Category: Women’s Ministry

Wednesday

And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
~Romans 8: 28~

Koltyn continues to improve.

Koltyn is completely off 1 of his BP meds and we are starting to ween him off his second one tonight. We’ve had a pretty good day today. He has opened his eyes abt 3/4ths of the way but, only for a few seconds. Started back on his feedings and still remains sedated while on the vent. Hopefully by this time tomorrow we will have a much better outlook on what the future my hold. I have remained strong in my faith that God is with him and will continue to place his healing hands upon Koltyn throughout the days/weeks and months to come.                                                                           Thank you all once again!                                                                                                                                     Love Brad Gafford & Kristin Russell Gafford

 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Devotional, Scriptures, and a Song

Sunday, we will be bringing food items to Sunday School for our two families.  Please pass this reminder on to those who do not get to read this.  Thanks!

Do something special to remind yourself of God’s presence, love, watch-care, opportunities, etc. in your life during 2015.
Anna Lee

Tuesday

But when the time had fully come,

God sent his Son,

born of a woman,

born under law,

to redeem those under law,

that we might receive the full rights of sons.

~Galatians 4: 4-5, NIV~

 

“For God loved the world in this way:

He gave His One and Only Son,

so that everyone who believes in Him

will not perish but have eternal life.”

~John 3:16, HCSB~

 

Christmas Eve Services

  • Pine Ridge United Methodist Church – 5:00 Wednesday afternoon
  • Hillsdale Baptist Church – 6:30 P.M.

Christmas Service

Spring Creek Baptist Church – 6:00 Thursday in new church facilities

What a blessing!

An electrical fire at Tangipahoa United Methodist Church did no structural damage. The Tangipahoa Church will meet with the Pine Ridge Church Sunday.

What an opportunity!

Many area church collected shoeboxes of gifts for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) and are now collecting funds, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO), to support missionaries and their work.  Missionaries Boyd and Jennie Hatchel will be sharing at FBC, Kentwood at 10:30 on Sunday, December 28th.  They and their ministry, including giving out the OCC shoeboxes, are supported through the LMCO.  You are invited to join us for the service.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering 

“Because You Gave” – a photo essay –http://www.commissionstories.com/asia/interactives/view/because-you-give-chalkboard-gives-insight-to-imbs-work

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

 

But when the time had fully come,

God sent his Son,

born of a woman,

born under law,

to redeem those under law,

that we might receive the full rights of sons.

~Galatians 4: 4-5, NIV~

“For God loved the world in this way:

He gave His One and Only Son,

so that everyone who believes in Him

will not perish but have eternal life.”

~John 3:16, HCSB~

Anna Lee

Thursday

In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;

we trusted in him, and he saved us.

This is the LORD, we trusted in him;

let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

~Isaiah 25:9~

 

Mrs. Alice Faye Lee fell Tuesday night and broke her shoulder.  She saw a specialist in Baton Rouge yesterday.  Pray for her as she heals.
Clinton H. “Bud” Callihan, Sr.

Born: May 19, 1929
Died: December 16, 2014

http://www.mckneelys.com/home/index.cfm?action=public:obituaries.view&o_id=2865611&fh_id=10545

Shared by my friend, Carol Bennett Sealey, who worked processing “shoeboxes” in Atlanta last week:

Just learned that yesterday the Atlanta Processing Center finished processing 1,445,117 boxes for 2014. Wow!!! That’s a lot of souls that will be touched and witnessed to. I am so excited that I was able to be a part of a group from our church that went and participated in this awesome event.

Spring Creek Baptist Church Drama Team

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEoX9X46W0k&sns=fb

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

  •  Sunday, at FBC, Kentwood, we will have a missions march to show support for missionaries.  Gifts can be received at that time or later.
  • Quotes from Lottie’s time in China
    • “What we need in China is more workers. The harvest is very great, the laborers, oh! So few. Why does the Southern Baptist church lag behind in this great work?”
      Nov. 1, 1873, Tungchow
    •  “How many there are … who imagine that because Jesus paid it all, they need pay nothing, forgetting that the prime object of their salvation was that they should follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ in bringing back a lost world to God.”
      Sept. 15, 1887, Tungchow
    • “Why should we not … instead of the paltry offerings we make, do something that will prove that we are really in earnest in claiming to be followers of him who, though he was rich, for our sake became poor?”
      Sept. 15, 1887, Tungchow

Third Thursday (TONIGHT) – Tonight at 6:30 at the Alford cabin

Friday Morning Bible Study

  • Tomorrow at 10:00
  • Studying Lois and Eunice
  • Acts 16:1-3 &  2 Timothy 1:1-8

Pregnancy Testing, Questions Answered, Information Shared 

  • Friday (9:00-4:00)
  • The vehicle will be parked at Hope Center on Highway 51 in Roseland.

Baptist Press –  bpnews.net

Share the spirit of Christmas and the true reason for Christmas with someone today.

Anna Lee

Monday

“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign:

The virgin will conceive,

have a son,

and name him Immanuel.”

~Isaiah 7:14, HCSB~

 

Thanks for praying for Mrs. Martha Traylor.  She is back at Kentwood Manor.

Please continue to pray for Mr. Bud Callihan and his family.

Mrs. Kathryn Kuss fell Friday, but thankfully did not break any bones.  Pray for her soreness to not last too long.

Miss Fay Shoemaker continues to do well at rehab and will be returning to Kentwood at the end of the week.  Pray for these last days of rehab to go smoothly.

Please continue to pray for Mrs. Donna Fay Miller who is still undergoing medical tests.

There will be no “Young” Ladies Birthday Party this week.  December and January birthdays will be celebrated in January.

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Lottie Moon Biography

             http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/m/moon-charlotte-diggs.php        

Thursday night at 6:30 David and I will host the Third Thursday at the Cabin meeting.  We look forward to having you celebrate the holiday with us.  Everyone is welcome to come.

Pray that as people get busier with Christmas celebrations, they will continue to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Anna Lee  

 

Wednesday

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:

His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,

but before they came together,

she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man

and did not want to expose her to public disgrace,

he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  

But after he had considered this,

an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,

because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  

She will give birth to a son,

and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins.”  

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel” –which means, “God with us.”  

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took Mary home as his wife.  

But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son.

And he gave him the name Jesus.  

~Matthew 1:18-25~

Martha Pevey Drago had her first chemo yesterday and let her granddaughter take one link off the chain of steps in her treatment.  She thanks you for praying, but also asks for continued prayers.

Theresa Flores reports that Claire is doing well following her kidney transplant.  She is staying at Brent House at Ochsner so she can be close to the lab for frequent tests.  Theresa has been able to return to work some.  Thanks for your prayers for Claire and her family.

Friday Morning Bible Study 

  • FBC, Kentwood
  • 10:00 A.M. Fridays
  • Studying women of the Bible
  • This week – Mary, Mother of Jesus
  • Join us any Friday you are available.

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

  • Every penny of the Lottie Moon offering supports nearly 4,900 missionaries.
  • Meeting the $175 million goal would send more missionaries to the field.
  • More than half the world’s people groups are still unreached and people are dying every day without ever having heard the Gospel.
  • This requires sacrificial giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – gifts that truly honor the Lord.
Jesus is the ONLY reason for this holiday season!
Anna Lee

Sunday

Mary kept all these things

and pondered them in her heart.

~Luke 2:19~

 

Devotional, Scriptures, and a Song

  • Johnny’s Race –  odb.org
  • Comfort each other                                                                                             and edify one another.                                                                                           ~1 Thessalonians 5:11~                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Out of all your gifts ye shall offer                                                             every heave offering of the Lord,                                                               of all the best thereof,                                                                                       even the hallowed part thereof out of it.                                                                                                      ~Numbers 18:29~
  • “Our Best” – http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Our_Best/

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Day 8 – “Planting Seeds for Planting Churches” 

http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/weekofprayerview.asp?PageNavID=112&StoryID=13048&LanguageID=1709

Frozen Food for Two Families

  • Family #1 – One dish meals, sugar free desserts, vegetables and cornbread, greens and cornbread
  • Family #2 – Non-processed food without lots of additives, fresh fruits and vegetables you picked, fruits and vegetables you picked and froze
  • Bring to my classroom before our 9:15 A.M. Sunday School this morning.  Delivery will be made this afternoon.

You are more than welcome to visit any class at any church today.  If you don’t have a church home, maybe this is the day you will find yours.

Stephen Lewis Voight

Born: December 02, 1983
Died: December 05, 2014

http://www.mckneelys.com/home/index.cfm?action=public:obituaries.view&o_id=2850772&fh_id=10545

Have a blessed day as you attend the church our your choice.

Anna Lee

Friday

     “You know that you were ransomed

from the futile ways inherited from your fathers,

not with perishable things such as silver or gold,

but with the precious blood of Christ,

like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

~I Peter 1:18-19~

 

Theresa Flores says her daughter is doing well following the transplant surgery.  Claire’s cousin, the donor, is also doing well.  Please continue to pray.

Mrs. Hazel Smith will have three appointment next month for more cardiac tests and a final report.  She’s already doing much better after a change of medication.  Pray for this lady who is very faithful to God, her family, and her church.

Rita Tate is doing well in recovering from surgery.  Pray for continued good results.

Sherman Cutrer is now in OLOL with pneumonia and other issues.  Please pray for him and his family.

Richard Navarra has passed away.  Please be in prayer for his family.

Bobby “Marty” Martinez Simpson

Born: November 23, 1970
Died: December 02, 2014

A resident of Kentwood died at 10:42 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at his home. He was born November 23, 1970 in McComb, MS and was 44 years of age. He was a graduate of Sumner High School and later attended Southwest Junior College and Southeastern Louisiana University. He was a Department of Public Safety Officer for the Louisiana State Police and a volunteer fireman with the Kentwood Fire Department for 25 years. He was also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Kentwood. He is survived by wife, Gretchen Varnado Simpson, Kentwood; 2 children, Micah and Sarabeth Simpson, both of Kentwood; father and step mother, Bobby R. and Betty Simpson, Kentwood; 2 sisters, Melissa Johnson, Kentwood and Kay Simpson, Gonzales; 2 nieces, Brooke Speed and husband, Dan, and their children, John and Lily, Chatawa, MS and Kayla Johnson and her fiancé, Tim Evans, New Orleans and father in law and mother in law, Gary and Mary Varnado, Amite. Preceded in death by his mother, Sara Martinez Simpson; 2 nephews, Dustin and Josh Johnson and his grandparents, Oliver and Bertha Simpson and Eloy and Sara Martinez. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 5 PM until 9 PM on Sunday and at First Baptist Church, Kentwood, from 9 AM until Religious Services at 11 AM on Monday. Services conducted by Rev. Joey Miller. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Nyra Perry “Nell” Rigby

NORTHPORT | Nyra “Nell” Perry Rigby, age 80, of Northport, died December 3, 2014, at Hospice of West Alabama. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, December 6, 2014, at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel with Rev. Greg Strickland and Rev. Joey Miller officiating. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing. Visitation will be Friday, December 5, 2014 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. The body will lie in state one hour prior to services.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Idella Carter and Thomas Edmonds; husband, Rev. Wallace A. Perry; son, Wallace Aubrey Perry, Jr.; second husband, Rev. Carey Rigby; and sisters, Elizabeth King and Joyce Jones.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen Perry Miller (Joey); daughter-in-law, Jan Perry; sister, Mildred White; brother, Thomas Edmonds (Arlene); grandchildren, Chris Smalley (Rebecca), Chad Smalley (Allison), Chaplin Smalley (Leah Ann), Carson Smalley, Christy Mink (John), and Candace Melson; great –grandchildren, Morgan, Madison, Christian, Layla, Chandler, Nate, and Vayda; great-great-grandchild, Carsyn; step grandchildren, Scott Miller (Katie), Sally Ann Shaver (Cory), and Chase Miller; and step great-grandchildren, Brady, Peyton, Eden, and Kodi Grace.
Nell was born on April 24, 1934. She was a retired nurse having worked at Druid City Hospital, Gulf States Paper, Bryce Hospital and Alabama Dermatology. She attended church at Northport Church of God.
Pallbearers will be the grandsons. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tuscaloosa/obituary.aspx?n=nyra-perry-rigby-nell&pid=173366933&#sthash.gW4szlN6.Yl6iqFrh.dpuf

Bible Study 

  • This morning at FBC, K at 10:00
  • Naomi
  • Bring your Bible and join us.  Each lesson is independent of all the others.

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

I watched Vestal Goodman sing this song on television last night and decided to use it for my “Song of the Day”.  God provided the devotional I needed to go with it.

  http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-tribute-to-howard-vestal-goodman-mw0000206792

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEuDzUa4nyI

The Goodmans are/were some of my favorite gospel singers!

Lottie Moon Week of Prayer – Day 6

“Music Makes Relationships” – http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/weekofprayerview.asp?PageNavID=112&StoryID=13046&LanguageID=1709

Isn’t God so good?  He took the song I heard last night, arranged for today’s devotional, and provided a LMCO music missionary for us to pray for today – all connected!

Anna Lee

Tuesday

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one,  

 and each one will receive his own reward        

 according to his own labor.          

For we are God’s fellow workers.”                      

~1 Corinthians 3:8-9a, NKJV~

 

Today, I’m asking for prayer for Theresa Flores’ daughter, Claire.  She is hospitalized and will have her third surgery Wednesday.  This one will remove both her kidneys in preparation for a transplant.  Your prayers are so important.

Mr. David Vining is home.  Please continue to pray for this fine man.

Week of Prayer for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Day 3

http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/weekofprayerview.asp?PageNavID=112&StoryID=11771&LanguageID=1709

The stamped Christmas cards for inmates in the parish jail were delivered yesterday.  A total of 405 were delivered with 180 from FBC, Kentwood.  Thanks to all who supported this.

Sunday, December 7th is our day to contribute frozen food for two families.  That gives you a few days to cook/freeze food for this worthy project.  One family needs food for a midday meal and the other fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables or home cooked foods.  It’s an  easy project for us, but so helpful to those who receive it.

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

“Ten Common Worship Distractions”  by Thomas Rainer

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

If you have a facebook page and would like to be included in a group, Ladies of Two Rivers Baptist Association, please let me know.  It has proven to be a good means of communication in our church communities.  (Go to the word “Contact” above the day of the week at the beginning of any post.  Your message will come directly to me.)

Some people use this month to intensionally do special kindnesses for others.  They select a recepiant, prepare a gift (often a treat from the kitchen),  write a sweet note, and make the delivery wearing a big smile.  If you choose to do this this month or any day of the year, I’m sure you will be the one with the greater blessing  each day.

Jesus is the one and only reason for this season of the year!

Anna Lee

Sunday

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us,

that God sent his only Son into the world,

so that we might live through him.”

~1 John 4:9, ESV~

 

Day 2 of the Week of Prayer for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – “Churches Share the Task” –  http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/weekofprayerview.asp?PageNavID=112&StoryID=13042&LanguageID=1709

David and I had  an opportunity to speak with Joe Easley last night.  He expressed his thanks to those who prayed for him even when the doctor told him he “should had died”. He was so thankful to be back in church for two weeks.

Please pray for Bobby Simpson who will again be having some tissue removed from his shoulder.  Pray that this will be the time they remove enough to get a clear pathology report showing the margins are clear.  Thank God that Betty Simpson‘s back is better and she is able to be of more assistance to her husband when she is needed.

Pat (Mrs. James) Frazier is dealing with knee surgery.  Pray all goes well and she can return to her active life.

Jane (Mrs. Donald) Duncan will be having elbow surgery today.  Pray the surgery and recovery process work out well for her.

Mrs. Hazel Smith was able to be back in Sunday School yesterday.  Tomorrow, she will see a cardiologist in Covington.  Join others in praying.

Frances Imogene Clemons
  • December 15, 1912 – November 28, 2014
  • Hammond, Louisiana

http://hosting-24628.tributes.com/obituary/show/Frances-Imogene-Clemons-101921867

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

A short, inspiring story (with pictures)

I’m getting in the spirit of Christmas.

  • The Lottie Moon Tea was the biggest and best one yet.
    • Absolutely beautiful!  (Thanks Fay, Ruth, and others)
    • 87 (That’s not a typo!) signed in
    • Music that put us in a happy, Christmas spirit (Well done Diane Simmons and friends of Osyka and children of East Fork !)
    • Skits that put us in the giving spirit (Well done, children and youth of East Fork and New Zion!)
    • Monologue that reminded us of Lottie’s heart desire to tell others about Jesus.  (Well done Irene Lascaro of Amite!)
    • Excited and careful tea girls (Children and youth from Bethel, Amite, Kentwood, Spring Creek, East Fork, and Osyka)
    • Christmas cards stamped and ready for prisoners (Spring Creek provided the most cards.)
    • Food prepared by ladies of several different churches.
    • Kentwood ladies who “manned” the kitchen before, during, and after the tea.
    • Adults, youth, and children from Bethel, East Fork, New Zion, Kedron, Amite, Spring Creek, and Kentwood attended.
    • My favorite, most touching moment was seeing everyone turn to a neighbor, join hands, and pray for specific missionaries celebrating birthdays yesterday!
    • What a blessing to have been involved in this special event!

Christmas music made its appearance in our churches yesterday.  It was a blessing to attend a Fifth Sunday Singing last night and hear people of all ages gladly get up and sing a Christmas carol or hymn.

David and I welcomed the real meaning of Christmas into our lives for 2014.  It wasn’t in a mall or sitting in front of a computer making purchases, but in God’s Houses.  I hope you have Jesus as the center of your Christmas plans!

Anna Lee

 

Sunday

“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness,
because we do not know what to pray for as we should,
but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.”
~Romans 8:26, HCSB~

 

As many of us are enjoying the season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are many in areas of unrest and war.  Pray for the military, missionaries, humanitarian workers, and locals who do not have the same opportunities this year.  Pray for them to know Jesus and remain faithful to Him and their assignment despite the war.  Also, please pray for families who have someone in the area, but who are trying to maintain a “normal” life and holiday season.

Thank God for those who gave some or all of their holiday time this week to serve as a missionary some or all of this week.  Two examples are:

  • FBC, Amite who served Thanksgiving dinner in New Orleans Thursday.
  • Montpelier Baptist Church who sent 17 for a week of service in Nicaragua.  They returned home yesterday.

Please pray for the Hitching Post family.  David Conatser was killed in an automobile accident. I’ll post an obituary when one is available.

Thankfulness – Day 30:  Today, I’m thankful for prayer warriors.   They pray for me, my family, you, your family, and many other people.  Their prayers are important to all of us.  If you are one of those prayer warriors, I thank you for your faith and  time devoted to prayer.  On behalf of all those for whom you pray, “Thank-you”.

Week of Prayer and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

  • The  week of prayer for eight specific missionary families begins today.  These are not the only ones you should pray for in the coming year, but they represent lots of others who are not/can not be listed.
  • In these Week of Prayer stories, you will learn how your support enables your missionaries to:
    • help churches like yours partner on the field
    • share Jesus through human needs ministries
    • disciple church planters to take the Gospel to their own people
    • reach people creatively through songwriting and broadcasts
    • take the Scripture to a remote people in their heart language
    • minister even in war grounds
  • The Scripture we focus of this year is Matthew 28: 19-20.
  • The theme is “One Sacred Effort” meaning we can all work together to support this one goal.
  • Today’s special guide: http://www.imb.org/main/lottie-moon/weekofprayerview.asp?PageNavID=112&StoryID=13041&LanguageID=1709

Be sure to check the links at the bottom of the page to see the pictures and learn how contributions can be used in Ecuadore.

In connection with the beginning of the Week of Prayer, we will have a Lottie Moon Christmas Tea this afternoon at 2:00 at FBC, Kentwood for ladies of all area church.  Ladies between the ages of 2 and 102 are invited to attend and enjoy the music, skits, etc.

You will also have the opportunity to supply money to purchase stamps for Christmas cards that have been provided.  It takes $5.00 to buy the stamps for a set of Christmas cards for an inmate at the parish prison.  Today is the last day to do this.

Devotional, Scriptures, and a Song

  • “For Sale – As Is” –  odb.org
  • For You were slain,                                                                                                   and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.                                                                                                         ~Revelation 5:9~
  • “Though your sins are like scarlet,                                                                  they shall be white as snow.”                                                                                                                          ~Isaiah 1:18~
  • “Jesus Paid it All” –  http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/p/jpaidall.htm

May we all honor God in all we do today!

Anna Lee