Prayer

Pray for Pastor Kenny, Amy, Kaylee, Chole, Ruthie, and Luke today.  Lift our pastor and his family up. Pour out your thankfulness to God for sending us this beautiful family! Pray protection and wisdom over Pastor Kenny as he continues to preach the TRUTH of GODS WORD to us.

Pray for our Worship Team and Choir

* Pastor Kenny Windsor

 I was nine years old when we attended a singing service at Carnes Chapel Congregational Methodist Church in Attalla, Alabama when I felt God pulling me.  The service was a type of celebration service many churches had around the first Sunday of the month.  They would often bring in a quartet and for an hour or so, all we would do is sing.  It was at the close of the service when my sister, Patsy Mayo went to the altar and gave her heart to Christ.  My family was so excited that we had to stop my Grandmother’s house to tell her and my Grandfather.  When we arrived, Grandma was already in bed and Granddaddy was headed that way.  We went into the bedroom where my grandmother was lying down and told her about my sister getting saved.  When everyone went back into the living room, I stayed behind and talked to my Grandma about what was going on in my heart.  I knew that I too wanted to get saved.  She knew immediately what was happening and she asked me if I wanted to be saved as well.  I told her I did, then she and I prayed at that moment and I knew without a doubt that I had been saved.  I do not think I could have explained it very well, but I knew who Jesus was and you would not convince me otherwise. 

    As a pastor, I often watch siblings be baptized at the same time because they both accepted Christ at the same time.  The parents are usually a little suspect in both kids being saved at the same time.  They fear one (usually the youngest) is doing it because big brother or big sister is doing it.  The night I accepted Christ, there is no doubt that my sister’s conversion made me much more aware of the Holy Spirit’s drawing.  I’m certain there were some who thought I accepted Christ because my sister did.  I am just thankful I was there when she was saved because she led me to Christ and my Grandmother ushered me in.

*Rene’ House

I was saved in VBS at Underwood Baptist Church when I was 10 years old or so. I have a Bible packed away somewhere with the exact date on it. I remember thinking the altar call was for me. As I grew I went to church every time my parents would take me,  and on Wednesday nights to Pertersville Church of Christ on a church van, to Salam Church of Christ with my grandfather, and  Macedonia with a friend, and when I was able to drive to Underwood Baptist every Sunday.  I say all that to say I greatly desired to be at church.  For a time after high school I did not keep God important in my life and tried to make my own way in the world. I made some messes!

 David and I lived several places after we started having children, each place we moved to I immediately started looking for a church. We wanted to raise our children in church and I have always felt welcome at church.  We have visited some churches to talk about in the past…. I remember one church we visited we were the first ones out the door when the service was over, let’s just say it was a lively service!  Over the years I have attended some churches that helped me draw close to God and some that fulfilled my need to serve. At Kirby Woods Baptist in Memphis I desired for the first time to really be real with God.  I wanted to be totally forgiven for my past like Jesus said but I just could not feel forgiven. I always felt like I had things to hide and if the people I enjoyed worshiping and growing with just knew me for real they would invite me to leave. It was a loving church and until I came to Pleasant Hill it was the closest I have felt to God.  I remember one Sunday being overwhelmed with gratitude to God and feeling the need to put my wedding ring in the offering plate. I heard God say to me give me your marriage.  At that time I did not understand and thought myself silly only to find David and I had some rocky times after that. During our rocky times I remember recalling that moment at church.  God has done that for me several times through the years—given me a picture of what my life will be like if I continue down a road or a nudge about issues that need to be looked at in my life. I now know to take notice.

When I came to Pleasant Hill I found such a loving church.  Being here made me hungry to learn more and to understand everything God has for me to understand. The closer I go to God the more satan kept telling me if they only knew your past they would ask you to leave.  But one Sunday I felt a great need to get rid of satan.  I asked to speak at church and just laid the issues of my past that satan kept throwing at me out in front of my church family, my children and my parents (David already knew).  I wanted to be free and forgiven more than I cared about the outcome of everyone knowing what I was capable of on my own. When I finished I was free!  Yes, it makes me sad to know what Rene’ is like without God but it pales in comparison to the Happiness, Joy and Peace of freedom in Christ!  My salvation started at around 10 years old but it took me most of my life time to feel saved. I think I can say I know what “Work out your own salvation with Fear and trembling” Philippians 2:12 looks like to some degree.   Now my priority is my relationship with God and everything comes after that. God bless!

William’s Story

        In 1943, my family moved back to Florence from Sheffield.  Harold and I would walk from school to Railway Station to ride home with daddy after he got off work.

        We lived at the end of Rasch Road in a house that B.P. and Madyline built.  B. P. was in the Army and Madyline lived with Grandpa and Granny Rhodes.  After B. P. got out of the Army, we moved across the Savannah Hwy to Mud Road in the old Jackson home place.

        Harold and I walked to church at Pleasant Hill.  Daddy worked most Sundays.  We joined the church in 1943 or 1944 (old church building).  And I’ve been here ever since.

        In 1973, there was a revival here and Jim Webster was preaching.  I went to the altar because the Lord really convicted me and I gave my life to Jesus.  At the altar it felt like a warm hand was on my neck and I couldn’t raise my head.  When I got up, it felt like everything was lifted.  I was 38 years old.      

        But that was not the end. All my life there have been a series of ups and downs but I have had a good life.

        I don’t dread death – I just worry about my family.  We all need to live for Jesus.

* Karen Greenhill

 Salvation

I Didn’t Know It, But God Knew Of Me Way Before I Knew Of Him.  After I Was Born, I Was Dutifully Baptized And Christened, Mostly Because Of My Paternal Grandparents.  This Event Happened At My Grandparents’ Church.  Shortly Afterwards, We Moved Away From My Grandparents, And Away From God, It Would Seem.

I Can Remember Going To Church With My Grandparents When I Would Visit Them.  My Best Friend’s Family Invited Me To Go To Church With Them, Too.  And That Was The Extent Of It, Until We Moved To An Area Of The Country Where Going To Church Was Expected.  And We Went To Church, As Expected, But That Didn’t Last More Than A Few Weeks.  Again, We Moved Away From God.

During Those Years, I Did Experience Some God-Like Moments, Things That Occurred That Definitely Got My Attention.  I Instinctively Knew Who Was Responsible For It, But I Did Not Understand Why Or Recognize It For What It Was, A Calling Me Out By Name.  Repeatedly.

It Wasn’t Until After The Birth Of My Daughter That I Started To Pay Attention.  Big Attention.  My First Time To See That Sweet, True Miracle Got My Attention.  In Spite Of All I Had Done In The Past, He Gave Me The Most Beautiful Gift I Had Ever Seen.  I Knew He Was Real And I Knew He Loved Me.  Unconditional Love.  That’s What That Gift Taught Me.  His Love For Me Taught Me How To Love My Baby.  And The One After That And The One After That.  

*Vonda Frederick

*Bensil Greenhill

When ask to write my salvation story I right off the bat started to think of more moving or exciting events that have took place over the years as I have tried to walk with Christ. As I prayed about what to write thinking of events that altered my walk or even gave it a renewed sense of awe. God said to my heart to share the quiet simple story of a child. I was 9 or 10 years old at a tent revival at Central Baptist. I really don’t remember much about what the speaker had to say other than he preached on John chapter 3 about a man called Nicodemus. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and Jesus told him of how the only way to get to heaven was to be born again. The speaker also spoke of how God gave His only Son and whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. Those are the two main points that stuck in my head. The second thing that I remember more vivid than anything was walking down the aisle as they sang “Have Thine Own Way Lord”. I will never forget the feeling that night I was 10 foot tall and bullet proof for I knew GOD was with me. This is by no means the most moving or exciting story I could tell from a readers stand point, but as GOD reminded me today, as for me, it’s my most important story!

Pray for our Sunday School Teachers

Today pray for our Sunday School Teachers.  It is often in the Sunday School groups relationships are made and people are connected.  Deeper understanding of God’s word can grow through discussion.  Our Sunday School teachers need prayer for the process, wisdom, patience, and much energy! If you do not belong to a Sunday School class you are missing a blessing of being a part of the Body of Christ.  Pray for guidance to a class and obedience to be a part. Sunday School classes often get to experience the miracles of God through praying with each other and seeing prayers answered. It is faith building in a way you have to experience to understand to be involved in praying and seeing prayers answered in so many ways. If you belong to a class pray in a big way for your teacher today.  If you would like a class start visiting the different classes.  It is ok to visit several classes and choose the one that is the best fit for you.

*Loving Him forever,

Lin Reynolds

Feb. 2017

I was born in Manteca, California in 1974. My dad was pastoring a church there. Born on Monday, came home Tuesday, and was in church Sunday of that week and have continued to this day. When I was 17 months old we moved from CA to Cincinnati, Ohio where my dad accepted the call to pastor another church.

In the 52 years of his pastoral and evangelism ministry from the East to West coast and Northern and Southern states, 38 of these years he proudly shared in his sermons the conversion of a 5 year old boy, who he “loved more than life,” he would say. That young boy was his son, Lin Allen Reynolds. That’s me and here is when I come in to share my salvation testimony.

We were having a week of revival meetings at our church in Cincinnati. One night after the service was over, my dad took the evangelist out to eat and take him to his motel. My sister, who was 15, went out with the teens for fun and desserts. My mom and I went home to the parsonage. She fixed us a snack. Afterwards she assumed I would be tired and should get ready for bed. I went upstairs to my room and put my Spiderman pajamas on and made my way down to the family room, making my grand entrance doing my Spiderman imitation. I was not interested in going to bed. I told mom I wanted to talk to her. We both headed for the big stuffed chair. A chair we all enjoyed. I sat on mom’s lap and we began some fun small talk. Then I told mom I wanted to tell her something. If you know my mom, she does like to talk, but she was ready to listen. I made several attempts to tell her, but I would pause and say nothing. She assured me that I could tell her anything. With that, I told her I wanted to get saved. She hugged me and told me she loved me and how happy she was that I shared with her the good news. She said, “we don’t have to wait until the revival service tomorrow night, we can pray right here to be saved.” For a few minutes I didn’t say anything and neither did mom. Then I broke the silence and said, “I think I’ll just wait until I’m 6 or 9 and get saved.” We talked awhile about that long waiting period. Then I slid off her lap down by her side in that big stuffed chair. I still didn’t want to go to bed. We sat for a while and talked about many different things. Then I told her I wanted to get saved now. Mom hugged me again and we knelt by the big chair. I prayed saying I was sorry and asked Jesus to come and live in my heart. I believed He did and I jumped up with lots of energy and told mom I would be back in a few minutes. I ran upstairs to the bathroom, washed my face and hands, wet my hair, combed it down slick and flat, then parted it almost in the middle. Next, I reached for dad’s favorite after shave cologne, Brut, and splashed it all over me. Mom said she could smell it all the way downstairs. I came running back to her smiling and happy and jumped in to the big stuffed chair again. I knew I had been saved and Jesus was living in my heart and I wanted to look good and be good for Jesus.

It was 10:30 P.M. now and we were still in the big chair thanking Jesus for hearing my prayer. Then dad opened the front door and said, “Wowee, I smelled Brut before I turned the door knob.” He asked me why I was still awake and why I was slicked up and smelling so good. My mom and I shared my conversion with him. He began crying, picked me up, gave me a big hug and a kiss, thanking the Lord for what had just taken place. My sister came home and we gave her the good news and she gave me happy hugs and kisses too. We were all excited.

That next Christmas I gave dad a bottle of Brut. This coming Christmas, 2017, I will have given dad 38 bottles of Brut. It’s a special gift, a reminder of what happened that awesome night. That night, I chose to take the journey loving and following Jesus every step of the way to heaven. It is a challenging journey, but also rewarding.

From the night of my conversion, 1979, I have never wavered from my love and walk with the Lord and the path I chose that night in the “big stuffed chair.”

* Jan Fulmer

John 13: 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Jesus spoke these words after washing the disciples’ feet.  He wanted them to know that following him included serving others with love and the message of salvation.

My salvation story is not a one – time revelation, but one of growth and taking self out of the picture.

I was reared in a Christian home and attended church faithfully my whole life.  At the age of twelve, I asked Jesus into my heart and was baptized through sprinkling. I continued being what I call a “faithful Christian” throughout the following years.  I was even immersed so I could be more like Jesus. 

. Service

Following Jesus is not hard to do. Implementing the ways of Jesus can sometimes be unpleasant and demanding. My prayer is that I will obey when service to someone else is needed.