The Spire. Child Dedications March 4, 2018 WOODMONT CHRISTIAN CHURCH MARCH 6, 2018

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1 The Spire WOODMONT CHRISTIAN CHURCH MARCH 6, 2018 Child Dedications March 4, 2018 Barrett Alton & Elizabeth Duke Harrison, son and daughter of Phillip and Christie Aidan Russell McAbee, son of Donovan and Megan Sutton Anne Carter, daughter of Blake and Stefanie

2 Amber Moss joins Woodmont staff as Executive Assistant to the Senior Minister After 10 years as Client Relations Coordinator for Aegis Sciences Corporation, Amber Moss is the latest addition to Woodmont s support staff! With experience in a wide range of administrative functions in the healthcare field, Amber is an immediate asset to Woodmont. Her primary responsibilities include providing direct support to our senior minister and serving as a liaison with the congregation, leadership, and public. Amber lives in Ashland City with her husband Brian and their two children, Kaylee (9) and Gage (5). In her spare time she enjoys weekend trips with her children, spending time with friends, and date nights with her husband. MINISTERIAL STAFF Dr. Clay Stauffer, Senior Minister Dr. C. Roy Stauffer Minister of Adult Education & Church Life Rev. Justin Gung Minister of Children & Congregational Care Rev. Chris Cox Minister of Youth & Their Families Dr. Donovan McAbee Minister of Spiritual Formation Farrell Mason Minister of Family Life & Pastoral Care Sign up at woodmontchristian.church/habitat Lunch volunteer still needed for Sunday, March 11! Signup link above. PROGRAM STAFF Michael Graham Music Ministry Director Abby McLean Children s Ministry Director Katie Sheridan-Gossage Assistant Youth Ministry Director Andra Moran Creative Director, The Bridge Stephen Daniel King Worship Leader, The Bridge Alexis Waggoner Intern for Adult Education and Discipleship Lauren Lucas Beuerlein Young Professionals & Couples Director SUPPORT STAFF Chris Beck Business Administrator Martha Duff Preschool Director Sam Marsh Property & Facilities Manager Jan Anderson Administrative Assistant Amber Moss Executive Assistant Anne-Marie Farmer Small Groups & Connections Director Matt Diffenderfer Communications Director For the most up-to-date information, download Woodmont s Realm church directory app. Search for Realm Connect in itunes & Google Play. Harerimana Farida, who along with her husband, Ayubu Jackson, is the recipient of Woodmont s 2018 Habitat House March 4, 2018 pg 2 Woodmont Christian Church 3601 Hillsboro Pike Nashville, Tennessee

3 Generosity and the Kingdom of God by Clay Stauffer During the season of Lent, we emphasize the importance of spiritual growth which involves spiritual disciplines. Spiritual growth does not happen by chance. It must be intentional and planned. We must carve out time for worship, prayer, reflection, scripture reading, small groups, journaling, meditation, fasting, and service to others. There is one spiritual discipline that is often left off the list generosity. Generosity is very important when it comes to our faith. I went to a conference a month ago in Washington, DC where Rev. Tom Berlin, a United Methodist Minister in Virginia, was the keynote speaker. Tom wrote a book called Defying Gravity: Break Free from the Culture of More. In the book, he talks about the Kingdom of God and how it is different from the kingdom of self. We live in a culture that promotes the kingdom of self. Social media largely drives the kingdom of self. Advertisers play into the kingdom of self. Berlin says, In the kingdom of self, people often end up wounded; but Jesus taught and demonstrated that when people are present in the Kingdom of God, they are healed. In the kingdom of self, grudges prevail; but in the Kingdom of God, people are forgiven of sins. In the kingdom of self, envy, strife, contempt, and bitterness abide, but in the kingdom of God, kindness, compassion, love, and justice reign. The question that we must ask is, How are we intentionally working to build the kingdom of God in a culture that promotes the kingdom of self? Berlin goes on to say, This orientation toward God s kingdom is life-altering. It creates an identity founded in generosity. Generous people see themselves, their lives, their purposes differently than people who are weighed down by financial gravity. Generous people are more interested in what they can give than in what they can get (Berlin 40). I think Berlin is right. One of the ways that we work to build the kingdom of God is to support the church and all of its ministries. The mission and ministries of Woodmont are fully dependent on our generosity. Being generous does not mean giving what s left over or tipping God. It means sacrificial giving and being intentional with our resources. The Bible talks about tithing, or giving ten percent of our income to support God s work. Tithing involves giving off the top, first fruits, and not waiting to see what remains. In recent years, Woodmont has grown substantially in its generosity. This chart shows the significant progress we have made: $3,500,000 Total Budget 343 Total Budget Total Committed CommittTotal # of Commitments $3,000, /2008 $ 1,274,939 $ Total 1,066,193 # of Commitments $2,762, /2009 $ 1,498,102 $ 1,327, /2010 $ 1,565,200 $ 1,330, $2,532, $2,419,375 $2,457,4155 $2,500, /2011 $ 1,730,819 $ 1,421, $2,229,000 $2,224,695 $2,245, /2012 $ 1,802,624 $ 1,543, $2,100, /2013 $ 1,967, $ 1,725, $1,967,063 $1,977, /2014 $2,000,000 $ 2,100,000 $ 1,845, $1,802,624 $1,845, /2015 $ 2,229,000 $ 1,977, $1,730,819 $1,725, /2016 $ 2,419,375 $ 2,224,695 $1,565, $1,498,102 $1,543, /2017 $1,500,000 $ 2,532,492 $ 2,245, $1,421,999 $1,327,717 $1,330, /2018 $1,274,939 $ 2,762,500 $2,457, $1,066,193 $1,000, $500, $- 2007/ / / / / / / / / / / As far as we have come, the challenge remains for us to keep growing in our giving as individuals and as a congregation. The challenge remains for us to be generous people so that Woodmont can reach its full potential. April will be our stewardship month. Jeremiah and Mary Clare Pyron will lead the campaign again and this year s theme will be, The Power of Generosity. April is when we ask our members to submit estimates of giving so that we can plan our budget responsibly. I hope you will begin to prayerfully consider how you can support the ministries of Woodmont in the future. One of the signs of a healthy church is that it is a generous church, which includes time, talent, and treasure. As Churchill famously said, We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give. Generosity is a big part of the Christian life, and the ministries of Woodmont are changing lives every day. Blessings, pg 3

4 Birthdays March 1st-15th: SAVE THE DATE VBS 2018 JUNE James Drinnon 3/1 Murphy Smothers 3/6 Luca Stephan 3/1 Henry Giompoletti 3/7 Savannah Pearl Smith 3/2 Guy Ryerson 3/7 Sophie Steele 3/4 Kate Rose Organ 3/8 Mills Kopf 3/4 Ross McGuigan 3/12 Mann Smothers 3/6 Mary Randall Drinnon 3/15 SAVE SAVE THE THE DATE DATE JUNE JUNE VBS VBS Vacation Bible School Mark your calendars for one of our most exciting weeks of the year, Vacation Bible School! From June 26th-29th we will ride the Grizzly River Rampage! From Tuesday through Thursday, we will have morning hours from 9am-12pm with Friday being an evening all family worship, dinner, and some surprise activities from 5pm-7pm. Make plans to join us! Vacation Bible School is for children who are 4 (or currently in the Pandas Sunday School class)4th grade. Registration will be out soon so get ready! 2018 Easter Egg Hunt Please join us for a pizza picnic following the egg hunts! RegistraTion coming soon RegistraTion RegistraTion coming coming soon soon pg 4

5 Spiritual Bestsellers by Farrell Mason To know and be known by God is a life-long endeavor. I find it requires the efforts of one s intuition, heart and intellect. Life in all of its heartbreaks and glories has turned me for good or bad into a spiritual curio; biblical scholarship, spiritual memoir, hagiography, poetry, nature and intimacy with my fellow human beings enables me a peek into the heart and creative mind of God. During Lent, I stack my bedside table with voices that stimulate my soul. One day, my children will inherit a library of ear-marked and red-lined texts, literary maps if you will, that have helped me find my way, endeavor a greater intimacy with my Creator and nourish that mustard seed of faith within. Following are a couple of books that continue to inspire and nourish me deep and creatively! Christian Mystics, 365 Readings and Meditations by Matthew Fox: A colleague of mine recently recommended this book as a daily meditation during Lent. Each day you are gifted with the illumined words of Christian mystics such as Thomas Aquinas, the historical Jesus, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich and Thomas Merton. The spiritual experiences of those who have come before me provide a beacon for my own spiritual journey. In the first week, there was a quote that I had never heard by Jesus but that I have committed to soul memory: Split the wood I am there; lift the stone and you will find me there. Broken Open, How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser: I hope one day that I will be blessed to meet Elizabeth Lesser in person. Both her memoir, Broken Open and The Seeker s Guide have challenged the way that I understand how life s struggles and setbacks are an alchemical blessing to my evolving. Lesser is both empathic to the difficulties of being human, but also convinced they are the secret to the evolution of who we are and the open door to deeper connection to that which is larger than ourselves. She is a voice of hope. The Pursuit of God by A.W Tozer: God leaps off the pages of this book. This is a must read for the spiritual seeker. There are so many quotes from this book that have become part of my soul vocabulary. If we truly want to follow God, we must seek to be otherworldly. A spiritual kingdom lies all about us, enclosing us, embracing us, altogether within reach of our inner selves. Immortal Diamond by Richard Rohr: Rohr speaks on God and faith in a vernacular that speaks volumes to my spirit. He believes in a benevolent, redemptive and loving God that is at work in this world through and all around me. I appreciate his theology and his hope for our world. Bread And Wine, Readings for Lent and Easter: This is a collection of meditations by well-known theologians such as C.S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, Frederick Buchner and Mother Theresa focused on the Easter journey. I break this out every year. An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor: I have every single one of her books. I sat on the front row like an unapologetic groupie when she came to Nashville several years ago. This particular book is an invitation to wake up to God in your midst. It s a winner! Here s to loving God with our mind! Live in Hope, Farrell pg 5

6 Calendar Sunday, March 11 9:30 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary, Sun. School Smith child dedication 9:45 a.m. Disciples Class with Justin Gung, Room 232 9:45 a.m. Worship at The Bridge, Drowota Hall 11:00 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary, Sun. School Durbin child dedication 5:00 p.m. Jubilation Youth Choir, Youth Wing 5:45 p.m. Youth Group, Youth Wing Monday, March 12 3:00 p.m. Geezers, Boardroom Tuesday, March 13 7:00 a.m. Exploring the Contemplative Path, Campbell West 9:00 a.m. Women s Prayer Group, Campbell-Stone 9:30 a.m. Women s Bible Study, Room :30 a.m. CWF Circle #1, Boardroom 10:30 a.m. CWF Circle #2, Room :30 a.m. CWF Circle #3, Campbell West 10:30 a.m. CWF Circle #4, Room 100 6:00 p.m. Handbells Rehearsal, Choir Room Woodmont Book Club The March meeting of the WCC Book Club will be held on Tuesday, March 20, at 10:30 in Room 100. Anita Demiter will lead a discussion of Tennessee author Peter Taylor s book, In The Tennessee Country. Everyone is invited to attend. Wednesday, March 14 6:15 a.m. Men s Small Group, Room 100 7:00 a.m. Original Men s Bible Study, Room 105 7:00 a.m. Younger Men s Bible Study, Boardroom 5:30 p.m. Grace Notes practice, Kids Commons 5:45 p.m. Wednesday Fellowship Dinner, D.H. Roasted Vegetable Salad Corned Beef and Cabbage Vegetarian: Colcannon Irish Soda Bread Kids: Bubble and Squeak 6:15 p.m. DivorceCare, The Bay Room 6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room 6:30 p.m. Holy Yoga with Brooke Lovelace, Room 200 6:30 p.m. Waiting in Hope, Campbell West 6:30 p.m. Ending Our Uncivil War with Jim Brown, 105 Friday, March 16 & Saturday, March 17 Room In The Inn, South Hall

7 PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY SYMPATHY TO: The family of Shirley Taylor, our church Custodian who passed away March 5. She had a stroke March 4 as a complication of the flu/pneumonia/ kidney infection that she had been fighting in the Intensive Care unit of Centennial Medical Center for the last 7 or more weeks. She was pronounced brain dead and they removed her from life support. She went peacefully. Arrangements are being made at this time. FEBRUARY 11: FEBRUARY 18: FEBRUARY 25: MARCH 4: SUNDAY SCHOOL: ATTENDANCE: Woodmont's 2018 Habitat Build March 3 & 4, 2018 OPERATING: $47,004 $50,029 $19,621 $52,953 Martha Hobby and family on the death of a dear aunt, Peggy Mitchell, last night in Fayetteville, TN. Services scheduled later this week in Fayetteville. CONGRATULATIONS TO: Shelby and Bradley Ray on the birth of their daughter, Stella James Ray, born February 12, Stephanie and Kennon Askew on the birth of their daughter, Cline Louise Askew, on Saturday, March 3, Big sister is Rowan, big brother is Batton. NEW CONCERNS: LuAnn Brent - outpatient hand surgery on Friday (Baptist Surgery Center, on the MidTown campus), CONTINUING CONCERNS: John Carpenter Ben Cherry, at home (with round the clock care) Gayle Cherry JoAnn Patterson Jim Phillips Al Richardson, The Meadows Isse Waddey George Wiles, infant son of Brent and Ann Wiles FAMILY OF MEMBERS - CONCERNS: Laura Crenshaw s friend, Paul Lawler s nephew, Paul Markos in Oxford MS. Kimmy Bennett s friend, Angela Poston-Kornegay, in Tuscaloosa, AL PRAYERS FOR OUR WORLD This week, Woodmont s elders ask you to pray specifically for: The Habitat Build. The Family for the Habitat home. All those who were affected by the flooding and tornados. Search for a Missions Staff person. That we prepare our hearts during Lent for Christ s Resurrection. pg 7

8 Nonprofit Org. US Postage Paid Nashville, TN Permit No.1204 New Elder & Deacon Chairs