Early, Early Edition

My body is still recovering from the 10.5 hour time difference from India and I am finding myself wide awake at strange hours of the night.  As I write this note it is 2:40 a.m. and I have been up for an hour.  Cindy has told me one can be productive in the wee hours of the morning, but I am not sure I have ever believed her.  You may be the judge of whether or not this is true if you can make sense out of these words I am writing.

Hypothermia week at Westwood is going well.  Our volunteers have welcomed our guest's warmly each night, fed them well, given them a warm place to sleep, and are providing for a number of their needs along the way.  Each year, we recognize and welcome back guests we have known before, while making new friends as well.  Relationships are built that allow us a window into the challenges these friends face.  We cannot fully know their hearts nor understand all that has and is continuing to happen to them, but in welcoming them, we are honoring the call of Christ to welcome him as we welcome them.  Thanks to our marvelous leadership team of Ed Armstrong, Martha Lee Fugate, Lucinda Marvin, and Sandy Milam, and many others from our faith community and surrounding faith communities who are working to provide for this special ministry this week. Please note there is no Church Family Night this evening due to our hypothermia ministry. Sanctuary choir will meet. CFN will resume next week.

The finance committee met last night to finalize the 2016-2017 church budget. They have faithfully worked through this process and believe they are presenting a responsible, yet challenging budget for the coming year.  You will receive a letter in the next few weeks that will contain the proposed budget and details pertaining to it.  The quarterly church conference which will include this budget presentation will be held Sunday evening, March 13 at 7 p.m. in the music suite.  Plan to be present for this important step in our continuing ministry.

Mama Mias is just around the corner, March 5, at 6 p.m.  This annual dinner and show benefit youth missions and your participation is vital to its success.  This  Sunday will be the last Sunday to purchase tickets before the event, so stop by the welcome center in the narthex to get yours.  Invite a friend to join you and enjoy the good food, warm fellowship, and fun of this special evening.

By the way, I will be sharing in more detail my India experiences at Church Family Night on Wednesday, March 30 at 6:15 p.m.  I will share some pictures and be telling some of the stories from this life-changing trip.  I hope you will plan to join me then.

Well, AOL and I have proofed this copy and it seems to be spelled correctly and generally make sense.  I guess one can be productive at such ungodly hours...come to think of it, God can empower our thoughts and words and actions for any and all of our hours.  I am just hoping the productivity of sleep returns to these hours before long.  Until then, I'll just enjoy the solitude and opportunity for growth the early morning provides.  Cindy will be so proud of me...once she wakes up!


Jim Abernathy