Congratulations to the Hermitage Children Quizzers who participated in the multi- zone quiz hosted by our church on Saturday: Briley Ruff, Brielle Fox, Daniel Silvernail, Bryson Fox, Bethany Ruff, Jonathan Silvernail, Drew Silvernail, and Sara Waller. Briley, Brielle, and Daniel quizzed at the red level. Briley earned a gold star ribbon. Brielle and Daniel earned gold all-star ribbons. Bryson, Bethany, Jonathan, Drew, and Sara quizzed at the blue level. Drew and Sara earned gold star ribbons. Bryson, Bethany, and Jonathan earned gold all star ribbons.
Hermitage Church participated in a Mission Day on Sunday that is still buzzing in my head. Jon and Kathy Mowry, missionaries of eleven years to Soviet bloc countries and now at home in Tennessee and Hermitage Church, shared twelve stories to illustrate the mighty works of God in an atheistic culture. Their narratives captured our attention and made us want to participate in the continuation of the story. Phil Jordan, chairperson of the Finance Council, informed me this morning that to date, 97 families have pledged to give $76,832 over the next twelve months to World Missions. While I am excited about the totals, I believe there will be many more families who will join in the pledging over the next two weeks in November. Find pledge cards available at Welcome Centers.
Spencer Baggott addressed second service via Skype from the nation of Senegal in Africa. Spencer and April move from a year of language school to their assignment in Rwanda in several months. They are members of our church. Every month, their tithe check is mailed to HCN and deposited in the offering plates with our giving.
Congregational music was exceptionally moving in message yesterday. In first service, we sang “Jesus Saves” and “I Love to Tell the Story.” In second service, we sang “All Over the World,” “I Will Go,” and “Mighty to Save.” Kathy Mowry said if she had sung one more verse, she might have left her teaching assignment at Trevecca and returned to the field. That is the kind of person I want talking to me about missions. I want to recognize the behind the scenes people who made the difference yesterday. Donna Shankle leads the Mission Council at HCN and their planning for the morning produced the goods. Miriam McMillan pulled the stats together for the bulletin insert and Patrick McMillan designed it. Ken Jewett communicated with Spencer regarding avail-ability and timing and then prepared the systems. Robert Sullivan received the requests for help with power point from the Mowrys and made it happen. Jody Scott prepared the card stock pledge cards and printed them. Phil Jordan collected the cards and totaled them and recorded our pledges. Thanks, team.
Our Thanksgiving Dinner was a week earlier than usual. Thanks to the turkey and ham cookers who provided the meat: Carol Waller, Lisa Anderson, Brenda Agee, Bill Lowe, Janis Barrett, Barbara Parrish, Donna Wood, Miriam McMillan, Kristi Mabry, Marilyn Keener, Joy Bradley, Kim Kile, Bobby Meadows, Alex Whitehead, Ruth Pilkinton, Julie Foster, and Pam McNeese. We ran out of turkey and ham last year and the seventeen of you made sure it did not happen again. Thanks to everyone else for providing the salads, vegetables, desserts and drinks. The food was sensational and plenteous. My wife bragged all the way home about how tasty everything was. There were raves this morning in staff meeting for the sweet potatoes cut into slender slices. Thanks to the Genesis Sunday School Class for set-up, service, and clean-up, and to Lisa Anderson who is always watching over our social events.
Long Story Short returns to The Center this Sunday, November 23, 2008, at 6:00 PM. It is an hour long drama encapsulating the sixty-six books of the Bible presented by four characters: Diane Cater, Jeff Cater, Shelley Flint, and Stephan Scappaticci. I cannot over emphasize how very appealing it is. It is so funny and fast-paced and inspirational. It is a perfect opportunity to invite someone to attend church with you who thinks church is tired and boring. It is a hook with which the Holy Spirit may grab someone and turn around their life. The place should be packed.
If you are considering participating in the 2010 Mission Africa Trip, the first informa-tional gathering is scheduled for Sunday, January 4, 2009, at 6:00 PM in the Sanctuary. Put this date on your calendar. That meeting will be less than eighteen months from the beginning of a journey across the world.
I moved a chair off my back deck to an observation point for my back yard burn pile. I have torched all of the tree limbs I had collected for a year and I am waiting for a first burning of leaves on Thursday. The smell of yard fires transports me decades back into my childhood to the yard of a four room house in the Long Creek community of Meck-lenburg County, NC. When I look through the glass panes in my back door, the chair in the yard invites me, draws me to a place of remember. I hope there is something good stored somewhere in your memory that makes your life richer just in the recall. I hope that blessing for you.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
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