Church news

At left, some youngsters at the First Methodist Church of Burke Easter Egg Hunt held Saturday, March 22, were about ready to call it a day, when Heather Hargis found an overlooked egg. (Photo by Anthony Delco)

Huntington United Methodist Church

March 16th was Palm Sunday.

Thought: Our thoughts are on Lent and its special meaning to us. Lent is a time to quietly and firmly release all that is unlike the Christ. Mathew 26:32.

March Birthdays: Sissy Billeck, Stacy Wilroy and Trena Wilroy all the 16th; David Harris and friend Pearl Havard is 96 years old, March 17th and her grandson Calahan Bunn the 18th. Also, Jillian Leonard, Berta Love's granddaughter the 19th; Phleshia Nerren Smith the 20th.

Anniversary Blessings to: Chuck and Lynda Zimmerman, Bill and Elsie Simpson.

Debra enjoyed the chance to visit with Dr. Bill Taylor, newly appointed District Superintendent to the North District of the United Methodist Church. He will be serving over the church with their mutual friends Carol and Barbara Means in Texarkana, so he and Carol will get to do lots more fishing. Debra also enjoyed a visit with Bishop Huie.

At right, Joining in on the Fun, David Martin Fussell celebrates his first Easter.

March 16th began Holy week. On March 20th the congregation will come together for Holy Thursday services. This "Maundy Thursday" service will begin at 6:30.

Our sympathy is with the families of 20 year, Cody Joseph Holland old who had been stationed in the Al Asad Air Base in Iraq in 2007. He was killed in a car wreck Saturday morning in Buffalo, Texas.

Kim Bevis, bride-elect of Doug Sheffield, was honored with a bridal shower at the home of Linda Clark on Sunday, March 9th. The future groom is the son of Byford and Sandy Sheffield of Huntington United Methodist Church. Pastor Martin Doran will officiate at the April nuptials in Galveston.

The Huntington Garden Club met at the home of Debra Bashaw on Tuesday, March 11th. Dawn Stover of the SFA Mast Arboretum presented a program on "Garden Scents-How Garden Scents Evoke Memories," and gave members a sneak peek at the upcoming arboretum plant sale. Everyone in attendance appreciated Mary Terry's culinary skills and enjoyed the club plant and craft auction. Members in attendance included Janice Wilroy, Carolyn Black, Linda Snider, Sherry Sanford, and new member, Sharon McAdams.

Janice and Joe David Wilroy attended the funeral of her aunt, Eddie Poland, in Refugio on Sunday. Our sympathy is with the family.

Bob and Debra Bashaw hosted the executive board of Gardening Friends of Lufkin for their annual meeting. Sharon Hoyt of Pineywoods Herb Farm in Kennard catered the meal for Rachel Emrick, Verna Griffith, Gerrell and Tempe Durham, Dorothy Dorsett and Devereaux and Jean Chapman.

Beulah Congregational Methodist

Church

Beulah Congregational Methodist Church will celebrate 116 years of ministry during its Homecoming scheduled for April 13 this year, beginning at 10 a.m. The Church located on FM 58 was founded in 1892, and since the beginning its members have had a history of helping needy people and sharing with the community.

After moving from Ryan Chapel to Round Prairie the church found a permanent home in the Beulah Community in 1892 where the Congregation shared its premises with the Beulah School until 1917 when a new school was constructed.

Looking through the Church's history, you will find a surprising amount of information regarding the earlier founders and settlers of the surrounding community. Just a few of the founding names you will read are Blake, Weeks, Havard, Fairchild, Grimes, Strain, Wheeler, Squyres, and Scarborough.

Rev. Allen Squyres was the first pastor of Beulah Congregational Church which has continued through the years to be a mainstay of support and worship for the community and Angelina County. For example, in recent yea1s, the church has shown this support to the community by sharing its building with other denominations such as Jubilee Baptist church. Jubilee has since moved to Diboll, and both churches continue to grow with community support.

In the past years our guest speakers have been life-long members of the community such as Rev. Billy Harold, Rev. Dorothy Scarborough, Lila Mae Strain, and Pearl Havard. This year's guest speaker will be Mrs. Bernice Blake Weisinger whose parent's names may be found in the Congregational Methodist Church records listed as delegates to the church many times. Also, her younger brother, Joe Blake, has served as pastor of the Beulah Congregational Methodist Church for several years. Mrs. Weisinger is the oldest of seven children, and she has been a large influence on all of her younger siblings throughout her life.

The message this year will be delivered by 17 year old Trey Thompson who preached his first Sunday sermon at Beulah Congregational Methodist Church and has since preached at three other churches. He started leading song services first at Beulah and then also at Prairie Chapel in Diboll. Trey has been home schooled and has completed Bible classes for the lasts nine years. He ha& attended the Texas Southern Gospel School of Music and has been blessed with the ability to play the guitar and harmonica. For more information, please contact: Gene Squyres 936-634-7840 or Herman Strauss 936-829-3584.