An On Mission Celebration is an association-wide or area-wide missions awareness event involving Southern Baptist state Baptist conventions, the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board missionaries, and other missions organizations.

Learn more at www.omc.cc, and view our On Mission Celebration schedule here.

More than 50 persons from the churches of Pickens County walked the main streets of Aliceville, Alabama, Saturday, December 5th, praying for the town and its people. This was the first of a series planned for the first Saturday morning of each month. The next prayer walk will begin at City Hall on January 2nd at 9am.
Leaders of the prayer walk were pastor Jack House and Terry Billings. Jack is vice moderator and Terry the chairman of evangelism for the Pickens Baptist Association.

Some of the topics about which the walkers prayed were as follows:

1. Salvation for those in the town who have not acknowledged Jesus as their Lord and Savior;
2. Spiritual Growth and maturity for the Christians in the town.
3. For Christians to see the opportunities for ministry and evangelism provided by the openning of a Federal Prision for Women in Aliceville in May of 2011.
4. Understanding of the consequences of a proposed vote on whether or not to allow the sale of alcohol and the opening of saloons and juke joints in the town.
5. Asking that the opening of the prison will, indeed, result in economic improvement in Aliceville.
6. For the cultural barriers which divide the town to come down.
7. That all Christians will take seriously the commands to love God and love their neighbors at least as well as they love themselves.
8. That the polical and ecnomic leaders of the town will be driven by the Christian teachings regarding right, goodness, and justice.
9. That greed will be overcome in the hearts of those pushing for the sale of alcohol.
10. That civility will character all interpersonal relationships.

About 160 men and boys attended the annual prayer breakfast, January 27th which was hosted by Mineral Springs. The MS men were assisted by the men from Arbor Springs in cooking a wonderful breakfast.Many items for the Righteous Oaks Residental Treatment Center were donated by the men and boys. An additional $400 will be sent to that ministry. The boys expressed great excitement about the coming pinewood derby. Over 50 cars have been distributed. On Sunday, Feb. 3, the track will be open from 2 to 4 at Pickensville FBC for trial runs. The race will be on Saturday, Feb. 9.

The Galilee Baptist Church of Panola will dedicate its new building on Sunday, August 12. Services will begin at 10am. Bro. Little invites anyone who can and wishes to attend to come and participate. Bro. Gary will be representing our association at this event. You will recall that this was one of the 9 churches burned by arsonists in February of 2006. The actual dedication service will be in the afternoon, beginning at 3:30pm. Mike Hall, Branon Pinion and Gary Farley will be speaking very briefly. The main speaker will be Bro. James Wright of Mt. Hebron, Aliceville. He will be accompanied by the wonderful choir of that church. Looking for a blessed time.

Hundreds of persons have donated time and materials, as well as money, to make this great day happen.

The service on Sunday was attended by about 500 persons. It was a joyful time. The Cloyd family, parents of one of the arsonists attended. The crowd expressed their support to the family. The choir from Mt. Hebron sang well. And Bro. James Wright brought an appropriate and challenging message.

A similar service at Morning Star is about two months away.

We love our churches. Dolly Jones and I talked about this recently. City churches last only about 50 years. Our churches, mostly are more than 100. Folks have met God in these churches. They are special places.

Earlier in the day I attended the homecoming at Springhill. The association will meet there on Oct. 8th for the first day of the 172nd annual meeting. We will make the 150th anniversary of the meeting house there. Should be a fine time. I met the Phillip Williams family there. They are on furlough from the mission field in Ethiopia. They serve under our IMB. Phillip is part of the Williams family which has been a part of this congregation from its beginnings in 1842.

The Campground at Unity Grove was blessed this past Thursday by the music of the Pickens County Singing Men. Joining them for the first time was our DOM, Bro. Gary. He sang whichever part he thought he could do, plus making up some unique parts as well. Their next performance will be in revival the week of August 7th at Big Hill. More on that later.

The more. We will sing at Big Hill on the 7th. 7 pm. We hope to enlist the pastor in our choir. We noted that he, Curly Ralph Smith, was wearing our uniform, blue shirt and grey pants over at the camp meeting. His singing, however, needs a little work.

For those serious about Southern Gospel music, the Perrys will be at Highland on Thursday, the 9th. 7pm. The Sacred Harp singing will be at Elmore=Center UMC on Wednesday, August 15, beginning at 10am.

Homecoming with the Capstones on August 5th at Crossroads of Carrollton.

Homecoming at Springhill, Carrollton, on the 12th. Brunswick stew.