November 24, 2008

Room in the Inn returned to HCN on Saturday evening, hosted by the Bread Breakers Sunday School Class including the following families: Cutright, Vines (Jason), Groover, Helms, Morris (Steve), Barfield, Beach, Brown (Julie), Chaney, Davis (Carl), Garrett, Hollingsworth, Jones (Rodney), Stonecipher, Taylor (David), Whitehead. Jon Mowry drove the church van which transported the men needing shelter. I am thankful today for every person who prepared meals, chaperoned, and cared for people who live on the edge of survival. I am thankful for a church that built its facilities to make room for an inn.

Long Story Short returned to HCN on Sunday evening. Father/daughter Sam and Anna-Laura Green provided the opening rap music. Diane Cater narrated and directed and acted when needed. Shelley Flint, Jeff Cater, and Stephan Scappaticci provided central characters from Eve and Adam to the synopsis of Revelation. Rondy Smith put the puzzle together, assisted by Ashley Mize and Beth Seaman. Ted Brown, Jody Scott, and Betty Willis put the staging together. What a wonderful evening of redemptive entertainment. I remember the first year I saw Long Story Short and how hard I had to work to let my guard down and not be offended. Last night, I listened from a different place and enjoyed the stories and the hilarity. It was a marvelous telling and re-telling.

HCN has three female student athletes who play on their college basketball teams: Heather Miller, Becca Sharpe, and K.C. Van Atta. Heather plays for Vol State in Gallatin, TN. Becca plays for Bryan College in Dayton, TN. K.C. plays for Trevecca University in Nashville, TN. I have some press to share on all three.
Heather Miller’s Lady Pioneers have come back from a seven year slump to be ranked 18th in the nation in the NJCAA. They are also ranked 4th in team offense and 15th in team field goal percentage. The team is undefeated at 7-0.
Becca Sharpe leads the Lady Lions in assists, 3 pointers, and free throws. She is 70% for the season in 3 pointers. In the NAIA-II Top 20 Team Rankings, Becca is 3rd in assists and llth in 3 point percentage. She has reached double digits in assists in the last two games.
K.C. Van Atta was named the TranSouth Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, November 9, 2008. K.C. scored a career high 30 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and hit a school single-game record 8 three pointers in a come from behind win. The Lady Trojans are ranked fourth in the nation in the NAIA-I and are currently 8-0.

Congratulations to Chris Taylor on his election to the Board of the Chamber of Commerce in Mount Juliet. Chris is the Fixed Operations Manager of the newly relocated Two Rivers Ford in Mt. Juliet. Chris is also a member of the HCN Church Board.
Allow me to talk to you about several “life of the church” issues. Let me begin by speaking to the provision of Christmas for others. For several years, the church has placed bins in The Center Lobby to collect goods for various agencies and needs. Needs are so great this year that several age groups and Sunday School Classes are already out-front collecting. So, you will not see the collection bins. However, families abound who have children who could use help for Christmas. Could I make a suggestion? If you would like to help, purchase a gift card from an area store and put it into the offering plates when they are passed on Sunday mornings. Counters will collect the cards and pass them to the pastoral staff who will pass them to families in need. Could I make another suggestion? A gift card to Walmart allows a family to purchase food, clothing, presents, or even gas for a vehicle ((I have no stock in or family who works for Walmart).

Second, I need to talk to you about Advent 2008. Advent is the season of anticipation. For four Sundays previous to Christmas Day, the church watches for the coming of the Christ child. There are Advent wreaths with candles lighted in each morning service, culminating in the lighting of the Christ candle in the Christmas Eve Service. There is Advent preaching and congregational singing. There are musicals and dramas and socials pointing us to December 25. I wanted to give you some of the details:
This Sunday, November 30, 2008, is the first of the four Advent Sundays. The morning is different but wonderful (you’ll see) and you will not want to miss it or you will have to be told about what happened. The evening begins at 6:00 PM and is a time of Preparing Ourselves and Our Spaces for Christmas. Families with last names beginning A-L should bring a pot of soup, dessert, and drink. Families with last names beginning M-Z should bring a large salad, dessert, and drink. Bring your food to The Center, share devotions, help dress the facilities for Christmas, and then we will eat.
The second Sunday of Advent is December 7, 2008. The Adult Christmas Musical is presented by the choir and band at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM in The Center. There is no Sunday School this morning. The evening service begins at 6:00 PM with the Children’s Musical and followed by finger foods and drinks.
The third Sunday of Advent is December 14, 2008. The morning services feature Advent preaching and music. The evening service features a Teen Drama in The Center with pasta and pizza to follow.
The fourth Sunday of Advent is December 21, 2008. Again, the morning features Advent preaching and music. The evening service features three HCN vocalists in a concert of Christmas music. Soup and salads follow in The Center.
A Christmas Eve Service is new this year and comes by persistent and kind requests. The service begins at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary and includes congregational singing, communion, and the lighting of candles.
Christmas Day is Thursday, December 25, 2008. It is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior and King.

I need to tell you I am thankful for you this Thanksgiving season. I consider many of you to be good and kind friends who I look forward to seeing and greeting and being with each Sunday. I am thankful for my faith and I hope my reputation is good with you. Your’s is good with me.


In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard