November 29, 2010

The New Life Sunday School Class hosted our Room-in-the-Inn friends on Saturday night, November 27, 2010. Ten homeless men were transported from downtown Nashville to the HCN campus for a safe, dry place to sleep and hot food to eat. Hot showers and a place to wash clothes were available to all the men. Wayne McNeese drove the van which brought the men to church and returned them to the city. Stephanie, Eli, and Evan Gamble and Keith, Stephanie, Chelsea, and Cristian Rhodes set the facility up for use. Supper, breakfast, and sack lunches for Sunday were provided by Glenda Perkins, Charlotte Rose, Kendell and Tammy Poole, Lance and Patty Waller, Tony Dozier, Mike and Darlene Miranne, Alan and Angie, Josh and Abby Elkins, Howard and Barbara Barrett, Scott Moore, Rusty Waffird, Judy Fite. Ray Render and Jody Sweeten stayed overnight to chaperone the group. Paul Stonecipher served as coordinator for the event. One of the men wrote a poem about his experience and left it for you. It is posted on the Center glassboard. Thanks to the New Life Class for representing all of us.

I hope you were present in worship yesterday. Sophie Zander, Eddie Witkowski, Dennis Scholl, and Marvin Maphet opened up their hearts and told us moving pieces of their life stories. Sophie is an exchange student from Germany who lives with Jerry, Lori, and Ashley Wallace. Eddie is a recent pastoral ministries graduate from Trevecca and a summer missionary to Thailand. Dennis is a husband, dad, engineer, and general contractor who faced a serious health crisis five years ago. Marvin Maphet is the single parent of five kids who survived the sudden death of his middle child last June. Each person told us of his or her walk and talk with God. Each person expressed his or her thanksgiving for the way God has guided or healed or sustained. Thank you for investing in your preparation and living so transparently before us for the morning.

Communion closed both services for the morning. How appropriate to end at the table of the Lord. First service worshippers sang The Doxology. Second service worshippers sang “He Loves Us.” Dot Waffird told me her favorite time came when the Senior High Students began to stand spontaneously while we sang. Billie Ragland prepared the elements for first and second service with no idea the second worship would need extras. Pastor Ken Jewett recruited Marla Houser, Treila Garrett, and Jake Resor to help him and extra trays were prepared. Thank you. Thank you for being aware.

One more story you would like to know. The elementary children and middle school students joined second worship on Sunday. When open altars were announced for prayer and the Senior High Students sent their army to pray, a young boy joined them in moving forward. When he got to the altar, Pastor Shane Tarter reached out his arm and took him in to the fold. Shane had no idea who he was. Pastor Carol Waller watched the whole thing happen. The young boy is a quiet, shy child of parents who were serving in another area of the facility. Something moved him. Someone moved him. What a morning.

Soup and Salad and Desserts began our 6:00 PM service. Three and one-half year old Tyler Koon had asked me after the Thanksgiving Dinner blessing why I did not say the “God, our Father” blessing. I asked him if would be willing to ask the blessing at our next meeting and he said he would. So, on Sunday evening, Tyler Koon sang the “God, our Father” blessing loudly and straight into the microphone. Thanks, Tyler. Thanks to Betty Willis for providing organization and leadership to the Advent decorating. Thanks to the Senior High Students for climbing into attics and carrying decorations wherever they needed to go. Thanks to the Breadbreaker Sunday School Class for setting up and breaking down after the social on Sunday. Thanks to Tim Garrett for leading.

Dr. Donny Jackson and JoAnn, Cassidy Nelson and Jon, joined eight other couples on November 19-20, 2010, for a weekend at HCN investing in their marriages. Donny reports it was the best retreat yet but believes a great deal more needs to be done to proactively support healthy marriage relationships. I know the schedules of most of the couples and it is impressive that they created the space and time to attend.

LiveWire Students (middle school) will deliver your Christmas cards (within the church), for a greatly reduced fee than the post office. The cost is 25 cents per card. All proceeds go to offset the cost of the Winter Get Away. Christmas cards are also available that were designed exclusively by LiveWire students. Deliver your cards to the Welcome Desks through December 19, 2010.

For the last few years, many of you have asked how you could help a family who has legitimate needs at Christmas. The pastoral staff has asked that you purchase gift cards that we in turn can distribute to families within the church who are struggling to meet food needs and gifts for children. While you can purchase cards anywhere you would like, cards to grocery stores (Kroger, Publix, etc.) or to Walmart are easiest to use. I can tell you that the cards have fed single parents and babies and provided Christmas gifts to children when there were none to give. If you want, you can drop the cards in the offering plates on Sunday morning and the counting teams will get them to the pastoral staff for distribution. Pastor Rondy Smith sent me an email today telling me that our food pantry is low again due to the number of people who are coming to the church weekly for food. Would you shop for dry staples and leave them in bins in the Center Lobby for the next few Sundays? All of us want to help people who have genuine needs. This is one way to help.

I look forward to Sunday.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard

November 22, 2010

The season for Room-in-the-Inn has begun. The Breadbreakers and Young Profes-sionals Sunday School Classes hosted the first group of homeless men on Saturday evening, November 13, 2010. The men were transported to and from downtown Nashville; served a hot evening meal; given a dry, safe place to sleep; offered a hot shower; offered an opportunity to wash clothes; served breakfast on Sunday morning and provided a sack lunch to go. Paul and Pam Stonecipher coordinate the program for HCN. Pam wrote me a personal note saying everything was done well, representing a wonderful kick-off to the fall/winter months.

The All Church Thanksgiving Dinner was served at 5:00 PM on Sunday, November 21, 2010, thanks to all of you who brought vegetables, salads, and desserts, and the turkey, ham, and dressing bakers. Thanks to Joyce Clevenger, Alexandra Whitehead, Bill Lowe, Pam McNeese, Marilyn Jordan, Gay Elkins, Amber Beach, Glen Detwiler, and Beth Rouse for the turkeys and to Kristi Mabry, Donna Wood, Ruth Ann Terrell, Joy Bradley, Tiffany Mathias, Lisa Anderson, Shelly Flint, Barbara Parrish, and Betty Willis for the hams. Thanks to the Early Christian Sunday School Class for providing set-up and clean up for the event. They made the meal easy for the rest of us. I stayed away from the dessert table and ate seconds from all the dishes I ate from the first time. Every morsel of food I put on my plate was delicious. Someone made a cranberry salad that I could eat for dessert.

A tradition began four years ago at HCN for the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It is the telling of significant life stories from members of the congregation. We always go away wishing we did it more often and wishing more had heard. This year includes a senior high woman, a young adult student, and two mature dads: Sophie Zander, Eddie Witkowski, Dennis Scholl, and Marvin Maphet. There will be two services for the morning: 9:00 AM in the Sanctuary and 10:00 AM in the Center. Like the first Sunday of November, we are asking third service people to worship at 10:00 AM and then flip to Sunday School at 11:30 AM. Please pay attention and plan to be present.

Advent begins Sunday, November 28, 2010, in the 6:00 PM service in the Center. Families with last names beginning with letters A-L are asked to bring a pot of soup and dessert. Families with last names beginning with letters M-Z are asked to bring a salad and a dessert. Water and tea will be provided. We will be served and seated first. The light for the first Advent candle will be brought to the wreaths. Christmas stories will be read. Banners and wreaths will be hung. Nativity scenes will be set. Christmas trees will be decorated.

When Sam Green was not able to continue practicing the Christmas music he planned for this year’s choir, Tammy Tarter and I decided to look again at the music/narration previously presented in “A Night of Alleluias.” The Adult Choir responded favorably and the concerts are now set for Sunday, December 12, 2010, at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM. Dr. Tim Green, who wrote the narration for the music, will return as narrator. Tim is Sam’s brother.

Thanksgiving Day arrives this week. I am most grateful for relationships. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful that my daughter is getting married and planning her wedding. Like every other grandparent, I find my grandchildren to be a special delight. I am grateful for my friends. I have spent my entire life in church so the great percentage of my friends are from church. I am thankful that for every person who was mean to me, there were ten who were kind to me. I am thankful that friends can disagree agreeably. Several weeks ago, a friend of mine disagreed with something I said while teaching Sunday School. Imagine that. When Sunday School was over, he waited on me to make sure that he and I were okay. I saw him waiting. I knew what he wanted. We said words but we didn’t need to. Another man in the class wrote me an email saying he had watched and listened to the disagreement. He said he had stayed out of church for years because of all the fussing and fighting. He said he was proud of the way things were handled that morning. I have decided that somebody can say or do almost anything if you know they love you. And we know who loves us, don’t we? I am grateful for the young people at HCN who inspire me. I am so proud of them. I consider the Senior High Students to be one of the finest groups of people I have ever known. I believe God has something considerable to do in and through them. I am grateful for a church board full of intelligent, spiritual, competent leaders who give of their time and combined wisdom. I am grateful for a pastoral staff team of gifted and graced sisters and brothers. One of the brothers is stricken but healing right now. I miss him. I am grateful for the people who step up and pour themselves out so that ministry and mission continue forward while he is absent. I am thankful for people who understand giving. Church doors are open and facilities are available because some people believe that God cares about what you share. I serve full-time in ministry because people give. I am grateful. I am grateful that at fifty-eight years of age, my vision for ministry is wide and not narrow. I know my next-door neighbors and love them. One of them raked the leaves in my yard last Saturday. I know twenty-six little orphan girls in Kenya and love them. I am grateful that God is great and fresh to me. My favorite song to sing in second and third service contains these words: ‘O great and mighty One, with one desire we come, that you might reign, that you would reign in us.” I sing those words. I pray those words. I am grateful for you. When I count my blessings, I count you.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard

November 15, 2010

“Two By Two: Noah and the Ark” was presented to a packed Center on Sunday, November 14, 2010, at 6:00 PM. The drama/musical was directed by Diane Cater. Cast members included Lamar Bradley (Noah), Jo Apple (Esther), Bryce Fox (Shem), Beth Fox (Rachel), Donny Jackson (Japeth), Kim Kinsley-Herrera (Leah), Matt Wurth (Ham), and Suzanne Karr-Herring (Hannah). Band members included David Flint (guitar), Michael Waller (keyboard), Stephan Scappaticci (percussion). The show was funny, entertaining, light, thoughtful, funny. I am always amazed at the memorization require-ments of such a venture. Thank you, thank you for your time investment and the sharing of your magnificent gifts.

The All Church Thanksgiving Dinner takes place this Sunday, November 21, 2010, at 5:00 PM in The Center. Each family is asked to bring either a salad or vegetable, dessert, and large drink. We ask for volunteers to bring turkeys or hams. We need eight of each and currently have five of each. If you bring a ham or turkey, you do not need to bring anything else. We also need people to make dressing. Call the church office at 847-3335 to volunteer to provide one of the meats.

Congratulations to Daniel Smith, junior class male representative to the Homecoming Court in TNU’s Homecoming festivities. Michael Follis emceed the event as junior class president.

The goal to raise $15,000 to pay maintenance needs for replacing a HVAC unit and making repairs to our sewage system was met in Sunday morning’s offering. $15,251 was designated and received in four weeks. Thank you for caring and responding.

John Reigard and his posse are leading the Mission Africa 2012 Team in preparation for launch in June 2012. The group met last Tuesday evening for a meal in the Parlor and to continue giving attention to the thousand details before mission. If you are considering participating, it is not too late nor is it too early to begin. Vaccinations, passports, fund-raising are all appropriate to pursue now.

I do not always go home from church feeling good about the events of the day. Sometimes, I walk to my car after the last service thinking about the things I wished were different. No matter how good the music was, I still miss Sam. We all miss Sam. Having said that, I walked across the field on Sunday believing in my heart that God was pleased with all of our efforts on Sunday. I am seeing the faces of a lot of young people at the close of services. They are people responding to the message and I know God is the one who has spoken to them and drawn them. I received a facebook post this morning from a young dad in the congregation. His eight year old son left church yesterday and announced he wanted to be a pastor and a missionary. Who knows what he will be but at this point, God has his attention. I wanted you to know that he has mine. I am thankful for yesterday.

Patrick Corey Marlowe is a member of HCN; the father of Jordan Marlowe, the son of Wendell and Sheila Marlowe, the brother of Josh Marlowe. Patrick is a resident of the US Penitentiary in Pollock, LA. A change in policy was recently made at the facility regarding all correspondence sent to residents. Effective immediately, correspondence must include Patrick’s full name or it will be returned to sender. It would be a good time for all us to write Patrick a letter or to send a card to him and let him know that we remember him, think of him, pray for him. Tell Patrick about what is happening in your life and how he can pray for you.

Patrick Corey Marlowe 16762-075

US Penitentiary

PO Box 2099

Pollock, LA 71467

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard

November 8, 2010

Congratulations to John and Kristin Jordan on the birth of their daughter, Lanie Kate Jordan, on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, at 1:45 PM at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Lanie Kate weighed 6 lbs 15 ozs and measured 19 ¾ inches in length. She is the sister of Caroline, Gant, and Cooper, and the granddaughter of Marilyn Jordan. We bless the Lord, the giver of life and breath and trust.

Congratulations to Will Miranne, Senior Class President at Donelson Christian Academy, who was chosen a member of the All-Star Cast at the Tennessee Theatre Competition several weeks ago. Will was the only DCA student selected. Congratu-lations to Corey Miranne who was recently elected President of the National Junior Honor Society at DCA.

Congratulations to Mae Beavers who was re-elected Senator of District 17 to the Tennessee Legislature on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Mae represents citizens from eight different counties.

Congratulations to Mark Greathouse who was presented the McClurkan Award by the Alumni Association at Trevecca’s Homecoming Ceremonies on Friday, November 5, 2010, at TNU. Mark is a Nashville businessman and coordinator of the Heritage Men’s Choir.

Sam Green is home from the hospital even though he returns to the clinic every day to keep him clean from leukemia. When his blood work matches certain numbers, he will begin an infusion of stem cells from his brother, Steve. Sleeping in his own bed and eating food his family prepares is a great reward and comfort.

Ron Barnes visited my office last Wednesday afternoon. He brought a mixed bag of turnip and mustard greens because he knows I love them and would cook and eat them. He also wanted to tell me how much he enjoyed the fifty-five young people from HCN who camped on his farm the previous weekend. Actually, he wanted to brag about them. Actually, he wanted to rave about them. Ron said they were the finest group of young people he had ever been around. He said he used to think he built the cabin in the woods for his own enjoyment but he realizes now that he built it for these kids to enjoy. He said they gave him a standing ovation at a campfire and it was his first. He also said his guests commented on the manners of the kids. I thought parents of the Senior High Students would like to know how their kids act when they are away from them.

Dr. Nina Gunter visited Hermitage Church on Sunday, November 7, 2010, and preached in first and second services. Her command of missional statistics was astounding. I liked everything she said but these are things I liked the most: The Church of the Nazarene is only one of the churches preaching the gospel and reaching the world in the name of Jesus Christ. We are not the only ones. The Church of the Nazarene is one of the ten largest mission organizations in the world. The Church of the Nazarene has a presence in more countries in the world than McDonald’s (and then spoke very favorably toward McDonald’s). In the first century, there was 1 believer for every 300 plus nonbelievers. In 2010, there is 1 believer for every 7 nonbelievers.

God is doing great things in China, Iraq, and Cuba.

Nina sent an email this morning thanking the church for the opportunity to speak and for the honorarium. She said preaching was easy; the Holy Spirit was faithful; and you were kind and responsive. She said this is HCN’s greatest day with the best yet to come.

Five young people reported to the HCN congregation on Sunday evening regarding their mission venture to Eastern Europe in June, 2010. They were Jake Resor, Graham Scott, Anna-Laura Green, Jonathan Mowry, and Daniel Smith. Dr. Kathy Mowry, mission professor at TNU and a member of HCN, coordinated and chaperoned the trip and is currently planning a return for five HCN college students for twelve weeks in 2011. Those students are Daniel Smith, Jake Resor, Graham Scott, Preston Hunt, and Michael Follis. I was proud of the Sunday night crew and of the new team.

Jerry Keener and Phil Jordan addressed the congregation several weeks ago to tell you about a $15,000 maintenance need at the church (replacing a large HVAC unit and plumbing repairs). I told you about the need in this weekly letter. $12,936 has been given to date toward that project. That leaves a $2,064 balance. The church board meets again this Sunday, November 14, 2010, at 4:30 PM. It would be nice for Jerry and Phil to report to the board that all monies are paid. Have you helped yet?

Veterans Day is recognized officially this Thursday, November 11, 2010. Thanks to every man and woman connected to HCN who has served honorably in military service through the years. I asked those who attended the Senior Adults and Friends Luncheon last Friday to share something about themselves that the rest of us were unlikely to know. Shirley Maschinski told us of her two brothers who served on the same ship in the US Navy during World War II. When the ship was sunk, one brother survived and one died.

That puts faces on Veterans Day for me.

Third service schedules return to normal this week. Thanks for making the adjust-ments last week. It was nice to get that hour back from last March.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard

November 1, 2010

I need your help on morning schedules for this Sunday, November 7, 2010. Dr. Nina Gunter serves as the opening speaker for a Day of Missions at HCN. We have asked Dr. Gunter to speak in the 9:00 and 10:00 AM services, realizing three services are too much to ask of a guest preacher. That means:

• Third worship people (11:30 AM) need to attend the second worship service at 10:00 AM and then attend Sunday School at 11:30 AM.
• College students and The Twenty-Something Class will eat lunch at 12:30 PM in The Parlor as usual.
• The New Adult Sunday School Class which meets at 10:00 AM and taught by the Paddons will meet as usual. First service people who attend the Paddon’s Class make no changes. Third service people who attend the Paddon’s Class need to think about attending first service.

Remember that this is the Sunday we regain the hour lost from last March. Before you retire to bed on Saturday night or Sunday morning, November 6 or 7, 2010, turn your clocks BACK one hour. Smile and enjoy the extra sixty minutes.

The Mission Europe Team reports to the congregation this Sunday, November 7, 2010, at 6:00 PM in The Center. Six of our college and senior high students served in special capacities last summer in Eastern Europe under the direction of Dr. Kathy Mowry, professor of missions at Trevecca. Plan to be present and hear about last summer’s ministry and the possibilities for the return this summer.

Ron Barnes has invited the Senior High Students from HCN to camp on his farm, in his woods in Livingston, TN, every year since 1995. This year, last weekend specifically, the largest group yet accepted his invitation. Fifty-five students joined seven chaperones as they pitched tents, built fires, hiked, shared life stories, ate great food, and enjoyed devotions led by Scott Moore. Bobby Smith cooked lunches and suppers and Ron Barnes cooked daily breakfast. The repeated reports to me all include: “it was the best one yet.” Campers included Toby Haydel, Dalton Winfree, Kyle Smith, Austin Smith, Brandon Smith, Eric Owens, Paul Poland, Chase Buscherfeld, Taylor Clark, Josh Elkins, Hunter Steinmetz, Thomas Sharpe, Philip Calkins, Grant McCoy, Reed McCoy, Robert Luther, Campbell Scholl, Robby Amity, Matt Bastin, Brett Washing, Jonathan Mowry, Jonathan Tigabu, Nathan Curtis, Justin Angle, Felix Menke, Max Andrade, Ross Drummond, Katie Scott, Adrie Brown, Morgan Harold, Sophie Green, Anna-Laura Green, Cassie Hunt, Jessica Perkins, Emily Paddon, Brittany Crues, Sarah Griffith, Sophie Zander, Stephanie Owens, Katelyn Hogue, Hailey Hicks, Paige Hood, Rachel Jones, Alex Houser, Trevor Hunt, Kevin Helm, Andrew Vines, Madison Trotter, Alex Hamer, Christy Fite, Anna Schilling, Renee Lancaster. Chaperones included Bobby Smith, Mark Washing, Scott Moore, Brady Plummer, Scott Perkins, Hillary Osborne, Shane Tarter. Mike and Gatha (Barnes) Frizsell helped Ron host the group with whatever was needed.

Thanks to Ron for opening his big property and big heart to our teens.

The Candy Parade delivered approximately two hundred children to The HCN Center on Wednesday, October 27, 2010. Each was dressed in the costume they had dreamed and needed a safe place to showcase. They collected more candy than should be legal that will provide sugar highs for weeks to come. It was the first year I had candy rejected. I thought that was the candy your daddy ate. An interesting historical fact: The Candy Parade was the first event held in The Center (October, 2005).

Building One is composed of three rooms: the Worship Room shared by multiple age groups and the Senior High Room with Kitchen. The Worship Room in B1 has a sound and video board which is elevated in the rear of the room. It contains expensive equipment which is easily damaged and set incorrectly. On a regular basis, people who have no knowledge and no business doing so, push buttons and turn dials on that board. The result is that equipment does not work on Sunday mornings and evenings and Tuesday mornings and evenings when large groups are meeting there. Last week, a company repaired and replaced pieces of the system to get it working at peak capacity. It can stay that way if only authorized and trained people operate it. Please help us to be smart about the way we use church property and equipment.

Thank you to the team of people who continue to provide leadership for music ministry in the absence of our Pastor of Worship, Dr. Sam Green. For the second time, leukemia has been chased into remission for Sam. Another bone marrow biopsy will be taken tomorrow (Tuesday), to tell the doctors how clean he remains. The infusion (new word for transplant), of stem cells from Sam’s brother, Steve, awaits. Keep praying. And keep stepping up to fill the choir and band and praise team. You make the difference.

So many times, I want to connect people in this congregation. I meet someone who is from upstate New York and I run to find all of my friends who were born there and now live in middle Tennessee. I am around the incredible senior high men and I want Dr. Greathouse to hear the testimonies of what God is doing in their lives. Several weeks ago, I met a man after second worship named Bill Smith. He told me he had attended HCN for a year. We had never met. I apologized. But I had the sense and the comfort level that we had known each other a long time. I want you to meet Bill. Yesterday, I started at 8:00 AM teaching the Early Christian Sunday School Class, a group of my peers in their fifties, sixties, and seventies. I finished at 2:00 PM, cleaning up The Center Kitchen with the Twenty-Something Sunday School Class after we had eaten lunch with the College Students following Third Worship. There were several young married couples there who were not leaving until the work was done and I wished there was a way for the Early Christians to know these people who were so responsible. I ate lunch at a table filled with college freshmen from Mississippi and I wanted them to meet the Rodney and Tammy Jones family. My life is filled with the privilege of getting to know and meet wonderful people. I am glad I get to know you.

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Howard