TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW September 19, 2008

Articles in the September 19, 2008, issue of THE REVIEW

1.Tennessee church opens doors to Gustav evacuees
2. National Gathering of United Methodist Men to have Tennessee flavor
3. Brown elected president of international UMC organization
4. Wandering the earth
5. Mountain T.O.P. Touches Lives Again in its 33rd Summer of Service
6. Befriend, Belong, Believe – Hillcrest United Methodist Church
7. Open house introduces neighbors to Belmont Community Center
8. Sixty Two Attend the SEJ Older Adult Conference
9. A New Archive at the Bellevue United Methodist Church
10. Ingram Scholarship Presentations
11 Nothing But Nets: Manchester First United Methodist Church
12. Riverside United Methodist Church provides free school supplies for 470 children
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Tennessee church opens doors to Gustav evacuees
by Deborah White*
Kathryn Spry, a volunteer from Hillcrest United Methodist Church, plays with young Hurricane Gustav evacuees in the church's fellowship hall. UMNS photos by Ronny Perry.}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Members of Hillcrest United Methodist Church learned quickly how to show radical hospitality when the church became a Red Cross shelter for hurricane evacuees from the Gulf Coast.

As members drove up for their early-morning worship service on Aug. 31, more than 100 people had just arrived on five buses from New Orleans to escape Hurricane Gustav. "There were people all over the place," said the Rev. Paul Purdue, senior pastor, adding that he learned only the day before that the evacuees were coming.

Church volunteers helped the Red Cross set up cots in the gym and ordered about 85 pizzas when a Red Cross-planned lunch was late. They set up a computer with Internet access, created a play area for children, washed clothes, loaned cell phones and drove people to an emergency room, dentist and discount store.

"We have been overwhelmed by people in the congregation wanting to respond," Purdue said.

Hillcrest's gym has been transformed into accommodations for about 115 people.

Gustav was the first emergency for which Hillcrest has served as a Red Cross shelter since leaders signed up the Nashville congregation as a potential shelter site 10 years ago. Hosting evacuees "has been really a cool deal," Purdue said, despite the need for flexibility to accommodate them in church that draws about 300 people to worship each week.

On Sept. 2, for example, the church held a special lunch for a grieving family in its youth room because evacuees had filled the fellowship hall. To make the youth room look as warm as possible, however, church volunteers and evacuees worked together to paint the room.

Hosting evacuees "has been really a cool deal," says the Rev. Paul Purdue.

Pitching in was a natural response for many evacuees, who showed their appreciation to the church by stacking chairs, mopping floors, carrying meals and performing other chores. "I appreciate help," said Miguel Castro. "I've got to do something."

Shannon Clausen, a carpenter from New Orleans, agreed. "I give back. I will do anything for anybody," he said.

Staying in a shelter is uncomfortable, Clausen said, but he appreciated the church's hospitality. "This church is straight comfort, straight understanding, straight patience-just loving care," he said.

Blue Torres, a cook, spent much of her time reading one of the church's Bibles and helping fold a few clothes as she recovered from bronchitis. A volunteer drove her to the hospital for treatment. "I'm very grateful," she said.

Joyce Butler of New Orleans appreciated volunteers providing Internet access so she could keep in touch with family. She drew a small crowd around the computer as she displayed her colorful MySpace page.

Volunteers came from outside the church, too. The Rev. Chuck Becher, a retired United Methodist pastor, and his wife, Peg, drove 78 miles from Woodlawn, Tenn., to lend a hand. "I do it because I want to keep active," he said.

Joyce Butler keeps in touch with family on a computer set up by church volunteers.

Patty Wilson, a member of First United Methodist Church of Nolensville, Tenn., volunteered to drive evacuees to a discount store after she learned about the shelter at Hillcrest. "We felt we needed to be here. This is what being a Christian is all about-taking care of those in need."

To contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, call (800) REDCROSS, give online at www.redcross.org or mail a check to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.

*White is associate editor of Interpreter magazine.


Vince Gill and Steve Hornbeak to sing at July event
National Gathering of United Methodist Men to have Tennessee flavor

NASHVILLE, Tenn.––For the past 36 years, United Methodist Men have held their quadrennial gatherings at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind.

When the General Commission on United Methodist Men moved their 10th National Gathering to Nashville, music for the event took on a distinctively Nashville flavor.

Vince Gill and Steve Hornbeak, two Nashville-based recording artists, will perform at the July 10-11, 2009, assembly at Belmont University. They will be joined by Sheltered Reality, a national youth percussion band that includes youngsters from a Nashville inner-city church.

Paul Saik, a well known vocalist and pianist from the Nashville Area, will serve as the music leader. He recently released a live recording of hymns recorded at Brentwood (Tenn.) United Methodist Church.

Richard Alegria, former president of the Rio Grande Conference United Methodist Men, will serve as organist for the event. This will be his seventh men’s national gathering.

Speakers at the event will include Chicago Area Bishop Hee-Soo Jung; Dr. Patrick Morley, founder of Man in the Mirror ministries; and the Rev. Kevass Harding, pastor of a Wichita, Kans., congregation that grew from 25 members to more than 800 in eight years.

While the event officially closes Saturday, July 11, persons staying over in Nashville may attend a July 12 morning worship service led by Bishop William W. Morris, a retired United Methodist bishop residing in the Nashville area.

Theme
The theme of the two-day conference will be “Focus on the Cross.” Bishop Jung will address issues related to “man to God.” Harding will talk about “man to boy.” Morley will focus on man to man.

The gathering will also feature workshops, seminars and opportunities to engage in local mission projects.

Location
The national event is slated to be held at Belmont University's newly built Curb Event Center, a 90,000-square-foot sports and entertainment complex.

"We are excited to welcome the United Methodist Men to the Belmont campus," said Belmont President Bob Fisher. "Their rich tradition of faith, fellowship and community fits perfectly at Belmont. Anytime we can welcome esteemed groups to campus with values similar to Belmont's, we are honored to do so.

The Rev. David Adams, top staff executive of the General Commission on United Methodist Men, is a Belmont graduate. He said the close proximity of the school to the commission office makes this an ideal location.

For information, and to register for the event, visit the web site UnitedMethodistMen.org or call toll free (866)-297-4313 or (615)-340-7145.


Brown elected president of international UMC organization

PULASKI, Tenn. – Dr. Ted Brown, president of Martin Methodist College, has been elected president of the 775-member International Association of Methodist-related Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU).

The election took place on Friday, July 11, at the annual meeting of IAMSCU, held in Rosario, Argentina.

Founded in 1991, IAMSCU promotes the development of value-centered education by increasing the availability of education opportunities throughout the world, improving the quality of education, and enabling Methodist-related educational institutions and those with a Methodist tradition to cooperate through the development of common understandings.

Pictured with Dr. Ted Brown are Dr. Roger Ireson (left), a member of the Martin Methodist College faculty who was instrumental in establishing IAMSCU in 1991, and Dr. Rukudzo Murapa (center), chief executive of Africa University

The nearly 800 member institutions – colleges, universities, and theological schools – come from 67 different countries around the world.

During the installation ceremony, Brown –who will serve a three-year term – told the IAMSCU audience of his excitement for the future of church-related higher education.

“As this conference has clearly illustrated, we have an astonishing opportunity if we work together in the solidarity of our association,” he said. “But with this opportunity we must also acknowledge an enormous responsibility. If you think about it, our institutions are arguably the most important assets that our churches possess in this modern age. In terms of today’s culture, especially youth culture – the church of the future – our schools, colleges, and universities represent the most relevant and compelling of the church’s ministries.”

Among those at the conference who shared his enthusiasm was Lyndsay Millo, a sophomore at Martin Methodist who is active in the college’s Cal Turner Jr. Center for Church Leadership.

“It was amazing to see so many different schools from around the world represented at IAMSCU, and then to realize that Dr. Brown would be leading that organization for the next three years,” said Millo, a resident of Smyrna, Tenn., and a member of LaVerne United Methodist Church. “I got really excited to know that the president of my college would be able to keep us in touch with opportunities that IAMSCU can provide. Students really need to become involved, because we are the future of the church.”

Ken Pinkston of Nashville, who serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees at Martin Methodist College, said this appointment recognizes the high level of talent that Brown brings to church-related higher education.

“This is certainly important recognition for Ted, and it lifts MMC’s reputation among Methodist institutions of higher education,” Pinkston said.

Wanda D. Bigham, assistant general secretary of schools, colleges, and universities for the UMC’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, based in Nashville, praised the selection.

“Dr. Brown has been a valuable member of the Board of Directors of IAMSCU,” she said. “As a result of his knowledge, leadership skills, and commitment to the organization, he was elected to a three-year term as president.

“At the recent international meeting, participants told of the value of the organization in assisting them to make connections around the world for exchanges of students and faculty, opportunities for short-term educational and cultural experiences, and opportunities for service projects and commitment to global ethics,” she said.


“Wandering the Earth”
Second in a Series on Stewardship of the Environment - Reduce

By: The Wanderers Sunday School Class of Pleasant View UMC

Over the past several months, much of our class discussion has been focused on how we can reduce our impact on the environment. Our efforts have fallen into two main categories: energy use and consumption of products.

We recognize that our overuse of energy has many adverse impacts. Use of any non-renewable resource, such as petroleum, coal, and electricity generated from these sources depletes the resource and makes it unavailable to later generations. Extraction and transportation of fossil fuels can take a heavy toll on the human and natural environment as we have seen in the southeast at Redbird Mission in eastern Kentucky, among other places, with mountaintop removal coal mines, and worldwide in the damage caused by oil spills. We see the direct impact of the burning of these fuels in the smog that hangs over the Nashville Basin, the browned needles of trees in the Smoky Mountains that are victims of acid rain, and in the increasing average temperatures and changing weather patterns predicted to result from the increase of greenhouse gases.

As a class, we have examined our own driving habits and energy use at home and in the church building. This has resulted in more careful monitoring of thermostats in the church building and investigation of installation of solar panels in the new pavilion being constructed on church property. The class has committed to funding several blocks of “green power” (electricity produced from renewable sources) through the local power company.

“Undated picture of one of the thousands of landfills nationwide where over 500 million pounds of waste is housed each year"

We also realize that we have been drawn into the lifestyle of overconsumption that is so prevalent in the U.S. This has lead to a re-examination of our buying habits as individuals and as a congregation. Class members now routinely bring their coffee mugs from home rather than using disposable cups and we plan to dust off the church’s durable plates and cutlery in the fall when the fellowship meals start again in an attempt to reduce the amount of plasticware thrown in the trash each Wednesday night. Some members are trying to remember to bring their reusable cloth grocery bags to the store rather than using plastic bags.

The average American produces 4.6 pounds of garbage per day. This comes to over 500 million pounds of garbage produced in our country per year. Much of this garbage ends up in landfills, being buried in the very creation we are charged to protect.

Another easy way to reduce the amount of waste produced is to buy products that have minimal packaging. Concentrated detergents in smaller containers, cereals that are packaged only in bags instead of bag and box, and even buying one large can of vegetables instead of two to three small cans all end up reducing the amount of garbage produced. Beginning a recycling program also drastically reduces the output of waste from a home or church.

Another perspective on reducing comes from J. Matthew Sleeth in his book: Serve God, Save the Planet in which Sleeth tells of his family’s giving half of their possessions away and downsizing into a much smaller house enabling them to, among other things, reduce the amount of money they needed to live on. This gave them more time to enjoy life, each other and God. Sleeth says, “When I am tempted to buy something, I ask myself, ‘will it bring me closer to God?’” We live in a consumer oriented society where we are told we need more and more stuff. Reducing our stuff and its upkeep, increases the resources we have to be able to serve God more affectively.

We see these efforts not only as a way to cut back on pollution of the environment, but also as a way to free up our own financial resources. As we save money by reducing consumption and waste, we are then able to increase our level of giving to build God’s kingdom. We also feel a sense of increased freedom from the consumption-driven lifestyle that many of us have unwittingly adopted.


Mountain T.O.P. Touches Lives Again in its 33rd Summer of Service

ALTAMONT, Tenn. -- More than 1,600 volunteers from 24 different states made their way to the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee this summer to participate in Mountain T.O.P. (Tennessee Outreach Project) through its youth and adult ministries.

An Adults In Ministry team, pictured with the homeowner, taking a break from their work.

Mountain T.O.P., established in 1975, is an interdenominational ministry affiliated with the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church. Volunteers came from 100 different churches and 11 different denominations; the United Methodist volunteers alone represented 25 different Annual Conferences.

In the Youth Summer Ministry (YSM) program, volunteers, in small work teams, participated in minor home repair projects for mountain families in need or conducted day camp activities for children from isolated mountain communities. In the evenings, they gathered for worship and to share the good news about what had taken place at their individual work sites.

Bryan Bliss is youth director at Grace United Methodist Church in Jackson, Tenn. He brought youth from his church to Mountain T.O.P. for the first time in 2008.

“As youth leader, I’ve been on a number of mission trips,” he said. “As a first timer at Mountain T.O.P., I was thrilled to see God in the staff, feel His presence in the worship, and to serve as the hands and feet of his Son during our week. Like I said, I’ve been on lots of mission trips, but Mountain T.O.P. gave me and my youth group something more – an experience where God came close.”

Dianna Woodlock, Mountain TOP Summer Staff, hanging out with a Summer Plus child from Grundy County.

YSM camps will be offered again in the summer of 2009. Check their website in the near future for registration information and dates offered.

Mountain T.O.P.'s Adults In Ministry program places adults on major home repair work teams, or as volunteers in one of two children's programs: Kaleidoscope, an arts camp for special needs children, and Summer Plus, an enrichment camp for teenagers from the mountains.

Heather Menzies of Memorial Drive United Methodist in Houston, Texas, was a first-time AIM participant in 2008. She works with teenagers as a special education teacher's assistant, so her time in Kaleidoscope was a “busman's holiday” of sorts – but that didn't take away from the rewards of her interaction with the young children in Kaleidoscope.

“You really felt like you were making a difference,” she said. She helped the children with arts and crafts projects.

Menzies also loved the worship and the sense of community back at camp – so much so that she stepped out of her comfort zone to talk about her experience during a worship service at the end of the week.

"I'm definitely planning on going back,” said Menzies. “It was the greatest thing I've ever done."

Fall AIM weekends (home repair only, no Summer Plus or Kaleidoscope) will be held in October, and week-long camps are planned again in 2009. Applications for Fall AIM can be found at their website.

A Youth Summer Ministry team, pictured with the homeowner, taking a break from their work.

Volunteers like Heather Menzies and like Bryan Bliss and his youth group made a difference in the Cumberland Mountains. They participated in a total of 885 home repair projects and provided activities for 128 different children through Day Camp, Kaleidoscope and Summer Plus.
More information about the AIM program, as well as applications for camp events and summer staff, can be found on the Mountain T.O.P. web site, http://www.mountain-top.org/, by e-mailing info@mountain-top.org or by calling (931) 692-3999.


Befriend, Belong, Believe – Hillcrest United Methodist Church
By Barbara P Garcia

Timid but eager, Arturo came into the fellowship hall. It was the last night of the three month series of English classes. The students and volunteers were arriving for the Cena de Celebracion with their dishes for the “Pot-Luck Metodista”. There was everything from hotdogs to tamales and green beans to papusas!

Arturo put down his dish and said to me, “I’ve got a job and they just called me to come to work! I’m sorry to miss, but can I come on Sunday? I really want to learn more about ‘la palabra de Dios’!”

A total of 117 students have registered for English as a second language classes.

That’s when you know you are beginning to make a difference! English classes have been going on since January with a total of 117 students registered. This was the second “Celebration Supper” we had had. Though the attendance began to slow down with the time change which allowed for longer work days, the enthusiasm remained, and people kept registering. The team of twenty volunteers grew to twenty-eight.

Arturo had only been coming the last few weeks, but he was beginning to make friends and gain a sense of belonging. Members of Hillcrest had told Arturo about the classes and invited him. Now he was beginning to experience the wider hospitality of Hillcrest.

His feelings seemed very similar to Emilia’s and Marta’s at the first “Celebration Supper” as they were admiring their Certificate of Participation recognizing their work in the ESL classes: “It is so important to us to be able to study English! But, more than that, you don’t know what it means to know that there is a place that accepts us and wants for us to be here! This is such a ‘political’ time right now; and there are times when some people—even in the grocery store—glare at us, and a time or so even acted like they were going to spit on us! We’ve never experienced that before, and so coming here and know you want for us to be here is very special!”

Children are much involved in the Hillcrest Hispanic ministry.

The Hillcrest Family is understanding more every day about the process of “Befriend, Belong, Believe!” in bringing persons into an experience with Jesus Christ—not only through the ESL classes, which are 99% Hispanic/Latino, but with the persons from 17 other nations represented in the congregation now. It is often a gradual experience, but God’s prevenient grace is at work, and we’re learning that befriending leads to belonging, and belonging leads to believing!

Emilia and her family, along with seventeen others from the classes, came to Maundy Thursday services, and some to Sunday morning services. And Arturo was especially delighted when he arrived the first Sunday morning of July to find a few of his new ESL friends there, …and even more so when the Associate Pastor sneaked in a word of welcome in Spanish, and to hear before Communion “Todos son bienvenidos a la mesa del Senor!” [Everyone is welcome at the Lord’s Table!]


Open house introduces neighbors to Belmont Community Center
By Wayne Wood

Belmont United Methodist Church in Nashville introduced its new Community Center to its community at an afternoon open house August 26.

A steady stream of business owners, employees and other neighbors of the church, located in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village neighborhood, came through the doors of the $3 million facility. Attendees were greeted by members, provided with refreshments, and invited to visit a series of displays in the new center, highlighting various ministries of the church.

Belmont member Jim Strickland meeting with visitors at the open house, held in August to introduce people who live and work in the area around Belmont UMC to the church's new Community Center and to the work of the church. Photo by Jerry Park.

“We were happy to invite our community into this beautiful new facility, and wanted them to know that we are here and that they are welcome back any time,” said Mary Jane Duke, co-chair of the committee that planned the event.

The Belmont Community Center was formally opened and dedicated July 13 during Sunday morning services by the Rev. Ken Edwards and District Superintendent and former Belmont Senior Pastor the Rev. John Collett, who was at Belmont when the project began.

“This new center is a way that this almost 100-year-old congregation continues to reach into our neighborhood to serve our neighbors,” Edwards said. “Belmont has a tradition of service all over the world, and also on our block in Hillsboro Village, and this new center is an embodiment of that.”


Sixty Two Attend the SEJ Older Adult Conference!!!
By Gerald and Helen Noffsinger*

The Tennessee Conference had the LARGEST number of folks present at the 2008 Southeastern Older Adult Conference in August! Over four hundred laity/clergy enjoyed special workshops with Dr. Garry Speich and Dr. Shawnda Hollie leading two of the workshops (Hollie is the step daughter of Bishop Bill Morris). Rev. Tommy Gray was the Worship Preacher and Dr. Mickey Efird led the Bible Study sessions. The Junaluska Singers shared in several special services and Paul Saik presented a great evening.

Older Adult Conference participants from the Tennessee Conference

Many from the Tennessee Conference have attended the event for the past several years. Newcomers this year came from McMinnville Christ’s Church (11), Good Shepherd (3) and Blankenship (4). Where can Older Adults (55 years and UP) have such fine opportunities to learn more about ways to serve the church, ways to care for their bodies and use their gifts and graces for Christ? Other pluses include beautiful Lake Junaluska and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Our attendance goal for 2009 is 100 from the Tennessee Conference! Will you be at next years conference? The date is Monday, August 10th-13th, 2009. Bishop Bill Morris will be the Platform Speaker and Dr. Reginald Mallard will be the Worship Preacher. Call Rev. Bettye Lewis at the Office of Connectional Ministries for more information, 615-329-1177.
Theme this year was Sing Unto the Lord a New Song – Crafting a Legacy for the Next Generation. The Wisdom and Grace Conference is sponsored by the SEJ Association of Older Adult Ministries and is designed for all who are interested in the dynamic and vital ministries with adults as they age.

*Gerald and Helen Noffsinger are the Murfreesboro District Older Adult Coordinators

A New Archive at the Bellevue United Methodist Church
Margaret Cornell*

The “ribbon cutting” of its new archive was held in May, 2008 at Bellevue United Methodist Church. Blessed with a rich history, church members created the archive in anticipation of its bicentennial celebration in 2009. Even though many early paper records and photographs were lost, numerous documents still existed and needed archival attention.

The Bellevue UMC beginnings extend back to 1803

The church’s beginnings extend back to 1803 when Bishop Francis Asbury appointed Levin Edney to the Nashville Circuit near Pasquo and the infant Belleview area (the spelling was changed to Bellevue in 1969). Levin Edney’s brother, Newton, deeded land to his brother and the tiny congregation to build “Edney’s Meeting House”, (currently the site of Pasquo Church of Christ). In 1813, the building burned but was replaced the same year at a nearby location as Edney’s Chapel where the congregation remained for 97 years. The congregation relocated to 7544 Old Harding Road in 1910 as the Belleview Methodist Episcopal Church and again in 1969 to 7501 Old Harding Road where it remains today. Since Levin Edney, the church has been led by 123 pastors, including the Rev. David Rainey, who serves there today.
The Archive and History Committee was appointed by Bellevue UMC in 2005 to find and save precious church documents scattered in homes as well as the Church attic. The Committee’s goals were:
· To be an advocate for the archives and history of the church.
· To locate and identify the records in various formats (see below).
· To protect and preserve the records.
· To make the records easily accessible for reference and research.
· To enable the practice of records management for the future.

The records include meeting minutes, membership records, directories, newsletters, church bulletins, photographs, audio and video tapes, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and architectural plans.

The new archives at Bellevue UMC

Early on the Committee decided to follow the records management guidelines of the General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church. (See: www.gcah.org/ConfRetSched.htm). Permanent records were flagged for preservation in acid-free files and boxes. Rare and recent photographs and records were scanned and made available for viewing on the archive computer. Records eligible for disposal (according to the GCAH guidelines) were presented to the Church Council for approval/disapproval. This “checks and balance” system eliminated the pitfall of decision making by a few people; also record “stashing” in the attic and fire hazards.

The Archive finding aids describe the collection by area (administration, worship etc.) and box number using the Access computer program. Membership records (1830 to the present), include baptisms, marriages and deaths and are easily accessed. DVDs were made of old videotapes along with oral histories of the congregation. Rare and recent photographs were scanned and made available for viewing on the archives’ computer. Newspaper clippings were copied onto acid-free paper and placed sequentially in scrapbooks. Finally architectural plans were located and repaired then placed in a new map case donated to the archive.

Since the “ribbon cutting” the archives has been enthusiastically received, supported and used. We have moved slowly but thoroughly, involving many volunteers. A strong feeling exists that the records of the past and present are truly being cared for and made available as the congregation continues to prepare for its 2009 bicentennial celebration.

A summary of the archive collection is now on the church’s web site (see: http://www.bumc.com/) along with a timeline of its history.

*Margaret Cornell is part of the Archive & History Committee, Bellevue United Methodist Church

Ingram Scholarship Presentations

Left to right: Shirley Ingram, Lindsey Bice, Laura Swallows, Beth Bice, Jessica Wilson, Crystal Rhoads, Ali Baldwin, and Bryan Davis.

Pomona United Methodist Church in Cumberland County presented 7 scholarships on Sunday, July 13, during the worship service. These scholarships are made possible though the generosity of the late Rev. Clifford Ingram and Shirley Ingram. They are administered through the Nashville Area United Methodist Foundation office.

The committee members who selected these recipients were Judy Green, Harvey Green, Jill Hall and Randy Smith. They received over 60 applications.

Shirley Ingram spoke during the worship service of why her husband decided to set up the scholarship program for needy students and challenged the students and the congregation to make the most of their lives. Harvey Green presented each of the recipients, who were all able to attend the service. Rev. Bob Ochsenrider presided during the service.

The recipients were Bryan Davis, Laura Aline Baldwin, Crystal Rhoads, Jessica Wilson, Jo Beth Bice, Laura G. Swallows, and Lindsey Bice.

A bountiful luncheon honoring these students and their families was served following the service.

Nothing But Nets: Manchester First United Methodist Church

Back row, left to right: Maggie Leptron, Janelle Burt, Baylee Nestor, Ann Marie Cartwright. Front row, left to right: Riley Stephens, Cooper Nickels, Jason Parker, Chris Maddaloni, Eric Nolin, Steven Marshall. Not pictured: Karson Young, Dakota Simons, Bryce Emerson, Kole Young

For the past few weeks now, particularly if you are a regular in the 8:30 service, you’ve heard Janelle Burt share about her 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School Class.

Mrs. Janelle came to Sunday School one morning with the idea that she and her class would raise $10. That $10 would then go to the non-profit organization called Nothing But Nets. Nothing But Nets seeks to protect people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, from malaria and other mosquito-related diseases. So far, Nothing But Nets has distributed nets in Chad, Gabon, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mali, Congo-Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They already have plans to distributed nets to Cote d’Ivoire and the Central African Republic.

Needless to say Nothing But Nets is busy. What’s innovative about these nets is that not only do they repel mosquitoes but when the mosquitoes land on the nets, it kills them with an insecticide on the nets.

The class of 3rd and 4th graders, with the help of Janelle and the support of the church, the class has raised over $1230.00 for nets. Thanks to Janelle and her class for showing us a need and educating us on it. On Sunday, August 31, they will share in worship during the Mission Moment.

Riverside United Methodist Church provides free school supplies for 470 children

Riverside United Methodist Church in Columbia, Tennessee, recently held a Back to School Carnival and School Supply Give Away. The congregation gave free school supplies to 470 children and then invited them to a free carnival with games, face painting, food, and drinks all for free. The event was reported on Channel 5 news. Plans are underway to contact these children about future events at the church including VBS next summer.