Sullivan UMC—J. Michael Smith

Earlier today:

I sent a notice to the congregation about Norma Hickenbottom, who passed away about 3 p.m. after being in hospice for a couple weeks.  She was staying with Joe Pound, who was taking care of her around the clock—and he was at her bedside when she died.  There will be a memorial service for her, but no details have been planned yet.

Joys and Concerns from Yesterday’s Worship Services

• Prayers for the new pastor—Bill Wiggs, who will begin his ministry at First United Methodist Church on July 1.  There will be more information forthcoming.  Also—prayers for the old pastor—(me) and the ministry we have ahead of us, together, for the next few months.
• Prayers for Van Thomas for health concerns.
• Concerns for the Easter Egg project, orders are running slower than desired.
• Prayers for Mary Ann Hecht’s cousin Joe, in a serious accident.
• Prayers for Kathy Booker’s 7 grandchildren.
• Prayers for the Conlin family in Arthur.
• Joys for the Roney’s granddaughter Sarah—on the way for a visit.
• Prayers for Dylan, a 12-year old Boy Scout (in Elaine Daniels’s cousin’s troop) who is having a pacemaker replaced.
• Prayer for Karen Johnson—getting ready for a knee replacement.
• Joys from Bonnie Steward who had several family members on the road last week, going to funerals, and all returned safely.

Yesterday’s sermon was on Kindness.  The Greek word for kindness is “kra-oh-mai” and means, “Don’t just sit there, do something!”  It specifically refers to doing something good and pleasing for another person.  It implies being God’s agent in providing simple, light, and unassuming graces to another person.

A Kindness matrix looks something like this:

• The column going down gives several ways we can be kind by just being ourselves
• The column going across reminds us of the several people we can be kind toward