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The Open DoorPublished monthly by and for the members and friends of
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From the Minister |
From the Parish Nurse |
Session Committee Articles |
Session Meeting Highlights |
Notes of Appreciation |
Notes of Sympathy |
Prayer Calendar |
Remember to Pray for These |
Memorial Gifts |
Birthdays |
Youth News |
Special Needs |
Monthly News |
Thoughts to Ponder |
Calendar |
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I love the Lord, for he has heard me and listened to my prayer . . .. Lord, teach us to pray . . . .
There is an old saying that “the one who sings, prays twice.” Although there are many kinds of prayer (thanksgiving, adoration, petition, supplication, confession, lamentation) and many kinds of reasons that we pray, the final goal of prayer is always to make us mindful of the peace and presence of God. If we pray because “it works,” we are wasting our time. Prayer is not just another scheme, a religious gimmick, a supernatural technique for getting our way. In prayer we realize that we are helpless before God. We pray because we have no other choice but to make ourselves vulnerable and open to the presence of the divine. Thus, prayer flows out of our deepest need, out of our greatest agony, our utmost pain. Ann Lewin writes: “Prayer is like watching for the kingfisher. All you can do is be where he is likely to appear and wait.” Or as Mother Theresa once said: “Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of God’s self.”
There is a scene from the movie Shadowlands that depicts a conversation between Harry and Jack (C.S. Lewis) following the news that the cancer that has invaded Joy (Lewis’s wife) has gone into remission:
Harry: I know how hard you have been praying, and now God is answering your prayer.
Jack: That’s not why I pray, Harry. I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.
Prayer undoubtedly can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. When, like the disciples of old, we ask Christ to teach us to pray, may we remember that prayer is more about listening than asking, changing ourselves than changing God, finding peace than necessarily finding answers.
May God grant us grace to be a people of prayer.
Marc
Happy May to all of you!I am glad to be back at work after surgery.As I explained last month, my steerage committee and I are putting together a nutrition and exercise dieter's workshop. My article today will preface our efforts: Carbohydrates – Are they evil?
Actually, carbohydrates are useful.After a hard workout, carbs rebuild worn muscles and primes the body for further exercise. According to the American Council on Exercise, the best time to eat is following exercise. You can look at it this way - our cars will only run when they are filled with gas.So it is with our bodies - carbohydrates are our main source of energy during physical activity. Carbs are stored as glycogen in our muscle cells; during exercise this glycogen is broken down to replenish the body. Without the necessary carbs, you could feel fatigued during your next workout.
The amount of carbs eaten after exercise depends on the duration and intensity of your workout. Experts at the American College of Sports Medicine state: "Carbs should be eaten 30 minutes to an hour after vigorous exercise since that's when the body will act like a sponge and absorb the nutrients. Some post-workout snacks may include cooked pasta, rice, English muffin, oatmeal or low-fat yogurt."
Recent research shows that a combination of carbs and protein can also help the body recoup. Protein helps repair muscle damage, but carbs are "king" when it comes to replenishing carbohydrate stores. However, it is to be noted that high protein after exercise is not good either because it can slow rehydration. The general guideline is a carb intake of a half-gram per pound of body weight. For example, a 150- pound person should eat about 75 grams of carbs, or the equivalent of a cup of cooked pasta. Those of us watching our weight should limited carb-rich snacks that are high in simple sugars like cookies and cakes and eat more nutritious carb sources like legumes and whole-grain cereal.In the recent workshop I attended, the speaker stated that almonds and walnuts, while high in fat, are good for you. The fat they possess is the hdl (good) kind.
To your health ............. Deb
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[A reminder that session meetings are open for members to attend unless the session goes into executive session; the minutes of the session are are available, by appointment, for review in the church office] |
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... none listed for this month ...
Youth Sunday, originally scheduled for May 9, will be shifted to a later Sunday in May due to the number of activities/events taking place the first two weeks of May.
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Wedding Invitation
Barbara Williams, Dick Evans, and Celia Simon invite all our Bethel Family who have watched Ellen grow up to celebrate with us as she and Matthew Kellogg are married on Saturday, May 22, 5 pm, at John Knox Center. The reception following the ceremony will feature Spencer Parks' barbcue. Please RSVP to Barbara Williams at 865-988-6941 or bacochrane@aol.com by May 10. |
GRADUATION 2004
Caleb Sherrod would like to invite everyone to attend his High School Graduation at RCHS May 14th at 8 P.M. in the football stadium.
Rea Evening Circle
In May the Rea Evening Circle begins the study of W. Frank Harrington's book First Comes Faith: Proclaiming the Gospel in the Church. Because Mother's Day is on the 2nd Sunday this month, the meetings will be held at the church on the 1st (May 2) and 4th (May 23) Sundays at 6:00 P.M. Marilyn Gaffin agreed to serve as the Rea Circle leader beginning in May.
Rea (ray uh), a Hebrew word, means "a friend who is as your own soul."
BIRTHDAY OFFERING
Bethel's Presbyterian Women (PW) host a joint meeting and pot luck lunch on Sunday, June 6th, afterservices.The meeting celebrates the PW Birthday Offering.Birthday Offering began in 1922 when each woman was asked to donate the number of pennies in her age (or a dollar if she wished her age to remain anonymous) and the funds were given to mission projects.The tradition continues and the offering received today supports up to five large projects selected each year by the Creative Ministries Offering Committee.list of the 2003 projects is available on-line at http://www.pcusa.org/pcusa/horizons/HrznJnFb03/Bday2003.htm
EARLY SUMMER SERENDIPITY
Bethel Church - May 19th & 26th and June 2nd and 9th
7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
Come, and discover (with new friends and old) new talents and gifts! Through personal time and in Small Group interactions you can develop your God given talents and engage in activities that will breath new life into you! Through these Small Group Opportunities...you will be able to set aside some time for fellowship and discovery...as you gather together with others on this journey called “Bethel”!
WHAT’S UP?
Early Summer Serendipity at Bethel Church is a Small Group Opportunity and will be getting started with three great options for fun and fellowship!
These FOUR SESSIONS will be held on May 19th & 26th, June 2nd & 9th.
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MUSIC DEVELOPMENT SMALL GROUP Bob Jones will be hosting a four week “Musical Jam Session”! The Music Development Small Group will provide an opportunity for participants to: 1) Enhance your musical talents: 2) Develop relationships with others: 3) and contribute to the Worship at Bethel during the summer! The Group will meet once a week, sharing the Word, and learning a song or two that could be used as anthems during summer Worship! Anyone who has a desire to play an instrument or sing with the group can participate! Join us as we Jam! |
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CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP SMALL GROUP Carolyn Matthews will be offering a four week Creative Writing Workshop! Anyone wanting to explore creative writing (poetry, fiction, and/or creative nonfiction), and anyone already engaged in creative writing and would like to grow in his/her craft, be supported, and enjoy the company of others who want to write…is invited to join us! |
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POTTERY WORKSHOP SMALL GROUP Helene Ricker will be offering a four session Pottery Workshop! During the first session Helene will introduce us to different types of pottery. The next three sessions will be hands on in Helene’s pottery studio! (Workshop limited to six ... so ... we may have to draw straws to see who participates!) |
SIGN UP FOR SUMMER SERENDIPITY
Brochures Available in the Narthex and Church Office. Our first Early Summer Serendipity Gathering will be after the Church Supper on May 19th! Any Questions? Call Pat Harvey at 376-4767; Carolyn Matthews at 590-1422 or Bob Jones at 376-4434.
SUMMER MUSICIANS
A sign up sheet for summer musicians for the Sunday worship will soon be posted. Please begin thinking about ways you or someone you know could contribute to our worship experience this summer. If you have any questions, contact Mary Ann Hensley, (865) 988-3708.
BOOK GROUP
| The Book Group will meet on Thursday, May 27 at 7:00 P.M in the churchbelow the sanctuary.(Note time change!)Ruth Ann Ludwig will be hosting.Our book for the month is Miracle at Philadelphia:The Story of the Constitutional Convention May - Sept 1787 by Catherine Drinker Bowen.The book group is open to anyone in the community. |
SUMMER MISSION TRIP
2004 INTERGERATIONAL MISSION TRIP NEWS
Short-term mission opportunities offer an effective way to teach and disciple people! When we read the Gospels…we see how Jesus took His disciples along as He ministered. He actually launched them to minister on their own! A Mission Trip is one way for each one of us to see God at work in and through us! This years Mission Trip will serve these purposes!
Our 200 Intergenerational Mission Trip has been in the planning stages for many months. We have a group of people working out the details (Mark Banker, Marc Sherrod and Pat Harvey). Bethel Youth put together a very successful Youth Auction to help raise funds for this years Youth Mission Participants! This auction was so successful – the Youth’s entire airfare has been paid for!
What we need now is probably the most important part of this whole preparation phase…YOUR PRAYERS! Please keep the youth and the adults involved lifted in your prayers. We need prayers for wisdom, safety, discernment and unity! We also ask that you pray for the people we will be serving in New Mexico!
Its hard to believe…but on June 16th, twenty people will be sent out in Mission from Bethel Church! We will travel to Nashville – and arrive in Albuquerque (around 8:00 p.m.) and drive to Holy Faith Episcopal Church in Santa Fe (where we will spend the night). The next morning we will see a few sights in Santa Fe and then travel on to Tierra Amarilla (a small town a few miles from the Colorado border in northern New Mexico).
During the week our Bethel Team will engage in an array of service activities (depending on each participants interests and skills). Some of us will work in a child care center (where we will delight the children with puppets and stories…and help the children make puppets of their own!). On another day will work on home repairs, painting, or landscaping … what ever the need! We are looking forward to sharing the Good News of Jesus with out hands, hearts and minds!
On behalf of the Youth and Adults participating in this year’s Mission Trip, we thank you for your support – and prayers! THANK YOU … for your investment in this work!
The Evangelism Committee met on Thursday, April 1. A new brochure is being put together to replace the "Welcome" brochure already in the pew slots.It will have photos and information about activities in the church. It will also be used when visiting and inviting new people in the community to our church. We also began discussing the fact that there is no information on the outside of our church informing people about what is going on inside the church. We are discussing what can be done about that. We have an average of 130 people at our Sunday morning service but there has been a sharp decrease in visitors.
NEWS FROM PROPERTY AND PERSONNEL
The work behind the educational building is done.Bethel Work Day is set for Saturday morning, May 15. We'll start around 8:30.Bring gloves, yard tools, and anything you think you may need to work on the grounds. A list of needed chores will follow in bulletins of May 2 and 9. Thanks in advance for your participation in this event. Session approved an initial consultation with Foxhollow Goodson to address the buildings and grounds needs expressed during the visioning process. Please be in prayer for this process.
After serving as Disbursements Treasurer for over six years, Nancy Landers is resigning to give more time to her family, including her mother who lives out of state. Nancy and Clay Landers ran parallel systems in late 1997 with long-time Treasurer Bob Ludwig to convert the church financial records and check books to computerized systems. When Bob retired at the end of 1997, Clay and Nancy continued the conversion to Quicken and Nancy accepted the responsibility of serving as Bethel’s Disbursements Treasurer. Nancy has subsequently taken Bethel’s accounting system through several computer system conversions, most recently to QuickBooks Pro, an integrated system that handles payroll, accounts payable, check writing, accounting, and financial reporting. Her expertise has allowed the consolidation of all of Bethel’s many special funds and accounts into one church accounting system. As a member of the financial policies task force, she played an integral part in developing and implementing church financial policies. Brenda Bunch is our new Disbursements Treasurer. Nancy’s resignation was effective in April and Brenda Bunch has accepted the responsibility of serving as her replacement. Session members and the Stewardship and Finance Committee give a big THANK YOU to Nancy for the great job she has done. Nancy will continue to serve on the Stewardship & Finance committee.
STEWARDSHIP & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Stewardship & Finance Committee Report Changes in Fund Balances
January through March, 2004
| Undesignated General Fund($) |
Undesignated Bequests, Memorials and Reserve($) * |
Special/ Designated Funds ($) |
Total Funds ($) |
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| Beginning Fund Balances |
75,082 | 145,693 | 136,877 | 357,652 |
| Income, Year to Date 3/31/04 |
58,769 | 652 | 5,163 | 64,584 |
| Expenses, Year to Date 3/31/04 |
-49,838 | 0 | -1,029 | -50,867 |
| Ending Fund, Balances 3/31/04 |
84,013 | 146,345 | 141,011 | 371,369 |
* Includes Reserve Fund of $60,000 |
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PARISH LIFE NEWS
MOTHER/DAUGHTER LUNCHEON
MAY 8, 2004
It's this time of year again! Mothers and daughters prepare for another wonderful time of fun, food and fellowship, This years Mother/Daughter luncheon will be on Saturday, May 8 at noon in our own nicely decorated Fellowship Hall. We will have a delicious catered lunch for $7.00 per person which consists of chicken salad, congealed salad with fruit, banana bread, dessert and drink. Reservations need to be made on or before Friday, April 30 at the church office. When you make your reservations, please indicate if you need a vegetarian plate. Watch for details in our Sunday bulletins.
HONORING OUR GRADUATES
We will be honoring our High School Seniors at our May Fellowship Supper on Wednesday, May 19. Please join us for this wonderful occasion and congratulate our fine young people on their accomplishments: Becca Dailey, Shawn Hart, Bram Hyder, Chelsea Richmond, Caleb Sherrod and Thomas Cantrell. We also want to congratulate Amy Evans who is graduating from The University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.
The Bethel Jr. & Sr. Highs attended First Presbyterian Church in Knoxville on April 18th. There were 13and 3 adults that went. The purpose of the visit was to observe the differences in worship services between our church and other Presbyterian churches in the area. Boy were we in for a surprise! They were having a special musical mass in place of a sermon. There was an orchestra and a large choir doing a mass entirely in Latin. We had a written translation which helped us understand the message.order of service was basically the same as ours. We decided that if we visit another church, we will be sure to go on a Sunday when they are having a regular service so that we can compare apples to apples. Although it wasn't what we had expected, it was an interesting experience for us all.
YOUTH SUNDAY
Youth Sunday, originally scheduled for May 9, will be shifted to a later Sunday in May due to the number of activities/events taking place the first two weeks of May.
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youth speak
Awesome April April found the youth of Bethel very busy with the following activities. On April 4th the youth dyed Easter eggs for the children of inmates at the regional prison. On March 18th several of the youth attended morning worship services at First Presbyterian Church in Knoxville. This outing was chaperoned by our own Linda Brown and Gary LeMasters. Following the service the youth went back to Linda’s home for a cook-out. On March 25th preparations began under the leadership of Rev. Sherrod for the Youth Sunday service. Looking Ahead to May The Roane County High School Band will be traveling to Florida on April 27th – May 2nd. Belthel Youth who are involved in this speical trip include Chelsea Richmond, Justin Murr, Becca Dailey, Caleb Sherrod, Hannah Sherrod, and Matt Hines. The band will perform in a parade at Universal Studios. Addtionally, the group will visit St. Augustine, Sea World, Daytona Beach, and Daytona Speedway. Have a wonderful and safe trip. On May 2nd, Caleb Sherrod will participate in the Knoxville Youth Symphony Spring Concert which will be held at the Tennessee Alumni Hall. On May 6th, the Cherokee Middle School Band will perform their Spring Concert at the Roane State Comm. College. Belthel Youth involved in this activity include John Richmond, Ellen Dailey, Brittany Clark, Eden Sherrod, and Rachel Dailey. On May 7th, the Roane County Chorus will have their Spring Concert at 7:00P.M. in the Roane County High School Auditorium. Chelsea Richmond is a member of the Roane County High School Chorus. If I have failed to mention other choir members please forgive me.-Amber Enjoy the sounds of the Roane County High School annual Spring Band Concert on May 10th at Roane State Comm. College. The Roane County High School graduation cermonies will be held on May 14th. Graduates from Bethel this year include Becca Dailey, Thomas Cantrell, Shawn Hart, Bram Hyder, Chelsea Richmond, and Caleb Sherrod. Congratulations on all your hard work, and we wish you much success in all your future endeavors. Your efforts will be recognized at the family night supper on May 19th. _ CHEERS _ Rachel Daily is participating in a program entitled DEATH (Drug Education and Teenage Help). This is a drug awareness program sponsored by the Kingston Police Department. The program will go into the local schools and teach youth about the dangers of drug abuse and what resources are available. The members of DEATH will present a program before the end of this present school year. Andy Holloway participated in a math contest along with 25 fellow students from Roane County High School on April 20th, at Roane State. Andy participated in the Pre-Calculus Division. The results were not known as of this printing, but we wish Andy and his teamates the best! Jacob Murr traveled to Nashville in April with the Kingston Elementary School Chorus to perform for the legislature in the Capital Building. He participated in a duet for one of the songs. Jacob is in the gifted program at Kingston Elementary School and will be graduating with honors on May 20th. He is very excited about beginning Cherokee Middle School in the fall. ••••••••••• American Bike Month Do you have a bike? Do you always remember to wear your helmet and follow bike safety rules? You might want to rent the movie American Flyer starring Kevin Costner from a few years ago. It has wonderful cycling scenes, as well as awesome western scenery.
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To Bethel ,
We would like to thank you for the cookies and the beautiful Easter Lilies. The residents really are enjoying them. If we can ever do anything for any of you, just let us know. God bless!
Tammy Borum, Debbie Lowery, Leigh Mayberry and all the residents of Wellington Place.
... none this month ...
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.
NELDA TOON 376-5370
Julie Bunch |
MARK BANKER376-2118 Doug Choate |
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JANE WALSH Tollie Banker |
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