722 Highway 84 West PO Box 2454 Collins, Mississippi 39428 601-765-0029 ajmpc@bellsouth.net |
July 2004
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This May 2004 makes twenty-five years since I graduated from KMBI, which is now KMBC. It is with a humble and grateful heart that I write this article. The verse I chose as my graduating verse was taken from Psalm 126 “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” Yes, the Lord has done great things for me through the years. Not only for me but, for my family, community and for my country. In writing to the Philippians the Apostle Paul said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Yes, indeed, I do thank my God for all of you. For you who are still here completing the work which God has given you and for those who have gone on to glory! I wish I could call everyone by name, but I can’t. You are too many. But on behalf of my people I’d like to mention those who were willing to leave the comfort of their homes and loved ones to come to Belize to give of themselves to us-Rev. and Mrs. Carlos Dawson and family, Josie Ann Day Summers, Rev. and Mrs. Ben Gerald, the late Rev. Brand Lee Jenkins and Mrs. Linda Jenkins, Rev. Andy John Jenkins and the late Mrs. Linda Jenkins, Rev. and Mrs. Wayne Sellers and family, Rev. and Mrs. A.C. Everett and family, Mrs. Martha Headley and family, Rev. and Mrs. Mark Lambert and family Mrs. JoBetty Thomas who has spent many months here with us and Rev. Charlie Joe Green who is presently on the field. Thanks be to God for the work which you started for some fifty or more years here in Belize. Thanks to the countless others who have touched our lives whether it was through your prayers, your giving, or your coming on a short-term mission venture: Maybe you have been coming over and over for VBS, or to do construction work, or on a medical team, or just to visit, whatever your mission was you have touched our lives and our country. Belize is a far better place because of you. I am sure that one day when you reach your heavenly home you will meet countless others from Belize who will say “Thank you for giving to the Lord. I’m a life that was changed. Thank you for giving to the Lord, I’m so glad you gave (you come you prayed.)” (Ray Boltz) God has blessed your giving, your coming, your praying, and today the work here in Belize is flourishing. Many of you have planted and watered and nourished this field. Now it’s harvest time and the Lord is giving the increase. Both schools are growing. For the first time the Belizean people are handling the affairs of the conference. Today, the president of our conference is a Belizean, one of our own, and is now at this General Conference session. Praise to our God. There’s a Belizean pastor in our 7 pastorates. Pastors meetings are held monthly so pastors can fellowship and discuss the affairs of their church. For the first time last year some of us were part of a mission team to two little Islands on the Caribbean side of Nicaragua, sharing the Gospel in schools with teachers and students of a different culture. We welcome Rev. and Mrs. Santiago Shol who have joined us in the work of spreading the Gospel of full salvation and in helping to teach classes at EBC. The work is just too great for one person or even one denomination. Time is too short and too valuable, resources are too limited and the workers are too few. So we thank God for those who are willing to rub shoulders together in carrying out this great commission. Yes, it’s harvest time. The doors of many countries are open wide for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m so thankful that here in Belize the doors are still open for the Gospel. I pray that we will be wise and diligent workers and we won’t let opportunities slip by. Although I am no longer in the primary or elementary educational system I am still very much apart of what God is doing in my country. Teaching Bible full time to teenagers and helping Bible teachers to equip tomorrow’s leaders with the truth of God’s Word is both a privilege and a challenge. Opportunities are being opened up for me to be a part of building Sunday school curriculum and lessons conducive to our culture. I am excited and humble at what God is doing and will continue to do in my life, in my church, and in my country. To Him be praise and Glory forever. Amen. My prayer is that He will continue to use us in what He is doing in our world. With humble gratitude “Thank You” To the General Conference of The Methodist Protestant Church and all good friends of our church, both Bobby and myself want to say “thank you” to each of you, for so many acts of kindness shown toward us at this time. Thank you for your love, cards, phone calls, visits, food, love offerings, and most of all your prayers. I don’t know where we would be without them. Thanks to Trinity Methodist Protestant Church for a home to live in, where we can be close to our doctors. We pray every day for all of you and your work that God’s blessing will be upon each of you. Bobby and I are so blessed at this time that God gave us to each other and we have so many wonderful friends in Christ. May
God bless and keep you all safe and in his care Youth Page Christians today are so blessed. Young people, take advantage of God’s blessings in this world we’re living in. We have so many things to be thankful for. Being called a Christian is an honor. Don’t take it lightly. We just finished our Bible School at Sharp Memorial. Our studies were on making choices. We all make choices everyday. Do we get up and accomplish something each day or do we choose to just drift through life and waste the God given life we have. Being young is no excuse for a “do nothing” life. One important blessing we have is God’s Word. How often do we read it? Do we rely on someone else to tell us what it says? Do we pray and let God be our interpreter? We are so fortunate to have a Bible in our own hands to read and study. We don’t have to go to a “priest” to hear God’s Word. I have read the Bible all my life. But the more times I read it the more I understand and appreciate it. I was reading in Nehemiah the other morning and came to this account in the history of the Jewish nation. The exiles were returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. Under the leadership of Nehemiah the wall was completed. As the people assemble together...Nehemiah 8:2.. Ezra the priest brought the Law before the congregation...verse 3..And he read therein ...from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the Book of the Law. Several things caught my attention as I read this account.
These people had suffered the consequences of sinning against God. He allowed them to be taken captive and removed from their homeland. After a time they returned to Jerusalem and renewed their convenant with God. When they heard the Law of God they willingly came together and listened and were in no hurry to leave. Does this resemble our church services today? Are we anxious to join with other Christians to read and learn God’s Word or do we watch the clock to see how long it is before we’ve done our “religious duty” and can go back into the world? Do we reverence God’s Word or do we try to find mistakes in it an try to disprove it? Don’t be deceived..we have God’s Word today. It is true and has been preserved for us to live our life by. If it doesn’t affect the way we live we better read it again. It will convict of sin and bring us to repentance, so that we can live the life God intended for us to live when He gave us life. The Bible is God’s love letter to you! Read it!!! Darla Hunt
News Greetings in the Name of the Lord to everyone from Wimberly M.P. Church in Toxey, Al. We are grateful for all the wonderful blessing in our church under the ministry and leadership of Bro. Shane Wyatt from Clanton, AL. He and his wife Stacy and their daughters, Lauren and Karlee, are now close members of our church family and are loved by all. We began 2004 with some sickness among our members and although, we didn’t have our Planning Committee meeting and Officer elections until the end of January, we have been busy since that time. We were able to purchase new playground equipment for our youth and the men installed it in January. The little ones have certainly enjoyed it, and this will be a great help during our Vacation Bible School in June, The church ladies hosted a bridal shower for Jeremy and Samatha Presley, recent newlyweds in our church. The church also hosted a baby shower for Brandon & Kim Lucus for their daughter, Grace, whom they adopted from Russia. In February, Scott and Jennifer Dees, hosted a Valentine Party and movies for the youth in their home on the 7th. We had our second annual Valentine Party on the 14th in our fellowship hall. All couples married over 15 years were treated with a steak supper by the younger couples in the church. Afterwards, we played the Newlywed Game, which was a hoot! March began with a bowling trip and pizza in Meridian. We had about 40 people participating and we all had a fun time. Some of our ladies attended a “Ladies Conference” in Gilbertown on March 6th, while others went to see the “Passion of the Christ” in Meridian. On March 12th, we had great speaker, Martha Sikes, come to visit our church. We enjoyed soup, salads and desserts afterwards. This was a wonderful time of fellowship! Our annual week-end revival and homecoming was held on March 19th through 21st. Guest pastor was Bro. Heath Vines from Clanton, AL. Special singing was held on Sunday by “Holy Destiny” from Clanton. The messages and music inspired, revived and encouraged all of us. On March 14th, the church ladies hosted a bridal shower for Shannon Diamond, fiancé of Jonathan Johnson. In early January, the church began a Bible study on Wednesday nights, on Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose-Driven Life”. This study is having an amazing impact on all of us, as we are encouraged to put into practice five God-ordained purposes...worship, community, discipleship, ministry and evangelism. We request that you pray for us as we study these purposes for our lives. May God continue to bless and keep all of us in the center of his will. Ginger Lucus
OFFICERS OF THE ALABAMA BRANCH
PRESIDENT: Mrs. Cindy Lambert (3)
VICE-PRESIDENT: Mrs. Florene Carlisle (3)
TREASURER: Mrs. Jewell Robinson
RECORDING SECRETARY: Mrs. Sharon Luckie (2)
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: Mrs. Reggie Smith (1) DEPARTMENTAL SECRETARIES
MISSIONARY EDUCATION: Mrs. Linda Weathers (3) SCHOLARSHIP & WORKERS: Mrs. Judy Crawford (3)
LITERATURE: Mrs. Lois Headley (3)
THANK OFFERING: Mrs. Ginger Lucus (3)
YOUNG
PEOPLE'S WORK: Mrs. Carol Jackson (2)
SPIRITUAL LIFE: Mrs. Jewell Kelley (3)
TEMPERANCE: Mrs. Patricia Jackson (3)
BENEVOLENCE: Mrs. Martha Smith (2) LIFE,
MEM. & PERPETUAL: Mrs. Derrell Graham (1)
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: Mrs. Carl Smith (3) Nominating Committee: Mrs. Florene Carlisle, Mrs. Sharon Luckie, Mrs. Annette Gerald, Mrs. Judy Crawford, Mrs. Linda Weathers Auxiliary Presidents: Grove
Hill: Ann Morgan
Land: Lee Ann Johnson Lula
Overstreet: Ann Jones Okalona: Susie Smith
MISSIONARY RECORD
AMAZING WOMEN
Ladies, we are the women of the Methodist Protestant Church. – our work is called the “Women’s Work.” (See Constitution and By- laws.) We all have our place to fill with unique personalities, spiritual gifts and abilities. As women in the Methodist Protestant Church, we have a ministry of serving, individually and collectively. On the day of Pentecost of the 120 assembled in the Upper Room, apparently many were women. Many of those serving Christ during his earthly ministry were women. Women were the first at the tomb on the Resurrection morning. The woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well was a powerful witness for Christ to the people where she lived. When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost as a rushing mighty wind and tongues of fire set on EACH of their heads, apparently the women were included. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit evidenced then by their speaking in various languages as the Spirit enabled them. This caused the multitude to be amazed - to marvel. Some accused them of being intoxicated on new wine– indeed they were high on the Spirit. New Testament believers are exhorted to be filled with the Spirit not drunk with wine. Peter stood up and preached - he said that this was that prophesied by Joel the prophet “God said I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and on my servants and handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall prophesy.” Ladies, we are living in the THOSE DAYS OF GOD’S SPIRIT, which will culminate with Christ’s second coming. Are we being faithful, are we in a constant state of readiness? Are we causing the world to be amazed, catching their attention by a Christ- like life and a clear verbal witness? Even more so, are we causing the world to be amazed and want what we have, because of our love for Christ and for one another? Jesus said we would be known as His disciples by our love one for another. Christian unity does not mean uniformity. Christian unity is of the essence, but this does not mean we will always agree on everything; it does not mean we should gloss over sin either. We should speak the truth in love for the spiritual good of individuals and the good of the Church. To speak the truth in love we must make sure our motives are pure, and we should treat one another as “family.” True Christian unity is achieved by loving one another with a Christlike love. Christianity is about relationship – with God and with each other. Perhaps, our greatest challenge as believers is how we relate one to another. Only God’s grace operative in us makes it possible for us to love one another as we should. Divine love is truly amazing! “Anywhere
with Jesus” YOU, My Lord Who is the
lord? Yes, he’s my Friend,
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