Bible Challenge 06/01 - 06/07

Greetings All!

This week we finish up the book of I Chronicles and begin our journey through II Chronicles.

The rest of I Chronicles contains a history of the reign of King David. The book of II Chronicles details the reign of David's son King Solomon in chapters 1-9, before beginning to chronicle in chapters 10 and following, the history of the kings of Judah down to the time of the exile.

For many people, history can be a bit boring at times. For me it's always been fascinating. Especially the history of the Bible. These are our spiritual ancestors and their story is a part of ours. While we may not be the ACTUAL kings or queens of Israel and Judah, the Bible tells us that we share in Christ's inheritance and sons and daughters of the King. And from their example we can see the importance of making choices and how our choices affect those around us.

Here is the schedule:

1, Sunday: I Chronicles 7-10

2, Monday: I Chronicles 11-14

3, Tuesday: I Chronicles 15-18

4, Wednesday: I Chronicles 19-22

5, Thursday: I Chronicles 23-26

6, Friday: I Chronicles 27 - II Chronicles 1

7, Saturday: II Chronicles 2-5

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Sermon Series - This Sunday is Ascension Sunday and with that we will spend our time looking at the power of witness. The ascension of Christ is more than just an event or a sign to prove our faith. It is much, much more. Come and join us this week as we talk about what this can and does mean for us as believers. Invite a friend and I hope to see you there!





2. Annual Conference - June 11th-14th this year we will convene in Lakeland to conduct the business of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This will be a time of reflection, worship, thanksgiving, and discernment. I would ask that you would be in prayer for the people that are involved that we will be open the movement of the Holy Spirit and go as we are lead. This is an important time in the life of our church and having it steeped in a foundation of prayer will be vitally important.







3. 2014 Annual Conference Bishop's Offering - Every year the Bishop collects and offering at Annual Conference to help with our mission and ministry to the world. The year the offering will strengthen efforts to engage young adults in the mission of God and develop leadership skills both here and in Africa. Half of the donations will go toward scholarships for students at Africa University in Zimbabwe and half will help launch a new intern program for young adults willing to serve in selected communities in Florida. If you would like to donate to this offering please turn it in by June 8th. Thank you for your support of our efforts to engage the next generation in the mission of God and to develop leaders who have a heart for service.





4. YMCA Summer Day Camp - Beginning Monday, June 9th the YMCA Summer Day will return to our campus for another summer of learning and fun. Please be in prayer for this camp, the children, the counselors, and our church, that we can be a beacon of love, hope, and encouragement, and that God can use this opportunity to do mighty things within all the people involved. This is such a great opportunity and we are truly blessed to be able to be a part of it.





5. Graduation Day - We would like to honor those people from our church family who are graduating from high school, trade school, vocational school, and/or college. If you have a member of your family that is taking that wonderful step in their life this spring, please let the church office know so we can make sure to include them in our celebration. You can call, 629-5688, or email by clicking here. Thank you!



See you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

Greetings All!

Have you ever heard the phrase, “All good things must come to an end”? This proverb was written around 1374 and it is accredited to Geoffrey Chaucer. Over our lifetimes I am sure most people have heard this phrase attributed to favorite TV shows that are going off the air, wonderful vacations that have concluded, and even relationships between colleagues.

This week we will utter this phrase collectively as we say goodbye to Carole. Carole began with Druid Hills in May 2007 and has served this church ever so wonderfully since. She has served with three pastors, three District Superintendents, and under two bishops. She has been an extremely vital part of our family for over seven years. She has served as our face to the public, working in the office greeting everyone as they visited us and she has been the one that knew the answers to our questions. She has done a masterful job with all that we have asked of her and we are ever grateful for the season of life we shared with her. Life will be different as we bid Carole adieu and therefore, all good things must come to an end. Please join me now in praying for Carole as she starts this new chapter in her life:

O God, you are the strength and the protector of your people. 
We humbly place Carole in your hands 
as she is about to depart us and move back to her home.  
Keep and preserve her, O Lord, in all health and safety,both of body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Carole, you mean so much to us. While we are saddened to see you go, we are so excited for you and your future. May you enjoy every good thing that comes your way. May God’s blessings be poured out upon you, till your cup overflows.

We thank you, we love you and we will miss you!

The Closeness of GodActs 17:22-25 and 26-31

Bible Challenge 05/25 - 05/31

Greetings All!

This week we finish up the book of II Kings and begin our journey through I Chronicles.

After Elijah goes to be with God, the story continues through his successor Elisha as he ministers to the northern kingdom of Israel. Chapter 5 includes the fascinating story of Naaman's healing. In II Kings chapters 11-12, the focus shifts to a young boy king in Judah named Joash who spends much time trying to restore the temple. Elisha dies in chapter 13 and here you also have a rather interesting account of what happens when someone is thrown into his grave months after his death. Talk about the power of the Lord! The downward spiral continues though in the kingdom of Israel as king after king fails to follow the Lord and by chapter 17 we see that the northern kingdom of Israel has fallen to the Assyrians, with many of the people being carried away into exile. We finish up with the narrative of the lives of the kings from Judah. A few more wicked kings are described before we get to the interesting story of the boy king Josiah and all of his reforms (chapters 22-23). But even he isn't enough to turn the tide of sin and false idol worship. After him, three more evil kings follow before Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians (chapters 24-25).

Then our attention turns to another of the history books, I Chronicles, and we will make our way through 6 of its 29 chapters this week. In many ways it should sound familiar because it is largely a retelling of the material found in I and II Samuel as well as I and II Kings. The book of I Chronicles really falls into two broad segments. The first, in chapters 1-10, contains mostly genealogical lists, concluding with the house of Saul and Saul's rejection by God. This sets the stage for the rise of David. The second segment then contains a history of the reign of King David.

Why are there so many books telling the same stories? Well in the Jewish canon of Scripture, Chronicles appears last making it then a summary of everything that has gone before and most likely the reason why the genealogy goes all the way back to Adam. But one of the calls of the Old Testament is to remember. God asks the people to remember constantly in their rituals, offerings, and festivals the great work that he has done on their behalf. Certainly we can see what happens in the books of history when Israel (and Judah) do not keep this knowledge of God close at hand and forget! As they stray away from God, they wander into dangerous ground spiritually, as individuals as well as a nation. We would do well to remind ourselves continuously - to remember what God has done and what happens when we try to do things in our lives on our own without Him!

Here is the schedule:

25, Sunday: II Kings 4-7

26, Monday: II Kings 8-11

27, Tuesday: II Kings 12-15

28, Wednesday: II KIngs 16-19

29, Thursday: II Kings 20-23

30, Friday: II Kings 24 - I Chronicles 2

31, Saturday: I Chronicles 3-6

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Sermon Series - This Sunday we will spend our time looking at our relationship to God. Many times we may wonder where God is, what God is doing, or if we matter to God. I love the fact that we serve a personal and intimate Creator. God is always with us, even we do not want God around. Come and join us this week as we talk our relationship to God and the role our attitudes and actions can play in that relationship.






2. New Study Series - We have started our new study by Rev. Mike Slaughter, Dare to Dream. Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this life? Have you ever struggled to discern what it is that God wants you to accomplish for the Kingdom?

Come and join us as we seek to answer these questions and more. Rev. Mike Slaughter has developed Dare to Dream to help people realize God’s dream for their lives, develop a mission statement based upon that dream, and then fully commit to the God-directed life mission they create. This class will be offered at 10am and again in the evening as part of our new FAD night, in the Fellowship Hall, each Thursday till June 5th. For more information and to sign up, please pick up a registration form in the narthex or click here. It is never too late to join!





3. F.A.D. Night - We are off to a resounding start with F.A.D. Night. We are averaging 50 people each week and are having a blast spending time with one another. I want to encourage you to come and join us in this time designed to unite multi-generations in fun and fellowship while giving us the opportunity to grow in our faith.

Each Thursday from 5:30-7:30 pm, we gather to share a meal and then take advantage of various opportunities, for all ages, to engage in discipleship growth. We have had such a response from the congregation we have been able to secure enough funds that we are discontinuing the charge for the meal. If you would like to donate to this ministry for the future, we would greatly appreciate your help.

There is choir for the children, youth group for the older youth and Bible Study for the adults. We will also mix in special opportunities throughout the year for us to do things as one large group, such as hear from speakers and other ministries, and also times to celebrate special milestones. One of the best ways for us to be all that God created us to be is to know each other as well as we can. A life lived together is a life lived for God. I hope you will make plans to be part of this opportunity and come grow with us!





4. Mission Opportunity - Two weeks ago, our S.O.S. (Sisters of Soul) sponsored a “Kitchen Shower” to benefit Kids Central, Inc. Kids Central develops & manages a comprehensive, community based system of care for abused, neglected & abandoned children & their families. Kids Central is committed to promoting the welfare of expectant mothers, babies, children & young adults through prevention services, in home care, foster care & adoption. When children “age out” of the foster care system, Kids Central assists them with setting them up in a place to live. You have given so graciously to this endeavor and I am grateful. This is just a reminder that this Sunday is the last week to donate items for the shower.

Your donation may be cleaning supplies like mops & buckets & cleansers or other new kitchen items such as dishes, towels, hotpads, pots & pans, glassware, etc. Thank you so much for your generosity and care as we seek to help and support this local ministry. All of us working together can make a real impact in the life of another.






5. Graduation Day - We would like to honor those people from our church family who are graduating from high school, trade school, vocational school, and/or college. If you have a member of your family that is taking that wonderful step in their life this spring, please let the church office know so we can make sure to include them in our celebration. You can call, 629-5688, or email by clicking here. Thank you!





Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

We just finished up our series on Extravagant Generosity and during this time this concept has obviously been on my mind quite a bit. Everything I have looked at, dealt with, and contemplated was all done through the lens of Extravagant Generosity.

I am sure you all have had those moments in your life where one idea, one concept, one discipline colored every aspect of your existence. Maybe it was an upcoming joyous occasion, unfortunately it can sometimes revolve around a tragic situation, and other times it can just be a season of life. No matter the situation that idea or concept becomes intimately entwined within every aspect of your life.

For me lately, this concept and discipline of Extravagant Generosity has been forefront on my mind. When I look to the missions and ministries we support here at Druid Hills and the ways our various circles and small groups are carrying out those missions and ministries, I am in awe. We have been so incredibly blessed by God and those blessings are being poured out to others.

Now I realize that some of what we have been doing in mission and ministry has a historical precedent here at Druid Hills. We have been doing some of these things for years and even decades. But I guess what I am trying to say is, how often do we notice all that is going on? How often do we stop and take notice of how the Holy Spirit is moving within this congregation? How often do we pause and take notice of what groups, other than ones we are involved in, are doing to build the Kingdom of God?

I want each and every one of you to be proud of this congregation. I want all of you to feel humbled at what God is doing through us. I want everyone to have a broad understanding of the impact that is made in this community and the world over, by the missions and ministries of Druid Hills United Methodist. I want what God is doing through us to be understood by all of us in this family and for all us to have a role in it.

This church is alive! I want to encourage all of you to help me in affirming the wonderful things that are happening here. I want to invite you to share with each other, share with your friends, share with anyone you can, the wonderful life changing things that are happening in our midst. I want to ask that if you see something truly amazing happening here, write it up in a newsletter article, ask to share it in the form of a testimony in worship, share it with me and everyone else so we can celebrate it with you. We are many hands, doing great work, creating life changing opportunities for the people around us. I want us to share that, celebrate that, and shout that from the rooftops! Please join me as we continue to feed the movement, live in the momentum, and share all that God has blessed us with.

It is a great day and I will see you all Sunday!

Matters of the HeartII Corinthians 9:6-12 and John 3:16

Bible Challenge 05/18 - 05/24

Greetings All!

This week we will finish reading II Samuel, read all of I Kings and part of II Kings.

Just as with the books of I and II Samuel, the books of I and II Kings were originally one long unbroken narrative. I Kings begins with the succession of Solomon as king after David and the story of Solomon's reign.

After Solomon's death the story starts to turn as the history of Israel moves from being one united country into two divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The northern kingdom is Israel, the capital is in the city of Samaria and is made up of the ten northern tribes. The southern kingdom is Judah, the capital is in the city of Jerusalem, and is made up of the two southern tribes (Benjamin and Judah). The Scripture becomes a narrative of the lives and reigns of the many different kings in the two kingdoms.

There are a few prominent people and stories in our readings. For example we get an extended look at the evil King Ahab of Israel and his interactions with the prophet Elijah in I Kings chapters 17-22. By the 2nd chapter of II Kings, Elijah is taken up to heaven to be with God.

Here is the schedule:

18, Sunday: II Samuel 22 - I Kings 1

19, Monday: I Kings 2-5

20, Tuesday: I Kings 6-9

21, Wednesday: I Kings 10-13

22, Thursday: I Kings 14-17

23, Friday: I Kings 18-21

24, Saturday: I Kings 22 - II Kings 3

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Sermon Series - This Sunday we will conclude our series aimed at helping us expand our generosity from obligatory to extravagant. Bishop Schnase writes, "Giving helps us become what God wants us to be. God uses our generosity to reconfigure our interior lives, to create us anew, and to foster in us 'the mind that was in Christ Jesus.'" Over the past several weeks we have tried to connect the spiritual role of generosity to daily financial discipleship. This week we will look to all of this boils down to the heart. Invite a friend and I hope to see you there!





2. New Study Series - We have started our new study by Rev. Mike Slaughter, Dare to Dream. Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this life? Have you ever struggled to discern what it is that God wants you to accomplish for the Kingdom?

Come and join us as we seek to answer these questions and more. Rev. Mike Slaughter has developed Dare to Dream to help people realize God’s dream for their lives, develop a mission statement based upon that dream, and then fully commit to the God-directed life mission they create. This class will be offered at 10am and again in the evening as part of our new FAD night, in the Fellowship Hall, each Thursday till June 5th. For more information and to sign up, please pick up a registration form in the narthex or click here. It is never too late to join!






3. F.A.D. Night - We are entering a new season at Druid Hills. We have many new faces, many new children, youth and young adults and we need a way to get to know each other as we grow together in our faith. Therefore, we started this weekly program to help us in that endeavor. We are calling it F.A.D. night, or Faith and Discipleship night, and it is designed to unite multi-generations in fun and fellowship while giving us the opportunity to grow in our faith.

Each Thursday from 5:30-7:30 pm, we gather to share a meal and then take advantage of various opportunities, for all ages, to engage in discipleship growth. We have had such a response from the congregation we have been able to secure enough funds that we are discontinuing the charge for the meal. If you would like to donate to this ministry for the future, we would greatly appreciate your help.

There is choir for the children, youth group for the older youth and Bible Study for the adults. We will also mix in special opportunities throughout the year for us to do things as one large group, such as hear from speakers and other ministries, and also times to celebrate special milestones. One of the best ways for us to be all that God created us to be is to know each other as well as we can. A life lived together is a life lived for God. I hope you will make plans to be part of this opportunity and come grow with us!





4. Mission Opportunity - Last Sunday, our S.O.S. (Sisters of Soul) sponsored a “Kitchen Shower” to benefit Kids Central, Inc. Kids Central develops & manages a comprehensive, community based system of care for abused, neglected & abandoned children & their families. Kids Central is committed to promoting the welfare of expectant mothers, babies, children & young adults through prevention services, in home care, foster care & adoption. When children “age out” of the foster care system, Kids Central assists them with setting them up in a place to live. There was such a turnout last week, they have decided to collect items for two more weeks. If you forgot your donation, want to make one, or even make another, there is still time to donate.

Your donation may be cleaning supplies like mops & buckets & cleansers or other new kitchen items such as dishes, towels, hotpads, pots & pans, glassware, etc. Thank you so much for your generosity and care as we seek to help and support this local ministry. All of us working together can make a real impact in the life of another.




5. Graduation Day - We would like to honor those people from our church family who are graduating from high school, trade school, vocational school, and/or college. If you have a member of your family that is taking that wonderful step in their life this spring, please let the church office know so we can make sure to include them in our celebration. You can call, 629-5688, or email by clicking here. Thank you!





Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday,

Midweek Moment

On May 4th, Becky Klotz announced that I had been re-appointed to serve as the pastor at Druid Hills United Methodist Church for another year. I want you to know that it is my privilege and my humble honor to be a part of the ministry that takes place here. So that means this July 1st will begin my 6th year among you in ministry.

I first of all want to thank you for the positive response to that news! That meant a great deal to me. I also want to thank you for allowing me to baptize your children and grandchildren. Thank you for giving me the honor to bless marriages. Thank you for finding us and taking the step to officially join us as members of this body of Christ. Thank you for coming each week to worship and for living out your faith among us. Thank you for supporting our ministries and programs with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and the word of mouth invitations you offered to others. Thank you for being open to allow God to transform your life and claim you as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

As I look back over the almost five years I have been here at Druid Hills, I am in awe at how different it is now. Our journey over that span has led us through significant transition in so many areas. We have been tested, we have been pruned, but above all and through it all, we have been blessed. Everywhere I turn I feel gratitude and gratefulness. Our membership has grown, our giving has increased, and our ministries have blossomed.

We have tried new things and collectively you have said “yes”. We have allowed ourselves to begin the process of being stretched spiritually and collectively you have said “yes”. We have dreamed big dreams, worked to turn them into realities, asked for you to support them, and collectively you have said “yes”. It is an exciting time to be a United Methodist at Druid Hills! It is exciting because you are here, because you have embraced the blessings God has for us, and because emphatically you have said…YES!

Last Sunday I shared a few of the ideas you all have brought to me about things we can incorporate into our ministry here. These ideas are new to our history and these ideas will make an incredible impact here and across the globe. I am so moved that you all have had these dreams and visions and I am just as eager to see how we can turn them into realities.

Change and growth are never easy. The term growing pains was established for a reason. But we have the power of the Holy Spirit on our side. We have the incredibly graceful nature of this congregation on our side. We have the peace and assurance that passes all understanding on our side. I am completely confident that as we try these new things, as we enter that uncharted territory, we will be met with joy, affirmation, and blessing. We just need to continue to step out on faith and do as Christ called us to do, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

I am looking forward to the things that God will do in us and among us in the coming year. So I want close by again saying “thank you.” Thank you for being open. Thank you for being faithful. Thank you for striving to be everything God created you to be. Thank you for being here!

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!

Extravagant Generosity: Vision and HopeII Corinthians 8:1-5 and Philippians 4:11-13

Bible Challenge 05/11 - 05/17

Greetings All!

This week we will finish reading I Samuel and most of the book of II Samuel.

The book of I Samuel ends with the death of Jonathan and King Saul. That story continues in II Samuel. In chapter 1, David hears of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan and lifts up a beautiful song of lament over their lives. Chapter 2 finds David being anointed king over Judah and the next few chapters show the problems between the house of David and Saul before David is anointed king over Israel in chapter 5. Chapters 6-8 detail some of the early victories and establishment of David's kingdom. But chapter 9 is my favorite. It's the story of David and Mephibosheth - one of Jonathan's descendants - and it is a rare story of amazing grace. Read it. Put yourself in the place of Mephibosheth. Read it again and put yourself in the place of David. It's remarkable.

The focus of this latter half of the book deals with the weaknesses and failures of David's reign as king. Specifically we find here the account of David's adultery with Bathsheba and complicity in the murder of her husband (chapters 10-12) as well as David's difficulties with his children and the loss of Amnon and Absalom (chapter 13-20).

Here is the schedule:

11, Sunday: I Samuel 25-28

12, Monday: I Samuel 29 - II Samuel 1

13, Tuesday: II Samuel 2-5

14, Wednesday: II Samuel 6-9

15, Thursday: II Samuel 10-13

16, Friday: II Samuel 14-17

17, Saturday: II Samuel 18-21

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

 

Friday Fives

1. Sermon Series - This Sunday we will continue our series aimed at helping us expand our generosity from obligatory to extravagant. Bishop Schnase writes, "Giving helps us become what God wants us to be. God uses our generosity to reconfigure our interior lives, to create us anew, and to foster in us 'the mind that was in Christ Jesus.'" Over the next several weeks we will strive to connect the spiritual role of generosity to daily financial discipleship. This week we will look to our vision and hope for the body of Christ. For a series schedule, please click here. Invite a friend and I hope to see you there!





2. New Study Series - We have started our new study by Rev. Mike Slaughter, Dare to Dream. Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this life? Have you ever struggled to discern what it is that God wants you to accomplish for the Kingdom?

Come and join us as we seek to answer these questions and more. Rev. Mike Slaughter has developed Dare to Dream to help people realize God’s dream for their lives, develop a mission statement based upon that dream, and then fully commit to the God-directed life mission they create. This class will be offered at 10am and again in the evening as part of our new FAD night, in the Fellowship Hall, each Thursday till June 5th. For more information and to sign up, please pick up a registration form in the narthex or click here. It is never too late to join!

3. F.A.D. Night - We are entering a new season at Druid Hills. We have many new faces, many new children, youth and young adults and we need a way to get to know each other as we grow together in our faith. Therefore, we started this weekly program to help us in that endeavor. We are calling it F.A.D. night, or Faith and Discipleship night, and it is designed to unite multi-generations in fun and fellowship while giving us the opportunity to grow in our faith.

Each Thursday from 5:30-7:30 pm, we gather to share a meal and then take advantage of various opportunities, for all ages, to engage in discipleship growth. We have had such a response from the congregation we have been able to secure enough funds that we are discontinuing the charge for the meal. If you would like to donate to this ministry for the future, we would greatly appreciate your help.

There is choir for the children, youth group for the older youth and Bible Study for the adults. We will also mix in special opportunities throughout the year for us to do things as one large group, such as hear from speakers and other ministries, and also times to celebrate special milestones. One of the best ways for us to be all that God created us to be is to know each other as well as we can. A life lived together is a life lived for God. I hope you will make plans to be part of this opportunity and come grow with us!





4. Mission Opportunity - This Sunday, Mother’s Day, May 11th, S.O.S. (Sisters of Soul) will be sponsoring a “Kitchen Shower” to benefit Kids Central, Inc. Kids Central develops & manages a comprehensive, community based system of care for abused, neglected & abandoned children & their families. Kids Central is committed to promoting the welfare of expectant mothers, babies, children & young adults through prevention services, in home care, foster care & adoption. When children “age out” of the foster care system, Kids Central assists them with setting them up in a place to live. We can help! Please bring kitchen supplies to Fellowship Hall following the Church Service on Mother’s Day. The members of S.O.S. will be sure to get them delivered to those in need. This may be cleaning supplies like mops & buckets & cleansers or other new kitchen items such as dishes, towels, hotpads, pots & pans, glassware, etc.All of us working together can make a real impact in the life of another.





5. Relay for Life - The Annual Relay for Life takes place today, Friday, May 9th at Trinity Catholic High School, beginning at 6pm. Please in prayer for this very vital and important event as we try to raise funds and awareness as we continue our search for a cure. If you have time please come on out and walk the track, visit with our church members that are there, and say a prayer. There is also a special Luminaria Ceremony that will take place this evening. If you have any questions please see Ann or Linda.




Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday!

Midweek Moment

Last week we had our first gathering of F.A.D. (Faith and Discipleship) Night and we had 42 people in attendance. I was so moved and excited by the wonderful turnout and I want to thank everyone who came out to support it. In fact, the support of this night was so strong that we have raised enough money to fund the meal for the rest of this initial six week run thereby making the entire event free! If you would like to donate to this ministry to keep this trend alive, we would gladly welcome it.

This purpose of this night, from my perspective, is to give us a chance to grow closer with each other. We have worship on Sunday, we have the lunch afterwards, and we have numerous small groups. But I think we need more opportunities to fellowship with one another. We need more opportunities to spend time learning as much as we can about each other so we can strengthen our bond as the family of God. You see, it is in that time of bonding that we can share ideas, share vision, learn more about our faith and through it all become more effective disciples of Jesus Christ.

If have been considering being a part of F.A.D. Night but are curious about what we do, here it is in a nutshell. We gather on Thursdays at 5:30pm, in the Fellowship Hall, and share a simple supper, prepared by a group of people from our congregation. Then we break up in small groups; the children go sing in the Sanctuary, the youth go the Library for Youth Group, and the adults stay with me for a study. Then at 7:15pm we all gather back in Fellowship Hall, sing a few songs and I dismiss us with a prayer. My vision for this group is that as we develop and grow we can have times where we bring in speakers from the ministries we support to share us what they are doing, times to keep the entire group together and do an arts and crafts project, have fun together with themed dinners and celebrations, and even grow to the point where we have several different options for the adult studies. There are so many ways we can go with this time together. Here are a few pictures from our time together this last Thursday.

 I want to encourage all of you to consider giving this time of faith and discipleship a try. Come and see what the Holy Spirit can do through you and within you during this time. Come and see what God might have in store for you as you give God the opportunity to share with you during this time. However, if this night does not work for you, if it does not fit into your schedule or preference, I would ask that you would pray for it. Pray that this time equips your fellow believers, pray that God can use this time to transform us, pray that this time is used to build the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.

Have a great week and I hope to see you tomorrow!

Matters of the HeartJohn 13:34-35 and I John 3:17-19

Bible Challenge 05/04 - 05/10

Greetings All!

This week we will read the book of Ruth as well as most of I Samuel. Ruth is the first book named after a woman. Ruth's devotion to her mother-in-law is endearing and touching and how she is rewarded for her faithfulness is nothing short of amazing (listed in Jesus' genealogy!).

I Samuel details the history of the Israelites as it details the life of one of their famous leaders, Samuel, who was the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. The first seven chapters deal mainly with his birth, calling and ministry, before turning attention to Israel's request for a king, fulfilled in the person of Saul.

By chapter 15 though, King Saul has been rejected by God because of his behavior. Young David is chosen by God and anointed by Samuel as king in chapter 16, then fights the famous Philistine giant in chapter 17. King Saul grows more and more suspicious and paranoid about David in chapters 18 and 19. Then we read about the friendship between David and Jonathan in chapter 20. The remainder of our reading this week details the ongoing hostilities between Saul and David.

Here is the schedule:

04, Sunday: Ruth 1-4

05, Monday: I Samuel 1-4

06, Tuesday: I Samuel 5-8

07, Wednesday: I Samuel 9-12

08, Thursday: I Samuel 13-16

09, Friday: I Samuel 17-20

10, Saturday: I Samuel 21-24

May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen.

Friday Fives

1. Sermon Series - This Sunday we will continue our series aimed at helping us expand our generosity from obligatory to extravagant. Bishop Schnase writes, "Giving helps us become what God wants us to be. God uses our generosity to reconfigure our interior lives, to create us anew, and to foster in us 'the mind that was in Christ Jesus.'" Over the next several weeks we will strive to connect the spiritual role of generosity to daily financial discipleship. This week we will look to the heart of giving. For a series schedule, please click here. Invite a friend and I hope to see you there!






2. New Study Series - We have started our new study by Rev. Mike Slaughter, Dare to Dream. Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this life? Have you ever struggled to discern what it is that God wants you to accomplish for the Kingdom?

Come and join us as we seek to answer these questions and more. Rev. Mike Slaughter has developed Dare to Dream to help people realize God’s dream for their lives, develop a mission statement based upon that dream, and then fully commit to the God-directed life mission they create. This class will be offered at 10am and again in the evening as part of our new FAD night, in the Fellowship Hall, each Thursday till June 5th. As a side note, the morning classes will begin May 8th. For more information and to sign up, please pick up a registration form in the narthex or click here.

3. New Ministry - We are entering a new season at Druid Hills. We have many new faces, many new children, youth and young adults and, we need a way to get to know each other as we grow together in our faith. Therefore, beginning yesterday, we started a new weekly program to help us in that endeavor. We are calling it F.A.D. night, or Faith and Discipleship night, and it is designed to unite multi-generations in fun and fellowship while giving us the opportunity to grow in our faith.

We will gather each Thursday from 5:30-7:30 pm, share a meal together and then have various opportunities, for all ages, to engage in discipleship growth. We have had such a response from the congregation we have been able to secure enough funds that we are discontinuing the charge for the meal. If you would like to donate to this ministry for the future, we would greatly appreciate your help.

There will be choir for the children, youth group for the older youth and Bible Study for the adults. We will also mix in special opportunities throughout the year for us to do things as one large group, such as hear from speakers and other ministries, and also times to celebrate special milestones. One of the best ways for us to be all that God created us to be is to know each other as well as we can. A life lived together is a life lived for God. I hope you will make plans to be part of this new opportunity and come grow with us!





4. Mission Opportunity - On Mother’s Day, May 11th, S.O.S. (Sisters of Soul) will be sponsoring a “Kitchen Shower” to benefit Kids Central, Inc. Kids Central develops & manages a comprehensive, community based system of care for abused, neglected & abandoned children & their families. Kids Central is committed to promoting the welfare of expectant mothers, babies, children & young adults through prevention services, in home care, foster care & adoption. When children “age out” of the foster care system, Kids Central assists them with setting them up in a place to live. We can help! Let’s bring kitchen supplies to Fellowship Hall following the Church Service on Mother’s Day. The members of S.O.S. will be sure to get them delivered to those in need. This may be cleaning supplies like mops & buckets & cleansers or other new kitchen items such as dishes, towels, hotpads, pots & pans, glassware, etc.





5. Relay for Life - The Relay for Life was originally scheduled to take place today. However, it has been re-scheduled for next Friday, May 9th. So please make that change on your calendar. Please continue to be in prayer for this very vital and important event as we try to raise funds and awareness as we continue our search for a cure. If you have any questions please see Ann or Linda.







Have a great week and I will see you Sunday,