Lime Springs United Methodist Church

Our Sunday School lesson focused on Revelation 20.

The morning message was taken from Luke 2:25-33. We began the service by lighting the fourth Advent candle of Peace. Bro. Shannon then shared the story of the priest Simeon and how he found the peace that surpasses all understanding through the Christ child. This peace was not the kind of peace the world understands; made through treaties and compromises, here today and gone tomorrow, or based on human emotions. The peace Simeon discovered through the Christ child was the peace that comes from God in salvation. This is why Simeon said, ╥Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people.╙

Salvation is the full surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ and comes through a five-step process ╤ faith, confession, repentance, baptism and growth toward perfection. As Simeon stated, it is available for all people. We closed the service by singing, ╥It Is Well with My Soul.╙

Our Sunday evening Bible study focused on James 4:9-17.

Happy birthday to Brand McNeal.

We invite everyone to join us for our Christmas Eve/Candlelight/silent Communion service from 6-7 p.m. This is a ╥come as you are, stay as little or as long as you like╙ service.

We invite everyone to join us for worship at Lime Springs. Our service times are as follows: Sunday School at 9:30 a.m.; Sunday morning worship at 11; evening Bible study at 5; and Wednesday night prayer meeting at 6:30.

For more information, please call 755-4950 or 755-6356.

Mt. Carmel No. 1

Our Sunday School lesson focused on ╥Jesus╙ from Luke 2:1-35.

The adult choir presented the Christmas cantata entitled ╥The Christmas Song╙ as the youth drama team acted out the birth of Jesus. The program was enjoyed by a large congregation.

Sunday night our pastor, Bro. Derrell Jones, shared a devotion from Luke 2:8, then he read a very touching story entitled, ╥A Christmas Miracle.╙ Santa Claus taught a lesson to a sick little girl on having faith. The children╒s Christmas program was a heartwarming service, as the children marching in singing ╥Silent Night╙ holding their candles. As the program began, we were blessed as Kyle Griffin played a Christmas carol piano solo, followed by the children singing Christmas songs and then a visit from ole╒ Santa.

The children of our church reported a very good time last Thursday night as they went Christmas caroling. They sang songs and delivered small Christmas trees. They gave hand-made decorations to shut-ins and friends.

We extend our Christian sympathy to the family of Gertrude Maudlin this Sunday morning as the Lord called her home. She will be truly missed. Our prayers are with her family she leaves behind.

The WMU ladies delivered our Christmas fruit baskets to the shut-ins last Saturday. Thanks to those that helped with this program.

Christians, think about what the church is doing to proclaim the meaning of Christmas. Are you doing your part?

This week of Christmas, share what Christ means to you and pray for one another. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Christ Independent Methodist Church

On this very cold fourth Sunday of Advent, we lighted the fourth candle as the symbol of Christ the Prince of Peace. This candle represents the birth of a new king heralded by the appearance of a new star of exceptional brilliance that appeared in the sky bringing the magi or wise men, from the Far East to Bethlehem. They presented their gifts to the little child they found lying in a manger in a stable with cattle nearby. We know the rest of that story ╤ how they returned to their own country by a different route and did not report to King Herod their discovery.

Sunday Dr. Mac Stinson took his scripture reading from Isaiah 7:10-16 and Matthew 1:18-25. His sermon title was ╥When the Messiah Comes.╙ In telling this story, St. Paul said, ╥Though he was rich he became poor.╙ He left heaven and God the Father to be born in a stable. He came to earth to be with all of us. ╥God with us╙ is exactly what the word ╥Emanuel╙ means.

Jesus said, ╥I am the Light of the world.╙

Isaiah said, ╥He will save his people.╙

This is the story of Christmas, Christians and Christianity.

Your prayers are requested for Dr. Stinson, his son, Opal Miller, Jeanette Frost, Kelly Parker and Dr. Harold Spann, who is recovering from a stroke.

Pray for our military, their families, our country, our church and pray for each other.

Thanks to each of you who prayed for the pilots airlifting missionaries out of Haiti. The mission was accomplished, I believe, in prayer.

There will be no evening worship service at CIMC Sunday night, Dec. 26. Join us for morning worship.

We thank Nathan Hudson, who added so much to our Christmas program Sunday night with his playing carols on his saxophone as part of our play.

We welcome all guests for our Christmas service and invite you to come whenever you can.

Have a blessed week, merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Bethsalem Baptist Church

Our morning service began with ministry opportunities and welcome. Praise God, we reached our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal of $13,000. Thanks to everyone.

Special music was provided by Cleve Mallory, our minister of music, singing “Bethlehem Morning.”

The Celebration Choir sang “Sleep Well” with Emily Edwards and JoAnna Hill as soloists and Henry and Audrey Moore as narrators.

The message by Bro. Brad was from Luke 1 and entitled, “The Silence is Broken.”

For the evening service, our children performed a musical and did a wonderful job. Thanks to Rebecca Eubank, Emily Edwards, Diane Moore, and Jennie Mims for directing.

There will be no services on Wednesday night, Dec. 22, but services will resume the following Wednesday night. Also, there will be no Sunday School or evening services on Sunday, Dec. 26; the morning service will begin at 10:45 a.m.

Prayer is requested for Denny Carroll, Nate Jones, Hunter Moore, Jim Beck, Gloria Bradberry, Brent Jackson, Dale Gandy, Zach Clemons, Cathy Patton, James Smith, Ricky Kendrick, James Harris, Pete Burnette, Christy Harmon, Shorty Short, Mary Ann McGee and Bro. James Moore.

Also remember all families who have lost loved ones, those affected by cancer, our shut-ins, and the residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Happy birthday this week to Debbie Jones, Debra Mims, Stacy Cooper, Donnie Parker, DeAnna Scarbrough, Angel Baker, Chloe Williams, Kathy Warrington and Brandy Clackley.

Have a blessed week and merry Christmas. Tell someone about Jesus. God is so good, all the time.

Come worship with us at Bethsalem.

Samaria Baptist Church

Our pre-Christmas service was such a blessing Sunday.  Brother Charles’ text came from Luke 2:1-20.  King Herod was a cruel man; a despot.  God sent a gift of great cost, when He sent Jesus to pay such an ultimate price as He did.  Sin had left a vast havoc on society and the people were in an awful condition.  We are without excuse, however, today.  We know what to do. People in Jesus’ time were almost without hope. Their light had gone out, and they felt life wasn’t worth living. Jesus was despised by those for whom He came to save. The Israelites received the same gift that Jesus brought to the world.  God is pleased with the Savior and His role in our lives, if we allow Him to come in.

He arose the third day to give us life eternal.  Jesus is the hope of glory. He can give us safety and security, by His love.  The suffering of Christ was prophesied years before Christ, in Psalms.  Shepherds were belittled by society, but God came to them through an angel to tell them about the coming King.  God visits us where we are, and He calls us unto Him, but He meets us more than halfway.

Jesus’ reason for coming to earth was to bring joy. God came in person to live, die and rise again to save us.

The greatest thing God could ever do for us was to provide Jesus in flesh in order that Christmas be the celebration it is supposed to be. The celebration of everlasting life.

Sunday night our children performed their Christmas play. We all were truly blessed by their wonderful program.  Our prayer requests today are James E. Smitherman, James Milford, Ray Hardee, Patty Brooks, Betty McCary, and all the sick in our community.  Please join us for service on Sunday, Dec. 26.  We will have one service only on that day, and it will begin at 10.

May your Christmas be filled with joy, peace, harmony, and all of our Savior’s blessings.  God bless you.  Samaria invites you to be a part of our service.  Merry Christmas.

Mt. Springs

Even though it was another cold morning outside, inside the sanctuary was warm and friendly. ╩We were missing a few of our regulars but still had a good crowd. Brother Don brought a very thought provoking message revealing insights to the ╥attack on Christmas╙ and ╥the foundation that we must stand on today.╙ ╩His scripture text came from 1 John 2:22, 23 and 2 John 7. ╩He began the message by pointing out the fact that manger scenes are not allowed in many public places any more and how we are greeted in stores and on cards with ╥happy holidays╙ instead of ╥merry Christmas.╙ ╩╩He told of a billboard with pictures of the three wisemen on their camels traveling to find ╥Jesus╙ with text that read, ╥You know it╒s only a myth.╙ ╩The attack is escalating and has even affected children in one school who were not allowed to use red and green crayons because of their connection with celebrating Christmas. ╩Satan is the attacker and it all began in the Garden of Eden and continues today. ╩The degree to which it has grown is forcing our young people to make the decision: ╩╥Is it (Christ as the Son of God) real or fantasy?╙ ╩Satan desires to get Jesus out of the world. ╩The attack is not necessarily on family gatherings, morals, or taking time off from work with pay. ╩Satan╒s attack against Christ is not so much about His birth and life, but on who he is. The spirit of the antichrist doesn╒t deny the birth and life of Jesus. They deny that He is God╒s Son. The only thing that separates Christianity from other world religions is the fact that Jesus is God╒s Son. ╩It is the foundation we must stand on today, ╥Emanuel, God with us.╙

This is who Jesus Christ is. ╩By the authority of God╒s word, ╥he who denies that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father is hell bound.╙ ╩Church, we must stand strong on Jesus Christ. ╩We must believe it, practice it, and most of all teach it to our children.

Sunday night we were blessed with an outstanding presentation by our children and youth, ╥The mystery of the manger.╙ ╩They all did a wonderful job and their hard work was evident by their flawless performance. ╩Thank you to all who participated and directed. ╩The facts presented in this program re-emphasized the message from this morning, that Jesus is God╒s Son, the Bible says it, and there should be no doubt about it.

Come visit us at 315 County Road 43, Clanton, Sunday mornings at 9:45 for Sunday School, 11 for worship, 5:30 Sunday night, and 7 Wednesday night. ╩We╒d love for you to be a part of our worship service. ╩Happy birthday Jesus!

Cedar Grove

╥The Coming of Jesus╙ was the title of the Sunday School lesson. The time: 5 B.C.; the place: Nazareth and Bethlehem. The scripture came from Matthew 1:17-25. Golden text: ╥And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins╙ (Matthew 1:21).

Happy birthday to Rita Price, Nathaniel McGuire, Dollie Price (Steve╒s mom) and Tyler Booth. These birthdays are all in this month, so if you know any of them, call and wish them a happy birthday.

Bro. Heath and Freda Vines celebrated an anniversary on Dec. 7, as did Joey and Felicia Patterson. Naomi and James Gillespie celebrated theirs on Dec. 22; congratulations to these couples.

We had several congregation songs. The choir as usual did a beautiful job singing. Chris Cleckley sang the special entitled ╥In You.╙

Bro. Heath Vines preached a good sermon Sunday morning entitled ╥There╒s No Room for Jesus.╙ His scripture came from Luke 2:1-20.

The invitation song was ╥I Wish We Had All Been Ready,╙ and the altar filled with prayers and ones being prayed for.

Judy Epperson called just a few moments ago and asked to be put on the prayer list. She has had a light heart attack. Also remember my daughter, Patsy. She is in Shelby at this time. She also had a light heart attack. Pray for all the sick and shut-ins; just about every one has someone that is ill or having a hard time now with times as they are. Pray for our country, leaders and all spoken and unspoken requests.

Our evening service was outstanding. We had a Christmas program entitled “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Sister Amelia Hubbard did a fantastic job directing, and Chris Cleckley did an outstanding job on the lights and sound. And you would have thought they were all professional actors. I wish everyone in the county could have been there, it was that good. I think some have already been signed up for next year.

We want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church

Season╒s greetings from Mt. Pisgah. Sunday we lit the fourth candle of Advent, The Magi╒s candle or the candle of faith.

Brother Glenn Walker gave a wonderful reenactment of Joseph╒s part in the Nativity.

There are only a few more days until Christmas. At that time, the fifth and final candle will be lit, the Christ candle, celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We still have a few activities left before Christmas. We will go caroling on Dec 22. We will meet at the church at 5 p.m. to go caroling and then meet at Peggy and Brian Smith╒s house for a party afterward. In case of rain we will not go caroling but will meet at Brian and Peggy╒s house for a party.

Our Christmas Eve service will be held between 5 and 6 p.m. It will be a ╥come and go╙ Communion service and blessing for all that come. As all our services, this is open to the public. Always remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

For information on any of our activities, contact Teresa Walker at (334) 349-5725.

Jackson Chapel

╥For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord╙ (Luke 2:11).

The Sunday School got started off with a good lesson taught by Dewayne Castleberry.╩ Bro Gary Fant got the morning worship service started off with “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing” and “Silent Night.╙╩ Bro Gary Fant blessed us with a beautiful song entitled “The Gift” and Bro Dennis and Angel Bavar blessed us with “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.”

Bro Dennis’ text came from Matthew 1:18-23. The greatest gift that we could ever receive is salvation from Jesus Christ.╩ We need to take that gift that Jesus Christ gave us off the shelf and put it to use in our lives.╩ We also need to live our lives to the fullest because Jesus Christ gave us the greatest gift ever known to man.╩ Jesus Christ was so gracious to give us this gift, and it is up to us to use what he gives us.

The service ended with people filling the altar to pray.

Bro Gary Fant got the evening service started off with “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”╩ Bro Dennis Smith, Angel Bavar and Wanda Chadwick sang “Mary Did You Know,” Bro Dennis Smith blessed us with a beautiful song “There’s a New Kid In Town,” Cole Riley played two Christmas songs on the trumpet and this was a blessing to everyone present.╩ Our children’s choir played “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” and “Silver Bells”╩on the hand bells.╩ Our children presented two puppet skits entitled “Greatest Of All Christmas Gifts” and “Christmas Joy,” and they did certainly did a great job.

Please remember these as you pray this week: Duane Chadwick, Betty Smitherman, Doris Byrd, Juanita Wyatt, Faith Castleberry, ╩our lost loved ones and our service men and women.

We are located at 4020 Yellowleaf Road in Clanton.  Our service times are as follows: Sunday School at 10, morning worship at 11, evening worship at 6, and Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study at 7.  We also have Kid’s Club on Wednesday nights at 7 for grades 1-6.

Bethany Baptist Church

Memory verse: ╥And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins╙ (Matthew 1:21).

What a good Lord╒s Day worshipping the birth of our Savior.  Our morning services began with the choir singing ╥No Room╙ and ╥Sleep Holy Child╙ then we enjoyed a presentation of the cantata ╥O Holy Night.╙  Bro. Aubry read most of Luke 1, several verses in Isaiah 61, and the main text for his sermon was Galatians 4:4-5:  ╥But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law╔╙  The event of the birth of the incarnate Jesus changed the course of human history and is in fact the central part of history.  God has been dealing all through time to reveal His love for mankind and now we have his Son to show His love for all the world.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the shepherds were expected to go and tell the story; we are His ╥shepherds╙ today.  We are to go and tell the world about the reason for His coming.

Prayer list:  Lillian Burkhalter, Sherry Cooper, Jean DeLoach, Ashley Friday, Jack Friday, Ernestine Hatch, Gloria Headley, Mary Knight, our military, Larry Miller, Nell Mims, Billie Neeley, Pvt. Josh Peppers, Jesse Wallace, Pastor Wallace; revival in America.

Don╒t forget the reason for the Season!

Floyd Baptist Church

Today was a wonderful day to be in the Lord’s House! Bro. Mike brought a message this morning on “How to Have a Right Christmas” from Luke 2:1-20. Too many times we get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of running from place to place and shopping that we forget whom we are celebrating at Christmas. If we are going to have a right Christmas, there are several things we must have. We must have the right Master; we can’t truly celebrate Christmas if we don’t know Christ as Lord and Savior of our life.

We must have the right miracle, the birth of Christ was a miracle that fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah, and when we accept Him, He performs the miracle of salvation in our life.

Finally, we must have the right motive. The angels that appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Christ were there to glorify God and that is what we are to do today and what better time to glorify God than at the time we celebrate the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. This morning we had Tylor Abbott and Sebastian Newton to come forward and receive Christ as their Savior. They were joined by Katie Green, who accepted Christ this past week during our Christmas play practice, in being presented to the church for baptism and we will be baptizing them in the coming weeks. After our service Angel Abbott came and accepted Christ as her Savior and will be presented at a later date.

Tonight Bro. Mike brought the message “Mary Had a Little Lamb” from Matthew 1:18-25. We remember the song from our childhood, ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ but Mary, the mother of Christ, had the Lamb who was sacrificed for the world! He was a special baby and man who performed miracles, taught God’s word and was sacrificed so we can have eternal life. Jesus was the only perfect, sinless man to live and because of His death and resurrection we can have eternal life through Him. The good news in Christ is that all who accept Him has eternal life with God!

If you are looking for a church where Christ is Lord, the Bible is believed and taught, we would love to have you come. Sunday School is at 9:45 AM, worship at 11:00 AM, Discipleship Training at 5:00 PM, evening worship at 6:00 PM and Wednesday night Bible study at 7:00 PM.

If you would like information about Angel Food Ministries, call Bro. Mike at 205-294-1577 or Bro. Neil Roberts at 205-389-2513.