Twenty-six primary students (grades 1-2), leave this morning from the HCN parking lot to attend a week of camp at Garner Creek. Pastor Carol Waller directs the camp. Campers include Erica Render, Annalee Poole, Abigail Reigard, Elizabeth Sweeten, Regan Perkins, Bethany Thimell, Maidson Slocum, Rebecca Eiseman, Elizabeth Stinson, Isabella Stinson, Alexi Baltz, Morgan Evans, Ashlynn Lounsbury, Lauren Hanks, Kaitlin Minter, Cheyenne Houchin, Brooke Bradley, Jackson Barfield, Stephen Swoner, Ian Rouse, Christian Rios, Gant Brasfield, Patrick Holderby, Daniel Webb, Jordan Marlowe, Jacob Hale. This is the last summer camp of the 2011 season. A total of 176 young people attended camp from HCN this year. I believe Dr. Harvey Hendershot would be pleased and honored. Dr. Hendershot led the Tennessee District when Garner Creek was purchased and upon his retirement, pastored HCN for three years. He was a member of HCN from 1977 until his death.
I mentioned that Middle School Students traveled to Cullman, Alabama, last week to assist in cleaning up the remnants of the spring tornadoes. Workers included Ashley Wallace, Keely Dozier, Shelby Jackson, Mikayla Wurth, Julia Mowry, Grant Reigard, Ashlee Harrison, Marileigh Mabry, Emily Flint, Evan Flint, TJ Hysell, Chandler Scott, Cameron Davenport, Sara Waller, Anna Waller, Isaac Houser, Morgan Houser, Marley Gibson, Nick Groover, Evan Gibson, Annie Cater, Josh Pilarski, Haylee Gold, Lydia Foster, Caleb Foster, Lacey Remmert, Madeleine Rouse, Joel Jones, Kailey Perkins, Bethany Ruff. Chaperones included Katelyn Houge, Katie Scott, Eddie and Yana Witkowski, Carol Waller, Jeff Cater, Marla Houser, Buddy and Kristi Mabry, Shelley Flint, Heather Michael, Ginger Pilarski, Aaron Foster, Tammy Jones.
The new address for Patrick Marlowe is posted below. Patrick is 34 years old and serving a life sentence in a federal facility. A card, a note, a letter could really lift his spirit. He is the son of Wendell and Sheila Marlowe and a member of HCN.
Patrick Corey Marlowe #16762075
USP Terre Haute
P.O. Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808
The 100th Anniversary of the Tennessee District Assembly was held last week at Nashville First Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Larry Leonard was elected to a four year term of service as superintendent. Sixteen men and women were ordained to ministry. Delegates from HCN included Linda Parkhurst, Alene Gill, Joy Bradley, Dot Waffird, Anna Plummer, Wendell Poole, Mark Greathouse, Rondy Smith, Ken Jewett. We all invested lots of sitting and listening time. Dr. Jesse Middendorf presided at the sessions.
I mentioned last week that Missionaries Jay and Teanna Sundberg, Field Directors for the Southeastern European Field of the Church of the Nazarene, will speak in an open forum in The Center this Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at 6:30 PM. We will set up tables with chairs for comfort and ask that you join us. The Sundbergs hosted our five young missionary men (Michael Follis, Preston Hunt, Graham Scott, Jake Resor, Daniel Smith), this summer in Bulgaria and Romania and are close friends of Jon and Kathy Mowry. The Sundbergs and Mowrys served together in Russia. Please plan to attend this event.
I know it is hard to imagine that there are people in the world who live close to starvation but all of those who have traveled to Kali Market, Kenya, know those who do. Everything depends on whether rain comes to water gardens. There are no rivers, lakes, downpours to nourish the land. There are tanks to catch the water that runs off the roofs when rain infrequently comes. Rain has not come in 2011. Pastor Nicholas Kisua called me last week to greet our church and to tell me food is scarce. What food is available costs more than last year.
The Church Board has approved a Poverty Dinner for this Sunday, July 17, 2011, at 5:00 PM in The Center. The Early Christian Sunday School Class will provide beans, potatoes, cornbread, and water. You are invited to come and eat and make a donation to the church for food to be distributed in Kenya. All other meetings will take place as normal at 6:00 PM.
I just got off the phone with Sam Green, Pastor of Worship at HCN. Sam will be discharged from Centennial Medical Center tomorrow or Wednesday (July 12-13, 2011). His pulmonary system is greatly improved and responding to the steroid treatments for the graft versus host disease. He is off oxygen support. His coughing is almost gone. His color is improving. He plans to be leading worship this Sunday. We give thanks to the Lord. Thanks to Tammy Tarter, Ken Stegall, Donny Jackson for leading in worship on Sundays in Sam’s absence.
Dr. Jesse Middendorf preached in the recent District Assembly and as a person in authority would often address churches in conflict. He challenged people to love each other and to cease arguing and complaining. I sat in each service and thought about how unlike Hermitage Church were his descriptions. I have pastored several churches like that. I recognized his words. I am grateful that they did not describe us. I do not take our church for granted. I received a long email from a young husband and father last night. He came to church on Sunday with a heavy heart. He was headed to Sunday School and then to worship but people kept “interjecting themselves into my path. I heard none of your sermon this morning but from the quotes my friends mentioned about recognizing areas to serve and getting in action to help, made it one of the most powerful sermons I never heard. I love you in ways that I can’t express but wanted you to know.” I walked through The Center on the way to first service on Sunday and two men were already at the altars praying and crying. I walked by them and touched them to let them know I was aware and praying with them. This is the church I belong to. It is not always perfect. We do not always get it. But most of the time, there is a whole lot of kindness and compassion and praying and caring going on. It beats arguing and complaining all to pieces. I sure do love you.
In Christ Jesus,
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