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!