December 29, 2008

Dear Family and Friends of Hermitage Church of the Nazarene,

Someone in the Hermitage congregation regularly deposited a request in the offering plates for almost one year requesting that a Christmas Eve service be scheduled for 2008. The notes were always kind. So we scheduled the service at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 24, 2008, in the Sanctuary and close to 400 people attended. Jerry Keener said the parking lot looked like a Titan's game with every car on the road pulling into the parking lot and groups of 20-30 people huddled and moving into the building. The service is a keeper. I hope your Christmas was good and that you were able to be with people who you love and who bring joy to your life.

The Genesis Sunday School Class hosted Room-in-the-Inn on the HCN campus on Saturday evening, December 27, 2008. Those who served included Becky Evans, Beth Seaman, Bill and Melva Stricklin, Beverly and Presley Stinson, Dan and Cathy Preston, Paul, Christy, and Katie Stonecipher, Kent and Kim Kile, Bobby, Rondy, and Sue Smith, David and Yori Taylor, Lisa Anderson, Carol Clem, Dianne McNeese, Jon Alderman, Marvin Heath, Bryce and Carter Poole, Webb Trojan, Beth and Gallic Rice, Kristi Mabry, Kathy Orrick, Rhonda Ward, Steve and Lisa Kelley, Tes Tigabu, Dan, Jody, Graham, and Chandler Scott, J.D. and Angela Hisey. The group provided Saturday evening's meal, Sunday's breakfast, and Sunday lunches to go. Thanks for showing the face of Jesus to the world. Thanks for doing to Jesus all that you have done.

Yesterday's one service met in The Center at 10:00 AM. The crowd was slow to gather but by the time preaching started, the place was full. Sam Green was out-of-town with his family and a wonderful praise team stepped up to lead worship and the choir. Thanks to Bryce and Beth Fox, Dorinda Biggs, and Paul Vann. The Center Band was missing Ricky Gore, Paul Boiling, Randy Layne, and Donny Jackson, so the remaining troops of Michael Waller, Graham Scott, Andy McCormick, and Dave Flint filled the gaps and added Ben Tyler on percussion. Because the service included all the nurseries and children's departments, I knew we needed lots of changing faces in the pulpit. I assigned pieces of the message to pastoral staff members who were in-town and I had the opportunity both to preach and to listen. Thanks to Carol Waller, Shane Tarter, Ronnie Thompson, and Rondy Smith for sharing the pulpit with me. I did not know that a university president and deans from two schools of religion were present in the service until after service. One of them talked to me for a long time in the lobby about the wonderful personality of this congregation.

If any of you are on trial in Wilson County in the next three months, tell me quickly so that I can get out of jury duty. Why do I get called so often?

Since September 14, 2008, people in our congregation have given money to support orphans in the Suvia Children's Home in Kali, Kenya. The Poverty Dinner at the close of September contributed the first major funds. To date, $16,246.50 was given to the church and $5,000 was given through the United Way by one of our members. At $840 per child for one year, HCN now sponsors 25 of the orphans in the home. That covers their food, housing, water, clothing, schooling, and protection. On Sunday, December 28, 2008, a family in the church gave $3,260 toward a well water project for the 2010 mission trip. Thanks for caring and giving. The Lord be praised.

The first meeting for the Mission Africa 2010 trip is scheduled for this Sunday, January 4, 2009, at 6:00 PM hi the Sanctuary. Basic cost information, dates, and projects will be shared. The meeting will also include the covering of a prayer time which was essential to the 2008 trip.

Congratulations to Megan Lavery, a senior at MJHS, who recently signed to play Softball for Cumberland University in the next academic year. Last Spring, Megan batted .302 with 18 stolen bases and 21 RBIs for MJHS. hi November, Palmer Maphet, a senior at MJHS, and Emily Wilson, a junior at MJHS, competed in the TSSAA State Cross Country Championships at the Percy Warner Park Steeplechase Course. Palmer qualified by finishing seventh in the Region 5AAA meet with a 17.42. Emily qualified by finishing fourth in the Region 5AAA meet with a 21..24. Find their photos on The Center glass-enclosed bulletin board.

Morning schedules return to normal this Sunday, January 4,2009, with Sunday School classes meeting at 8:00, 9:00, and 10:15 AM, and morning worship meeting at 9:00 AM in the Sanctuary and at 10:15 AM in The Center. The only evening meeting is the Africa Meeting in the Sanctuary at 6:00 PM. Wednesday schedules return to normal on January 7, 2009, at 6:30 PM. Sunday evening schedules return to normal on January 11, 2009, at 6:00 PM.

The Wesleyan Covenant Service will guide morning worship this week. Many, many people leave the service asking if we could administer it more frequently. The service gives us an opportunity to consider our great need for forgiveness and reconciliation in Christ with a challenge and commitment to live a holy life. I think the messages of the music may be the most powerful of any service in which I participate. It is a great new year service and welcome back to worship service.

Membership classes are scheduled for Tuesday, January 27, at 7:00 PM, and Saturday, January 31,2009, at 9:00 AM. Each class will meet for 1 hour and 15 minutes; led by Pastor Howard; in the Sanctuary. You only need one of the classes. If you are interested in church membership, get one of these dates on your new calendar. New members will be received on Sunday, February 1, 2009, in each morning worship service.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard