JANUARY, 2001 NEWSLETTER

South Point UMC News:

	Youth to attend Resurrection: Our UMYF will be at the Holston Conference's Winter Retreat entitled "Resurrection" in Gatlinburg, Tennessee from January 12-14. We will depart the church at 1:00 pm on Friday, January 12th. Watch your mailbox for all the final details!
	Administrative Council meeting on January 21st at 6:30 pm. All Ad Council members are urged to make plans now to attend this meeting and all those members who are interested are also invited to attend.
	Kids-In will return on January 21st at 4:00 pm here at the church. Children up to the third grade level are invited to participate. Call Helen Neagel at 825-4019 with any questions.
	Gastonia District Leadership Conference: on Sunday, January 21st at First United Methodist Church in Gastonia from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. "Empowering the Laity" is the subject. Classes offered are: How to Reclaim and Empower Lay Ministry by Dr. Nancy Burgin Rankin; Inclusive Appointment-making and other Major Matters by Rev. Jim Trollinger & Jennifer Davis; Eye to Eye, Heart-to-Heart, Life-to-Life: Experiencing God in Worship by Rev. Deb Paulsen; Natural Church Development: Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy Churches by Rev. Mark Key; Training for Christian Writers: Newsletters, Christian Advocate, etc. by Rev. Robert Dodd; United Methodist Women Mission Today by Evelyn Hunt; Learning and Sharing About United Methodist Men by Max Erwin, Coley Hooker; Our Heritage as Methodists by William Keever; Music as Ministry by Linda Dixon and Libby Putman; Basic Understanding of Lay Leaders Responsibilities by Terry Gates; Youth in Mission by Becky Greene; From Warm Hearts to Ministering Hands by Rev. Harrison Hinson and Kay Voight; Where the Money Goes by James Windham; and Praying the Psalms: Finding Our True Voice by Rev. Noel Sweezy.
	Children's Choir: will resume rehearsals on February 4th. Mark this on your calendar now and make sure your children are here for this very important ministry.
	District Clergy Retreat from January 26-28.

If I were God; oh, if I were God. I would be in every hospital room where a person is being told that he has a terminal illness, and I would give him courage. Then I would sponsor a healing and invite all the sick of the earth. I would comfort every family where death has occurred. And, by some miracle, I would plan a resurrection.

If I were God; oh, if only I were God. I would have banquet and invite all the hungry children in this world. Then I would help every child's father find a job. I would attend the board meeting of the power makers and veto the actions that manipulate the oppressed.

If I were God; oh, if only I were God. I would build a big bonfire to attract all the cold people. Then I would give them warm clothes for the winter, clean clothes for school and work, and bright clothes for parties. I would do something about the intolerable physical conditions under which they live.

If I were God; oh, I only I were God. I would put on a celebration of dignity and ask all themselves to come, whether rich or poor. I would send engraved invitations to the prisoners and tell them how much worth they have in my sight. Then I would put them insight.

If I were God; oh, if only I were God. I would start a "peace" everywhere there is a war, and where wars of liberation are necessary I would turn back time itself and correct the conditions that led to such desperate action. Where war had already strewn its carnage, I would stand beside every homeless child and comfort every mother who had lost her children.

All these things I would do if only I were God. But send my son into an obscure part of this world and tell him to show a few people what redemptive love is? Knowing that he would be killed - and trust them to take up my work?

Never!

G. Temp Sparkman

Thank Goodness we are not God! Happy New Year!

Pastor comments taken from the South Point UMC newsletter for January, 2001

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Last updated: December 16, 2001