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Are we confident that our light is bright
Vol. 47 June 28, 2022 Number 25
HOW TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA
Barry Kennedy
The world recognizes America as a “Superpower.” Those words carry
with them a very heavy responsibility. No doubt this nation is a very “powerful”
nation. No other country has the military might that this nation possesses, nor can
any other nation boast to have as great a level of wealth as that of the United
States. With that being said, the title of this article may seem strange. In what
way does this great nation need strength? The great king Solomon, who himself
ruled over a great nation, can shed some light on how America, and all other
nations as well, might need strengthening. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but
sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Is it possible to say that this
great nation is more “righteous” today than ever before? Consider this section of
a speech made by arguably one of the greatest presidents this country has
produced.
We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have
been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have
grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown.
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which
preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us;
and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all
these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our
own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-
sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too
proud to pray to the God that made us! (Abraham Lincoln March 30,
1863)
Could one imagine what some “groups” in this country would do to a president
who made such statements as this today? This would be a great breach in the
“law” of “political correctness.” Is it too late to strengthen this great nation? Of
course not! May God’s people band together and commit to. . .
1. Pray for this country and its leadership (1 Timothy 2:1-3; 1 Thessalonians
5:17).
2. Repent of our sinful ways (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3, 5).
3. Walk in the light of God’s Word (Psalm 119:105; 1 John 1:7-9).
4. Remember to Whom this land really belongs (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 50:7-23;
James 1:17).
If Americans would follow these simple ideas, this nation would be exalted by
divine strength. May God bless us all and may God bless America!
ELDERS
Mike Childers ............. 397-6453
Dennis Hallmark......... 255-5557
Mark Hitt .................... 322-0917
Bobby Lindley ............ 260-9193
DEACONS
Wade Bryan ................ 419-5552
Ricky Lindsey............. 255-8136
Jeff Mansel.................. 871-0357
Jimmy Spearman ........ 840-8957
Michael Wilson........... 891-0891
MINISTERS
Barry Kennedy....(931)787-7108
Alex Blackwelder (731)879-9196
SECRETARY
Renee Childers
Office.......................... 842-6116
Fax .............................. 842-7091
E-MAIL
eastmaincoc38804@gmail.com
WEB PAGE
eastmaincoc.com
SUNDAY SERVICES
Worship........................9:00 a.m.
Bible class..................10:15 a.m.
Worship......................11:15 a.m.
Singing or Devotional
Last Sunday of the Month
MID-WEEK
SERVICES
Wednesday Classes......7:00 p.m.
1606 East Main Street
P. O. Box 1761
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
“Thou shalt observe to do all that they inform thee”
(Deut. 17:10)

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One’s individual faith and a
congregation’s faith must adhere to “the Faith.”
The problem is that many are taking their
individual faith and trying to apply it to others,
or a congregation is trying to take its beliefs and
force them upon other congregations. A study of
Romans 14:1-15:13 will show that we are to
“receive one another, just as Christ also received
us, to the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). And such
reception should not be so that we might dispute
our belief with the other person (Romans 14:1).
We need to accept each other and our individual
beliefs as long as they do not violate “the Faith.”
So, the next time you think about
condemning a brother for his actions, you had
better check to be sure your condemnation is a
matter of “the Faith” and not a matter of your
faith. Remember, “So then each of us shall give
account of himself to God. Therefore, let us not
judge one another anymore, but rather resolve
this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to
fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:12-13).
~~~~~~~~~
Family Breakfast
Our monthly family breakfast will be
held this Sunday, June 26 in the
multipurpose room from 8:15-8:45 a.m.,
before worship services. A light break-
fast will be provided. Please come and
enjoy this period of fellowship.
Sympathy
We extend our sympathy to Ashley Davis in the
loss of her grandmother, Lynda Coleman, on June 13.
Funeral services were held in New Albany June 16.
Tuesday Mornings with
the Master
Don’t forget Tuesday Mornings with the Master
every Tuesday in the multipurpose room from 10-11
am. Anyone who can come, and help is welcomed.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Hallie
Donald & Logan Brown who were
united in marriage June 18 in
Amory. We wish for them a long
life of happiness together.
Fellowship for 40s & 50s
Age Group
We have decided to
start a Friday night
fellowship meal for
those in their 40s and
50s. The elders have
agreed and we will have
our first meal at the
building in the multi-
purpose room this Friday, June 24th beginning at
6:30 pm. We ask that you please bring a finger food
and join in for a fun night of card games, food and
much needed fellowship. Also, if you have friends
who are not members of our congregation or friends
who are members who haven’t been active for a
while, please reach out and invite them. This could
make for an excellent way to break the ice for an
invitation to worship with us. We plan to have these
every other month. If you have any questions at all,
please see Heather DuBois or Amy Voyles.
Congregational Singing
The Danville congregation
in Biggersville will host a
gospel singing this Friday,
June 24 from 7:00-8:30 a.m.
Refreshments will be served
in the fellowship hall following the singing.
Girls’ Joyful Rebellion
The girls’ Joyful Rebellion group are invited to
Natalie Mansel’s home this Sunday, June 26 at 3:00
p.m. for a pool party. Please bring your own towel
and sunscreen. See Cassie Blackwelder for more
information.
July 2022
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Proverbs 1-4
2
Sarah Phillips
Proverbs 5-9
3
Youth Devo. @
Hitts at 6 pm
Proverbs 10-13
4
John Bowlin
Proverbs 14-17
5
Michael &
Christine Wilson
Tuesday Morning
with the Master
Proverbs 18-21
6
Betty Long
Brain Freeze
Proverbs 22-24
7
Logan Mallard
Proverbs 25-27
8
Proverbs 28-29
9
Proverbs 30-31
10
Natalie Mansel
Amy Voyles
Area Youth
Meeting @
Church St.,
Pontotoc
Eccl. 1-6
11
Barry Kennedy
Jennifer Ray
Kidz Konnect
Eccl. 7-12
12
Tuesday Morning
with the Master
Youth Girls’
Jewelry Swap @
Cassie’s 6pm
Song of
Solomon 1-4
13
Wade Bryan
Brain Freeze
Girls’ Joyful
Rebellion Devo.
@ 6pm
Song of
Solomon 5-8
14
Ladies’ fellowship
Isaiah 1-4
15
Hallie Brown
TGIF
Isaiah 5-8
16
Waymon &
Dolline Gibson
Isaiah 9-12
17
Kannon Smith
Isaiah 13-16
18
Susan Willis
Isaiah 17-20
19
Casey Gullett
Tuesday Morning
with the Master
Isaiah 21-23
20
Derik & Staci
Rushing
Isaiah 24-27
21
Laura & DJ
Bennett
Isaiah 28-30
22
Katy Beth
Anderson
Isaiah 31-35
23
Harry Cowan
Steve Kelly
Mary Morgan Lyle
Tracy Lyle
Isaiah 36-39
24
Drew Baldwyn
Britton Smith
Girls’ Joyful
Rebellion Devo.
@ Cassie’s
Isaiah 40-41
25
Isaiah 42-43
26
Jason & Amanda
Dickinson
Tuesday Morning
with the Master
Isaiah 44-45
27
Judy Bates
Joe & Tammy
Minor
Isaiah 46-48
28
Dennis &
Debbie
Hallmark
Isaiah 49-51
29
TGIF
Isaiah 52-57
30
Isaiah 58-62
31
Rodney & Amy
Voyles
Family Breakfast
Isaiah 63-66
Youth Six Flags Trip
MAYWOOD CHRISTIAN CAMP JULY 17th
-23rd

Daily Bible Reading
June 29 .................................................... Psalms 139-144
June 30 .................................................... Psalms 145-150
July 1............................................................ Proverbs 1-4
July 2............................................................ Proverbs 5-9
July 3........................................................ Proverbs 10-13
July 4........................................................ Proverbs 14-17
July 5........................................................ Proverbs 18-21
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthdays: Joe Paul Perkins (June 30), Sarah
Phillips (July 2), John Bowlin (July 4).
Anniversaries: Michael & Christine Wilson (July 5).
Our Sick
Debbie Duke had emergency surgery to remove a
kidney stone last week. She’s undergoing more tests this
week. Melvin & Debbie Duke’s 5-month-old grandson,
Maverick, will undergo surgery for craniosynostosis on
July 1. Christina Lindley’s dad, Chris Buse, will have
surgery Thursday to have a shunt placed in his brain.
Rachel Scribner and Jeff Mansel’s dad, Ron, have
Covid. Haley Underwood had a root canal Monday.
Betty Long continues therapy at Cedars, room 712.
Ricky Johnson is home recuperating from knee surgery.
A friend of Greg Hughes, Dawn Brown, has cancer.
On-Going Illnesses
Mary Lou Walden, Evelyn Thompson, Annie Martin,
Bettye Davis, Steve Kelly, Barbara Bishop, Bob Smith,
Doug Wallace, Frankie Estes, Shirley Lyons, Stella
Pittman, Caroline Willis, Carol Hood, Bill Goff, Sheba
Tuggers, Brian Carver, Lacy Plaxico, Michelle Maclean,
Freida Gardner, Linda Butler, Pam Gassaway, Donny
Dulaney, Ricky Britt, Larry Kennedy, Nathan Hale, Eric
Baker, Terry Blackmarr
Nursing Homes
Randy Attaway, Shirley McCarthy, Bob McClure
EMYG News
“When All Else Fails…”
Have you ever been in a situation where you have thought or said,
“Well, if all else fails?” Growing up out in the country, I used to refer
to my family as sophisticated rednecks. We were “do it yourselfers”
and tried to avoid hiring people to do our work. Because of that, it
forced us to become creative in how we would fix and do life out in
the country. And occasionally, we would say, “well, if all else fails, we
can try something else.” In our spiritual life, how often do we have
that mindset about things? When all else fails, what do we do?
In the book of James, we read at the conclusion of his letter a
simple acknowledgement of faith. Are we people who have a solidified
faith in God? Or do we have the mindset of “if all else fails.” James
5:13-14 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone
cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call
for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing
him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
Our circumstances that we are faced with in life should not
determine our ability to give God the praise and glory that is due.
Later on, James says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who
is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins,
he will be forgiven” (Jam. 5:15). Perish the thought that this would
happen to any of us, but if we were to become deathly ill and we think
if all else fails with these treatments, I will be better and more
submissive to God’s will.
Friends and family, that is not the time that God wants you to turn
your life more over to Him. When that control is taken from you and
you understand that this life is real and as easily as you came into
this world, God can take you right back out. We must live our lives
conducive to the blink of an eye of the Lord’s return and our own
possible death. When all else fails, we must remain constant in faith.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one
another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person
has great power as it is working” (v.16). In the society we live in,
confession is viewed as pointing your weakness out. Making yourself
lower than the rest. In God’s eyes, weakness gives opportunity for
strength. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, “Three times I pleaded
with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me,
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness. Therefore, I will boast more gladly of my weaknesses, so
that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ,
then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions,
and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
I fear that Satan’s most effective tactic on Christians is secret
sin. And because of that, we might think, if all else fails and I get
caught, then I’ll confess. Unfortunately, at that point, you’re
confessing to the reality of being caught. Not the sins that got you
caught. As Christians, why worry about being perfect on our own?
Why not allow God to do His powerful work and make you acceptable
in His sight? “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness.”
Christianity is not a last resort we may revert to when we have
gone through all the other options on how we might want to live our
lives. I challenge us to divorce the “when all else fails” mentality and
learn to walk in faith, having the necessary confidence that there is
no ambiguity in where you will spend your eternal destination. When
all else fails, what will you do? Alex

Men to Serve Sunday, July 3, 2022 a.m.
Announcements...........................Bobby Joe Lindley
Bible Reading.........................................Ben DuBois
Opening Prayer ....................................... Perry Hand
Lord’s Supper
Jake Kennedy
Lead Singing......................................Donny McKay
Closing Prayer...................................Jackson Voyles
Ushers .........................John Bowlin & Jalon Mansel
Please meet in the library by 8:45 a.m.
Sunday 11:15 a.m. service
Opening Prayer ..............................Jimmy Spearman
Closing Prayer...................................... Greg Hughes
Lead Singing.........................................Wesley Bass
Sympathy
Our sympathy is extended to Hugh Scribner in the
loss of his brother, Ray, on June 27. Funeral services
will be held at Pegues in Tupelo on Friday at 2 pm with
visitation from 1 pm until service time.
Prayers
Continue to keep Sharon Clemmer and family in your
prayers as they search for her father, Wade Davis, who
went to walk his dog last Wednesday and hasn’t come
home or been located.
Thank You Note
Thank you so much for the flowers, expressions of
sympathy and prayers on behalf or our family since the
passing of my grandmother. We love and appreciate our
East Main family. In Christian love,
Ashley Davis & family
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Opening Prayer ................................. Drew Baldwyn
Lead Singing........................................... Asher Bass
The elders kindly request that men leading in public
worship wear the best dress clothes they have.
Contact Ricky Lindsey (255-8136) if unable to serve.
Attendance & Contribution
Mid-Week, 6-22-22 .................................................... 118
Sunday 1st
Worship, 6-26-22 ...................................... 161
Sunday Bible Class..................................................... 149
Sunday 2nd
Worship................................................... N/A
Contribution (budget $9,334) ................................ $8,820
*This does not include the livestreamed views.
Pantry item........................................... Peanut butter
Maywood Christian
Camp
Our week at Maywood Christian Camp
is July 17th
-23rd
. Please go online and
register ASAP if you plan to attend
either as a camper or a staff member.
The cost for campers is $180. If you are
staff, your children may attend for $90.
Register at maywoodchristiancamp.com.