A Tribute To Hildreth Hall
There is a lot happening here at the church right now, with Hildreth Hall being one of the busiest areas. We have carpets being replaced, walls being painted, rooms being renovated, lights being changed, and a stage being brought back. This building holds countless memories. I know many of you have been here longer than I have, and I'm sure you have plenty of your own. I have fond memories of Wednesday night dinners with my family after work at the preschool. I also recall many preschool events held in Hildreth Hall. Even though my son Henry is about to start middle school, I still remember him at 4 years old, singing adorable songs on the stage and participating in a Mother's Day tea during the preschool program.
As I walked through the building with Lorraine Taylor this week, we shared a laugh as she reminisced about a particular wall being taken down, then put back up, and now being taken down again. Robert Trigg affectionately remembers the spot he stood in the back left corner of the building during the choir for so many years. Over the almost 40 years since its establishment, Hildreth Hall has welcomed countless individuals through its doors. If walls could speak! This week, I sat down with some of the trustees and staff to reflect on all the amazing experiences that have taken place within that building.
Hildreth Hall has served as the primary worship sanctuary and, after Hurricane Sally, as an alternate worship space. It has also been a home for Sunday school classes and small groups. The hall has hosted a plethora of events including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, AA meetings, homeowner associations, church-wide Bible studies, Methodism 101 sessions, Bird Flu inoculation coordination, staff appreciation events, retirement parties, weddings, wedding receptions, funerals, baby showers, birthdays, Wednesday night dinners, Financial Peace University sessions, Emmaus reunion dinners, Gideon Bible distribution, sorting of school backpack distributions, early response teams for natural disasters, years of Vacation Bible School, a voting precinct, youth band practices, youth lock-ins, book fairs, chili cook-offs, breakfasts with Santa, Spring and Fall festivals, CPR training, active shooter training, Re-boot combat recovery sessions, a sorting station for "Feeding the Gulf Coast", thrift store Christmas parties, volunteer recognition parties, High School sports banquets, recreational league sports banquets, all-church government meetings, preparing pregame meals for the NHS football team, COVID response teams, choir and piano recitals, 30-hour famines, strategic planning weekends, hail and farewell events, tall and small ball gatherings, community craft fairs, Walk Through the Bible sessions, mission trip preparations and planning meetings, dinners with the disciples, the former staff offices and workroom, countless covered dish dinners, and numerous preschool events such as teas, lunches, parties, graduations, and Fitness Fridays.
Hildreth Hall has witnessed many changes within its walls, and it is safe to say that we haven't seen the last of them. However, amidst every paint color change, carpet replacement, and wallpaper installation and removal, one thing remains constant - the fellowship, community, laughter, and memories that have been created, and will continue to be created, within those walls for many years to come. As it transforms into an intentional space for kids and youth on Sunday mornings, it will still be cherished and utilized for all the incredible events yet to come. So, let's salute Hildreth Hall for its exceptional service to our church family!
Did we miss anything? Please comment if you remember anything special from Hildreth Hall that we forgot!
Firmware Updates
Have you ever felt like everything you do takes you one step forward, but then something outside your control takes you two steps back? That’s been my tech life for the past couple weeks. For almost a year we have had a key piece of equipment on backorder (It’s called a Dante card. It allows our sound board in the sanctuary to send all of the signals to our sound board in our live streaming room). The same day I found out they cancelled our order, I ran into a guy who just happened to have received two more than he needed for his church and we got it at a discounted price.
I went to install it yesterday, and it fit perfectly. I turned on the sound board and nothing happened. More specifically, the sound board didn’t recognize that the card was installed. The problem was one number was different. We used to have the v2 model. This new card, and the reason there was a year where no one could get their hands on one, is a v3. New and improved, but not compatible without a firmware update. So I updated the firmware of the sound board, not a big deal. But then the computer software that you need to properly install the card needed to be updated as well. Again, not a big deal. But before it would launch after the update, it wanted me to update the operating system of the computer and that’s where I hit the brick wall. It’s an old computer and can’t update it’s operating systems. In other words, there is nothing I can do to make this work with this set up. And it took me two hours into what I thought would be a five minute install to figure that out.
Bonhoeffer said in The Cost of Discipleship that “In the gospels the very first step a man must take is an act which radically affects his whole existence.” When we see the disciples leave their boat to follow Jesus, we might give it a cursory thought about it meant leaving their job. But if you spend any amount of time thinking about all the repercussions and ripple effects that would have meant for their lives, you will realize that their whole existence was affected.
Jesus still calls us to take steps towards following him. And just like 2000 years ago, in order to follow him we have to radically change our existence. It’s like the trail of firmware updates, when you change one thing you suddenly realize that it no longer fits in the current ecosystem. But what ends up happening is that everything tends to get better. When Peter gave up commercial fishing, he went from an ordinary life to following the son of God. He went from having to pull fish out of the water to having fish and loaves multiply and appear in his very hands. He didn’t have silver or gold, but in the name of Jesus he could command the lame to walk. He rose Tabitha from the dead, prison walls couldn’t contain him. Of course, when he took his first step towards following Jesus, he knew known of that. I don’t know what your next step will be. It could be getting more involved in a small group, it could be giving money, investing time and volunteering, praying more, or any of a dozen other things. But what I do know is that when you take. A step towards following Jesus, you will be different, and there is nothing better than that.
By the way, the tech thing is going to work out. The whole process exposed some areas we weren’t being as efficient as we could be, and the final system is going to be so much better than it would have been and we solved some other problems along the way.
Woodworking
Woodworking is one of my favorite hobbies. It provides a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. As you create something beautiful and functional from a simple block of wood, you can also learn valuable lessons about faith and discipleship. I want to explore the connections between woodworking and Jesus, and how this hobby can help us grow in our faith.
One of the most important lessons that woodworking can teach us is about creativity. When we work with wood, we are essentially bringing something new into the world. We are using our God-given talents and creativity to transform raw materials into something beautiful and useful. In the same way, God has given each of us unique gifts and talents, and he calls us to use them to glorify him and serve others. We can honor God through our creative pursuits, whether it's woodworking, painting, music, or any other art form.
Another lesson that woodworking can teach us is about patience. Working with wood requires a great deal of patience and attention to detail. You can't rush the process, or you may end up with a flawed or incomplete project. In the same way, following Christ requires patience and perseverance. We must be patient with ourselves and with others as we grow in our faith and seek to become more like Jesus. We must trust in God's timing and plan for our lives, even when things don't go as we expect.
Woodworking can also teach us about stewardship. When we work with wood, we are using a precious resource that has been entrusted to us by God. We must be good stewards of this resource, using it wisely and responsibly. In the same way, we are called to be good stewards of the other resources God has given us, including our time, talents, and relationships. We must use these resources in a way that honors God and serves others.
Finally, woodworking can teach us about the value of hard work. When we work with wood, we must be willing to put in the time and effort required to create something beautiful and functional. In the same way, following Christ requires hard work and dedication. We must be willing to put in the time and effort required to grow in our faith and serve others.
Woodworking isn’t just a hobby, it’s something that can teach us valuable lessons about faith and discipleship. By being creative, patient, responsible, and hardworking, we can honorGod through our woodworking projects and our lives as a whole. As we work with wood, we can be reminded of the ultimate woodworker, Jesus Christ, who gave his life to create something beautiful and valuable: our salvation.
The Heat Is On
As we take time this summer to go on vacation, spend time at the beach, and be lazy by the pool, before we know it the time for school to start back up. And what this thrift store has done this year is quite amazing.
The thrift store provided the funding for the the school back pack food program. This program took place in 7 local Navarre schools, providing a total of 14,161 bags of food for weekend snacks and meals for children in need. Each week approximately 393 bags were packed by over sixty volunteers. What an amazing accomplishment. School counselors expressed the appreciation and desire for this program to take place again this coming school year.
What is just as amazing as how this funding comes together, generated by the thrift store. Money just doesn't grow on trees. But in this case, it comes in bags of outgrown kids clothing, glassware that has been replaced, DVD movies that have been watched, books that have been read, and curtains that have been replaced. Donations are received at the donations door are then sorted, cleaned, tested, and then put for sale in the store. And frequently sold the same day they come in! This revenue then is deposited, and available for the purchase of food for the school children. The food, volunteers, and recipients are prayed for, and the packing begins!
How used household goods and clothing becomes food for growing kids is an awesome process. But it requires lots of people coming together with a common goal in mind. Making this world a better place for us all.
In the We Care office, we have the opportunity to meet and help many people. Recently a client came to the office, and we were able to provide utility assistance. Having 2 growing teenagers at home, we provided multiple bags of groceries for the household that day also. We suggested they talk with the school counselor about participating in the weekend food program. It is at this point in our interaction that the tears began to flow. The kids had received the bags of food this past year, and the astonishment and gratitude covered this client's face. They shared about how powerful prayer was in their life, and how thankful they were for not only for our help and ministry that day, but all along this past school year.
Helping people, providing hope, and giving out food. Yes, we do that. And it all starts at the donation door of the Good Neighbor Thrift Store. Turning goods into food. Helping others. That is what we do here. And ask any one of our 120 volunteers. We have a great time doing it!
Calling Big Jake
It may not be popular or politically correct in these posthumously judgmental and unforgiving times, but I am a big John Wayne fan. I guess it would be more accurate for me to say I am a big fan of the characters he played. Rooster Cogburn, Cole Thornton, Major Daniel Xavier Kirby, Col Davy Crockett, Wil Anderson, Col Mike Kirby, John Bernard Books, John Elder and more than one hundred and fifty others. The reason is not difficult to understand. As they did for so many other boys of my era, these characters had a great deal to do with teaching me what a man should be - tough on his enemies, loyal to his friends, a gentleman with women, and deeply committed to those he loves. We learned that men should always act with courage and honor, never shoot anyone in the back, and always be tough but fair, whatever the cost. To this day, I still have occasion to ponder how a John Wayne character might handle a situation in which I find myself. No - my WWJD bracelet is not about the “Duke,” but there are days when it could be.
It is difficult for me to choose one favorite John Wayne character, but clearly in the running is the man he played in the movie, Big Jake, Mr. Jacob McCandles. Released in 1971, Big Jake is not considered one of Wayne’s classics, but it has been a favorite of fans for more than fifty years. The Rotten Tomatoes summary of this movie goes like this:
“The avenging head of the McCandles clan returns to his estranged family and leads the search for his kidnapped grandson. Big Jake sets off, his sons in tow, to deliver the ransom to the kidnappers, but has little intention of handing it over without a fight.
It is a splendid movie with a great character, but that is not why I bring it up here. The real reason is a running dialog imbedded in the movie I could not get out of my mind during Annual Conference last week. You see, a major premise of the story is that Jacob "Big Jake" McCandles is generally thought to be dead, but he is really wandering the west as a gunfighter. So, there are several scenes where his character is told: “I thought you were dead,” to which McCandles responds in the negative, declaring: “Not hardly.”
It offers some light comedy relief for the movie, yes, but what in the world does it have to do with Annual Conference? Well, sometime during the conference, I read an on-line article that said the United Methodist Church was dead. Finding myself in one of those WWJD situations, I thought about the falsehood people were sharing with Jake McCandles and instinctively answered, “Not hardly!”
Our denomination is under attack by the enemy, and everybody knows it. When I tell someone I am Methodist, their eyes close, head bobs up and down and they say something like, “Oh, too bad what’s going on there.” They are right, but it is not as bleak as the tales on the grapevine would lead one to believe.
It’s true the last few conferences have been dominated by the dreaded “D” word – disaffiliation. For many churches, this issue has diverted attention away from Christ’s mission for the church and crippled ministry across the Annual Conference, but not everywhere, and certainly not here. While the media was on the outside portraying us all as going for one another’s jugulars, inside our Conference last week I witnessed God’s people disagreeing with civility, love, and grace in keeping with the spirit of Ephesians 4:31 – 5:2, which says:
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
And now, a new “D” word is taking hold in our Conference – discipleship! Here are a couple of examples.
We learned last month that AWF Conference has launched a new Ministry Strategy Team and appointed our District Superintendent, Jean Tippet, as its Director. Rev. Tippet’s team of “ministry cultivators” will lead our conference in planting new faith communities, as well as coaching our existing churches to reach new people in new ways. There are already eleven new ministry startups in progress, two of which are being spearheaded by former NUMC ministers. Check out https://www.awfumc.org/newsdetail/new-beginnings-two-churches-launch-to-serve-communities-offer-hope-17274744
I also ran into a former NUMC Associate Pastor at the conference. She is currently serving a church in the Florida Conference that chose not to disaffiliate despite the urging of its leadership. When disaffiliation failed there, the pastor and some of the leaders started a new church in the same town and took some of the old congregation with them. Today, these two churches are cooperating – working together to serve the needs of their community, while maintaining personal relationships and ministry connections – and both churches are growing! What the enemy meant for harm; God will use for good (see Gen 50:20).
The media does not understand. The United Methodist Church will not be going away. Out of death comes new life. That is at the heart of every Christian’s story, and I believe it will also be at the center of the UMC story. So, take those stories that say, “those Methodists are destroying themselves” or “that whole denomination is imploding” or “the UMC is dead,” with a grain of salt. I can confidently say, “Not hardly!”
Grace and Peace