The Church of the Nazarene as a denomination meets every four years in a metro area around the USA to do business and to gather as a great family of believers. This year, the gathering is in Orlando, Florida, and the meetings began last week and continue into this week. Mark Greathouse is an elected lay delegate from the Tennessee District to the General Assembly. Rondy Smith, Kathy Mowry, Wendell Poole, and Bryce Fox, are workshop leaders. Sam Green is a TNU representative on the convention floor. Sara Waller, Bethany Ruff, Bryson and Brielle Fox are participating in the World Quiz for Children. Beth Fox directed a children’s choir on Friday night and sang a solo on Saturday morning. She is also a part of the main praise team. Sightings have been made of the Brinkman family, Wilbur Brannon, and family members of those previously mentioned. When the events are over, three new general superintendents will be elected and delegates and visitors from 150 plus world areas will return to their homes and churches “to make Christlike disciples of the nations.” We welcome ours home.
Thanks to Donny Jackson and Richard Knox for filling multiple roles in worship leadership for Sunday, June 28, 2009, in the absence of Sam Green, Michael Waller, and Willard Brinkman. Donny played the piano in first service and led vocals from the keyboard in second service. Richard led hymns from the pulpit and played the organ at the close of first service. I noticed the worship band had reconfigured assignments as they missed several members. Your willingness to use your talents and gifts are deeply appreciated.
Brent and Lee Hodges have lived in the west Wilson County community for fifteen plus years. They raised their children, Whitt and Carrie, in Wilson County Schools and largely in Hermitage Church of the Nazarene. Lee has served as a guidance counselor at Watertown High School for seventeen years. Native to the Knoxville/Johnson City area, Brent was given an opportunity to return there with his job in the last year. Lee has stayed behind to finish the school year and to get the house ready for sale. Brent returned on weekends. On Saturday night, some of their friends met to say farewell. They greatly desire to find a new church similar to Hermitage in the move. In the meantime, we are grateful for the privilege to know Brent, Lee, Whitt, and Carrie Hodges. We wish them the blessings of God. We send them back to east Tennessee with love and memories.
Dan Scott, a member of HCN, leads a Soccer Camp, next week at HCN. Dates are July 6-10, 2009. The schedule is 8:00 to 11:00 AM. The client range is students from grades 1-5. All proceeds from the camp support Mission Africa 2010. Dan has played soccer at collegiate and semi-pro levels. He will be assisted by young men who are veterans of the MJHS Soccer Team. If you plan for your child to attend, you MUST register by this Friday, July 3, 2009.
No pastoral letter was included with the tip sheet last week because none was written. Anna and I were visiting with my family in Charlotte, North Carolina. On normal visits, there is one great gathering where we get to talk with everyone for three minutes and two people for an hour. I always leave a little sad that I have not caught up with everyone. However, on this trip, we requested that we get to be with each family for an evening and it made all the difference in the world. I love my nieces and nephews and like to know what is going on in their lives. On Sunday, June 21, 2009, we attended church with my sister, Judy, at the Albemarle Road Presbyterian Church. The service was full of scripture and mission and wonderful music. After the service, we stayed to meet some of Judy’s friends and they thought Anna and Judy were sisters.
I have always had this eerie feeling that tornadoes hit random houses and that one day a tornado would hit our house. So, on Tuesday, June 16, 2009, a tornado popped a large tree top out of my neighbor’s yard and drug it over the top of our house. The chimney top was leveled like Lego blocks and the new gutters, replaced last fall, were peeled off the back side of the house. One limb fell down the front of our house and damaged some of the gutters on the front. Dan and Graham Scott came over with a chain saw and got the entrances and exits from our house open and we are now conversing slowly with our insurance agents. You know those stories on television where insurance agents come immediately to where you are when they find out there is trouble? Well, that is not my agent.
I am not a good asker for money. I have always believed the local church was the safest place to give my tithes and my offerings and the same for you. I want to invest in places of need and where there is a likelihood for harvest. I look at the young people who fill up HCN every week and wonder where there could be a better place to invest. I want to make a difference in this generation and the next generation of young people. I want to do the best job I can do with this generation and a better job with the next. I want to give to global missions where people who are called are trained in languages and then sent and supported as they tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. Giving to the HCN global missions fund helps to support 700 plus missionaries in 150 plus world areas. One of the families supported by that fund is Spencer and April Baggott. Their children are Lucas and Abigail. They are members of HCN. Their assignment moves them through Rwanda, the Congo, Madagascar, and Burundi. We have spoken to the Baggotts several times in second service through SYPE. They need for you to speak back to them this Sunday, July 5, 2009, by helping to complete our responsibilities to others by giving either in tithes or in missions. It is a big deal.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 15, 2009
I arrived at church early this morning to find The Center parking lot buzzing with parents who were transferring luggage and kissing children goodbye. Middler Camp for students who have just completed grades 3 and 4 meets at Camp Garner Creek (outside Dickson) this week. For five days, they live in a rural world with a real, live creek; real, live friends; and real, live worship. Who knows what wonderful spiritual life could happen when two or three hundred children gather in the name of Jesus? The thirty-one students attending from Hermitage Church are Annie Cater, Carley Correnti, Kailey Perkins, Brianna Post, Sara Waller, Julia Mowry, Madeleine Rouse, Morgan Houser, Olivia Garrett, Taylor Shoemake, Abby Elkins, Niki Graves, Ashley Wallace, Gabby Satterlee, Keely Dozier, Mahaliah Davis, Katelyn Lynn, Kristina Lynn, Holly Baughman, Anna Stephens, Marileigh Mabry, Shelby Rose, Nick Satterlee, Drew Silvernail, Grant Reigard, Bryce Poole, Evan Gibson, Logan Evans, Jaden White, T.J. Hysell, Cole Jackson. The five chaperones who are charged with caring for our kids are Jillian Forcum, Marla Houser, Janeene Davis, John Reigard, and Buddy Mabry.
The parking lot was also buzzing with approximately one hundred parents and children who form a home school cooperative. Four to five of the families attend HCN and are hosting a three day conference at the campus. Although the VBS children are gone from last week, the walls and halls of the church are not lonely.
Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 21, 2009. Since 1996, HCN has prepared a home-made pie as a gift for each father and man eighteen years of age and older. For the last three years, the number of pie-baking volunteers has dwindled. Several women wound up baking twenty plus pies to meet our minimal need. So, for the first time in a long while, we will not have pies for gifting. Bring the men in your family to church. Enjoy the worship service planned. Take them out to eat or home for a meal. Share time together. It will be a better than a pie.
Taylor Haydel’s picture was in The Tennessean on Thursday, June 11, 2009. He was named to the Mid-State High School All Star Baseball Team by the metro paper. Why was he chosen? Taylor was the 9-AAA MVP. He batted .313 with eight homers and 40 RBIs. He had an 11-0 pitching record with a 0.99 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 78 innings.
Marvin Heath coordinates a group of people at HCN called Saturday Samaritans who do work for others unable to perform the tasks themselves. Recently, they have removed trees, cleaned gutters, and moved furniture. Marvin asked me to recognize Ken Willis, Glen Detwiler, Stephan Scappaticci, Jim Knott, David Silvernail, Bryan Segars, John Reigard, Kyle Russell, Shane Tarter, and fifteen Senior High Teens from Building One as compassionate servants. Maybe the most important gift offered was the heart and soul which accompanied the work.
I preached in a morning service of campmeeting last week. Of all the preaching opportunities I have enjoyed over 37 years, campmeeting was never one of them. Our new district superintendent decided that local pastors should preach. Although it is not my venue, I knew exactly what I would preach when I first read the invitation. I am glad it is over. I am thankful for the presence of the Lord. I am glad God told me what to say.
Daniel Smith preached in LiveWire Service last Sunday and I have heard great reports from the students and the adults who were there.
One of the pieces which make Hermitage Church function with excellence is the high level of trust between all operating bodies. Although we print the income for all monies given to the church in the weekly newsletter and the Sunday bulletin and report expenditures monthly to the elected church board, we rarely talk about money. However, when there is a need, we do. Over the next three Sundays, it is very important that we complete our giving to world mission responsibilities. Total giving for the three weeks needs to be close to $80,000. If you are behind in tithing and could catch up, it would be a great time. If have money available to give to a worthy cause, this would be a great place to give. If you could catch up or give toward your mission pledge made last November, it would be a great place to give. I have great faith we will meet the need. However, it will require all of us doing what we need to do, ought to do. Pay attention. Be available. Be accessible. Be inconvenienced.
You are greatly loved and appreciated.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
The parking lot was also buzzing with approximately one hundred parents and children who form a home school cooperative. Four to five of the families attend HCN and are hosting a three day conference at the campus. Although the VBS children are gone from last week, the walls and halls of the church are not lonely.
Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 21, 2009. Since 1996, HCN has prepared a home-made pie as a gift for each father and man eighteen years of age and older. For the last three years, the number of pie-baking volunteers has dwindled. Several women wound up baking twenty plus pies to meet our minimal need. So, for the first time in a long while, we will not have pies for gifting. Bring the men in your family to church. Enjoy the worship service planned. Take them out to eat or home for a meal. Share time together. It will be a better than a pie.
Taylor Haydel’s picture was in The Tennessean on Thursday, June 11, 2009. He was named to the Mid-State High School All Star Baseball Team by the metro paper. Why was he chosen? Taylor was the 9-AAA MVP. He batted .313 with eight homers and 40 RBIs. He had an 11-0 pitching record with a 0.99 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 78 innings.
Marvin Heath coordinates a group of people at HCN called Saturday Samaritans who do work for others unable to perform the tasks themselves. Recently, they have removed trees, cleaned gutters, and moved furniture. Marvin asked me to recognize Ken Willis, Glen Detwiler, Stephan Scappaticci, Jim Knott, David Silvernail, Bryan Segars, John Reigard, Kyle Russell, Shane Tarter, and fifteen Senior High Teens from Building One as compassionate servants. Maybe the most important gift offered was the heart and soul which accompanied the work.
I preached in a morning service of campmeeting last week. Of all the preaching opportunities I have enjoyed over 37 years, campmeeting was never one of them. Our new district superintendent decided that local pastors should preach. Although it is not my venue, I knew exactly what I would preach when I first read the invitation. I am glad it is over. I am thankful for the presence of the Lord. I am glad God told me what to say.
Daniel Smith preached in LiveWire Service last Sunday and I have heard great reports from the students and the adults who were there.
One of the pieces which make Hermitage Church function with excellence is the high level of trust between all operating bodies. Although we print the income for all monies given to the church in the weekly newsletter and the Sunday bulletin and report expenditures monthly to the elected church board, we rarely talk about money. However, when there is a need, we do. Over the next three Sundays, it is very important that we complete our giving to world mission responsibilities. Total giving for the three weeks needs to be close to $80,000. If you are behind in tithing and could catch up, it would be a great time. If have money available to give to a worthy cause, this would be a great place to give. If you could catch up or give toward your mission pledge made last November, it would be a great place to give. I have great faith we will meet the need. However, it will require all of us doing what we need to do, ought to do. Pay attention. Be available. Be accessible. Be inconvenienced.
You are greatly loved and appreciated.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
Monday, June 8, 2009
June 8, 2009
Lela Tarter died on Friday, June 5, 2009, after breaking her hip several weeks ago. She was the widow of Nazarene pastor, Gene Tarter, serving last in the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, congregation. When Gene died, she moved to Nashville and served in capacities which made hers the first face visitors saw when they entered the Adminis-tration Building on Trevecca’s campus. It was a friendly face. This morning, I helped facilitate her memorial service in the HCN Sanctuary where her son, Larry, her grandson, Shane, and her daughter-in-law, Tammy, spoke. We listened to a family tell of the gifts and graces of a life well-lived. Tammy’s father, Dr. Tom Cox, concluded the service with acknowledgements of her contributions to TNU and the Oak Ridge Church. The family escorted her body back to Oak Ridge for burial this afternoon. I am grateful this afternoon for a woman who gave her life to God and the church; raised her family to continue the legacy; finished her race with integrity. I am thinking there is a lot of cheering going on in heaven.
While one family celebrated and remembered a life on one end of the church campus, the other end was filled with 245 children who arrived to celebrate the first day of Vacation Bible School. It was organized and recruited pandemonium. It will be interesting to see how the week fills. The first day is usually not the largest day. I find the most amazing part of VBS to be the number of volunteers who make it happen.
Jessica Angle graduated from Tennessee Tech University on Saturday, May 9, 2009; packed a suitcase and left on Sunday, May 10, 2009, for Dallas, Texas; to start work on Monday, May 11, 2009, in the executive training program for Dillard’s. Congratulations to Jessica whose hard work is being rewarded.
Congratulations to Dalton Stephens, selected as the single Drum Major for the Mt. Juliet High School Marching Band of Gold for the 2009-2010 school year. Dalton shared the responsibility last year with another student. He is a rising junior.
Farewell to Madeleine Moser, who returns to her native Germany on June 9, 2009, after living with the Jon, Michelle, and Anna Cutright for the last ten months. Madeleine has attended Mt. Juliet High School as an exchange student. She has also lived as a vital member of the Building One Youth Group and sang in the HCN worship choir. We recognized Madeleine at the start of second service yesterday. We will miss you.
The HCN Prayer List keeps from 30-35 soldiers posted each week in the minds and hearts of the congregation and prayed for during pastoral prayer in both services on Sunday. I depend on you to both add names and to remove names when the deployed soldiers return home safely. Would you read through this list and if you know that a soldier is home, please contact the church office? Several of the men are active duty from HCN. Thanks.
Shay Coats, Tom Ferguson, Chad Adams, Timothy and Elizabeth Pool, Luke Carroll, William Young, Derek Adams, Adam Sempert, Evan Gire, Patrick Rasmussen, Dylan Booher, Chad Nelson, Clark Mitchell, David Lennon, Rob Wright, Jonathan Forester, Jamell Emerson, Mike Pickartz, David Martin, Pat Hall, Lori Bigger, Perry Tanner, Michael Weatherford, Chris Crabtree, Kurt Kile, Drew Parrish, John Knott, Ryan Sawyer
The church completes the payment of its budgets for others this month and we need lots of help. The truth is: we need an additional $40,000 to complete our responsibilities. If you made a pledge in November for the support of world missions and can speed up the payment of your pledge, that would be great. All outstanding responsibilities are for world mission.
On Monday, May 18, 2009, this was the last paragraph in my weekly letter to you:
I am always surprised at the evil which can be accomplished when we believe we are alone in pain and suffering. Temptation. Sickness. Unemployment. Depression. Betrayal. Broken relationships. The truth is as long as we trust in God, we are never alone. If the devil has been whispering in your ear lately, tell him to back off. Tell him in the name of Jesus. And keep on doing all the right things you already know to do.
The next week, I received this anonymous letter from someone in response:
I had come to believe that I was alone in my pain and suffering. Not alone in the knowledge of it, but alone in the daily living of it. The devil has been whispering to me, in the night while I sleep, in the glances of strangers, in the words of people I shouldn’t be talking to. His one whisper became like a thousand whispers, so loud I could hear nothing else, no one else. Not even God.
When I could not hear God, He sent me a letter. He said as long as I trust Him, I am not alone. He said to use His name and tell the devil to back off. He told me to keep doing what I knew was right. I could not help but cry as I read it. I am overcome, once again, with His great love for me. I have fallen face down and praised Him, thanked Him and asked for His forgiveness. He has forgiven me, even though I am not worthy of it. He has saved me. Again. I wanted to write Him a letter back, thanking Him for the mysteri-ous ways that He speaks to me. Thanking Him for never leaving me alone, and for putting people in my life who love me and care for me and who will speak to me on His behalf.
Last week, the author of the letter gave me permission to print their letter. I do so because I believe it will speak hope and grace to others who need to speak to the whisper.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
While one family celebrated and remembered a life on one end of the church campus, the other end was filled with 245 children who arrived to celebrate the first day of Vacation Bible School. It was organized and recruited pandemonium. It will be interesting to see how the week fills. The first day is usually not the largest day. I find the most amazing part of VBS to be the number of volunteers who make it happen.
Jessica Angle graduated from Tennessee Tech University on Saturday, May 9, 2009; packed a suitcase and left on Sunday, May 10, 2009, for Dallas, Texas; to start work on Monday, May 11, 2009, in the executive training program for Dillard’s. Congratulations to Jessica whose hard work is being rewarded.
Congratulations to Dalton Stephens, selected as the single Drum Major for the Mt. Juliet High School Marching Band of Gold for the 2009-2010 school year. Dalton shared the responsibility last year with another student. He is a rising junior.
Farewell to Madeleine Moser, who returns to her native Germany on June 9, 2009, after living with the Jon, Michelle, and Anna Cutright for the last ten months. Madeleine has attended Mt. Juliet High School as an exchange student. She has also lived as a vital member of the Building One Youth Group and sang in the HCN worship choir. We recognized Madeleine at the start of second service yesterday. We will miss you.
The HCN Prayer List keeps from 30-35 soldiers posted each week in the minds and hearts of the congregation and prayed for during pastoral prayer in both services on Sunday. I depend on you to both add names and to remove names when the deployed soldiers return home safely. Would you read through this list and if you know that a soldier is home, please contact the church office? Several of the men are active duty from HCN. Thanks.
Shay Coats, Tom Ferguson, Chad Adams, Timothy and Elizabeth Pool, Luke Carroll, William Young, Derek Adams, Adam Sempert, Evan Gire, Patrick Rasmussen, Dylan Booher, Chad Nelson, Clark Mitchell, David Lennon, Rob Wright, Jonathan Forester, Jamell Emerson, Mike Pickartz, David Martin, Pat Hall, Lori Bigger, Perry Tanner, Michael Weatherford, Chris Crabtree, Kurt Kile, Drew Parrish, John Knott, Ryan Sawyer
The church completes the payment of its budgets for others this month and we need lots of help. The truth is: we need an additional $40,000 to complete our responsibilities. If you made a pledge in November for the support of world missions and can speed up the payment of your pledge, that would be great. All outstanding responsibilities are for world mission.
On Monday, May 18, 2009, this was the last paragraph in my weekly letter to you:
I am always surprised at the evil which can be accomplished when we believe we are alone in pain and suffering. Temptation. Sickness. Unemployment. Depression. Betrayal. Broken relationships. The truth is as long as we trust in God, we are never alone. If the devil has been whispering in your ear lately, tell him to back off. Tell him in the name of Jesus. And keep on doing all the right things you already know to do.
The next week, I received this anonymous letter from someone in response:
I had come to believe that I was alone in my pain and suffering. Not alone in the knowledge of it, but alone in the daily living of it. The devil has been whispering to me, in the night while I sleep, in the glances of strangers, in the words of people I shouldn’t be talking to. His one whisper became like a thousand whispers, so loud I could hear nothing else, no one else. Not even God.
When I could not hear God, He sent me a letter. He said as long as I trust Him, I am not alone. He said to use His name and tell the devil to back off. He told me to keep doing what I knew was right. I could not help but cry as I read it. I am overcome, once again, with His great love for me. I have fallen face down and praised Him, thanked Him and asked for His forgiveness. He has forgiven me, even though I am not worthy of it. He has saved me. Again. I wanted to write Him a letter back, thanking Him for the mysteri-ous ways that He speaks to me. Thanking Him for never leaving me alone, and for putting people in my life who love me and care for me and who will speak to me on His behalf.
Last week, the author of the letter gave me permission to print their letter. I do so because I believe it will speak hope and grace to others who need to speak to the whisper.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
Monday, June 1, 2009
June 1, 2009
Congratulations to the following HCN students of the 2009 graduating high school class: Jared Angle, Meghan Barrett, Jeff Blankenship, Avery Blomberg, Jessica Durham, Collin Earnhardt, Matt Follis, William Griffith, Anna Hansen, Taylor Haydel, Andrew Kawcznski, Megan Lavery, Lauren Lavery, Palmer Maphet, Andy McCormick, Dylan Merritt, Callie Rice, Graham Scott, Matt Sedgwick, and Blake Williams. The church recognized the graduates in second service; honored them with cards and gift cards to Lifeway; and prayed for the blessing and direction of the Lord in their lives. What a talented, gifted group of young people!
Congratulations to the following Pinewood Derby winners. Keep hope alive for the vision of crossing the finish line first on another race day.
Preschool: 1) Erica Render; 2) Michael Davis; 3) David Paddon
Elementary: 1) Grant Render; 2) Blakely Otto; 3) Teddy Joyce
Adult: 1) Ray Render; 2) Jeff Cater; 3) Ben Wagner
Congratulations to Caleb Henry, a former pastoral ministries intern to HCN from Trevecca, who received the theology award for an outstanding graduating senior at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is applying to PhD programs for next year while his wife, Ashley, applies to Medical School.
LiveWire Students enjoyed a Lock-In on Friday-Saturday, May 29-30, 2009, in The Center with an excursion to Pump-It-Up in the middle of the night. Sixty-four middle school students attended and lasted until morning. Count your blessings that you were not one of the chaperones. The event was hosted by Shane Tarter, Ken Jewett, Hayley Hill, Jake Resor, and Daniel Smith.
The Mission Africa 2010 Team met on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at 6:00 PM in The Sanctuary. At this writing there are 25-30 people who are planning to participate. Scheduled dates are Friday, June 11, 2009, to Saturday, June 26, 2009, flying from Nashville, Tennessee, to Nairobi, Kenya, and back. Project assignments in Kali, Kenya, depend on progress made by other groups before our arrival, but include the completion of a boy’s dormitory; enlarging the dining hall; installing solar panels; assisting with a water project. Kurt Kroenig plans to return as our World Servants Leader. Costs for the trip include $2,630 for food, housing, ground transportation, project materials, and an all-inclusive safari, plus air fare to and from Africa.
The 2009-2010 Church Board met for organization on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at 5:15 PM and elected Scott Steinmetz to serve the year as Church Treasurer and Matthew Mullins to serve the year as Secretary of the Church Board. Ole Blomberg submitted his resignation to the Church Board. His remaining two year term will be completed by John Reigard who received the next highest number of votes in the Annual Elections on May 17, 2009. The organization of the Church Board effective June 1, 2009, is as follows:
Adult Ministries: Tony Dozier, Kendell Poole, John Reigard
Building, Grounds, & Equipment: Aaron Foster, Steve Kelley, Matthew Mullins
Children/Youth: Beverly Sharpe, Jennifer Neely, Scott Perkins, John Mannen
Finance: Phil Jordan, David Hunt, Brad Houser, Scott Steinmetz, Mike Miranne
Mission: Donna Shankle, Marvin Heath, Kristi Mabry
Second service finished Sunday morning with prayer for a young couple and their two preschool children who are getting ready to be separated by the imprisonment of the husband/father. The man had prayed at the altar alone during open altars and I could not allow them to walk out of The Center without them knowing how much we cared. The crimes the man committed involved foolish and unwise decisions but never threatened the life of another person. Many of you stood in line to speak with and embrace the couple. I watched you. You looked into their eyes and spoke compassion to their souls. I will appear in court on Friday morning as a character witness for the man. Pray that justice and mercy will be joined in the wisdom and sentencing of the presiding judge.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
Congratulations to the following Pinewood Derby winners. Keep hope alive for the vision of crossing the finish line first on another race day.
Preschool: 1) Erica Render; 2) Michael Davis; 3) David Paddon
Elementary: 1) Grant Render; 2) Blakely Otto; 3) Teddy Joyce
Adult: 1) Ray Render; 2) Jeff Cater; 3) Ben Wagner
Congratulations to Caleb Henry, a former pastoral ministries intern to HCN from Trevecca, who received the theology award for an outstanding graduating senior at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is applying to PhD programs for next year while his wife, Ashley, applies to Medical School.
LiveWire Students enjoyed a Lock-In on Friday-Saturday, May 29-30, 2009, in The Center with an excursion to Pump-It-Up in the middle of the night. Sixty-four middle school students attended and lasted until morning. Count your blessings that you were not one of the chaperones. The event was hosted by Shane Tarter, Ken Jewett, Hayley Hill, Jake Resor, and Daniel Smith.
The Mission Africa 2010 Team met on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at 6:00 PM in The Sanctuary. At this writing there are 25-30 people who are planning to participate. Scheduled dates are Friday, June 11, 2009, to Saturday, June 26, 2009, flying from Nashville, Tennessee, to Nairobi, Kenya, and back. Project assignments in Kali, Kenya, depend on progress made by other groups before our arrival, but include the completion of a boy’s dormitory; enlarging the dining hall; installing solar panels; assisting with a water project. Kurt Kroenig plans to return as our World Servants Leader. Costs for the trip include $2,630 for food, housing, ground transportation, project materials, and an all-inclusive safari, plus air fare to and from Africa.
The 2009-2010 Church Board met for organization on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at 5:15 PM and elected Scott Steinmetz to serve the year as Church Treasurer and Matthew Mullins to serve the year as Secretary of the Church Board. Ole Blomberg submitted his resignation to the Church Board. His remaining two year term will be completed by John Reigard who received the next highest number of votes in the Annual Elections on May 17, 2009. The organization of the Church Board effective June 1, 2009, is as follows:
Adult Ministries: Tony Dozier, Kendell Poole, John Reigard
Building, Grounds, & Equipment: Aaron Foster, Steve Kelley, Matthew Mullins
Children/Youth: Beverly Sharpe, Jennifer Neely, Scott Perkins, John Mannen
Finance: Phil Jordan, David Hunt, Brad Houser, Scott Steinmetz, Mike Miranne
Mission: Donna Shankle, Marvin Heath, Kristi Mabry
Second service finished Sunday morning with prayer for a young couple and their two preschool children who are getting ready to be separated by the imprisonment of the husband/father. The man had prayed at the altar alone during open altars and I could not allow them to walk out of The Center without them knowing how much we cared. The crimes the man committed involved foolish and unwise decisions but never threatened the life of another person. Many of you stood in line to speak with and embrace the couple. I watched you. You looked into their eyes and spoke compassion to their souls. I will appear in court on Friday morning as a character witness for the man. Pray that justice and mercy will be joined in the wisdom and sentencing of the presiding judge.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
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