The day-to-day operations of the Meridian Star Newspaper were detailed by news editor Bill Graham at the April Meeting of the Center Hill Community Development Club.  

Graham, who has been in the newspaper business a little more than a decade, also talked about the evolving news business and how The Star uses social media to not only inform, but also engage readers

“It is, without a doubt, a group effort to put out a daily newspaper,” he said, describing how The Star’s newsroom responded when an EF-2 tornado hit the area on April 14 to further explain. 

The meeting opened with a welcome from club president Robin Doerner, followed by a “make up” quote for March, “Creativity is intelligence having fun” Albert Einstein and one for April, ”Believe you can and you are halfway there.”  Theodore Roosevelt.

Brent Stephens presented the devotion from his Sunday church bulletin “Catastrophic Compromise” by Lucinda J. Rollings.

“Their mighty leader Joshua had died. Now the children of Israel struggled to obey God’s command to utterly destroy their enemies in the Promised Land.

“While at first they obeyed wholeheartedly, the Israelites began compromising a little here and a little there. They began seeing their enemies as a benefit and collected taxes from them. As their enemies became more powerful, they shoved some of the Israelites out of their own land. Finally, God said He would not continue driving out their enemies, ‘But they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.’ (Judges 2:3) The Israelites lost some of their land, their blessing and even their children, who grew up not knowing anything about the One True God and all He had done for them (Judges 1:1-2:15)

“Centuries later, Daniel and his friends decided not to compromise by eating the king’s food. They requested permission to stick to their strict Jewish diet. What happened? They were healthier and had a good testimony for God. Then God gave Daniel interpretations of the king’s dreams, which led to his promotion as a government official. He ruled over Babylon and all the other wise men. Daniel served successive rulers and held positions of honor. He didn’t compromise when King Darius commanded that prayers be made only to him. Even in a den of hungry lions, Daniel experienced God’s protection and rewards. (Daniel 1:1-6:28)

“Temptation to compromise camps out on our doorstep. It rattles the doorknob to our being. The Bible flashes its warning, ‘Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?’ (1 Corinthians 5:6) Would you drink a glass of water that had been compromised with just a little arsenic? Of our own choosing, we often wallow in the quicksand of compromise.

“May our prayer be like the psalmist’s, ‘With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments.’” (Psalm 119:10

Stephens closed his devotional presentation with prayer, remembering members who are sick, and returning thanks.

Doerner reminded members of the following announcements:

• Sheriff Department Appreciation Lunch, April 19. The club provided desserts and helped serve. 

• EMBDC Home and Garden Show, April 26 at the Tommy Dulaney Center. The club provided gift basket items for a giveaway and candy for the club’s table.

• Catfish Cookout, April 28, at Gateway Church in Lauderdale. Proceeds go to A Home for Tyler.

The meeting concluded with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Bill Graham.

• Submitted by Cathy Clearman, reporter.