Hope in Challenging Times

Joshua told the people “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua 3:5

This past Sunday our church hosted the District Leadership Conference and I was so proud of our church’s “radical hospitality”. Many of you volunteered to greet, work in the kitchen, help with the youth rally, and help with parking. Many of you also took advantage of the excellent leadership workshops.  I so appreciate your good witness for Christ.

I attended the Bible Study titled “Hope in Challenging Times.” The Reverend John Boggs brought a big stone, from Buncombe County for a visual and told the story of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. In Joshua chapter 3, the priests, who were Levites, moved out of the camp, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and the people followed them to the Jordan River. When the priest’s feet touched the Jordan River the waters parted, much as they did when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and were delivered from the Egyptian army. The Priests stood, with the Ark of the Covenant, in the dry river bed of the Jordan, until all the children Israel had crossed over. Then the Lord directed them to choose twelve men to come back and pick up twelve stones from the river bed, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. They were to do this as a faith remembrance to pass on to their children. “In the future, when your children ask you, what do these stones mean? Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever. “Joshua 3: 6-7. John, who serves as the Asheville District Superintendant, talks of how tempting it is for churches to become discouraged and loose hope in challenging times. The story of Joshua was used as a great reminder of hope when God’s people depend on and trust in the Lord as their source of hope and courage in challenging times.

We sang several hymns of hope from our Methodist hymnal and I especially was inspired by these words: My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.” (Hymn- My Hope is Built). May the Lord bless you this month with great hope with the challenges you face!

Grace and Peace,

John

Praying for God’s Guidance

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain – Psalm 127:1

When you look to the Bible for guidance in a Church Building Program you find a variety of Building projects. Noah was instructed to build an ark, which was an unusual project but proved literally to be a life saver. The Tower of Babel was an impressive facility that God was not pleased with because their purpose in building it was “to make a name for themselves.” God chose Solomon to build the magnificent temple, which took seven years to complete but then he proceeded to build a palace for himself that took thirteen years using conscripted labor. He also built numerous pagan shrines for his foreign wives which was very displeasing to the Lord. When God’s people plan to proceed with any Building plans, they want to be sure it will be pleasing to the Lord and for His glory !

Our Franklin FUMC building committee (Sidney Guy-chair, Joe Ramsey- vice chair, Nancy Scott, Sissy Pattillo, Doug Nickel, Lou Kuhlman, Margaret Freeman, and John Fowler) have worked on a Master Plan for future Building plans to further our outreach for Jesus Christ the past two years. They are to be commended for their many meetings, hard work, an excellent Dream Weekend last fall, and their recent presentation of the Master Plan to the Church Council on August 12 and to the Congregation on August 15. Following the United Methodist Book of Discipline guidelines for Building Programs, our Building Committee presented this Master Plan to our Waynesville District Board of Church Building and Location on Tuesday September 7, 2010. The Board was impressed with the thoroughness of the plan and approved us to proceed with a Church Conference.

A Church Conference is the same as a Charge Conference except all full members of Franklin First United Methodist can vote, as opposed to a Charge Conference where only members of the Church Council can vote. We invite you to attend a called Church Conference on Thursday October 21, 2010 at 7 pm with our Waynesville District Superintendent Dr. Al Ward presiding. At the Church Conference the Building Committee will be making a recommendation regarding the Master Plan and Phase I of the Building Committee. The reason we will also receive a recommendation from the Church Council in regard to the Senior Pastor’s housing, is because this Phase I requests the use of the present parsonage for ministry and program meetings. This would give us increased meeting space for the Walk, the Youth, Scouts, Sunday school, and other ministries until we can move forward with Phase II which would include a Ministry Activity Center. We invite your input, and especially prayers for God’s guidance as we seek to prayerfully discern God’s will in these important decisions in the life of our church. I hope you will make every effort to join us on October 21 for this important Church Conference.

Grace and Peace,

John Fowler