Hooray! Brownwood Road is open again!

I’m sure I’m speaking for everyone out this way we are so thankful to have Brownwood Road open again. We want to say “thank you” to county, state, local authorizes and/or whoever had a part in this. They did an excellent job and made such a big difference in our travel. We and all our surrounding neighbors thank you so much.
Sunday morning attendance was good. It was good to see the ones back that haven’t been for a while due to work, sickness and traveling. Visitors were also present and we welcome them to come anytime we have service. We hope they were blessed while being with us Sunday.
We welcomed James and Caitlin Butler today as our new music directors. He leads the music and she plays the piano. They have two children and another one due in May. This has been a matter of prayer at Brownwood for some time. God always answers our prayers in His time and we are so grateful to Him for sending this family to us.   
The choir’s special was, “Worthy of Worship” and the special music, “On the road to Glory”, by James Butler. Bro. Ron’s message, “The Abundant Life,” Romans 15:13. The thief, who is the devil, comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus came that we could have life and have it more abundantly. Abundant life comes from hope, people need hope only found in God with hope. We can be anchored in Christ. Abundant life consists of joy and peace. We can obtain this abundant life by believing it; always have faith, we process this abundant life by abounding in hope. We live and enjoy abundant life by the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do it on our own but He can. At the end of the service James and Caitlin Butler came forward uniting with our church for membership. We all at church welcomed them and promised our prayers, love and support as their new church family.
Sunday night at 6 p.m.  I was in the nursery so all I know about the service was Bro. Ron started a series of messages on the book of James.
It was good to see Peggy Harper back at church Sunday; she had knee replacement surgery January 11. Continue to pray for her.   
Thursday night, Feb. 7 the Morgan County Associational Brotherhood meets at Beacon Heights Baptist Church at 7 p.m. The executive committee meets at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb.9 at 10 a.m. the Women’s Ministry will meet at Brownwood Community Building. Everyone needs to bring brunch food. All ladies are invited.
Ellen Austin visited Mary Jo Collins Tuesday at The Mews in Social Circle.
Thursday Ellen Austin visited Eula Veal and Gladys McCannon and family. She reports Gladys’ grandson Christian’s cancer is in remission now and he is doing well. This is great news. We have had him on our prayer list for a long time and we thank God.
Lorene Almand, Anthony Almand and Rhonda Duran visited Peggy Harper Monday afternoon and brought her supper.
Margie Ward, Julie Phillips, Eleanor and Charles Harwell were among many to attend the 60th wedding anniversary celebration of John and Peggy McMillian Saturday afternoon at Crossroads Baptist Church in Eatonton. Everyone attending had a good time.
Saturday, Feb. 16 a church wide Family Night Meal will be held at 6 p.m. in the Family Life Center at Brownwood.
Sunday, Feb. 17 will be Bring A Friend Day at Brownwood.

Hope
Hope is the feeling that you will succeed tomorrow in what you failed at today.   
Anyone can overcome depression. The first step is to simply realize that there is hope.
He who has health has hope and he who has hope has everything.
Hope is that which makes us live today as if tomorrow were yesterday.   
Life without hope is a life without meaning.
Strong leaders never lose hope.
Remember hope is still a Christian virtue.
When you reach for the stars you never get a handful of mud.
A gardener is someone who believes that what goes down must come up.   
The greatest enemy of man is not disease it’s despair.   
Pray for the sick and shut-ins.

Printed in the February 7, 2013 edition.