Prayer request from Dinah Rowland Border... PRAYER WARRIORS, FAMILY, FRIENDS, and CHURCH FAMILY, please read about my niece Rhonda Rowland Livingston's husband, Eddie M. Livingston and his huge heart surgerical proceedures tomorrow in College Station.
Please remember these folks in your prayers:
Derald Bulls sent this update on Pam Holmes Schmidt: Pam is showing some improvement. Keep those prayers coming! Will send more as they give more. She did open her eyes and is breathing better. But not out of the woods. 🙏🙏🙏
"The Gospel of Grace Defended"
(Galatians 1:13-2:21)
Top 10 Questions to Ask of This Text
1. How has the grace of Jesus affected my life? (1:15)
2. Do people praise God because of me? (1:24)
3. How often do I remember the poor? (2:10)
4. With whom do I eat? (2:12)
5. Do I ever succumb to peer pressure? (2:13)
6. Do we have our own “boundary markers” that we bind on others? (2:14)
7. Do I seek to justify myself before God with my own works? (2:16)
8. Have I died? (2:20)
9. What do I put my faith in? (2:20)
10. Have I set aside the grace of God? (2:21)
Derald Bulls sent this message:
Here is the info I received tonight from Ida Bray Deats, one of Pam’s closest and lifetime friends:
Pam is not responding. MRSA is subsiding but kidneys and heart are now showing stress. When they started dialysis she went to AFIB. Still can not wake her up but does respond to pain but Does not open her eyes. Many prayers need to ease her life. This came out of nowhere and MRSA was diagnosed within 4 hours of admittance of the hospital. She already had it when she came in, but no one can figure out when or where she came in contact with the source. She can recover but it truly will be a miracle.
Church phones are not working until at least Monday afternoon. If you need to get in touch, please call cell phones.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 26, 2021 at Elmwood Memorial Park, Reflection Garden. Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene.
Derald Bulls asked that we add Pam Holmes Schmidt to our prayer list. She is at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. She is the daughter of the late Howard and Charlene Holmes. She has multiple issues and is on a vent.
Dianna Welch is in Stillhouse Rehab - Room 71. She's there to get "built-up"!!
Derald Bulls asked that we please add Jean Stephens, wife of Dr Craig Stephens to our prayer list. She is seriously ill. Thanks
This past week has been one of many challenges for Texans; from small communities to large metropolitan areas, the stories were much the same. Our great state suffered power outages, no internet, and no water. However, for many of our homeless, the stories are not the same. Survival is their story.
Kim and James are members of the Lamar Ave. Church of Christ and after James received an email from the Lamar County United Way asking people in the community if they could help with the homeless in the county, James immediately jumped into action. He and many of the elders of the church have opened up the church gym in the past in times of need and they all agreed they needed to open up once again with a warming station.
The warming station opened last Friday at 6 p.m. and ran 24 hours a day through 10 a.m. on Thursday. “We coordinated efforts with local non-profits, churches, and businesses to take in and take care of 27 people during the snowstorm. They received three meals a day and any other assistance they needed, we provided,” said James.
Nine different churches, 12 local businesses, 63 volunteers, and $10,000 in resources were used to make the warming station happen around the clock.
“There are so many stories from this past week,” said James. “If someone came in and needed a meal, we served them. If they needed propane, we got it for them. If they were in need of medicine, we delivered it to them; whatever we could do to help.”
“There was one family who was trying to make it to Kansas and they had a blowout on their van. They made their way into the warming station and we got their van fixed, kept them warm overnight, fed them and they were on their way the next day.”
Yesterday, as the station came to a close at 10 a.m., James and the volunteers sent many off with sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets. “We had eleven people left with nowhere to go; with generous donations, we were able to secure eleven local hotel rooms for these folks for four nights,” added James.
During all of this, James came home one night and their home had a burst pipe, but that did not stop him from serving and doing God’s work. “We didn’t know how to do all we did, but God gave us the strength to keep going and he showed us the way. It has been amazing the outpouring of love from the community. We were just doing what God told us to do and it has been an honor to serve those in need.”
If you are in need, there are two local warming stations still open, though not 24 hours a day; CitySquare and Horizon House.
Searching for Warmth: CitySquare, Lamar Avenue Church of Christ set up warming stations during big freeze
In the spirit of “neighbors helping neighbors” and “community helping the community,” warming stations opened around Paris for those in the area needing help as severe winter weather blanketed Texas this week.
“I’ve been so overwhelmed with our community’s willingness to help,” James Hanley, with the Lamar Avenue Church of Christ, said.
The church and CitySquare Paris opened warming stations on opposite ends of Paris to help combat the cold as not one, but two below-freezing storm systems sprawled across the area. Anyone who needed to get out of the cold was welcome, and the stations remained opened as the area’s electricity providers issued rolling and controlled blackouts as ordered by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. The blackouts were necessary to reduce strain on the state’s electric grid, which was already facing generation challenges, ERCOT officials said.
“We had 18 neighbors yesterday and so far today, seven or eight,” said Lara Woodroof, CitySquare Paris program director, Tuesday afternoon. “It’s going well. They were coming here to take a shower and get their laundry done. It’s great. Local businesses have really helped us and stepped up.”
CitySquare Paris is typically open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but because of the weather, it expanded hours to 6 p.m., allowing neighbors — what the organization calls those who receive help at the 2515 Bonham St. center, in accordance with its motto: “neighbors helping neighbors” — more time to take shower or wash laundry if they needed it, to eat, to use Wi-Fi, or even just to grab some coffee or hot chocolate and a warm meal. The church’s warming station was open 24 hours, allowing those with no place to go a warm bed for the night. They’ve been feeding three light meals each day, according to Hanley, and have broken out the dominoes and checkers to keep everyone entertained.
Local businesses and individuals have helped carry the load as well, Hanley and Woodroof said, with the newly-opened Chick-fil-A donating chicken sandwiches to both warming stations, and Paris Coffee Co. providing coffee for CitySquare on Monday. Other businesses have brought food to the church, according to Hanley, including Street Eats and James Hodge Dodge.
Michael Ocanas was recently released from
“I don’t have a place to live right now, and MHMR set me up here,” Ocanas said. “It’s a blessing to have these places open for people like us, who don’t have a place to go.”
He’s been looking for a place to live and shoes that don’t have holes that will fit his size 14 feet. Woodroof said the staff at CitySquare has been working with Ocanas to help him find a home.
Ocanas is happy for the help.
“I just want to say thank you for all the volunteers,” he said. “If it wasn’t for all these people and all these places, a lot of us would be dead.”
CitySquare Paris also has a clothes closet for its neighbors to use.
“We had a young couple come in yesterday and leave with two bags full of blankets, shoes, hoodies and other clothes,” Woodroof said.
Lamar Avenue Church of Christ has seen a wide variety of visitors, Hanley said. It even received a phone call from the sheriff’s office looking to help out-of-towners as they were on their way back to Kansas.
“The sheriff’s office called us last night about a family of eight traveling to Kansas had a blown out tire, and they came and stayed the night, and we helped them get their tire fixed,” Hanley said.
Volunteers at the church have been working two at a time on six-hour shifts to keep the warming station running, he said, and on Tuesday, they were starting to run out of steam, calling for more volunteers from the community on social media. The church has been working with CitySquare, Horizon House and That House through the Paris Church of God, and they’ve managed to cover everyone’s needs. The American Red Cross has donated water, snacks and blankets, and The Salvation Army of Paris has let the church use the organization’s temporary beds.
“It’s all come together really well,” Hanley said. “Thank you is the big word to individuals and businesses who have donated.”
LAMAR AVE. CHURCH OF CHRIST WARMING STATION EXTENDS OPERATION!
The warming station will continue to operate through Thursday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. at 3535 Lamar Avenue. Enter on the north side in the Outreach Building. James Hanley, the coordinator for the Warming Station at Lamar Avenue Church, announced the extension of the days of operation. Originally set to close at 10 a.m. tomorrow, it will remain open—24 hours a day—through 10 a.m., Thursday, February 18.
All recommended precautions are being followed-masks are required and provided if someone does not have one, social distancing expected and ‘house rules’ are to be followed.
Through the generosity of a number of donors, the church has cots, sleeping blankets, pillows and adequate food for three meals a day and snacks throughout the day.
The Warming Station opened at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 12, as a service the homeless or anyone in need. Hanley can be reached at 903-517-8794 or call the church office 903-785-0387.
Members from Lamar Avenue and community volunteers are needed to staff the Station throughout this time. To volunteer, you can reach Hanley at the numbers above. There is a great need for volunteers for Tuesday-Thursday all shifts. “We have been blessed by the outpouring of kindness from throughout our community and are grateful to help this special neighbors with a warm place to stay, food to feed their needs and show them the love of Jesus,” Hanley added.
We really need workers for the 6 am to noon in the morning or James and Kim will be working a double. James could really use some sleep. Would really appreciate some volunteers!
Jenny posted this update on Brad: He is still in ICU for now. He will be in hospital for at least another day because his heart is not wanting to stay in normal rhythm without IV medications. He is very tired and wants to go home of course. Please pray for a return to normal heart rhythms and some rest for him. Thank you.
We want to extend our sympathy to Linda Easton on the passing of her brother Danny McElroy. Mr. McElroy died at his home here in Paris this morning. Please be praying for Linda, Chris, and members of her family.
Due to the deteriorating weather, our 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning assembly will be dismissed. No service will be posted on our website today. A Bible study from Galatians 1:1-12 will be posted Wednesday evening at 6:30. Stay warm and safe!
James & Diane Prunty posted this announcement: We would like to introduce our great granddaughter, Eleanore Anne Beach, born February 3, 2021. Parents are our granddaughter, Maddie and husband, Garrett Beach. Grandparents are daughter, Dena and husband, Richard Schimming. Ellie and her parents live in Waco so we expect many road trips in the future.
Brad update: I am with Brad right now. He looks good. They just took him off the vent about 20 minutes ago. He’s breathing just fine with no problems. He is a little disoriented because of all the medications and anesthesia and thinks he’s been on the vent for several days and that it wasn’t working right and was a little anxious, but I think he is reoriented now. He will get up with PT today to a chair and be doing breathing exercises. The goal today is for him to get up for the first time and to keep his pain under control. His vital signs have been great. And his heart rate and rhythm look good.
Update on Brad: He looks good. His vital signs are stable. They will keep him on ventilator and sedated for the night and most likely remove vent and wake him tomorrow. Keep praying for a good night and good healing, please. Thank you!
Jenny (Francis) Sullivan posted this message tonight: Brad had a heart attack earlier this week and has been in the hospital since. He will have open heart surgery tomorrow to bypass multiple blockages in the vessels of his heart. Fortunately his heart attack was mild and there is minimal damage but he has multiple serious blockages that easily cause a severe heart attack at any time. The surgery tomorrow should prevent this happening. I have been very blessed to be allowed to remain at his side through this, especially considering Covid visitor restrictions. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this time. Thank you for the love and support you have been pouring out on us. Please pray for Brad, for the skilled hands of the surgeon, for the nurses and other healthcare workers caring for him, for our sweet children who are missing their Mommy and Daddy right now, for our parents/siblings, and for me as I help care for him. Thank you.
Congratulations to Caleb and Audrey Gillean!!!! Eleanor Josephine was welcomed into this world at 5:53pm!!! She weighed 5lbs 3oz.
"We are smitten 😍🥰😍🥰😚🥰😚😋"
Proud grandparents are Doug and Jill Faires!!
Derald Bulls sent this PRAISE: Pat has been extubated - no more tube! She is getting oxygen through the nose. She's talking!! She still tested positive for Covid, so can't be moved to another unit.
Caleb posted this update last night: Well folks this might be our last update before we get to introduce you to our daughter. We can not say thank you enough for all the prayers. I firmly believe that the reason everything has gone as well as it has is because we have had so many praying for us. We have basically made it to our goal. Tomorrow evening we will stop the medication keeping Audrey from going into labor and the hope is that by some time Tuesday (or Wednesday depending on how tired we are) we will be showing you a picture of our beautiful baby girl. Again thank you all so much for the prayers and please keep them coming. I'm praying for a smooth delivery now and that our NICU stay will not be too long.
Calwb posted this update: Day 7 here and the care is wonderful. We are extremely blessed with all the people that have reached out and taken care of us. We are still getting great reports and baby is looking wonderful. We stare at her picture all the time and every nurse that comes in talks about how cute she is. Please keep praying for us. On top of health today I'm asking for prayer for endurance. We have a long road ahead and 7 days in the same room is difficult. We are still praising God for all our blessings. We are tired. But we are one day closer to bringing our baby girl home.
Charolette Bollman sent this message: Cheryl got a call from Dallas today. They are going back over there for about a week.
Josh and Tanissa Daniels have exciting news...
Well guess what! ❤️ 👶 Nevaeh will be here Thursday!!!!! Yes this Thursday the 4th!!! If not sooner! We are 38weeks today! I’m so proud we have made it this far! Thank you for all the prayers and good vibes. And appreciate continued prayers! We are excited to meet our new and final addition to our beautiful blessed family. ❤️ Nevaeh Elete Daniels.
Caleb posted this update: We hit another mile stone today. 33 weeks is good but please keep praying for another week for us. Things are going well and we are settling into a new routine. We have some more tests tomorrow to check in on our daughter and make sure everything is still going well. Being in the room all the time is tough but we have a humbling amount of support from our family and friends, and their family and friends. Again we want to thank everyone! And keep the prayers coming. I want to bring two healthy girls home! We will update everyone tomorrow when we get some more results.
