A hobo is someone who is homeward bound.

During Holy Week, we invite everyone to visit our sacred space, inspired by Lilly Lewin.  Please come any evening during Holy Week, Sunday, April 17th  through Saturday, April 23rd from 6:00 – 8:00 PM each evening.  In addition, we will have the Sacred Space open all day on Good Friday beginning at 8:00 AM.  Everyone is welcome to come and spend as much or as little time as needed.  Of course, there is absolutely no charge.  We hope to have many visitors and friends come share our sacred space.

Hickory Bend UMC
605 Stewarts Ferry Pike

Everyone is welcome.  Remember, like the Prodigal Son, when we come to ourselves, we are homeward bound.  Hobos traveling to our Father.

Come home.

Grace and Peace,

Emalie

Sacred Space opens early Wednesday night for a sacrificial meal of bread and water.  Please come and walk through the sacred space.  Tonight we will open at 5:15 and remain open until 8:00.  We welcome everyone to come and walk through.  We will also be open before and after the Maundy Thursday service, and all day Friday.  Call Emalie for more information.

Hickory Bend will be welcoming more homeless guests to Room In The Inn this season.  Our first evening is November 26th, the day after Thanksgiving.

We will need many of you to volunteer again, and we would love to have new volunteers!  Will you join us for any of these duties?

• serving supper
• bringing part of the meal
• making beds
• handing out lingerie
• making lunches
• doing laundry
• inkeeping
• making breakfast
• cleaning up more…

Our Council labored at the recent retreat to list and prioritize projects for our congregation to plan and execute.  We used three categories, dividing our projects into those that require mostly time, those we can do with the money we have, or we are close to having, and the last category labeled “Pie In The Sky” at least for now. more…

Here are the top ten gifts of our Youth, according to the Bryant survey:

10. Leadership
9. Knowledge
8. Helps
7. Giving
6. Evangelism
5. Pastor
4. Exhortation
3. Service
2. Missionary
1. Ministry

You are called to be a minister!  What is your ministry?  Each of us has spiritual gifts, and those gifts, being God given, call us into our ministry.  Ministry is not only for our ordained ministers — essential as they are to our ministry at Hickory Bend UMC — they cannot do everything alone!  Each of us is called and gifted for ministry.

Our recent Council Retreat focused on discovering our unique gifts and exploring where they lead us in ministry. Everyone on the council was asked to complete a rather lengthy survey compiled by Charles V. Bryant.  As a council, our strengths are perhaps not surprising, or perhaps they are astonishing!  Out of 32 listed in the survey, here are our council’s top ten: more…

Come to Beersheba! October 22-24, 2010 The historic Beersheba Springs Assembly is perched on top of the Cumberland Plateau near McMinnville and Manchester, Tennessee. Many of the buildings existed before the Civil War. The hotel overlooks the glorious Collins River Valley where you can rock and watch the fog lift, or track a single white cloud drift by below you. The mountain climate will cure what ails you. We have reserved the vintage accommodations in the upper hotel. What these rooms may lack in modernity, they more than make up for in charm. (They tilt a mite toward Aunt Sally’s.) The view and the charm of Beersheba remind us that we are standing on sacred ground. The prices vary depending on how many people stay in your room, but here is a typical breakdown from last year for two nights and four meals: Youth — $90 Couples — $135 Single adults — $120 See the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall for this year’s pricing. Reserve your room for just $15.00 per person. Call or email Emalie for reservations. 615-403-8455 or discoteach@gmail.com

Sunday, August 1st is United Methodist Faith Night with Nashville’s hottest summer activity, the Outlaws.  The Nashville Outlaws are a member of the Prospect League and the city’s newest baseball team and summer entertainment option.  They will be playing their games at Hawkin’s Field at Vanderbilt University.  A concert with Kent Bottenfield will begin at 4:30 p.m. and the game will start at 6 p.m.

Tickets are just $10/person and include a hotdog and drink. *These tickets have a “will call” status at the gate. This rate includes the concert, meal, and the game!  Invite your friends to join us, and let Emalie know how many tickets you will need.

Please join us for this event at Nashville Shores. We understand that many of our friends from Mountain T.O.P. will be there. Tickets are $15 and they are good for the rest of the summer.  Meet us at Nashville Shores, enjoy the day, and then, stay.  After the park closes, we will enjoy a short worship service on the beach as the sun sets.  After that the park is open just for us for about two hours.  Invite your friends.  Let Emalie know how many tickets you need.  For more information, see Courtney.  We need chaperons for this event, so ask your parental units, too.

You must see the mountains in the crisp fall air! You can stand on the balcony and look out at the clouds drifting through the valley below you! Just fifteen dollars reserves your room! Come to Beersheba Springs! See Emalie for more information! October 22-24 .

How many times have you looked for a truly inspiring and joyful service opportunity?

We need one more adult who is not too easily annoyed willing to go with our loud and boisterous enthusiastic UMYF group to Mountain T.O.P. for the week of June 6-12.  Your registration is fully paid, and we will be completely amazed eternally grateful to you if you join Mitzi for this assignment.  Mitzi has survived enjoyed each of her mission trips with the youth group.

Speak to Mitzi if you are interested in joining this amazing mission experience.

Call Emalie for counseling more information.

403-8455.