Revival

Since our revival was just a couple weeks ago, it seemed appropriate to post a little about the revivals we've had at Summit. Revivals are a tradition here, one of the things you can count on every fall. There is always music and a message to take out into the world. The only time I can ever remember our church not having a revival is the year in which we were recovering from the fire. Now that we've been blessed with a new building, we're once again sharing God's Word and reaching out to the community with our beloved fall event.

I asked a few people at church about their memories of Revival here.

Velma, a longtime member, said, "Back when Brother Whitaker was here, he baptized me and Julia and Wanda. We had good attendance back then. Fifty or sixty [people]."

And Joe, a leader of our church, said, "Most of us remember the one in 1957. There were twenty or so people who joined. That's definitely the mot people who ever joined at once. That was definitely our best year."

The Great Revival of 1957 is almost a legend in our church. That year, the same year our first brick building was built, more souls found Christ than ever before or since. Many of the people at our church, like Velma and Joe, remember it well. And some of us, like myself, can only imagine what it must have been like.

I've seen some beautiful revivals here. I remember, vividly, standing on the front porch of the old church in the dark and watching the light from inside the church shine through the stained glass windows. It was, and is, one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. A church becomes different after dark, and people become different during Revival. There's a different spirit in the air. The fall of the year brings changes in the world, changes in the colors of the leaves and the temperature of the air, and I think the changes in nature inspire changes in ourselves as well. We see Revival as a time of harvest, to share everything that we have grown over the course of the year and gather in the souls that are waiting to see the Holy Spirit move.

I've seen many revivals, and I've heard many preachers, everyone from evangelists to college basketball stars. I've heard barbershop quartets and gospel bluegrass bands. I've heard the people at our church sing hymns from the Cokesbury hymnal, songs like 'Revive Us Again' and 'When We All Get To Heaven.' And all I can think of when I hear these songs is what it will be like to someday to go to heaven and see all the people that I've lost and the people I never got to know, all the souls who sang the same songs at the Great Revival of 1957.

But until I go there (hopefully, when I go there with you), all I can do is talk to people about their Revival memories.

What Revival memories would you like to share?

 

While searching for pictures of our church, we came across this photo of our church's choir in our old church building. If anyone has any information on who some of the people pictured are, please let us know. We love to document our church's history!

Lessons from L.A.C.E. Part 2

On October 11, I attended the second of the four L.A.C.E. workshops for this year. The second one was held at Radcliff UMC, and I was so excited to meet up with my group again! Many of the people who attended the first workshop also came to the second, and it was great to talk to all the amazing people I got to meet last time. Radcliff UMC did an excellent job hosting, just like Horsley Chapel. I'm always thankful to see our fellow churches opening up their doors in fellowship. 

Just like at the last meeting, the day was divided into two main sections: a large lesson for everyone who attended, and then "breakout sessions" where everyone divided up into small groups for a more specific lesson. 

Our large lesson was a Safe Sanctuaries session. Our guest speaker was a lady who had worked with Fort Knox and had many stories to tell. Some were interesting and thought-provoking, but some were just heartbreaking. Safe Sanctuaries, which, for those of you who may not know, is training for churches to follow to make sure that the church is a safe place for kids and young adults, free from harm and free from abuse. Some of the Safe Sanctuaries protocols, for example, include having windows in each classroom door and using the buddy system. Some of the newer aspects of the training include ideas for taking care of the church social media and making sure that the church is free from cyber bullying. Learning about Safe Sanctuaries really got me thinking about how blessed I am to have a church that's safe and supportive of our youth. 

After the Safe Sanctuaries session, which took up most of our day, we went to our small groups, where I got to catch up with everyone I met last month. We had a new leader this month, a lady who is a member of Horsley Chapel. I was truly inspired by her story. She told us that she had been a Christian for fourteen years, but that before she became a Christian, she'd been a member of a church her entire life. She said that she'd been raised in a Catholic family and attended a Catholic church for many years, but that she was a "pew-warmer." She'd thought she had been a Christian for thirty years, but she realized she was wrong when she finally felt the Holy Spirit calling to her. She told us that she always tried to be a nice and happy person, and that sometimes she thought she might go overboard, but that she was trying to make up for lost time. She said that for fourteen years, she was the nicest person she could be, because for the thirty years before that, she was the meanest.

I was so amazed by her bravery and openness when she was telling us about her faith journey. It's not easy for anyone to admit mistakes, but she was happy to share with us her testimony, and I have so much respect for her. I can only hope to be so joyous and generous with my faith and my stories as she was. 

In our group lesson, we built on last month's topic of lay people being the foundation of the church. This month, we discussed some of the responsibilities we have: bringing other people to God and holding church members accountable. 

Holding church members accountable means keeping up with people in our church family. Being Christians doesn't mean we aren't all sinners, and as Christians, if we see our brothers and sisters in Christ going astray, it's our duty to help them. We have to be supportive and considerate when we guide others, and we have to give good and honest advice, but we have to make sure that we protect our church family without passing judgement on them. We also have to take care of the "pew-warmers," the people who, like our group leader, believed they were Christians but didn't understand Jesus and God's Word. We have to find ways to help them and bring them to the faith they're looking for. 

We also have to hold ourselves accountable. We may not always have that "mountaintop experience." There will be days when we are searching, and when we face doubts, and when we feel our faith isn't as strong as it should be. Those are the days when we must turn to discipline and support from our church family to keep us going until we can work our way back to the top of the mountain. As one of our group members said, each of us should stay close to God the way we'd stay close to our fathers. 

As lay speakers, we may not be ministers in the sense of being ordained, but we are ministers in the sense that we must bring other people to Christ. Every Christian is called to follow the Great Commission and bring more souls to God's Kingdom. Some of the problems we discussed in our group were getting people to come to church and bringing young people into church. These problems often go hand-in-hand, as parents with children often find "better things to do" on Sunday morning. Yet, as the associate pastor from Clair Memorial said, the reason that many of us attend church now is because when we were young, our parents made time to come to church. Many people make time to attend church now, and make time to bring their kids to church. If a person is really dedicated to doing something, he or she will find a way to fit it into the schedule. What we need to do is get more people to be dedicated to God. The problem with getting young people involved in church is to find activities that interest them---a task that is much easier said than done. It's good to start small, with things that don't require much commitment and effort, and then work your way up to more important and more involved events. 

A key to bringing in new Christians is to be a good leader. As we discussed in our group, a good leader serves everyone, because the sinners need Christ the most. And like Christ, we have to lead by service. When Jesus was in ministry, He didn't just supervise; He got His hands dirty, and He was out in the world just like His disciples. He even washed His disciples' feet. That is a model of servant leadership. 

A good leader can minister efficiently. As Christians, we will face persecution, but we shouldn't allow ourselves to be taken advantage of and we shouldn't waste our time in places where we're not wanted. We have to focus on the harvest that is ready now, because the more Christians there are, the easier things will be, and the greater the harvest we can bring in.

A good leader is also humble. Everything we have comes from God, and we aren't any holier than anyone else. To quote Matthew 6:3, "...Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." And lastly, a good leader knows how to create more good leaders. Mentoring people is good stewardship and a good way to get people involved and excited about church and about God. Even the most unlikely candidates, like Jesus' disciples, can play important roles in the church. As our group leader said, "God can make any change---and His changes are huge." 

As John Wesley said, we're always striving for Christian perfection---for sanctity, for a love for God and our fellow man that is stronger than what we have now. But Christian perfection doesn't mean we're perfect or that we have to be perfect. We're all human beings, we all make mistakes, we all have doubts, we're all trying our best, and we're all working our way to the mountaintop. But in Christ, we all have the potential to be greater than what we are today, and we always need to grow in our faith and encourage others to grow as well. 

I'd like to leave you with one of the Scriptures we discussed, a Scripture that describes the role of a lay speaker well: 

"Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." ------John 13: 12-17

Pastor Appreciation Month (Part 2)

To celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month, we've put together a "Getting To Know You" segment for the church blog! Here are some interesting details about our pastor:



When Brother Ken first realized he was called to be a pastor, he had a difficult journey.

"I resisted for a long time," he said. "I was in denial of what God was saying. I was telling God He was wrong."

He found it helped to share his experience with his pastor, his youth minister, and more mature Christians, who encouraged him to follow his calling. Then he "finally gave in."

His favorite colors are blue and maroon, and he has no pets.

His favorite Bible verse is 1 John 4:7-8. "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

His hobbies include gardening, collecting unusual currency, and "very little" golf.

Brother Ken said, "I like fishing and hunting, although I haven't done those in a while...I like taking things apart and putting them back together, and I like repairing things."



Also, I neglected to add in the press release that Brother Ken got his master's degree from Vanderbilt University Divinity School.



Thanks to Brother Ken for answering all my questions! :-)

Pastor Appreciation Month (Part 1)

For those of you who don't know, October is Pastor Appreciation Month! Here at Summit, we've had many great preachers through the years. Our current pastor is Brother Ken, and he's been with us since June 2014.

Recently, we published a press release in the News-Enterprise with some details on Brother Ken and his role in our church. Since this is the month to celebrate our pastor, I thought I'd post the press release here. Even if you do get the local newspaper, you should give it a look, because the edition you saw was the edited version, but here you can see the full and complete press release from Summit UMC.

And stay tuned for Part 2 to get some more personal information on Summit's current pastor!

"In June 2014, Rev. Ken Jessee was appointed as pastor of Summit United Methodist Church.

Focused on the Great Commission to make disciples, the Rev. Ken Jessee asserts that outreach is the greatest task to which the church should address itself approaching the year 2015. In the coming year, it is expected that the congregation will continue reaching out to help people and will continue to become more evangelistic and welcoming. The congregation will continue opening its doors to new people and new thoughts, as well as leading young people and others in the church to be in ministry and lead a devotional life. Some of the plans to increase the outreach of the church include beginning new Bible studies and helping the congregation to grow in its spiritual life with events such as Christian conferences.

For the past 33 years, the Rev. Ken Jessee has served churches in Kentucky.  He attended the University of Louisville’s School of Engineering; received his Associate in Arts degree studying Religion at Lindsey Wilson College; and attended Kentucky Wesleyan College for his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion, Philosophy, and Sociology.

Rev. Ken Jessee and Jana are the parents of 2 children: Joseph, age 30, and Joyanna, age 28. Joyanna is married to Mr. Clinton Phelps. Rev. Ken and Jana have two grandchildren: Trinity Phelps, age 6, and Carrington Phelps, age 1.

Summit United Methodist Church welcomes Rev. Ken as pastor and welcomes all who wish to join us in worship. Summit United Methodist Church is located at 576 Summit Road. Worship begins on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. with Sunday School following the service at 10:45."

 

 

UMW District Meeting

            Last Saturday, September 20, Summit hosted the Elizabethtown District United Methodist Women (UMW) meeting. 78 people from the churches in the district came out to support their church’s UMW. Some of the highlights of the meeting included a candle burning ceremony in memory of the members who had passed away; a guest speaker, Pastor Trish Smith from Stovall UMC; presentation of attendance banners; and the recognition, election, and installation of officers.



The donation box for one of the UMW's missions.

            In addition, the meeting included recognition of members who had completed parts of the UMW’s reading program and the UMW groups that had become “Mission Today” units. To become a Mission Today unit, a UMW group must complete a checklist of criteria that are designed to help the UMW use mission resources and to expand their missions. The missions of the UMW include helping women and girls become leaders; promoting social justice; being of service to the community; and providing opportunities for education and spiritual growth. They focus on women, youth, and children.

The district meeting is a transition time between years and an annual celebration of the district’s activities.

“It was a worship service, and then we gave out the awards… And we won both of the banners,” said Summit’s own UMW president Bennie Lou Hammons. The banners are given to reward the church with the most members present and the highest percentage of members present. This particular meeting is important because it will likely be one of the last for this particular group of churches.

“We’ve only got one more year in the E-town District,” said Bennie Lou. Soon, the districts will be reorganized and these UMW groups may find themselves in different districts.

  Each member of the UMW finds something unique about the organization that calls to them.

Joane Kennington from Radcliff UMC said, “I like the socialization and the common goals.”

“I like the fellowship with the women,” said Lynda Wood.

“Children have always been an interest of mine,” said Suzanne Tigges. Both Tigges and Wood attend Radcliff UMC.

UMW members waiting for the meeting to begin.

Many UMW members got their start by attending meetings with their mothers.

Carol Thomas from Hodgenville UMC said, “I joined the UMW when I went with my mother, since I was a child. I remember because they had cookies and lemonade.”

“I don’t even remember how long it’s been,” said Wendy Tyree from Hodgenville. “I was involved in Georgia, but then I moved to Hodgenville, and that’s where my involvement became more real. They’re the most amazing group of women you’ll ever meet.”

“A hundred years ago, I was in a college group, but I’m a 4th generation [UMW member], so it’s been a lifetime thing,” said Tigges.



Some of the district’s upcoming events include the Conference Annual Mission Celebration on October 25 at Advance Memorial UMC and the District Team Meeting on November 18 at 6:00 pm at Hodgenville UMC. And, according to Bennie Lou, there may be a Bible study in March.

For this church blogger, the most enjoyable part of visiting the meeting was knowing that, even though I haven’t been part of the UMW for years and even though some of the ladies gave me odd looks when I came up to them in “journalist mode,” I was still considered part of the group.

 

As Wendy Tyree told me, “Once in the UMW, always in the UMW.”

Bennie Lou and Velma working at the registration table.

Lessons from L.A.C.E.

This past Saturday, September 13, I attended a seminar for lay speaker training at Horsley Chapel UMC. They called it L.A.C.E.: the Lay Academy of Church Excellence. Over the course of four sessions, returning lay servants, certified lay ministers, and aspiring future lay speakers like me learn all we need to become certified lay servants that can (officially) serve the church. At the end of the training, I'll be able to (officially) speak at our church and I'll be much better equipped to serve our congregation now and in the future. 

In fact, after having attended just the first session, I already feel recharged and inspired, as well as better educated in the role of a lay speaker in the United Methodist church. 

The people I met at LACE were some of the most friendly and interesting people I've ever met. One group in particular, from Clair Memorial UMC, were strong encouragements for me because of their enthusiasm. I will never forget the way their pastor said "Praise God!" when I introduced myself and said that I felt called to join the ministry. Everyone I met there was just so happy to see each other and to talk to me. I looked around the room and I saw a room full of Christians and it was the best feeling ever to be in fellowship with them. It was a feeling of being loved, understood, and respected that I can only compare to the way I feel about my church family. 

Some of the people there spoke about the different backgrounds they had. Several people said that they had always been Methodists, but they hadn't known it. There were people there who'd been raised Baptist and some who'd just drifted before joining the Methodist church. Many of them had been brought to Methodism or to Christianity by their family members. One couple who attended told me that they were originally from San Diego, California, and another lady had moved to Kentucky from Wisconsin. The preacher from Horsley Chapel was kind enough to share a little of her experience, and I found her story to be especially moving. She had grown up in the Church of Christ, and she got involved with some Methodists while working with a ministry for soldiers in basic training in Louisville. She joined the Methodist Church partially because of the Methodist Church's positive attitude toward women pastors. There were several other female pastors there, and seeing them gave me such hope for my future, because I know that I have not just my home church, but my entire denomination to support me. So many people from so many different backgrounds and walks of life come together to make our church wonderful! 

One of the guest speakers was a professor from Asbury Theological Seminary who spoke about the history of the Methodist movement and some of John Wesley's influences. Much of our religious heritage comes from the Anglicans, but we also owe a lot of our theology to other influences, such as the Moravians, who broke away from the Lutheran church and emphasized feeling the Spirit of God in one's heart. 

One of the things the professor taught us that really stuck with me was this explanation of Christianity from the Protestant Reformation: Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, and Solus Christus.

The Latin phrases mean Grace Alone, Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, and Christ Alone. We're protected by God's grace, which is a gift given to us even though we could never deserve it. Scripture is the Word of God, and it must be the base of our church tradition and teachings. We are saved through faith alone in Christ. And Christ Alone is our salvation, because no one goes to the Father except through Him. 

After hearing about the history of Methodism, we broke up into small groups, and my group discussed more about why lay speakers are important in the United Methodist Church. 

Often, the pastor is given great responsibilty in the church. This isn't a bad thing, but since the early days of our denomination, when circuit riders traveled miles from church to church, the laity have been given the authority to run the churches and their ministries. The lay people are the church. The pastor is there to guide the church, to interpret God's Word, and to benefit the church members, but the church is more than just the pastor. My group leader said, "A church should be able to run, easily, for six months without pastor." And while no church should have to go through that today, he has a valid point: Sometimes, as lay people, we expect the pastor to take care of everything and we don't take our future into our own hands. Every single person in the church is a minister, whether "certified" or not, and we have to be the light of the world and spread the message.

We discussed why we have so much trouble taking up responsibilities in the church, and we concluded that a lot of the problems are caused because people are afraid. For example, one of my group members mentioned that Clair Memorial is one of the most enthusiastic churches in the district and that anyone who preached there was sure to feel encouraged. Another of my group members responded by asking why all churches couldn't be that way. I said that I thought people were afraid to be encouraging because they don't want to "stick out." Nobody wants to be thought of as silly or strange, and nobody wants to feel like they're all alone in their opinion. However, everyone in my group---including a member of Clair Memorial---agreed that being encouraging and taking up responsibility is always a worthwhile thing, even if you're all alone. One of my group members runs the youth group at his church, and he was a perfect example of this. One day, he realized that there was a need for a youth group in his church, and he started one, even though he knew he might be all alone at first. He told us that day that starting that project was one of the most rewarding things he's ever done. 

I suppose the best way to conclude the recap of my first lay speaker training session and to sum up everything that I learned is to leave you with this Scripture (because Sola Scriptura) that was included in our lay speaker "training manual": "Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

------Rachel

Clips from the Cave

This week in the Cave, we discussed Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and how to be used by God. 

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that no one could interpret. He threatened to kill all the wise men of Babylon if no one could help him. Daniel and his friends prayed for help so that they would not be killed along with the Babylonians, and God revealed to them the king's dream and the interpretation. When the king called upon Daniel, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the dream had been sent by God, and that by God's power and no talent of his own, Daniel could interpret the dream. 

The king had dreamed of a statue with the head made of gold, the chest and arms made of silver, the stomach and thighs made of bronze, the legs made of iron, and the feet made of iron and clay. A stone that had been cut without a human hand touching it destroyed the statue and became a mountain that filled the whole earth. Daniel told the king that the head of gold symbolized King Nebuchadnezzar's great kingdom and that the rest of the statue symbolized a series of inferior kingdoms that would be destroyed, one after another. The stone that became a mountain represents the kingdom of God, which would take the place of all the earthly kingdoms and endure forever. 

When Nebuchadnezzar heard this, he declared that Daniel's God was the Lord of Lords and revealer of mysteries. He promoted Daniel and his is friends and gave them many generous gifts. 

This Scripture is important because, among other things, it tells us that God will use us to do His will, whether it's something big, like interpreting the dreams of a king, or something small, like giving a smile to someone who needs it. When Daniel prayed for help, God gave him the words he needed to speak to the king, and when Daniel helped the king, he told the king that God had given him the power to do good things. Every opportunity to do good things is given to us by God, and it's an opportunity to glorify God and his kingdom. 

God is going to use us as his hands here on Earth, and it's up to us to use the talents and skills He gives us to make a change, just like Daniel made a change when he amazed King Nebuchadnezzar with the power of his God.

Have a great week!

Pulpit Messages

While the church was in the process of being built, the congregation decided to write their names and favorite Bible verses on the flooring of the pulpit area before it was covered in carpet. Brother Don was kind enough to compile a booklet of all the things our congregation had written. Here's a photo of one of the verses to brighten your day:  

Clips from the Cave

This week in the Cave, we discussed one of the most famous stories in the Bible: Daniel and the Lions' Den. 

Daniel was appointed by King Darius as an administrator to keep watch over the government officials in his kingdom. Daniel was so distinguished that the king planned to promote Daniel and put him above all the other government leaders. The other government officials tried to find anything to accuse Daniel of, but he wasn't corrupt or negligent, so instead, they decided to use the law of Daniel's God against him. They convinced King Darius to make a law---a written and unchangeable law---that said that for the next thirty days, no one could pray to anyone except the king, and that anyone who did would be thrown into the lions' den. The officials found Daniel kneeling and praying to God the next day and reported him to the king. King Darius did everything he could to save Daniel, but had to follow the law and put Daniel in the lions' den. The next morning, King Darius called to Daniel and asked if God had rescued him from the lions. Daniel answered that God had found him innocent and sent His angel to shut the mouths of the lions. The king was overjoyed, and Daniel had no wounds because he had trusted in God. The king threw the men who had tricked the king into the lions' den and wrote a new law telling his entire kingdom to be fearful and reverent of the God of Daniel. 

This story is about trust in God. When Darius called out to Daniel, he did not expect an answer. Sometimes when we pray, we don't expect God to answer, either. However, God is always trustworthy and He will always answer us. Daniel knew God's Word and followed it by praying to Him despite the king's orders. 

One of our memory verses for this lesson is Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, "Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." 

We can't make it through life by ourselves, but we can ask God for help. By praying, Daniel was acknowledging The Lord and His presence in his life, and Daniel trusted in God to protect him from not just the lions, but the malicious people in his life. The Lord gave Daniel everything he needed to survive any challenge he faced, and all Daniel had to do was trust in Him. 

If we can show the faith and trust that Daniel had, we, too, can survive any obstacles that come our way, whether we face something as terrible as persecution or as simple as a distraction from doing our homework. 

We'd like to thank Pat N. for teaching us this week! We dearly missed her while she was away! 

Have a great week! 

Clips from the Cave

Last week in the Cave, we discussed being faithful in the face of temptation. This week, we discussed the rewards of having faith.

Daniel and his three friends agreed not to eat the king's food because it was unclean. Instead, they ate vegetables and drank water. At the end of ten days, they were healthier than the other boys, and the official in charge of them allowed them to continue with their clean diet.

Because Daniel and his friends had the courage to obey God's commands, they were rewarded with the gift of knowledge. They were given the ability to understand and learn in every area. They became the king's most trusted advisors, and when he tested them, he found out that they were ten times better than any of the magicians and seers in his entire kingdom.
In order to receive the rewards of a faithful life, we have to live it. We have to trust that God knows what's best for us and that His words are the ones we should follow. Following God's rules will earn us His blessings. They may not always be the blessings we want, but they will be the blessings we need. I'm sure Daniel and his friends would've preferred to be delivered from servitude in Babylon, but God gave them a purpose in Babylon and gave them the tools they needed to fulfill that purpose. Like them, God will provide us with everything we need to survive, thrive, and be useful in today's world.

There's another lesson to learn from this week's discussion: how to deal with speaking to people about God.

When Daniel and his friends approached King Nebuchadnezzar, they knew that he didn't believe in their God. They knew that they believed in their true God, and they were confident in His protection and guidance. However, they also approached the king with respect, because he was a powerful leader.

When we minister to others, even those who aren't powerful like a king, we need to show confidence and respect, just like Daniel and his three friends. If we can show others that we respect their beliefs but are confident in our own, and if we can show them that we are just as knowledgeable as Daniel and his friends, we can give them a good impression of Christians. We can show them that we are faithful without being close-minded; we are strong without being overbearing; and we are educated without being pompous. If we treat others with respect, they will treat us with respect, just as the king respected Daniel, and if others respect us, then we have a better opportunity to make an impact.

Another important thing to remember is to be a fire, not a flashlight.
One of the memory verses for this lesson is 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
God has given us the power to make an impact on others with our words and actions, and it's our task to reach out to others---to Dare to be a Daniel.

Thanks again to Wanda N. for being kind enough to teach our class!
Have a great week!

Clips from the Cave

This week in the Cave, we'd like to thank our wonderful Sunday School superintendent, Wanda N., for teaching our Sunday School class! We had a lot of fun discussing the lesson with her and appreciate her hard work!

This week, we discussed the Scripture of Daniel and his friends refusing to eat King Nebuchadnezzar's food. The king wanted his future servants to eat the same food he ate, just like the rest of his servants. He appointed one of his officials to watch over the young men and give them meat and wine. It's important to remember that the Babylonian food probably didn't hold up to Jewish standards; it may not have been clean, it may have been sacrificed to idols, and it was probably a very different cuisine than they were used to. So Daniel and his friends told the official that they didn't want to eat the king's food. Instead, they asked for vegetables and water. The king's official was afraid to give it to them because, if the king saw that they were unhealthy, the official would be killed. But Daniel challenged the man to compare him and his friends to the other young men after ten days, and the official agreed. After ten days, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were healthier and stronger than the others, and the official agreed to allow them to permanently eat their chosen diet rather than the king's food.

This section of the story of Daniel is important because it's another example of how Daniel and his friends stood up for their beliefs despite pressure from others. They knew that the king's food would be unclean and that eating it would be to go against God, and they chose to do the right thing rather than the easy thing.

This verse is all about temptation. We are tempted by many things in life that seem good to us, but really they are nothing more than distractions and best and sins at worst. Temptation makes us think we are receiving a banquet, when in reality, we are weakening ourselves.

Our society places emphasis on money, power, violence, drugs, immorality, and other harmful things or actions. The media pounds images into our brains of who we should be, how we should act, what we should say, and how we should live. However, the fast, glamorous, and often self-destructive lifestyle portrayed in movies and on TV is not the lifestyle that God wants for us.

In our first week of studying Daniel, we learned that sin separates us from God, and while it isn't a sin to make money or or watch violence on TV, it is wrong to let the temptations of the world distract us from our real goal.
A stone that is thrown and a word that is spoken cannot be taken back. God takes our sins away, but if we give in to temptation, we can damage ourselves and others, just like the young men who were weakened by eating the king's food. Violence, immoral acts, harsh words, and abuse of power, among other things, are all damaging actions that cannot be undone, and they weaken everyone they affect.

Temptation will weaken us, and the only thing that can strengthen us is God. He is our real goal. If we keep our eyes on Him and His kingdom, we will be able to resist temptation, no matter how great it is. Because no matter how great the Devil, our sins, and Temptation may be, God will always be greater.

In the Methodist church, we believe in sanctification. This means that, even though we will never be perfect, we must always keep striving to be more Christlike and holy in our words and actions, because only in striving to be like Him will we ever be able to keep on the path He laid out for us. Just as Peter tried to walk on water and failed when he took his eyes off Jesus, we will try and fail, and be saved by Jesus just as Peter was.

But if we keep our eyes on God, no temptation will truly weaken us, and we will be able to overcome many obstacles without fear, just like Daniel and his three friends in Babylon.

Have a great week!

Outward Appearances

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ---1 Samuel 16:7

On Sunday, two of my church family members, gave me a super awesome hat. I love hats, and they know I love hats, and they found one for me that looks like a monkey, and the monkey lifts its arms when you squeeze one of the dangly ear flaps. Well, as soon as they handed it to me, I put it on and I wore it for the rest of the day, including Sunday School. Since it's a silly hat (to match a silly person), I half-expected a judgmental attitude from some of my church family members (or at least a facepalm and a good eye-roll).

But the judgment never came. To my surprise (and delight), several members of my church family came over and helped me "test" my monkey's dance moves. The rest either smiled or simply didn't bat an eye. After all, they've known me my whole life and are used to my antics.

Another thing that surprised me on Sunday was the number of compliments my brother received on his Star Trek: Enterprise uniform. No one judged him for his attire, either. No glares, no derision, no cries of outrage.

To be honest, I didn't expect anyone to get upset over my brother's outfit. I know that my family has the full support of my church family. They accept us for who we are.

Brother Ken and I were talking the other day about how everyone has to make their own decisions, and I mentioned that we're all different. We agreed that the differences of the members are what make the Methodist church so successful. Since our founding by John Wesley, the Methodist church has drawn diverse groups of people from many different backgrounds with a wide variety of ideas. Our ability to work together and respect and love each other is what makes our church successful. That's what makes our church grow, reach out, and last. Our unique and special congregations are what make our denomination unique and special.

In short, I just wanted to thank my church's congregation for loving and accepting my brother and me, and I just wanted to let you all know that we love and treasure you as well.

------Rachel

Clips from the Cave

This week in the Cave, we began working out of our new Sunday School books. For the next few weeks, we'll be learning how to Dare To Be A Daniel. Dare To Be A Daniel is a program sponsored by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and it's designed to teach kids how to stand up for what's right.

This week, we followed the beginning of Daniel's journey and learned about the Babylonian takeover of Israel. After conquering the Israelites, the Babylonians wanted to make a show of their power by kidnapping young men from powerful families and raising them to be Chaldeans. Chaldeans were the sorcerers or wise men of the Babylonian nation. King Nebuchadnezzar gave the boys Babylonian names, instructed his servants to give them Babylonian food, and taught them the Babylonian language and culture.

The Hebrew culture and the Babylonian customs were completely different. The Babylonians didn't worship God; instead, they worshipped Baal and their king. The Babylonians didn't consider certain animals to be unclean the way the Hebrews did, and they also ate foods that had been used as sacrifices to idols.

Yet Daniel and his three friends were brave. Their faith in God was stronger than their pressure to conform to the ways of their captors. Daniel and his friends stayed true to their ways and did what God wanted them to do despite the wishes of King Nebuchadnezzar, and because of their strength, they earned his respect and survived their years in captivity under God's protection.

Sometimes, the modern world is not a Christian place. People, especially teenagers, are under pressure to conform to a certain image. Girls are expected to be "sexy," and boys are expected to be "strong." People are expected to be competitive and to be the best at everything they do. They're expected to chase "the almighty dollar," and they're expected to live the fast-paced lifestyle that's the hallmark of the world today. There's pressure to do drugs and alcohol, pressure to dress and act certain ways, pressure to support certain causes while denouncing others, and pressure to make poor choices. Many people today don't live a godly lifestyle---and they don't expect or teach others to as well.

Yet as Christians, it's our responsibility---our duty---to live the life that God wants us to lead. Sometimes this means denying peer pressure and ignoring harmful influences. Sometimes it's scary or even dangerous. Often, it will take us down a path that we view with uncertainty. We'll face the risk of being criticized by others. But all of the obstacles and all of the risk will be rewarded in the end, because leading a Christian life is more important and more fulfilling than any worldly praise.

Have a great week!

Stronger By Fire

This Saturday, July 19th, is an important milestone in the life of our church. Two years ago this Saturday, our little church encountered a big fire. During a storm, lightning struck the steeple and set it ablaze. The firefighters did all they could to rescue it, but the fire was too intense for it to be stopped; it could only be controlled. In the weeks to come, many members of our church family searched the wreckage for anything, any part of our spiritual home that we could save. Many of us cried and we felt that the loss was as profound as losing a part of our families.

For many of us, it was losing a part of our families. Most of our members have attended our church for many years. Many, like me, were raised in the church and have never truly known any other. Many of our members remembered the construction of the building we lost; they raised tobacco and saved their money to pay for windows, pews, and other necessities. Their children were raised in the church and they saw dozens saved during the Great Revivals.

My brother and I have attended this church our entire lives. My parents and grandparents attend this church. Generations of my ancestors before me have attended this church, people whose names I hear and respect, but never had the chance to know. When the fire took our building, it seemed like I had lost the last remaining physical tie I had to them.

Yet our church lived on.

We saved whole windows and broken glass; we saved stained hymnals and burnt pages of the Bible; we saved the bell and the cornerstone.

And most importantly, we saved each other.

Two years later, our church family is still together, back on the same ground, with a new building to call our spiritual home. The windows are back, the love is back, and the people are back.

With a little help from the Lord, we are made stronger by fire.

Worship by the Water

                                                                                

On Sunday, July 13, Summit UMC had a church service at Freeman Lake in Elizabethtown with our sister church, Stephensburg UMC. 

The picnic was a great event for our church. It was a chance to meet up with the members of the other church on our charge, it was a chance to get to know our new pastor better, and it was a chance to enjoy God's creation together. 

Brother Ken told the Parable of the Sower and encouraged us to continue working with the good soil as we watched the waves and geese on the lake. It was a truly a blessing to be there with everyone from both churches. 

Thanks to all who attended with us! 

 

VBS 2014

Last Friday and Saturday, our church hosted its second successful Vacation Bible School in the new building. Last year, we focused on being Fishers of Men, but this year, we chose a different topic: the Prodigal Son.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a story about love, love that's not just for the people who always treat us right and not just for the people who are always with us, but love for all people. The Prodigal Son made mistakes, like leaving home and squandering his inheritance. But when he returned to his father, his father welcomed him with open arms and an open door. Even though his son had been living in poverty and tending to pigs, the father rejoiced at his son's return. When the elder son was jealous of his wayward brother, the father said, "We had to celebrate and be happy because your brother was dead and now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found." (Luke 15:32)

We, as Christians, must not be like the elder brother. We must strive to be more like the father in the story, who symbolizes our Heavenly Father, and always welcome our fellow man to our door, especially the doors of the church, just as God forgives us for our mistakes.

It's important for children to learn the story of the Prodigal Son because they need to know three things: 1. that no matter how lost they get, they can be redeemed by God; 2. that they are called to love one another; and 3., that the doors of the church will always be open to welcome them.

Our topic was the Prodigal Son, but our theme was music, because what better way can we express our love and rejoicing in God's grace than by singing and dancing to praise Him?

Clips from the Cave

This week in the Cave, Pat P., our wonderful substitute Sunday school teacher, asked us a hard question about faith.

How do we know that God exists?

Most of us would answer that we just do. We don't know how we know. We just feel it.

A large part of our faith is feeling the Holy Spirit as it moves through our lives. There are events in our lives that we can't explain except through faith. Most of us believe in miracles, and these miracles, both big and small, are some of the ways we recognize God as He works through us.

The most common way to explain God's presence to children is to ask them who made the trees, the sky, and the other wonders of the Earth. Life on Earth and all our world's scenery is so vast and beautiful that it only makes sense that someone had to create it, like a talented artist painting a canvas.

Another way to explain how we know God exists is to think about the complexity of the world God created. Think about DNA and the individual molecules that make up all things. Think about the way each being on Earth is perfectly made and suited to its environment and the way Earth is tilted at a perfect angle and spins at the perfect distance from the Sun. The universe may have been created by the Big Bang, but who set the ball in motion? The universe is too complicated to have come into existence on its own. God had to have created it. No other explanation makes as much sense.

And finally, there's the anthropological perspective on how we know God exists. Every group and nationality of people, every culture and civilization on Earth, has a creation tale and a higher being that they worship. This proves that humans have a "prayer drive," the instinctive knowledge that there is indeed a presence in the world that is greater than us. Even if they didn't have the knowledge that we do, that the higher presence is God, they know that they do have a need to worship. We know that God exists because humanity feels His presence.

How do we know that God exists?

A lot of it depends on personal experience. We can all recall a time when we knew God was in our lives; we've all had a "God moment." Most of us have also had a conversion experience. Every single one of us has a story to share with those who have questions for us about The Lord.

It's important to remember that those who want to believe will believe, and those who don't want to believe will have their eyes shut and may even have their hearts hardened against us. But it's vital that we continue to answer questions and share our stories, because we are disciples, and our task is to bring people to The Lord.

What's your story?

Have a great week!

Save the Date

Don't forget to join us for VBS! This year's theme is the Prodigal Son, but with a twist! Come check it out for music, snacks, activities, and celebrating God's good news: that even though all of us have gone astray, we'll always be welcomed in the house of the Lord!

 

Join us at Summit UMC

July 11, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm

July 12, 9 am-1 pm

What's in a Name? (Welcoming Part 1)

This Sunday, June 29th, will be our new pastor's first official Sunday at our church. As we welcome him, we have to adjust to meeting a new person and saying goodbye to Brother Don. When someone new enters the church, there's always a transition period where we have to get used to things and learn what the new dynamic will be like.

I thought I would post a few facts about the new preacher to help our congregation get to know him, and the first question I asked was what would he like to be called?

He answered, "Brother Ken, Brother Jessee, Pastor Ken, Reverend Jessee, Ken. Any of these are acceptable. I've been called preacher, pastor, brother. Whatever people are comfortable with for their pastor." 

 

That got me thinking about what's in a name. No matter what names we give each other on Earth, God knows who we are.

 

Proverbs 22:1 tells us "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

 

Whatever we choose to call our new preacher, and whatever he chooses to call himself, I know that we will hold him in high regard, and I'm sure that he will enrich our church.

 

If you'd like to get to the know the preacher better, please see him in person on Sunday and stay tuned for a later post, where I'll be sharing more news!

 

Revive Us Again

In this transition time between pastors, I had the opportunity to speak to the church last Sunday. I thought that I would post the short version of my message for all those who didn't make it to church. In the wake of so many changes, I felt called to say a few words about our future as a church family.

According to Acts 2:1-4,

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

 

The Holy Spirit came to the early Christians, our forefathers, as a flame, and we light that same flame today. We light candles in church and, as United Methodists, we surround ourselves with the Cross and Flame, on our hymnals, on our Bibles, and even in the stained glass window in the front of our church.

 

We describe ourselves with a good fire, a fire that cleanses and purifies. The good fire provides us with a source of power to change the world and ignite the same fire in others.

 

There are people at church who are good people and help others, but they don't let their light shine for God. They let their light shine for other people. They may help people they know or people they like, but not strangers or people they don't like. They may help people, but do it for show, and not for the Spirit. 

 

I have that problem, too. I'm a people-pleaser. Somehow, I missed out on getting the gene that tells you when to say "no." If someone asks me to do something, I will almost always say yes, even if I really don't want to do it. I will drag myself through it with a smile on my face, because in my head, I think it's the right thing for me to do. But in my heart, I don't want to be there, I don't want to be doing anything, and I don't have a good spirit. 

 

1 John 3:20 says that

 "If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."

 

God knows that in our hearts, we don't always have a good spirit. When we do things to impress other people and not God, we don't give our full effort and we don't make as much of an impact. 

 

If you're not working with a good heart, and if you're doing something begrudgingly, then you're dragging everyone else down with you. It's like trying to start a fire without a match. You can rub those sticks together all you want, but it's just not the same. Using sticks takes forever, and you might get that fire started, but by the time you light the kindling, nobody's interested in the fire anymore. Lighting a fire with a match is immediate, it's hot and it's intense, and it's right there in the moment. Working with a joyful heart is like sparking the fire with a match. It makes a difference. 

 

People matter, but God matters more. If we treated God less like this distant figure that we can't see and more like someone who's sitting right next to us in the pew, we'd be on much better behavior most of the time. At least, I know I would. We all have room to improve, and if we let the Holy Spirit become the fire that drives our lives, we will grow as people and as Christians, and we will have nothing to fear from the fire that destroys. 

 

My favorite passage from Isaiah is 43:1-3: 

 

"But now, this is what the Lord says—

    he who created you, Jacob,

    he who formed you, Israel:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,

    I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

    they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

    you will not be burned."

 

As we go through our lives, we face danger. We risk losing everything if we don't do God's will. Like Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego, we must struggle to do what's right even when we're threatened with the fiery furnace, and even when other people pressure us and criticize us.

 

God knows what's in our hearts, and as long as we believe in Him, He will keep us safe from any danger. With God on our side, we will not be burned.

 

Summit has a long history with fire. We lost to it our original church building and we lost the 1957 brick building. But we're no strangers to the fire of the Holy Spirit. In the Great Revival, which the older members of our church look back on with reverence, 32 souls were saved, most of them in one night!

 

The Great Revival makes me think of a younger member of our church,  a child named Noah, who will be baptized on the 29th. I will never forget the day Brother Don announced that Noah would officially be joining our church. Noah, young though he is, was called by the Holy Spirit to make a commitment to God and the Christian life. There are people today that we can change, who need us to make an impact, and who need us to spark their fire. If Noah's family had not helped him seek a connection to the church and to Christ, he may never have known what it means to feel the Holy Spirit.

 

There is no reason, absolutely no reason, why the old fire and its old power cannot be revived. And it must be revived, because people like Noah are the future of our church, and the fire of the Holy Spirit has been given to us to share, not to hide under a bushel. The light of our church and the Spirit is not just for our church family, but for each individual we touch, within and without the walls of our sanctuary.

 

So let your light so shine before men, because God is waiting for us to do His work!

 

"Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You?" Psalm 85:6

Reflections and Corrections

I have a couple of different topics to address today. 

The first is that I have made a mistake. In one of my previous posts, I discussed the stained glass windows of our church and mentioned that four were lost in the fire. That's actually incorrect: we lost five. One window was broken to allow the firefighters to reach the fire, and the other four were destroyed by the fire itself. Those four were on the front side of the building, and the broken one was the last one on the side facing the parking lot. Thanks to Forrest for the help! :-)

My second topic is our recently retired pastor, Brother Don. Today was his last official Sunday as our preacher, and today he delivered his last sermon. He talked about his favorite verse, the Parable of the Sower, which is Matthew 13:1-23. 

In the parable, the sower scattered his seeds in good soil, rocky soil, soil overgrown with weeds, and the hardened path. The seeds were scattered into four different places, and only the seeds from one place came up. The parable means that only a few people who receive the Word of God actually become Christians. Brother Don urged us to spread more seeds and call more people to The Lord, and to hope that, even though the sower only had a small number of crops that bore fruit, we can do better than the sower and touch more people's lives. 

Sometimes, when years have passed by, we look back on what we have done and the things we left behind, and the memories seem like just a reflection of the real thing, like light shining through a glass. But the light comes from God, and the lives we've touched will stay with us forever. 

Thanks, Brother Don, and Happy Retirement! 

Pentecostal Power

Today is Pentecost Sunday.

What is Pentecost? Well, it's kind of a big deal.

"Pentecost" means "fiftieth day" in Greek. It's the fiftieth day after Passover. In Exodus, Passover was when Moses and the Hebrews put lamb's blood on the doors and windows of their homes so that the Hebrews would be spared while the Egyptian children died. The result of Passover was that the Hebrews were freed from slavery in Egypt, and Passover became a Jewish holiday after that. Fifty days after leaving Egypt, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments that the Hebrews were meant to live by. Pentecost became a celebration of the Ten Commandments for the Jewish people.

Pentecost is a Christian celebration, too. Acts 2 tells us that the disciples were gathered together in a house in Jerusalem when there was a noise like a great wind that entered the house. Tongues of fire came down to them, and they began preaching in different languages. When people came to investigate, everyone in the crowd heard the disciples preaching in their own native languages, which amazed them, because all of the disciples were from Galilee. Peter preached the story of Jesus to the crowd, and according to Acts 2: 41, "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." Pentecost was one of the most important holidays for the early church, second only to Easter.

When I was a child, the story of Pentecost was always my favorite in the Bible. I had no idea what the word "Pentecost" meant, and if you had asked me to explain Pentecost, I probably couldn't have. But if you asked me to tell you the story of the disciples and the tongues of fire, I'd tell you in a heartbeat. I remember my mama telling me the story and saying that each of the disciples had a flame lit on their shoulders that day, and that each and every one of us, as Christians, carry that exact same flame. I remember looking over my shoulders, picturing that flame sitting there with me. It was a source of great comfort, and I have never forgotten those words.

As Christians, Pentecost is important because it was the day the Gospel was spread to people of different nations. It was the true beginning of the ministry of Christ's church after His Ascension. Because of that day, and because of the Holy Spirit, we are here today.

But as United Methodists, Pentecost has, in my opinion, a special significance. The symbol of the United Methodist Church is the cross and flame. That flame is the Holy Spirit, the same flame that filled the early disciples and the same flame that calls to us. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, and it's also the day when we can look around and see the Holy Spirit in our lives. John Wesley said that his heart was strangely warmed, and it's up to us to spread that warmth to all people.

On Pentecost Sunday, United Methodists change the paraments on the altar to red. Red symbolizes the fire of the Holy Spirit. As Christians, what sets us on fire?

Transition Time

This week, we'd like to wish our pastor, Brother Don, a happy retirement. Brother Don has been our pastor at Summit UMC since 2004, and now he has decided to retire. He has served our church to the best of his ability and we appreciate his efforts and support through the years. 

Tonight, our Pastor-Parish Relations (PPR) committee will find out who will take over for Brother Don as our next pastor. We're very excited to meet our new preacher and welcome him even as we say goodbye to Brother Don. 

We'll certainly miss Brother Don, but we also hope for an even brighter future. 

"But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 

He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, either by our message or by our letter. 

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word." 

                                                           ------2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 HCSB

Behind the Name

I'd like to share with you the story behind the name of this blog.

Since we are a church, I'm sure the stained glass part makes at least a little sense. Our church has a unique set of stained glass windows that were donated by members of the church for the old building in 1957. All but three of the windows were rescued from the fire that took the old building in 2012 and are incorporated into our new building. One of the windows, the lily window, is the background picture of this blog. Our windows, because of their sentimental ties, are irreplaceable. I can't tell you how grateful and overjoyed we were when each window was brought to the church, repaired and refurbished and installed in their rightful places. Each time a window was put back in place, it brought tears to every eye.

The railroad tracks are a little less obvious, but in my opinion, no less important. Our church has a long history with the railroad. According to More About Summit, written by Randall South, a prominent member of our church, the church's first building was a log structure built in 1878 on land deeded to the church by its members. The railroad in this area was put in place just eight years before. When a spark from a passing train set a bridge and the church on fire in 1908, the congregation rebuilt the church with a frame building that was funded with compensation from the Illinois Central Railway Company. This frame building lasted until the church building I grew up in replaced it in 1957.

It's rare that a day goes by when the sound of a train's blowing whistle or churning wheels doesn't punctuate a Sunday service or church function. The railroad track curves past the cemetery and around the churchyard. Trains chug by carrying empty cars, heavy loads of coal, the occasional boxcar, and sometimes even military equipment. The sounds of clacking cars and locomotive wheels squealing on the steel track never bothers our congregation, however. We have grown so used to the sound that it's a background lull, something that is always there but never noticed until someone points it out---much like the way the Holy Spirit works in our lives, as a comforting presence that we may not see until we reflect at the end of the day.

When I decided, with the support of our lay leader, to begin a blog for the church, I asked for advice on what the name should be. After all, a catchy name is one of the most crucial aspects of gaining an audience. I was walking up the hill to the church with my mama, and a big green engine with no cars came trucking by and went around the bend. It blew its whistle, loud and long, and in the distance, after it passed, the whistle sounded again. As we went down the sidewalk to the door, we talked about how strange it was that the train wasn't pulling anything and how odd it was that the engineer blew the whistle in two places that trains didn't normally whistle. As she opened the door, my mama asked me if I had ever managed to think of a name for the blog and said that she thought it should have something to do with the stained glass windows.

"Stained Glass and Railroad Tracks," I said. "How about that?"

The name stuck, just like our church stuck by the railroad through one fire, and just like our congregation stuck with the church after a second fire.

Stained Glass and Railroad Tracks. It's all about our history.

Memorial Day at Summit UMC

I wanted to set up the blog with a special day, and I think Memorial Day fits the bill. Summit has a lot of history, and many people have been a part of our church. Each and every one of them should be remembered, especially our veterans, who served to ensure that we have the safety and freedom to keep a church alive.

Here is a list of just a few of the people who served our country and had ties to our church. May we never forget them or their service. 

Veterans In Summit Cemetery

 

William A. Alvey

Edward Ashlock

Gilbert Campbell

Charles Cash

Grayden W. Cecil

James T. Claggett

Jerry Clark

Clarence Cole

Arthur Duggins

James Hart

Jesse H. Hart

Philip Hart

Yuman Hart

Kenneth Ray Hazelwood

Kenneth Ray Hazelwood, Jr.

R. B. Lively

Crystal Love

William Mattingly

Charles Moore

Carracticus Nichols

William B. Nichols

Culley Richardson

Edger Richardson

Finley Richardson

Glenn Richardson

Lawrence (Buck) Richardson

Neil Richardson

Oral Richardson

Walter Richardson

Jesse St. Clair

Clyde Terry

Fonnie Terry

James Terry

Charles Watkins

Oren R. White

Charles Wilhelm

Kenneth Wing

 

Special Remembrance for

Glenn Hammons who is buried at London, Kentucky

Mike Sarver who is buried at Stephensburg, Kentucky

David Heath who is buried at White Mills, Kentucky

Elmo Smith who is buried at Honolulu, Hawaii