AUGUST 21 – HANDBELL CAMP: If you are interested in being a part of our upcoming handbell ministry take note.   We are offering our first handbell camp on Saturday, August 21.  The first session will take place from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.  Lunch will be provided from 11:30 – 12:30 [...]]]>

AUGUST 21 – HANDBELL CAMP: If you are interested in being a part of our upcoming handbell ministry take note.   We are offering our first handbell camp on Saturday, August 21.  The first session will take place from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.  Lunch will be provided from 11:30 – 12:30 with the second session running from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. We encourage you to attend both sessions but if your schedule will not allow, please feel free to attend only one.

AUGUST 23 – WORSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING: The Worship Committee will be meeting on Monday, August 23rd at 7:00 p.m.in the meeting room.

HOSPITAL CALENDAR: Please contact the church office at (704) 933-0155 any time you or your family member is hospitalized and/or is scheduled for surgery.

CCM

Please join us on Sunday, August 22^ndat our 11:00 a.m. worship service when Rev. David Raiford will deliver the sermon.  His sermon subject will be “Extravagant Generosity.” The Old Testament Scriptures will be Deuteronomy 26:1-13 & Malachi 3:10.  The New Testament Lessons will come from 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 & 9:6-9.

Dear sisters and brothers, The middle days of August have brought significant heat and humidity to our area, and we are all suffering from what has traditionally been called the “dog days of summer.” As you may know, we get that name from the Romans who identified the bright star known as Sirius (the [...]]]> Aug. 9, 2010

Dear sisters and brothers,
The middle days of August have brought significant heat and humidity to our area, and we are all suffering from what has traditionally been called the “dog days of summer.” As you may know, we get that name from the Romans who identified the bright star known as Sirius (the dog star) that rises and sets with the sun. Whatever the history, the legend, or the folklore – it’s hot!
In the midst of this heat, our children and young people are headed back to school for another year. I am greatly inspired by the reports I receive about many of our churches providing assistance to the children in the form of school supplies for those who might not be able to afford them and in the form of volunteer tutors either in the school or at the church. I hope you will all join me in prayer for our teachers and the administrators and staff who commit themselves to this significant task of education. And that you, too, will find ways to offer tangible support for them.
In the midst of this heat, most of our churches are gearing up for another busy and hectic schedule during the closing third of this year. Resuming Bible studies, church activities, and additional service opportunities, your calendars are no doubt filling up rapidly. As always, I sincerely hope that our activity level is about becoming more faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus, and not just busy-ness that fills space and time at the building, but does little for the soul and spirit.
In the midst of this heat, we are preparing for that Special Session of Annual Conference, scheduled for Saturday, August 21. Over the last two months we have been engaged in a series of follow up meetings and discussions related to the budget that was left unfinished at our June session. More information about the proposal from our Conference Finance and Administration can be found on the conference web site, no later than Monday afternoon (August 9). The new proposal tries to incorporate the votes and speeches made from the conference floor and to take into consideration recommendations from other groups. This entire process has made all of us keenly aware of the need to make a serious and prayerful assessment of where we are and how we go forward to achieve our goal and accomplish our vision, while at the same time trying to hold on to the way things have always been. 2011 may, indeed, be a transition year for us.
Over the last several weeks I have received several comments and questions about what is happening. The most consistent theme I hear is that the only thing I am concerned about is money and numbers. Before the heat gets the better of me, a brief response is in order; and I will have more to say about this in my opening statement to the special session in a few weeks. I am concerned about one thing: developing faithful disciples of Jesus Christ who serve Christ with time, energy, resources, skills, and heart. Yes, we have set some numerical goals and measurements to determine the vitality of a church, but only because I see not numbers but people. Each “number” is a person for whom Christ died, and my passion – our passion – should be totally focused on sharing and living the good news of God’s love, mercy and grace extended to humanity.
Money? Well, yes, I am concerned about it, because Jesus talked as much about money and possessions as he did anything else. Yes, I am concerned because as part of a connectional system, we share a common mission to serve Christ not only in our local communities, but together in ways that reach around the globe. Yes, I fully understand the economic realities we are dealing with in these days and we are taking that into account in everything we do. But I still believe that one of the signs of being a disciple of Jesus is to be faithful stewards of what God has abundantly given to each one of us.
The dog days of summer give us plenty to do and to get heated up about. My hope is that we will get fired up for the mission and ministry of Christ through our churches and through our conference connections.

Blessings
Larry M. Goodpaster
bishop@wnccumc.org

[Click here to subscribe to Bishop G's E-pistle, his special messages and WNCC e-NEWS]

This post is from the WNCC’s website and can be found in its original form at:  Bishop G’s Epistle for August 9, 2010

This Week!

A Gathering of the Laity

AUGUST 15 – UM MEN: The United Methodist Men should be back to their regular schedule this month.  This means that their next meeting will be Sunday, August 15th at 7:00 a.m. in the Mt. Mitchell fellowship hall.  Need more information about UM Men?  Contact Jim Griffith at (704) 933-0252.

AUGUST [...]]]>

AUGUST 15 – UM MEN: The United Methodist Men should be back to their regular schedule this month.  This means that their next meeting will be Sunday, August 15^th at 7:00 a.m. in the Mt. Mitchell fellowship hall.  Need more information about UM Men?  Contact Jim Griffith at (704) 933-0252.

HOSPITAL CALENDAR: In order to help Pastor David better serve the pastoral needs of the congregation, we are implementing the use of what we have named a “Hospital Calendar.” What does this require from you?  All we need is for you to please contact the church office any time you or your family member is hospitalized and/or is scheduled for surgery.  This is not only important for hospital visitation but also for the purpose of prayer.  Please contact the church office at (704) 933-0155 ASAP should such a situation occur.

CCM

Rice, Beans, Crackers & Cereal.

AUGUST 5 – EDUCATION [...]]]> AUGUST 2 – RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE: Mt. Mitchell will host their next Red Cross Blood Drive on Monday, August 2nd from 3:00 p.m.—7:30 p.m. in the fellowship building.  Looking for volunteer opportunities?  This is a great one.  To find out how you can help, contact Charlene Horne.

CCM

JULY 28 – HOT DOG SALE: Our next Hot Dog sale will [...]]]> JULY 27 – STAFF PARISH MEETING (Date Changed): The Staff Parish meeting has been changed to Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference/Meeting Room.  Committee members please make note of this change and plan to attend.

AUGUST 5 – EDUCATION MEETING: The Education Committee will meet on Thursday, August 5th at 7:00 PM in the conference/meeting room. Contact Brenda Langley for more details.

CCM

Canned Vegetables, Soup, Pasta, Beef Stew

This position will:

Provide organizational and planning support for the total resource development effort of Cooperative Christian Ministry.  Function as the primary grant writer/administrator of the organization. Manage communication between CCM and funding organizations and donors.

Cooperative Christian Ministry
is seeking an experienced person for the role of
Resource Development Coordinator

This position will:

Provide organizational and planning support for the total resource development effort of Cooperative Christian Ministry.  Function as the primary grant writer/administrator of the organization. Manage communication between CCM and funding organizations and donors.

Primary Responsibilities include:
·       Managing Donor Relationships
·       Developing Fundraising Plans
·       Relationship Building
·       Grant Writing & Administration

Key Requirements:
·       Communication Skills (verbal & written)
·       Grant Writing (incl. Federal & State)
·       Understanding Budgets

The position will be:  Full time / Salaried with Health Benefits

Deadline to receive resumes is July 27, 2010

Resumes may be sent to:

Ed Hosack, Executive Director
at:
info@cooperativeministry.com
or:
CCM
P.O. Box 1717
Concord, NC 28026-1717

Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Danny & Raychell Carroll.  Danny and Raychell as well as their granddaughter Mallory were tragically killed in a small plane crash on Wednesday, July 14, 2010. The funeral will be held on Monday, July 19 at 2:00 p.m. at Concord First [...]]]>

Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Danny & Raychell Carroll.  Danny and Raychell as well as their granddaughter Mallory were tragically killed in a small plane crash on Wednesday, July 14, 2010. The funeral will be held on Monday, July 19 at 2:00 p.m. at Concord First Assembly Worship Center.  A private burial will follow.

A list of supplies are as follows:

JULY 27 – STAFF PARISH MEETING (Date Changed): The Staff Parish meeting has been changed to Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference/Meeting Room.  Committee members please make note of this change and plan to attend.

AUGUST 5 – EDUCATION MEETING: The Education Committee will meet on Thursday, August 5th at 7:00 PM in the conference/meeting room. Contact Brenda Langley for more details.

CCM

Canned Vegetables, Soup, Pasta, Beef Stew

Please join us on Sunday, July 25th at our 11:00 a.m. worship service when

Rev. David Raiford will deliver the sermon.

Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Danny & Raychell Carroll.  Danny and Raychell as well as their granddaughter Mallory were tragically killed in a small plane crash on Wednesday, July 14, 2010.  Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

JULY 12 THROUGH 16 – VACATION [...]]]>

Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Danny & Raychell Carroll.  Danny and Raychell as well as their granddaughter Mallory were tragically killed in a small plane crash on Wednesday, July 14, 2010.  Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

JULY 12 THROUGH 16 – VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Mt. Mitchell’s Vacation Bible School will continue on Thursday, July 15th from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. and conclude on Friday, July 16th. The VBS Mission Project is “School Supplies for the Nazareth Children Home in Rockwell, NC.” Thirty seven children are in residence and 11 in foster care.  We would like to invite the church members to join our efforts in the collecting of school supplies. For more information contact Brenda Langley.

AUGUST 5 – EDUCATION MEETING: The Education Committee will meet on Thursday, August 5th at 7:00 PM in the conference/meeting room. Contact Brenda Langley for more details.

CCM

Canned Vegetables, Soup, Pasta, Beef Stew

Please join us on Sunday, July 18th at our 11:00 a.m. worship service as celebrate the conclusion of our VBS.  Rev. David Raiford will deliver the sermon and his sermon subject will be, “Soaring with the Eagles.” The scripture lesson will come from Isaiah 48:17.

United Methodist Women closes its quadrennial Assembly May 2, going forth with vision and dancing.May 13, 2010

More than 6,500 women gathered for worship the last morning of United Methodist Women’s Assembly, which included storytelling and dancing. The closing service expressed hope for healing. The hope was rooted deep [...]]]> Dancing All the Way Home

By Mary Beth Coudal

United Methodist Women closes its quadrennial Assembly May 2, going forth with vision and dancing.May 13, 2010

More than 6,500 women gathered for worship the last morning of United Methodist Women’s Assembly, which included storytelling and dancing. The closing service expressed hope for healing. The hope was rooted deep in a biblical foundation, in the history of United Methodist Women, and in a creative and forward-looking worship experience. The closing service lifted the minds, hearts and spirits of the members of United Methodist Women as they were sent forth with singing and dancing.

In the morning’s Bible Study, the Rev. Anita Phillips, executive director of the Native American Comprehensive Plan, shared the story of the Cherokee people who were forced on a thousand-mile march, the Trail of Tears. As they traveled, the Native Americans lit campfires in the night, hoping to survive. Ms. Philips urged the healing of peoples, nations and the environment. In response, several young women from various faith backgrounds shared their stories.

Harriett Jane Olson, deputy general secretary of the Women’s Division, also spoke, urging the women to tell their stories, “to move forward along the journey.” She asked United Methodist Women members to continue to braid a prophetic vision into the future. “Our history is a long rope, which God holds. We are holding the line taut for more to cling on to.”

Ms. Olson offered the ministry of Jesus as an example: “The disciples said, ‘Wait! How can you spend time blessing the children when we’re already late? That’s not fair!’ Those were sound objections.” Yet, Ms. Olson assured the women, “In the economy of God, we don’t have limits. There’s still more to do to connect to the needs of the world.”

Ms. Olson especially lifted up United Methodist Women members for their lifelong commitment to work with the marginalized. She praised United Methodist Women members as they help women become leaders and life-long learners, as in the organization’s Schools of Christian Mission, the mention of which drew applause. “You cannot learn without being open to change,” Ms. Olson said.

Throughout the Sunday morning service, new music and performance dominated. DeRance Blaylock from St. Louis sung, “Love Justice. Do Mercy. Walk Humbly with God,” based on Micah 6:8, Also, from St. Louis, the Modern American Dance Company danced while several ascended ribbons strung from the stadium ceiling. On Twitter, Meosha commented, “Holy cow! Cirque de Soliel, Pink – you have nothing on the Modern American Dance Company at Assembly 2010.”

In the past, Methodists have been stereotyped for their refusal to dance, however this United Methodist Women’s gathering ended with a collective dance. The modern dancers and musicians led women in liturgical dance with hand and arm gestures that flowed into spirited dancing.

Women danced in the aisles to a song based on the Psalms 30:11, “Mourning to Dancing.” Jorge Lockward of Global Praise at the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries who coordinated the diverse group of 12 musicians and singers, said the music was chosen to reflect “a new heaven and a new earth.” Mr. Lockward quoted the song by Tommy Walker, “You’ve turned my mourning into dancing again. You’ve lifted me. I can’t stay silent. I must sing. For your joy has come.”

The dancing spilled into the streets of St. Louis – just as the day before women had taken to the streets in a march for immigrant rights.
In her closing remark, Ms. Olson reminded women to “Listen more. We will love each other. We will extend our influence. Our shadow will be long behind us.”

*Mary Beth Coudal is the staff writer for the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. Like thousands of other United Methodist Women, she danced at the closing service of the Assembly.

Original Article may be found here:  Dancing All the Way Home

Wars are being fought today in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chechnya, Colombia, Congo, India and Pakistan (over Kashmir), Iraq, Israel-Palestine, Kosovo, Lebanon, Macedonia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda. As the people of the United States honor those who have died in the nation’s service this Memorial Day, let us pray for peace for all [...]]]> by Tracy McNeal

Wars are being fought today in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chechnya, Colombia, Congo, India and Pakistan (over Kashmir), Iraq, Israel-Palestine, Kosovo, Lebanon, Macedonia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda. As the people of the United States honor those who have died in the nation’s service this Memorial Day, let us pray for peace for all peoples and nations of the world.

Almighty God,

In whom we live, love, and have our being,
We take time today to uplift the heavy hearts
Of those for whom Memorial Day
Is more than a mere diversion,
But is, instead, a painful time of reflection, lamentation
And enduring bereavement.

This day we remember with compassion
Your children who have lost their lives to war;
Incline us to honor their memory, dear Lord,
With a sincere pledge to seek peace
And nonviolent solutions to world conflict.

We pray for the safety of those entering military service,
And succor for the many returning from combat
With wounded bodies,
Or minds
Sickened by the sight and sounds of war.

Our prayers also extend, Great Comforter,
To those who still wait and pray
Day by anxious day
For that precious moment of reunion
With a distant family member, friend, or loved one.

And to others – whose reunion has been sorrowfully delayed
Until that Heavenly homecoming with Christ
In the fullness of time –
We offer the gentle assurance
Of your promise to all believers,
“ Blessed are those who mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

Amen.

Original prayer found here:  A Memorial Day Prayer

The new UMWOnline is a place for members, friends and anyone interested in building strong relationships among a community of Christian women. It’s a place to find one another, connect, and communicate in ways that weren’t possible before.

To register for the new and exciting UMWOnline go to www.umwonline.net.

It has been a busy week between therapy and work.  Myra has still been going with Angel to school and then to the therapy visits.  Some fashion of schedule has now become norm.  Angel continues to do well with the therapy and improvements are noted in little increments.  She remains a bit self conscious and [...]]]>

It has been a busy week between therapy and work.  Myra has still been going with Angel to school and then to the therapy visits.  Some fashion of schedule has now become norm.  Angel continues to do well with the therapy and improvements are noted in little increments.  She remains a bit self conscious and is pretty quick to have emotional changes.  When she recognizes something that she is not able to do as good as she used too, she becomes upset.

We had an awesome experience on Sunday with Levine Hospital and Dr. Jacobsen’s practice inviting patients to attend the Toby Mac concert (Taylor’s Finish Line Event).  Angel was very engaged in the rides, activities, and music.  I tried to explain to her that it was not necessary to stand right in front of the stage to hear and see the music.  She would not accept No for an answer….so, we spent the whole night with her on my neck singing and waving her arms.  It was a very spiritual time as well seeing so many people gathered to hear a band play music about God and through their attendance, supported special needs children.  We also heard the Gibbs family stand and give their witness as to how God worked in the life of their son Taylor.

So many children continue to hurt.  Angel has fared much better than many but still faces challenges into the future.  We give thanks for her healing and pray for those that continue to struggle.  No child should hurt.  Thanks to all of you for your continued support…it makes a difference.

This journal entry and others may be found here:  Caring Bridge

3:30 P.M. EST May 7, 2010 | COLUMBUS, Ohio (UMNS)

A former Mississippi pastor who is committed to engaging United Methodists in hands-on mission took office May 7 as president of thedenomination’s Council of Bishops.

Bishop Gregory Palmer, outgoing leader, handed the presidential gavel over to Bishop Larry Goodpaster with the words, “May you direct [...]]]> By David Briggs*

3:30 P.M. EST May 7, 2010 | COLUMBUS, Ohio (UMNS)

A former Mississippi pastor who is committed to engaging United Methodists in hands-on mission took office May 7 as president of thedenomination’s Council of Bishops.

Bishop Gregory Palmer, outgoing leader, handed the presidential gavel over to Bishop Larry Goodpaster with the words, “May you direct and assist us in the building up of God’s work.“

Goodpaster, spiritual leader of the Charlotte (N.C.) Area, promised to fulfill the office “for the glory of God and for the transformation of the world.”

Following the installation service, United Methodist bishops stood and applauded while Palmer embraced Goodpaster. Palmer, leader of the Illinois Area, had served as president since 2008.

Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader of Chicago said she looks forward to Goodpaster’s leadership.

“He is a man with solid gospel presence and great integrity in all the work he does,” she said. “He engages everyone with whom he works.”

The council comprises The United Methodist Church’s top clergy leaders, who guide the 11.5 million-member denomination in Africa, Europe, Asia and the United States.

In an interview, Goodpaster said he is ready to assume the office.

“I want to be where God wants me to be,” he said. “I want to be available. I want to trust God.”

Advocate of growth

Goodpaster received his bachelor’s degree from United Methodist-related Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., in 1970 and was ordained deacon in 1971 and elder in 1974.

He served several Mississippi churches while earning a doctorate from Candler School of Theology in 1982. He has served a five-church rural charge, a new congregation and several large-membership churches.

He was elected a bishop in 2000 and appointed to the Alabama-West Florida Conference. He was appointed to the Western North Carolina Conference in 2008. He also provides oversight to the church in Vietnam.

During his two-year term, the new president will face several issues, including an effort to establish structures that more fully reflect the growth of the church overseas and efforts to revive a declining and graying membership in the United States.

As Palmer’s successor, Goodpaster said he wants to play a role in bringing the church together in mission. In particular, the bishop said, he wants to embed the denomination‘s four areas of focus (leadership development, congregational growth, global health and ministry with people in poverty) into the life of the church.

As part of that effort, he wants to continue informal conversations among several groups looking at the church’s future, including the Call to Action Committee, the Connectional Table and the Committee to Study the Worldwide Nature of The United Methodist Church. All of these groups, along with the Council of Bishops, need to be sure they are working together, said Goodpaster, author of the 2008 book “There’s Power in the Connection.”

In a rapidly changing world, there is a special challenge in finding ways to serve the church in a timely way between the General Conference gatherings, which occur every four years. Shortly after the 2008 legislative assembly approved the four-year budget, the economy soured. The budget crisis that followed showed the need for the church “to be able to respond quickly,” Goodpaster said.

New life

Amid its challenges, there are signs of new life throughout the denomination, Goodpaster said.

He served several Mississippi churches while earning a doctorate from Candler School of Theology in 1982. He has served a five-church rural charge, a new congregation and several large-membership churches.

He was elected a bishop in 2000 and appointed to the Alabama-West Florida Conference. He was appointed to the Western North Carolina Conference in 2008. He also provides oversight to the church in Vietnam.

During his two-year term, the new president will face several issues, including an effort to establish structures that more fully reflect the growth of the church overseas and efforts to revive a declining and graying membership in the United States.

As Palmer’s successor, Goodpaster said he wants to play a role in bringing the church together in mission. In particular, the bishop said, he wants to embed the denomination‘s four areas of focus (leadership development, congregational growth, global health and ministry with people in poverty) into the life of the church.

As part of that effort, he wants to continue informal conversations among several groups looking at the church’s future, including the Call to Action Committee, the Connectional Table and the Committee to Study the Worldwide Nature of The United Methodist Church. All of these groups, along with the Council of Bishops, need to be sure they are working together, said Goodpaster, author of the 2008 book “There’s Power in the Connection.”

In a rapidly changing world, there is a special challenge in finding ways to serve the church in a timely way between the General Conference gatherings, which occur every four years. Shortly after the 2008 legislative assembly approved the four-year budget, the economy soured. The budget crisis that followed showed the need for the church “to be able to respond quickly,” Goodpaster said.

New life

Amid its challenges, there are signs of new life throughout the denomination, Goodpaster said.

He sees it in his own conference, which plans to start eight churches this summer. In addition, he sees it throughout the church in Southeast Asia, which continues to grow despite many challenges.

“There is a certain amount of excitement and passion about extending the gospel from village to village, from neighborhood to neighborhood,” Goodpaster said.

When the going gets hard, he said, church members in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have the attitude, “We’re going to trust God to get us through this.“

It is also Goodpaster’s attitude as he assumes the presidency of the Council of Bishops.

“God’s grace is bigger than any of us and always sufficient,” Goodpaster said. “That’s what I’m going to rely on.”

*Briggs is news editor of United Methodist News Service.

News media contact: David Briggs, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

Original article may be fond here:  Bishop Goodpaster

6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road

Kannapolis, NC

Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010

Time:  10:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Sr. Youth of Mt. Mitchell UMC will host a youth rally to benefit the family of Angel Thompson on Saturday, May 8, at Mt Mitchell [...]]]> Place: Mt Mitchell UMC

6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road

Kannapolis, NC

Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010

Time:  10:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Sr. Youth of Mt. Mitchell UMC will host a youth rally to benefit the family of Angel Thompson on Saturday, May 8, at Mt Mitchell UMC.

The star of the rally, Angel, is a 5 year old girl who recently had a tumor removed from her brain.

Due to this serious type of surgery, she will need therapy for several years resulting in years of mounting medical expense.

In order to help the Thompson family, the Sr. Youth will donate ALL proceeds from this rally to help offset her medical bills.

The Rally will include:

Hot Air Balloon Rides

Food

Live Bands

Arts & Crafts

Inflatables for Kids

Dunkin’ Booth

Face Painting

B-ball Tournaments

and Bingo!

If for some reason you can’t make it and enjoy the fun but you would like to make a donation, you can send a check made out to “Mt Mitchell UMC” with “Angel’s Fund” written in the memo area. The mailing address is:

Any donations sent to the church for Angel’s Fund will be sent to the account set up and designated for Angel and her family

at 5/3 Bank. You can also stop by any 5/3 and make a donation to her donation account!

If you have any questions about how to donate to that account, email Kim Cook.

The Young Adults of Mt Mitchell UMC will be hosting a Benefit Car/4×4/Bike Show with all the proceeds going to help with medical bills for Angel Thompson.

She is [...]]]> Date:                Saturday, May 1, 2010
Time:               9:00am - 5:00pm
Location:       Mt Mitchell UMC
6001 Old Salisbury - Concord Road
Kannapolis, NC  28083

The Young Adults of Mt Mitchell UMC will be hosting a Benefit Car/4×4/Bike Show with all the
proceeds going to help with medical bills for Angel Thompson.

She is a 5 yr old that who had an operation to remove a brain tumor. Her recovery will require many
months of therapy, now and in the future. We hope to take some of the burden off of the family.

Personal Information

Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Vehicle Information

Year

Make  & Model

Color

Download and print the form listed on the webpage – Angel’s Car Show

Send the completed form and money to:

This week has been awesome with Angel at home.  Back into a routine of sorts with home life, school life, and now therapy life.  Angel continues to make a little improvement each day that we see.  Those that don’t see her every day notice big improvement.  [...]]]> SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2010 9:40 PM, EDT (The latest update….)

This week has been awesome with Angel at home.  Back into a routine of sorts with home life, school life, and now therapy life.  Angel continues to make a little improvement each day that we see.  Those that don’t see her every day notice big improvement.  We have spent time looking at the caring bridge sites of others with similar conditions and find that it is almost a template to some extent with the things that we encounter.  She continues to fight the brace and eye patch.  The wheel chair is pretty much a non-use / non-needed item now…praise God.  The last few days have been a little traumatic with her personality and behavior.  I guess it is very similar to a traumatic brain injury and is to be expected.  I can only imagine how I would be if they had operated on my brain.   She continues to be tough and teaches us things each day about courage and faith.  Praise God for his healing and his hands revealed through this journey.  Praise God for the wonderful family and friends that have supported and prayed and continue to do so.

APRIL 20 – NUTURE COMMITTEE MEETING: The Nurture Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room. The following people should plan to attend: Joan Overcash, Ann Newsome, Janice Wensil, Brenda Langley, Kay Cook, Mildred Goodman, Jim Griffith.

I love and admire pastors.  Lord knows we preachers are not perfect people. But most of us are honest, earnest, hard-working men and women.  And at our best, we’re pretty good folk who do our best to serve our [...]]]> Original post may be found here:  Southern Fried Preacher:  How ‘Bout a Good Word for the Preacher?

I love and admire pastors.  Lord knows we preachers are not perfect people. But most of us are honest, earnest, hard-working men and women.  And at our best, we’re pretty good folk who do our best to serve our congregations in the name of God. Still we have our trials and tribulations. My friend, Pastor Tommy Conder, passed along some little tales going around that provide windows on ministerial life these days.

Story 1: The pastor put sanitary, hot-air hand dryers in the church restrooms and after two weeks took them out. When asked why he removed them, he confessed that they worked fine.  However, someone had stuck a sign on the wall that said, “For a sample of this week’s sermon, push this button.” Ah well, we’ve all heard a sermon or two that have moved us to the philosophical shrug and the thought: “Better hot air than no air at all!”

Story 2: A new preacher in an aging congregation announced he would be serving them prune juice in Holy Communion.  When asked why, he explained, “If the Holy Spirit won’t move you, the prune juice will.” Now, as a senior citizen myself, I wouldn’t tell that story.  However, I understand the point the youngster was getting at.  When I was younger, I was a perpetual motion machine of a minister trying to mobilize my parishioners.  I’m older and wiser now. I have learned that they also serve who now are able to mostly sit and pray.

Story 3: An interim pastor had been serving a congregation while they were searching for a permanent minister.  In time a new preacher was called to the church.  The interim’s work was finished and as he prepared to leave, his hat was passed around to collect a “Thank You” gift. When it came back to him it was empty. He lifted his hat to Heaven and said, “I thank you, Lord, that I got my hat back from this congregation.” I suspect an interim preacher who earns no thanks is a great motivator for the congregation to get their new pastor in place as quickly as possible.

Story 4: A preacher went to a pet store.  “I need at least 50 mice, 2,000 ants and all of those little silverfish you’ve got.” The clerk asked why the unusual order? The minister replied, “I have accepted a call to go and serve another church.  The Pastor’s Council here has told me to leave the parsonage the way I found it!” I think you could say that minister is a communication literalist.

Pastors have big challenges but also blessed lives.  Successful pastors are greatly loved. However, no minister is universally loved. Every preacher has his or her critics.  That, however, is okay. When you are a pastor challenging sin, you are bound to stir up some resistance from time to time. The best thing is for preachers to have critics who are also his or her friends.  Then everyone can benefit from the creative conflict.  Mutual love and respect makes life in the church wonderful.  And, if we are also able to like and enjoy each other–well it doesn’t get much better than that!

These hot, miserable days of summer are a good time to tell your preacher you appreciate her or him. It will lighten the burden of diminished attendance and insufficient offerings in the plates as the congregation goes through the ups and downs of summer. That, you know, is when loads of folk are either up in the mountains or down at the beach on weekends.  Show some love to the one who keeps the word coming about God’s love for you!

Harold K. Bales is the author of the wonderful blog, Southern Fried Preacher.

Find out more about him on his bio and read more of his posts in his archives!

This video highlights the work of the United Methodist at Sager Brown.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010 10:53 PM, EDT

Angel spent almost a full day at school today.  She was tired but pretty enthusiastic about it.  Of course we moved past that into therapy.  She has gone on to worry about more serious matters in her life such as which cartoons to watch and when.  There has been [...]]]>

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010 10:53 PM, EDT

Angel spent almost a full day at school today.  She was tired but pretty enthusiastic about it.  Of course we moved past that into therapy.  She has gone on to worry about more serious matters in her life such as which cartoons to watch and when.  There has been some anxiety but mostly with us as the parents.  It is almost as if we have to step back and learn to let go just like it was when she was experimenting with things when she first learned them.  Of course, we are overly protective now but becoming more comfortable with each day.  Praise God for the way he continues to hold her and steady her through his strength.

Word of warning to everyone…never change the TV line-up if it relates to cartoons without first consulting your five year old (even if it is cheaper in a bundle).  I learned the hard way and had to correct it pretty quickly.

Donations are still being taken at your closest Fifth/Third Bank for help in offsetting costs and bills for this sweet little girl and her family.

All of the local Branch Managers will be aware and be able to assist you if needed. If you are not local and would like to make a deposit contact Kim Cook at 704-721-4526 and she will be able to help. You can also email her: Kim Cook.

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2010 10:55 PM, EDT

Sorry for the delays on the updates.  Working on borrowed computers until our internet gets back up on Wednesday.  The first day of school went extremely well.  She was very excited to get back.  She stayed a few hours before having to leave for therapy.  We have a full [...]]]>

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2010 10:55 PM, EDT

Sorry for the delays on the updates.  Working on borrowed computers until our internet gets back up on Wednesday.  The first day of school went extremely well.  She was very excited to get back.  She stayed a few hours before having to leave for therapy.  We have a full day tomorrow with Dr. appointments and therapy.  She developed a little swelling around the left ear…we have faith and believe it to be nothing, however, we are getting it checked tomorrow as well.  Tomorrow we will see the oncologist and neurosurgeon in Charlotte.  She is adapting well at home and getting back into a routine.  She becomes tired easily, especially with writing and assignment type things.  I believe that is mostly related to the issues with the eyes and the slight shaking that requires her to focus closely on her handwriting.  God’s work in the life of Angel has truly been a testament to his love.  We have talked and most likely will talk more openly in the future about how his touch upon Angel has helped our family grow more strongly in faith.  Our prayer continues to be for his healing and his purpose to be revealed.  We continue to reflect daily as to the blessing each of you have been on this journey.  Through hope in God and the support you have given out of love, we are still standing and the amazement never ceases.  So many things have been done to support Angel and us ranging from prayers, visits, cards, gifts, money, events to honor her, service, and calls that we do not even know where to start in saying thank you.  You each have been a gift to our family in this most difficult time and have helped us to share this burden.  Thank you.

~*~

The original post and the rest of the journal for Angel may be found here:  CaringBridge

Crocheting – KIA stays busy all the time. Believe it or not, KIA has taken up crocheting thanks to Penny Douglas. We began this past Sunday (and guys included) are crocheting hats, shawls and all sorts of stuff. Thanks Penny [...]]]> What was KIA (Kids in Action) doing this time last year?

KIA ~  April 2009

Crocheting – KIA stays busy all the time. Believe it or not, KIA has taken up crocheting thanks to Penny Douglas. We began this past Sunday (and guys included) are crocheting hats, shawls and all sorts of stuff. Thanks Penny for your leadership and your time. We are having a blast.

Yard Sale – DO NOT forget that KIA will be sponsoring a Yard Sale this fall. So remember to save your stuff or your junk as your spouse may call it. As time ap-proaches; we will sell spots and ask that each per-son renting a spot tithe ten percent back to our church. That is what God has required of each of us.

Caring Basket – We have been blessed in the fact that we are able to contribute items to the Caring Baskets for those people helped us on our journey and walk in faith.

Senior Tea – The Senior Tea has not been set as of yet. So do not think that we have forgotten. Sometimes the cal-endar gets booked so quickly. So, if you or your spouse is 55 or older, you can get ready to attend once we have a date set.

Valentine Banquet – Our Valentine Banquet was a huge success as al-ways and we appreciate all who came out and sup-ported our youth. We made Valentine cards and sent them to some of our military troops. That was a special blessing for us.

Wearing new Sea Blue MM Shirts – Be on the lookout for you will be able to identify us in our Sea Blue T-shirts that have been ordered from Ken. Thanks Ken for such an wonderful bless-ing to our entire church. Now we will let the whole world know who we are !!

Please keep KIA counselors and youth in your prayers as we continue to do the acts of love, faith and spirit for all brothers and sisters in Christ.

We would love to have any youth who is 7 years old up through 7th grade and 8th being optional to join our group.

Promise that you will receive a good time. We learn Bible, study, pray, share and also have fun and fellowship.

Come join us!

God’s Blessings,

Janice, Gerhard and LuAnn & KIA members

(from the April 2009 Newsletter)

A video to promote the One Great Hour of Sharing offering for UMCOR. Rev. Darryl Tate of Louisiana talks about the importance of UMCOR’s help in disaster response.

The 2010 Bulletin and Podcast Archive page has been updated. If you’d like to check out past bulletins for Sunday services (and most special services), please take a look!  If you find a problem with it, please email me!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming!

]]> BLOOD DRIVE

SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2010

TIME: 12:30 – 5:00 P.M.

]]> http://www.mtmitchellumc.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=3308 0 http://www.mtmitchellumc.com/blog/?p=3151 http://www.mtmitchellumc.com/blog/?p=3151#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:22:01 +0000 admin http://www.mtmitchellumc.com/blog/?p=3151 (Intentional Faith Development)

A sermon taken from Romans 12. 1-2, and preached on August 24, 2008 at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina by Dr. Ken Carter.

For the last two weeks my eyeballs, at least late at night, have been glued to the television screen, in particular to the Olympic games. I have [...]]]> Changed From The Inside Out

(Intentional Faith Development)

A sermon taken from Romans 12. 1-2, and preached on August 24, 2008 at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina by Dr. Ken Carter.

For the last two weeks my eyeballs, at least late at night, have been glued to the television screen, in particular to the Olympic games. I have been watching gymnasts and marathon runners and swimmers and volleyball players and high divers and sprinters. Like many of you I have viewed from a distance the amazing path that led many of these athletes to the moment when the gold or the silver is draped around their necks. It is a long journey, from the beginning exercises, through adversity and self-doubt, to the pinnacle. Surely they passed through the many dangers, toils and snares with the help of coaches, parents, sponsors, and encouragers. Most if not all of the athletes obviously have a great deal of inner drive, determination, evening calling to the effort. Many of them are born into athletic families—a parent, say, was also an Olympic athlete, or functioned as their coach—and so you might say they had it all in their genes. They have the gift, and yet, each of them had to develop that gift. This summer we have been reading Paul’s letter to the Romans, which is also about a gift, the gift of salvation, to the Jew and the Gentile, to the insider and the outsider. This gift of salvation comes to us through Jesus Christ, his life, his death, his resurrection. Even when we were undeserving, far off, estranged, the gift was extended to us in Jesus Christ. From God’s side, the gift is offered. From the human side, the gift is accepted, or rejected. Some do reject the gift, for all kinds of reasons. This is a mystery, the human tragedy:

We resist grace, we reject the gift.

The rest of the sermon may be found here:  5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations:  Changed from the Inside Out

March 24, 2010 – The United Methodist Council of Bishops announces the launch of a fully featured website dedicated to “God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope & Action,” its most recent pastoral letter. The [...]]]> Fully featured site offers diverse resources, including Bible studies and social networking links for ‘God’s Renewed Creation: A Call to Hope & Action.’

March 24, 2010 – The United Methodist Council of Bishops announces the launch of a fully featured website dedicated to “God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope & Action,” its most recent pastoral letter. The website, www.hopeandaction.org, offers resources and social networking capabilities to enable United Methodists to engage with the council in addressing issues of pandemic poverty and disease, environmental degradation, and the proliferation of weapons and violence.
Since the Council adopted its most recent Pastoral Letter and documents, “God’s Renewed Creation: Call to Hope and Action” in November, only the basic documents have been available on the website in six of the languages spoken by United Methodists worldwide.
The expanded website offers enhanced multi-media, social networking with the basic documents: Pastoral Letter, Pastoral Letter in Liturgical Setting and the Foundation Document in six languages. It also offers news, resources, study guides with session resources, video and other visual tools for presentations or group settings. There are Facebook and Twitter social networking links.
The Council of Bishops has encouraged congregations and groups to:

1. read aloud the Pastoral Letter in worship or group settings; and
2. gather in small groups to use the Guide for Group Study. The group study would be particularly appropriate during the weeks April 18-May 23 around the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, which is April 22, according to Pat Callbeck Harper, project manager for God’s Renewed Creation.

The expanded website also allows individuals and groups to report their own action plans in response to the bishops’ nine pledges for transforming action in the Pastoral Letter.
Bishop Jane Middleton, in announcing the expanded website, said: “We understand that we must be participants. Rather than telling the church what we should do, the bishops, with God’s help, will be showing by our example.”

For the rest of the article, please see:  Council of Bishops expands hopeandaction.org Web site

March 26, 2010 – For more than six years, the Western North Carolina Annual Conference has been in the process of organizing for effective and fruitful ministry. Guided by the Holy Spirit, task forces and study groups have been positioning the conference to move into [...]]]> “Into the Future – Following Jesus, Making Disciples, Transforming the World”

March 26, 2010 – For more than six years, the Western North Carolina Annual Conference has been in the process of organizing for effective and fruitful ministry. Guided by the Holy Spirit, task forces and study groups have been positioning the conference to move into the twenty-first century with a passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a desire for our local churches and districts to grow numerically and spiritually.
The Mission Statement of our conference has been affirmed and reaffirmed in many settings: Follow Jesus, Make Disciples, Transform the World. At its June 2009 regular session, the Western North Carolina Conference overwhelmingly approved a conference structure in alignment with this mission. The restructure plan called for an emphasis on excellence with a newly created Connectional Table and three Ministry Teams.
As a part of that report, the Task Force stated that “the conference staff will be realigned to correspond to this new structure to fulfill our mission.” (Page 266 of the 2009 Journal) The Task Force recognized that there was a disconnection between the stated mission and priorities of our conference and the staff configuration that had been in place for more than a quarter century. It was a staff that had been put together in silos and compartments that were more in keeping with an earlier “program staff” model of the old Conference Council on Ministries.
The Conference Staff Relations Committee, working in conjunction with the Bishop and other members of the leadership team, has approved a plan for realigning and repositioning the conference staff so that the vision will be lived out and the priorities of the conference achieved. This new staffing configuration, which goes into effect April 1, eliminates some positions and creates new ones. While current economic realities and declining financial support through the apportionment payments from local churches have precipitated the immediacy of the action, our intent and focus throughout have been on the mission, and on alignment with the vision and goals, and with the newly approved Connectional Table and Ministry Teams [Congregational Excellence] [Leadership Development] [Justice and Reconciliation].

For the rest of the article, please see:  “Into the Future – Following Jesus, Making Disciples, Transforming the World”

The original article may be found here:  5 Ways to Satiate Tech-Savvy People in Your Church

Americans ages 18 to 29 are considerably less active in organized religion than their older counterparts, according to the most recent Pew Forum on Religious and Personal Life research. What may surprise you is these Millennials consider themselves traditional [...]]]>

The original article may be found here:  5 Ways to Satiate Tech-Savvy People in Your Church

Americans ages 18 to 29 are considerably less active in organized religion than their older counterparts, according to the most recent Pew Forum on Religious and Personal Life research. What may surprise you is these Millennials consider themselves traditional in their religious beliefs.

Combine that news with the fact that the Millennials are the most enthusiastic generation embracing technological and communication advances, and you’ll see quickly why your church should reach out to the tech savvy. Consider these five ideas and get started.

1. Bible reading on the go. YouVersion , a LifeChurch.tv offshoot, hosts an online Bible and community. It is free and allows users to take the Bible on the go with multiple mobile applications, languages and translations. YouVersion also offers more than 20 reading plans that differ in translation, Scripture length, frequency of delivery and topic focus. Readers choose a plans that fit their schedules and lifestyles. For example, readers can pick a translation they like, such as “The Message,” then choose a reading plan from the Gospels that delivers one chapter, twice a day. The entire Bible (multiple Bibles if you account for translations) can fit into a pocket!

2. Online prayer requests. Forget online shopping! How about online prayer requests? Wufoo offers an easy-to-use online form service many churches use to accept prayer requests. Churches can customize the form (make sure to include your church name and/or logo as well as your location in the introduction so people know where you are.) Here’s an example that asks if the request is for prayer or praise as well as to whom the request is intended (pastor or entire church) and contact information. The program is versatile so it can be customized as this example shows. Some churches also allow anonymous prayer requests.

To learn more about Wufoo, watch this tutorial. Wufoo sets up prayer requests similar to an event registration form as seen here.

3. Twitter inside and out. Share your Twitter account info on your Web site, in your church bulletin and anywhere else you post your Web address. Read about developing a Twitter strategy in this past MyCom article. Share news and inspiration with your followers throughout the week. Ask the tech savvy to help create a Twitter worship service. If you have multiple types of services, this would work well at the one attended by those most interested in nontraditional worship. Prior to the service, have the tech savvy folks help others set up Twitter accounts and sign up to follow your church. On Twitter Sunday, ask everyone to bring their laptops or smart phones (ensure wireless access is available and can accommodate larger demand than normal). Churchgoers can participate in the service—answering questions posted by the worship leader, sharing their thoughts, and reading them posted on the screen or a wall. Even the stay-at-home worshippers could participate via Twitter and if possible, a live webcast of the service.

4. Sermons go video. Videoteaching.com offers a plethora of online resources to share Christian-oriented messages. Visit its learning center first; then explore the list of topics and speakers separately. We found searching with a few keywords was not as effective as reviewing the speaker lists and title options. A free service, Videoteaching.com, touts itself as a way to help churches bring in top speakers or guest preachers. In addition, it also suggests using the service to give pastors a break—to free them occasionally to focus on other church-related ministries or to let them take a vacation, knowing an inspirational minister (in video form) will be there.

5. Movie making. Create your own videos and movies to involve all facets of technology—sound, videography and editing. Inexpensive, high-quality video cameras, such as the Flip, enable your church to create films. (Read this previous MyCom article on Flipfor specifics.) Perhaps a ministry wants to share its story or the church is hosting an event. Think about how video could tell those stories and market the activity. Then grab the tech savvy and start filming. Apple’s iMovie and Windows Movie Maker are easy-to-use software to edit and enhance video for posting on YouTube and your Web site, playing during a service or an event, and sharing with friends and families. A picture (or video) can make a much bigger impact than words alone.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This article was written by:  Linda Bloom, an unrepentant news junkie, covers everything from disaster relief to United Methodist relations with the Pope in her role as staff writer with United Methodist News Service. The Hoosier native previously worked at newspapers in Indiana. She charges her laptop in The Bronx, where she lives with [...]]]>

This article was written by:  Linda Bloom, an unrepentant news junkie, covers everything from disaster relief to United Methodist relations with the Pope in her role as staff writer with United Methodist News Service. The Hoosier native previously worked at newspapers in Indiana. She charges her laptop in The Bronx, where she lives with her teenage son, Jack Sommer, a budding artist/photographer, and her husband, Paul Sommer. Linda Bloom has been a New York-based news writer for United Methodist News Service since 1988.

~*~

The Rev. Laura Bender has a vertical commute to her church.

Her living quarters aboard the USS New York, where she is the ship’s chaplain, are seven decks above the chapel. That means traveling between the two locations via six ladder wells, two hatches and a scuttle.

After walking the decks of the New York myself last Thursday, both vertically and horizontally, as she led a private tour, I can attest that Lieutenant Commander Bender must stay in pretty good shape since she makes that commute at least several times a day.

I also can attest to the affection she feels for the 360-member permanent crew, the ship itself, and the symbol of healing that it represents as a positive outgrowth of the 9/11 attacks, carrying the very steel of the fallen Twin Towers within its bow.

At 50, Laura Bender is eight years older than Commanding Officer Curt Jones, another United Methodist. She is both counselor and mother to the crewmembers, who tease her about tucking them in at night with a “Good night, New York” signoff from the bridge after evening prayers.

This is her first shipboard assignment, but in her 10 years as a military chaplain, she has spent time in places like Guantanamo Bay and Iraq. As part of a medical unit during the 2003 Iraq invasion, she helped tend to the dead and dying – both American and Iraqi alike – and lived under primitive conditions. It was a “rough period,” she says.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that she actually knows how to eat fire. It’s a skill she doesn’t demonstrate on a regular basis, but she admits the U.S. Marines like to see her do it.

On the USS New York, Bender is assisted by another United Methodist, Religious Program Specialist Edmond Garrett of Mississippi. He also is her bodyguard because chaplains do not carry weapons and are protected by others in conflict situations.

She compares him to a church secretary, but asks me to imagine a church secretary “being fully qualified with weapons.”

The USS New York was commissioned on Nov. 7 on a dock next to the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan and there was much fanfare in the week leading up to the event. As the ship’s commissioning coordinator, Bender worked tirelessly to both promote the ship and respond to requests from the public and 9/11 families.

She worked so hard that her husband, Kenneth Anderson, who was in New York with her, was concerned that she was not getting enough sleep and not eating enough. However, she seemed to be enjoying it. After all, how often does one get to eat breakfast at Tiffany’s?

Her most important task, it seems, has been to provide a sympathetic ear – listening to the stories of loss, survival and healing by those touched by 9/11 who are now touched by the mission of the USS New York.

And that makes her a special Navy chaplain.

The original article may be found here:  BloomBytes: The Vertical Commute of a Naval Chaplain

Rev Laura Bender is also mentioned in the Commissioning of the USS New York Home on the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 8:09pm  (latest update as  of 1:40 pm 25 Mar 2010)

Angel has done well today with her therapy.  More testing and more therapy sessions.  She rode a bike today, did some walking, and made some cupcakes for a birthday party for the therapy dog.  She is getting a little testy [...]]]>

Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 8:09pm  (latest update as  of 1:40 pm 25 Mar 2010)

Angel has done well today with her therapy.  More testing and more therapy sessions.  She rode a bike today, did some walking, and made some cupcakes for a birthday party for the therapy dog.  She is getting a little testy with being in the hospital.  The staff is meeting tomorrow to discuss her progress and treatment plan.  They are currently thinking 1-3 additional weeks in the hospital for therapy.  They have also referred her to a neuro opthamologist for additional follow up over the next few months for additional follow up on eye/brain communication.  Stitches in her head came out today.  Going back to work has been a little tough but the people I work with are awesome and have made the transition back easy.  Thanks for all the continued prayers and support from all.

“Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace and be healed of your affliction…Mark 5:34″

There are now 2 ways to show your support for Angel and her family!

A Hot Dog Sale is set for Wednesday, March 31st. All proceeds from this sale will go to Angel and the Thompson family. Go by the Fellowship Building behind Mt Mitchell United Methodist Church and pick up some hot dogs! They are mouth-watering good! More information may be found on the Hot Dog Sale webpage (menu, prices, etc). Don’t forget to pick up your lunch or supper!

Another way is in the form of donations. To help funnel this support, there is an Angel Thompson Fund set up with Fifth Third Bank so that anyone that is interested may make a deposit in this account. All of the local Branch Managers are aware and are able to assist you if needed. If you are not local and would like to make a deposit contact Kim Cook at 704-721-4526 and she will be able to help. You may also email her with any questions:  Kim Cook

(Disclaimer – Permission was requested and blessedly received to put updates on this blog from the Caringbridge.org blog  journal. The posts you read here are ‘re-posts’ from the original from Little Miss T’s blog journal on Caringbridge.org.  Permission was requested and blessedly granted to re-post the letter above from William K. Cook.)

These interviews may be in podcast format, video or Skype, depending on circumstances and our capacity [...]]]> As Haiti moves toward recovery and as Christians look at how faith is reflected in major issues confronting the world such as this one, I am interviewing knowledgeable people who can offer insight on the interaction between faith and culture.

These interviews may be in podcast format, video or Skype, depending on circumstances and our capacity to reach them.

You may have noticed that United Methodist Communications has moved into providing content through digital media in a big way. You can get updates on Facebook and Twitter, through email and online at umc.org, umcom.org and 10thousanddoors.org.

The world is moving at breakneck speed to online distribution of meaningful content. And we are using cell phones, laptops and desktops among other tools to receive this content.

A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that 8- to 18-year-olds are living their waking hours online. They pack in 10 hours and 45 minutes receiving and distributing media content every day, according to the Kaiser report.

In every age group, the movement to digital media is growing rapidly. On behalf of the church, we at United Methodist Communications seek to engage, inform and inspire—and we recognize we must do this with every tool at our disposal.

Digital media are about more than one-way information, of course. They are about conversation, participation and interaction. My hope is that the informed material we offer about Haiti will carry out these three goals.

I also hope you will give me feedback about what you would like to see discussed and persons you would like to hear from.

Written by:  The Rev. Larry Hollon is a lifelong storyteller with experience in radio, TV, print and video. As general secretary of United Methodist Communications, he leads the agency in addressing such pressing challenges as eliminating malaria, sharing hope in an uncertain time, and encouraging people to rethink the role of church in their lives. He also serves as publisher of United Methodist News Service.

Original article may be found here:  Digital Media Movement (feedback/comments may be left here as well!)

Christian sympathy is extended to the friends and family of Bea Simmons who passed on Sunday, March 21, 2010. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lady’s Funeral home and are as follows:

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23rd at Lady’s Funeral Home.  The funeral [...]]]> Funeral Arrangements

Christian sympathy is extended to the friends and family of Bea Simmons who passed on Sunday, March 21, 2010. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Lady’s Funeral home and are as follows:

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23^rd at Lady’s Funeral Home.  The funeral will take place at Mt. Mitchell UMC on Wednesday, March 24th at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at the Mt. Mitchell cemetery.

Flowers & Memorials
Flowers are appreciated or memorials may be sent to:

A  new resource, SpouseConnect, is available to provide a safe space for the husbands and wives of pastors and others in congregational ministry to share frustrations, joys, concerns and ideas with others who understand. It was created by a small group of United Methodist pastors’ spouses. According to Kathy Armistead, co-developer of the [...]]]>

A  new resource, SpouseConnect, is available to provide a safe space for the husbands and wives of pastors and others in congregational ministry to share frustrations, joys, concerns and ideas with others who understand. It was created by a small group of United Methodist pastors’ spouses.
According to Kathy Armistead, co-developer of the blogsite, “Pastors’ spouses too often feel lonely, disconnected, and frustrated, and have no one they can openly, honestly share these feelings with.” She sees SpouseConnect as reaching out and helping various categories of persons. “We’re happy to include all or any pastor’s spouse not just United Methodist’s and not just ordained clergy spouses. We want to reach out to the local pastor spouses as well.”  If you have questions, e-mail spouseconnect@gmail.com

Original article found here:  Spouse Connect on WNCC

Please continue to pray for: Angel Thompson and her family.

You can stay updated on Angel’s progress by [...]]]>

Please continue to pray for: Angel Thompson and her family.

You can stay updated on Angel’s progress by logging on to: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/angelthompson

Subscribe to the Mt Mitchell UMC Blog!

Go to the blog itself at www.mtmitchellumc.com/blog and click on either the Subscribe to Mt Mitchell United Methodist Church by Email. You’ll be glad you did!”or the email icon at the top between ‘Posts’ and ‘Comments and add your email. It will keep you up to date on the newest items to be posted, giving you post excerpts so you can decide what is of interest to you. There are prayer lists, MMUMC updates/opportunities, great personal blog re-posts from several awesome bloggers, videos from the Bishop as well as from the United Methodist Women. Other info is listed such as closings due to inclement weather and you can also click on and listen to the Pastor’s sermons! Local Missions links are listed with the blogroll links and links to other churches online! Hopefully, it will eventually be your one-stop spot for Mt Mitchell and Methodist info!

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN: Mark your calendar for a District Mission Study titled “The Beauty and Courage of Sudan” at Bethpage UMC on Sunday, March 21, 2010 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

Cooperative Christian Ministries Food Pantry for March:

Paper Products, Tuna, Vegetables, Bath Soap

---

We hope that you will join us on Sunday, March 28^th, Palm Sunday, for our 11:00 a.m. worship service when the Mt Mitchell Choir will present an Easter Cantata.

March 18, 2010

Everyone knows how special Angel Thompson is and how she has handled the events of the past week. Her parents, Alan and Myra, have been an inspiration to us as they continue to follow their faith and let God take control. Although we have no idea of what [...]]]>

The Angel Thompson Fund

March 18, 2010

Everyone knows how special Angel Thompson is and how she has handled the events of the past week. Her parents, Alan and Myra, have been an inspiration to us as they continue to follow their faith and let God take control. Although we have no idea of what God’s plan is, we have seen his work with and through Angel.

With the overwhelming support and love that has been shown by family and friends and the continued questions of “What can we do?”, we approached Alan and Myra about opening a savings account for Angel. Although they were reluctant to begin with because they did not want to accept any handouts or charity, they do realize that this may be a long process and the number one goal is to take care of Angel.

So to help funnel the support, there will be an Angel Thompson Fund set up with Fifth Third Bank so that anyone that is interested may make a deposit in this account. All of the local Branch Managers will be aware and be able to assist you if needed. If you are not local and would like to make a deposit contact Kim Cook at 704-721-4526 and she will be able to help.

Again, Alan and Myra are not asking for donations; this is only a way for Family and Friends to help if they have the desire. Kim Cook at Fifth Third Wilmar Branch 871 Church St. N. Concord, NC agreed to keep a list of who makes a deposit if you will email her at kim.cook@53.com. She will forward the list to Alan and Myra so they will be aware of who has given. Of course, this is optional.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of the following people:

Kim Cook 704-721-4526

Keith Cook                     704-791-0617

Lorrie Hampton           704-791-6700

Justin Brines                  704-791-4931

(TWIMC – Permission was requested and blessedly received to put updates on this blog from the Caringbridge.org blog  journal. The posts you read here are ‘re-posts’ from the original from Little Miss T’s blog journal on Caringbridge.org.  Permission was requested and blessedly granted to re-post the letter above from William K. Cook.)

~ I’m playing catch-up….

SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2010 9:01 PM, EDT

Praise God.  Little Miss T walked some today.  She did real well with [...]]]> (TWIMC – Permission was requested and blessedly received to put updates on this blog from the Caringbridge.org blog  journal. The posts you read here are ‘re-posts’ from the original from Little Miss T’s blog journal on Caringbridge.org.)

~ I’m playing catch-up….

SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2010 9:01 PM, EDT

Praise God.  Little Miss T walked some today.  She did real well with rehab.  A quick turn of events in rehab found her getting up and taking a few steps by herself and then turned into a longer walk (of course with support near).  She walked by herself.  The balance is still unsteady but praise God she is walking.  Therapy even had her navigating an obstacle course (I got stuck in the tunnel trying to follow her through…to many chocolate muffins for me).  We were outside several times today as well, of course with ice cream.  We had a little setback with fever this evening resulting in a chest x-ray, urinalysis, and blood work.  This is to be expected with healing  I am sure.  We are awaiting the results of this.  Thank you all for your continued prayers and support….

Alan, Myra, Angel

“God’s constant presence is the most practical part of your life…Henry Blackaby”

SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2010 4:22 PM, EDT

Today has been good.  I can truly say, spending the day with Little Miss T is the best birthday gift ever.  She has spent time playing with some of the kids in the family and has continued to demonstrate her independence.  Keep Myra in your prayers as she got sick this morning with a stomach bug and had to go home in order to keep Little Miss T from getting sick (pray that she does not find it).  We have done crafts, puzzles, and games today.  Praise God for her healing and progress.  Praise God for our friends, family, and prayer partners.
SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2010 9:24 PM, EDT

Little Miss T and I have settled in for a little Daddy/daughter time tonight.  She did not last long because she played so hard today.  We are missing having Mommy with us tonight.  Great day of play and fellowship with family and friends but “boot camp” therapy starts back tomorrow early.  Giving praise tonight for the wonderful miracle that lies at my side.  Reflecting on how God delivers us through the most difficult times in our lives in our darkest hours.  Praying that Mommy will soon be well and that therapy continues according to HIS plan.  Thanks go out to all of you for your continued support and prayers.
MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2010 10:26 AM, EDT

We survived a day without Mom but glad to have her back.  Busy day today with 2 sessions of PT, 2 sessions of ST, 2 sessions of OT, 1 session of RT, and a session of school.  She is doing well with a + attitude this morning.  She got to ride a special bike in therapy.  Praise God for the progress.

Click here to view the embedded video.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2010 5:21 PM, EDT

(No update for today as of yet….)

Great news.  They moved Little Miss T to the rehab [...]]]> (TWIMC – Permission was requested and blessedly received to put updates on this blog from the Caringbridge.org blog  journal. The posts you read here are ‘re-posts’ from the original from Little Miss T’s blog journal on Caringbridge.org.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2010 5:21 PM, EDT

(No update for today as of yet….)

Great news.  They moved Little Miss T to the rehab hospital.  They felt she was a good candidate for intensive rehab so they decided to start today.  Rehab starts tomorrow and will occupy the biggest part of the day.  They told us there were specific visiting hours for the rehab floor (visitors with no recent illness(es). They do this so that Little Miss T may focus on getting better and getting home.  Initial plan is two weeks.  She has had a good day.  Praise God!

Stayed tuned for a possible way to charitably donate to this family….

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010 8:57 AM, EDT

PRAISE GOD! Drain out now…she did not complain at all during the whole [...]]]> (TWIMC – Permission was requested and blessedly received to put updates on this blog from the Caringbridge.org blog  journal. The posts you read here are ‘re-posts’ from the original from Little Miss T’s blog journal on Caringbridge.org.)

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010 8:57 AM, EDT

PRAISE GOD! Drain out now…she did not complain at all during the whole procedure.  She never even flinched. This means she can wash her hair and let mommy sleep with her at times.  Pathology report back…juvenile pylocytic astrocytoma.  This is the best news we could have got.  In the words of the doctor….”I cannot guarantee anything but statistically this tumor behaves most benign of all tumors.”  A “doubly precious blessing this is.”

Please continue to pray for: Angel Thompson and her family. You can stay updated on Angel’s progress by logging on [...]]]>

Please continue to pray for: Angel Thompson and her family. You can stay updated on Angel’s progress by logging on to: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/angelthompson

MARCH 21 – CHURCH COUNCIL: A quick reminder that the Church Council meeting was moved to Sunday, March 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the meeting room.

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN: Mark your calendar for a District Mission Study titled “The Beauty and Courage of Sudan” at Bethpage UMC on Sunday, March 21, 2010 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.

Paper products, Tuna, Vegetables, Bath Soap

---

We hope that you will join us on Sunday, March 21st for our 11:00 a.m. worship service as our journey through Lent continues.   Rev. Robert C. Silber will be giving the message.

Click here to view the embedded video.

March 1, 2010

Dear sisters and brothers,

As the season of Lent continues, we are confronted daily with the journey Jesus makes to Jerusalem and the Cross. We read and ponder the text recorded in three of the Gospels: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their [...]]]>

March 1, 2010

Dear sisters and brothers,

As the season of Lent continues, we are confronted daily with the journey Jesus makes to Jerusalem and the Cross. We read and ponder the text recorded in three of the Gospels: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, repeated at Mark 8:34 and Luke 9:23) The “following” part we have incorporated into our mission statement, and have encouraged from pulpit to classroom. Unfortunately, we have almost made it sound easy, like a game of follow the leader. The “denying” and “taking up” parts are another matter. We would just as soon skip those, but that is precisely what confronts us as Lent unfolds.
Just as we have invested ourselves, our time, and some of our resources in an overwhelming response to the earthquake in Haiti, another one strikes. This time it strikes Chile, and this time of even stronger magnitude than the January quake that devastated so much and took the lives of so many in Haiti. One is left wondering how much more we can endure; how much more sacrificing and sharing will be needed; how many more disasters are yet to be. And each time, our desire, our commitment, and our passion for following Jesus is put to the test. Each time we are called upon to share the burden, the pain and suffering of so many, with each picture telling yet another story.
Once again, we United Methodist Christians in the Western North Carolina Conference will, I am confident, respond with generosity and prayers. Once again, United Methodist Committee on
Relief (UMCOR) will respond with long-term assistance. Already UMCOR is on the scene working side-by-side and hand-in-hand with our partner organizations, Iglesia Metodista de Chile,
Ministerio Social Metodista, and Equip Metodista de Accio n Humanitaria. Our conference Web site (www.wnccumc.org) will have updated information on our response, as well as information about making donations either through the Conference Treasurer’s Office or directly to The Advance (#3021178).
In the midst of these disasters, we are also approaching the annual Sunday known as One Great Hour of Sharing. On the Fourth Sunday in Lent (March 14), we will once again be invited to share in this special offering that generates support for our on-going work in response to suffering throughout the world. I urge every church across our conference to receive this offering, along with our gifts for the specific crises in Haiti and Chile. As I travel across our area, I am constantly inspired by and grateful for the wonderful way that you are engaged in mission projects locally and around the world. I hope that your generosity and compassion combine for an overflowing offering to assist those who are hurting.
All of which brings me back to where I started, the “denying” and “taking up” Gospel references. To make sacrifices on behalf of others means that we who have been blessed in many ways will have to adjust our own ways of living. Perhaps we will have to deny ourselves that extra purchase or additional meal out; or, perhaps we will have to make a sacrificial gift that stretches us; or, perhaps we will have to trust God deeper. Following Jesus was never intended to be a smooth highway, without challenging moments along the way. But it is the way!

Larry M. Goodpaster
bishop@wnccumc.org

Original may be found here:  Lenten Journey

The first 100 birds I added to the list came pretty quickly. In just [...]]]> As a birder, I keep “a life list,” a chronological listing of all the species I’ve seen and identified since I first began birding with intentionality. Since starting the list in 2004, I have seen 457 different species of North American birds.

The first 100 birds I added to the list came pretty quickly. In just over a week, I had seen a hundred different species, including the most common birds around me at the time I began.

The second hundred took a longer time to achieve. Since all the easy birds were seen in the first one hundred, it took months to reach 200. With each new bird I see, the list narrows to the more rare difficult birds to find. Nowadays in a good year of birding, I may add only fifteen new birds, and these are likely to be found far from where I live.

The goal of seeing all of the nearly 900 species of North American birds is elusive and extreme. The very best birders who have given many years to the task may have a life list of 700 birds. Achieving that number requires traveling to remote mountaintops, to blistering deserts, and to the farthest reaches of the Arctic.

I also enjoy photographing birds. At first, I took pictures of birds so I could more ably identify them later. With a photo, I can compare the picture to the guidebook. A good photo captures the key distinguishing field marks of a species. (If you want to check out my bird photos, you can click onwww.pbase.com/mobish. Enjoy!)

Recently I had the unusual experience of adding a new bird to my life list that I had actually seen more than four years before. Someone visiting my photo website pointed out to me that I had mis-identified one of the birds in the photos. I had mislabeled a Clay-Colored Sparrow as a Song Sparrow. For four years, my photo had remained on the site with the wrong name. I thought I had never seen a Clay-Colored Sparrow. It was a new bird for me. Now, I could add it to my life list! After all, I had photographic evidence that I had truly seen it. Cool!

I had actually seen a bird I was seeking, but I didn’t recognize it at the time.

Similarly, as I look back on my life, I am now able to identify many things that I could not recognize at the time. I didn’t know at the time that the personal conversations, encouraging words, shared experiences, and supportive prayers offered me by pastors, youth directors, and lay members in my hometown church were expressions of God’s grace. I was immersed in God’s grace, but I didn’t know its name.

The rest of the article/post may be found here:  5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations:  I Didn’t Recognize It at the Time

Click here to view the embedded video.

New York, NY, January 18, 2010–Dramatic civil rights photographs from the 1960s and 1970s, some never before seen publicly, are on display at The Interchurch Center in New York City. The exhibit, “Giving Voice: Unearthing the Ken Thompson Collection,” reveals both [...]]]> Ken Thompson’s Photography in the News

Civil Rights Photographs from Historical Collection on Display

by Elliott Wright

New York, NY, January 18, 2010–Dramatic civil rights photographs from the 1960s and 1970s, some never before seen publicly, are on display at The Interchurch Center in New York City. The exhibit, “Giving Voice: Unearthing the Ken Thompson Collection,” reveals both the heroism of the struggle and the forces of oppression that tried to block the way.

The photographs by the late Ken Thompson come from an important collection owned by the General Board of Global Ministries, which has had offices at the Center since it opened.

Thompson took thousands of civil rights photographs during a ten-year period, beginning with the historic 1963 March on Washington, which provided major incentive for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That law prohibited many racially discriminatory practices in the United States.

The Exhibit

The exhibit of 20 photographs speaks on its own without the need for labels. Viewers of the art gallery will experience a consortium of images, ranging from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in deep contemplation and prayer, African-American teens being sprayed by high-pressure fire hoses, and jubilant demonstrations of praise and determination portrayed by followers of the civil rights movement.

“We are honored to share just a few of Ken Thompson’s photographs with the employees and visitors to The Interchurch Center,” said the Rev. Chris Heckert, associate general secretary for Mission Communications and Marketing of Global Ministries. “Ken Thompson’s pictures both interpreted the civil rights struggle to the religious communities and documented their involvement in the struggle.”

A contribution of The United Methodist Church to the celebration of the The Interchurch Center’s 50th anniversary, the photographs will be on display until February 12 in the lobby galleries at 475 Riverside Drive in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. Many of the organizations housed in the Center over the years were actively engaged in the civil rights struggle two generations ago.

The exhibit is open to the public and marks both Martin Luther King Day on January 15 and February as Black History Month.

The Thompson collection of 30,000 black-and-white photos and negatives were purchased by the General Board of Global Ministries following the young man’s untimely death. Over the years, they were boxed and set aside. Heckert rediscovered the collection some two years ago and has taken steps to organize and conserve it.

The Photographer

Thompson, who died in 1973 at the age of 30, was a freelance photographer from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. In 1960, the 17-year-old high school senior won a photography contest that led to his career in photojournalism. He came to the attention of Herman Ahrens, Jr., editor of Youth, a magazine of the United Church of Christ, at a time when US Protestant denominations were actively pursuing ecumenical alliances in youth work. That work was prophetic for religious involvement in the emerging civil rights movement.

The rest of the article with the picture collection (and biography and more!) may be found here:

Giving Voice:  The Ken Thompson Collection

“We all want to see change in the world and by serving our local communities, we [...]]]> What if…on one weekend all around the world, United Methodists came together to work with their local communities? What if…as we serve people locally, we unite globally to eliminate a preventable, treatable disease that kills one child every 30 seconds? 

“We all want to see change in the world and by serving our local communities, we get to see that change up close and personal. But we can also touch those we do not see and may never meet. By raising awareness and funds, we can save lives and conquer malaria – a disease that the U.S. has already defeated.” said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications.

On April 24-25, 2010, United Methodists around the world are invited to participate in Change the World, a weekend event that coincides with World Malaria Day on Sunday, April 25. Congregations are invited to schedule a community-based workday, and use World Malaria Day sermon starters (coming soon) on Sunday. A special offering is encouraged to support the fight against malaria.

Rev. Mike Slaughter, lead pastor at Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City, Ohio has written a book called “Change the World: Recovering the Mission and Message of Jesus,” set to be released in February 2010. He emphasizes, “As the United Methodist Church, we have worried too much about getting numbers into our churches instead of getting the people in our churches out into the world in relative ways. Even our smallest churches can have incredible impact when they leave their four walls to serve the needs of their neighbors, alongside of their neighbors.”

United Methodists are known for their commitment to social action. To read about the work of faithful Christians committed to making a difference, see the story below from First United Methodist Church of Watauga, Texas. More will be posted in the coming days.

Be one who makes a change and together, we can change the world. To get involved go to rethinkchurch.org/changetheworld.

First United Methodist Church, a small, but motivated, congregation, set out to make a difference in the community of Watauga, Texas and found it also brought them together as a congregation.

In November, the 125-member congregation went to work as a Sunday morning worship experience. On W.O.W .(Worship Outside Walls) Sunday, teams of congregational carpenters, construction collaborators and cleaner-uppers decided to forgo their formal worship service and venture from the church pews out into local mobile home parks to make desperately needed repairs to the homes of older adults in the Fort Worth-area community.

“We took the idea of rethinking church very seriously,” said Marcy Sylvester, a W.O.W. participant. “We worshipped God by helping others.”

While the volunteers were building a handicap ramp for one of the disabled homeowners, a woman in a wheelchair stopped by, fearing for the welfare of the resident. Relieved to hear her next-door neighbor was just getting a new addition to her home, she told the work team she had not been able to visit for years because the trailer lacked handicap access. “Oh, I’m so happy,” she said. “Now I can visit my friend.”

Sylvester said that for many of the volunteers, the experience reminded them of when they were kids on a church mission trip.

“It brought the spirit of camaraderie and fun that went beyond the usual polite hellos and nodding at one another at church,” she said. “It brought us together as good friends.”

“It also dawned on a lot of us about how important it is to do mission work right in our own back yard.” Sylvester said.

For the rest of the article, please see:  Rethink Church:  Change the World

As a bishop, I sometimes find myself surprised to realize that a key spiritual season is upon us. Such was the [...]]]> Can it be Lent already? As a pastor, I was keenly aware of the movement of the church year—Advent, Lent, Pentecost, etc. Our church planned for special emphases, sermon series, retreats, church-wide studies and readings.

As a bishop, I sometimes find myself surprised to realize that a key spiritual season is upon us. Such was the feeling when it dawned on me that Ash Wednesday is this week and that Lent begins in a couple days. Lent is a season of spiritual preparation for which I feel almost totally unprepared this year!

I’d love to know about what your community of faith is doing for Lent this year. A church-wide emphasis? A common daily devotional reading? Special services? A sermon series? How are we framing our small group ministries, prayer ministries, service ministries, and worship services to deepen a sense of attentiveness toward God or a sense of learning or renewal? Are there daily spiritual exercises or additional worship practices that cause people to explore the spiritual life and the following of Christ with greater depth? How are we allowing God to use our congregational ministries to reshape lives? How are we offering openings for others to experience Christ with us? These are vital organizational and leadership questions that I hope you and your church have been exploring for several weeks in preparation for Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter.
I’d also love to know how you are personally preparing for Lent. What are the personal practices or daily habits that help you attend to God with greater depth during this season? How do you cooperate with the Holy Spirit by creating special openings for God in your life through these forty days? How do you renew your following of Christ, and what are the personal practices that help you do that?

The rest of the post may be found here in its original form:  5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations:  Creating Openings for God

I’ve never considered myself much of an athlete, but I try to keep fit. I’ve been a long-time runner, walker, and marathoner, and still log more than 1000 miles each year. Two years ago I turned 50, and [...]]]> The rest of this article may be found here:  5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations:  Training Inwardly

I’ve never considered myself much of an athlete, but I try to keep fit. I’ve been a long-time runner, walker, and marathoner, and still log more than 1000 miles each year. Two years ago I turned 50, and during a thorough physical examination the doctor suggested that while I have “Army legs” and do well with walking/running, I really need to focus more attention on upper body work.

“As you reach this age,” he said, “you need to think about muscle mass and how it naturally keeps slipping and deteriorating from year to year.” As you reach this age… slipping…. deteriorating.Thanks!

More than two years later, I finally concluded that perhaps I ought to do something. So I decided to add a little upper body workout to the schedule. I pulled the old steel weight set (dumbbells, we used to call them) out of the basement. I hadn’t used them since I was a teenager (yet we’ve carried them around with us for more than thirty years!).

The new daily workout has felt awkward. I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s been hard to find a pattern that feels natural. The workouts leave me a little sore. My arms feel wobbly and I quickly grow tired. I lack the confidence and sense of competence that I enjoy when I run or walk for exercise. Honestly, I feel a little foolish.

The rest of this article may be found here:  5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations:  Training Inwardly

It is a blog with articles/posts written by Robert Schnase (an excellent writer! LOVE his articles/posts!).

Mt. Mitchell UMC

MARCH 2 – PASSION NARRATIVES BIBLE STUDY: Our next Tuesday night bible study will begin on Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. (weather permitting – check your email for possible cancellation due to weather) and end on March 23. This bible study will be a 4 week study on the Passion Narratives. As with [...]]]>

MARCH 2 – PASSION NARRATIVES BIBLE STUDY: Our next Tuesday night bible study will begin on Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. (weather permitting – check your email for possible cancellation due to weather) and end on March 23. This bible study will be a 4 week study on the Passion Narratives. As with the Hosea study, this class will meet on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. There will be no cost to the participants.

MARCH 4 – EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING: The Education Committee will meet on Thursday, March 4th at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room. Committee members please plan to attend.

Lenten Schedule

• • • • • • • March 28 at 11am Palm Sunday service
            • April 1 at 7pm Maundy Thursday service
            • April 4 7am Easter Sunrise
            • 7:30am breakfast
            • 11am Easter service

---

Cooperative Christian Ministries Food Pantry for March:

Paper products, Tuna, Vegetables, Bath Soap

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please join us on Sunday, March 7th for our 11:00 a.m. worship service when

Rev. Robert Silber will deliver the message.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christian sympathy is extended to the friends and family of Jesse Cook who passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

Please add to your prayers Marion Fulk !

Remember in prayer:

Those who suffer & are in trouble:

THIS WEEK

MONDAY, MARCH 1

6:00 PM     Coping with Grief

TUESDAY, MARCH 2

6:00 PM   Prayer Shawl Ministry

6:30 PM    Girl Scouts

7:00 PM   Bible Study

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3

7:00 PM     Choir Practice

THURSDAY, MARCH 4

11:00 AM   Special Friends Visitation

7:00 PM   Cub & Boy Scouts

by Penny Ford

Lent is a season of the Christian year when people are invited to simplify their lives to focus on [...]]]> **  I really enjoyed this article. I felt like it explained many things very simply and explained how each event connected to each other. For the original article, please see… Upperroom.com:  Methodx:  Lent 101

by Penny Ford

Lent is a season of the Christian year when people are invited to simplify their lives to focus on their relationship with God in Christ.

Where does the concept of Lent come from?

At Jesus’ baptism the sky split open, the Spirit of God, which looked like a dove, descended and landed on Jesus, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, My Beloved, with whom I am pleased.” Afterward, as told in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus hiked into the wilderness. Maybe he needed some time with God to sort through the major changes happening in his life. Maybe he was searching for direction and answers. Maybe he needed to get away from family, friends and the familiar routine in order to see God, and himself, more clearly. For whatever reason, Jesus retreated into the wilderness for forty days to fast and pray. While he was there, he was tempted by Satan and found the strength to make some tough decisions. He also found clarity about God and what kind of person God wanted him to be.

What does Lent have to do with me?

It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the drama of work, school, relationships, and family. Our lives are filled with distractions that take us away from living a life with Christ. We try to fill the emptiness inside us with mindless TV, meaningless chatter, stimulants, alcohol or other things. We run from silence because we’re afraid of being alone with God. So, like Jesus, we need to take some serious time to pray and figure out where God is in our lives, and where God is calling us to serve. We need to re-focus our lives to be more in line with God.

How do Christians celebrate Lent?

It’s different in different traditions. But generally it’s a time to return to Christ by cutting out all that distracts us. For some people that means giving up something like candy, TV, soft drinks, beer, cigarettes or meat as a way to purify their bodies and lives. Others take something on and collect food for the needy, volunteer once a week to help children, or decide to be kind to someone they don’t like. Whatever “stuff” is given up or taken on, the intent must be to draw us closer to Christ. Lent is a resolution to simplify our lives, and to return to the One who loves us — Jesus.

When is Lent?

It’s the forty days before Easter. Lent excludes Sundays (you math geniuses), because every Sunday is like a little Easter. Basically, it’s about one-tenth of a year (like a tithe of time).

What does “Mardi Gras” mean?

Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday.” It refers to the day before Lent starts. and since Lent always starts on a Wednesday, the day before is always a Tuesday (duh). And it’s called “Fat” or “Great” because it’s associated with great food and parties.

What do Mardi Gras parties have to do with Lent?

In earlier times, people used Lent as a time of fasting and repentance. Since they didn’t want to be tempted by sweets, meat and other distractions in the house, they cleaned out their cabinets. So they used up all the sugar and yeast in sweet breads before the Lent season started, and fixed meals with all the meat available. It was a great feast! Through the years Mardi Gras has evolved (in some places) into a pretty wild party with little to do with preparing for the Lenten season of repentance and simplicity. Oh well. But Christians still know it’s origin, and hang onto the true Spirit of the season.

So the real beginning of Lent is Ash Wednesday?

Yes. Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras, usually begins with a service where we recognize our mortality, repent of our sins, and return to our Loving God. We recognize life as a precious gift from God, and re-turn our lives towards Jesus Christ. We may make resolutions and commit to change our lives over the next forty days so that we might be more like Christ. In an Ash Wednesday service, usually a minister or priest marks the sign of the cross on a person’s forehead with ashes.

Why ashes?

In Jewish and Christian history, ashes are a sign of mortality and repentance. Mortality, because when we die, our bodies eventually decompose and we become dust/ dirt/ash/whatever. Repentance:, because long ago, when people felt remorse for something they did, they would put ashes on their head and wear “sackcloth” (scratchy clothing) to remind them that sin is pretty uncomfortable and leads to a sort of death of the spirit. This was their way of confessing their sins and asking for forgiveness.

Where do the ashes come from?

On what we now call Palm Sunday, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem while people waved palms and cheered him on. Less then a week later, Jesus was killed. The palms that were waved in joy became ashes of sorrow. We get ashes for Ash Wednesday by saving the palms from Palm Sunday, burning them, and mixing them with a little water (like tears). It’s symbolic.

What do Christians do with ashes?

At an Ash Wednesday service, folks are invited to come forward to receive the ashes. The minister will make a small cross on your forehead by smudging the ashes. While the ashes remind us of our mortality and sin, the cross reminds us of Jesus’ resurrection (life after death) and forgiveness. It’s a powerful, non-verbal way that we can experience God’s forgiveness as we return to Jesus.

COOL THINGS TO DO FOR LENT

1. Skip one meal a day and give the money to the poor.
2. Start a prayer “rhythm.” Say a prayer every time you brush your teeth, see a commercial, or check your e-mail.
3. Read a chapter in the Bible a day. (Matthew is a good book to start with).
4. Forgive someone who doesn’t deserve it (maybe even yourself).
5. Give up beer or sodas. Give the money you save to theRed Cross.
6. Spend thirty minutes a day in silence.
7. Write someone a thank you letter.
8. Say one nice thing to someone each day.
9. Pray for others on your way to work or school.
10. Volunteer one afternoon a week at a local shelter, tutoring program or Habitat for Humanity.

Marie Newsome Long Roger Laney Bea Simmons Mawsa Stirewalt Frank Patterson Debbie & Keith McClain Bobby Davis Brenda Stith Elaine Wensil Earl & Luva Wise Kathryn Collins Betty Patterson John Collins Neva & Ralph Hollopeter Irene Foutz Ruth Walter Charlie Troutman Helen Troutman Dot Walter Fay Wensil Thelma Archer Voyte Wilhelm

Those who suffer & are in [...]]]> Remember in prayer:

Marie Newsome Long
Roger Laney
Bea Simmons
Mawsa Stirewalt
Frank Patterson
Debbie & Keith McClain
Bobby Davis
Brenda Stith
Elaine Wensil
Earl & Luva Wise
Kathryn Collins
Betty Patterson
John Collins
Neva & Ralph Hollopeter
Irene Foutz
Ruth Walter
Charlie Troutman
Helen Troutman
Dot Walter
Fay Wensil
Thelma Archer
Voyte Wilhelm

Those who suffer & are in trouble:

Bernice Sides (mother of Mildred Goodman)

Virginia Goodman (Tom Goodman’s sister-in-law)

Bill Goodman (Tom Goodman’s brother)

Danny Warren (brother-in-law of Evelyn, Elaine, Tommy & Shirley Wensil)

Dorothy Beaver (mother in law to Pat Beaver)

Butch Petrea (brother-in-law to Pat Beaver)

Jo May (Beverly Maulden’s mother)

Larry Clark – (brother to Pat Beaver)

Vickie Beaver (sister-in-law to Betty Wilhelm)

Meditation, prayer and reflection are among the practices Christians use during Lent. Prayer centers that open on Ash Wednesday and remain in place through Holy Saturday can enhance the Lenten journey.

The faithful and seekers alike can experience different ways of praying as they visit the centers. Each of those [...]]]> Original article found here:  Praying at Lent

Meditation, prayer and reflection are among the practices Christians use during Lent. Prayer centers that open on Ash Wednesday and remain in place through Holy Saturday can enhance the Lenten journey.

The faithful and seekers alike can experience different ways of praying as they visit the centers. Each of those described below includes a table, candlelight and an activity or focus to enhance spiritual reflection: finger labyrinths, prayer beads, clay, stones, a quilt, art and poetry, and Holy Communion. Instructions guide individuals through the experiences while soft music plays in the background.

Adults and youth can visit the centers anytime they are in the building — before or after worship, meetings and classes.

Here are downloadable instructions for prayer centers used at Williamsville (N.Y.) United Methodist Church:

• Breath Prayer Center: BreathPrayer.pdf
• Clay Prayer Center: ClayPrayer.pdf
• Communion Prayer Center: CommunionPrayer.pdf
• Finger Labyrinth Prayer Center: LabyrinthPrayer.pdf
• Prayer Beads Prayer Center: PrayerBeads.pdf
• Stones Prayer Center: StonesPrayer.pdf
• Quilt Prayer Center: QuiltPrayer.pdf

—Adapted from the Western New York Conference Web site at www.wnyumc.org.

For more information, contact Williamsville United Methodist Church at (716) 634-4800 or wumc@williamsvilleumc.org. Their website is www.williamsvilleumc.org .

This article originally ran in the Jan-Feb 2007 edition of Interpreter magazine.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 26th at Lady’s Funeral home.  The funeral [...]]]>

Christian sympathy is extended to the friends and family of Jesse Cook who passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 around 9:30 a.m.  Lady’s Funeral home will be handling the arrangements and they are as follows:

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 26^th at Lady’s Funeral home.  The funeral service will follow at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel.  Private burial will take place on Saturday at the Mt. Mitchell cemetery.

Mt. Mitchell UMC

July 15-18, 2010

Greensboro College

Our theme this year is Faith. Hope. Love in Action. Our three exciting mission studies will be: Spiritual Growth Study: For the Love of [...]]]>

July 15-18, 2010

Greensboro College

• Spiritual Growth Study: For the Love of God: John’s Letters
• Current Issue Study: Joy To the World: Mission in the Age of Global Christianity
• Geographic Study: The Beauty and Courage of Sudan

Click here to view the embedded video.

* This was originally found here:  WNCC Deaf Ministry on Facebook *

Under a new FCC rule, anyone who uses a wireless microphone (or similar device) that operates in the 700 MHz Band will have to stop operating their wireless microphone (or similar device) no later than June 12, 2010. To see [...]]]> OPERATION OF WIRELESS MICROPHONES IN THE 700 MHZ BAND
IS PROHIBITED AFTER JUNE 12, 2010

Under a new FCC rule, anyone who uses a wireless microphone (or similar device) that operates in the 700 MHz Band will have to stop operating their wireless microphone (or similar device) no later than June 12, 2010. To see if this law affects your wireless microphone, check our Manufacturers Equipment list.

Why did the FCC make this rule?

Certain wireless microphones have operated in frequencies that are needed for public safety. When these microphones were first designed, the frequencies they used were in between the frequencies that television stations used to broadcast television programs. With the completion of the digital television (DTV) transition on June 12, 2009, television stations no longer use the frequencies between 698 and 806 MHz (the 700 MHz Band) for broadcast. These frequencies are now being used by public safety entities (such as police, fire and emergency services) and by commercial providers of wireless services (such as wireless broadband services).

The wireless microphones that had been operating in the old TV broadcast channels can cause harmful interference to these public safety and wireless consumer services. Therefore, all users of wireless microphones (or certain low power auxiliary stations) that operate on any of the frequencies in the 700 MHz band – including both licensed users (under Part 74) and unlicensed users – now have to stop operating in this band.

The FCC is only prohibiting the use of wireless microphones (and similar devices) that operate in the 700 MHz Band. You may continue to use wireless microphones (and similar devices) that operate on other broadcast frequencies. Microphones and other similar devices with cords are not affected by the FCC’s decision.

Similar devices to wireless microphones are also known as equipment for “low power auxiliary stations”. Typically these devices can transmit over distances of 100 meters. Examples of similar devices include wireless intercoms, wireless in-ear monitors (IEM”), wireless audio instrument links, and wireless cueing equipment. (aka “IFB”).

Original article found on the FCC’s website.

United Methodist Men and the Upper Room Prayer [...]]]> With the help of United Methodist Men, the Upper Room Prayer Line has prayed for over 1.7 million individuals by more than 384 Covenant Prayer Groups around the world.

• Request prayer
• Support this ministry

Need prayer now? Call the Upper Room Prayer Line Toll Free Prayer Line: (800) 251-2468

United Methodist Men and the Upper Room Prayer Ministry have enjoyed a long relationship. Many United Methodist Men units have had remote prayer center groups and have been at Purdue University many times.

The Upper Room Living Prayer Center was started in April 1977. In the first month alone, five volunteers answered 300 prayer requests! Today, 5,000 volunteers across the United States are scheduled to answer three toll-free telephone lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and prayer for over 36,000 prayer requests a month.

The Upper Room provides two-thirds of the budget for the prayer ministry.

The United Methodist Men, 265,000 strong, provide the remaining third in addition to prayer and spiritual support.

This ministry could not exist without the UMM support. In addition to the local volunteers, we encourage groups to answer the prayer line and share in the modes cost of transferring the calls to remote sites where volunteers answer the prayer line in the safety and convenience of their environment.

These groups, after training (usually by their Conference Prayer Advocate), answer the prayer line. The groups could be United Methodist Men on a retreat, United Methodist Women at a district conference, an annual conference or Prayer and Bible Conference at Lake Junaluska NC.

We also charter groups who covenant with us and agree to intercede for requests that we send them. Our goal is to pray thirty days for each prayer request that we receive. We have chartered over 384 Covenant Prayer Groups in 48 states and 3 countries. In April 1998, we celebrated our 21st anniversary. We applaud dedicated volunteers, the financial support of the United Methodist Men, the solid support and encouragement of The Upper Room and the General Board of Discipleship. Since its inception, the Upper Room Prayer Center has prayed for over 1.7 million individuals by more than 384 Covenant Prayer Groups around the world.

UMM makes it possible for the prayer center to operate on a 24-hour basis with caring personnel. The Prayer Ministry Endowment is over $100,000 through the UMM Foundation. It is the dream of UMM to put sufficient funds in the endowment to pay for the entire prayer ministry.

If you would like more information on the Upper Room Prayer Line, please visit www.upperroom.org.

The original article may be found here:  UMM Prayer Line

Blood Done Sign My Name, a motion picture based upon the novel by Timothy Tyson will open in several theaters across the Western NC Conference on Feb.19 for a limited run. Filmed in North Carolina, the movie tells the true story of the 1970 murder of Henry Marrow, an African American in Oxford, N.C. In [...]]]>

Blood Done Sign My Name, a motion picture based upon the novel by Timothy Tyson will open in several theaters across the Western NC Conference on Feb.19 for a limited run. Filmed in North Carolina, the movie tells the true story of the 1970 murder of Henry Marrow, an African American in Oxford, N.C. In the wake of the killing, civil unrest erupted leading to events that would impact the entire nation. Tyson, son of the United Methodist pastor who served in Oxford during the turmoil, reveals the ugly face of racism and white supremacy in a situation that tested the true faith of many.

It is currently scheduled to play in Asheville, Charlotte, Gastonia, Shelby, Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Other theaters may be added in the near future.

The bishop and cabinet are encouraging groups to see the motion picture and create groups for dialogue after viewing. Asheville District Superintendent John Boggs, who is actually in the movie, is helping to organize groups in his area. Others are being planned across the conference. As these are organized, they will be posted on the conference Web site. If you are planning such a gathering, please contact Mark Barden at 800.562.7929. [More and theater list]

United Methodist Women Reading Program

The novel, Blood Done Sign My Name, by Timothy Tyson, was on the 2006 United Methodist Women Reading Program list in the Social Action category…and is still eligible reading for the Reading Program in 2010.

Mission Today / Charter for Racial Justice / WNCC UMW Charter Club

Organizing a group to see the movie and have a dialogue afterward would be a neat way for a local unit implement the Charter for Racial Justice related to Mission Today Criteria #6 AND to take action toward being part of the Western North Carolina Conference UMW Charter Club!

Facebook page for Blood Done Sign My Name – The Movie:

http://www.facebook.com/BloodDoneSignMyNameTheMovie

Original article found here:  UMW Reading

Experience first-hand all of Cooperative Christian Ministry’s Crisis Assistance programs.

The jamboree will teach scouting skills including physical fitness, environmental conservation, our national heritage, and the true spirit of scouting.

Scouts may choose rappelling, scuba diving, kayaking, rafting, and sailing. They may also [...]]]> FORT A.P. HILL, Va.––Some 43,000 Scouts and leaders will build a city on 3,000 acres of this 76,000 acre facility July 26-Aug. 4, 2010.

The jamboree will teach scouting skills including physical fitness, environmental conservation, our national heritage, and the true spirit of scouting.

Scouts may choose rappelling, scuba diving, kayaking, rafting, and sailing. They may also participate in trap shooting, archery, bikeathlons, buckskin games, confidence courses, and hikes on a conservation trail.

Opening and closing arena shows of the jamboree will be unforgettable. The closing will by a professional entertainment company will focus on the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.

Larry Coppock, director of scouting for the General Commission on UM Men, will be in attendance along with 20 UM chaplains he has recruited. The chaplains will be trained by the Rev. Greg Godwin and the Rev. Don Scandrol, who will serve as headquarter chaplains. Eleven of the 20 chaplains are Eagle Scouts, two are women, and one is African American. Four of the UM chaplains are in the military, and two recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Coppock will also lead an 11-member team manning a UM scouting ministry exhibit.

Scandrol is in charge of planning the Sunday, Aug. 1, UM worship service. Pittsburg Area Bishop Thomas Bickerton, national spokesman for the Nothing But Nets campaign, will be preach at the service. The offering will go to that national campaign to provide treated mosquito bed nets to protect African families from malaria. .

Some 370,000 young people are involved in 12,000 Cub Scout Packs, Boy and Girl Scout troops and Venturing crews sponsored by 7,000 UM congregations making the UMC, the second larges sponsor of BSA units in the world.

West Virginia will be the new site

This will be the last time the national jamboree will be held at Fort A.P. Hill. Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense increased its use of the facility for extensive military training. That, coupled with the Boy Scout’s desire to invest in a permanent infrastructure, sparked the search for a long-term jamboree home.

In October, the BSA National Executive Board approved the purchase of more than 10,000 acres in the New River Gorge area of West Virginia. “This is an area that offers some of the best rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking anywhere in the country,” said Scout Executive Robert Mazzuca. “It is a perfect site for the full complement of activities we intend to offer at our new facility: extreme sports, leadership training, camping, high adventure-anything you can imagine doing in the great outdoors, and, of course, the national jamboree.”

Following a $50 million grant from the Bechtel Foundation, the new site will be called the Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. BSA plans to spend an additional $300 million on the project. At least 80 full-time jobs will be created and another 1,200 seasonal workers will be hired.

Original article may be found here:  Scouting Centennial

It doesn’t start until about the :33 mark. Wait for it. It is definitely worth it!

Isaiah 58:1-12, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

I spent my childhood on a tea estate in Sri Lanka. At that time, there were not many good schools on the tea estate. Therefore, my parents sent me to India where I stayed in my aunt’s house with my cousins in order to attend school there. [...]]]> By Glory E. Dharmaraj*

Isaiah 58:1-12, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

I spent my childhood on a tea estate in Sri Lanka. At that time, there were not many good schools on the tea estate. Therefore, my parents sent me to India where I stayed in my aunt’s house with my cousins in order to attend school there. During vacations, when I went to my parents’ house, I had to go through what was known as “quarantine,” a time apart without any contact with the community, but to visit the medical staff on the tea estate, to get shots in order to ensure that I was not carrying any infections. A terrible time for me as a child to lose out play time outside my home.

Quarantine

Lenten observance, in the earlier days, was called “quarantine,” a health practice for travelers into Easter. Lent is a voluntary quarantine to engage in spiritual practices for forty days. The word Lent comes from the Old English word “lengten” which means spring. It signifies the lengthened hours in that season. The Lenten journey, which starts on Ash Wednesday signals a lengthened time set apart for spiritual health practices in the days to come.

• A long practice time to engage oneself in tending the spirit.
• Intentional lengthening of time to spend for Christ.
• Allowing ourselves to be cleansed by the Holy Spirit.
• Shedding all that hinders our journey into joyful Easter.
• Lengthening the time to engage in addressing the needs of our neighbor here and far.
• Lengthening the time we care for the earth.
• In short, lengthening the time to be in love with God and discerning what God wants us to do.

Living the Lent

God defines an acceptable quarantine. God defines an acceptable fasting in the scripture passages assigned for today. An acceptable fasting is not just observing fast for the sake of fasting. It is not putting on sackcloth, an outward sign of repentance, without the accompanying actions worthy of our repentance. An acceptable spiritual practice is to stand in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed (Isaiah 58:6), and being in community with the least of these who are victims of exploitative systems. These victims are what Raymond Fung, a theologian, would call people who are sinned-against. Fung says that a person is not only a sinner; a person is also the “sinned against.”

Seeing Christ Anew

Lent is a time to see how the poor and the suffering persons see the Christ anew in his agony. Jon Sobrino, a Salvadoran Jesuit theologian, says that God is very real to the poor. They laugh with this God, and weep with God. This God’s “anguished countenance” is something they can caress and whose pierced feet they can kiss. This “Christian God is something the poor have discovered viscerally.” Lent then is a time to see God from a different perspective, through the eyes of the victims, those at the margins, and those who are acquainted with grief and tragedy. Lent is a time to repent of our sins, those of commission and omission, and intentionally overcome the temptations to fall into these sins again. It is a time for personal soul work. Lent is a chance to equip ourselves to free all those who are “sinned against” by exploitative practices and systems. It is a time for collective justice work. Lent is a lengthened time offered to us so that we may practice well the crossing over between personal soul work and collective justice work. The Holy Spirit helps us bridge the two seemingly divergent expressions of spirituality, namely personal piety and engagement in transforming mission.  Lent is a time to see Christ anew and follow his footsteps…and if possible, to caress the disfigured face of Christ, as we seek to connect with his pain, thereby with the pain of the world, and then walk with him, as healed and whole persons and communities into Easter joy. It is time to go into quarantine with Jesus in the in-between time, the lengthened time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.

*Glory E. Dharmaraj Ph.D is director of spiritual formation and mission theology for the Women’s Division.

The original may be found here:  Sin, Sackcloth, and the Spirit:  Ash Wednesday Reflection

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES ARE DUE NOW! Please get your newsletter articles and announcements in ASAP!  (A huge THANK YOU to those of you who have already sent them in!)  If you want your article or [...]]]> FEBRUARY 18 – NURTURE COMMITTEE MEETING: Nurture Committee members will meet Thursday, February 18th at 7 PM in the meeting room.

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES ARE DUE NOW! Please get your newsletter articles and announcements in ASAP!  (A huge THANK YOU to those of you who have already sent them in!)  If you want your article or announcement to make the March edition you must get your article in this week.

VALENTINE BANQUET MOVED TO SAT. FEBRUARY 20TH: The Valentine Banquet sponsored by KIA has been moved to Saturday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. in the fellowship building. Cost of ticket is only $5.00.  For more information contact Janice at 704-932-8554.

FEBRUARY 21 – BLESSING OF THE BIBLES: The “Blessing of the Bibles has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 21. Bring your bible(s)!
CALLED COUNCIL MEETING MOVED TO NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21: There will be a Called Church Council meeting on Sunday, February 21 at 6:00 p.m.

FEBRUARY 28 – UNITED METHODIST WOMEN SUNDAY: We hope that you will make a point of joining us on Sunday, February 28th to celebrate our United Methodist Women. Our guest speaker will be Mary Hatley from Cold Springs United Methodist and Mt. Mitchell’s former church secretary. (Welcome back, Mary!)

MARCH 2 – PASSION NARRATIVES BIBLE STUDY: Our next Tuesday night bible study will begin on Tuesday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m. and end on March 23. This bible study will be a 4 week study on the Passion Narratives. As with the Hosea study, this class will meet on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. There will be no cost to the participants.

MARCH 5 – GAME NIGHT: The Sr. Youth will sponsor a “Game Night” on Friday, March 5th at 6:30 in the Fellowship Building. Snacks will be provided. Bring your favorite game and join the youth as we fellowship together and learn to know each other a little better.

INFORMATION NEEDED! If you know of a church member who is in college this year or who is graduating this year, please contact Brenda Langley at (704) 855-2478.

Lenten Schedule

March 28 at 11am Palm Sunday service
April 1 at 7pm Maundy Thursday service
April 4 7am Easter Sunrise,
7:30am breakfast,
11am Easter service

Spam, Crackers, Pasta & Rice

---

Please join us on Sunday, February 21 for our 11:00 a.m. worship service when Rev. Robert Silber will deliver the sermon. His sermon subject will be “The Real Thing.” The scripture lessons will come from the Old Testament in Psalm 71:1-6 and the New Testament in Philippians 3:17-4:1.

Prayer Requests
Christian sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Winnie Eubanks who passed on Thursday, February 11, 2010.
Memorials may be made to:

and

Remember in prayer:

Those who suffer & are in trouble: