AUMC NEWSLETTER
Ayden United Methodist Church * P.O. Box 335, Ayden, North Carolina, 28513 * Telephone – 252-746-6524
January 19, 2012
Sports and God
For as long as I can remember there have been signs and large sheets held up at sporting events with John 3:16 written upon them. Notre Dame even has Touchdown Jesus, as the statue is called, at the end zone. And many sports figures point skyward, making the sign of the cross on their chests, giving thanks to God, then their moms, and then they say they are going to Disney World. My question is why is Tim Tebow being attacked for showing his faith?
Mr. Tebow’s actions are no different than others, but he is being singled out. As I ponder this question many things come to mind. I don’t know really anything about Mr. Tebow other than he was a very good college quarterback and drafted to the NFL to play for the Denver Broncos. The other things I have learned of him are through the sports and regular media outlets. None is positive. Mr. Tebow has been mocked for making the kneeling stance and has started a movement of people doing “tebowing” showing up on YouTube and other video sites.
I am of the opinion that the problem people are having is Mr. Tebow is genuine in his faith. While other sports figures point to heaven as a way of thanking God they never were outspoken about their faith. Tim Tebow is not afraid to make the profession of faith that Jesus Christ is his salvation. And that is the heart of the problem. It would seem that we live in a world where everything is fine in life until a person confesses Jesus as his/her savior. Is that why Christians don’t share the good news with others, out of fear of being mocked or laughed at? When did it become necessary to apologize for being a Christian?
Persons are outright angry and show hate toward Mr. Tebow just because he lives his faith in all aspects of his life. They not only attack his faith but him personally. He is held under a different lens than others. Genuine faith, I guess, causes others to fear what they have no idea about. Until we become like Tim, unafraid to be genuine in all aspects of our lives and without fear confess Jesus Christ as our savior, then those who are seen as a minority will always be mocked. Jesus and his disciples were seen as a minority. Jesus knew that at his death those that he called would run and hide and even deny him. Does history repeat itself? Tim Tebow could have stopped praising God from the pressure that has been put upon him. Instead he has remained faithful.
We can learn a lesson from Tim Tebow. Many will never accept the fact that Jesus can make a difference in people’s lives. Those who profess to follow Jesus Christ cannot be afraid to tell others that they are Christian and then live it in our everyday lives.
Pastor Al Hocutt
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Where Are the Disciples?
Are they in the Scriptures many years ago? Some are, but some are in our church congregation. They drive the church bus on Sunday to take the disabled members to church.
These Disciples have paid for a training course to drive our bus. On Sunday morning they will come to the bus parking lot at 9:45. They will pick me up at 10:15. If I am having trouble getting to the bus, they will help me. Then they will get Doris Levin, next will be Martha Liggett, then on to Britthaven for the wheel chair members Becky McCay and Ed Levin. That requires getting them from the building into the bus and firmly anchored to the floor.
When we get to the church, we go down the lift one at a time. Dicky Godwin helps us on the elevator and Wilton Pate greets us at the top and tenderly gets us off.
After church, we go down the elevator, are lifted to the bus and driven home.
And I say to myself, “What a wonderful God.”
Under Vance Sullivan’s leadership, these Disciples have scheduled themselves for six months of Sundays. [See their schedule for six disabled members further in this newsletter.]
–by Harvey Gwyn
Bus Driver Schedule
(Clip and Save!)
We are extremely fortunate to have a careful and devoted group of drivers for our church bus. If you are a regular rider and are not going to ride on the upcoming Sunday, please call the driver listed for that date. If you do not usually ride but need a ride to church, please call the driver listed for that Sunday.
Stacy Bawtinhimer – (h) 439-0699 or (c) 349-3273
John Buck – (h) 524-3611 or (c) 560-4700
Allen Jackson – (h) 746-4717 or (c) 916-2589
Vance Sullivan – (h) 746-4271 or (c) 864-5293
January 15 – John Buck
January 22 – Stacey Bawtinhimer
January 29 – Vance Sullivan
February 5 – Stacey Bawtinhimer
February 12 – Allen Jackson
February 19 – John Buck
February 26 – Vance Sullivan
March 4 – Stacey Bawtinhimer
March 11 – Allen Jackson
March 18 – John Buck
March 25 – Vance Sullivan
April 1 – Stacey Bawtinhimer
April 8 – Allen Jackson
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“Like Us” on facebook!
We’re making plans to enter into the 21st Century! We are in the process of setting up a page on facebook to keep you updated on the activities of Ayden United Methodist Church. If we “friend” you, be sure to accept. That way you’ll always be one of the first to know what’s going on with your church. This is aimed in particular toward our younger members. Our more “senior” members will continue to find things in the bulletin and newsletter. Stay tuned for further developments! –by Camilla Godwin/Worship Team
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for the following schools: Methodist College, Wesleyan College, Louisburg College and Greensboro College. Help is available for any of our church family wishing to apply. Applications for the Whitehurst Scholarship are also available in the church office, with a March 1 deadline for completion.
Friday Night Fun and Fellowship
Lift yourself from the doldrums of January. Join us on Friday, January 27 at 6:30 p.m. for food, fun and fellowship. We’re staging another Friday Night Out – a chili supper, the perfect cold weather dinner. We’ll have at least ten pots of chili for you to taste and compare. And over a dozen desserts to savor! We’re doing chicken nuggets for the kids and any adults who don’t want chili. So bring yourself, your family and a healthy appetite on down to the church. What a great way to start 2012! –by Camilla Godwin
Lilies
It’s not too early…the Worship Team has already begun planning for Palm Sunday and Easter. Anyone interested in placing a lily (lilies) in the church on Easter may do so by contacting Camilla Godwin at 746-6979. She will order the flowers and place them in the sanctuary after they are delivered. Your only responsibility will be to pay for yours and then to remove it (them) after services on April 8. If you absolutely do not want to take it home, it may be left and Al and Paula will plant them at the parsonage. Our order is limited to thirty-six, so go ahead and get your call in early. –by Camilla Godwin/Worship Team
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Bob Smith, who received the Special Missionary Recognition Award for 2011 from the Ayden United Methodist Women. This is a small “thank you” for all Bob does for our church. This is the highest award given by UMW. A Gift to Mission has been sent in his honor. –by Camilla Godwin
What a Wonderful World
As the black musician Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong used to sing, “What a Wonderful World,” he reminds me to write about:
A Dentist
I became aware that a poverty-stricken woman had a sore tooth but no money to have a dentist remove it. So I asked my dentist of many years, “Would you pull the tooth of a poverty person with no money and a $400.00 a month income. Without hesitation, he said, “Yes.” What a Wonderful World!
A Retired Hairdresser and Her Blind Husband
Every Thursday a retired hairdresser and her blind husband spend the day going to homes and helping by doing hair and running errands. –A live-alone elderly widow with many medical problems. –A lady confined to her bed needing hair care and errands run. –Two ladies at their homes needing someone to drive for them. –A very elderly lady needing hair care and shopping. What a Wonderful World!
My Church
On Sundays, church members help me on the church bus along with my disabled friends, then more church members help me off the bus and on to the elevator and into the church. I greet many friends, pray, listen to inspiring music and have my soul graced by Al’s words. And when I see those great
young acolytes walk down the aisles, kneel at the altar, and light the candles, I say, “What a Wonderful World!” –by Harvey Gwyn
Don’t Care for Chili???
Please come to the night of fun and fellowship, anyway. There will be chicken nuggets and other goodies for you. We don’t want you to stay away!
Jannes and Jambres
I love to watch a good magician at work and I’ll bet you do, too. David Copperfield, along with others who are very good at their trade, really intrigues me. Yet, all of us know that behind all their manipulations there is deception. Whenever a magician instantly produces a dove or makes an elephant disappear, you can be sure of one thing—this has been practiced and rehearsed until it is down to perfection. Also, a good magician never gives away his secrets.
Enter Jannes and Jambres, two people you probably haven’t heard of. They’re only mentioned in the Bible in one place and that is II Timothy, 3:8. Paul describes them as “teachers who fight truth as they fought against Moses.” They are not mentioned in the Old Testament.
When Moses demanded of the Egyptian pharaoh that God wanted the Jews released and allowed to go home, Pharaoh needed some convincing. When Aaron threw down his rod and it became a snake, Pharaoh’s magicians could do the same. The same for turning water into blood, and the plague of frogs was also accomplished. No doubt, Jannes and Jambres were probably behind this and delighted in discrediting Moses before Pharaoh. However, after this plagues came in succession that the magicians could not duplicate—such as lice, flies and death of the Egyptian livestock. You know the “rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to say, and it’s all described starting with chapter seven in the Book of Exodus.
As the Israelites were on the move toward the Promised Land, God decreed to them in Deuteronomy, 18:10-11 that no Israeli was to practice magic. God also included child sacrifice, witchcraft, fortune telling, snake charming, or calling on the spirits of the dead. These were an abomination to Him. To God, this was a violation of several of His Ten Commandments. It showed the “worship of other gods,” the “making of false images” to be substituted for God, and “bearing false witness” which shows deception.
Even though God set this into law, we still see evidence of magic as a practice throughout the Bible. Several had made themselves famous; such as Simon the Sorcerer in Acts, 8:9-25; Elymas in Acts, 13:6-8; and the witch at En Dor who King Saul consulted to bring forth the spirit of Samuel in I Samuel, 28:7.
Yet, people in ancient times had anything from trust to fear of these individuals. One could assume that it was largely due to ignorance and superstition without really concentrating on the source of their “power” –deception. In our day, much of this magical “power” is attributed to smoke, mirrors, snake oil, and not keeping an eye on the hand that’s not moving. Watch my right hand carefully, now! –by Bill Norris
AUMC Lay Persons of the Year
Tracy Stroud and Bob Smith were chosen as 2011 Lay Persons for Ayden United Methodist Church. Both members are very active in many different facets of our church life.
Tracy Stroud was chosen for her leadership of AUMC’s visionary and successful stewardship campaign and involvement in youth activities. She practices law for the firm of Colombo, Kitchin, Dunn, Ball & Porter, L.L.P. in the area of employment, administrative and healthcare law. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the East Carolina University Society of Law Alumni. She is a 2011 graduate of the Greenville-Pitt County
Chamber Leadership Institute. Tracy lives in Winterville, is married to Max Stroud, and has three children…Meredith, Ginny and Max III.
Bob Smith was most supportive of our successful 2011 Vacation Bible School, “The Shake-It-Up Café,” with not only his culinary talents and his photography skills, but his willingness to take the lead in setting up the various stations required. Bob’s technological and problem-solving skills have been invaluable to all church leaders who rely on the church computer. Bob is a retired chemical engineer from Burroughs-Wellcome and also the retired executive director of the Lions’ Industries for the Blind in Kinston. He is married to Betty L. Smith and they are parents of two adult children, Robert Smith and Elizabeth S. Overcash. They have four grandchildren.
AUMC is very proud and fortunate to honor these two worthy members of our church. –by Andrea Norris
Souper Bowl of Caring
More than twenty years ago, the Souper Bowl of Caring began with a simple prayer from a single youth group: “Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us to be mindful of those without even a bowl of soup to eat.”
Since that day, more than $81 million has been raised for local charities across the country through Souper Bowl of Caring. It has become a powerful movement that is transforming the time around Super Bowl weekend into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving.
This will be our twelfth year of participation. In that time, we have collected $5,165.83 for Ayden Christian Care Center. For the past two years, we have also collected canned goods and non-perishable food items.
Our goal is $1,095 and 168 food items. This is extremely important for ACCC, as they have lost so much of their funding in recent years. If your donation is identifiable by check or an envelope, notification will be given to the church office for your record of giving. Every penny, 100%, of your gift goes to ACCC. There is no headquarters, office or other administrator involved. –by Camilla Godwin
God’s Exclusive Formula
All of us like the aroma of perfume, especially the ladies. In events of birthdays, Christmas, or even
Valentine’s Day, perfume is usually a safe item that will make the wife or girlfriend happy. Prices can range from expensive to downright cheap. Even today, there are perfumes for men.
The Bible is filled with references to perfume. The oils of many different herbs and plants were used, some imported from Arabia and Persia. One of them was spikenard, which was used to anoint the feet of Jesus in Luke, 7:38. Ruth and Esther were users of perfume in their books.
With water usually not in great abundance and people not being able to wash off unpleasant body odors, we can assume that perfumes were used to a large extent as deodorants. The hot climate of Palestine and the surrounding area assured that.
However, there was a perfume in the Bible which was exclusively God’s. In Exodus, chapter thirty, starting with verse twenty-two, God instructed Moses to collect the choicest of spices—myrrh (18 lbs.), cinnamon (9 lbs.), and cassia (18 lbs.), all of which was to be ground up and pulverized and then added to one and a half gallons of olive oil. Sounds like quite a formula, doesn’t it? For your information sweet cane was also known as calamus, a fragrant reed-like grass growing along streams and river banks. Cassia was a plant with a flavor and aroma similar to cinnamon.
God put a limit on His perfume, though. It was to be used exclusively in the Tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant, the table and the priests, just to name a few of the recipients. Then, God went further to say that the perfume would never be used by anyone else and never to be made by anyone except the priests. Apparently this was a mixture of God’s favorite scents, therefore the heavenly aroma was off-limits to all others. The law also forbade anyone else from copying the formula for personal use with a penalty of being excommunicated. What a patent! –by Bill Norris
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Bob Smith, who received the Special Missionary Recognition Award from the Ayden
United Methodist Women for 2011. This is a small “thank you” for all Bob does for our church. This is the highest award given by UMW. A Gift to Mission has been sent in his honor. –by Camilla Godwin
Fall, 2011 Events
Thank you to Wilbur Jackson for your sermon, First a Word of Encouragement, at our Home Coming and Heritage Sunday Service. The interaction between you and the congregation was very good. The music was great, thanks to our music team. We do appreciate you. Thanks to everyone (it took a whole bunch of people) who made it a nice time. In the fellowship hall we ate some delicious food, had warm fellowship and enjoyed taking a look at a huge display of materials from our church’s past. In one of those pictures there seemed to be more children at that time in our church than we have attending worship today. We want more children in our church. Parents, please bring your children.
In October, two lay people—Tracy Stroud and Bob Smith—were recognized. We applaud them for their dedication and hard work to make Ayden UMC a better place of worship.
Also in October, we recognized our veterans. Several were with us for the Sunday service, with some helping as ushers and color guard. We thank Jim and Madelaine White, Laverne Olrogge, Ray Rouse, Ken Sumrell, Bill Clothier and Phil Barth for helping with our worship service.
Our All Saints Day service honored our Saints that passed since the last All Saints Day: Esther Gibson, John Clark Noble, Gen Gwyn, Mac Whitehurst, Edna Stokes, Lou Petty and Mary Helen Garris.
Christmas activities included the special Hanging of the Greens service, the children’s Christmas play, our choir’s Christmas Cantata given during the morning service hour, and our annual Christmas Eve Communion and Candle Lighting. These events highlighted the Christmas Season for all involved and in attendance. –by Judy Reynolds
Church Calendar
–The Efird Bible Study continues on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. with Danny Harris.
–Tuesday Mornings with Al continues on Tuesday mornings at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Al Hocutt.
–The Prayer Team meets in the sanctuary on Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m.
–Tone Chimes Practice is in the sanctuary on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m.
–Chancel Choir Practice is in the sanctuary on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 22 – VBS Planning Committee, 4:00 p.m.
Jan. 27 – Friday Night Out! Chili Social, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 5 – Communion & Souper Bowl of Caring
Feb. 12 – Scout Sunday (Girl and Boy Scouts)
Feb.22 – Ash Wednesday service, 7:00 p.m.
Mar. 4 – Communion
Mar. 11 – Daylight Savings Time Begins!
Apr. 1 – Palm Sunday, Communion, 8:45 & 10:55
Apr. 5 – Maundy Thursday service, 7:00 p.m.
Apr. 8 – Easter Sunday:
Sunrise Service – 6:30 a.m. followed by continental breakfast in Fellowship Hall
Early service – 8:45 a.m.
Second service – 10:55 a.m.
Apr. 15 – Worship Team Meeting, 4:00 p.m.
Education Team
The Education Team will meet Sunday, January 22, at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Vacation Bible School plans, Sunday School attendance and ways to increase it, needs for adding and/or revamping classes, etc.
–by Betty Smith
Editor: Page Worthington
Associate Editor: Andrea Norris