Submitted photo Isabell Long and Alexa Carle (holding gavel) of Meridian recently served as pages for the Mississippi House of Representatives. Pages generally run errands for officials and House staff. Isabell and Alexa are pictured with Speaker of the House Philip Gunn and Representative Greg Snowden who sponsored their visit. Isabell is the daughter of Trey and Enley Long and attends Lamar High School. Alexa is the daughter of Jimmy and Jolie Carle and also attends Lamar High School. 

The Temple Theatre will present A Flower From Heaven 2 A Perilous Journey at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Christian faith-based feature film was filmed in Newton and Neshoba County in the summer of 2017. Approximately 15 actors participated, all were local actors from the Mississippi area. The movie took about five months to prepare, six months to film, and two months to edit. After its completion, it received numerous awards from two fall film festivals in Sept. 2017.

The feature film,  approximately one hour and 11 minutes long, is a real-life drama about a 13-year-old whose mother is about to die from cancer. The mother no longer believes in God and her daughter is desperately trying to convince her to change her mind. The mother is expected to die soon and continues to resist her daughter’s message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Randy Skinner, of Union, Music Films director, said in real life, it took place between a father and his son.

“The rest of the story in this movie was given to me by God as a vision about a group of youth filming a Christian play for their local church,” Skinner said.

Skinner said almost every Christian evangelist who visits prisons or any other place where there is a high concentration of lost people will tell you the most common response they receive when asked, “Would you like to be saved?” The response is, “It’s too late for me now I have done too much wrong to be saved.”

“This, however, is opposite of the teachings of the Bible and Christ our Lord,” Skinner said. “It is my hope that anyone who thinks this way and sees this movie will come to realize that there is no sin to great for Jesus Christ to wash away.”

Skinner’s first feature filmed, Lost In The Woods, also was shown at the Temple Theatre.

“Even though there were some mistakes in the filming, for me it was how well the movie was received by the people that I rate it as a success,” Skinner said. “Because the story line was so good no one wanted to stop watching it until the end of the movie.”

Skinner said he is working on a documentary entitled Walking With the Supernatural, and after that A Flower From Heaven 3 is already on the drawing board.

Junior Livestock Show

Lauderdale County Junior Livestock organization members showed off their projects last week at Meridian Livestock.

Lauderdale County 4-H, West Lauderdale FFA, and Clarkdale FFA members have been working hard, some for almost a year, to have their animals ready for show and sale to buyers from around the county.

The youths have put in hours of feeding, washing, halter breaking, and practice to have their animals in top form as they head to the Southeast District 4-H Show Jan. 26-28 in Hattiesburg. Many of the families will go on to compete at the Dixie National Jr. Roundup Feb. 1-8 in Jackson.

All of the Livestock youth participate under Lauderdale 4-H and the MSU Extension Service.

If you have any questions regarding the Junior Livestock program – how to get involved, how to become a supporter – contact the Lauderdale County Extension office at 601-482-9764. The Mississippi State University Extension service oversees the Jr. Livestock Program and kids that participate become eligible for scholarships that will help them continue their education. 

Mark calendar for pancakes

The Downtown Optimist Club of Meridian has announced its 71st annual Pancake Jubilee Event scheduled for 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Temple Theater Ballroom.

Tickets are $5 in advance; $6 at the door.

The Pancake Jubilee is the primary fundraiser for the DTOC in support of Meridian Junior Golf and Youth Activities.

Help celebrate 71 years of community service and help DTOC once again by eating all the pancakes and sausage you can hold plus all the fixings. Water, coffee, milk (regular and chocolate) and soda to drink.

Tickets can be purchased at AT&T, BankPlus-22nd Ave, Barry, Thaggard, May & Bailey Law Firm-Downtown, Ed Chaney Tire Center-22nd Ave., First State Bank-8th St., Jeffery Wilson Agency-Hwy.39N, Quality PC of Meridian-Hwy 45N, Regions Bank-Bonita Lakes Loop.

Cheryl Owens writes the Neighbors column for The Meridian Star. Submit items to cowens@themeridianstar.com.