July 29, 2025

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News
November 13, 2024
Welcome Mat
By MARY MORRIS HENRYETTA RESIDENT,

1 Peter 4:1-5 - “Since Christ suffered physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking that he had; because whoever suffers physically is no longer involved with sin. From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires. You have spent enough time in the past doing what the heathen likes to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lust, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and the disgusting worship of idols. And now the heathen are surprised when you do not join them in the same wild and reckless living, and so they insult you. But they will have to give an account of themselves to God, who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

1 Peter 4:1-5 - “Since Christ suffered physically, you too must strengthen yourselves with the same way of thinking that he had; because whoever suffers physically is no longer involved with sin. From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires. You have spent enough time in the past doing what the heathen likes to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lust, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and the disgusting worship of idols. And now the heathen are surprised when you do not join them in the same wild and reckless living, and so they insult you. But they will have to give an account of themselves to God, who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

Clearly, the Gospel message is open to all who will heed it. Peter mentions a former life of sin to his readers. He is probably speaking from personal experience. But just because we sinned in our past does not mean we must continue along the same path indefinitely. We are given a choice for each and every step we take. Our “friends” that indulged in sin with us won’t appreciate our u-turn. They can sometimes even become violent with their insulting behavior toward our new selves. It is to be expected since Satan is constantly doing his best to win a losing battle, but we must never give in or give up. Jesus tells us that the world will hate us because it first hated Him. Paul says he counted himself fortunate to be persecuted because that made him feel closer to Jesus. And if that perfect being Christ was tortured, what makes us feel like we are above that? Of course we’ll be persecuted! But as long as we walk with the Lord, He will see to it that our spirit remains intact and the mat in front of the heavenly door says “Welcome.”

New HPS Board Member Welcomed
A: Main, Lifestyle...
New HPS Board Member Welcomed
July 26, 2025
Willem Vandenborn is welcomed by Henryetta Public Schools Superintendent Jason Price after he was sworn in to fill the Ward 2 seat on the HPS board. The action came during a special meeting Thursday, ...
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Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
A: Main, Lifestyle...
Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
July 25, 2025
Patrons Bank is urging the community to be on high alert as phone scams targeting bank customers continue to rise across the country - and right here at home.Scammers are spoofing legitimate bank phon...
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Christmas in July is today
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Christmas in July is today
July 25, 2025
Downtown Henryetta is set to come alive with holiday spirit and summer sunshine today, as the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce presents its annual “Christmas in July” celebration. The event, scheduled fr...
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Back-to-School excitement builds
July 25, 2025
As summer winds down and the school year quickly approaches, Henryetta Public Schools and Dewar Public Schools are rolling out the red carpet for students and families with a series of exciting back-t...
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Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
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Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
July 25, 2025
The City of Henryetta has announced that the Main Street railroad crossing is currently closed to all traffic. Residents needing to cross the tracks are encouraged to use the Trudgeon Street crossing ...
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Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
A: Main
Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
July 25, 2025
Shoppers across Okmulgee County and throughout the state will soon get a much-needed break on back-to-school expenses, as Oklahoma’s annual Sales Tax Holiday kicks off Friday, Aug. 1, and runs through...
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Editor Picks
A: Main
Historical Museum open Saturday
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Historical Museum continues to welcome guests through its doors this summer with its special every-other-weekend schedule - and this Saturday is no exception. The museum will be open Jul...
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News
OCEM Report
July 25, 2025
This report is a summary of activities Okmulgee County Emergency Management participated in and does not reflect all activities performed by or participated in by Okmulgee County Emergency Management....
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Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
News
Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
July 25, 2025
Planning is in full swing for the much-anticipated 2025 Okmulgee County Fair, with the event officially set to take place Sept. 4-6 at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds.Members of the Fair Volunteer Com...
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Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
News
Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Lions Club held a lively and productive meeting on Thursday, July 17, at The Shack 2.0, welcoming new members, celebrating local heritage and preparing for several key community events o...
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News
Preston Schools announces Child Nutrition Program
July 25, 2025
Preston Public Schools announced they are participating in free lunch and/or breakfast program for the 2026 school year. All students enrolled in the district or the listed sites may participate in th...
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