The Selma Area Food Bank (SAFB) will receive a 30,000 pound donation of food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be separated and boxed on the America250 Alabama JustServe Service Day.
Some conversations can quickly turn in a circle. Around and around, back and forth, no end in sight. Until, you end it, or the other ends it, or it simply hits a wall and ends itself. There’s nothing like social media to fall into that dizzyi…
She was a devout Christian, a devoted church-goer and normally possessed a gentle spirit. But I remember the day she came to the church office in anger.
An old fable tells of a frog who envied his pond friends, the geese, when they prepared to fly south in the winter and escape arctic temperatures. The more he pondered, an idea formed in his head. The frog asked two geese to hold a stick betw…
A reader implored me “to refrain from writing blasphemous ideas that can turn others away from the truth …” Not unfamiliar with this complaint, I responded that “Blasphemy is in the eye of the believer.” I’ve thought and written about this th…
Kids love to perform in skits. I well remember participating in school and church youth group plays and skits. Usually these were quite funny, mostly when we flubbed a line or wore some silly costume. The word “skit” comes from an old verb me…
I had the privilege of serving the First Baptist Church in Selma for seven years. This is a inner-city church with three others nearby, and I commonly walked downtown for lunch or shopping.
I was brought up confessing—sins, of course, but also sincere beliefs. We could say the foundation of the Christian Church is confession. Profession is central as well, since confessing and professing faith are closely related. If this sounds confusing, that’s because it isn’t supposed to ma…
When I was a jail chaplain one of the most satisfying parts of my work was bringing books inside to prisoners. These were mostly “spiritual” or “inspirational” books like Daily Word, Each Day a New Beginning (AA meditations) or selections from “wisdom teachers.” Inmates were surprised to see…
It was reported that the Jewish teacher Jesus of Nazareth instructed his disciples to “go into all the world, making disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28). As a youthful evangelist, I believed this was my call to convert everyone to my Chri…
From childhood, I prayed for many reasons and prayed for many things. Health and wellbeing, protection from harm, forgiveness, to be saved from a situation or saved in soul. And sometimes I prayed for my prayers. “May my prayer be pleasing to…
Our parents thought they were anarchists and subversives sent across the pond to corrupt our morals—something of a payback for the Boston Tea Party. The Beatles had long hair. They were trend-setters. We teens began to follow suit.
Historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma has won a $1 million grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund for technical expertise needed to protect the property so it can remain active for generations.
A headline on the Religion News Service (RNS) announced: “Bible sales keep growing, even as many Americans lose their religion—about 18 million Bibles have been sold this year, part of a five-year boom in Bible sales.” (November 17, 2025). I …
With an older sister and a good friend who are experienced cooks and bakers, my attempts at creating edible dishes can be comical. In my defense, I’ve come up with a few things worth eating. Though I fail now and then, my walnut banana bread …
Our Alabama Baptist campsite at Shocco Springs is a gorgeous place, and I’ve enjoyed every event I’ve attended there. Several years ago, I attended a two-day training course for pastors. A conference for senior adults was on site at the same …
While attending college in Seattle, a good friend and I went to see Al Stewart in concert. Some may recall the popular song “Year of the Cat” or the epic “Roads to Moscow.” Years later, while browsing through a bookstore near my home in Calif…
A colleague accosted me in the Monday morning pastors meeting after Bob and Kay joined our church the day before. He told me he’d invested many hours in marital counseling leading to their recommitment, and he was disturbed to hear they’d pre…
My young Ethiopian friend Thomas sent me photos from a celebration in his homeland. He wrote: “Today, we Ethiopian Orthodox Christians have been celebrating the baptism of The Son of God by John the Baptist in The Jordan River.” Thomas is wel…
I grew up in a suburb of Seattle, Washington when the Christmas Season was marvelous and magical. Like many of my generation, each day of December sparkled with that unmatched anticipation of a child—expectant, wide-eyed for Santa, a fresh-cu…
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM SUNDAY TO 1 PM CDT
MONDAY...
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM CDT TUESDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with
gusts up to 40 mph expected. For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing
temperatures as low as 24 expected.
* WHERE...A portion of central Alabama.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, from 1 PM Sunday to 1 PM CDT Monday.
For the Freeze Warning, from 10 PM Monday to 10 AM CDT Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and
freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and
possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
Those that have in ground sprinkler systems should drain them and
cover above ground pipes to protect them from freezing.
&&
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM SUNDAY TO 1 PM CDT
MONDAY...
...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM MONDAY TO 10 AM CDT TUESDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with
gusts up to 40 mph expected. For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing
temperatures as low as 24 expected.
* WHERE...A portion of central Alabama.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, from 1 PM Sunday to 1 PM CDT Monday.
For the Freeze Warning, from 10 PM Monday to 10 AM CDT Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and
freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and
possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
Those that have in ground sprinkler systems should drain them and
cover above ground pipes to protect them from freezing.
&&
