Recipe of the Month Club

Birds Nest Recipe

Ingredients: 4 cups Chow Mein Noodles 3 cups Marshmallows cups Margarine Or Butter Candy Eggs (Cadburys speckled malted mini eggs)

Directions: Melt marshmallows and butter in the microwave (3 minutes give or take) Stir in noodles quickly until coated. They may seem too dry, but its really not, and theyll set up fine. Butter your hands and place noodles into a muffin tin and indent with fingers into a nest-like shape. (if your hands arent buttery - it will stick like crazy!) Transfer them to parchment paper to harden. Once cooled, place 2 or 3 candy eggs into the center.

Good News
the
@ Hillsboro Presbyterian Church
hpcnashville.org Pastor Chris Adams April 2014

Walking The Talk...

Hillsboro Presbyterian Church

hpcnashville.org

December 2013

5820 Hillsboro Pike Nashville, TN 37215

He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. - John 11:25-26

A note from Chris

He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed! Its hard to imagine, but the season of Lent is reaching the end of its bloom, and the season of Easter is budding. An important part of our celebration will be to tell the story of Jesus crucifixion and resurrection again. Its almost Resurrection Sunday again. The writer of Mark gives us what at first must seem to be a pretty insignificant detail in the story of Jesus crucifixion. In Mark 15:45, we learn that Pilate is given a report from one of his men about the death of Jesus. The text says, When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. This Joseph is a respected member of the council, according to Mark. The Gospel of Mark also tells us earlier in verse 43 that this Joseph of Arimathea was one who was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. Its not an accident that this is the man who asks for and is given the body of Jesus. Its also not an insignificant detail that we are told that Jesus is dead. Truth is, nothing else happens in the story unless we know first that Jesus is dead. Without the death of Jesus there can be no burial, and without a burial there can be no visit to the tomb. Without a visit to the tomb by the three women, who go there to attend to the body first entrusted to Joseph, there can be no stone rolled away. Without a stone being rolled away, there can be no story of resurrection. Truth is, there can be no resurrection of Jesus without first the death of Jesus. Thats the point of what seems to be an insignificant detail in the story of crucifixion, and why its Joseph who asks for the body. Without death, there can be no resurrection, and without resurrection, there can be no kingdom of God. The logical question for us to ask, however, is whether or not we are prepared to experience death on the way to resurrection. If its true that one leads to the other, then it seems that we must. I dont mean death in the physical sense. That will come to us all one day. Even more significant perhaps is the death to our expectations apart from God. I mean death to our way of doing it, and death to our sense of entitlement, even in the church and the practice of faith. A friend recently noted that the whole world seems to be in some kind of liminal space and time. It seems as if all the things we have always counted on are somehow suddenly up for grabs. Our country is changing. The church is changing. The economy is changing. The sense of right and wrong is changing. It seems as if something is desperately wrong. And yet Perhaps what is happening is death, on the way to new life. Maybe the old blooms have reached the end of their season and new buds are appearing. What if the new flowers are even more glorious than the old ones? What if God is allowing old things to die so that new things might grow? If death is what happens on the way to resurrection, then grief is what happens on the way to joy. The pain of life is what leads to the birth of new life. It does not mean its easy because its not, but this is the reason for our excitement of Easter. This is resurrection, and friends, resurrection is who we are and what we are about. So watch carefully for death, and do not be afraid, because thanks be to God if death is what we are enduring, then resurrection cannot be far behind. Happy Easter! Chris+

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Jos Reach Out and Read Program

HILLSBORO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Chris Adams
Pastor Director of Communications Director of Children & Family Ministry

by Rebecca Swan
This program was started in February 2000, in memory of our first daughter, Johanna, who died in April 1999 at age 14 months. The program is part of a national non-profit organization, Reach Out and Read, which partners with medical providers to promote early literacy and school readiness. Research supports the efficacy of this program: more reading by parents, increases in language scores, better school outcomes. This program is entirely funded by donations. The program is based in the clinic where I work and has two components. One involves volunteer readers in the Vanderbilt Pediatric Primary Care Clinic waiting room, reading to the children and serving as role models for their parents or caregivers. The second part involves each infant or child receiving a new, age-appropriate book at each of their well-child visits from age 6 months to 5 years. The physician or nurse practitioner encourages the parents to read and offers age-appropriate tips. Resources for illiterate adults are also made available. Our clinic serves a majority of lower socioeconomic patients, including a large number of immigrant and refugee children. We provide books in a variety of languages, including Spanish and Arabic. For many inner-city families, the cost of a new book is often insurmountable and the need to read to their children is not a priority. By providing these children a library of their own, we are giving them a better start in school and aiming to foster a love for reading. It is a fitting memorial to a little girl who loved her books.

Caroline Crozier Amy Dillon

Tim Gmeiner
Church Organist Minister of Discipleship Director of Music Ministry Child Care Coordinator Financial Administrator Director of Creative Care 615.665.0148 | hpcnashville.org caroline@hpcnashville.org

Hudson Neely Stephen Nix

ADULT SUNDaY SchOOL CLassEs

Alice ODwyer Carole Shean

All of our Sunday School classes are open to anyone looking to join.
Bible Class (Teacher: Debbie Holley) Location: Room 111 Friendship Class for youth and adults with disabilities (Teachers: Scott Brunette, Pat Fiete, Russ Phillippi) Location: Room 105 Kerygma Class (Teacher: David Gregory) Location: Parish House Dining Room Narrative Lectionary Class (Teacher: Hudson Neely) Location: Fellowship Hall Out of the Box Class (Teachers: Kerry & Lynne McCalla) Location: Parish House Chapel Truth Seekers Class (Teachers: Lee & Tom Limbird) Location: Parish House Parlor

Cynthia White

April On Call Schedule

March 28 - April 3 April 4 - April 10 April 11 - April 17 April 18 - April 24 April 25 - May 1 Stephen Amy Stephen Hudson CHRIS 268-8781 417-6748 268-8781 864-680-8766 516-0596

HPC Phone Extensions

x10 Carole x11 Amy x12 Caroline x13 Chris x15 Hudson x17 Stephen
*Call the main number (665.0148) and dial this extention at anyime.

Walking The Talk...

A Month in Pictures

Whats The HAPS Hil sboro youth Activities, Programs & Such

By Vicki Allen
A HUGE thank you to all who provided pies and helped with the Pi Day Celebration!! We had a great time reciting pideriving pieating piegetting pied CAT (Christ Action Team) Retreat is April 4 & 5 at the Allens. This youth leadership team is open to all high schoolers interested in helping plan and implement Studio 100 programming. Watch your inbox for more info.

Pi Day

Studio 100 Bonfire

St. Pattys Day!

We will celebrate our high school graduates on April 27 with youth leadership in worship and a churchwide luncheon following the service. We also want to acknowledge our college and CCC graduates. Please submit names and achievements to Vicki at vickiballen@gmail.com so we can make sure all are included.

Studio 100 Talent Show and Silent Auction

Work Day

Vicki Allen
Do you sing? Dance? Play? Tell jokes? (They dont have to be good) Can you be ridiculously silly? (Im looking at you, Sam Davis) Then we need you for the Studio 100 Talent Show and Silent Auction, Sunday evening, May 4! This is a churchwide fundraiser for summer youth activities. The evening will include dinner, a showcase of HPC talent hosted by Kayley Adams and Sam Albert, silent and live auctions of goods and services and a bake sale. We want this to be our only fundraiser this year and well need lots of help. If you or someone you know can donate goods or services of any nature, please let Vicki know. Were looking for everythinga couple of hours of babysitting, original artwork, gift baskets, gift cards, private lessons/concerts/gourmet mealsif someone would buy it, we want to sell it. We need help planning and organizing and well need lots of hands on assistance that evening, so be thinking about how you can join the effort. Its gonna be fun for the whole family!

Walking The Talk...

Easter Hydrangeas
By Stephen Nix
Purchase your Hydrangea for the Lenten season! The music department will be selling Hydrangeas for memorials or honoring to be placed in the sanctuary for $18.00. You will be able to take your Hydrangea home Easter Sunday. See anyone involved in music at HPC, and they can take your order and your money. Choir members and the Praise Band all have forms for this music department fundraiser.

Nursery News
by Alice Page ODwyer
Exciting things are happening in the Church Nursery and we was you to take part in this wonderful ministry. We are currently looking to increase our list of volunteers. We use a curriculum called Baby Beginnings that is designed to guide our little ones as they take their first steps to learn about Jesus and Gods love. Come help us as we make our nurturing loving childcare intentional and help to teach our babies and toddlers Gods word as we start them on a lifetime journey of faith. If you feel like volunteering in our nursery is a ministry that you would like to participate in, we would love to have you. To find out more details and how to sign up, please contact Childcare Coordinator, Alice Page ODwyer at (615.812.6193) or stop by the nursery. Thank you!

April Hillsboro Theological Seminary

Theme: Hospitality as Holy Ground
The author of our lenten study material, Marjorie Thompson, will be speaking at this months Hillsboro Theological Seminary. The theme for this term is, Hospitality as Holy Ground. Hospitality is a term we generally embrace warm-heartedly. Yet biblical hospitality is a more challenging notion than we often recognize. Come join us as we explore the Ancient Near-Eastern tradition of the sacred bond between host and guest; examine Jesus way of expressing and receiving hospitality; and bring the subject into our present day context, considering its implications for social concern, family life, and congregational relationships. Whether it seems to be blessing, burden, or both, we will come to recognize the practice of true hospitality as holy ground. Subtitles for the four weeks are as follows: Hospitality as Sacred Bond: Revisiting the Ancient Near East Hospitality in the Gospels: Jesus Embodiment of Love Hospitality in a Contemporary Key: The Challenge Today Hospitality in the Church: A Bond for All Generations April 23 April 30 May 7 May 14

Womens Lounge
Thank You From The Millers
Sally and Charlie Miller would like to thank all of those who sent get well wishes to Charlie while they were in Florida. It meant a great deal to them both!

Make sure to check out the updates made to the Womens Lounge located in the upstairs womens restroom!

Donating Blood to the Red Cross

Hudson expressed concern about the Red Cross having to cancel many blood drives across our nation this winter due to the many snow and ice storms. We can help out by donating prior to May 4th (so that we will be eligible for our next HPC blood drive Sunday, June 29). There are many blood drives scheduled. To find out about scheduled blood drives, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call1800-RedCross. Let me know if I can help further regarding info re other blood drives or our blood drive on 6/29. Paula Yelverton 305-7870

*Dinner at 5:43 with the program following at 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Walking The Talk...

Holy Week Schedule for Children
Please contact Amy Dillon for more information about Childrens Holy Week 665-0148 ex. 11 or amy@hpcnashville.org

Holy Week Schedule

Palm Sunday (Sunday, April 13) Worship at 9:00am and 11:15am Sunday School at 10:15am Maundy Thursday (Thursday, April 17) Dinner at 5:43pm in Fellowship Hall (Reservations 665-0148) Service at 6:30pm in Fellowship Hall Good Friday (Friday, April 18) Service at 6:30pm in Sanctuary Prayer Vigil (Friday-Sunday, April 18-20) 8:00pm Friday - 8:00am Sunday in the Chapel Easter Sunday (Sunday, April 20) Worship at 9:00am and 11:15am Unity Sunday School at 10:15am in Fellowship Hall Sunday, April 27 Unity Service at 10:00am Free Churchwide Graduation Luncheon (Reservations 665-0148)

Palm Sunday

Families are invited to help kick off our Holy Week experience by participating in the Palm Sunday Processional at the beginning of the 11:15 service on Sunday, April 13th. Children, youth and adults will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 11:00 to receive instructions and their palm branches. Each year we purchase our palms through an organization called Eco-Palms that supplies our palms from Guatemala. Here is excerpt from the PCUSA concerning this organization: More than 300 million palm fronds are harvested each year for U.S. consumption alone most of them for Palm Sunday, but also for floral displays for church-related events. Our congregations commitment to purchase eco-palms plays an important role in protecting forests, local jobs and sustainable livelihoods in the harvesting communities. Eco-palms are purchased directly from the communities at five to six times the normal payment per frond. Families are able to depend on a more stable source of income and benefit from additional value-added processing that takes place within the community. Purchasing eco-palms for our congregation helps ensure a market for the palms, which in turn means communities can depend on fair and stable wages and the forests can be protected.

On Thursday, April 17th children 3 years-5th grade will share a meal together in The Well at 5:43 pm and participate in programs that help guide them through the events of Holy Week. The night will include music, story and art.

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

On Friday, April 18th at 6:30 pm our children are invited to their very own Good Friday service in the childrens wing. 1st-5th graders will gather in The Well (Room 112) to retrace the steps Jesus took through Jerusalem as he made his way to the cross. This is a wonderful way to draw them into a deeper understanding of the depth of Jesus love for them. They help him carry his cross with their prayers. It gives us an expectancy of the miracle of Easter morning and joy in celebrating the Resurrection. Children 3 years-Kindergarten will meet in Room 109 to continue their Holy Week experience with story, music and art.

EASTER PRAYER VIGIL

Beginning: Immediately following the Good Friday service Ending: Easter morning at 8:00 am Location: Parish House Chapel

Join the Whole Church Family for our Unity Sunday School on Easter Morning!
We are thrilled to once again offer a Unity Sunday School Celebration on Easter morning, April 20th from 10:15-11:00 am. Your Fellowship and Discipleship (Christian Ed.) teams have joined together to create a truly intergenerational Easter celebration that will include refreshments in the Fellowship Hall, music by Cass Kennedy, a devotion time, an Easter Egg Hunt for children and much more! Whether you plan to attend the early or late worship service that morning we truly hope that you will make plans to attend this event! Make sure children bring along their Easter basket for our Egg Hunt. Our Easter Eggs were purchased from an organization called Sunny Bunny Easter Eggs that has employed adults with disabilities to stuff the Easter Eggs for thousands of children each year since 1966. Children are encouraged to take the eggs and treats home with them. Remember your cameras as our whole church gathers together to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Plan on inviting neighbors and friends to this celebration! This event will be held rain or shine. Please contact Amy Dillon for more information (665-0148 ex. 11 or amy@hpcnashville.org).

The Prayer Vigil is the last step in our Lenten journey that began on Ash Wednesday. Its in the final hours of Jesus earthly life that He asked His friends to watch and pray for one hour. Our Vigil begins immediately following the Good Friday service and continues for 36 hours. There will be security throughout the late-night hours. What time will you watch and pray? If an hour seems daunting, commit to a time and stay as long as you can. The sign-up board allows you to record your commitment. It will be in the Foyer on Sundays: March 30, April 6 and April 13. Prayerfully determine the sacrificial time of your Vigil. You will honor Jesus request as you anoint our church, our community and the world.

Walking The Talk...

HILLSBORO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Treasurers Report February 2014
Following is the actual financial results for the first two months compared to budget and the first two months of the prior year. 2014 2013 Actual Budget Actual OPERATING FUNDS: Revenues: Contributions $ 96,861 $130,942 $ 93,490 Other Income 8,241 10,867 10,043 Total Revenues $ 105,102_ _$141,809_ $103,533 Expenses: Operating Expenses $108,975 $138,477 $119,529 Benevolence Gifts 2,789 16,346 2,916 Capital Improvements 0 0 0 Total Expenses $ 111,764 $ 154,823 $122,445 Net Cash Gain (Deficit) $ (6,662) $(13,014) $(18,912)

Katie Cass 2 Bob Turner 3 Anne Brunette 4 Melinda Sanders-Obermeier 5 Grace McCaw 6 Donna Blewett 7 Jim Cozart 8 Maurice Bondurant 9 Kera Jenkins 10 Jim Harrell 11 Martha Goode 12 Hillary Mohr 12 David Warren 12 Dorothy Scarlett 13 Debra Locke 14 Libby Smith 14 Lucy Carroll 15

*If David Lewis 16 left your na Erin Keene 17 me of Gayle Sanders 17 please f of th has be is le f e Kate Winston 17 or futu t Caro list, n l re r in eco e kno Suzy Bennett 18 w rds ! Johnathan Guider 18 Gregorio Ramos 19 Kelley Rogers 19 Pat Fiete 20 Ann Poindexter 20 Lindzey Neely 23 Sam Grizzle 24 Donald Diguette 26 Adrian Moody 28 Don Srygley 28 Chris Ross 29 Frank Emerson 30

BANK BALANCES: Checking and Money Market Account Less: Designated Accounts Net Cash Available for Operations Benevolence Account

$454,250 105,128 $349,122 $ 80,964

Although the contributions were less than plan, they were still ahead of the prior year. Part of the shortfall can be attributed to the inclement weather as the March contributions have shown signs of an increase over the weekly average in the first two months. Team members have been diligent again this year of the need to carefully monitor the spending. The Benevolence expense was below budget as the quarterly contributions to the various missions were not made until March.

Walking The Talk...

Green Door Gourmet at HPC
Beginning Wednesday, May 7, Green Door Gourmet will have a pick up station set up at Hillsboro Presbyterian Church where you will be able to take a look around and purchase some of their products. They will be at HPC every Wednesday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. You will also be able to sign up weekly to receive a box filled with assorted fresh organic, holistic grown produce. Each box will cost $20. The boxes will be available for pickup every Wednesday from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the church parking lot. In order to reserve a box, you will need to sign up each week on their website at http://greendoorgourmet.us/csa/ If you would like to learn more about Green Door, you can visit their website.

Zimbabwe Update
Hillsboro House Workday Saturday, April 26
A NEW DAY! At Village Hope, the reality of going to university will no longer be a distant hope
Big News From Paddington I can finally lay good things bare, before your eyes to behold, and your ears to hear. Just as the Bible says, What the ear has not heard and what the eye has not seen is what God has prepared for those who love him. Indeed the Almighty Father has favoured us and we are witnesses of His love and never ending care. I am pleased to advise that George and Tapiwa, our two senior boys have been accepted into university. This is marvelous and beautiful in our days. Behind all our tiresome efforts, hard work and massive toil was the need to see transformed lives in the young and innocent but less privileged children in our society. That light at the end of the tunnel is finally here and it marks the beginning of a new era in the Village Hope family. Tangible results have always been our objective in all our endeavors and we are happy that today we stand with our shoulders high that the tiny seed has become a mighty tree. Who shall despise the day of small things?

Mark your calendars for our workday at the Hillsboro House (618 N. Second Street) with Spruce Street Baptist Church on Saturday, April 26. Lunch will be served! START time 9:00 Am Many volunteers needed Need some folks to bring Continental Breakfast as well + Coffee + Juice MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT needed from volunteers Ladders that extend to the roof of a one story house Rollers and roller trays A power washer HPC VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to work on these PROJECTS:

George and Tapiwa will be starting their way into Repair trim around roofline to prevent squirrels from getting into the attic university at the end of February 2014. This new development will send a positive signal to all our children who are part of this family, that the reality Power wash the back porch and front porch of going to university will no longer be a distant hope. The lives of George and Tapiwa will serve as Indoor painting- living area [ paint is already there ] icons for the other children and an ever present possibility of what they can do in our midst. Garden work need mulch

Dearest Friend, This journey we share, has been one of many twists and turns. Each time weve said yes to taking in a new child, or starting some impossibly expensive project weve stepped out in faith, without knowing what the results might be. The good news which comes to us today, is for each of you who has ever given a dollar or said a prayer for this work and it is amazing news: Two pitiful little boys, destined to beg and perhaps starve on some dirty city street, are today, proud university students. Along with Paddington and Alice, lets claim this great joy! Together we have come so far and who knows what God has waiting for us ahead .

by amy dillon

Parenting Workshop

Education is a foundation that is stable and secure. The United Nations in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focuses on poverty eradication, and it identifies education as one of the pathways that can used to attain the objective. In a small way you join us at Village Hope, as we do our part to achieve this global objective. I ask you to join the family in prayer as we commit the lives of the boys in the hands of the Almighty Father. Once again we fall short of words to express our heartfelt gratitude to each of you in far off America. Were it not for each of your efforts, we would not have arrived at this point. We know that the Almighty Father, in His wisdom, will surely remember your names. With Love, Paddington

There is still time to register for our first Parent Workshop of 2014 scheduled for Saturday, April 5th from 10:00am1:00pm. We are so happy to have Molly Henry, the Human Growth & Development and Parent Program Coordinator at Abintra Montessori School, leading parents through some of the basics of Positive Discipline. Positive Discipline is for parents who are looking for long-term parenting skills that will encourage their children to think for themselves, become more responsible, and develop problem-solving abilities. Disciplining children can be done with respect, firmness, and love. Positive Discipline includes parenting tools that incorporate both firmness and kindness, help parents get to the core of their childs misbehavior, and bring more joy into the home. The cost to attend the workshop is $25 per family and includes lunch. We will have childcare available for children nursery age-5th grade. Please contact Amy Dillon to register (665-0148 ex. 11 or amy@hpcnashville.org).

*Keep a look out for more on the recent trip to Zimbabwe in next months issue of The Good News!

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Food For Thought With Volunteers For the HPC Office Jim Bartoo
Jim Bartoo, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at the Nashville Zoo, will be speaking at Aprils Food For Thought. Jim has been with the Nashville Zoo since 1999 and has seen the Zoo grow from local awareness to national and international recognition with more than 787,000 guests visiting in 2012. Before coming to Nashville, Jim spent seven years marketing the Columbus Zoo in Columbus, OH. Food For Thought will be held at the Parish House Chapel from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. Call 665-0148 for reservations or email Hudson at hudson@hpcnashville.org The office at HPC is looking for volunteers to help answer phones during the day from 8:30 am - noon on Monday -Thursdays. If this is something you are interested in, contact Nancy Hartmann at 373.4611

By Bob Turner

Guatemala Mission: Through the Eyes of Bob Turner

conGRADulations!
On Sunday, April 27, we will recognize all our church graduates. If someone in your family is graduating from preschool, kindergarten, high school or beyond, send us their name and school so we can include them in our list of 2014 Graduates. Following the 10:00 Unity Service on the 27th, there will be a FREE Churchwide luncheon to honor our High School graduates. Please email Amy Dillon (amy@hpcnashville.org) to make your reservations.

National Alliance on Mental Illness 5k Walk and Run

The annual National Alliance on Mentall Illness community walk with a 5k run will be held on Saturday, April 12. The race will be at Shelby Park. There will be live music, food and prizes during the event. You can register as a team or as an individual member. Registration forms can be found on the bulletin board by the mens bathroom and by the coffee station. You can also go to www.namidavidson.org and sign up online. The cost to register is $25 per person or $20 each of teams of 10 or more. Check-in is from 7 am to 7:30 am with the race beginning at 8 am. Join us in this great cause!

Save the Date for the CCC Carnival!

Mark your calendars! The CCC is hosting a Spring Fling for CCC families on Thursday, April 24 from 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm.There will be food, fellowship, fun and games.The carnival will be held in the back parking lot area around the grounds. There will be more information to come.

Mike Swan and I were greeting each other in first service last Sunday. After the usual conversation, he asked about the recent Guatemala trip. Without even thinking, I remarked that Third World 12-year-old kids were going to change the world. We agreed item by item for the next couple of minutes. Whats going on? Firstly, when our group went to visit five villages in rural Guatemala, we were not visiting backward people waiting on our spiritual talents of conversion. It was Christians visiting Christians. It was perhaps rural Christians visited by urban Christians, or maybe highly spirit-filled Christians visited by occasionally tentative Christians. Nonetheless, I always come back with a better connection to Christ and creation than the connection I had before leaving. This is pretty much the case for all of us. There was a lot of activity in just eight short days. Sharon had not been to Guatemala; however, she has been to Indonesia, and she grew up in South Georgia and treated Native Americans in Oklahoma. Theres rural life and theres broken poverty. She knows the difference, and connected immediately with the people. Heart to heart. Shes also a bit short at the moment, like them, which helped. We were able to see all of the kids. There were shy little ones, giggling girls and testing-you-out boys. There were also the hard-working adults. Almost all of the adults do manual labor in the villages or in the fields, but a strong desire exists for their children to have a better life. We, meaning HPC mission travelers, pastors, donors, prayer warriors and friends, have been involved in Guatemala for some time now. A few mission changes and not-best projects have ended up with us helping these kids recieve and complete a decent education. Its a very valuable focus. Some of the girls and boys who played with visitors from our church on previous trips are now older and very different.They are speaking Spanish, are standing up straight, confident, looking you in the eyes, doing the math and speaking easily and well from a podium or pulpit. They are new, changed and leaving manual labor behind. It is actually miraculous. Rural Guatemala has changed from my previous trips. Now there is electrical service, water lines, cell phone access, computers and better roads (with motor bikes aplenty) to many areas, even to many of our villages.These changes mean that there is no choice between modernization and remaining traditionally the same. Our kids are ready to be clerks, mechanics, nurses, teachers, book keepers and have dreams of higher professional training. Our Third World 12-year-olds are leaving the corn, cane and palm fields behind. So, what kind of trip? It was a well planned, well conducted, safe, perfect weather, a warmly bonded group and totally eye-opening trip! I believe our recent group has been witness to God at work through the many hands that reached out to our Guatemalan villagers. Not hand outs, but hand ups (trite but true). We personally witnessed the gathering of twenty-seven students at Las Camelias, our lead village. What a wonderful and potential-filled group. These former 12 year olds are going to change the world, class by class. Thanks be to God.

Guatemala Mission Luncheon

The Guatemalan Mission Team would like to invite you to join them for lunch and conversation on Sunday, April 6th following the late service. Come and enjoy a delicious meal while learning more about their recent trip. You will be able to hear wonderful testimony from those who journeyed to Guatemala as well as view pictures and videos taken during the trip. They are looking forward to sharing all that continues to be done to help children earn an education.

P.O. Box Reminder

The church is no longer using the PO Box to send mail. Please send all mail to the street address (5820 Hillsboro Pike Nashville,TN 37215). Also, make sure that any automatic payments use the street address as well.