Greene Publishing, Inc.

By Nell Dobbs
“This is the day that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” A quote: “Someone is looking up to you. Don’t let that person down.”
Beautiful flowers were placed in church Sunday in loving memory of Mack and Jeannette Hadden by Jan, Bern and John Mack Smith. Times eases some of the loss.
The Three B’s sang, “Jesus Saves.” Ronnie Ragans prayed the offertory prayer. The Worship Choir sang “Crown of Life.” The message was again by Pastor Loy W. Reed. The Hymn of Commitment was “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”
Geoff Hill gave the evening message.
I was sorry to miss Sunday School and church again and appreciated Sue (Quick) for giving me her bulletin. When I talked to Hilda, she said Jimmy and she had gone to Barbara Memorial Church of the Nazarene homecoming and what a different message on the Prodigal Son. It was the Jewish custom that, if the younger son asked for his inheritance, the father must give it to him, even though it meant the father would likely have to liquidate all or part of his land and property. It was also the custom that the father must get to the son first or else the son could never come on the land again for her had squandered the goods that belonged to the Jews among the Gentiles. The Beacon Commentary said that “the fact that the father should give a younger son his inheritance before his own death was by no means uncommon in Jewish history. Abraham gave Isaac and his other son their inheritance before his own death (Gen. 25:5-6). But it was highly irregular for the son to ask for it. Whenever such a favor was shown, it was a free gift of the father.”
A very thought-provoking parable and I will be thinking more on it. Why did the younger son want his part? Was he unhappy at home? Did he want to see what the world offered? Where was the far country? How had he wasted his substance? Because it was both misused and used up. Riotous living is wrong and it is expensive. But thank the Lord he came to his senses and went home where his dad was waiting for him. There are many stories about parents waiting and waiting for sons (and daughters) to come home. In Marjell’s poem, the night of his mother’s death, he wrote, “Please burn a beacon or light a candle for me, in a window of your cabin built by the Carpenter from Galilee.”
We are continuing our “Season of Refreshing – Toward a New Start with New Hearts: A 30-Day Season of Prayer.”
We continue collecting money through the baby bottles for the Pregnancy Center.
Sunday noon on the 30th, there is to be a youth fundraiser lunch of chicken and rice for a special spring event.
SAM group’s challenge is to fill the back of a pickup truck with items for the Florida Baptist Children’s Home to be delivered Feb. 9.
On Feb. 6, at 6 p.m., there is to be a “Souper Bowl Family Night.”
On Feb. 13, at 6 p.m., a Friendship Banquet is being sponsored by the youth – at no cost but donations will be accepted for help with summer camp.
I Thessalonians 5:25: “Brethren, pray for us.” That is our plea. We pray in different ways. Our prayer list is long. Some pray over the whole list at one time; others pray over each name. Our need is to remember to pray. A song says, “We need the prayers of those we love” and that is so true.
Amen!

The Shepherds will be in concert at Madison Church of God on Sunday evening, Jan. 30,  at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. This will be a free concert but a love offering will be received.
The name The Shepherds has become synonymous with gospel music. In the early 90’s the group was formed out of Sandersville, Ga. and has turned into a mainstay in Gospel Music. Their true family harmony and added youthfulness creates a unique vocal blend with a progressive sound that is re-defining gospel music for future generations. Although their roots are primarily Southern Gospel, The Shepherds latest recording, Reality features a variety of styles and genres in Christian Music that seem to be connecting with a diverse group of audiences.
The Shepherds perform mostly original material written by group member Debra Shepherd. Debra has not only become a respected writer for The Shepherds, but has also had many songs to be released nationwide and into other countries such as Ireland, Honduras, Africa, and Russia. Many mainstream artists have also recorded her songs, including groups such as The Freemans, The McKameys, The Hoppers, The Hoskins Family, The Inspirations, and The Kingsmen, just to name a few…
Some of the songs made popular by The Shepherds that have reached national chart status 
Consist of, “A Friend of God,” “Oh Yes He Is,” “It’ll Be Hard Not Cry,” “There’s Still Time For A Miracle,” “God Will Never Run Out Of Blessings,” and their signature song “There’s A Miracle In The Making”.
Continuing the momentum, The Shepherds current recording with Dove Music, Reality, has been turning industry heads since it hit the shelves. The first two radio releases “A Black Heart” and “On My Way To A Miracle” went into the Singing News Top 30. The Shepherds hit single “On My Knees” reached the Top 10 for Singing News Magazine, and was #25 for Top 40 songs of 2007. And their last single “I Am Here” peaked at #15 in the Singing News chart and #3 in The Christian Voice chart.
The Shepherds have appeared on many prestigious stages, such as Wild Adventures theme park, SGM FanFair, National Quartet Convention, one of the top 5 Fireworks shows in the Nation (located in Knoxville, TN), churches, auditoriums, theaters, and many television appearances including T.B.N – Praise The Lord, Daystar Television Network‘s Celebration, plus many other media networks. The Shepherds have firmly established their place in Gospel Music.
The Shepherds Award accomplishments include nominations for the SGM FanFair/Us Gospel “Mixed Group of the Year” for 2005, and SGM FanFair “Young Excelling Individual” of 2008 awarded to Jonathan Shepherd. Group member Debra Shepherd was also very honored to receive the Georgia Songwriters Award.
The Shepherds are a family affair with group members: Quint & Debra Shepherd, son Jonathan, and their twin girls Haley and Hope along with Wallace Smith and Sheri Haynes. It is all of the group members desire to reach the lost and to give the audience something they can take with them to face life’s challenges. Despite the success and doors that God is continually opening, The Shepherds are a family that remain devoted to the calling and purpose on which their ministry was founded.