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A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY IN COMMUNITY
Beginning in Lent and continuing through Easter, Cecile Adam, Greg Futch, and I will be leading a bi-weekly six-part program called A Spiritual Journey in Community. In developing this program, Cecile, Greg, and I started with one basic assumption: God calls us toward maturity, or greater maturity, in our lives.
As human beings, we grow, develop, evolve, emerge, ascend, transcend. We undergo numerous transformations throughout the course of our lives. One way to view all of this growth and development is to see it as a process of maturing. Clearly, not all change and transformation in human life is a movement toward greater maturity. Some change is just the same old thing in a different form, or even regression to a past form. But Cecile, Greg, and I are interested in that process of growth and transformation through which we further develop our abilities and expand our capacities, cultivate our talents and fulfill our aspirations, and become ever more skillful in our ability to live with others in ways that meet our deepest needs while contributing to the health and well-being of the web of life in which we live.
One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite hymns is "hearts unfold like flowers before thee." Like rays of sunlight shining on a flower, God continuously draws us up, out, and open--growing, unfolding, blooming, maturing.
So the questions we are asking are these:
What does human unfolding, blooming, and maturing look like?
What is human maturity?
What are the qualities and characteristics of a mature human being?
Is there an end to the process of human maturation? Is there a final state we can point to saying, "Aha, that is a mature human being and there is no possibility for human maturity to advance beyond that person's maturity," or is the process of maturation a potentially never-ending process?
And, most importantly for our discussion, if God calls us to maturity, or greater maturity, how does our relationship with God contribute to our process of maturing?
We're going to begin the series by taking a very close look at our relationship with God. Those of you participating will be asked to reflect on some questions asking how, when, and where you most readily relate to God. Looking very closely at your own personhood, you'll be asked to consider to what extent you're a head-oriented, heart-oriented, or action-oriented person when it comes to your relationship with God.
Another set of questions you'll be asked to reflect on addresses whether you're drawn more to solitude or community when it comes to your spirituality and relationship with God.
You'll be asked to consider what kind of language you prefer when talking about your "relationship" with "God." Instead of imposing language to define what is real to you, we're encouraging you to use language that honestly and accurately describes your experience. Would you say you believe in God, relate to God, experience God, think about God, feel God's presence, do God's will, seek after God, receive God's revelation, encounter God, doubt God's existence, love God, have faith in God? Do you prefer a word or words other than God? For example, Holy, Holy One, Sacred, Christ, Spirit, Life Force, Father, Mother, Ultimate Reality, Mystery, The Man Upstairs, the Woman Upstairs?
More questions will follow:
What role do Jesus and the Holy Spirit play in your relationship with God?
How about scripture, theology, doctrine, or creed?
What role does the church play?
What about prayer, or other spiritual practices and disciplines?
Other faith traditions?
Mentors, role models, or teachers?
After we get a good, deep, rich sense of how, when, and where we relate to God, and how we articulate that relationship in our own words, we'll move on to questions that ask how our relationship with God impacts certain areas of our life, and how these areas of our life impact our relationship with God.
We'll reflect on our work.
Our relationships with family and friends.
Our lifestyle as middle class Americans. What we do with our money. Our consumption. Our place in the wider world.
We'll reflect on how our spirituality relates to difficult situations in our lives like sickness, financial stress, family dynamics, crisis, death.
How our spirituality helps us cope with other forms of suffering like poverty, injustice, cruelty to other people and animals, environmental degradation.
How our spirituality addresses some of the mysteries of our existence. Why is there something instead of nothing? Who are we? Why are we here? Can I really know God, or really know if there is a God? What happens after I die?
After all of this reflection on our spirituality and relationship with God, we'll loop back to the beginning and ask ourselves how all of this helps us answer questions like:
What is human maturity? What does it look like? What are the traits and characteristics of a mature human being?
What does maturity look like in my life?
What is the relationship between my spirituality and my maturity?
Is God calling me toward greater maturity? If so, what does that maturity look like?
Can the church help people in their process of maturing? Can the church help me, and can I help others?
That, in a nutshell, is the 6-week series that Cecile, Greg, and I will be leading beginning in Lent. I hope many of you decide to participate. It may sound a bit daunting, or even scary, but we don't want it to be. It's a process of self-exploration within the context of a community of people who love and trust one another, a community of people who want nothing but wholeness and well-being for one another and this planet. It's a way to deepen our personal relationships with God and one another. If you participate, you'll be encouraged to go as deeply and honestly as you can into your life, and to share to the extent you feel comfortable sharing with others.
SPRING RETREAT
Friday April 24 thru Sunday April 26
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for God." Psalm 37: 7
Variously called mindfulness practice, meditation, or contemplation, this practice can bring stillness and silence within, and further awaken us to God's presence in and around us. While some may see this as a practice exclusively for Buddhists, or as a mystical phenomenon reserved specifically for religious specialists, anyone can practice mindfulness, meditation, or contemplation and reap its benefits.
Rebecca Mcllwain--a lay leader at St Thomas More Catholic Parish, student of Zen teacher Cheri Huber, social activist, community organizer, and retreat leader--will be leading our church retreat at Slumber Falls this April. Rebecca, recipient of a grant from the Trust for the Meditation Process, will be guiding us in mindfulness practice, and helping us reflect on how mindfulness may deepen our spirituality and strengthen our ministry in the world.
According to the Trust for the Meditation Process, "contemplative practice transforms the way we see ourselves and our world. It awakens us to the sacredness of all life and to the inner stillness which reveals God's presence in us. It guides us in the process of becoming fully human and develops our capacity for compassionate action in society....We especially need contemplative practice in the Christian community, since the historic tradition is largely unacknowledged and the potential for impact, vast."
The program will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday and end at 4 p.m., with a break for lunch and barbecue to follow. Sunday morning we will relax and enjoy breakfast and worship together. Fees include kitchen rental and meal costs, $10/meal. The overnight cost is $21 per adult, and family rates are available. If you are staying only for Saturday the day use fee is $10/person. Recommended donation for our speaker: $10.
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
Doris Williams moved back to Austin in 2002 when she retired after 28 years of active and reserve duty in the Army and after working in Washington, D.C. as a city government worker. She came back to Austin because that is where her roots are. She graduated from UT in the 1960s, her parents lived here as did her siblings. Her sister still lives here as does her son and his family. Her daughter lives in D.C., so when Doris went to the inauguration she had a great place to stay--and she stayed for 9 days so she could have a good visit with her daughter. Doris really considers herself semi-retired as she still runs a small business temp agency.
Joan and Bill Mueller also joined on January 11, but were out of town at press time! We'll introduce them next month.
PERSONALS
by Pat Oakes
Doyal and Tommie Pinkard are home after participating in the wedding of their son David and Suzanne Connole in bright, sunny, gloriously snow-covered Connecticut. Various relatives arrived from Georgia, North Carolina, and California to witness a beautiful ceremony officiated by Reverend Katrina Wuensch, UCC, from Acton, Mass., at the historical Lyman Homestead in Middlefield. The informal service included music by Vivaldi, Bernstein, Massenet, and two pieces David composed for the occasion. The one attendant was the flower girl, David's four-year-old niece, Kiana, who performed beautifully. The pianist, violinist, and singers were followed later in the evening by an Irish twosome who regaled the company with songs beloved particularly by Suzanne's Irish family and friends. They had them all dancing and singing -- with Kiana accompanying on maracas.
Bill and Betty Phillips are heartened (you should pardon the expression) by Bill's successful response to his heart ablation procedure which was done in early January to address his problem with atrial fibrillation. He is feeling much better and is rejoicing that he came within the 60 percent who do well on the first try with the procedure. Betty says, "I am just delighted to have my husband back!" We are delighted, too!
Sarah Gourlie wrote in early February, "Michael and I have finally set a date! We are officially going to be married on October 4, 2009, in Alexandria, VA. We are both well, we like our jobs and our apartment, and are getting to spend time with those of our college friends that have stayed in the D.C. area. Michael just got back from a trip to Nicaragua and Panama for his job, and I am going on a less glamorous trip to Newport, RI, for my job next week. We are very happy, but we miss so much about Austin, not least of which is the weather! It has been very tough getting used to the cold again. I am attending church (and singing in the choir, of course) at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Old Town Alexandria. The UCC church is too far away for me to get to without a car. OPMH is very historic, which is cool, and the people are nice, but it's not the same as Austin Congregational! For one thing, the church is huge, and I barely know anyone at all there. I really miss knowing all of the people and feeling like I really belong in a church the way it was when I was with you guys. I hope everyone is well, and I miss you all! "
Vic Appel had a mild stroke on February 4 and spent several weeks in Seton Hospital and in rehab. The stroke has affected Vic's balance and has given him double vision. Daughter Debbie and son-in-law Bob Knowlton and Emily and Sam came in on Friday the 13th--which proved to be quite an adventure. They missed their connection in Minneapolis and there were not enough seats to get them all to Austin so they were rerouted to San Antonio--on standby. Finally another seat in first class opened up and Debbie and the kids were set to go--but Bob, who had already come from New York to Minneapolis, took another flight via Memphis and finally got to San Antonio. After the family reunited, they rented a car and arrived in Austin 7 hours late. As of mid-February, Vic and Debbie and family were still trying to decide where Vic was going to be--either in a skilled nursing center in Austin or New York until he is well enough to come home, or moving permanently to an assisted living center here in Austin. Next month we should have more information.
We've not been seeing as much of Pam Hedgecock and her four-year-old daughter Hannah in recent weeks. Pam is having a tough time with her new pregnancy--not feeling well along with back problems. We miss you, Pam, and are thinking about you.
The Texas Monthly polled 38,000 physicians in Texas and asked one question: "If you needed medical care, which doctor would you choose?" Eleven psychiatrists in Austin were recognized and our own Marilyn Vaché - the only woman - was one of them. Congrats!
Amy Harris gave a brilliant violin recital at UT as a part of her Ph.D. requirements on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Enthusiastic church folks there enjoying the music were Dave and Sara Ross, Pat and Mel Oakes, Dennis and Nodie Murphy, Florenece Castle, Joanthan Geer, and Beth Placek.
In the last week of January, Bill Beardall was invited to lead a ground-breaking panel at the Texas State Bar Association's annual Advanced Employment Law Conference on the subject of Employment Rights of Immigrant Workers. This was the first time the topic of immigrant labor rights had ever received prominent treatment at this annual conference of the state's leading employment lawyers, and, indeed, the panel was the conference centerpiece. Also appearing on the panel with Bill were San Antonio federal judge Xavier Rodriguez and a lawyer for national employer-side defense firm. Bill was pleased with the panel, mainly because if represented one more small incremental step toward normalizing the idea that immigrant workers should be treated equally with all other workers in the employment justice system. On a related note, if you want to see a video of Bill's Congressional testimony last spring in Washington on the rights of immigrant workers go to www.youtube.com and search for "Beardall US-foreign worker" (viewer discretion is advised).
Perhaps you don't have a big spring break trip planned, but just turn on your computer and you can live vicariously in Paris thanks to Ellie Nash's blog. The address is http://ellievaaparis.blogspot.com. She is having a wonderful time and is seeing and learning so much. She has been to cooking school, mass at Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, many more sights--and did I say classes? Over Valentine's weekend she and some friends were enjoying the sights in Dublin.
Barbara Burnham recently celebrated her birthday by attending the quarterly meeting of the North Texas chapter of the Jane Austen Society in Irving. The program was on letter-writing in Regency England and included presentations by two Jane Austen experts. One spoke about Jane Austen's letters, both her own correspondence and those in her novels, and the other about letters as narrative tools in fiction. A number of the attendees arrived in period costume. Barbara spent the weekend with her dear college friend, Patty Macsisak, and Patty's husband Stephen. Before the program, they found time to poke around in some antique shops in McKinney. Barbara says one of the highlights of the weekend was sitting on the Macsisaks' huge porch out in the country after dinner and listening to the coyotes and a great horned owl. Apparently Patty now has plans for her and Barbara to design their own Regency costumes before the next meeting.
Don Miles went on an 18-day road trip with one of his nephews from Mexico. As a part of the trip, he had lunch with the Deputy Ambassador at the Mexican embassy in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, February 3rd. He's a longtime friend of Don's son, Richard, who's a diplomat with the U.S. State Department. Don was gathering information to see where a reenactment of the Battle of Puebla might be staged in 2012, and it looks as though the venue will be in the U.S. The ambassador confirmed that they don't have battle reenactments in Mexico. Don's nephew, Xavier Gonzalez Angulo Belloc, is writing a biography of the Mexican ambassador who was appointed during the Lincoln administration and who stayed on for 39 years in that post. Xavier is already a published author in Mexico, and he's the one who translated Don's book into Spanish. Don and Xavier were also warmly received at the Library of Congress by experts in Mexican history who gave them a lot of help for two of the days that they were in D.C. They spent a couple of days in Bethlehem, PA, and also in Columbia, MO, conferring with high school and college Spanish teachers who are writing a teachers' guide for the Spanish edition of Don's book, Cinco de Mayo: What is Everybody Celebrating?(Don was planning to be back in Austin on Valentine's Day weekend, but Xavier planned to run in the Austin Marathon before he gets on the plane back to Mexico. Don was going to be cheering him on, and then getting him to the airport on time.)
Dave and Sara Ross spent an interesting, if not relaxing, three days at Goose Island State Park on the coast near Rockport. in early February. It was overcast and very windy, but they managed to identify over 50 species of birds including whooping cranes. Conditions were very dry, and driving around the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, they encountered mud holes and puddles where there used to be ponds and marshes. They saw lots of alligators and vultures, but along the coast also pelicans, egrets, and other water birds. Their greatest adventure was the third night when the wind was so strong, and the camper rocking and shaking, that they could not get to sleep. So, they packed up and moved from the beach back into the wooded area.
Steven and Jeanine Neuse survived the "2009 Ice Storm" in N. W. Arkansas. The damage to their trees and community was incredible. Their area has been declared a disaster area. All their tree limbs will be measured to declare FEMA funds. (For example: 170 truck loads of tree limbs, etc. were carried away and that covered only 1/2 mile.) They stayed in their house until the temperature hit 39 degrees. Then they stayed with a young couple (the parents of their "Fayetteville" twins) for two nights. They did not have electricity but had a great wood burning stove that kept half of their house warm and on which they could heat water and cook meals. One night they had Texas tamales and Oakes' chili con queso. (Before they left their home they kept soup that Steven had just made hot in the fire place and then baked potatoes in the coals another night.) Their electricity was out Tuesday through Sat. On Sat. and Sun., friends spent the night with them. They had two couples over for Super Bowl watching because they had the heat and could cook food. Their street was lined with HUGE piles of tree limbs. They were waiting for an insurance adjuster to check out their roof and see the damage to their chain link fence. They were relieved that they did not suffer more damage! They are coming to Texas in March. Son Micah asked them to keep his boys for a few days during spring break. Of course, they will see son Jonathan and his family plus other relatives and friends. They are hoping to work in a stop in Austin.
We've missed John Moore and Suzanne Bradford at church recently. Suzanne has been swamped at work, they have all struggled with winter illnesses--and John celebrated his 50th birthday and had knee surgery in the same week. Get well and come back soon!
Nancy Brown celebrated her 89th birthday in fine fettle on Feb. 16.
Matt Blackstock, who turned 84 that same day, was sick--bummer! Nancy has recuperated very nicely from a cataract surgery on her right eye and sees great improvement. Her friend Mary Carwell has been most faithful in coming over every day and helping Nancy with the necessary drops in her eye.
As of February 15, Ned Murphy was still working at the South Austin YMCA as a lifeguard, but his plans to join the Navy SEALs continue. He is also working as a personal trainer and is involved in a serious exercise regime. He should know something more definite about tests he will need to take, etc, by March 15.
Paul Deisler wrote that a Commentary in the Austin American Statesman of January 27 got his goat. Paul does not like hubris. The Commentary was by a Professor of Civil Engineering named Henry Petroski, a reputed expert on the history of technology. The title of Petroski's piece was, "Want to engineer real change? Then don't ask a scientist." The article continued in the same vein and it was Paul's view that the Professor should have known better than to write such nonsense. Paul's first reaction was one of un-Christian acidity. Fortunately, his changes in the final text and those of the Editor expressed Paul's view in calmer words that science, too, is world-changing and that most engineering is applied science. Paul says he is working on becoming a grumpy old man and that this letter, published on February 12, is a step in that direction.
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
1 Alan Duff
4 Jillian Tomasek
9 Debbie Herst
11 Alex VandeStadt
12 Jennifer Howicz
Marilyn Vaché
13 Richard Jackson
14 Lisa Leaf
Margit Frances Briggs
15 Mary Sinclair
17 Lori Gooding
18 Julianne Lippert
22 Kristin Galle Hampton
John Drachenberg
23 John Herst
26 John Towery
27 Mary Herst
28 David Rossiter
A REFLECTION ON THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
by Doris Williams
I think we are going to get there! As one of many that attended the inaugural activities in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2009, I cannot put into words the experience! It was a "feeling." All of us can relate to "feelings. "Sometimes "feelings" are indescribable. But I felt it when I got on the non-stop flight from Austin to Baltimore-Washington International Airport. I felt it when I sat next to the older white couple in the seat next to me on the plane who were also attending the inauguration. I sat next to the aisle, the husband in the middle and his wife near the window. As we sat there and talked we discovered none of us had tickets to anything official, or unofficial, for that matter. But there was something that drew us to this occasion, put us on this flight, sitting next to each other. They could not describe it either. I am certain this experience had something to do with drawing the two million others to this particular inauguration. I think those of us who are older, experiencing this event may have something to do with when we were young. This coming together is attributable to this younger generation that participated so much in this election and has historical significance. Remember when you were young you probably did not care about racism, hatred, discrimination or any of those qualifiers under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Many of us cared about "love-ins" and "love-fests," "Woodstock," "protests," "demonstrations against the Vietnam War" and "riots!" That generation, my generation, made history. That history is like a "domino" effect that leads to future generations' progress, eventually culminating in the election of this nation's first black president, President Barack Obama! In my opinion, every generation builds upon previous generations like a "torch" passed and this is why I think we are going to get there eventually
NEWS FROM THE BRAZOS ASSOCIATION
Those of you who receive our Conference Minister's weekly email newsletter will know some of the good news I am going to share with the rest of you: Brazos Association churches had a generous record of giving to the wider church last year. We have six "Five for Five" churches last year, or churches who received all five United Church of Christ offerings for a variety of wider church ministries. These churches include Weimar UCC, Congregational Church of Austin UCC, St. Peter's Church of Coupland UCC, Faith UCC of Bryan, Church of the Savior in Austin, and Friends Congregational UCC of College Station. The offerings in this "Five for Five" list include One Great Hour of Sharing which gives to the church's work in disaster ministries and to address need around the world, Strengthen the Church which gives toward new and invigorated local church ministries as well as the Still Speaking Ministry and youth/young adult work, Neighbors in Need which gives to many service and advocacy missions that the UCC supports in this country, the Christmas Fund which goes to support retired UCC ministers with low incomes and emergency need, and Our Church's Wider Mission basic support (usually part of a local church's budget) which goes to support the work of the UCC on the conference and national levels including mission work and all of the resources the denomination generates to support local churches. We also celebrate significant increased giving to OCWM basic support from our churches last year, with seven churched giving greater amounts than the year before. In a year of economic downturn and in an Association with three churches affiliated with multiple denominations, each with giving needs, this is a wonderful show of generosity and covenantal commitment to the ministry of the whole United Church of Christ. Thank you!
For your calendar: Sunday, April 26th, 3 pm, Brazos Association Spring Meeting at United Christian followed by Annual Meeting Planning Committee meeting, and Friday - Sunday, June 5th-7th, South Central Conference Annual Meeting in Austin at Huston-Tillotson University. Both will teach us about mission opportunities in the UCC. Your church will receive information about these in the mail. Plan to join us!
Blessings in Christ,
Liz Nash, Brazos Association Minister
Remembrances of Melanie Wilkinson
From Tom Vandestadt, February 24, 2009:
Dear Members and Friends of the Congregational Church of Austin UCC,
It is with sorrow that I share the news that some of you have already heard. Melanie Wilkinson, our dear friend, died yesterday morning in a car accident. I found out this morning when I read about the accident in the newspaper, some of you have shared with me that you saw it on the television news last night, and others found out through phone calls or other means. I'm sure my feelings of shock, disbelief, and grief are shared by all of you.
Barbara Burnham and I have talked, and we've decided to open the church tomorrow evening to provide a time and space for us to be together to share our thoughts and feelings. We're not planning a formal service or anything. We'll see how the spirit moves us to pray, sing, cry, laugh, and remember a woman we continue to love.
We'll gather on Wednesday at 7:00 pm and stay as long as we feel like staying. We can put on some coffee, and if anyone wants to bring some cookies to share, that will be fine.
Peace,
TOM
From John Goff, February 24, 2009:
Dear Congregation,
With great sadness I read this morning in the Statesman about the passing of Melanie Wilkinson in a car crash yesterday. The article can be found on line at: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/24/0224wilkinson.html. Please extend your prayers to her family, friends, and the many, like us, who she touched with her beautiful music. She will be sorely missed.
John Goff
FROM LISA KIRCH
Labeling Melanie a "musician" or "singer" is just not accurate. To hear her sing, a smile lighting up her face, was a humbling experience. All listeners knew they were in the presence of a woman with a priceless gift that she loved to share. For those of us who heard her in church, Ash Wednesday has come early. It is bitter to think that no one here on this earth will ever again listen to Melanie's voice at the end of Lent, breaking the astonishing and truly joyful Easter news.
To the Family and Beloved Friends of Melanie Wilkinson:
I first met Melanie when she was a senior at Round Rock High School. She had one of the leads in the musical "42nd Street" and I was choreographing the show. Even at that age, her voice was stunning.
Soon she was attending Huston-Tillotson, and I invited her to sing at our church, the Congregational Church of Austin and thus began a long and wonderful relationship. For years she sang at our Easter Sunrise Service on Mount Bonnell, always "Because He Lives," her mother's favorite hymn. (One Easter her mother even climbed to the top of the mountain to hear her.) We'd have some breakfast together, then she would sing for our Easter Morning Worship Service. After she had hugged everyone in the congregation, she would come to our house for Easter dinner. She also sang for special occasions--like the installation of our current pastor; but every occasion was special when she came. She gave concerts at our church; she sang at weddings and funerals. Though she was not officially a member of the Congregational Church, she was a beloved daughter of the church, encouraged and supported by members nurtured, in turn, by her inspiring voice and warm embraces.
Barbara Jordan first heard Melanie sing at the wedding of the daughter of Fran and Rambie Briggs, long-time members of our church. Sometimes Dr. Jordan would come to our church to hear Melanie sing. Melanie sang at her funeral. Melanie also traveled to Gainesville, Texas, with my family to sing at my father-in-law's funeral. Great and small, Melanie was there to help celebrate the joys or bind up the wounds.
Melanie was an excellent Scrabble player, having honed her skills in all-night sessions with her mother. She also liked coloring with pencils. She loved to visit, always inquiring about the family and eager to share her news. We sang together sometimes; one of my fondest memories is singing back-up to a rambunctious version of "Proud Mary"! I made a costume or two for her and she said she'd like to learn to sew. A few years ago, I gave her some sewing lessons. It gave us a scheduled time to visit--and we even managed to assemble a couple pairs of slacks. Melanie loved to laugh and she was a great hugger. She referred to me as "My Nodie," for she knew that part of my heart belonged to her.
The last time I saw Melanie was on Wednesday, February 18th, when she came to the joint rehearsal of the Round Rock Community Choir and the choir from the First United Church of Round Rock. She was preparing to go with us to sing in the National Cathedral on March 1st; she was to sing the solo in "Give Me Jesus." I hadn't seen her as often since she started working nights, but we connected by phone or met for breakfast sometimes, where we'd catch up on family stories and life's adventures. She told me to wish my son a Happy Birthday, because she remembered that the 18th was his special day.
Once, when she was going to perform as a soloist in the "Gospel Mass" by Robert Ray, she appeared with some other singers to promote the presentation on John Aieilli's show, Eklektikos, on KUT radio. The two other soloists began: "In the name of the Father," "In the name of the Son"--then Melanie followed: "In the name of the Holy Spirit"! When the piece was finished, John asked in astonishment, "Who was that?" He had heard what we always heard when Melanie sang for us: the Holy Spirit pouring out of her mouth!
Melanie had many hurts in her life, but she always maintained a loving heart. She had a strong faith that supported her well in times of trial. She didn't use her beliefs to judge others, but followed Jesus' commandment to love God and her neighbor.
She loved me and I loved her and I will miss her deeply.
Nodie Murphy
COFFEE HOUR
Please sign up in the Fellowship Room to be coffee hour hosts on an upcoming Sunday. The coffee hour time is such a good opportunity to visit old friends and meet visitors. We keep coffee and ginger ale and some punch fixings in the pantry in the kitchen. There are usually paper napkins, and we use coffee mugs and punch cups to avoid wasting natural resources. Your menu can be as simple or complicated as you want. Cookies and/or chips and salsa are just fine! If you have questions, talk to Pat Oakes, Tommie Pinkard, or Lynne Lemley.
Deadline for April VISITOR -- March 15
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