Congratulations to Kim Vann on her selection as Wilson County Teacher of the Year. The award represents years of education, experience, and a servant heart lived out in classrooms of children with specialized needs. When Kim posted the photo on facebook of receiving the check that goes with the award, she wrote: “Africa $$$$$.” When you live with intention, everything has a purpose.
Congratulations to Mike Miranne who qualified with 26,964 runners to run in the Boston Marathon today, the world’s largest and greatest race. The event allowed three waves of 9,000 runners apiece. Mike is 45 years old and ran the course in 3 hours 46 minutes, a 8:38 pace. It is a life goal accomplished.
HCN’s Worship Choir and Band presented “Savior, Jesus Messiah” in two services on Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, and each service was forceful, passionate, inspiring. After I heard the pace and conviction of the first four songs, I was not sure how my first service people would respond. Then Gary sang. Then Beth sang. Then Sam sang. Then we received bread and juice from the Lord’s Table. Then the first four songs made sense. What a morning of worship. I need to tell you some great stories. When palm branches were handed out as we entered worship, a young girl ask her parents if this was a real palm branch. Yes, baby, it was. A young girl who sat with her parents turned to her dad during one of the services and told him he was going to have to take her home. When he asked her why, she said: “I feel like I am getting ready to cry.” When it was over, she said: “That was better than a Garth Brooks concert.”
Vocalists for the morning include Lisa Anderson, Jo Apple, Dean Beach, Melody Beach, Dorinda Biggs, Joy Bradley, Joyce Clevenger, Deborah Coppedge, Kristi Dozier, Julie Foster, Beth Fox, Bryce Fox, Keli Green, Sam Green, Marvin Heath, Gary Helm, Suzanne Karr Herring, Traci Hollandsworth, JoAnn Jackson, Marilyn Keener, Melinda Knott, Ken Koon, Art Kurtz, Sandra Kurtz, Carrie Lounsbury, Pam McNeese, Miriam McMillan, Kari Snyder, Ken Stegall, Tom Stephens, Emily Sullivan, Tammy Tarter, Jim Trease, Lizzie Tyler, Carrie Wagner, Jami Walker, Joe Walker, Deborah Walter, and Betty Willis. Instrumentalists for the morning included Rich Herring (drums), Ben Tyler and Paul Bolling (percussion), Jay Barfield and Randy Layne (electric guitar), Dave Flint (acoustic guitar), Graham Scott (bass), Donny Jackson (keyboards), Michael Waller (piano). Technicians for the morning include Brian Biggs (sound), Robert Sullivan (lighting, video screens). Dr. Sam Green selected the music. Tammy Tarter began the rehearsals. When Sam became strong enough, he slid into the director’s chair and Tammy slid into the choir. What a model of humility and cooperation between the two. I think the morning was a testimony of convicted musicians.
It sounds so secular to schedule an Easter Egg Hunt on Palm Sunday but if you were there, you would never think that. The thousands of eggs filled with candy were prepared by the congregation and the children who Jesus loved vacuumed them up in record time. Then we ate the hamburgers and hotdogs cooked by Wayne McNeese, Ken Koon, Paul Stonecipher, Ricky McNeese, Kevin Copeland, and Christopher Lewis. We pampered the dogs and burgers with sliced tomatoes, onions, and the works prepared by Lisa Anderson, Pam McNeese, Diane McNeese, and Kylee Koon. The New Life Class set up and broke down the service and dining tables and chairs. Then we formed an old fashioned neighborhood and everyone sat in chairs and on the ground and talked. The children played. The teens played. When everyone else left, the teens stayed. When we got home, we thought about how nice it was to slow down and be together and say more to each other than hello and goodbye. We thought about who we talked to that we never get to talk to and about friends reacquainted. I thought about how Jesus was pleased. It was his kind of day.
This Sunday is Easter Sunday. It is the highest and holiest day of the Christian calendar. It is the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and began a resurrection journey that continues to this day. HCN celebrates Easter with two services, the same as Palm Sunday. The first service begins at 9:00 AM. The second service begins at 10:30 AM. Both services meet in The Center. There will be familiar pieces to the morning. There will be new pieces to the morning. Once again, our elementary children and middle school students will join us. Events in the service will change quickly and keep their attention. When we are at the end, you will not want to leave. Easter Sunday is the one day that unchurched people will accept your invitation to attend church with you. More people attend church on Easter than any other Sunday. Take the risk. Make the effort to invite your unchurched friends, neighbors, family, co-workers. It has the potential to change their eternity. Think about that awhile.
Remember the Offering for World Missions this Sunday. We have a long way to meet our responsibilities.
Thanks for praying for me and my family last week at the death of my brother, Jerry. His death made me more aware of the loss some of you have suffered lately. Doug Gold lost his dad last week. Judy Shepard lost her sister weeks ago. Angie Davis has lost her mother and two grandparents in the last nine months. I grieve with you.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
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