Claybanks United Methodist Church, 9197 56th Ave. in Montague, will have several Holy Week services next week.

Honesty is not always the easiest path, but it’s usually the most loving path.

I was not quite 5 years old when I stood, looking up the steps to our upstairs, yelling “Mommy hurry, Mamaw is dying.” My grandmother Ina Hinkle and aunt Maude Hinkle were in the room trying to comfort my Mamaw Mollette. Throughout the morning she had been sick. She had complained about pain…

My son was away in a foreign country when I was duped out of $350 years ago. The caller was very professional sounding and convincing. I believed that if I did not pay the money owed by my son it would negatively impact his career. This was at the beginning of the telephone scam industry and…

A retired minister and his wife had never owned a house. They had spent all their married lives living in housing provided by churches. At age 65 they bought a house and financed it for 15 years. They had been frugal and had saved a good down payment. They paid for the house by age 80. The v…

You can lose about one pound a week if you try. If you don’t try, you won’t lose any.

When I was a child at Tomahawk Elementary School in Martin County, Ky. there were many kids who got little to nothing for Christmas. I had classmates who I would never ask if they got anything for Christmas because I already knew the answer. Some of these kids were just glad to be in school.…

Christmas is a good time to catch up on your pumpkin pie eating. Pecan pie seems readily available so this too is a good option. Try to drink one glass of eggnog during the season of joy. Eggnog does have some calories and fat grams but one glass won’t hurt you too bad. I don’t recommend dri…

Christmas once started for me when the JCPenney and Sears catalogs came in the mail. They came early in the fall and I wore them out looking at the toy section. By December, the catalogs where in shambles.

Thanksgiving always comes and goes too fast. We often think, “We need more time to focus on the Thanksgiving holiday.” For many, it seems that Thanksgiving gets sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas.

Thanksgiving is coming and it’s never out of season to say thank you.

Adversity is an unavoidable part of life. Death of a loved one, breakup of a relationship, malicious action by another, job loss, natural disaster, or any other undesirable event are all circumstances people encounter. Events happen that are beyond our control.

Do you make a difference in the world? Does anyone care about what you do? Are some people more important than others? We all ask ourselves these questions from time to time. Some people wonder about them more than others.

Do you make a difference in the world? Does anyone care about what you do? Are some people more important than others? We all ask ourselves these questions from time to time. Some people wonder about them more than others.

At the beginning of each worship service, my pastor invites the members of the congregation who are present, and those who are watching the service online, to center ourselves for worship. “Take a deep breath together,” she says, “breathing in God’s spirit and grace. We are the church, the p…

Life is one day at a time. You don’t have tomorrow. You hope for tomorrow but it’s not guaranteed. We plan for tomorrow. We save for tomorrow and look forward to tomorrow.

Prayer…what is it? How do I do it? Where do I do it? Is it necessary? These may be some of the questions you have when you consider the word “prayer.” Since becoming a Christ-follower many decades ago, prayer has been a continual part of my life. Prayer is simply a conversation with God, our…

The key to managing stress is monitoring and controlling the way you react. Stress affects you mentally and physically. Mental manifestations include irritability, sleeplessness, a lack of focus, emotional swings, a feeling of helplessness, and a short temper. Physical symptoms include eleva…

Enjoyable weather is coming soon. For many parts of the country September through November offers many pleasant days. Don’t waste them by spending all your time starring at the television or Facebook. You still have some life to live. Spending four or five hours a day watching what everyone …

People who have lost their houses and cars and everything they’ve worked for all their lives may feel like giving up. Some do. After thirty or forty years they don’t feel like they have it within them to rebuild and try again. Some have no choice but to live the life they’ve been handed. Fin…

Today marks the annual White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ’s “Praise and Picnic” in the pavilion at Goodrich Park in Whitehall. It all begins at 10:30 a.m. for worship with the church picnic will follow. All are welcome, and those able may bring a dish to pass.This is a rain or…

Gary Thomas, a Christian writer, penned a book entitled, “Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God,” and for the next few columns, I am basing my meditations on the sacred pathways he identifies for becoming closer to God and finding an awareness of his presence in our daily lives.

Every day you wake up is a special day. It is filled with potential and opportunity. Yet too many people start their days in a foul mood. They drag themselves out of bed to prepare to endure another day. Starting on Monday, their objective is to make it to Friday. Then, on the weekend, Sunda…

Let’s all try to spend today and the rest of our lives more wisely. With rising inflation, we are all having to spend our hard-earned paychecks with care. Life is the same. We have less life today than yesterday. We don’t have as much life to spend today. We are all clueless how much life we…

Father’s Day is here again and you still have a chance at having a great family.

Barring inclement weather, the Sunday Worship Service will take place at 10:30 a.m. outdoors in the church parking lot today at White Lake Congregational United Church of Christ. “The congregation began outdoor worship during the pandemic and it has become a popular new tradition on the thir…

Gary Thomas, a Christian writer, penned a book entitled, Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God, and for the next few columns, I am basing my meditations on the sacred pathways he identifies for becoming closer to God and finding an awareness of his presence in our daily lives.

Gary Thomas, a Christian writer, penned a book entitled, “Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God,” and for the next few columns, I am basing my meditations on the sacred pathways he identifies for becoming closer to God and finding an awareness of his presence in our daily lives.

Gary Thomas, a Christian writer, penned a book entitled, “Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God,” and for the next few columns, I am basing my meditations on the sacred pathways he identifies for becoming closer to God and finding an awareness of his presence in our daily lives.

The Our Lady of White Lake Knights of Columbus Council 12985 is again sponsoring its annual raffle ticket sale fundraiser. All of the proceeds will be donated to helping mothers and babies, people in need of winter coats, the White Lake Giving Tree, food banks and other worthy causes. Raffle…

The community is invited to attend a prayer gathering to observe the National Day of Prayer at the Whitehall City Hall, 405 E. Colby St., in Whitehall, Thursday, May 5 at noon.

Gary Thomas, a Christian writer, penned a book entitled, “Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul’s Path to God,” and for the next few columns, I plan to base my meditations on the sacred pathways he identifies for becoming closer to God and finding an awareness of his presence in our daily lives.

As Easter approaches, I am remembering my tour of the Holy Land and one of the most memorable stops in the garden representing the place where the tomb of Jesus was located. Two things stood out about my visit there.

A Lenten concert will be offered at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, located at 2349 W. Jackson Rd. in Hart, Monday, April 11 at 7 p.m.

In “On the Way, A Lenten Journey,” by author Ann Voscamp, she suggests, “Lent is about letting the things of the world fall away so the soul can fall in love with God.”

In America we pursue the occupation of our choice. That doesn’t mean we always like our jobs but we can choose to pursue another career or several different careers. We can choose our state, community and house. That doesn’t mean we can easily afford to live where we choose but we are free t…

All are welcome at the White Lake Congregational Church each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. for the “Supper and Study” series this Lenten season.

In Colossians 1:10-11, it says: “So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.…

Everyone will face insurmountable challenges in life. The price of longevity is heartache, opposition, failures, grief and life events that come out of nowhere. Life is filled with the death of loved ones, financial ups and downs, daily health challenges and world events that impact us wheth…

The ongoing pandemic has robbed too many of us of life’s bittersweet moments – including the ability to get together for everything from birthday parties to weddings to funerals.

During the time of Covid, it has been difficult to worship in community. Most churches spent at least the early days of Covid streaming their worship services so that their parishioners could participate in worship on-line. As they have opened for in-person services, their recommended or req…

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision the people perish.” Everyone needs a strategy. You may be 25 or 85 years in age. Who cares? Probably the only one who cares about your age is you. Your age either tells you that you are too young or too old. Remember, age is only a number. We have to …

The Hebrew word hesed appears throughout the Old Testament and encompasses love, mercy, compassion, grace and faithfulness to another person such as was shown in God’s covenant with Israel and in his love for each of us.

You’ve experienced one or more toxic emotions. Anger, frustration, fear, guilt, bitterness, resentment, and sadness negatively impact you. Toxic emotions cause you mental and physical harm.

The first Sunday of the new year, I did not attend in-person worship and, for some unknown reason, I was unable to connect with the two on-line church services I watched the most during the pandemic. I ended up watching the Sunday service of the First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton, Ill., an…

It is the Advent season again, and I am reminded by Luke 2: 13-14 that the birth of Christ was hailed by the music of the heavenly hosts, praising God. God gave us music as well, to offer our prayers to Him and glorify Him.

Thanksgiving is much more than a big meal with family and friends. It’s a time to reflect on, and be thankful for, all of the good things you have. It’s important to be grateful, not just on Thanksgiving, but each and every day. Rather than lamenting what you feel is lacking in your life, be…

It is the Thanksgiving season, and I just attended a charity auction and bought a centerpiece made by a good friend for the feast that I will be hosting at my home. On a tray are two decorated pumpkins, one reading “Grateful” and the other, “Blessed.”

I’ve written a lot lately about heritage and legacy; how our heritage impacts who we are, and how an awareness of what legacy we will leave might shape how we live our lives today.

I just had my 75th birthday, and I can hardly believe it! I feel so young and definitely “with it.” But it’s true, and with this milestone birthday, I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy – what do I leave behind. I’m not thinking so much in terms of funds or material goods or property. I’ve …