Mount Carmel No. 1

We want to thank everyone for attending the youth rally this past Saturday night. The youth singers and Mount Bethel Drama Team did a very good job. Bro. Chad Foshee touched our hearts with his inspirational sermon. Continue to pray for all the young people and their leaders to help build our youth rally.

Sunday, the choir and congregation started off morning’s service with great singing, followed by Tori Mims singing “Sown By the Riverside.” The congregation was carried away with this happy little song. Good job, Tori. Keep up the good work.

“Four Steps to Win Over Self,” from Luke 9:23, was the message Bro. Derrell brought this Sunday morning. Self is one of the worst enemies. Jesus spoke to everyone when he said, “If a any man will come after me, let him deny himself.” It takes making a decision to overcome self; you have to decide who you are going to follow.

Let us deny ourselves in order to overcome self. We can’t do anything unless God allows it. We must have discipline and let God have control.

We must have devotion to take up his cross daily and follow him, not just on the days you want to, but daily. We must be a Christian example to those we meet daily. It takes determination to follow Christ—determination to win over self and follow Christ.

Following the morning service, we were blessed to see Matt Mims walk the aisle to become a member of our church and church family. God bless you, Matt.

Sunday night’s message was taken from 1 Samuel 30:1-8. “David Encouraged Himself” was the title of the sermon Bro. Derrell spoke. Read these verses and study the life of David.

We want to invite you to a bridal shower for Jennifer Bowman on from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, in the church fellowship hall.

Please make plans to attend the Prime Times Luncheon in the church fellowship hall beginning in September. We welcome any suggestions for a date and time.

Prayer concerns for this week: our church, new teachers and officers of the church, our schools, teachers and pupils, Barbara and Winston Liveoak, Juanita Childress, Butch Wilson, spoken and unspoken requests.

May God bless you. See you in church on Sunday.

Christ Independent Methodist Church

Our morning service began with congregational hymns “Redeemed,” “He Giveth More Grace” and “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.”

Dr. Mac Stinson’s scripture was Luke 10:1-11, 16-20. His sermon title was “The Harvest Is Plentiful, But Where Are the Pickers?” This provocative title is referring to a harvest of souls, not a field of crops to be gathered.

In Luke, we read these words: “After this, the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” Jesus is looking for laborers, people who will labor for his kingdom.

People today still need what Christ has to offer. They are spiritually hungry and crying out for a savior. Someone has said that church is not a museum for the saints, but a hospital for the hurting. If you understand that the church above all else is a place for people who are hurting, and not a museum for the saints, then you can easily see what Jesus meant when he said, “The harvest is plentiful.” Jesus was speaking directly to our generation. People still need Christ. Sometimes, a simple invitation is all people need.

“The fields are ready for the harvest:” that is what Christ teaches us. People today need Christ as much as they ever have. Can he count on you to give that simple invitation?

Sunday, Aug. 18, was our One Dish Dinner day. All participants enjoyed both food and fellowship.

Remember to pray for Mac Stinson III, Dell Moody, Roy Lauter, June Simms, Opal Miller, Judy Atkinson and all others in need of prayer for illness. Remember our young people: Anna Autumn, Dylan and Nate as they begin a new school year. We pray they witness among classmates. Pray also for our country and military, our leaders, community, church and each other.

Our Homecoming Celebration Sunday will be Sept. 15. We invite you to spend this special day with us.

Sunday school is at 9:45 a.m. for classes of all ages, Sunday worship at 11 a.m. and Sunday evening worship at 5 p.m. We invite you to join us for any or all opportunities to worship with us.