we who are from non-Jewish backgrounds would not be in the church today. Peter understood that it was God’s will to throw open the doors of the church to all, including Gentiles, and he would not stand in God’s way. Can you imagine what life would be like without the hope for a better tomorrow?

When you pray, remember, Dr. Stinson and his son, who will be undergoing extensive tests this week. Remember Junes Simms, who had surgery on her arm this past week, Bobbie Sammons, Judy Atkinson, and all others, Lord, whose needs you recognize.

The “One Dish Dinner” was its usual greatly enjoyed occasion with delicious food in abundance. I am always reminded of the story of the loaves and fishes on our dinner occasions.

On Sunday nights, our study of “The Handwriting on the Wall” continues.

Have a blessed week.

Upcoming events:

May 2: National Day of Prayer: Pray for America

May 4: Youth Saturday