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Happy Thanksgiving! I still wonder where Valentine's Day went but … here we are, in the fall of 2009, quickly approaching another year. I have a number of things to say, so this column may be rather disjointed. * * * First, I need to say a profound "thank you" to someone who continues to think of us when they walk past a gift card display. Terri and I have enjoyed eating at several restaurants thanks to someone's thoughtfulness. Please know how much we appreciate your generosity. * * * I'm looking forward to our upcoming Sunday evening program. We’ll be talking about the culture of the 20th century and the 21st century as it relates to the church as we work through a video companion of the book The Present Future by Reggie McNeal. McNeal is a leader in the missional church initiative. Several of us attended a seminar with him earlier this year as part of Missions 3.0. Reggie is thoughtful and engaging, yet deeply challenging in his analysis of today's church. I encourage you to join us for several Sunday evenings over the next three months. I have no preconceived goal for where this discussion will lead us but would encourage you to join us on Sunday evenings if you share a concern for the future of the church. * * * The next two months promise to be busy ones. As you receive this newsletter, we'll be getting ready to hold our annual business meeting under the leadership of our district superintendent, Reverend Tonya Elmore. Our charge conference meets on Sunday night (November 1st) immediately after our church dinner. The agenda for this business meeting includes electing officers for the 2010 calendar year, setting the pastor's salary and hearing reports from the pastor and from some committees of the church. If your committee would like to make a report, please be in attendance. The following week I'll be at Blue Lake to serve as spiritual director for a Chrysalis retreat. Chrysalis is the teen/college branch of the Emmaus Walk program. Please pray for me and for others |
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who will attend that retreat. A Chrysalis Flight is for high school students and a Chrysalis Journey is for college students and is usually single gender. Of course, the end of November brings us to Thanksgiving. We are still working on the community Thanksgiving service and will announce those plans as they are finalized. December's calendar is already filling up with our Christmas cantata, a children's program and a youth play. Cherri Fussell, Robyn Terry and Tony and Janece Allison are again to be commended for their leadership in these areas. I'm working with the youth group to rehearse a play that I think you'll really enjoy—I know we are having fun in rehearsals. I'm hearing good things about the children's program as well, and we know the choir will bring us a wonderful cantata. I always look forward to December. In January we will also reorganize our Disciple Bible study class and will devote about 8 weeks each to An Invitation to the Old Testament and An Invitation to the New Testament, which will focus on the gospel of Matthew. * * * Let's not just look forward to what is next on the calendar without also celebrating where we are now. According to my count we have received 27 new members over the past 2 years. In September we held a confirmation retreat under the leadership of Tony and Janece Allison. Eight of the youth who attended that retreat have joined the church. We also have baptized several babies, and we are enjoying a surge in attendance through the fall. Please join us in worship each Sunday. It is spiritually and emotionally satisfying to see our sanctuary filled with family and friends each Sunday morning. You are important to that success. As we grow in number we will also grow in enthusiasm and in the ability to plan for an exciting future. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us as we grow together.
For the cause of Christ,
Pastor Ray
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Welcome New Members
Cosette Baumgarten Robbie Baumgarten Kellyn Dickerson Victoria Hayes Pamela Smith Janna Terry Hagan Williams Rusty Williams |
