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Bethel AME Church, 105 N. Fourth St., will have a message given at the 11 a.m. March 21 worship service by former pastor, the Rev. Billy Freeman. At 3 p.m. April 11, the gospel choir will celebrate its 63rd anniversary. The Rev. Ray Emanuel is pastor.
First Baptist Church, 510 W. Collin St., will begin “Divorce Care” classes at 6 p.m. April 11 in the church parlor. Chuck McElroy will lead the group. “Divorce Care” helps you recover from the pain of separation and divorce. Come join in and find help, discover hope and experience healing. Cost is $15 for the workbook. For more information, contact the church office at (903) 872-7473.
First Independent Baptist Church, 701 G.W. Jackson Ave., invites you to join in at 10:50 a.m. March 21 for its 62nd ushers annual. The theme will be “Working Together in Unity” from Psalm 133:1. Guests will be St. Paul Baptist Church of Ennis and Pastor John Given. Host pastor is Donald Lacey and ushers president is Sister Mary Johnson.
Greater Haynes Memorial Church, where Elder C.D. Washington is pastor, invites you to friend and family day at 3:15 p.m. March 21. The church is located at 601 N. Denton St., Mexia. The guest will be Pastor Anthony Taylor of St. Hill Church of God in Christ in Fairfield. Members are expecting God to bless and are looking forward to seeing you. Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact Elder Washington at (903) 874-1970.
Heavenly Days Country Holiness Church, 12852 County Road SW2140, Richland, will host a renewal revival, “Prepare Ye the Way,” through March 28. Services will be at 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. Revival speakers are Pastors David and Laura Walker of Ratcliff; Evangelists Larry and Shelle Cooke of Sealy; Evangelist Eva Noel of Houston; Evangelist David Garner of West Siloam Springs, Okla.; and Evangelists Rick and Sherry Ross of Hill Top Lake. There will also be a concert from 3 to 6 p.m. March 20 featuring Called Out from Olds, Iowa; The Cominsky Project from Graford; Seeking Absolution from Crockett; and Jeff Cox from Corydon, Iowa. For more information, contact pastors Al and Teresa Smirl at (469) 387-0580 or (903) 362-3324.
Hope Center will offer “Restoring Hope — Abortion Recovery Ministry.” Forty-three percent of women have had an abortion. You are not alone. Come share your heart in a safe, confidential environment, and find peace with God, yourself and others involved in the abortion experience through a Bible study. For more information, call the Hope Center at (903) 872-2881. Inquiries are confidential.
Johnson Memorial Church of God in Christ, where Elder Joseph Johnson Sr. serves as pastor and Missionary Charlene D. Johnson serves as first lady, will have an auxiliaries in ministry program at 7:30 p.m. March 25.
The sponsors of this program will be the usher board, Sister Georgia Lemons, president; and prayer band, Missionary Charlene D. Johnson, president. A worship program titled “The Royal Path of Life” will be presented. The participants will be Sister Betty Calhoun, Sister Loretta Albert, Sister Georgia Lemons, Sister Marvel Bryant, Sister Petrina Pipkins, Sister Bridget Jennings, Sister Ruby Hollie, Sister Gloria Ballard, Sister Charlene Johnson, Sister Tiffany Dorn, Sister Shelena McBride and Sister Christine Goddard. The public is extended an invitation to come and fellowship in this service.
Kelly’s Temple Church of God in Christ, 501 N. Third St., where Billy Joe Kelly is pastor, would like to extend an open invitation to all to fellowship in the church’s annual friends and family celebration to be held at 3:30 p.m. March 21. Honored guests will be Bishop John Baker and the Harmony Baptist Church family. Everyone is invited to come as the Lord and Savior is lifted up in songs of praise. Baker will provide a mighty word from the Lord. You are welcome to attend.
Love Chapel Baptist Church, 400 N. Benton St., where David E. Wilson serves as pastor and Sharron D. Wilson serves as minister, will observe its family and friends day March 21. The theme for the occasion will be “Christian families praying and dwelling together in unity.” Sunday school will begin at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m., where the spoken word will be brought by Minister Sterling Ballard. All former members, family and friends are invited to come home and give praise and thanks to God for His many blessings. There will be great singing, poems, words of encouragement and shouts of joy unto God for everything that He has brought you through. The Love Chapel Church family is excited and delighted for the moving of God’s Spirit in the house of God. You are invited to come and join in and help worship God in the beauty of holiness.
Men’s Community Prayer Breakfast will meet at 6:45 a.m. Wednesday in the Lone Star Room of the Walker Dining Hall on the Navarro College campus. This meeting is open to all men in the community. The main emphasis is prayer for the community with interceding for leaders, schools, institutions, government and churches in the community. For more information, call (903) 874-5561.
Mount B. Zion Baptist Church, State Highway 309, Goodlow, where the Rev. Nathan Carter is pastor and Sister Annette Carter is first lady, will have special guests Pastor Cox and Mount Olive Baptist Church for the 3 p.m. March 28 worship service. The month of March is “Loyalty Month” and each member is asked to be faithful to their church. Everyone is welcome to come to both services as well as other services at Mount B. Zion Baptist Church. Services are as follows: Sunday — Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. with the first Sunday music by the sanctuary choir and the Zionettes; Tuesday — mission and brotherhood at 6:30 p.m.; and Wednesday — Bible study at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call (903) 396-2759.
New Bethel Baptist Church, 700 Elm Flat Road, Goodlow, where the Rev. Earnest Betts is pastor, will celebrate its men’s day at 3:30 p.m. March 21. Everyone is invited. Special guests will be Bethlehem Baptist Church and its pastor, the Rev. Dairy Johnson Sr., who will bring the message.
The church will ordain the Rev. Cedric Langley at 3:30 p.m. March 28. The public is invited. For more information, call (903) 396-2333.
Open Bible study and gospel singing is held every Thursday at the Senior Activity Center, 919 W. Park Ave., Corsicana. There is no cost to attend. Singing with Patrick and Nancy McCurrin on guitars and Virginia Terry on piano is held from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Bible study is held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. with Peggy Smith as the teacher of this class. For more information, call activity director Fred Biltz at (903) 654-4980.
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 312 N. 13th St., will have Holy Week services. At 11 a.m. March 28, the church’s chancel choir will present a Lenten cantata “One Sunday in Jerusalem.” At 7 p.m. March 28, the Rev. Ted V. Foote Jr. will begin a two-day visit as Holy Week speaker.
Foote is a graduate of Gatesville High School, Baylor University and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He is co-author (with the Rev. P. Alex Thornburg) of two books, “Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt” (2000) and “Being Disciples of Jesus in a Dot.Com World” (2003). Since 1979 he has served as associate pastor of San Pedro Presbyterian Church in San Antonio (four years), pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Henderson (11 years), pastor of John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Tulsa (13 years) and since 2007 as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Bryan. Foote is married to Joanie Chadwick, who has taught junior and senior high speech and theatre arts. Their sons are Kendall (22) and Payton (18).
Foote will continue his Holy Week series with a breakfast at 7 a.m. March 29, a Bible study at 10 a.m. that day and a service at 7 p.m.
In addition, Westminster will observe Maundy Thursday with communion at 6:30 p.m. April 1 and Good Friday Tenebrae at 6:30 p.m. April 2. An Easter vigil is planned with moments of meditation, personal reflection and prayer at 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 3.
On Easter Sunday, April 4, the youth community of Westminster will lead a sunrise service at 7 a.m., and regular worship with communion will be celebrated at 11 a.m. The public is welcome to attend any and all services.
Women of Glory Ministry will meet at 6 p.m. March 22 at Straight Way Missionary Baptist Church, 400 S. 15th St., where A.E. Smith serves as pastor. All women are invited to attend. Food for thought will be brought by Sister Pamela Colbert from Bethel AME Church, where the Rev. R.C. Emanuel is pastor. Minister Bobbie Jackson is president. Founder is Pastor Erma J. Waites, and advisors are Pastors David E. Wilson and Alvin E. Smith.
Word of Life Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, where Elder Lee James Keeton Sr. is pastor and Sister Creola Keeton is first lady, will have its family and friends day at 4 p.m. March 21. The pastor along with the members invite you to come and worship the Lord. The theme will be “We are family” from Proverbs 17:17. God gives you family, but you choose friends. The speaker of the hour will be Elder William Lewis Jr., pastor of Greater Love Outreach Fellowship Church. You are invited to come and hear this great man of God as he preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. There will be a word of the Lord for you. Come and be blessed. Sister Cherilyn Moss is coordinator. The women’s department of the church will be selling plate lunches on March 26 at 1869 County Road NW1040 in Chapel Hills community, off State Highway 22. Menu will be barbecue brisket, sausage, potato salad, baked beans, bread, cake and drink for $8. Delivery of meals will also be available by calling (903) 422-9122, (903) 257-6224 or (903) 872-1949.

