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
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