The Woodmont Word

E-Newsletter

A Family of Faith on Mission

September 2014

WOODMONT

9th Annual Golf Tournament

For Missions at Blackberry Trail

Sponsored by the Woodmont Singles Ministry

Click HERE for Registration form

From the Pastor

Transformation

E Stanley Jones said that "all of life is about transformation." Air in our lungs is transformed from impure to pure. Food is changed into blood and strength. Wild sounds can be transformed into music. Sense impressions on our eye are turned into sight. And two people tied together in marriage are instantly transformed into family. What did Paul say about transformation? At Romans 12:1-2, he said, don't be conformed, but transformed. By the abiding presence of God's Holy Spirit in our hearts, we have potential to be molded and changed into what He has in mind. So rather than being squeezed into the mold of the world (bondage and slavery) we are morphed into that new creation that reflects the glory of the Lord. The renewing of our mind on the inside changes who we are on the inside, then the outside. The root (hidden) begins to produce the fruit (outside). And to use a simple illustration, we are changed from the worm of our present into the butterfly of our future. It is nothing short of miraculous!

The goal of God is that we look like Jesus (Rom. 8:29). That is what we are predestined for: His image. I think it is an image that was lost in the garden, made in the image of God (holy)... but cast out of the garden, sinful and shamed. Made with the confidence and dignity of what man was to be... found hiding in the bushes and cast out clothed in skins. Jesus came and took our sin. He came and took up residence within us. He would transform us... from the inside out!

Being Transformed!

Jerry Rea

Thompson's Text

What We Can Do To Reach the Unreached!

4 Important Ways to Be More Successful Inviting People to Church

Develop more relationships with people who need a church home.
Know your church and what it has to offer.
Find areas of common interest to discuss.
Remember that you are the church to them. Be real.

82 % of unchurched are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited - Dr. Thom Rainer,

The Unchurched Next Door

Bro. Steve

Reese's Pieces

Music Notes Sunday, September 28, at 6:30 p.m. the Music Ministry of Woodmont Baptist Church will present the 11^th annual Singin' With The Saints. It's a fun night of Southern Gospel music that is traditionally our best attended music event of the year. Church family, please mark your calendars and invite friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to be our guests for the evening. The choir, the quartet, the instrumentalists, and I would love a full house in which to make His praise glorious on that very special evening!

Youth Choir is starting back on Sunday, September 7 at 5:00 p.m. If you have kids in grade 7 through 12, encourage them to get involved. Youth Choir participation in Sunday evening worship services is one important way that young people in our church can have a voice...literally! We will begin right away preparing for our dinner theater in the winter, as well as getting new songs ready for worship.

And, as all of you surely know by now, Kids' Choirs have been moved to Wednesday night and incorporated into Awana and Mission Friends. The result? Parablelooza!!! And it sounds like tons of fun!!!

Finally, for those adults out there whom God has gifted musically, what can I do to convince you that we would be thrilled to have you join us in the choir? Don't keep us waiting any longer. Give us a try! We're the funnest, coolest people in the church, and we're in the choir room every Wednesday night at 7:15. Just show up! There may even be a fabulous prize in it for you...that's all I'm saying.

Although, as you can see, it's a bit hectic, Fall is my favorite time of the year. There's a crisp excitement in the air with kids coming back to choir, the Saints tuning up their voices, mini-concerts and Christmas just around the corner... It's enough to make me want to--well, SING!

Kevin

Hess's Headlines

Recently my wife was slicing a lemon on a mandolin vegetable slicer, and then something happened. You may already know, you may have seen the picture, or you may have heard me tell the story. In a moment, everything was calm on a Sunday afternoon. There was pre-season football on the television. The weather was beautiful outside. Our house smelled lemon-fresh, for obvious reasons. Then I heard her voice in a way I have never heard it before. The words were simple, but the way the voice sounded was a sign for alarm. All she said was, "Uh-oh...Chad." She was calm, but there was an undertone of panic. The lemon had slipped, her hand had moved, her thumb had been cleanly cut by the slicer. I went to the kitchen as fast as I could, she was holding her thumb up, blood was pouring, and she wrapped it with a paper towel. Good thing her nurse training was coming in handy! She was calm, patient, and knew it was a bad cut. I was panicked, tried to fake calmness, and told her she should have used the guard (not the smartest move to remind someone what they should have done in a moment like that; lesson learned). She asked me to take a look and see if we needed to go see a doctor. I looked, my stomach turned; yes, we needed to go!

We went, the doctor took care to stop the bleeding, and her thumb is healing nicely; unfortunately, it is missing the tip, but healing nicely. We actually found the tip of the thumb in the floor when we got back from the doctor. In the weeks that have followed, I have tried to process this. How did she stay so calm? How did I get so squeamish? How in the world did she do this and not have tons of pain and a lot of tears? (She didn't even cry!). Adrenaline is a funny thing, isn't it? It can help ease pain when the pain should be excruciating. It can also give you fits of strength that you did not know you had. It can help you to remain calm in the most unnerving circumstances. But eventually the pain comes. Later that night, Janna's thumb was throbbing and there was a lot more pain associated with it. A person would think that the most extreme pain would be when the wound was so fresh.

However, there are a lot of similarities, spiritually. Janna was separated from her thumb, but did not feel a lot of pain instantly. The pain was coming, but not yet. In our world, there is a different separation. Many are separated from God. They have not received the Gospel, repented and believed. They are lost and without Christ. If you look at their lives, they may look pain-free; in fact, their lives may be calmer than some of ours. They may have plenty of things to help ease the pain, maybe the adrenaline of worldly success, stable job, good family, and good morals. However, the pain is coming, the separation will soon be realized and their brokenness will be exposed. Unless, we go faithfully and share Jesus, they may experience this separation and the pain that comes with it for all time! Let's be faithful to the mission of God. Let's reach out and pray that the Lord would change the lives of those around us! Let's pray that he would use us to lead people to Jesus, so he heals the wound, stops the pain, and cares for the broken-hearted! Be bold and compassionate! Let's be examples of restoration, not separation!

Chad

Children's Ministry

Father Comforting a Crying Child As a children's minister I hear all kinds of things, some good and some not so good. However, if I do not listen when they talk, who are they are going to tell their secrets to? Sometimes it may be they are just having a bad week at school or a grandparent is very sick. I don't always feel qualified to answer their questions, but there are times they just need to tell you their problems. Sometimes I just suggest for them to write down their feelings. God knows our struggles before we tell Him. Our children are smarter than we give them credit for. I am guilty of this all of the time, trying to remind my child not to put the foil in the microwave. Their response: I am not stupid! I guess what I am trying to get across is to keep those lines of communication open. It doesn't take but a minute or two. They know sometimes you can't fix things; they just need you to be there for them.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for us as we try new ideas in the children's department! All Aboard, Children!!!!

September 20th - 4th thru 6th grade event - I am not telling you what it is, but it involves lots of food and a bus! Bring $10 and joins us. It's going to be different on September 20th at 11:30 at the East Campus!

Denise

Singles Ministry

Family Life

These are scenes from the Marriage Retreat that was held on August 22-23. Eighteen couples attended the event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Franklin/ Nashville area. Jerry and Carol Rea, the presenters, provided a very entertaining and inspiring program. Each couple was able to have fun with other couples from our church family as well as to just have some time away together.

Women's Ministry Team

2014 Upcoming Events!

October / November

Operation Christmas Child (Please save your two-piece shoe boxes.)

December 14, (Saturday)

Ladies Christmas Luncheon

Ministry Team (Brenda Bailes, Karen Beaver, Charlotte Cramer, Marleen Dortch, Marcia Gartman, Annette Menne, Denise Olive, Loletha Simmons and Kathy Austin, Dir.)

55 and Older Join Us For These Upcoming Events...

Game Day is Thursday, Sept. 4 at 12:30 at East Campus. Bring a Finger Food and enjoy this relaxed, fun afternoon. We usually are finished by 4 p.m. We invite you to join us.

Our usual Luncheon, which is Thurs. Sept. 18, will be replaced with an entertaining and educational day. We leave on the church bus at 10 and travel to "The Wall" to hear the interesting stories of the ancestor of Tom Hendrix. Lunch will be a meat, vegetables, dessert, and drink at the Oakland Caf�. Our next stop will be the Alabama Hall of Fame. The cost is $15 which includes lunch. Pay Jim or Joyce to make your reservation by Sunday, Sept. 14.