09/30/04

Beulah’s Dear Ones –

A warm and sincere greeting to you all on this last day of September – where has it gone!

I realized that I have missed two plus weeks of a News From The Pews update. Work and life has been and continues to be busy for me, as I know it is for many of you. I hope you have not missed this too much – but at any rate, here it is for today.

What a great Rally Day (Sept 12) and a super Homecoming Sunday (Sept 26) here. Sunday School is off and running – and this Sunday, October 3, we have a combined Adult and High School class in the Fireside Room led by Lee Welsh from Kentucky Refugee Resettlement Services. It has been over 11 years since Beulah hosted a refugee family, and some are hoping the time has come around for us to take up this great mission need in our community and sponsor another family in the near future – so come on to Sunday School at 9:30!
Cliff Stout is in the hospital; he suffered another stroke. When I saw him on Tuesday evening he was not doing well, but this morning (Thursday) he seems much improved, in speech and mobility. However he is simply exhausted. Please keep Cliff in your prayers.
Don Pierce had some surgery this morning at Baptist – and wow! Lorna just called, and Don is already home (at 12:30).
Bob Metzger is feeling a bit better from some surgery last week, and is improving at home.
Lulie Flowers continues to gain strength from her recent bout with pneumonia.
Lucille Williams is feeling better from a recent fall and brief stay at the hospital.
Bob Azinger and Bob Tackett are continuing with treatments, and have been able to be up and about – I heard that Bob Tackett played three rounds of golf last week – a very good sign.
Jeannie Koerber is now able to drive her car, and has been out and about (and still waiting on the disability determination).
Jim Barbour is back to work, still on a bit of a reduced schedule, but is feeling better.
Our Wednesday Night Program continues with great success. We have about 40 plus for supper, and then more in total for Adult Study, High and Middle School Bible Study, Kids' Club, Children’s Choir, and Adult Choir. If you’d like to plug into this program, come on out – Supper starts at 5:30 (please call or fill out a pink form in the Lobby) and programming begins at 6:00.

This Sunday (at the 10:40 service) we will be baptizing Juliet Naomi Leach, daughter to Mark and April, and 3rd granddaughter to Nancy “Nana” Leach. We will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper on this World Communion Sunday, and take up our collection of food and funds for the IFAC – Individual and Family Assistance Center of the Fern Creek / Highview United Ministries. As I mentioned in the sermon last Sunday, I was recently appointed to serve on the Board of FC/H (along with Evelyn Vaughn and Eleanor Young) and I learned that as of Monday, Sept 20, 95 families have come seeking food, help with rent, LG&E, clothing – and other assistance from this center. These are Fern Creek and Highview families – our neighbors here in our communities.

On a personal note, I will be traveling to a family wedding of my Aunt Deb (who’s really more like an older sister to me – and a Presbyterian elder); she will be married on Saturday, October 15, in her church in Port Jarvis, NY. Andrew and I will be traveling that weekend.

This Saturday is the wedding of Al and Barbara Greene’s granddaughter Andrea Tiffany Greene – who is marrying Derek Nix. Andrea and Derek have been worshipping regularly with us. The wedding will take place at the Greene Farm – outside or under a tent, as needed! Andrea and Derek will be joining here as active members.

The Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend in November Lisa McMillan (daughter of Jan and Joe McMillan, granddaughter to Doris Farmer, and kin to the whole Farmer family) will be marrying Chad Pinkston. They will be joining Beulah in our next New Member Class as well.

Be sure to meet some of the other newer folks who have been worshipping here and are considering joining: David Martin – who recently moved back to Louisville in his retirement from the DC area, and Jon and Becky Wolf-Klein (and children Daniel and Elizabeth) – a young family who have been worshipping here for some months now. Please introduce yourself to these folks and offer them a warm Beulah welcome.

Jennifer and Brian Hagan are now getting closer to opening a family business in the near future – a Carvel ice cream store over on Hurstbourne Parkway and Taylorsville Road, in part of the former Shane Jewelry store! Carvel is a known ice cream in New Jersey (I went to one a lot as a kid) and I am excited for them in this new venture. Here’s the word about Carvel found on the web:

Carvel Ice Cream
The nation's first retail ice cream franchise, Carvel manufactures uniquely shaped ice cream cakes and provides soft serve and hand-dipped ice cream products. Carvel has more than 440 franchise and food service locations serving delicious, high-quality cakes, novelties, cups, cones, sundaes, and shakes.

Sounds good to me!

Remember Session elders – we meet Sunday at 2:00.

This coming Saturday is the James O. Leach Hunger Awareness Dinner at Summit Heights UMC 7:00 p.m. – see Evelyn Vaughn or Eleanor Young for tickets.

The office needs to know today if you are interested in the Adult Mission Trip to Buckhorn, planned for November 5 – 7.

That’s the News from the Pews for today (that I can think of at least). Hoping to worship with you this Sunday if you are able – and if you are limited at home, God’s blessings on you and yours in these days! I remain,

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Ken H.