St. Arbucks  Chapel  –  11 June 2025

 

A few items for you this week….

  1. I am so honored and privileged to be your senior pastor. Bishop Wilson reappointed me for year 30. Can you believe it? It seems like yesterday when we started the church. Because I pastored our mother church – Bethel UMC – for 4 years before serving Chapel Hill alone, I do not take it for granted that we have people at Chapel Hill for whom I have been their pastor for 34 years. What a gift for me! Again, thank you! We are thankful Pastor Jennifer was reappointed as well by Bishop Wilson as a ¾ time associate pastor. Dr J and Pastor Ben are not appointed but we are incredibly grateful for their ministry among us!
  2. Our confirmands this year has blessed me deeply! They are each amazingly gifted young people. Please pray that they may be faithful followers of Jesus throughout their lives. Thank you Aunt Deb Baquette-Robins, Chris Tillison, and Neal Whitlow for their help each week and for the parents who provided snacks and transportation. The future is bright when you consider how these people will bless the world and serve the common good.
  3. Fr Terry Hedrick and I will be taking a group of 13 to Greece for a spiritual pilgrimage starting June 21 and will return on July 1. My annual Sabbatical will begin on July 25th and will return on August 17th.
  4. This will be my last St. Arbuck’s Chapel column until August 20th.
  5. I want to encourage you to attend the information meeting on June 30th as we explore how to house unhoused families for one week this summer. We are one of over 40 congregations that support Family Promise. This meeting is important to hear the details of what the week will involve and ways we can be of help. As Neal said on Sunday morning, “This is an opportunity to be the hands, heart, and feet of Christ.”
  6. Food for Thought: This really hit home for me….when a flashlight grows dim or quits working, do you just throw it away? Of course not. You change the batteries. When a person messes up or finds themselves in a dark place, do you cast them aside? Of course not! You help them change their batteries. Some need AA…attention and affection; some need AAA…attention, affection and acceptance; some need C…compassion; some need D…direction. And if they still don’t seem to shine….simply sit with them quietly and share your light.