Don’t sleep in on Saturdays!  Some of us are supporting each other by preparing for the ACT on most Saturday mornings.  If you are interested in joining us, set your alarm and grab your calculator.  If you know other high school students who are interested in improving their ACT scores, wake them up and give them two sharpened #2 pencils.  Then, call Emalie.  403-8455

Jason Berggren, the author of 10 Things I Hate About Christianity, has written a brutally honest book about this faith journey.  His stint as a punk rocker, his ordination as a Christian minister, and his life as a handyman all contribute to this complex bare bones look at Christianity.  What is the first thing he hates about Christianity?  Number One is Faith!

What is #10?

Drumroll, please . . . #10 . . .

Christians.  That’s right.  How could anyone find Christians annoying?  Right?  Well, #10 is weeks away.

Meanwhile, check out this website:

http://10thingsihate.com/

See if you can find a kindred soul, searching for a closer walk with the God of Abraham and Thomas.  You’ll be surprised that this witty and ironic look at faith just might strengthen your own walk with the Great I Am.

Join us at 10:00 on Sunday mornings.  We are close to the coffee pot.

Emalie

October 9-11

Come on up the mountain!  The leaves should be beautiful, and there should be a nip in the air.

We still have a few rooms open for friends to join us at Beersheba Springs Assembly.

Come stay in the old hotel and spend a weekend relaxing, reading, hiking, praying, rocking on the porch, and listening to ridiculous stories.

Rooms $35.00 per night
Meals for adults, $7. 50 – $9.50

Call Emalie if you would like more information.  403-8455

Have you ever missed communion due to an illness or injury?  Everyone who wishes to receive communion, should be able to come to the table.  This is one of the most wonderful things about being United Methodist.  Everyone is welcome at our open table.  It is particularly important to be able to receive communion when an illness or an injury has struck your family.

In order to open the table even more, we can take the table to those who are unable to come to the church building on communion Sunday.  On Sunday, September 13, Brother Gary trained our youth to deliver communion. We learned how to serve communion, but even beyond that extraordinary privilege, we learned how to be of service to someone in a crisis.  Brother Gary’s many years as a chaplain have given him wonderful insight into the needs of people in pain.

If you know someone who would like to receive communion or who would like a visit from our youth, please ask them about having communion brought to their home or hospital room.  Notify Brother Gary or Emalie.  Our youth are very happy to come and serve communion. It is the Lord’s table, and all are certainly welcome.

One Sunday after worship, our youth piled in mini vans, ate a mini meal, and took off on a mini road trip.  We traveled to the next county, and launched a mini mission!  Through Miss Gabby, we learned of  a friend who needed love, support, and help.  We cleaned a pond, buried a beloved pet, and cleaned out the room where the pet had lived for many happy years. As Meagan played the guitar and we sang, “It is Well With My Soul”, our friend sang along with us.  We could see the pain and loss in her face at the beginning of the song, and the comfort and relief toward the end.

We visited, we sang, we cleaned, we worked, we rejoiced, and we prayed.  We used all the skills we had learned at Mountain T.O.P.. We know from our mission training, that people have physical needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, and practical needs.  We were so glad to have the opportunity to provide services for someone close to home with real needs. Miss Gabby suggested that we leave on an happy note, so we sang the Mountain T.O.P. Song.  Our friend laughed and cried at the same time.  What a grand day of learning and serving.

The Council has been reviewing the idea of Creating an Endowment fund in behalf of the church. For more information please review http://www.nashaumf.org Please let us know your thoughts as we review this idea.

BY: Mitzi Anderson, Council Chair

We are beginning a new year a HBUMC and there is a lot of terrific things going on within our congregation. With so many projects, we are changing from a quarterly meeting to bi-monthly meetings for the council. We will meet Sunday’s after worship as we have in the past. I have set up the dates for the year and hope this works for all. Please mark your calendars for: January 18; March 15; May 17; July 19 Council Retreat; September 20; and November 15.

I am looking forward to the year ahead and working with each of you. Thanks to each of you for your willingness to serve, it is appreciated. God Bless and Happy New Year Hickory Bend!