Lime Springs United Methodist Church
Our Sunday School lesson continued on a series focused upon a biblical view of the Church.
Bro. Shannon brought the morning message from Acts 4:31-33, entitled, “All It Takes is One Ember.” He reminded us of how many times he would add extra pieces of wood on a campfire before going to sleep. That way all it takes it a little kindling and one hot ember to start a fire on a cold and frosty morning.
In a similar sense, the Holy Spirit is like a fire that can sweep through a church and keep away the chill of coldness. It can even bring about great results, such as boldness in God’s word, unity, sharing, witness and great grace. Sadly, some churches have lost the fire of the Holy Spirit (Revelation 2:4) and have become cold and dead places of worship.
We concluded our morning service by receiving Holy Communion.
Our evening Bible study continued a series on the Old Testament.
Happy birthday to Alan Harris.
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 755-6356.

Mt. Carmel No. 1
Sunday was a great day to be in the house of the Lord. Our Sunday School lesson title was “Where Is Your Treasure?” from Matthew 6, answering the question, “Am I accumulating earthly wealth rather than spiritual treasures?”
To follow along with the lesson, our music director led the congregation in singing an old spiritual Stamp-Baxter song entitled, “Getting Ready to Leave This World.”
Our special music was a couple of songs from the VBS week as sung by our youth. As you know, the youth of the church held their VBS on a camping trip at Brierfield. They have reported a very good weekend of camping, Bible study, fellowship and fun times. The teachers, directors and all adults that took part have reported a very enjoyable time together and worshiping the Lord.
Following the special music, Bro. Derrell asked for the congregation to stand, bow their heads, close their eyes and raise their hands toward heaven. Then he led a prayer for the Lord to remove any hindrance in our hearts and lives that would hinder our blessings of the day. We gave thanks to God for all our blessings and especially the rain.
Bro. Derrell’s message was taken from 2 Samuel 12:1-13, entitled, “Hidden Sins.” Hidden sin does not go unpunished nor unseen because the Lord saith, “Behold I will raise up evil against thee, out of their own house.” David repented and the Lord put away his sin.
Sunday night we observed the VBS commencement. The director, Laura Liveoak, gave a special thanks to all the boys and girls for coming to school this week, and thanks to parents for taking time to bring their children. We are so thankful for all the teachers and workers and their teaching of the Bible and VBS songs. Special thanks to the kitchen workers for the good refreshments that were enjoyed. A big thanks to Laura Liveoak for stepping in as director at such short notice. God bless you and all the 67 boys and girls that were enrolled this week.
A fellowship hour was enjoyed by the boys and girls, along with parents and friends, following the commencement exercise Sunday night. The VBS kitchen workers served ice cream, cake and cookies. We pray God’s blessings on all these workers.
It was so good to have Bro. Larry and Judy Felkins visiting us Sunday night. They are always welcomed.
God bless you this week is our prayer. We always offer a special invitation to you and your family to come worship with us at Mt. Carmel No. 1.

Walnut Creek United Methodist Church
Our call to worship Sunday was “Isn’t the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful.” After our welcome and greeting time, we sang “Standing on the Promises” as the hymn of celebration.
During the invocation, Bro. Tony said, “We should think of Pentecost as dynamo, not dynamite — dynamite goes boom and it’s gone, dynamo turns forever. Certainly we should remember Pentecost more regularly than we do.” The Holy Spirit was felt for the first time.
During the gathering of the children, Diane explained that sometimes something might appear and then it’s gone.
Jerry Tippett delivered the announcements Sunday. On Friday, June 17 at 8:30 p.m., our church softball team will play Mt. Pisgah. On Saturday, June 18 at 4 p.m., a church-wide party will be held at the home of Tony and Jeanette Hughes.
Please continue prayer for Lavada Attaway and Gene Gilliland.
The choir special was “Sheltered in the Arms of God,” followed by “Nearer, My God to Thee,” “Leaning on Thee” and special music by Billy and Carolyn Maddox, “I Hope We Walk the Last Mile Together,” especially for Mary Joyce and Jerry Gilliland, Danny and Ann Eiland, Ray and Myrtis Enfinger and all recent golden wedding anniversaries.
The Lord’s invitation and message was given by Bro. Tony. Pentecost was to be the “birthday” of the Church. God knew the apostles were going to be embattled in that daily war between God and Satan. This was going to be the answer as to, “Is this all there is?” The answer, of course, is a resounding “No.” Life is so much yet to come; we go back to our birth, our death and all the in-between instead of preparing for eternity, in one or two places — forget heaven and hell — just take these two things: You are going to spend all eternity with God with all the good things that you can (there are those descriptions that we don’t know for sure), or we can take that other place, hell. We have also heard it described. There is one thing for sure — you are going to spend eternity with God or separated from God. That should be the sobering fact to wake us all up!
The benediction was led by Sonja Horn.
We all enjoyed the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Jerry and Mary Joyce. Later in the evening we had a healing service.
When it feels like you are carrying a cross and you have absolutely too much on your plate, you don’t have to look far — just right here in our own church. What a blessing we had when I was asked by the youth, “Can we do any outside work for you?” What a blessing, folks! At a time like this, we must have the finest youth anywhere. When I told Lavada, laying there, not able to speak, she smiled and said, “My boys!” David and Sonja Horn, two of our newest members, they hit the ground running, have been working and having fun since.
Bless you all.

Calvary Independent Baptist Church
Calvary Independent Baptist Church had a great time of fun and fellowship Saturday night at the Birmingham Barons game. The fireworks show afterwards was awesome. Sunday morning’s preaching service kicked off a series of sermons on God’s will for our individual lives as we strive to worship and serve  Him. Sunday night we started in Revelation chapter 6. All in all we had some great teachings from the word of God beginning with Sunday School and lasting through all services. Thank you, Jesus. Come visit with us during any of our services: Sunday School at 9 a.m., Junior Church and adult worship service at 10 a.m., Sunday evening service at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday night service at 6:30.
We are located south of Clanton just past Dollar General on Fulmer Drive. We will be having our Vacation Bible School this year June 20-24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Come early June 20 for enrollment. Please pray for our youth programs, bus ministry and all our outreach ministries that Jesus will be glorified in all that we do.

Bethany Baptist Church
A trio (Jeanette Jessop, J.C. Collins and Elaine Staton) sang “Haven of Rest.”  Bro. Steve’s message was “Neglecting our Salvation” taken from Hebrews 2:3.  We were reminded as children of God not to neglect or ignore the blessings and duties of our salvation and to have our priorities where they should be.
Sunday night we had our monthly business meeting.  Justin Gray was visiting our service and sang us a good special.  Bro. Steve brought us a message on spiritual gifts taken from Romans 12:1-9.  The Holy Spirit’s endowments of gifts to Christians are tools to be used in building up the Lord’s churches.  If we have the fruit of the Spirit (love), which is mentioned in verse 9, we will in turn have the attitudes, which are in verses 11-16.
Missionary Danny Jones and family from Thailand will be in our service next Sunday morning to discuss his mission work; we will collect a love offering to help in his deputation work.
Happy Anniversary to Larry and Barbara Miller (3rd).  Happy birthday to Jean Gray (4th), Elwyn Robinson (16th), Chris Knight (28th) and Ellen Gray (29th).
Prayer list:  James Bixler, Lillian Burkhalter, Ashley Friday, Carl Gray, Ellen Gray, Ernestine Hatch, our servicemen and women, Larry Miller, our missionaries, Billie Neeley, Pvt. Josh Peppers and Jesse Wallace.
See you Sunday!

Bethsalem Baptist Church
Our morning service began with the singing of “Jesus is the Sweetest Name I Know.” We also celebrated VBS; this year there were 270 people enrolled including 203 children and an average daily attendance of 171 children. We give God the praise.
Special music by the Celebration Choir was “One Cross, One Nail,” followed by the morning message from Bro. Brad Eubank, “God’s New Clothes For Us” from Ephesians 4:25-32.
We had one saved, Dylan Cullum, the son of Crest and Mary Cullum.
The evening message by the pastor was from Philippians 3:12-16, “The Secret To Joy: How To Win the Ultimate Prize.”
Happy birthday to Mikayli Glasscock, Izzy Jones, Jamie McConnell, Elvie Patterson, Cindy Stange, Angelia Henley, Debbie Jones, Walter Thornton, Randy Wells, Sara Beth Walls, Charles Bryant, Giorga Wilson, Roger Padgett and Jason Barrett.
Pray this week for James Moore, Charles Bryant, Elza Enriquer, Dylan Cullum, Hunter Moore, Austin Chandler, Betty McGee, April Bazzell, Chris and Sonja Cox, Jim Beck, Mandy Mims, Pete and Karl Burnett, James Pettie, William Thomas, baby Jacob Helms, Lula Spigner, Hazel Boswell, all the people in storm areas, our missionaries, and all families that lost loved ones.
Bring your baby bottles back on Father’s Day full of money.
Come worship with us on Sunday and get connected.
Have a blessed week.

Mars Hill Baptist Church
Sunday was another wonderful day to praise God for all our blessings. Did you remember to say “Thank you” for them?
Our choir gave us “Heaven’s Jubilee” to set the tone for worship services. Those hymns from the old red book really ring the rafters, lift your spirits and seem to make our burdens a bit lighter.
Bro Terry’s sermon came from Matthew 7:1-6. This scripture gives us information on how to live right. If we would only read and then heed it.
Our Vacation Bible School will start June 26 and will be from 6-8:30 p.m. They report they need us to bring soft drinks, chips and cookies to the Fellowship Hall. Please help out.
We have two new babies born into the church family this past week. Emmit Christopher Cochran was born to proud parents Shawn and Kelly Cochran, and Easton Pate Gothard to proud parents Heath and Hailey Gothard. We wish good health and a long life for these precious little ones.
Continue to remember that June is Teddy Bear Month. We are collecting these teddy bears for fire and rescue groups. They will then give them to a child in a crisis situation.
The WMU has taken on a very ambitious project to replace the tables and chairs in the fellowship hall. Everybody will need to help with this.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of this world. How blessed we are.
Next week, pray for my church and I will pray for yours.

Samaria Baptist Church
Our services began Sunday with the baptism of two young ladies who made professions of faith.  Anna Brooks was baptized by our pastor, Bro. Charles, who is also her grandfather. Dana Stevens was baptized also, and it was a very special service.  Our anniversary couples were James and Charlotte Smitherman, and Floyd and Barbara Collins.
Our prayer concerns this week are for Dot Moore; Jeff Smith and his family; our pastor, Bro. Charles Brooks, and Cheryln Stoneback.  We always pray for our shut-ins, and our military across the nation and the world.
Our message was brought from Proverbs 2:1-22.  “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  Adultery destroys families, lives, children, marriages, jobs, churches, and it also destroys six commandments.  Blessed is the man who gains wisdom. Let our children not be shamed by our sins. Let our parents not be shamed by our adulterous behaviors.
Drink from your own cistern; fresh water from your own well.  Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Society preaches that anything goes.  As believers, we know better than this.  Some lawbreakers go unpunished. Jealousy enrages a man, and often brings about death, due to the destruction of adultery.  Illicit affairs promise a lot but deliver very little.  God is the judge, and He sees all. Punishments prevail to those who commit adultery.
Sunday night’s service was dedicated to our Vacation Bible School. We appreciate Lynn and Elizabeth Jones for leading us this year. All workers did an excellent job, and we ask God to bless you for your unselfish dedication to our children here at Samaria.  If you are looking for a place to worship in spirit and truth, please join us at Samaria on Sunday mornings at 9:45 for Sunday School and 11 for worship. We meet Sunday evenings for worship only at 5.  May God bless you is our hope and prayer.

Providence Baptist Church No. 2
Providence Baptist Church No. 2 will host Vacation Bible School from June 26-29. This year’s theme is “Big Apple Adventure.” Times are Sunday from 3:30-7 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday from 8-11:30 a.m. Family night will be Wednesday night at 7. This program is for children age 3 through sixth grade.
There will be a registration day with water games on Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. until noon.
The church is located at 6197 County Road 97 near Clanton. For more information, call the church at 755-4126.

Mt. Pisgah United
Methodist Church
It’s finally here!  Vacation Bible School started Monday, June 13 and continues through Friday, June 17.  We’re traveling down Main Street learning about compassion, forgiveness, gratitude and faithfulness.
We’ve had a number of our members traveling this summer.  A traveling prayer was said for each family.  A few of our members are facing hardships.  Our prayers are with you as well.
The Pentecost message on Sunday was “God, the Holy Spirit,” based on Acts 2.
Mt. Pisgah has wall panel memorials available.  For a $50 gift, you can dedicate one of the new wall panels in the family life center in honor or memory of a loved one.
Attention, actors!  A meeting will be held at Mt. Pisgah on Tuesday, June 28 at 7 p.m. to launch a county-wide Christian Community Theatre.  We need off-stage help as well.
Our Chilton County Emmaus Cluster summer gathering will be held at Peach Park on June 30 at 6:30 p.m.