Congratulations to Mark and Debbie Szyperski on the birth of their daughter, Savannah Joy Szyperski, on Monday, March 23, 2009, at 10:46 AM at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. Savannah weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and measured
20 ½ inches in length. We give thanks to the Lord for a healthy baby and a safe delivery.
We informed you in last week’s letter that Ronnie Thompson was leaving his ministry assignment as the HCN Middle School Pastor to accept a new assignment as Preaching Pastor of the Mountain Home Twin Lakes Church of the Nazarene in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Ronnie’s call to ministry has always included the call to pastor a church so we rejoice in this opportunity for him. His last Sunday with us will be Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009. We will officially say our goodbyes at the Palm Sunday Easter Egg Hunt and Cook-out at 5:00 PM on Sunday, April 5, 2009.
In an attempt to acknowledge the economic realities of this moment, the church will not hire a full-time person to replace Ronnie. This in no way diminishes our commitment to middle school students. Ken Jewett transitions into leadership of the Middle School LiveWire Service which meets on Sunday mornings at 10:15 AM in the Sanctuary. His first service will be Sunday, April 19, 2009. Ken will speak in each service and coordinate music and drama. He will also plan curriculum and recruit the Wednesday and Sunday night volunteer teams of facilitators. Shane Tarter will plan and direct activities, mission trips, and camps and recruit Sunday School teachers. These responsi-bilities are additions to Ken and Shane’s previous assignments.
A meeting for PARENTS of Middle School Students is scheduled for THIS SUNDAY, March 29, 2009, at 4:30 PM in the Sanctuary. I will lead the meeting with Ken and Shane present to assist me. This meeting is scheduled at the suggestion of several parents. The purpose of the meeting is to answer questions and give information.
A Called Church Meeting for the Church Board is announced for Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at 7:35 PM in the Parlor to officially receive Ronnie’s resignation and to process the changes in staff assignments. Please plan to attend this important meeting. The regular monthly meeting is on the calendar for Sunday, April 19, 2009, at 4:30 PM.
Rev. Nicholas Kusia and Ben Kikuvi from Kenya visited in both worship services yesterday morning and brought greetings from our brothers and sisters in Africa. Pastor Nicholas is the person through whom God has worked to build the orphanage in Kali where our MissionAfrica’08 team worked and where twenty-five orphan girls live who we sponsor. Thanks to Pastor Rondy Smith for coordinating their visit including sight-seeing on Saturday; to Kelly Plummer for hosting them in her home; to Bobby Smith for cooking Sunday dinner; to Dan Scott for assisting with transportation; to Rob Mathias for providing Monday morning breakfast and transportation to the airport.
Thanks to the Early Christian Sunday School Class for providing the beans, potatoes, and cornbread for last evening’s Poverty Dinner. I thought the food was delicious. The donations totaled $3,071. $110 awaits deposits to be added next Sunday. The money will be divided between the daily/weekly needy requests of this community and the hungry needy of the Kali, Kenya, community.
The journey of Lent enters the fifth week this Sunday. I have greatly enjoyed the stories of pilgrims who are traveling this road for the first time in their lives, particularly Christians who have never celebrated Lent. Please keep telling me. Allow me to talk to you about the weeks ahead.
Palm Sunday is April 5, 2009. There are two services: 9:00 and 10:30 AM. Please notice the second service is 15 minutes later than usual. Both services will meet in The Center due to space and instrument needs. Both services feature music and narration which tells the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Hermitage Choir and Center Band provide the ministry of music directed by Dr. Sam Green, our Pastor of Worship. The program is entitled “He Chose The Nails.”
Palm Sunday at 5:00 PM features an Easter Egg Hunt of 10,000 Easter eggs on the west lawns of the church campus. We depend on you to bring plastic eggs with non-chocolate candy inside to hide. Leave your donated plastic eggs in the containers outside each worship area. After the hunt (which takes about 10 minutes), we enjoy a cook-out with hotdogs and hamburgers provided by the church. We need you to bring salads, desserts, and drinks.
Easter Sunday is April 12, 2009. There are two services: 9:00 and 10:30 AM. Please notice the second service is 15 minutes later than usual. Both services meet in The Center due to space and instrument needs. This service includes preaching, music, media, communion, and a special ministry with some of the church’s children.
Invite your unchurched friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family to attend church with you on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. You will be surprised how many will attend if you will take the risk and ask. I cannot count the number of people who tell me they began to attend church at HCN at Easter. Someone invited them. Be that someone. Do not find yourself at church on Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday wishing you had invited others to come with you and the opportunity is passed. Take the opportunity NOW.
Back in November, many of us made commitments to give to world missions over the period of a year. I have kept up my commitment on a monthly basis. We told you then that our need to give to missions would snowball in the first half of 2009. The time is here. If you are able to give the bulk of your pledge at Easter or by the end of May 2009, please do so.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
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