July 2014 Newsletter

JULY 2014 NEWSLETTER
(below or read here)

Forest Grove United Methodist Church Happenings

FROM THE PASTOR:  

The Journey Begins
    

Bishop McAlilly fixed the appointments of the clergy at the Annual Conference on June 11th.  My appointment was to Forest Grove United Methodist Church and the journey together begins.  I am humbled and honored to have this opportunity.  You may have heard that I am coming home.  The house that built me is located at 2873 Morgan Road—2.4 miles from the church.  I graduated from Joelton High School in 1974.  I know what it means when the community is called “Paradise Ridge” because I believe it really is paradise.  I have often said that around I-24 at exit 35 the grass is greener, the trees are taller, the sky is a little more blue, and the children are all above average.  Its home for me.  I am equally excited to be appointed to Forest Grove because I really believe it matches the gifts and graces I have for ministry.

The question many of you may be asking is “What’s the new preacher’s agenda?”  I want to spell out my beginning agenda in hopes of putting your fears at ease.  First, I approach the task before me with excitement and passion.  Therefore, I want to give it my best effort.  Secondly, I will do my best to love you (those who are easy to love and especially those who may be difficult to love).  Thirdly, I will make a concerted effort to get to know you.  I want to visit in your home, participate in conversations with you, and listen to you.  Fourth, I will pray for you---everyday.  Fifth, I will offer divinely-given visionary leadership to the church that will challenge you to be God’s church in the world.  That’s the agenda and you may have noticed the words “change everything” was absent from the agenda.  In the days ahead you will experience those items in greater detail. 

The question I have in mind is “What will be the agenda of the Forest Grove church?”  First, I hope you will make every effort to attend worship on Sunday, June 29th.  I am anxious to meet you.  Secondly, I am counting on you praying for me---everyday.  Thirdly, I hope that you will want to grow in Christ and serve Him with all your heart, mind, body, soul and spirit.  Fourth, I hope you will love me (even when it’s difficult to do so), and forgive me when I mess up (and I will because I am human). 

I believe these will be good days together.  I am looking forward to the journey.  Remember, I will be looking for you on Sunday at Forest Grove!                                                             

Hubert

FELLOWSHIP DINNER

This month’s fellowship dinner will be held Wednesday July 9^th    at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t have time to make something to bring.

FELLOWSHIP BIBLE STUDY GATHERING

Those interested in a time of sharing, praying, and fellowshipping together are welcome to gather at the home of Henry Procopio on Wednesday July 23^rd  at 6:30 pm.  This is a monthly gathering but anyone is welcome to come whenever they can come. The group is studying the Gospel of Luke.  You can start at any time.  Snacks are provided.

COMMUNION

We will celebrate Communion on Sunday, July 6^th.    

CHURCH CLEANING SCHEDULE

For July 6^th                            Alicia Williams

For July 13^th                         Open

For July 20^th                         Matt & Renee Heustis

For July 27^th                         Kristy Wehmeyer

For August 3^rd                      Brenda & Tony Alcorn

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

Did you know that the state of Tennessee has made a Will for you, if you have none?  Their laws may not leave your property to the people you wish.  They definitely will not leave anything to your church or any other charity.  Draw up a Will this month and don’t forget your church in your estate planning. 

JOELTON HOPE CENTER –Neighbors Helping Neighbors

The Hope Center continues to help over 100 people a month from the Joelton, Whites Creek, Pleasant View zip codes.  Donations of food, clothing, household items, some furniture, and cash are always needed. 

The Hope Center has some fully cooked BBQ Boston Butts for purchase left over from their sale during the month of May. They have been cut into smaller pieces to accommodate smaller families.   This meat is 100% hickory smoked, cooked slowly all night long over an open BBQ pit. Your support will go towards fighting hunger in Joelton, Whites Creek, and Pleasant View. If interested visit the Joelton Hope Center Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday at 212 Gifford Place or call (615) 876-1778

Report on the 2014 Annual Conference

Bishop McAlilly started off the conference with the words, “I am not afraid. Jesus and the Holy Spirit will always be with us, sending us forth as witnesses. The church is divided right now by human sexuality, the concern about our financial stability. We fear that we are losing our youth, when in fact we don’t even know how to talk to them. We lack vision, and mission and we are all trying to learn evangelism. There are going to be disappointments along the way, so don’t fret over the people who God doesn’t send. Use the people he does send.  ”Remember there are 365 fear not’s in the Bible, one for every day.

The theme of our conference was 72&U with the theme Scripture of Luke 10:1-11; the story of Jesus calling 72 disciples, commissioning them and sending them ahead to every town in place of him. The bishop asked “Who is being called by God to step into the future with grace and mercy to become one of the 72 disciples God called?

The mission of the Tennessee Conference is to DISCOVER, EQUIP, CONNECT and SEND lay and clergy leaders who shape congregations, and will offer Jesus Christ to a hurting world, one neighborhood at a time. OUR OPPORTUNITY IS NOW. We create transforming lay and clergy leaders, engaging the mission field, and grow fruitful and faithful congregations by our values.

OUR VALUES

Unrelenting love for all people

Integrity

Excellence

Faithfulness and Fruitfulness

Innovation

1.       Discover : Scripture: Matthew 22 36-40. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.

The bishop said he thinks of God like a mother and told a story about when his sister was lost and his mother said “that no one can do anything until we find her”.  The bishop found his sister under the kitchen table, hiding because she was afraid she would get in trouble. She was eating a stick of butter.  Even though they had looked all over the neighborhood for her, her mother was so excited when she was found. That’s how God is with us. No matter what we have done or haven’t done he still loves us and is always there for us just like a mother. Would we not do anything for our kids?

When we are trying to figure out how to be Christ to a hurting world ask, “What breaks Gods heart?  What breaks our hearts?  Do we have eyes to see like Jesus? Maybe we need to change and let go of things to make space in our church and in our hearts and mind for the Holy Spirit to work.

We heard a story of a church that only had older people and was really getting worried about their future.  One of the ladies of the church decided to follow the school bus around the neighborhood and she wrote down the address of every child that got off. Later she went back to each house to invite the kids to a special program at church and in helping these families, the church started to grow again. All because someone had an idea and they decided to step out and do something.

We need to find leaders that have these qualities. Passion, courage, are flexible, missional (reaches out), wisdom for the whole church not just for one area, positive, and responsible. Congregations like being comfortable and change is not well received, which in turn causes the church staying status quo.  Not being open to things that would shake up the status quo and make an impact, not only the people doing the serving but also the receiving, which would help our church grow. Think about this, are you one of those people and do you have ideas that need to be heard? Remember “Do not be afraid”.

2.       Equip: Scripture Ephesians 4:11-13, 16.  His gifts were that some were apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipment, for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ until we all attain the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. Speaking truth in love and working together building each other up.

We all began in the world with a sign that says “Some assembly required”. We cannot equip others until we equip ourselves.  The spiritual gifts we have need to be cultivated to their full potential. They are to be used to build up the church and to nurture others.  Jesus gives gifts thru the Holy Spirit to use to help others.  All baptized Christians are called to ministry. We are called to use the gifts we have for a particular job in the church that is needed.

Sometimes the “equipment” is just time set aside to nurture and apply your gifts.  Having small groups, going to Sunday school, and Bible studies are part of the church’s ways to help nurture you, but when you treat church like a “to do” list that you might get to, what picture does that look like to your children?  What would happen if a parent told the coaches that their child will not play sports on Wednesday or Sunday?  What gifts do you have that could help the church grow in love and do what Jesus would do, not just do nothing or do only for yourselves.

3.       Connect: Scripture John 15:4. Abide in me.

We are baptized and at age 12, confirmed; that’s when we say YES to our baptism. We follow the great commandment (Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And Love your neighbor as yourself.  We watch in love not judgment.  We should be Rooted in Scripture, Centered in Christ, and Strong in Love. We can’t do it alone but together so we can conquer fear. We need to come to church to share God, not to find God.  We should go to church not to get something, but to give something.  It’s in giving that we receive. Some of the connections Forest Grove has, through our apportionments, like Miriam’s promise, tons of after school programs, the Hope center, prison ministry, Project transformation, are ways we have to go out to the people. During the Laity luncheon, Ms. McAlilly,(Bishop’s wife) shared that she would like all the churches to adopt a school. The fact that there are so many kids that can’t read and end up dropping out of school makes her very passionate about this. The teachers need help with supplies, snacks, and helping kids in class to read.

Do you know thatMethodist people are loved everywhere we go because what we do is care, no matter what. People don’t know how much you know until they know how much you care.  So what?  Now what?    What would happen if we met people where they are in their wants and needs and show them that it is not about getting them to church but getting the church to them? Then by doing that they see what we are all about and will want to be a part of our church. Do you have ideas about getting the church to the people in our neighborhood?

4.       Send: Scripture Matthew 16: 18-20. Jesus said, “God authorized and commanded me to commission you to go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  I will be with you as you do this, right up to the end of the age.”

What did Jesus teach?  Love no matter what. Forgive sins, Show mercy and grace and reconciliation. Heal and help people. Love God and love people. In order for people to follow him he showed love first and then they would listen to what He said.  That’s what we have to do as a congregation. Stop listening to all the good ideas and start doing.  Figure out what we need to do to bring our church to the people and don’t wait on someone else to tell you what to do.  We all have gifts and ideas of how to accomplish our mission.  We can’t continue to sit on our “Blessed Assurance.”  Our focus needs to be on what we can do for others outside of our walls.  Jesus and the disciples didn’t preach and teach inside, they reached people by going out and showing the love of Christ.   Remember our mission is to DISCOVER, EQUIP, CONNECT, AND SEND CLERGY AND LAITY LEADERS WHO SHAPE CONGREGATIONS THAT OFFER JESUS CHRIST TO A HURTING WORLD, ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AT A TIME.

That was the teaching part of our conference.  We also heard from Bishop Unda Yemba Gabriel who came from the Congo, thanking us for the mosquito nets that help save lives. He knows malaria’s loss first-hand as his wife and daughter died from it. We heard from two teens that went to the Congo and saw firsthand how this disease effects this country.   Before we started helping a person died every 30 seconds, now it is down to every 60 seconds.  Holly Neal, the president of Laity, has started a campaign IMAGINE NO MALARIA that will raise money to help stop this from happening. You will be hearing more about this during the year to come.

There were all different kinds of music from children, Martin College choir, Lake Junaluska Singers, Lindsey and Corina (our own girls!), and Marilyn Thorton who played the violin.  Ms. Thorton also portrayed one of the 72 during each of our teaching sessions, which made us think about the people and what they were doing and thinking when Jesus sent them out into the world to spread the Good News.

We also heard from Todd Cox, president of the youth. He told us his story about being bullied when he was young and even though he was raised in the church, he just went thru the motions during worship, not feeling there was a God because of the way he was being treated.   It wasn’t until he was made to go to Warmth in Winter 6 years ago, that he heard a speaker with the same kind of story as his and how God and the love of other youth and youth leaders led him to give his life to Christ.  Todd is starting seminary school this fall to become a minister.

We never know who we can help and touch, with our words, our works, and our love and caring until we actually do something.  Our job as baptized Christians is to do as Jesus did and reach out.  We just have to figure out how we at Forest Grove can do that.  Step up, search your heart for what you can do to use your gifts in the church.  If you have an idea let it be known to other people and see where it can lead.  Remember. WE ARE NOT AFRAID.

PRAYERS OF LOVE TO ALL AT FOREST GROVE, BRENDA

Community Cares

Community Cares is a mission that provides the following six days/week for the homeless: meals, showers, laundry facilities for people to wash their clothes, food (any canned food) and necessities that people need daily (like over the counter pain medicine, toiletries, diapers, etc.). The address is 511 South 8th avenue. The hours to volunteer for lunch are 10:30 to 1:30. They also use people to help clean showers and stock shelves. It is a small place that helps a lot of people.  Website is ccfnashville.org if you want more information. 

AIN'T

He was just a little boy, 

On a week's first day. 

Wandering home from Bible school,

And dawdling on the way. 

He scuffed his shoes into the grass;

He even found a caterpillar.

He found a fluffy milk weed pod,

And blew out all the 'filler.'

A bird's nest in a tree overhead,

So wisely placed up so high..

Was just another wonder,

That caught his eager eye. 

A neighbor watched his zigzag course,

And hailed him from the lawn;

Asked him where he'd been that day

And what was going on. 

'I've been to Bible School ,' 

He said and turned a piece of sod.

He picked up a wiggly worm replying,

'I've learned a lot about God.' 

'M'm, very fine way,' the neighbor said,

'for a boy to spend his time.'

'If you'll tell me where God is,

I'll give you a brand new dime.'

Quick as a flash the answer came!

Nor were his accents faint.

'I'll give you a dollar, Mister,

If you can tell me where God ain't.'

RECALL NOTICE:

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been identified as "Subsequential Internal Non-morality," more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed. 

Some of the symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.

Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair  Technician,Jesus, into the heart component. 

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with: 

1.       Love 

2.       2. Joy 

3.       Peace 

4.       Patience 

5.       Kindness 

6.       Goodness 

7.       Faithfulness 

8.       Gentleness 

9.       Self control 

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING:Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list, and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus. 

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility. Thank you for your attention, GOD
P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'!