Yvonne Birch just called to say her sister, JoAnn Raborn Alford, passed away Wednesday. She had lived in Chesbrough for many years with her husband, Ronald. She was 84 years old and had recently been in an assisted living facility. There will be a graveside service at 2 P.M. today at the cemetery in Kentwood. You are welcome to attend the brief service.

He (Jesus) said to them, 

“Let the little children come to me,

and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

~Mark 10: 14b NIV~

READ AND WRITE SCRIPTURE TODAY – “I Believe”

May 28 – Proverbs 22:6

Start children off on the way they should go,

and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Steve Conerly

JOHNSON CITY – Steve Conerly, 85, Johnson City, passed away Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at Johnson City Medical Center following a brief illness.

Steve was born in Spring Creek, LA to the late JT and Myrtle Conerly.

Steve was a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. He received his master’s degree from LSU, obtained a meteorology degree from Texas A&M, received his PhD from Virginia Tech and went on to become the President of Pet Dairy and later the president of Flav-O-Rich. He was an avid golf fan. Steve was incredibly family oriented and loved his family dearly. Steve enjoyed traveling with family and friends. He was also very community oriented and enjoyed participating in community service wherever he could. He stayed busy by being involved with Boy Scouts and serving on several boards including Dawn of Hope and ETSU. God came first in Steve’s life, and he was a longtime member of Central Baptist Church for over 45 years.

After Steve’s wife passed away, he moved into Everlan in Johnson City. It was the perfect place for Steve to spend the next chapter of his life, where he had a sense of community. Everlan was blessed to have Steve start up their resident council, where he served as president for over a year. The residents will miss Steve’s kind heart and his dedication to God.

In addition to his parents, Steve was preceded in death by: his wife of 59 years, Jean Conerly; his son, Ken Conerly; and daughter-in-law, Beverly Leffew Conerly.

Survivors include: two daughters, Kathy Cradic and Kelly Nave, and her husband Richard; five grandchildren, Mackenzie, J.T., Benjamin, Paige and Riley; one great granddaughter, Abbi; one brother, Lanny Conerly and his wife Joyce; and many nieces and nephews.

The family of Steve Conerly will receive friends from 10:30 am until 12:30 pm on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at Central Baptist Church. The funeral will follow at 12:30 pm with Rev. Gene Elliott officiating. The committal service will immediately follow at Monte Vista Memorial Park. Family and friends are asked to meet at the cemetery by 1:50 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Central Baptist Church, 300 N. Roan St., Johnson City, TN 37601.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the Conerly family via www.morrisbaker.com. Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2001 E. Oakland Ave., Johnson City, is serving the Conerly family. (423) 282-1521

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

FBC, Kentwood will host VBS next week. You can register children online or in person Sunday afternoon at 5:00 or Monday (Beginning around 8:00). Classes, next week. will be from 8:30 – 11:30 each day. The children will begin and end in the sanctuary.

Memorial Dayis to honor those who gave their lives for our country while serving. We owe these people our honor and respect because they earned the FREEDOM we have enjoyed. Let’s honor them, especially Monday, Memorial Day!

I’m thankful for my church and my country!

Anna Lee

I just received information from a family member of Margaret “Sissie”Oliver. She is at Sandra Blanchard’s home with Hospice care. Tomorrow is her 90th birthday. The planned party has been cancelled, but you are welcome to visit her to say goodbye. Prayers are requested and appreciated.

Repent, then, and turn to God,

so that your sins may be wiped out,

that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

~Acts 3:19 NIV~

One of our “little” neighbors had her third heart surgery this week. She is doing well. People of the Sixth Ward will be thankful when she can be home. Please pray for the “little one”, her family, and the medical staff helping her to get better and better.

READ AND WRITE SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY – “I Believe”

May 28 – Acts 3:19

BAPTIST PRESS

https://www.baptistpress.com/

BAPTIST MESSAGE

https://www.baptistmessage.com/

REMINDERS

*VBS is next week at FBC, Kentwood.

*Pajamas for Mountain Ministry are still being accepted in the church office.

*The next OCC workshop is a week from tomorrow.

We have been out of town this week to attend a graduation for Payton Alford, Jason’s daughter, from Armuchee High School in Romel, GA. Graduation was last night. She is already at Camp Crestridge in NC where she will work as a counselor this summer.

Payton is our fifth grandchild, but the first we had the opportunity to see graduate. Out first two graduated overseas. The next two finished high school, but didn’t have graduations because of Covid.

Traveling and graduation were both great, but it is wonderful to be home.

Anna Lee

Vacation Bible School at FBC, Kentwood. May 30 – June 3 – 8:30 – 11:30. Kickoff on May 29 at 5:00 PM Age 4 – 6th Grade. Call the church office for more information. 229-8111

New Obituary on the McKneely Site – Joan John Watson

READ AND WRITE SCRIPTURE TODAY – “I BELIEVE” May 26 – Proverbs 23:25

Monthly Missions Focus for May – Moving Mountain Ministries which serves families fostering children

New pajamas for children from birth through mid-teens, both boys and girls are being collected. Bring your contributions to the church office.

One SS class has ordered solar calculators for the “shoeboxes”. We have had more trouble than usual getting them this year.

Thank-you, Rebekah class.

Anna Lee

Read and Write Scripture Today – “I Believe”

May 24 – Galatians 4:6

May 25 – Exodus 20:12

Pray for the situation in Ukraine and other countries fighting another country trying to come in and take over.

Pray for the people of Texas as they begin to “put together the pieces” of a terrible incident that took away innocent lives.

Pray for the people of our country as we go through the process of putting together a broken government so we can again be a strong leader for the rest of the world to follow.

Check McKneely. Funeral Home’s website for the obituaries of Diane Phillips Townsend and Shirley Jenkins Primes. Pray for family members left behind to grieve.

Our Monthly Missions for May is “Moving Mountains” which helps provide basic needs for foster children when they are placed in a temporary home. We are collecting new pajamas for boys and girls from newborns to teens. you can leave your donations in the church office.

Do something special to make this a better day for others.

Anna Lee

For God so loved the world that He sent His Only begotten Son into the world that whosoever believeth in Him might have everlasting life.

John 3:16

Shirley Primes passed away. She was the mother of Chris and Dawson and a longtime friend.

Bro. Mike Townsend’s. mother’s obituary is posted now. Please pray for these two families.

Anna Lee

For the wages of sin is death,

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Romans 6: 23 NIV~

Check the FBC website for information about VBS which will begin in one week. You can register online or at the church office this week.

Rev. Michael Townsend of Pine Ridge and Tangipahoa Methodist churches lost his mother, Charlie Diane Phillips, Townsend, this week.

Lawrence “Pap” Richard Russell

October 22, 1939 – May 21, 2022

A resident of Independence, LA, passed away on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born October 22, 1939 in Independence, LA and was 82 years of age. Pap was a member of the Tangipahoa Parish Home Builders Association. He is survived by his wife, Camille Phillips Russell; 1 daughter, Wanda Russell Breen (Jimmy); 2 sons, Rodney Russell (Margaret) and Larry Wade Russell (Theresa); 2 step-sons, Brandon Hammons (Tanya) and Hagen Hammons; 2 sisters, Dorothy Hulsey Mitic and Mary Jean Coates; 1 brother, Norwood Russell; 7 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his parents, Aaron Russell and Annie Lucille Russell; granddaughter, Jenifer Wade Russell. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 9:00AM until religious services at 11:00AM on Monday, May 23, 2022. Services conducted by Rev. David Cutrer. Interment Bankston Cemetery, Independence, LA. Pallbearers will be Jimmy Breen, Jeremy Russell, Kelley Neal, Brandon Hammons, Hagen Hammons, and Brandon Rayburn. Honorary pallbearer will be Johnny Rayburn. The family would like to invite guests to a meal at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 202 Hwy 43, Independence, LA. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

READ AND WRITE SCRIPTURE TODAY

May 23 – Hosea 6:: 1-2

Check your prayer list and pray today.

Anna Lee Alford

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

~Genesis 1: 27 NIV~

Monthly Missions for May – New pajamas for foster children

Do this as an individual or work with a group/class.

Yesterday’s Ladies Workday

We were blessed to have two young ladies join in and help.

To the lady who sent me a third check for $25.00: You money was used to purchase jumbo/giant size coloring books for the children.

READ AND WRITE SCRIPTURE TODAY – “I BELIEVE”

May 22 – Romans 5: 5 NIV

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Anna Lee

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

~John 3:5~

READ AND WRITE SCRIPTURE TODAY – “I BELIEVE”

MAY 21 – John 3:5

Heather Allen Nicholas

November 18, 1971 – May 19, 2022

A life long resident of St. Helena Parish, passed away on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at home in Kentwood, LA. She was born November 18, 1971 in Hammond, LA and was 50 years of age. She is survived by her husband, Michael J. Nicholas; 2 sisters, Georgiana Allen Kennedy and husband, T.L. and Spring Allen Stewart; sister-in-law, Missy Lawton; nieces and nephews, Dalton Kennedy, Raleigh Kennedy, Nicholas Stewart, Bradley Stewart, Brooke Stewart, A.J. Allen, Brynne Huye, Allie Amond and Mandy Amond; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Preceded in death by her parents, Jake W. Allen and Linda Travis; grandparents, Mamie Bridges Allen, J.T. Allen, E.D. Travis and Georgia McCoy Travis. Visitation at Pine Ridge United Methodist Church from 9:00AM until religious services at Noon on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Services conducted by Rev. Dr. Michael Townsend. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to International Myeloma Foundation at https://give.myeloma.org. McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Reminder: The Ladies’ Workshop for OCC will meet this morning in the fellowship hall at 9:00 A. M. School age girls are invited too.

Find time to prepare for Sunday.

Anna Lee