First United Methodist Church at Third Street and National Avenue,
Shepherd’s Center of Fort Scott Adventures in Learning Returns on
Friday, March 10th 11:30 am to 3 pm the First United Methodist Church on National Avenue.
Our 2nd event will again offer a lunch at no charge for those who pre-register. Last day to pre-register will be Monday, March 6th. This time we will have potato soup, garlic bread, and cookies catered by Suzanne Griffin.
Our afternoon sessons will feature Austin Bolinger, who is the Horticultural Therapist at Tri-Valley Gardening, who will bring plants, share about growing our gardens and their work at Tri-Valley.
The other track is being organized by Wilma Hibdon, a retired Health Facility surveyor, and will be full of insight and tips to get the most out of home health care, make good decisions about assisted living, and end of life planning. Speakers from No Limit Rehabilitation, Presbyterian Village, Integrity Home Health, Fort Scott Medicalodge and Cheney Witt Funeral Home will lend their expertise and answer questions.
As always, fellowship and building community will be at the forefront. Shepherd’s Center is focused on lifelong learning for retired adults but everyone interested is welcome.
A local congregation is celebrating 50 years in the community.
Community Christian Church met for the first time on January 21, 1973.
“It was at the (Scottview Apartments) high rise,” Jerry Witt, who is serving on the planning committee for the anniversary celebration, said. “We were going to meet in homes but the phone rang off the hook that week and we knew we’d have too many for something like that.”
“Sixty-three people attended that first meeting,” he said. “It has never been below that number since. On charter Sunday, 111 people were in attendance and 70 of those placed their membership.”
In the earliest days, finding a place to meet was a challenge.
They met in the band room at the middle school, at Fort Scott Community College, at the high rise apartment complex, and at the old 4-H Building.
As the congregation grew, a more permanent and larger location was necessary.
The ground breaking of Community Christian Church in 1973. Submitted photo.
Once they were able to start building the church facility, it was able to be purchased because all seven leaders: Max Hayden, Ron Billiard, Bill Douglas, Richard Hixon, Jerry Witt, Tom Armstrong, and Bill Underkofler put their homes up as collateral for the build.
The original church building for Community Christian Church. Submitted photo.
Leon Weece was the only paid staff for at least a year, and volunteers cleaned the church.
The original sanctuary of Community Christian Church, 1973. Submitted photo
Currently they have six ministry staff, two administration staff, and two janitorial staff members, with one intern.
The Mission
The mission of the first congregation was to start a fundamental, Bible-based Christian church, and there have been three mission statements in the church history.
The current one is “We are a community who loves Jesus, who want to see Jesus loved by our community.”
“We have changed the wording to become more modern over time but we have always stuck to those three basic missions of God, his plan, and his people.” said Karen Billiard, also on the anniversary committee.
The Anniversary Committee
The 50 year planning committee has nine people, and five were present that first service: Sharon Campbell, Karen Billiard, Judy and Jerry Witt, and Robin Billiard-Hartman.
Added to the 2023 anniversary committee are Rita Emmerson, and Billie Jo and Alan Drake, who all came to the newly formed church early in its history, along with Delynn Abati, who has attended Community since 1997.
An aerial view of Community Christian Church in 2023. Submitted photo.
The Current Congregation
Currently there are nearly 500 people attending Community Christian.
Members of the anniversary committee stated their reasons they attend the church:
“The love our church family has for each other,” said Robin Hartman.
“Knowing that we are a Bible-based church,” said Billie Jo Drake.
“The fellowship and care each person has for every other,” Billiard said.
CCC is a mission-giving church, increasing outreach of the congregants.
From the inception of the church, they pledged 10% of all income to missions, according to information from the committee. That number has grown to the 18% currently given to missions every month.
Plans for the 50th Anniversary
There will be one extended service on Sunday, February 12, which is Community Christian Church’s Charter Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. that will highlight and recreate parts of the last 50 years.
Leon Weece, the church’s first minister, will preach. Additionally, there will be testimonies from some of the charter members and Timothys; people the church has sent out to serve in ministries throughout the world.
There will be a reception directly following the service, which will have a microphone set up for anyone wanting to share memories of their days at CCC.
On the Horizon
The church is currently remodeling the north wing of the facility to be a more inviting and accommodating space for the youth group. They are about 50% done with the remodel.
Services
The service times of the church: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. every Sunday, with a study hour in between.
They also have programming for students pre-K to 12th grade from 6 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday evening, during the school year.
The church is located at 1919 S. Horton, Fort Scott.
For more information, phone 620.223.1500 or view their Facebook page.
Nathan Bryant is the new pastor of Parkway Church Of God (Holiness) at 1111 State St.
He received a Bachelor of Theology degree from Union Bible College and in 2009 he also became a LPN (nurse).
He has pastored in May, OK; Olathe, KS, and started a church in Delta, CO.
In 2019 he pastored a church on the Navajo Reservation for two years.
“I filled in once or twice a month for Parkway Church Of God Holiness (Fort Scott) from October 2021 until I became full time pastor in April of 2022,” Bryant said.
He and wife Amy and were married in December 1989 and have four children- one daughter and three sons, all married.
“All our children love God,” he said. “Our daughter lives in Ft. Scott and works at a doctors office . Our two middle sons live in Colorado and are both plumbers and our oldest son is a pastor in Missouri. We have eight amazing grandchildren.”
“I grew up in a pastors home and have always loved people and felt it was a calling from God,” Bryant said.
Some of the challenges for Bryant in pastoring: “Trying to navigate through the consistent changing issues of our country. Trying to meet the needs of people that are struggling from their circumstances of life.”
The best part of being a pastor for him: “Seeing lives changed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Being able to help people in their time of need. Loving people.”
New on the horizon for the pastor is trying to incorporate more community involvement with the church. His desire is to see the church grow.
Service time for Parkway Church of God:
Sunday School 10:00 am
Morning Worship 10:45 am
Sunday Evening: 6:00 pm
Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 7:00 pm
December18th AM – Children’s program
PM – Drama – Martin the Clobber
December 25th 5:00 pm Christmas candle light service
Waverly, TN – The community is invited to attend a concert by singer, songwriter, and storyteller Daryl Mosley on Wednesday, December 7 at First Southern Baptist Church, 1818 S. Main Street, Ft. Scott, KS.
The First Southern Baptist Church, 1818 S. Main.
From countless appearances on “The Grand Ole Opry” to classic shows at the famous Bluebird Cafe to a touring schedule of over 150 concerts per year, singer/songwriter Daryl Mosley has been sharing his songs and his stories with America for over 30 years. Daryl has written three Song of the Year award winners, eight of his songs have made it to number one, and he has twice been named Songwriter of the Year! His songs have been recorded by dozens of artists ranging from bluegrass legend Bobby Osborne to country star Lynn Anderson to Southern Gospel’s The Booth Brothers, and have been featured on television shows ranging from “American Idol” to “The View.” One of his best-known songs, “(Ask the Blind Man) He Saw ItAll,” was named one of the top Southern Gospel songs of all time!
Gospel music legend Bill Gaither calls Daryl “a poet-and we don’t have many poets left!” Daryl says, “I just write and sing songs about real life and real people; songs about faith and home and community are the foundation of my music because those are the things that are most precious to me.” Daryl’s concert is an intimate opportunity to hear his songs of life and faith as well as the entertaining stories of the people and events that inspired them.
The concert is free to the public but a love offering will be taken. For additional information, contact Patty Lindley at 502 262-0428.
The Knights of Columbus are continuing their fundraising efforts to help rebuild the Mary Queen of Angels Church.
The church suffered extensive damage on the evening of August 29, 2022 and will be rebuilt.
Mary Queen of Angels Church. November, 2022.
“No plans yet,” Mark McCoy, church member said. “We are in the conceptual phase. We are hoping to come to an accepted position on how to rebuild.”
Meanwhile the Knights of Columbus group at the church are having monthly meals in the Kennedy Gym, at 705 S. Holbrook as a fundraiser for the rebuilding of the church.
Founded on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity, the Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, in New Haven, Conn., and a group of parishioners, according to https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-story/index.html Their intent is to bring financial aid and assistance to the sick, disabled and needy members and their families.
This month, it is Friday, November 18, and the meal is homemade chicken noodle soup and cream of potato soup, with the desserts prepared by the Catholic women of the church.
Tea, coffee or water goes along with the meal, with a suggested free will donation of $7 per meal.
The meal is from 5-7 p.m.
“The community has been so supportive,” McCoy said. “All proceeds will go to the rebuild of the church.”
The Knights of Columbus Fish Fry March 2022. The set up will be the same for all the meal fundraisers. Submitted by Calvin Barr.
How old is the Earth? What are the facts about Dinosaurs? Has science proven Evolution to be true? Does science confirm the Bible?
Creation Experience Museum is coming to your area soon with answers to these questions. Come and hear Curtis and Sherry Baker share the truth about creation. You’ll be amazed to see how the scientific evidence matches the Bible’s claims.
These are issues that affect everyone. Evolution teaches us there is no need for a God and that science is all there is.
The Bible gives a very different picture of the nature of these things. In these presentations, you will learn how the scientific evidence, when properly understood, confirms the details of the Biblical account.
To find out more:
Date: Sunday, November 13th, 2022
Time: 10:50 am – Digging up the truth about Dinosaurs
Community Christian Church Trunk and Treat in the southeast parking lot from 5-6:30 p.m. on October 31. The church will have candy, snacks, hot dogs, and bottled water passed out from trunks.
“This is open to everyone,” Delynn Abati, communications administrator for the church said. “We will have a contingency plan if it rains and will post that to social media early in the day.”
Bronson Baptist Church has been in the Bronson community for 140 years.
The small congregation in western Bourbon County will celebrate the anniversaryChur this Sunday, Oct. 16 with a special music concert by Lloyd Houk at 9:45 a.m., followed by morning worship at 10:45 a.m. There will be a carry-in lunch following services.
The Bronson Baptist Church was chartered in 1882. At first the people met in a wood frame building that housed the congregation, then a brick building at 403 Randolph, across the street was built in 1925.
“My grandfather, Christian Frederick Ermel, was a brick layer that worked on it,” said Judy Wilson, whose family has attended the church for generations.
“My parents, Reta Mae and Buford Johnson, always attended the church,” Wilson said.
“I can remember some Sunday School teachers from way back, Cordie Volmer, and Ima Jean Sager,” she said. “The people I remember older than my parents generation is Glenn Entzminger, who was a leader of the church, always there for anything needed.”
Judy and husband Rex were married in the church.
And in recent years they had Reta Mae’s funeral there.
“Right now, not many attend the church, but if folks come they are going to hear the Word of God, for sure,” she said.
The church is an independent Baptist Church and the current pastor is Michael Miller.
“It was the preacher’s suggestion to have the 140th anniversary celebration,” Wilson said. “He thought it was worth celebrating.”
Fort Cinema,224 W 18th St, Fort Scott is the Family Life Assembly of God Church distribution site for free food.
Family Life Assembly of God, Fort Scott Campus, is hosting a free food distribution for the community from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Fort Cinema parking lot, 224 W. 18th Street, on Saturday Oct. 1st.
Participants will have to be in a vehicle and come through the Fort Cinema parking lot, according to Pastor Grady Proffitt.
FLAG workers help distribute food in an earlier distribution. Submitted photos.
“We have resources to supply food and essential household items to 75 family units,” Proffitt said. “There will be a fruit and vegetable box, along with bread, and other foods and essential household items.”
Workers hand out food in a prior food distribution.
Convoy of Hope, Springfield, MO, is the sponsor source of this distribution.
Workers in a prior distribution. Submitted photos.
“Our mission is to help with essential needs of families in our community,” Proffitt said. “We are blessed to have many partnerships within our church, and we want to use those to the best of our abilities. Our church mission is to help people love God and love others. We choose to use what God gives us so others may be blessed.”
Fort Scott Family Life Assembly of God Church meets in Fort Cinema. Submitted photos.
The church has been established in Fort Scott for about one month, meeting in the Fort Cinema movie theater.
Fort Scott Family Life Assembly of God in worship. Submitted photos.
” We had 91 people attend our launch Sunday, and have been blessed since,” he said. “FLAG Church has been commissioned to plant a campus in Fort Scott. We aim to not steal or take away from other churches here in town, but add to the Church by reaching those who do not have a church home. We want to encourage others that already have a church home to keep going. There are many great churches in Fort Scott! We are excited to be a part of what God is already doing here in this community.”
The church mission is led by four core beliefs: Salvation, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Divine Healing, and the Second Coming of Jesus, Pastor Proffitt said. To learn more about their beliefs: https://www.flagchurch.com/about.
“Within the pursuit of our mission, God has done many miraculous works throughout our gatherings,” Proffitt said. “Since the beginning of August, on Thursday nights, we have seen five physical healings on those in attendance. We seek to gather, connect, and pray for more of God’s miraculous signs and wonders just as He did in Acts 2. God is truly doing something amazing!”
The sermon is broadcast from the Pittsburg Family Life Assembly of God Church. Submitted photos.
Sunday morning service is from 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. and includes live worship, corporate prayer, kids services, and a Gospel centered message.
A gathering at Common Ground Coffee Co.. Submitted photos.
They also host a Campus Gathering at Common Ground Coffee Co. every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Pastor Grady Proffitt and wife, Jacque Proffitt. Submitted photos.
FLAG Fort Scott is led by Pastor Grady and and his wife, Jacque Proffitt.
“We moved to Fort Scott in June,” he said. “We have had seven years of ministry experience and are thankful we can be a part of this great community! FLAG Fort Scott is definitely a place you want to check out!”
