Hilltop Happenings
Pennington United Methodist Church
2745 Pennington Bend Road, Nashville TN 37214
Rev. Bud Alexander
Phone 931-260-2174
Email: [email protected]
Vol. 19 No. 05
March 11, 2015
PRAISE GOD
Office Hours M-W-F 8:30am-1:30pm
Office Phone 615-883-3074
Church Admin: Judy Dahlgren
Church Email: [email protected]
In the movie "Taken", Liam Neeson plays retired CIA agent Bryan Mills whose daughter
Kim is kidnapped. Kim is hiding under the bed and calls Bryan on her cell phone. Bryan
tells her she is about to be taken and to leave her cell phone on so he can listen for clues.
One of the kidnappers speaks into the phone, and Bryan tells him to let Kim go or he will
track him down. In a famous line of his famous speech, he says, “I have a very particular
set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career.” He is confident that his skills
will allow him to rescue Kim.
How would you assess the skills of faith you have acquired, whether over a short or long
career? Perhaps you have full confidence in your faith. Or, maybe not. To me, faith is a
skill that can be honed by practice, but it is not about the absence of doubt. It is the choice
to believe in the face of doubt. Faith is not just an act of confidence, but an act of trusting
when you have no confidence, and it is a particular skill that takes practice. It is hard to
trust when you do not have confidence.
How do you practice faith? Perhaps by placing yourself in places where you are not
confident, in places where doubt might be the strongest feeling you have. In Mark 9:24,
when asked by Jesus if he has faith, a father with a sick child says, “I believe. Help my
unbelief.” I very much relate to that sentence. I want to be like Bryan Mills and have full
confidence in my particular set of skills. However, I am much more like the father in Mark.
Faith is a particular skill and it can be acquired, honed, and practiced, but I still have the
vulnerability of doubt. Even if it takes a very long career to develop it, sharpen your faith.
And, trust that faith is not the absence of doubt, but the skill to trust in the middle of doubt.
Bud
Rev. Harriet Bryan, District Superintendant will preach SUNDAY, March 15.
Pot Luck Luncheon to Benefit "Imagine No Malaria"
Immediately after Church Service
Sponsored by UMCOR & The United Methodist Church
Missions will provide desserts
Pennington United Methodist Church
2745 Pennington Bend Road
Nashville, TN 37214
615-883-3074
www.pennumc.org
Note from Virginia Doak
I still miss everyone and look forward to receiving my
Newsletter. I cannot express how much this communicatiion
means to me.
My new mailing address:
1801 Data Drive, Apt. 233 Hoover, AL 35244
Thoughts and Prayers, Virginia
****************************************************
Friday, March 20
Chefs- Nancy Sawyer, Cherry Jones, Joan Peay
Hosts- Nancy Sawyer, Richard Jones, ____________
Driver- Richard Jones
WONDERFUL
WEDNESDAY
MEALS
5:15 pm
Please make reservations or changes by 12 Noon
on Mondays by calling or emailing the church office.
March 11 - Fried Chicken, Apples, Green Beans,
Salad & Bread
March 18 - Meat Loaf, Macaroni & Cheese,
Lima Beans, Salad & Bread
Childrens activities & Bible Study will follow.
==========================================
Missions ProjectS
ROom in the Inn is back at Pennington.
Congregational Care Committee and Schedule
There is a need for men's warm jackets, hats,
Below is the 2015 Schedule for contacting individuals that
gloves, single sheets, pillowcases & blankets,
are in need of a visit, phone call or card. If you cannot serve Please place the items on the clothes rack in the
the month selected for you, call the next person & swap.
fellowship hall.
Please let Chairman Ray Henderson know of any changes.
Second Harvest Please remember to bring cereal
Deborah Vines
March & September
the first Sunday of each month. We need your help
Mike Sullivan
April & October
to fill bowls for those less fortunate. You may bring
Louise & Ray Henderson
May & November
your boxes to the altar during Communion. These
Nancy & Sam McGuire
June & December
boxes are taken to our community Second Harvest
Jo & Bill Hardison
July
Fredia & Br. Ed McClellan August
location at St. Phillips Episcopal Church where we
**************************************************** have teams volunteering each month. Current
needs are empty egg cartons &canned fruit (not
Easter Egg Hunt + Saturday, April 4, 10am
mandarin oranges).
Candy is needed for our Easter Egg Hunt. Please bring
If you would like to know more, please contact
the candy by Palm Sunday so we can stuff the eggs.
Cherry Jones or Andrea Dedman.
(Individually wrapped candy)
Thank you, Brenda Jansen
Community Care Collection boxes are in the narthex.
****************************************************
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
9:15am Sunday School
10:25am Worship Service
6:00pm UMYF 5:15pm
6:00pm
6:00pm
7:00pm
Wonderful Wed. Meal
Bible Study
Wonderful Wed. Kids
Choir Practice
MEN'S MEETING
CHURCH COUNCIL
POT LUCK LUNCH
Room In The Inn
GOOD FRIDAY REHEARSAL
MEN'S MEETING
COMMUNITY CARE
PALM SUNDAY
GOOD FRIDAY REHEARSAL
MAUNDY THURSDAY
GOOD FRIDAY
EASTER EGG HUNT
EASTER
SECOND HARVEST
Thursday, March 12, 6:30am
SUNDAY, March 15, 8am
SUNDAY, March 15, 11.30am
Friday, March 20
SUNDAY, March 22, 11:30am
Thursday, March 26, 6:30am
Friday, March 27
SUNDAY, March 29
SUNDAY, March 29, 11:30am
Thursday, April 2
Friday, April 3
Saturday, April 4, 10am
SUNDAY, April 5
Monday & Tuesday, April 6 & 7
BOX TOPS for Education Please save the labels from
food packages and soup cans. They will be collected for
Pennington Elementary School.
There is a small container on the table outside of the
Church office.
BY OUR SERVICE
VOLUNTEERS
Nursery
Beverly Birdsong
March 15
Fredia McClellan
March 22
Fredia McClellan
March 29
Fredia McClellan
April 5
Lauren Wood
April 12
Registration Pickup
* Jo Hardison
Sunday Service Greeters * Fellowship Class
Church Lockup
* Richard Jones
Congregational Care
* Deborah Vines
BY OUR WITNESS
• Bearing witness means we remember, but memory is
not enough.
• Bearing witness means giving testimony, but statements
are not enough.
• Bearing witness means learning from history,
but knowledge is not enough.
• Bearing witness must also mean acting against evil.
(Robert B. Zoellick)