It’s hard to believe it is December, but lots of people, especially children, are happy to be at this point of the year.

Today’s Verse

No New Obituaries Today

Read the Bible Through

• December 1
• Ezekiel 9-12

Bro Darryl began a new Sunday Night study of First Peter last night. You might want to read chapter one before next Sunday night.

Mission Project

Thank-you to those who contributed Christmas cards, with a stamp on each envelope, so the St. Helena and Tangipahoa Parish prisoners can send one to a family member. You have another week to get that done. They can be turned in at the Lottie Moon WMU meeting Saturday morning at Spring Creek or at the entry to FBC, Kentwood by next Sunday. I will deliver the cards to the Tangipahoa Parish jail next week. Judy Noonan will deliver to the St. Helena jail the cards given in St. Helena churches.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

This is an annual week of prayer for international missions.

• Dates: November 30 – December 7, 2025.
• Purpose: To pray for international missionaries and the spread of the gospel, and to raise the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
• Resources: The IMB provides a variety of resources, including daily prayer guides, videos, and other materials, to help individuals and churches participate.
• Giving: The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is collected to support the work of international missionaries, with 100% of the gifts going directly to this cause. 

We will be given an opportunity this month to contribute to international missions. If you do not already know about Lottie Moon, I hope you will look her up and learn about the lady with a passion to tell others about Jesus, where she ministered, why she died, etc.

https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/week-of-prayer-korean-american-missionaries-transform-lives-in-home-country/

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQcqtlSjxJQFLSPgJKNBdtFJjnJ

‘His Saving Power’ (Ps. 98:1)

Sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.

Psalm 98:1

An explanation of this verse:

Psalm 98 teaches us that praise forms the community of faith. This psalm of praise moves the community of the faithful from a historically rooted expression of joy in God’s might to a deeper understanding of God as a God of faithfulness.

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

I know of special needs this week. You probably do too. Take time to pray and and act on them in a way that seems best.

Have a “marvelous Monday”! Be aware of how you can minister to others today.

Anna Lee

Good Morning. Happy Lord’s Day!

The last two car loads of family just left. We had a very busy Thanksgiving week!

Prayer Focus

Pray for holiday travelers today. Some will travel by air, but many by car. Pray for safety and happy memories for all of them.

Read the Bible Today

• November 30
• Esther 5-8

Today’s Scripture

New Literature

New Sunday School literature will be available in your regular Sunday School class at FBC today. Get your literature so you can prepare for next week’s lesson.

Obituaries

Zack Elester Stewart, Sr.

December 17, 1964 – November 24, 2025

Zack Elester Stewart, Sr., 60, of Roseland, Louisiana, entered into the arms of Jesus on November 24, 2025. A devoted husband, father, and family man, Zack lived a life defined by love, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the people he cherished.

Married to his beloved wife, Melinda Stewart, for 30 years, Zack was the proud father of ten—a role he carried with honor, patience, and a heart bigger than the outdoors he loved so much. If he wasn’t spending time with his family, he could be found doing what brought him peace: hunting, fishing, and appreciating the simple gifts of nature.

Zack worked his entire life in the scaffold industry, where he was known as a hardworking man whose handshake was as binding as any contract. To know him was to know a man of principle—steady, honest, and always true to his word.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Nellie and Brady Stewart, his son Wesley Stevens, and his brother Bubba Stewart.

He is survived by his wife, Melinda Stewart; his sons Zack Stewart Jr. (Karagan) and Kadin Stewart; his daughters Courtney Stewart, Christa Stewart, Victoria Herrington (Chris), Ella Stewart, and Madilynn Stewart; and his niece and nephew, Chasity and Edward Granger II.

Sister Genelda Dubois (Johnny) and brother AJ Stewart (Pam).

Zack was also blessed with a large and loving group of grandchildren who brought joy and laughter into his life: Seth, Scott, Gracie, Destiny, Josh, Chyanna, Logan, Khloe, Kinsleigh, Lettie, Brady, Noah, and Kyrsten.

Zack’s legacy is one of strength, loyalty, and quiet kindness. His presence will be deeply missed, but the love he poured into his family will continue to live on in every story told, every memory held, and every tradition passed down.

Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 5:00PM until 9:00PM on Friday and from 8:00AM until Religious Services at 11:00AM on Saturday. Services conducted by Bro. Carlin Sanders. Interment Arcola-Roseland Cemetery, Arcola, LA. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Charles Bennett Welch

February 13, 1940 – November 29, 2025

Charles Bennett Welch, born February 13, 1940, in Opelousas, LA and a long time resident of Kentwood, LA, has passed away peacefully at his home on November 29, 2025. He was a member of East Fork Baptist Church. He was a servant of God. Charles is preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Margaret Lavone Welch; his parents, Clifton Welch (Ona) and Shirley Brown; brothers, Daulton Welch and Gene Welch; and great-granddaughter, Lily Rae Hose. He is survived by his daughters, Kim (Mike) McNabb and Stephanie (Stewart) Pedigo; grandchildren, Dennis Pedigo, Leslie Pedigo, Christopher (Brita) McNabb and Landon McNabb; great-grandchildren, Evy Hose, Audrey Hose, Haidyn McNabb, Amilya McNabb, Maddox McNabb, Parker McNabb, Paige McNabb and Paxton McNabb; his brothers, Wayne McMillan, Billy Welch and Bobby Welch. Visitation will be at East Fork Baptist Church, 17280 La Hwy 1054, Kentwood, from 5:00pm until 8:00pm on Monday December 1, 2025 and from 9:00am until religious service at 11:00am on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Services conducted by Reverend Jay Avance. Interment will follow at East Fork Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory to a charity of your choice. McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Additional Bible Reading

‘Focused on Goodness’

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. … And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9 b

Have a great Lord’s Day! If He doesn’t live in your heart, you are missing out on so much!

Anna Lee

The wake and funeral today are for Mr. Bobby Simpson.

Good morning. Welcome to Saturday of the Thanksgiving holidays.

Read the Bible Today

Today’s Scripture

Reminder – Services for Bobby Raborn

Visitation at First Baptist Church of Kentwood from 10:00AM until religious services at 1:00PM on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Services conducted by Rev. Darryl Miller. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, LA

Sunday School Lesson

Be sure to prepare for attendance in Sunday School in the morning.

Reading the Bible in 2025

• Nov. 28
• Lam. 3:37-5
• November 29
• Ezekiel 1-4

No New Obituaries This Morning

Prayer Requests

Please continue to pray for Trey Harrison and his family as doctors treat him at OLOL.

Please pray for Betty Simpson, Melissa, Kay, Gretchen. and other family members as they have the wake and funeral for Mr. Bobby today.

Please continue to pray for others on our personal prayer lists.

Pray also for church services in our churches tomorrow.

Additional Bible Reading

‘Rejoice! and Pray!’

4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you.

Think about it overnight and remain silent.

5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,

and trust the Lord.

6 Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”

Let your face smile on us, Lord.

7 You have given me greater joy

than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Psalm4:4-7

Be blessed as you are a blessing to others today!

Anna Lee

Thankfulness- Day 28

Today I am thankful for freedom to worship and for my church. It’s hard to imagine the government interfering with my church or the leaders and members there, our right to assemble, or attack.

A Verse for Today

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

There are very interesting articles to read today.

Read the Bible Today

• November 28
• Lamentations 3:38 – 5

Thanksgiving Meal at FBC

I was told that more than 200 individuals received meals Wednesday. Good job “Manna”!

Today is a good day to check on others.

I know boxes of food were given out this week, but do not have a number.

Additional Verses to Read

‘Teacher or Lord?’

²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

Mt. 26:21-25

Let’s honor our Lord, not deny him today!

Anna Lee

Happy Thanksgiving! I know that even with some disappointments in life, we all are greatly blessed. Be sure to thank God for all your blessings.

Thankfulness, Day 27

Today, I am thankful to say we have company now from Texas, Mississippi,and Georgia More company is coming from Georgia and Kentwood. We are so blessed!

Read the Bible in 2025

• November 27
• Lamentations 1-3:36

Today, as you count your blessings, thank God for His great love and wonderful plans for your life.

Today’s Thought

‘Live with Devotion and
Hope in Jesus’

12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 

13 looking for the blessed ⁱhope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Titus 2:12-13

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

No New Obituaries Listed Today

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

That’s enough from me today. Thank God and enjoy you time with family and friends.

Anna Lee

Read the Bible in 2025

• November 26
• Jeremiah 51-52

Thankfulness – Day 26

Today, I am thankful for automobiles that make life much more convenient than walking, riding in a buggy, or riding a horse. They allow us more choices when we shop, provide timely transportation for travel to church, stores, school, etc. We can travel without constant weather conditions such as extreme heat or cold or rain. They make travel faster and take larger or small groups to their destimations. They also save time and allow us to stay on our schedules. I’ve only lived during the area of automobiles, for which I am very thankful.

OCC Statistics

These are the statistics for the Kentwood Drop-Off

• 13 volunteers who put in 133 hours in 8 days
• Collected shoeboxes from 15 churches and 2 individuals
• Collected a total o 1639 shoeboxes which were packed in 110 cartons (all they gave us) and leaving three more boxes we turned in separately.
• Two van-driving and trailer-pulling drivers made two trips to Hammond to deliver to an 18-wheeler who delivered them to the processing center in Charlotte before being sent across the Atlantic to countries where they will be delivered to the children who have been selected.

What an organized plan that works so well!

If you an any part in collecting the item that were purchased, providing funds, organizing, packing shoeboxes, moving cartons, filling cartons, loading on the trailer, driving a van, or PRAYING for the process, the child, or the family I thank you. I know we all had little parts, in a big project touching many lives, and leading to salvation for many, many children and family members.

Blessing to all off you who packed and to all who helped provide for purchases and shipping of the shoeboxes!

Obituary

Bobby Ray Simpson

August 19, 1933 – November 24, 2025

A resident of Kentwood, LA, passed away on Monday, November 24, 2025 at his home. He was born August 19, 1933 in Gillsburg, MS and was 92 years of age. Bobby was a devoted husband, father, and PawPaw. He was a proud U. S. Army Veteran and a cherished member of the community. He was known for his kind spirit and passion for sports and brought joy to everyone he met. Bobby lived a life dedicated to serving God and sharing His love and warmth with everyone. He was a devoted member of First Baptist Church of Kentwood.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Betty Simpson; 2 daughters, Melissa Simpson Stutzman and husband, Buddy, and Kay Simpson; daughter-in-law, Gretchen Varnado Simpson; 4 grandchildren, Brooke Speed and husband, Dan, Kayla Johnson, Micah Simpson, and Sarabeth Simpson; great-grandchildren, John and Lily Speed and Murphy and Finley Evans. 

Preceded in death by his parents, Oliver and Bertha Simpson; wife and mother of his children, Sara Martinez Simpson; son, Marty Simpson; 2 grandchildren, Dustin Johnson and Joshua Johnson; brothers, Earl, Jewel, and Burnell Simpson; 5 sisters, Reba Jane Simpson, Geneva Varnado, Bertie Hughes, Marty Alice Blackwell, and Dell Gore.

Visitation at First Baptist Church of Kentwood from 10:00AM until religious services at 1:00PM on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Services conducted by Rev. Darryl Miller. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Let’s pray for each other as we celebrate Thanksgiving and hopefully have an opportunity to spend time with some family members.

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

Additional Bible Reading

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might;

for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you

are going. Ecclesiastes 9:10

Think of others today. Pray for them. Do something for them.

Anna Lee

Thankfulness – Day 25

I am thankful for all the mission projects in my church this week AND all those involved. What a blessing to be able to participate, to pray for the recipients, and to touch lives with JESUS!

Daily Bible Reading Today

• November 25

• Jeremiah 49-50

Today Scripture

Operation Christmas Child

My big news is that yesterday all the filled Shoeboxes were loaded on a trailer to take them to the next location, Charlotte, not Dallas this year! That means our boxes will travel east, not south, this year.

Thank you for reading about OCC this year. Thanks to many of you who worked so hard to pack the shoeboxes.\\There will be a short break before I get back on my “OCC Soapbox”, but not very long!

I will share some of our area OCC statistics tomorrow!

A Two-Word Reminder

“Christmas Cards”

Devotional Thoughts

(Charles H. Spurgeon)

Luke 4:18 is a verse from the Bible where Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah, stating that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him because he has been anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free. He declares this to be a fulfillment of scripture in their presence. (Verse of the Day)

Death

Mr. Bobby Simpson moved to his heavenly home early yesterday afternoon. I’ll probably be able to post the obituary tomorrow morning. Please continue to pray for his family.

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

FBC, Kentwood

There will be no Wednesday night services/activities this week.

What a great time of the year! Enjoy all the details about Thanksgiving that are so special. Share that special feeling with others.

Thanks for reading, praying, and your actions to minister to others today.

Anna Lee

Good morning. Today is another gift from God! Don’t throw it away.

Read the Bible in 2025

• November 24
• Jeremiah 46-48

Verse of the Day

No New Obituaries

Prayer Focus

Today, as I think of those who are sick, I also think of those who give care to their loved ones. If you have worn those shoes, I know you understand the need for prayers. Today, please focus some of your time on CAREGIVERS!

Mission Updates

Operation Christmas Child is winding down for this year. Today, we will receive shoeboxes from more local churches and make a last transfer of shoeboxes to Hammond. I cannot tell you enough about how much I appreciate the volunteers in each of the area churches. You packed as many boxes as you could and taught people, young and older, about the shoebox needs, processes, purpose, and many rewards. In Kentwood, volunteers worked so hard and had fun at the same time all week. Our hardest days were the days when we all waited, but didn’t have any shoeboxes delivered. The fun, smiles, and laughter was continuous. Drop-off time at FBC, Kentwood will be 8:00 -10:00 A.M. this morning. I will plan to share some statistics with you tomorrow.

The Christmas card project is progressing well at the church. It is difficult to think of a loved one in prison and unable to be with family during holidays. Christmas is such a special holiday. We hope to emphasize that and help the inmates connect with some family members. Hopefully, the cards will serve as a reminder that “Jesus is the reason for the season!” At Kentwood, our deadline for submitting stamped cards in December 7th. THANKS to all of you who have already contributed.

We will soon be celebrating international missions and collecting funds for our yearly emphasis, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Two Rivers (St. Helena and Tangipahoa) WMU/Women of Mission will gather at Spring Creek Baptist Church on December 6th at 10 A.M.

There are other mission efforts at church, but I am not directly involved in them. I can probably give you names of some who are if you would like to contact them.

‘A Precious Promise’

Trust, hard to gain yet easy to lose—at least by the world’s standard. You may not have trust for a lot of people in this world but rest assured, you can trust in the God above.

Philippians 3:8 NKJV

Thankfulness – Day 24

Today, I am thankful for caregivers. They put others first 100% of the time. Let’s remember them as we pray today.

Anna Lee