May 2023 Newsletter

Haymount United Methodist Church

1700 Fort Bragg Road

Fayetteville, NC 28303 (910) 484-0181

churchoffice@haymountumc.com

www.haymountumc.com

Pastor Rev.Allen Bingham allenbingham@haymountumc.com

Minister of Communications and Worship

Rev. Donald M. Warren donaldwarren@haymountumc.com

Director of Traditional Worship and Organist Wes Lockfaw weslockfaw@haymountumc.com

Director of Contemporary Worship Steve Goatley steve@haymountumc.com

Director of Youth Ministries

Drew Ellis drewellis@haymountumc.com

Director of Special Projects Karen Barkman Karen.barkman@haymountumc.com

Director of Finance

NicoleAndre nicole.andre@haymountumc.com

FROM THE PASTOR

Some years ago I came across Wendell Berry and his novels and stories from his farm in rural Kentucky. Perhaps you may read the poem "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Libera on Front," which rails against important ins tu ons and sacred cows. It also concludes with the simple line "Prac ce Resurrec on." That is, prac ce or live the new life that comes on the other side of death. I have included a few lines for your medita on as we finish moving through the fi y days of Easter.

Excerpts from "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Libera on Front" by Wendell Berry (1973)

So, friends, every day do something that won't compute. Love the Lord. Love the world. Work for nothing. Take all that you have and be poor. Love someone who does not deserve it.

Ask the ques ons that have no answers. Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias.

Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not plant, that you will not live to harvest.

Put your faith in the two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years.

Expect the end of the world. Laugh. Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts.

Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direc on.

Prac ce resurrec on.

HELP US PLAN A CONCERT!

This summer, the music ministry is planning a concert of favorite hymns. The program will include anthems, instrumental rendi ons, small ensembles and more. However, before we get started, we need input from you!

Please let us know what your three favorite hymns are by June 15. Once we have all responses, we will tally them up to determine the greatest hits of Haymount!

To make sure your input is included, simply email weslockfaw@haymountumc.com or submit your favorite hymns in wri ng through the church office. In advance, we thank you for helping us to design this concert. More details will follow in the June newsle er.

A BIG THANK YOU!!!

Deadline for Next Newsle er

June 2023 Submission Deadline: May 22, 2023

Please send submissions to Donald Warren at donaldwarren@haymountumc.com

I do not know about you, but this first year as a pastor among the saints and sinners of Haymount I have wandered with the fox, some mes in the wrong direc on, and found the love of Christ being prac ced in many ways. I invite us to con nue living into the new life found in the risen Christ! May we "prac ce resurrec on" in this and every month of our life together!

Grace and Peace, Allen Bingham, Pastor

Recently, the Handbell Choir received a generous grant from the Christ Church Endowment. This gi has enabled us to purchase another half octave of handbells which arrived just in me for the Easter season. Not only does this purchase allow us to involve more ringers, but it will enhance the music that we are able to present. From each of us who are part of the handbell ministry, we want to express our hear est thanks and apprecia on to the commi ee for their gi and for inves ng in our worship services. By the way, if you are reading this and would like to explore how you can become a part of the handbell choir, let Wes Lockfaw know as we are looking for ringers!!!

NEW ADDITION TO THE HAYMOUNT ORGAN

On Easter Sunday and the Sundays since, you may have heard some new bells which have randomly rung during a number of our congrega onal hymns. You are hearing the latest addi on to our organ a fourteen bell zimbelstern! The zimbelstern was custom made by the Lewtak Organ Company for the Haymount organ. Each brass bell was carefully selected by Tom Lewtak and created to match the renova ons which occurred in the organ restora on a couple of years ago. This new stop will, and has already, enhanced our worship, and we are grateful for those who made this recent addi on possible.

RECENT TRIP TO DUKE CHAPEL

On April 16, a group of eight Haymount members a ended a concert at the Duke Chapel in Durham. The concert featured the famed Clare College Choir from Cambridge, England in its first North Carolina appearance in about twenty years. Celebrated composer John Ru er is a former member of the choir and later became director. Recent notable members include the grandsons of composer Gerald Finzi. The concert provided an opportunity to hear some stunningly beau ful music in the Duke Chapel, an architectural marvel.

ANOTHER NOTE OF APPRECIATION FROM THE MUSIC MINISTRY

During the recent Holy Week services, many folks were involved in presen ng choral music, instrumental music, and drama to our worship services. It all began when thirteen members of the congrega on presented a drama za on of The Last Supper based on Leonard da Vinci’s pain ng of the Last Supper. We are so grateful to all who gave so generously of their me and skills to make that happen and to those who helped in the

stage prepara ons, the set, and costumes. We also want to thank the Cape Fear Regional Theater for loaning us ligh ng equipment. As we moved to Good Friday, members of the choir and handbell ensemble presented special music for our Tenebrae Service, and were joined by addi onal musicians and instrumentalists for Easter sunrise and our fes ve worship at 11 am. To each and all, we thank you for everything that was done to make our services the best tribute possible to our risen Lord!

New Haymount Organ Zimbelstern

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

June

19-22—New Life Center

MEMORY VERSE: Whoever believes in me...rivers of living water will flow from within them. John 7:38

SurfÕs Up, Dudes!

Are you ready for an off-the-hook me at VBS? Come and catch a wave with us as we hang ten and discover together that what we do today can change the world around us!

At Make Waves VBS, we learn who Jesus is, who we are, and what we can do to change the world around us. Our goal is to connect kids into a growing rela onship with Jesus Christ and lead them into a be er future.

There is no cost, and all volunteers are Safe-Sanctuary approved!

VBS is for students who are entering 1st grade through 4th grade.

Our Pre-K and Kindergarten Classes are already full!

For more informa on, or if you would like to volunteer, please contact VBS Coordinator Katherine Pugh at (910) 797-9278.

Thinkwithmeaboutour caringHaymountFamily

...

Forexample,thinkaboutalltheloveshowninour sanctuaryandourservicesinthisbeautifulspace: fromourchoirmemberswhohavesungwith suchasweetspiritforyearsandyears,tothe familythatdonatedtheamazingstain-glass windows,tothecommitteethatmakeselegant Chrismondecorationsanddecoratesour Chrismontreeeachyear,tothetalentedartists whohavecreatedartforthenarthexofour sanctuaryandouranniversarycelebration banner.Thinkaboutthelivelyspiritsharedwithin thewallsoftheNewLifeCenter,notonlyon SundaymorningsbutalsoforWednesday EveningFellowshipandour5thSundayluncheons (tonameafew).

Thinkaboutourmemberswhoorganizeour touching,reverentcommunionservices.Think aboutourmemberswhogiveawarmwelcome andsmilewhenyouarriveforchurchservicesand programs;ourmemberswholovinglyand faithfullyvisitothers,sendcards,deliverflowers, andpreparemealsforgrievingfamilies.Think aboutthosesocommittedtothegrowthand vitalityofourchildrenandyouthministries.And thinkaboutourmemberswhohavelovingly establishedendowmentsforthemaintenance, ministries,andmissionsofHaymountUnited MethodistChurch.Someofthosemembershave passedandwecherishtheirmemories,inpart,as werememberandappreciatetheirloving,caring, lastinggifts.

Nowthereisanewprogramavailabletoexhibit andextendcaringforHaymountwellintothe future.TheEndowmentCommitteehasstarted theLegacyFellowshipformemberswhohaveput Haymountintheirwillsorcreatedanendowment forHaymount.TheLegacyprogramprovidesa waytohelpsecurethefutureofourchurchand providesupportforourchurchforever.These plannedgiftsaretrulyactsofhopeandacaring visionforthefutureofHaymount.Ifyouwould liketoparticipate,simplycompleteaLegacy FellowshipformfoundoutsidetheBusinessOffice orcallthechurchandletusknow.Yourgift amountneednotbeincluded–anyandall participationisashowingofloveandcaringfor ourchurch.

ThereissomuchloveatHaymounteverywhere youlook.Thereisalotofcaringineveryspaceand programatHaymount.Lookaround,seeit,feelit!

Sincethefinancialmarkethasexperiencedsome volatilityrecently,wewillnothavetheApril15 disbursementapplicationcyclethisyear.Allour disbursementapplicationswillbedueAugust15 at5PM.Thislaterapplicationtimingwillhopefully enablethemarkettorecoversome.Thanksfor yourpatienceasweworktokeepour endowmentfundsstrongoverthelongrun.

WHAT DOES THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BELIEVE?

By Rev. Donald M. Warren

Part 3: In recent months, there have been lots of ques ons about what The United Methodist Church believes and what our doctrinal and theological founda ons are. These are good ques ons for United Methodists to ask, at any me, as we seek to live together in a community bound together by Wesleyan theology and prac ce.

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ThankyouHaymountersforallthemanyways youloveandcareforourchurch,itsministriesand missions.

DayleFowler,HaymountPreschoolMusic/Chapel Teacher,writes:“Iwanttosharemysincere appreciationforthisinvestmentintheMusic/ ChapelprogramatHaymount’sPreschool. Throughthissupport,wehavebeenableto replaceoldandbrokeninstrumentsandbuildup theresourcesweusetoenhanceourstudents’ musicandmovementlessons.”

Withthesefunds,shepurchasedmusicalcastanet instruments,alightandlearndrum,minimaracas, plasticeggshakers,metaltrianglebeaters,among otheritems.Can’tyoujusthearthatlively,joyful musicnow!!

Our Book of Discipline spells out for us exactly what our doctrinal and theological standards are in ¶ 104 Sec on 3. The Cons tu on of The United Methodist Church protects these doctrinal standards by a provision known as the Restric ve Rules, so that they cannot be easily revoked or altered. As such, these doctrinal standards can only be changed by a 75% vote of the General Conference, which must then be ra fied by 75% of the Annual Conferences, making them just short of impossible to alter. There are five components of our Doctrinal Standards, listed here:

1. The Ar cles of Religion of The Methodist Church (1784)

2. The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church (1963)

3. The Standard Sermons of John Wesley

4. John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes Upon The New Testament

5. The General Rules of The Methodist Church (1808)

Last month, we looked at the Standard Sermons of John Wesley, John Wesley’s Notes on The New Testament, and the General Rules of The Methodist Church. This finished out the “official” beliefs outlined in The Book of Discipline. This month, we will look at the two historic Chris an Creeds that The United Methodist Church uses that are shared among the communions of Western Chris anity: The Nicene Creed and The Apostles Creed.

The Apostles Creed Tradi onal Version

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pon us Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;* the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and si eth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic** church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrec on of the body, and the life everlas ng. Amen.

*Tradi onal use of this creed includes these words: "He descended into hell." **universal

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally bego en of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, bego en, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salva on he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pon us Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church. We acknowledge one bap sm for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrec on of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

*universal W L C ?

Lighthouse Congrega ons are local churches in The North Carolina Conference that are par cularly equipped and willing to be a caring and hospitable place that welcomes anyone whose church has closed or disaffiliated.

Lighthouse Congrega ons seek to be a faith communi es that are a res ng place for those whose churches have disaffiliated, with people who will care of them by providing a haven of peace and grace.

Lighthouse Congrega ons will be commi ed to the following:

· Worship: Providing worship opportuni es whether online or in person. These services should be inten onal about engaging and welcoming new people into the fold.

· Discipleship: Crea ng space to learn and grow, through small group gatherings, Bible studies and prayer opportuni es.

· Mission: Invi ng fellow United Methodists into opportuni es to serve through hands on ministries. This can include things like backpack ministries, community gardens, literacy and C4C programs, or anything that involves making a difference and sharing the love of God with others.

· Sacrament: Communion will be offered at least one Sunday a month, but also may include invita ons to communion outside of tradi onal worship such as mid-week gatherings and in small groups.

· Pastoral Care: Offering care such as hospital visits, gatherings at coffee shops, and finding ways to be available to those who are in need of pastoral care. This is not just the responsibility of the pastor, but includes ways in which the congrega on may engage in visita on ministries, meal trains, and communica ons ministries.

These are all ways in which Haymount UMC is already in ministry with the community and the world. As Haymount seeks to be a Beacon of Hope, living into our mission statement of bringing hope and healing to all, we may wish to consider le ng our church council take the step of making our status as a Lighthouse Congrega on an official designa on with the NC Conference. This is a simple process in which the church council affirms a statement commi ng to the ministries outlined above. Should Haymount wish to seek this designa on, the following statement would be affirmed by the church council:

“Our congrega on moves that we become a Lighthouse Congrega on of The North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church in partnership with The United Methodist Collec ve and the Office of New Faith Communi es. In doing so, not only do we commit to remaining a part of The United Methodist Church, but we also commit to serving those who have lost their church homes through disaffilia on or closure. We will partner in this work in the following ways: (see bullet points above).”

If you have prayed for those whose churches have chosen to disaffiliate and le them without a church home, and you feel the Spirit is leading Haymount to be a Beacon of Hope to those displaced persons, speak to one of the pastors or a church council member and let them know you find the idea of being a Lighthouse Congrega on appealing.