5/13/2020
Rev. John Hill, Becca and James |
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is pleased to announce that the Rev. John Hill has been appointed senior pastor of Crievewood UMC, effective July 1. He has served as pastor of Blakemore UMC for the past five years, and we hear good things about him. John has been active in the United Methodist Church since boyhood in Kentucky and received his divinity degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. Immediately prior to his tenure at Blakemore, he served as associate pastor at Christ UMC in Franklin. He has an 11-year-old daughter, Becca, and a 7-year-old son, James, and will live in the parsonage. John is fortunate, as is Crievewood, that Chelsey Hedglin has been reappointed as associate pastor and will make his transition easier. The pandemic continues to present challenges to our church life, but we hope to give John an appropriate welcome soon. We will also plan a fitting farewell, even if it has to be postponed a few months, for Peter and Patti van Eys, whose dedication, kindness and friendship over the past 10 years have made this a better church and community. Ed Cromer Chair, SPRC |
Pastor’s Pen Watchword Since 1722 Moravians have had the practice of a Biblical text serving as a daily watchword to guide reflection and conduct. At first shared house to house each morning, eventually put to print in an annual publication. The element of surprise gave way to the wonder of the printing press. Though it took a minute. Watchwords can be understood as passwords or mottos or guiding principles, or words that sum up attitudes and approaches to life. With that in mind, I submit that our current watchword is “transition”. We all know that life has shifted for the global community. We have transitioned into new understandings of what it means to be in community together. We wear masks, keep social distance, wash our hands more, travel less, and try not to touch our faces so often (maybe). Medical advice and government restrictions against large gatherings, as well as our love for one another, led faith communities to suspend being physically together. Thus, old and new ways of staying connected shape covenant life: virtual worship, zoom meetings, texts, emails, snail mail, and phone calls. The word transition absolutely sums up our current reality, it may not read like a motto, but “the One who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new’” (motto-ish). As a guiding principle, well we Methodists have this marvelous doctrine of sanctification that affirms our commitment to becoming more and more like Christ each day. Here doctrine guides faith and practice, transition being the operative experience. We can rightly understand transition as a password into the future. Let me touch on two very particular ways we at Crievewood will embrace this meaning of our watchword. First, the Church Leadership is preparing for a return to In-Person worship. Plans are being made in accordance with guidelines from our Bishop and the phased approach outlined by the Mayor of Metro Nashville. The Church Office will send out and post this information next week. Second, Crievewood will have a transition in its pastoral staff. Steph Dodge and I have been serving with this congregation since 2010. I am retiring and Steph is being appointed the Lead Pastor of Glendale UMC. Both of us will say more about our time with Crievewood as June 30th approaches. Last Sunday in the worship service Ed Cromer, Staff-Parish Relations Chair, announced that Chelsey Hedglin will continue as the Associate Pastor and John Hill will be coming as the Senior Pastor. Make sure and read Ed’s article in this newsletter. Let me simply say I am excited for Crievewood and look forward to facilitating a smooth and positive transition. After all, transition is our watchword. Peter van Eys |
Project Transformation Project Transformation will look different this summer. No volunteers will be sitting with children reading one on one, rather there will be “Summer Camp in a Bag”. Crievewood has agreed to fill 50 bags with requested supplies to be given to the children the first week in June. Other churches will be responsible for the following weeks. We at Crievewood can help by donating supplies and new children’s books, volunteering to be a pen pal for the summer, and praying for the children and leaders of the programming. Needed: New children’s books 1st-5th grade reading level (total of 34 needed-16 have already been donated). Small pencil sharpeners (50 needed) Crayons (25 small boxes needed-25 have already been donated) Snacks (2-3 servings per bag) Examples are, but not limited to: pretzels, microwave popcorn, fruit snacks, granola bars, fruit cups (servings for 50 bags). No peanuts, gum or candy. Other supplies have been donated and are ready to be bagged for the children. Please bring your donations to the church between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to noon on Monday, May 18, or Monday, May 26, or Wednesday, May 27. If you are willing to volunteer handing out lunches and Summer Bags the first four days in June at Antioch UMC, please contact Charlotte at sswor78861@comcast.net, and she will get sign-up information to you. Volunteers must be between the ages of 18 and 64. |
The CHNA’s farmers’ market hosted by Crievewood UMC continues on Thursday evenings during the summer but with social distancing practices in place. The market has local produce, meats, bread, baked goods, but right now, the market will not offer raffles, music, or kids’ activities. We hope you will come and support our local farmers and merchants. But, for the safety of all, please familiarize yourself with the new procedures before entering the market. You can find an outline of those procedures at http://www.crievehallassociation.com/farmininthehall. |
Other Notes
After consultation with Conference leadership the Beersheba staff has decided to keep our mountain retreat site closed until mid-July. The staff will use the time to deep clean and make needed repairs to the facility while continuing to monitor COVID-19 developments.
Feeling blue or need a pick-me-up? Paper copies of the May/June issues of the The Upper Room are available at the church on the narthex table. But because COVID-19 has complicated life and not everyone can get out to retrieve a pamphlet, Upper Room is temporarily making resources available free online. Through June 30th, you can find the daily devotion at https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals. Look toward the top of the web page to locate a “click here” command to access the current, daily meditation.
Currently Pastor Peter can be contacted at the church office throughout the week, but the rest of the church staff is working from home through the end of May unless it is absolutely necessary to be in the church building. During this time please contact Jan Bassett through the church’s Comcast email at administrator@crievewoodumc.comcastbiz.net or by her home landline phone at 615-371-8476.
Cora Lane and her new baby brother, Victor Craig Lane, born on May 4th weighing 7 lbs. 14 oz. and measuring 20 1/2 in. long. |