Who wishes to allow God?

His nickname was Easy Ernie, given to him because most students in his Political Science class received an easy A. Like most, I took the class to pad my G.P.A. It was part of my Individualized Curriculum Plan (ICP).

Failing to consider the consequence and response I would receive from my Mother, I told her about my ICP. She said, “What does that mean? I can’t pass!” I wanted to tell her golf was more important.

I swallowed my pride and censored myself. A goat-milking mother never does anything easy and besides, I liked her pound cake and cheese biscuits and cherry muffins too much to challenge her. College is a great place to test one’s will against consequences, but don’t try it on your mother.

We reach a point in our faith journey when belief can no longer exist in concert with selfwill. Our tepid attempts at faith are not sufficient while we engage earthly pursuits separate from God’s intent. We must also allow him our will and its consequences. It is our path to poverty.

“The poor will always be with us,” Jesus said. I take this to mean God will always be with us, for God is poor in the sense we define poor. He has no need for the possessions we want, no need to be wealthy in the way we strive to be, no need for status, save our heart, and maybe that is why we will never find God in those pursuits. Only when we impoverish our desires, only when real faith detaches us from earthly encumbrances do we find life’s consequences have no hold. Discovering we are free, free from want except as God establishes our purpose in his kingdom, poverty intertwines our will with his.

God provides, has provided and will provide. He conjugates our need, our will, our consequences. Did not Jesus say, “And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?” (Luke 12:25,26). Who wishes to do the least? Who wishes to allow God? Do not Christ and the Holy Spirit intercede for us?

We are slow learners or no learners at all. We read, we hear, we attempt and still — we repeat our failures. Who among us effects the perfect consequence? Because we think the goal is attained by our own hand, and in the attaining, forget God provides, we distract ourselves from this truth and living it.

How much consequence shall we endure until at last we do not just see light, but light enters our heart and our essence? When shall we breathe God’s intent? Or do we simply wish to be kings and princes in the wrong kingdom?

Jesus said, “Yet not my will, Father, but Thine be done!” Not so easy, is it?

Adairsville Church of God, 297 Old Dixie Highway, Adairsville, hosts Adairsville Church of God Kidz every Sunday morning at 11 a.m.

Dykes Creek Baptist Church, 46 Church Road, will host their second annual fundraising turkey shoot on Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. Proceeds will benefit the church’s Football Sunday, coming in February 2018. The church will hold a Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 12 with worship at 10:30 a.m. and a Thanksgiving banquet at 6 p.m. with “Golden Oldies” by Kenny Evans. Tickets are required for the banquet. Childcare will be provided. For more information call 706-291-7790.

Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, 416 N. Fifth Ave., will hold their last worship service in the historic building on Sunday at 11 a.m. The church will relocate to 17 Burnett Ferry Road and change their name to Providence Baptist Church. For more information call 706-291-0689.

First Christian Church, 209 E. Second Ave., holds Sunday worship (casual/business casual dress) at 11 a.m. Sunday School meets at 10 a.m. for an adult Sunday School series by Marcus Borg, “The God We Never Knew,” led by Carl Cothran. Morning Coffee is each Thursday from 7-9 a.m. For more information contact the church office at romedisciples@gmail.com.

Garden Lakes Baptist Church, 2200 Redmond Circle, will host a free Trunk or Treat Fall Festival Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-noon. Activities include free games, inflatables, candy and a hayride. The children’s ministry and Berry College Student Service groups are partnering to sponsor the event.

Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 445 E. 14th St., will host the Wings of Glory Thanksgiving Songfest on Saturday at 5 p.m. All groups, choirs, soloists and praise dance teams are invited. Proceeds benefit the Thanksgiving Day Love Feast. Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 161. The church will have a fall festival on Oct. 31 from 5-7 p.m. For more information call 706-234-2091 or 706-234-5047 on Sundays.

Lyerly United Methodist Church is selling their third cookbook, “Feeding the Flock.” Cookbooks can be purchased from any church member. To receive a cookbook by mail, send $13 to Lyerly United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Lyerly, GA 30730 and a church cookbook. For more information call JoAnn Mitchell at 706-895-2636.

Mount Olive Baptist Church, 17 E. Pennington Ave., will host a free community health fair on breast cancer awareness and education on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. For more information call 706-234-6413.

New and Living Way Bible Church, 59 Dykes Creek Church Road, will host Succeeding in Sobriety with Minister Stanley Oliver and featuring Jessica Dennis and Ministry in Motion on Sunday at 4 p.m. For more information call 706-528-8967.

New Canaan Baptist Church,3

New Corinth Baptist Church, 200 Cliff Nelson Road, Euharlee, will host the Seventh District Missionary Convention of Georgia Soul Bowl revival on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. For more information contact Alberta M. Nichols at 706-512-1070 or 678-773-0638.

The North Georgia General Missionary Baptist Association will hold First Saturday Fellowship Service with Pastor Ramon Arnold and Zion Hill First Baptist Church, 828 Martin Luther King Jr. St., Rockmart, on Nov. 4 at 9:45 a.m.

NorthPointe Church, 30 Orchard Road, Adairsville, hosts Celebrate Recovery, a Christcentered recovery program, every Monday night. Cross Talk Cafe at 6 p.m., large group worship at 7 p.m. and open share groups at 8 p.m. Visit www. northpointechurch.com or contact Kitty at 404-642-3605 for more information.

Pisgah Baptist Church, 5603 Alabama Highway, holds prayer every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Fall Festival is on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. Call 706-232-4431 for more information.

Pleasant Valley North Baptist Church, 735 Old Summerville Road, holds a praise and worship service Sundays at 10:45 a.m. in the fellowship hall with music by Ben Thornton and the Praise Band. A blended service is held at the same time in the sanctuary.

Reach Ministries, 914 Shorter Ave., will hold revival with Evangelist Cory Beeler Nov. 2-4 at 6:30 p.m. nightly. Testimonials will be given by Merlene Justice on Nov. 2, Richie White on Nov. 3 and Jim Brooks on Nov. 4. Music provided by Crosspointe Community. Childcare will be provided. For more information call Sheri at 706-676-6860 or Merlene at 706853-1486.

Rome First United Methodist Church, 202 E. First Ave., will offer one worship service on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the historic sanctuary and a fall festival following worship at noon in the Garnett M. Wilder Center.

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, 42 Ash St., meets Sundays at 9:30 a.m. In addition to regular Sunday services, services will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. for All Saints’ Day and Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. for the Feast of All Souls. For more information call 706-5061241.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 911 N. Broad St., offers Saturday vigil Masses at 5:30 p.m. in English and at 7 p.m. in Spanish; Sunday Masses are 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. in English and at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in Spanish. An All Saints’ vigil Mass will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m. followed by Trunk or Treat for children. LIFETEEN, the High School Youth Ministry Group, will meet on this Sunday from 4-6 p.m. at the John Paul II Center. Nov. 1 is All Saints’ Day, a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses are at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic School in the School Gym and at noon and 6 p.m. in English at the church. For additional information on any church activities or programs contact the church office at 706290-9000 or at DeaconNeslin@ smcrome.org. in the chapel and 10 a.m. in the church each Sunday. A service of Holy Eucharist in Spanish is offered Sundays at 5 p.m. in the chapel. Midweek Eucharist services are held on Tuesdays at 12:15 p.m. and on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the chapel. Nursery is offered during the 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist. Children’s Chapel is also available for children ages pre-K through third grade during the 10 a.m. service. Christian formation and Sunday School are offered for children, youth and adults at 11:15 a.m. on Sundays. For more information visit www. stpetersrome.org or call 706-2919111.

Second Avenue United Methodist Church, 801 E. Second Ave., holds Sunday School at 10 a.m. and services with the Rev. Millie Kim at 11 a.m. For more information call David Gresham at 706237-7146 or visit www.2aveumc. org.

Shorter University, 315 Shorter Ave., will host “Reformation: Then and Now,” a series of 15-minute lectures on the Reformation by the Department of Social Sciences and Department of Christian Studies, from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesday in Brookes Chapel. The event is open to the public at no charge.

Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, 6 Old Rockmart Road, Lindale, will hold Sunday School at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Rev. Camille Josey’s sermon is “Loving God.” The Scripture passages are Deuteronomy 8:1-20 and 2 John 1:4-6. Following worship, a meal will be served in the fellowship hall. The Session will hold its monthly meeting following lunch. For more information contact Janet Farr at 706-346-7268.

Silver Creek United Methodist Church, 36 Reeceburg Road, Silver Creek, will host their monthly free community lunch on Saturday from noon-2 p.m. The menu will be barbecue sandwiches served with chips, slaw, dessert and drink. This ministry takes place the fourth Saturday of each month. For more information call or text 706-506-6493.

Transfiguration Episcopal Church, 304 Coker Drive, will celebrate Holy Eucharist on Sunday at 11 a.m. On Nov. 1, Al-Anon will meet in the parish hall at noon and there will be a public service of healing with Eucharist at 6 p.m.

Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1941 Shorter Ave., conducts Sunday School for all ages at 9:45 a.m. Worship is held at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. The Rev. Greg Lund will preach the sermon “Glory to God Alone.” A nursery is available.

West Rome United Methodist Church, 1003 Shorter Ave., will hold services at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The sermon, “Resurrection and Life,” comes from John 11:17-27. For more information visit www.westromeumc.org, call 706-234-6214 or email wrumc@ bellsouth.net.

Woodlawn Baptist Church will host a cornhole tournament and trunk or treat with free food and prizes on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Unity School Athletic Field, 2960 New Calhoun Highway. Two person cornhole teams may register for $10 each. Trunk or treat will follow the tournament.