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Church News
Special Church Meeting
May
Moderator Views
Adult Forum
Fellowship Supper
The Lunch Bunch
Breakfast With The Guys
FCC Book Club
Concert-Lecture Series 2008
May 2008 Library Notes
Greensaks
Our Mission for May—Food Drive for IAM
Special Church Meeting
"Notice is hereby given of a special meeting of the members of First Congregational Church (UCC) of Hendersonville to be held immediately following the worship service Sunday, May 11, 2008, for the purpose of acting on the recommendation of the Pastoral Search Committee to extend to the Rev. Dr. E. Richard Weidler a call to the pastorate of this Church."
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May
As spring blooms around us, we are invited to remember the history of the early days of Christianity. After Jesus was crucified, he was seen by many of his followers, and the stories remain with us even today. What we think is the final event—death—is not even close to being the last thing we experience. The seasons of the year teach us that life is a circle, but looking with the eyes of experience, we can see our lives as a spiral: We appear to be returning to important events again and again, and yet we’re not re-living those occasions precisely. We’re remembering, creating stories, emphasizing the important parts and lessening the impact of the insignificant details. We see the past from a distance, giving a different perspective on what has happened and what it means to us.
We do the same thing in church life. We’re in the midst of Cottage Meetings, ably led by our Transition Team members: Charlotte Shipley and Joan Martin, Dick Clinton, Bob Laney, and Andy Kilpatrick. Have you participated yet? Have you offered your understanding of our church’s past? What do you treasure about your life as a part of the community? Who is God calling us to be in the future? These questions will be addressed, the answers collected shared with our next settled minister after he or she is called. We’re always looking backward and forward at the same time. We’re always using what we have learned in new ways as we go forward in God’s mission for the world. Let’s use this opportunity to share our wisdom.
This month, too, we have storytellers coming, who will tell tales of the Middle East, from Jewish and Lebanese traditions. So much of our attention is focused in that region of the world; we look forward to Tapestry sharing with us an understanding of the culture, the stories, the humanity of the people who live in the places we only experience in newscasts.
Pentecost comes, as always, as a big surprise, turning our sorrow to joy and our fears into blessings. We hope you will be here on May 11th to celebrate and recognize this important day in the life of Christianity. We don’t expect “tongues as of fire” to fill the sanctuary, but we understand the Holy Spirit to be at work within us, giving us the strength, the courage, the compassion, and the possibility of sharing the good news.
Be with us, share with us, come with us on our adventure. Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
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Moderator Views
 Work and meetings continue at First Congregational Church. About 70-80 members continue to devote their time to enhancing programs at the church.
We could use more help as many of these members find themselves on more than one committee and are stretched thin. In addition, many also serve on boards and committees outside of the church. Many of these boards and committees require more time than the church activities. Several Sundays ago, Barbara recognized those who have contributed their time and knowledge to church activities. The number standing encompassed nearly all in attendance that particular Sunday.
Declining church attendance and membership was discussed at the April 9th council meeting. What could we do to turn around the decline? Your council members would be very appreciative of any workable solutions that you might have.
Try to take advantage of several events that are coming up at First Congregational in the near future. On May 4, at 3:00 PM, a concert with the Storytellers will take place. This year Bart Ehrman will headline the Ashley Lectures set for 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM on June 14. This should be quite interesting. Also on June 15, John Wade Payne will conduct the Adult Forum and will also preach.
The Search Committee continues their efforts to find a pastor to serve First Congregational. As reported last month, they have reviewed over 70 submittals and hopefully are getting close to a selection. We are hopeful that by this time next month a suitable candidate will emerge. This is what our congregation is hoping for, so say a little prayer for our hard working Search Committee.
We welcome Danielle McCallam as nursery assistant. She began duties on Easter Sunday and will help the designated nursery attendant as needed. We are fortunate to have been able to get the services of Danielle.
Well, keep your fingers crossed but it looks like we have escaped the fury that Mother Nature brought upon us last year. We are rapidly moving toward warmer weather and the apples appear to be safe. We are also moving into vacation time and the need to remain safe and cautious as we travel is even more important.
Shalom
Ray Shaw
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Adult Forum
Everyone is invited to our Adult Forums, which are held at 9:45 on Sunday mornings in the Felix Building. The topics for the May forums are:
May 4 "God's Problem: Real, Imagined, Wished For, Wished Away" reflections on Bart Ehrman's latest book with John Touchberry
May 11 "Christianity and Economics" with Bob Laney
May 18 "The Aramaic Language of Jesus" with Dale Allen Hoffman (guest speaker)
May 25 "The Book of Job" with Larry Anderson
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Fellowship Supper
 The monthly meeting of the Fellowship Supper Group will be on May 19th at 6:00 pm in the Felix Building. Remember to bring enough food to share with eight and your table settings. You will have the opportunity to sign up two weeks before the event. Everyone is welcome. I hope to see you there.
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The Lunch Bunch
The Lunch Bunch will meet at Carolina Village at 11:30 am on Monday, May 12. All the church women are invited. Please sign up on the bulletin board in the reception area.
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Breakfast With The Guys
 The men of the church are invited to have breakfast together at Dixie Diner on Wednesday, May 14, at 8:30 am. This is just a time to eat together and talk with no business taking place. There will be a sign up list on the bulletin board for those who would like to participate.
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FCC Book Club
In anticipation of Bart Ehrman's lectures in June, we will feature a discussion of his book "Misquoting Jesus” at our meeting on Thursday, May 15th at 2 pm in the Library. Roger and Sherry Haagenson will lead the discussion. You are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Marj Sturges 891-6438.
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Concert-Lecture Series 2008
Our 2008 Concert – Lecture Series begins on May 4th with “Tapestry”, two storytellers from two cultures. Following that Bart D. Ehrman will give two lectures on June 14th. The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong will return for a visit on September 13th and 14th. The series will end with a performance by Elisabeth von Trapp. If you are interested click here for more information click here. If you would like to become a subscriber to the series clicking here will allow you to print the form.
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First Call to Retreat!
August 11-13 are this year’s dates for our annual church retreat. We’re gathering once again at Blowing Rock Conference Center, one of the UCC’s Outdoor Ministries sites, for a time of friendship, thought, and recreation.
Our retreat leader is the Rev. Dr. Steve Stoerner, Executive Director of Local Church Ministries in the national church setting. We have asked him to lead us in considering our history as a church and as a denomination in light of our future calling. Who are we and who is God calling us to be?
Blowing Rock is a lovely setting, high on a hill above the town, with easy access to shopping (ask last year’s participants about the outlet mall and the downtown shops), walking, and relaxing. We will again be in the south wing of Corriher Lodge with motel-style rooms and private baths. The cost of the retreat for two nights’ lodging and all meals is $144 per person single occupancy, or $171 double occupancy. We are able to check into our rooms beginning at 4 PM on Monday, with dinner served at 6:30. The retreat concludes with lunch on Wednesday.
Please mark your calendars and sign up as soon as possible for this exciting event. All you need to do is complete the registration form and send it to the church office with a $30 deposit per person. This deposit is part of your total cost. Watch for more information in future Chronicles. We look forward to getting to know you better. Do come with us.
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May 2008 Library Notes
 Two new books were purchased for the library and are now available for check out. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose written by Eckhart Tolle and The Bible: A Biography by Karen Armstrong are the additions. The Tolle book is a recent choice of Oprah’s Book Club and popular among readers nationally. The Bible is Karen Armstrong’s most recent publication. Many of her books are available in the library including The Great Transformation, which was a recent topic of the Adult Forum. Her autobiography, The Spiral Staircase, focuses on her school years and is interesting reading for those who enjoy her books. This book is also available in the library.
With the Ashley Lecture Series fast approaching in June, it is not too soon to read some of Bart Ehrman’s books to prepare for his visit. The library’s collection is located to the right of the check-out area. His most recent book, God’s Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question—Why We Suffer is a part of the collection and will be a topic for one of his lectures. Misquoting Jesus is the FCC Book Club’s choice for May. Anyone can attend the meeting on Thursday, May 15, at 2:00 led by Roger Haagenson. This book will also be a topic for Adult Forum prior to Ehrman’s visit.
A CD player was purchased when the Sunday services began to be recorded on CDs. It can be found in the cabinet below the recordings of the services and bulletins and is available for check out.
The library door is always open. Please come in.
Marjorie Pence
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Greensaks
 Greensaks, sturdy cloth shopping bags, are still available at the Reception desk for $1.50 each. They hold more than plastic (which take up to a thousand years to decompose) and paper (which uses millions of trees to produce), are easy to fill, as they have a sturdy base, and are easy to carry, water repellent and stain resistant. Get yours today!
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Our Mission for May—Food Drive for IAM
In May, we at First Congregational, have the opportunity to share what we have with those in our community who are in financial crisis. Through IAM (Interfaith Assistance Ministry), last year over 9,000 people were offered five days of food and personal care items to carry them through a difficult time. We, who have so much, find it difficult to imagine an empty pantry or refrigerator and a hungry family to feed. During the month of May we can help replenish the food and personal care items at IAM, as well as cash donations. Please be generous, and consider our gifts as part of our Christian caring for others.
Items particularly needed this month include, but are not limited to: dry milk, saltine crackers, rice, and grits. Canned items are always welcomed. Please note that they cannot accept home canned items or fresh produce. Containers are available in the narthex and reception area for your use. Let’s make this our biggest giving ever! Checks may be made out to First Congregational Church and designated “IAM.”
Thank you for being such a caring congregation.
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