I first met Mike Baughman through a curtain in a convention center in Tampa. His desk and my desk as we worked at General Conference 2012 were right next to one another, separated only by curtain, and as we were both engaged in the same type of work, we quickly pulled the curtain aside and began talking. comparing notes, and sharing news tips. It was great to get to know him, and he seemed to be a sympathetic soul. 

Mike is also a preacher, involved in a new church plant in the Dallas area. He was recently invited to preach at the opening session of the North Texas Annual Conference and word started to trickle out quickly that something special had happened. Mike offered a word that I think all United Methodists need to hear, and I hope you will take time to listen to his sermon below. 

Yesterday (June 4, 2012) we hosted our first ever John Wesley Golf Classic. It was a great success with 16 teams participating in a great day of golf and fellowship. Best of all we raised several thousand dollars to help us pay off our debt for the installation of the chair lift. Thanks to Geneva Pugh for her leadership on this event, as well as all of her team -- Paula Miller, Jerry Pigue, Larry Harrison, Troy Kilpatrick, and far too many other folks to mention. 

Here are a few pix from yesterday's event:

This morning I mentioned a video from researcher Brene' Brown in my sermon. Here is a copy of her TED Talk if you want to know more:

Lent, the traditional season of reflection and repentance in preparation for Easter, begins next week on Ash Wednesday, and I want invite all who are wanting to grow deeper in their love of God to join me in a great experiment. Beginning Thursday, February 23, a small group will be gathering every Tuesday and Thursday morning to join together for morning prayer, utilizing a wonderful new book by Father Steve Wolf called “The Hinge Hours Experiment.” The “hinge hours” refers to the two times of day (morning and evening) upon which the life of prayer (turns,) and Father Wolf’s book is an order of prayers for morning and night based on a four week cycle (they repeat every four weeks). We are inviting folks to experiment with praying twice daily using this book during the season of Lent, and every Tuesday and Thursday we will gather together for morning prayer in community.

We will have some books available for purchase here at the church (they cost $17) or you can order yours at Hinge Hours Experiment.

We think that this will be an important part of your devotional life this Lenten season, and we hope you will join us in the grand experiment.

If you have questions about our morning prayer times, or the Hinge Hours Experiment, feel free to email Jay Voorhees at jay@oldhickoryumc.org.

The folks at bustedhalo.com have put together a great little video to help folks understand Advent. Check this out if you've been confused about the meaning of this season.