September 28, 2009

Yesterday was a stellar day of worship. The HCN Worship Choir and Center Band presented back-to-back concerts at 9:00 and 10:30 AM in The Center. It was the first time I had heard the music. I realized one-third of the way into the first service that I was grinning from ear-to-ear. That music was happy. The band included Ricky Gore, Dave Flint, Donny Jackson, Randy Layne, Paul Bolling, Graham Scott, and Michael Waller. They were on. The choir included Herb McMillan, Ryan Means, Bobby Smith, Ken Stegall, Tom Stephens, Dalton Stephens, Mark Washing, Bryce Fox, Marvin Heath, Ken Koon, Art Kurtz, Dalene Barnett, Julie Foster, Beth Fox, Anna-Laura Green, Sandra Kurtz, Anna Plummer, Emily Sullivan, Betty Willis, Renita Amity, Lisa Anderson, Jo Apple, Dorinda Biggs, Joyce Clevenger, Jessica Dozier, Kristi Dozier, Christi Fite, Keli Green, JoAnn Jackson, Tiffany Matthias, Pam McNeese, Miriam McMillan, and Brenda Waffird. Tammy Tarter stepped into the place of Sam Green and directed vocals. Tammy is a music teacher for Metro Schools but most importantly is a woman of great character and spirit. Ricky Gore set the timing for the band and the talent flew from there. Paul Vann, Beth Fox, Dorinda Biggs, Catherine Segars, and Emily Sullivan delivered the powerful solos. Sam Green sang via pre-recorded video and backed live by Keli, Anna-Laura, Sophia, and Bella. Stephan Scappaticci preached the “That’s My King” recitation. Declaring our faith in Christ through communion centered the day. Thanks to every person who stepped forward and followed through with commitments to sing and to play and to lead in the absence of Sam, who prayed for us in his Centennial Medical Center room. Sam received the news at 10:30 AM on Sunday that his brother, Steve, is a 10 out of 10 match for a bone marrow transplant for him. Meanwhile, in the drama of all that went on at the HCN campus on Sunday, Missionaries Spencer and April Baggott watched from their home in Africa via SKYPE. They wondered if they could visit every Sunday morning.

Seventeen LiveWire Students attended the District Pre-Teen Retreat at Trevecca Community Church last Friday night, Saturday morning. Retreaters included Anna Stephens, Eddie Mahoney, Marileigh Mabry, Abby Elkins, Bethany Ruff, J.D. Hall, Cameron Davenport, Hannah Jackson, Niki Graves, Matthew Helm, Olivia Garrett, Taylor Shoemake, Isaac Houser, Morgan Houser, Holly Baughman, Drew Silvernail, and Bryce Poole. Chaperones and chauffeurs included Pastor Ken Jewett, Alan Elkins, Kristi Mabry, Hayley Hill, Jake Resor, and Daniel Smith.

Congratulations to Anna-Laura Green who served as a junior class representative to the Homecoming Court at Mt. Juliet High School on Friday night. Anna-Laura was escorted by Braden Maphet.

Congratulations to the Mt. Juliet High School Marching Band of Gold which competed in the Columbia Marching Invitational on Saturday, September 26, 2009. The Band won Grand Champion 1^st Place Band, 2^nd Place Field Commander, 1^st Place Percussion, 1^st Place Color Guard. HCN Band members include Dalton Stephens and Ben Mabry.

I think often of the awesome responsibility you and I have to lead this incredible group of children and young people to a personal relationship with Christ and into a Christlike lifestyle. I think of the pastoral staff team we invest in for our children, middle school students, high school students, university students. I think of the properties purchased and the facilities we have constructed which allow us to reach our community with opportunities for worship, for fellowship, for recreation, for ministry, for mission. When I think of a place I want to support with the financial resources entrusted to me by God, I cannot think of a place more worthy than the local church I attend, Hermitage Church of the Nazarene. Occasionally someone tells me where they give their tithes, their offerings other than HCN and I wonder what it is that is not exceedingly evident that this local church needs and deserves their support. I wonder if I need to tell you more often. You know, don’t you? I am grateful for those who understand the need to give so that the witness for Christ in this place is strong.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard