Philip and Natalie Lutz presented their son, Keegan Thomas Lutz, in dedication to the Lord Jesus on Sunday, April 19, 2009, in the 10:15 AM service in The Center. Keegan was joined at the altar by his grandparents: Tom and Beverly Lutz, Mike and Cathy White; aunts: Carley Lutz and Brittany White; great-grandmothers: Mary Grace Greer and Jean Bandy; great-aunt: Becky Greer. Keegan screamed just before I got him and then traveled the distance of the blessing journey in complete peace. He received the official foot shake by numbers too numerous to tell. How do you keep your hands off those bare toes? We bless the Lord who has blessed Philip and Natalie with a child to love and raise for him.
Congratulations to HCN’s Youth on their successful venture into TNT Land at TNU last weekend. Anna-Laura Green won 3rd place in Ladies Middle Youth Table Tennis. Lauren Lavery won 1st place in Ladies Senior High Swimming; won 2nd place with the Ladies Basketball Team; chosen for the All-Star Ladies Basketball Team; awarded the Ladies Basketball Sportsmanship Award. Brian Brinkman won 1st place Men’s Senior High Tennis; won 3rd place with the Ultimate Frisbee Team; chosen for the Beach Volleyball All-Star Team; played on the Men’s Beach Volleyball Team. Ben Mabry won 3rd place with the Ultimate Frisbee Team and played on the Men’s Beach Volleyball Team. Sophie Green submitted art work. The HCN Mission Trip video won second place among Nazarene Churches in the Southeast Region and received a $1,000 check to support future ministry.
Tennessee District Senior High and Seventh and Eighth Grade Youth are normally registering for a week at Camp the first of June. This year, however, the camp was scheduled while Wilson County Schools are still in session. So, our youth leaders have worked extraordinarily hard to find a super alternative. This year’s camp for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 and separately, grades 7 and 8, is scheduled for Friday through Tuesday, June 19-23, 2009, at Gatlinburg, TN. The camp is coordinated by Student Life Ministries with special speaker, Lou Giglio; special worship leader, Steve Fee; and a concert on Thursday evening with The David Crowder Band. Cost for the camp is $250. A deposit of $50 is required for each camper by Sunday, May 3, 2009. Housing and transportation is separate for Senior High and 7th and 8th Grade Students. Contact Pastor Shane at Shane.Tarter80@gmail.com for more information.
This Sunday, April 26, 2009, is designated as a Recognition Day for all volunteers of Nashville’s Room-in-the-Inn. Could I share a few stats with you regarding accomplish-ments of the mission in the 2008-2009 host year? Between November 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, more than 1,200 guests participated in RITI; more that 28,000 beds were provided; more than 60,000 meals were served; more than 20,000 showers were offered. More than 17,000 volunteers gave more than 92,000 hours of service. The connections made between volunteers and guests were born of mutual respect and recognition of a common humanity. Thanks to all who provided meals, conversations, chaperoning, transportation, set-up, clean-up, wash-ups in the name of Jesus Christ.
The Church Board met on Sunday, April 19, 2009, at 4:30 PM, and passed the following motions and affirmed the motions passed on the Sunday, April 1, 2009:
· Accepted Ronnie Thompson’s resignation as Middle School Pastor effective April 30, 2009. Ronnie’s last two weeks are vacation time. The church will pay Ronnie’s health insurance through June 30, 2009, and gift him with the laptop from his office.
· Changed Ken Jewett’s pastoral staff assignment to full-time Associate Pastor of Student Ministries with umbrella oversight of Middle School, Senior High, and College Ministries.
· Hired three part-time assistants to work in Middle School and Senior High Ministries: Hayley Hill, Jake Resor, Daniel Smith. All three are pastoral ministry majors at Trevecca.
· Approved Ken Elkins, Gay Elkins, Arch Dobson, Donna Shankle, and Amy Walvoord, as Task Force members to receive requests and distribute funds for compassionate needs at HCN and to approve Quarterly Poverty Dinner with funds to be halved between World Servants in Kenya and HCN.
· Recommended renewal of district license for Carol Waller, Bryce Fox, Tes Tigabu and issue of district license for Shane Tarter.
· Set Annual Meeting Elections for Sunday, May 17, 2009, during AM services.
· Appointed Nominating Task Force for Annual Meeting Elections: Phil Jordan, Kendell Poole, Teresa Vines, Jea Agee, Rondy Smith
· Approved repeat of scheduled break for Sunday PM services for June and July 2009 with one class meeting in sanctuary at 6:00 PM for all ages; leadership for class is to be rotated among pastoral staff team.
K.C. Van Atta, also a pastoral ministries major at TNU, will serve a summer intern-ship at HCN with me. K.C. receives her assignment through the office of Dr. Wilbur Brannon, pastoral intern director at TNU. We meet for the first time this week.
Sometimes I am trusted to keep my two year old granddaughter, Kennedy, by myself. Last week, I got to keep her twice in the early evening. We walked in the backyard and discovered a rabbit and a squirrel and listened to birds and a train whistle. Then we went to the front yard and tailgated out of the back of my Expedition. I washed some grapes and had some rolls of Smarties left from the Easter Egg Hunt. Kennedy wanted to push the inside button to close the back lift gate and eventually I let her. I had no idea it did not open from the inside. I had to crawl over the back seats and out the side doors to let us escape. It was not pretty. I am glad that my life has serendipities and that I have a granddaughter who helps me play.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
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