Thank you, Ken, for your presence, your witness and your gift of music.
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As youth in the early 70s, many of us spent almost all day Sundays at church. Sunday mornings were spent at Sunday school and worship. We would go home for a couple of hours and then return to Brookhaven UMC for youth choir, dinner, UMYF, evening worship and then fellowship after worship. Often, during the summer, we used the parking lot to play volleyball.
Volleyball...I have somewhat a love/hate relationship with volleyball. My short stature and lack of athletic prowess made me a less than popular team member. I was always the last person picked to be on a team -until Dennis and I started dating - then I was next to last. Regardless, I enjoyed those times spent in fellowship. Relationships were formed that last until this very day. Some of us still see each other often; others only occasionally or only on Facebook. But our faith was formed in those days, and continue to be formed as our lives follow different paths. Those days on the volleyball court, otherwise known as the church parking lot, will forever be a part of who we are. The Community Thanksgiving Dinner is a long time tradition of Brookhaven UMC. The congregation purchases, prepares and serves a full Thanksgiving dinner to men and women who do not have family close by with whom they can share the meal or a place to gather. The meal is important, but just as important is the fellowship. Often times our guests are members of the Recovery community, men and women who are moving on from the grip of alcohol or addictions and whose lives are in a place of transition. Approximately ninety persons came through the serving line on Thanksgiving Day in 2017. As the church’s pastor, I was present to assist as was needed and to greet each of the guests. It was a delight to act as a welcoming host and I had warm interactions with each of the men and women. One interchange stood out. As I was speaking to one gentleman, he held my hand a little longer and looked at me with thankful and tearful eyes. “Pastor, I can’t tell you what this means to me. I made some mistakes in my life. I just got out of prison two weeks ago and I’m trying to make a new start. Its hard. But I just can’t express to you what it’s like to have a place like this to come to for Thanksgiving. To have all this good food. To not be alone and by myself. I just want to tell you, thanks.” God is a God of extravagance who calls us to abundance. As we share a portion of what we have received, it comes back ten fold.
Brookhaven has always found innovative ways to provide Vacation Bible School, from traditional to experimental. Over the years we have held traditional VBS with graded classes in conjunction with the Child Developmental Center, evening VBS with options for youth and adults, weekend VBS using traditional curriculum, and even Saturday theme-park VBS. This year was no exception. Gia Jones, Director of Children's Ministry, tied Vacation Bible School into the anticipation of a new school year with our "Back to School with the Golden Rule" Saturday event. She led a handful of faithful volunteers as we learned about Matthew 7:12 through story, song and crafts. What a great time we had learning, eating and playing together. Our small but mighty choir; I affectionately refer to them as the Brookhaven quartet. The four of them, under the direction of Don Jones, our Director of Music Ministries, faithfully provide music to support Sunday morning worship at Brookhaven United Methodist Church. On Sunday, June 10, they sang this spirited rendition of Standing on the Promises.
Thank you, Nancy Pettipher, Sheri Zimmerman, Dennis Kitchens, and Dan Burford for using your talents in worship. And thank you Don Jones for your remarkable and talented leadership. ![]()
"There was no money to buy a building site or erect a building. However, through the generosity of one of the members the congregation was offered the loan of a lot...on which they might build a temporary church with the privilege of removing the building when the congregation was in the financial position to purchase a lot.... [after an undetermined period of time] construction began, with all labor being done by the members and friends of the church, in their spare time - Saturday afternoon, holidays and at night - with most of the work being done at night by using lights from the automobiles parked around the building. The ladies had a definite and valuable part in the construction of the building, by furnishing refreshments and with some actually helping with the nailing and sawing of lumber."
"The building was completed during the last week in September 1923. To celebrate the completion of the building, a barbecue was held on the following Saturday. There were smiles upon the faces, and gladness in the hearts of all who participated, for here stood a house erected by faith and dedicated to the worship of God and to the service of mankind." |
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