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ALABAMA UPDATE THE CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY JANUARY 2015

Alabama Update January 2015

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This is the January 2015 Alabama Update for the Alabama Churches of God of Prophecy.

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Page 1: Alabama Update January 2015

ALABAMA

UPDATETHE CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY JANUARY 2015

Page 2: Alabama Update January 2015

Prayer Line

Saturdays 9:00—10:00 AM

Dial: 712-432-1690

Access Code: 650786#

For further information contact Dr. John Wessly

[email protected]

256-658-0701

256-772-7244

Page 3: Alabama Update January 2015

PRAYER ENCOUNTER —January 5-25, 2015

It is impossible to genuinely encounter Christ and walk away unchanged.Ask Paul, Mary Magdalene, Matthew, Zacchaeus, the woman with theissue of blood, Nicodemus, blind Bartimaeus-the list could go on and onof people whose lives were transformed by an encounter with Christ.

For the past seven years, the global family of the Church of God ofProphecy has been called to start the New Year with a season of prayerand fasting. We recognize that prayer is our first core value and thefoundation for all our ministry efforts. The annual twenty-one days ofprayer and fasting is just one way that we walk out this core value in avery important way.

Once again this year, we are calling on our churches and members tomobilize their efforts and join us in a concentrated time, seeking God'sdirection for our ministries locally, nationally, and globally.

We are seeking God for a divine encounter through prayer. We are asking Him to continue to bringbreakthrough in our lives, homes, churches, and nations

.

For twenty-one days, beginning January fifth, we will unite around specific daily prayer directives. These prayerdirectives will be available through our downloadable resources and on our social media. We will be invitingour leaders to share additional prayer points and insights throughout the weeks to help insure our prayers aretouching the most current needs.

On January fourteenth, the International Offices will be inviting viewers to join their annual Night of Prayer livevia simulcast. During this time, viewers will be able to submit requests that will be prayed over by those in theprayer meeting, as well as those watching online.

Additional information about these resources and the simulcast event are available online at www.cogop.org.

After an encounter with the resurrected Christ, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus asked each other, "Didnot our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way...?" As we unite together in prayer, it is myhope the Father will be pleased with us, that He will speak to us, and our hearts will be set ablaze with a passionfor Him that will carry us throughout the entire New Year.

Thank you for your plans and efforts to join us. I believe even greater things are ahead for the Church of God ofProphecy, but they will only be obtained through prayer and fasting.

Bishop Sam Clements

General Overseer

The Church of God of Prophecy

Page 4: Alabama Update January 2015

Fundamentals of The FaithSpiritual Maturity In The Church—Part I

Raymond Pruitt

Spiritual maturity consists of walking in the Spirit, in looking to Him for guidance, wisdom, sufficiency, and power. Neverin the history of the church has it been more important for the members of the Body of Christ to be spiritually mature andfunctioning at full efficiency than in these days when we are coming nearer to the coming of the Lord. Unless we are filledwith the Spirit and yielded to His blessed control, we cannot possibly perform God’s purpose for the Church in the world.

The members of a spiritually mature church are characterized in at least four ways: (1) Each member recognizes and fulfillshis place in the body. (2) Each member accepts and respects the ordained authorities of the body. (3) Each member livesin harmony with all other members of the body. (4) Each member accepts and adjusts to the hardships which come in thecourse of service for Christ. Let us examine these four characteristics as they apply to the individual member and to the bodyas a whole.

I. Each Member Recognizes and Fulfulls His Place in the Body. “For as we have many members in one body, and allmembers have the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Romans12:4, 5).

1. Recognition of privilege and responsibility of membership in the body. A spiritually mature member knows his placein the body, and he accepts the responsibility as well as the privilege of that place. While it is a high privilege to be a partof the body of Christ, we ought to understand that responsibility, rather than privilege, denotes the role of membership in thebody.

A great deal of attention has been given to the baptism of the Holy Ghost as it applies to the individual believer, and thebenefits which flow to him as a result of having received the fullness of the Spirit. But another aspect of the baptism hasreceived too little attention, namely, what the Holy Ghost means to the Church as a whole. Seen from one perspective, thisrelation of the Spirit to the Body and its function in the world is primary, and what He is to the individual member issecondary.

2. The Holy Spirit as the Paraclete of the Church. Unless the relation of the Holy Ghost to the body is kept in focus, thereis a likelihood that some will see the Spirit merely as their own private “power house” which exists to guide, protect, and seethem through their personal experiences and encounters in the world. It is true that He is our personal Paraclete, but He isalso given to the Church to be its Paraclete as it carries out the will of the Lord, who is the Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22,23).

3. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. It is by the one Spirit that we are baptized into the one body (1 Cor.12:13). The covenant of membership which is taken before a minister is the external rite of membership in the visible Church,but the spiritual union with the body is effected by the Holy Ghost. Just as a man and a woman may stand before a ministerto repeat the marriage vows, and he pronounces them man and wife, but it is God who joins them together in the most intrinsicsense (Matt. 19:6), so the Holy Ghost joins the members to the body of Christ in the most intimate spiritual sense.

4. Members one of another. Spiritually mature members see themselves as members one of another. They are givers aswell as receivers. This distinction is shown in the two attitudes of the prodigal son (Luke 15:12, 19). In verse 12, he wasthinking of his own private needs and privileges, so he demanded of his father, “Give me the portion of goods that falleth tome.” But that young man learned much from the consequences of his selfish demands. In verse 19, he had come to realizethat the good life consists of more than receiving. As he began thinking of his responsibility to others, he purposed in hisheart that he would return home and say to his father, “Make me as one of thy hired servants.” A mature member will wantto carry out his share of the responsibility to the body.

The Work of God has suffered much from those spiritless, carnal members who selfishly consume the energies of the bodyfor their own personal ends without any concern for their fellow members. W. H. Fitchett gives a typical example of this fromJohn Wesley’s day (not that we have to go that far back to find an example!), when the ministry was overly obsessed withits privileges, but had forgotten that there were responsibilities in the ministry. He notes how Edward Gibbon cruelly

Page 5: Alabama Update January 2015

embalmed, “like a dead fly in the imperishable amber of his rhetoric,” his own tutor who “remembered that he had a salaryto receive but forgot that he had a duty to perform.”

5. Every member as a spiritual ministry. In the body of Christ every member has a ministry. Everybody is somebody! A. J. Tomlinson emphasized this point throughout his ministry. One of the placards he carried about with him and displayedin his meetings and conventions read, “Every member a worker, and a special work for every one.” We must not limit theministries of the body to the ordained and licensed ministers only. These are divinely appointed and have their vital placeas God-given ministries for bringing the body to perfection, but they do not comprise the totality of the ministries in theChurch.

A. Body ministry. “Body ministry” means a ministry which is distributed throughout the membership for the church. “ForI say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought tothink; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many membersin one body, and all the members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every onemembers one of another” (Rom. 12:3-5).

The “body ministry” motif presents us with a two-fold challenge: First, each individual member must come to the realizationthat he has a ministering role, that he has something to contribute to the body of Christ just as each of his physical organs hassomething to contribute to his body. Second, each member must accept the ministry which God brings to him through fellowmembers, however humble they may be.

B. Helping ministries. Many members are called to the more simple ministries, or “helps” that support the larger ministries. Without these humble roles, the Church could not function . The less honorable ministries are not to be ignored or countedof little significance. Every member is important, and there is no place in the body for the spirit of snobbery, or feelings ofsuperiority. Such attitudes are totally inappropriate in the Church of God. Who can say which are the most importantmembers of the Church? What are the most important members of the physical body? That depends on what the needs ofthe body happen to be at a given time. In a sand storm it might be the eyelids which are most important as they protect thebody from injury by keeping sand out of the eyes. “He that is least among you all, the same shall be great” (Luke 9:48). “Andwhosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44). Everything a member does for the edification ofthe body is important, and those ministries which we tend to think of as being “less honorable, upon these we bestow moreabundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness....God hath tempered the body together, havinggiven more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the membersshould have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one memberbe honored, all the members rejoice with it. for ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Cor. 12:23-27).

In the spiritually mature body every member, even the most humble, can be strong and efficient in his ministry, if he functionsthrough the power of the Holy Ghost. Above all, it must be recognized that the strength and power of the Church, and of itsindividual members, is to be found nowhere else but in the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8). It is good to make full use of workertraining courses, to encourage young people to become better educated, to manage wisely the money which comes into thechurch treasury, to utilize our church buildings to their full potential, and to improve our methodology. These things areimportant. What we can do, we ought to do with all our might, and to do it as well as we can. God deserves the best we cangive Him. But in the final analysis, the Church of God gets its functioning power from the unction of the Holy Spirit, andfrom Him alone. Whatever is human is not enough. Only the Holy Ghost can properly edify the Church and glorify Christ(John 16:4).

6. Expectantly looking to the Holy Spirit always. We must live expectantly, looking for definite manifestations of theworking of the Spirit within the Church. He is God, and He will perform His wondrous works in varied and unusual ways. How the human mentality must learn to adjust and to surrender to His inconsistencies! When a congregation ceases to expectthe supernatural working of the Spirit, it is a sign that the fullness of the Spirit has been relegated to the category of a meredoctrine a truth that may be believed in a theoretical sense, but which has no more concrete effect on the life of thecongregation than the belief that the moon is made of volcanic rock. The Person and work of the Holy Ghost is not just adoctrine to be believed and taught; He is the third person of the Godhead, and He is to be experienced. In the Church, Heis in charge! There is a real danger in restricting the freedom and frequency of the supernatural manifestations of the HolyGhost so that, if He is continually suppressed, His ministry and utterance may become almost extinct. “Quench not the Spirit”(I Thess. 5:19).

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A l t o o n a : Dur i n gDecember the youngpeople at the Altoonachurch went to thehousing projects anddelivered toys, candyand baking goods to theresidences. It was ablessing to the youngpeople that gave, aswell as, the residencethat received.

Chickasaw: Ourpastor’s wife had abirthday and she waspresented with herfavorite cake and some flowers. Also, she and Pastor Pigorschcelebrated 47 years of marriage.C o t t o n d a l e C o m m u n i t y :Renovation began on our sanctuaryand project manager Dan Cardin hasbeen working diligently to overseeeach phase of the project. We had agreat attendance at our Thanksgivingservice with a wonderful fellowshipdinner following the morningworship. To God be the Glory forthe great things He is doing atCottondale!Cunnighham Bridge: We enjoyeda revival with Pastor Shane Patefrom Gadsden. Fayette-North Pointe: We arerejoicing over three being saved thismonth. Thank you Jesus! Gadsden-Living Waters: Wecelebrated Thanksgiving with achurch dinner on the second Sundayand had a great time of fellowship. We welcomed Sister MararetteMilam into our fellowship thismonth. Sister Margarette transferredfrom the Altoona church. Sadly wesaid “See you later” as Brother JerryEmery left this world for home. Please keep the Emery family inyour prayers. Greenpond: Bless His Holy Name. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect andgive thanks to God for His many

blessings. Our church is trulyblessed with the presence of Godmanifested in each service. Weoffer Him praise. Veterans Day wasobserved and to each veteran thathas or is currently defending ourcountry and our freedom, you areheroes. Thank you for yourcommitment, service and sacrifice. Our weekly Bible studies have beenoutstanding and our youth enjoyed anight of games, fun and fellowship.Haleyville-Pathway: We are soblessed, our Judgment House was asuccess. It ran for four nights andhad a great turn out. Our Christmasplay was December 20 and 21. Wewelcomed each one that came andhelped us celebrate the birth of ourLord. Merry Christmas and ablessed new year, and remember thetrue reason for the season. Leesburg: We are thankful to reporta new member, Shelby Hollis hasjoined with the members here atLeesburg. Children’s MinistriesDirector, Christina Callantine, co-ordinated supplying 50 families inour community with Thanksgivingmeals. A spaghetti supper anddessert auction was held to raiseover $1,100.00 for this project. Everyone enjoyed our annual churchThanksgiving supper. Moulton: The Moulton church has

been blessed to havemany visitors. On thesecond Sunday theSpirit moved and wehad one saved. PastorArlene Sutton washonored for PastorAppreciation and was taken out to eat byseveral and givenappreciation cards.Robertsdale: Wes e r v e d o u rn e i g h b o r h o o dThanksgiving dinner

with a wonderful turnout and ablessed day. Short Creek: What a wonderfulmonth of being “Thankful” for allthe blessings that God has bestowedon us! We had fourteen ladies fromour “Women’s Ministry” go on aretreat to Gatlinburg for three nightsand four days. Sister Judy Pate,director, was truly a blessing as she sought the Lord for the devotionsand communion service during thisretreat. We have two new ladies tojoin our group as a result of thisretreat. To God be the glory! Thismonth has been full of illnessamong our people, but God hasbrought each one through victorious. He is still in the healing business. We ended the month with 5th

Sunday singing. We enjoyed soup,chili, and potato bar after thesinging. A pleasant change from theusual dinner which everyoneenjoyed. Sterrett: We welcomed MaryHallman, Randy Castleberry,Chr i s ty Cast leberry, ClayCastleberry and Dillion Castleberryinto the membership of the ChurchOf God Of Prophecy at Sterrett. Praise God! Also, we havewelcomed back a waywardindividual that got upset with thechurch during a time of having to be

Page 7: Alabama Update January 2015

corrected a little over a year ago. God opened up a door to talk withhim over the past two weeks. In hiswords, he had hit the pig pen in hislife and realized the importance ofhaving a church family. He stoodbefore the congregation and askedeveryone to forgive him and hisactions and went to many homesindividually to make things rightwhere he had made comments aboutthem and the church. He testified ofreceiving his joy back. Trulyhumbled! Truly Saved!! To God bethe Glory!Tarrant: November....so much tobe thankful for. The Outreach Teamwas involved in providing andserving the senior citizens at thePresbyterian Manor a Thanksgivingmeal. The churches in Tarrant cametogether for their AnnualThanksgiving Service to give anoffering for “Toys for Tarrant”, sono child will be without Christmasand no one in Tarrant will bewithout a Christmas dinner. Weended the month with a singing anda delicious Thanksgiving dinner.Winfield City Family: Praise Godfor Calvin and Melissa Haneybecoming our newest members. Progressing on new building onHwy 129. Please keep us in yourprayers. Keep in touch atWinfieldcityfamilychurch.blogspot.com.North Alabama Area Gathering: Iwanted to share with you a shortreport from the 4 Quarter Areath

Gathering in North Alabama. Sunday evening we gathered atHuntsville-Bell Road Church for agreat time in unified worship andministry. Even though it was coldand raining, people from all of thearea traveled and filled the building. We were blessed with singing anddrama from across the area. Wewere so happy to have Bishop Jim

Williams ministering during theservice. Bishop Williams is belovedand a true Godly example for us all. Pastor Christmas and the Bell Roadpeople had prepared a time offellowship with the wonderful foodafter service. It was a greatgathering of God’s people. We werealso blessed a few weeks ago withan Area Youth Lock-In with severalchurches participating. Our area isworking together this comingSunday at our local rescue missionin preparation for Thanksgivingdinners.

Tips For Abundant LifeCarolyn Guyton

New beginnings. This is one of myfavorite times of the year –January. Closing one year andwalking into the next one feels likea brand new start, a second chance,a fresh opportunity. This is thetime when we reflect on the pastyear and decide to make the nextone better. Even when we feelrelatively good about theaccomplishments of the previousyear, there is still room forimprovement and growth. I wouldlike to share some suggestions formaking 2015 your best year yet.

Change. If you expect a differentresult from last year, then you mustnot take the same actions you didthen. That is the beauty of a newyear. New implies innovative and

different. Change is critical. Taketime to truly seek God to find whatHe wants for you this year. “Where there are no goals, neitherwill there be significantaccomplishments. There will beonly existence.” Anonymous

Be SMART. Goals are more likelyto be achieved when they arewritten. I recommend using theSMART goals technique. Listeach of the changes you want tomake, being sure they are Specific,Measurable, Attainable, Realisticand Timely. For example, insteadof saying, “I want to read the Bibleand pray more,” say “I will spendat least 30 minutes each morningin private time with God beginningtoday.”

Discipline. Goals will not beaccomplished unless we disciplineourselves to take the necessaryaction. Andy Andrews states,“Self-discipline is the ability tomake yourself do something youdon’t necessarily want to do, to geta result you would really like tohave.” We must keep our eyes onthe prize, our Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ, and push throughthose times when we may notphysically feel like doing what weknow we should.

A year from now, you may wishyou had started today.” KarenLamb

Seek every day for the abundantlife that only comes from God.

For free e-book, subscribe to Live!mailing list atliveyourfullestlife.comfacebook.com/liveyourfullestlife;[email protected]

ÈÈÈÈÈ

Page 8: Alabama Update January 2015

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Prayer Line with Dr. Wessly

Saturdays 9:00 - 10:00 AM

Dial 712-432-1690

Access Code: 650786#

Cottondale: We have 2 NCAARegulation Fiberglass BasketballBackboards and goals with aretractable crank-system for sale. Original price was $2500. Asking$2000, in excellent condition. Individual who installed atCottondale is willing to help withinstallation process who buys. Contact # 205-344-3045 [email protected]

Short Creek: Our Homecoming2015 on October 19 . th

Class For Clerks and Pastor:January 24 , 9:00 am-3:00pm,th

at Woodland Hills Church

Class: New North America On-Line Reporting System for

churches and ministers

Bishop J. Croyle Teacher.

STATE WEB SITESA l a b a ma Up d a t e B l o g :W W W . a l a b a m a u p date.blogspot.comAlabama Web Site: alcogop.orgYouth-Tim Beck Web: www.experiencehydrate.comwww.hydrateministries.com

AVAILABLE FOR REVIVALSRodney Bridges, 707 4 Street SE,th

Ft. Payne, AL, 35967; 205-317-5642.Joey Dobbs: Member of SterrettChurch of God of Prophecy. Telephone (205)746-3017.Earlean Emerson, P O box 1863,

Hamilton, AL 35570. Telephone(205) 921-5637.Christine & Curtis Englebert, 111Woodland Road, Dora, AL 35062Telephone (205) 648-2871 or cell #2 0 5 - 2 7 5 - 1 1 9 9 . [email protected]. Fillin for pastors also.Brenda Kay Pate, P O Box 126 Woodstock, AL 35188; 205-388-1087 or 388-3129. Fill in forpastors also.

SPEAKING AND SPECIALPROGRAMS:

James Adkins, P O Box 921,Collinsville, AL 35961-0920,Telephone (256) 524-3130.Anita Falkner Parker, 3615Moody Pkwy, Moody, AL 35004. Telephone (205) 640-6207.Brenda Kay Pate, P O Box 156;Woodstock, AL, 35188; 205-388-1087 or 388-3129.

MUSICAL MINISTRYBreaking Chains, Elliot:251-454-8946,[email protected]

BIRTHSShort Creek: Jeremiah LawrenceRoberts was born November 22 tohis parents Jeremy and EmilyGraggs/Roberts.

BABY DEDICATIONSAliceville: Lydia Grace, daughter ofAaron and Megan Guthrie wasdedicated November 9 . t h

Grandparents are Charlie and KayePate and Great-grandparents areClifton and Wilda Pate.

DEATHSBessemer-Woodland Hills: We aresad to report the passing of RayRosser on December 24, 2014. Browntown: Marvin Harris,husband of church clerk, Merlene

Harris, went to his rewardNovember 26 . th

Gadsden-Living Waters: We aresad to report Jerry Emery passingfrom this life in November.Hackleburg: Stormie NicolePettus went to her final restingplace January 1, 2015.Mentone: Faithful member LeroyE. Crowe passed from this life intoGod’s presence December 31,2014.

ÈÈÈJANUARY PASTORS/WIVES

Freda ArchieT. J. ArmstrongLinda BatesWanda ClevelandWayne CraigDonna HowardJackie LoganGail LoweryRonald MartinElaine Wilkins

ANNIVERSARIESClifton and Wilda PateDamon and Teresa Rose

COMING EVENTS

Hydrate Campus TourJanuary22 Midfield High School

January 20155-25 Prayer Encounter

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting24 Class for Clerks and Pastor

Bessemer-Woodland Hills9:00 - 3:00 PM

March26-29 Gordon-ConwellMay 31-June 6

Collegiate June

CampsJuly16-19 State Convention

Embassy Suites Hotel & Convention CenterHoover, Alabama

Page 9: Alabama Update January 2015

Midfield High School

Thursday, Jan. 22nd

HYDRATE Campus Tour

Free Event Free Giveaways

www.experiencehydrate.com

JF DPB & CREW 1.22.1

5

6:30

pm

Christa Jordan

Page 10: Alabama Update January 2015

November Statistics 2014

CHURCH SM TITHES Alexander City 29 3430.70 Aliceville 10 3223.44 Alton 55 7110.37 Altoona 15 3465.00 Anniston Praise Worship --- 6256.90 Bayou La Batre 11 320.00 Bessemer Hopewell Rd 98 --- Woodland Hills --- 10874.87 Boaz 7 1376.30 Boldo --- 1161.75 Brown’s Chapel No Report Browntown 44 4439.42 Calera Harvest Chapel 110 --- Carbon Hill 123 14368.53 Chickasaw 19 2083.55 Citronelle 19 4149.00 Clanton 23 3250.00 Collinsville Harvest Center 32 --- Cordova 60 --- Cottondale 114 7178.00 Cunningham Bridge 4 648.00 Decatur 49 3879.65 Dothan 8 1618.98 Dry Valley --- 2685.46 East Lake Highlands 43 2681.65 Elba --- 811.00 Elkmont --- Eoline/Tuscaloosa --- 4116.77 Fayette-North Pointe 80 4032.50 Fort Payne 7 571.91 Gadsden Living Waters 45 5170.60 Goodwater Joyful Praise --- 1448.86 Gordo 40 --- Grant-Sanctuary No Report Greenpond 83 8508.22 Grove Hill --- Hackleburg 198 30365.59 Haleyville Pathway 69 4371.37 Hamilton New Heights No Report Happy Hill 71 11066.49 Harris Chapel 37 6777.99 Hartselle No Report Hazel Green 44 ---

CHURCH SM TITHES Huntsville Mastin Lake 76 8333.20 Bell Road 15 1805.25 Mission --- Jasper 23 4618.00 Leesburg 108 8196.00 Lincoln 23 1575.50 Mentone 17 2225.00 Montgomery 10 1596.00 Moulton 25 5072.66 Munford Silver Run 25 2155.00 Odenville 71 2240.58 Parrish 16 800.00 Pelham 30 4382.71 Phil Campbell No Report Pinson Parkway 26 1617.00 Poarch 8 530.86 Red Bay 30 3361.00 Robertsdale --- 1677.43 Rock Cliff No Report Russellville Living Word --- Sheffield Cliff Haven 125 21455.79 Short Creek 40 3048.80 Sterrett 132 9649.19 Summerbrook 49 4963.50 Tannehill Mission No Report Tarrant City 47 2758.82 Trinity Worship 60 11184.30 Twilleytown 55 4419.00 West Blocton No Report Winfield Family 44 2911.71 World Outreach --- THE ABOVE STATISTICS WERE TAKEN FROM TREASURERS’ REPORTS RECEIVED IN STATE OFFICE AS OF DECEMBER 2014

Reports from Previous Months October Aliceville 10 2335.44 Huntsville: Bell Rd 12 2060.00 Mastin Lake 80 8661.05 Jasper 20 2699.00

Page 11: Alabama Update January 2015

WHAT A WAY TO PRAY!

“Standing up is the way to pray,” said Elder Deacon Jones

“Kneeling down upon the floor puts aches in all my bones,”

“I wonder if your prayers are heard,” said Parson Johnny Brown,

“The Lord would surely answer best if you were kneeling down.”

“With eyes closed or open wide I know which is right,

I’ve tried both way with no success,” replied Miss Molly Knight.

“I always pray with head bowed low,” Tom King was heard to say,

But looking up was grasping faith, at least to Grandma Gray.

“I pray while resting every day,” said Mr. Henry Pack,

“I think you all should try to pray while lying on your back.”

Then Deacon Miller rose to speak and this is what he said:

“The best prayer I ever prayed was while standing on my head.

I learned this the hard way, believe me Brother Brown.

One day I fell into a hole and landed upside down.

Before that I had never put much spirit into a prayer.

But my head was in the mud that day and I was needing air.

I prayed and bellowed loud and long till someone heard my cry.

That, my friends, was sincere prayer that went beyond the sky.

If your prayers have failed to bring a blessing to your soul,

I think I’ll pray that God will let you fall into a hole.

You’ll realize then the truth of the things that I have said.

It will be your best prayer yet...while standing on your head.

Princes’s Book of Rhythm, Rhyme and Reason

Rev. Prince A. Hartley

Page 12: Alabama Update January 2015

ALABAMA UPDATE NON-PROFIT ORG.Church of God of Prophecy U.S. POSTAGE P.O. Box 707 A PAID Bessemer, Alabama 35021-0707 Permit No.256

BESSEMER, AL

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Our Sympathy to our Ministers Families

Dorris E. OlsonDecember 21, 2014

Joyce (Jimmy) Cook’s mother

David OkerstromJanuary 8, 2015

Darlene (Steven) Spears’ father

The Alabama Update is the official monthlypublication of the Church of God of Prophecy inAlabama. Yearly subscription rate is $7.00. Statements in this publication referring to the Churchof God have reference to the Church of God ofProphecy. Articles and news briefs submitted forpublication must be received by the fifth of the monthfor publication, and should be sent to: AlabamaUpdate, PO Box 707, Bessemer, AL . 35021-0707.

L. V. Jones, EditorBillie Ruth Jones, Assistant Editor

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Enclosed is $ for a year subscription ($7.00per year) to the Alabama Update.Name (Please print)_____________________________Mailing Address_______________________________City________________________State_____________Church______________________________________