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The Open Door
| Bethel Presbyterian Church ~ a community of faith, fellowship, study and service ... Seeking God's peace, justice and love ~ |
VOL. 34 NO. 12 Marc Sherrod, Minister December, 2006
E-Mail & On-Line Newsletter
A number of the members have responded regarding saving postage and mailing by reading the newsletter online. If you wish to add your name to that list, call (865-376-6340) or e-mail the church office.
We also maintain a master list of e-mail addresses. Please include yours if you wish.
ALINE TERRY TRANSPORTATION FUND
This service is free for friends and members of Bethel. If you have a transportation need, please call the church office at 376-6340. Please be ready to tell us the date and time of your appointment and what time you want to be picked up. Some of the places we transport to are: doctor’s office, hairdresser, library, post office, grocery store, and shopping. We drive as far as Knoxville. We are open to other suggestions, also.
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“The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok . . . Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” (Genesis 32:22-23)
This morning has I write this, it seems like the proverbial dream – or at times, nightmare – since late in September when I was diagnosed with cancer. I have a hard time recalling all that has happened, especially the ten days of hospitalization, but I can still remember the dazed, bewildered look on the faces of family members as I gained consciousness after the initial surgery and translated their looks and demeanor into the reality of my quite serious condition. Whether in the days following I have thought of this ordeal in medical terms, as a spiritual crisis, or as only a bad dream, it has remained a “dark night of the soul” as I have sometimes felt – and still sometimes fear – that I am, like Jacob of old, on the losing end of yet another battle with the divine presence on the banks of Jabbok River.
Through it all, however, the amazing gift of your prayerful support and affection have helped keep me awake in the darkest hour of the night, strong enough to endure surgeries and the paradox of chemotherapy’s horrendous side effects yet its promise of healing. And so, in these days following Thanksgiving, and as we move into the Advent Season, I give thanks for your heartfelt gestures of compassion and mercy – everything from cards and calls to food and flowers, from financial support to pitching in to help keep the work of the church moving forward. Thanks to all whose “load” with regard to church responsibilities has been made heavier in my absence, yet who have carried the extra weight with grace and gratitude. The list of kindnesses received by me personally is virtually endless, but I would want to add a word of thanks for the quite special gift of a handmade healing quilt presented by the children of the church. To Julie, Charlie, Will, Thomas, Paul, Jon, Lyric, John, Brianna, their teachers, and all others who helped make it possible, I count your gift as a wonderful symbol of God’s love and the promise of new life we all have as we trust and wait patiently in hope.
The next 5 months or so will include chemotherapy on a 21 day cycle as well as at least one series of 15 days of radiation treatments concurrent with the chemo. Making sure blood counts remain as close to normal as possible will mean limiting exposure to possible infection and any other hindrance to the healing process, so please continue to understand that I must be careful with regard to the timing of being out in public, especially when that involves close contact with others.
Know that I wish each of you well in your varied pursuits, that you and the work of the Church are in my prayers, and that the promise of Advent is real and as close as ever this year.
Your partner in sharing the Gospel,
Marc Sherrod
As we continue in the holiday season, several of us might want to look at what we can do to keep healthy. It is a medical fact that a 30-minute walk can increase the number of leukocytes (white blood cells that fight infection). Many exercise books maintain that moderate exercise such as walking is found to be very useful in maintaining our health. When you walk, make sure you walk at least 30 minutes and at least 3 times a week. If walking is "not your thing" consider this: exercise like a kid again. Finding the right activity to brighten your mood or keep you healthy can be tough; but it doesn't have to be.
According to the Prevention.com article "Exercise Like a Kid Again", there are some grown up versions of some childhood favorites. For instance, if you liked to play 4-square, try playing tennis or racquetball. If you were a tree climber, perhaps an indoor rock wall would suit you. If you were a dodge ball champion, get out your volleyball and get up a game. If tag was your game, you probably would benefit from a group activity such as joining a bicycling, jogging or hiking group. Personally I liked "Red Rover". This article specified that I should try some martial arts like karate or tae kwon do. I have tried tai chi and have enjoyed it immensely. Julie Bunch leads a beginning class for tai chi if you are interested.
I believe that physical activity helps you mentally and physically. Of course, after our holiday feasts, there are those pesky increased pounds that need to be dealt with. I wish all of you the best holidays ever!
As always, to your health ...
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[A reminder: session meetings are always open for members to attend unless the session votes to go into executive session per Robert’s Rules of Order; the minutes of the session are available, by appointment, for review in the church office]
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... none reported for November ...
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The month of December brings many opportunities to share our bounty with others, and our prison ministry team could also use your help. We’ve been asked to help provide some Christmas cheer to several inmates who have no families or loved ones. We are very limited in what we can do; specifically, we are allowed to order a package of food items from a commissary in Arkansas. The packages will be delivered directly to the inmates. We have been given a total of seven order forms for seven inmates, and the suggestion is that we order approximately $20 worth of goodies for each one. If you would like to adopt an inmate, or if you would like to contribute money, please contact Karen Schall for more details.
Also in December, our regular 5th Sunday worship falls this year on New Year’s Eve! If you’d like to attend, please check with Karen (it will be at the usual 7-8:15 time slot, not at midnight).
The First Saturday Series at Bethel will continue on December 2 at 10:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall.
The speaker, David Gaffin, is a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Morristown, where he has been since 1998. The Morristown office is responsible for issuing forecasts and severe weather warnings for all of east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and extreme southwest North Carolina. David has conducted several research projects (which have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals) concerning the effects of the southern Appalachian mountains on local weather. He’s planning to write a book for the general public about southern Appalachian weather using some of this research. He’ll present his initial rough draft at this First Saturday talk.
Some topics that will be covered include how the mountains affect the temperature and precipitation patterns, and why there can be a large difference in the amount of snow observed across the Great Tennessee Valley versus the mountains. In addition, he’ll discuss some interesting and unusual weather events that were the result of mountain influences. Also, the five most significant flooding, snowfall, and tornado outbreak events to affect the southern Appalachian region since 1950 will be examined.
Light refreshments will be served, and the general public is invited to attend.
Be sure to make plans to take part in the annual Hanging of the Greens this Sunday, December 3rd. If you haven’t taken part before, you won’t want to miss it! It’s an all-church affair — there is something for everyone to do, from the youngest to the eldest. We begin at 3:30. There are craft activities for the children, youth are in charge of decorating the sanctuary Christmas tree, and adults are in charge of everything else — erecting the life-sized Nativity in front of the church building, hanging wreaths and greenery in the windows, and helping the children with crafts and kitchen activities.
In the evening we’ll all come together for a simple meal of soup and sandwiches, and a time for reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. After supper, we’ll process to the sanctuary for worship, hanging the greens as we ponder the symbolism of each element.
This year’s theme is “Out of the Stump of Jesse.”
Circle II of Bethel Presbyterian Women will meet on Tuesday, December 5th at 1 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall for a “Cookie Exchange” and Carol Sing. All the women in the Church are invited to come and bring a dozen cookies to eat (with coffee and tea), and a dozen cookies to exchange.
The Whitestone Singers will be appearing at Whitestone Inn on December 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23. Folks who wish to hear them should confirm the dates when they make reservations.
The book group will meet on December 7 for an early Christmas celebration at Joni Morgan’s home. Everyone who enjoys good fellowship and a lively discussion is invited to attend. For this meeting you should bring: a book (new or used), gift wrapped for a gift exchange, a salad or dessert to go with Joni’s soup, and ideas for books you’d like to discuss in the coming year. See Joni for directions to her house.
Christmas Joy Offering
As we enter the Advent Season, it is again time to think about the Christmas Joy offering. This is one of four special offerings that we as Presbyterians give to each year. The others are One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost and Peacemaking. These offerings all have a special purpose and are designed to be in addition to our regular giving.
The Joy offering is divided between Racial Ethnic Schools and the Ministries of Board of Pension Programs. Each week of December there will be an insert in the bulletin telling of the people whose lives have been affected by these offerings. I will be giving a minute for mission on December 17th with more details on how the gifts are used and there will be envelopes in the pews on the 17th and 24th to use for your gifts. The Sunday school children will receive a small bank to collect change in to be presented on the 24th.
It seems that Christmas is a time when all organizations are asking for donations of time and money. We have Christmas baskets and angel trees, bell ringers, Operation Reach, Mission of Hope, and Toys for Tots. There are so many needs, especially at this time of year, and I don’t know of a more caring or giving church family than we have here at Bethel. It warms my heart whenever I think about being a member of that family. Please prayerfully consider your gift for the Joy offering and give as you feel led.
Yours in Christ,
Linda Brown & the Stewardship Committee
Christmas Baskets
The Angel Tree filled with angels for adoption has returned to the back of the sanctuary.
Many thanks to the many people who have already adopted an angel. If you wish to adopt an angel, after selecting a name, please tear off the back angel and leave it with the Mission Outreach member who will be assisting and keeping track of children and sponsors.
Please return all wrapped gifts to the church before Tuesday, December 12 for distribution Saturday, December 16. If possible, please put all the gifts for each child together with the angel. Each angel will have a number and letter. The number represents the family and the letter represents the child in that family. Also on each angel will be a list of clothing items and sizes for each child as well as a suggestion for a toy/book/CD/DVD/etc. Please check each item purchased. There is no obligation to buy everything the child wants.
In addition to the food baskets and items for the children in the families, the Mission Outreach Committee plans to provide a smaller food basket and gift for approximately 10 elderly families. These have already been adopted.
If you would like to help the elderly in our community there is a hand out from Mid East in the bulletin listing the hygiene items needed for a large number of elderly. There is a basket under the Christmas Tree where these items can be collected. As indicated by the Mid East handout, there are over 300 needed elderly people in our community. Also, the MO committee would like to include a small gift such as a flannel, knitted or crocheted afghan, booties or soft hat for people who might not be too active and chill easily. Handmade items would be perfect and a great way to use that left over material and yarn.
In addition to monetary contributions for food, we need shampoo, bath soap, bubble bath, dishwashing soap, combs, toothpaste, toothbrush (adult and child) and other items not covered by food stamps. These will be divided among the families.
Volunteers are needed for set up Friday morning to early afternoon, December 15. Please let Jane Walsh know if you can help. Volunteers are also needed for distribution Saturday morning, December 16 from 9:00 – 12:00.
Greg Murr and the children and youth of Bethel have been hard at work for the past few weeks, rehearsing their lines, learning their places, and in general having a wonderful time getting ready for this year’s Christmas pageant.
The play will be presented directly after Family Night Supper on Wednesday, the 20th. Gregg tells us that this year’s pageant will be in a traditional vein, with script based on the Bible passages in Luke and Matthew.
After the play, the cast and audience are invited back to the fellowship hall for cookies and punch.
A hearty thank-you, in advance, to Greg and all the others who worked so hard on this year’s pageant!
Memorial gifts were received in the months of October and November for:
Carol Jane Row
from Mac Robbins
Joyce Law
from Vernon Law
Dot Pierce
from Gene Pierce to “Miss Dot Hunger Fund”
Dot Pierce
from Buddy Patton to “Miss Dot Hunger Fund”
... none reported this month ...
Carol Brown and Karen Schall are exploring the idea of starting an intentional prayer ministry. We hope to gather once a week to share prayer concerns and pray actively for our church, our community, and our world. If you would like to participate, or if you have prayer concerns to share, please talk with either Carol or Karen. At present, we are meeting on Wednesday mornings at 9:45.
The volunteers and the board of directors of Hands of Mercy would like to thank the Roane County band members, their families and friends who participated in and attended the "The Battle of the Bands" this year.
Admission was non-perishable food items for the area food banks. We received thirteen of the twenty six cases collected.
We served 819 clients this month and our food supply was running low when we received the donations. It was greatly appreciated.
Joan Davis writes that several people have asked about purchasing her honey for gifts for Christmas. If people are interested in making honey gifts for Christmas, they can call or email for prices. Her phone is 376-7970 and email is jmdavis@pstcc.edu (Willow Mill Honey).
... nothing to ponder this month ...
IN HEALTH CARE CENTERS
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| NAME |
FACILITY |
Ruby Hunter,
Anne Robertson,
Christine Wood |
Harriman Health Care |
Muriel McKonley
(sister of Jean Young) |
Rae-Ann Nursing Home
(Geneva, Ohio) |
| Betty Baird Brown |
Alpharetta Healthcare Center |
Mac Robbins,
Anne Smith,
Louise Pickel |
Jamestowne |
| Evelyn Waldrup |
Baptist Healthcare (Lenoir City) |
Margaret True
Roberta Cash |
Rockwood Healthcare |
| Joan Pemberton |
Wellington Place – Kingston |
AT HOME
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Doris Barber, Madge Mounger, Ginny Warlick, Sue Carter, Wanda Carter, Al & Dot Davis, Tom & Helen Roostee, Marc Sherrod, Hugh Webb, Justin Trivette
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OUR SERVICEMEN
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Jason Brown
Geoff Winsbro
Robert Howard (son-in-law of Bill and Bobbie Martin)
Tommy Sandmel
T.R. Morgan
Kyle Foote, son-in-law of Alicia Webb
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The members and regularly attending friends of Bethel are assigned to elder care groups. Each month in the newsletter for your prayers, we publish the list of one or more elder care groups. The elder’s name and phone at the top of the list are listed as a reminder of their role in nurturing and supporting those who belong to Bethel. You should feel free to contact your elder or the pastor if you have a particular spiritual need or other matter that needs to be brought to our attention.
(*Non-member ^Shut-in +Inactive)
NELDA TOON (06)
376-5370
*Carter, John & Sue
+Crooke, Brenda & *Duane
Cross, Donald & Shara
Kirby,*Leonard & Bina
+Law, Paul & Pam
Maki, Tauno & Marge
Parker, *Robert & Elaine
^Pickel, Louise
Ricker, Helene
Shields, Marnie
Ulrich, Betty
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CHRIS BADGER (06)
376-6714
Barber, Doris
Brown, Carol
Ludwig, Ruth Ann
*Miles, Edith
+Patton, Buddy
+Patton, John Billings
Plummer, Bill & Jean
Sandmel, Dolores
Sheppard, Peggy
Tulley, Henry & Carolyn
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Jim Schall