RECOGNITION OF mothers

Sunday, May 14

WOODMONT CHRISTIAN CHURCH MAY 9, 2017

Youth Sunday 2017

May 7, 2017
An important part of growing up is learning who you are. It is discovering your
personality, your gifts, talents, passions, and abilities. The theme for this years
youth-led service was "Find Your Voice and Let It Sing.

NEW MEMBERS!
Welcome back!
JAN ANDERSON REJOINS
THE WOODMONT STAFF
Jan Anderson is our new
Administrative Assistant.
A 30-year member of Woodmont,
Jan previously served as our
Director of Membership. She
has recently worked in fundraising
for the American Cancer Society
and administration for Bellevue
Presbyterian. Jan brings a wealth of
institutional knowledge to an integral
position and we are excited to have
Jeff & Tonya Rush with Archer and Lauren her back full-time at Woodmont!

VBS woodmontchristian.org/vbs
Registration now open!

Woodmont Christian Church 615.297.8563 www.woodmontchristian.org 3601 Hillsboro Road Nashville, Tennessee 37215
WHY WOODMONT ?
Organizations served through your generosity this fiscal year

OUTREACH GRANTS AWARDED Q1-3:

ABLE Leaving the Cocoon
Against the Grain Men of Valor
Bethany Hills Ministers Discretionary Fund OUR MIS SION:
Growing Disciples of Christ by Seeking God,
Bethesda Workshops Morgan-Scott
Sharing Love, and Serving Others.
Better Decisions Nashville Diaper Connection
Bravo Creative Arts Center Nashville Food Project
Building Lives Foundation Nashville Rescue Mission OUR CORE VA LUES:
Church of Another Chance Nations Ministry Center Welcoming
Communities in Schools of TN Oasis Center Outstanding Worship
Community Care Fellowship Open Table Nashville, Inc Outreach
Disciples Divinity House Preston Taylor Ministries Different Traditions
Eastwood CC Childrens Center Project Connect/Nashville Mission & Ministry
Faith Family Medical Providence Intl School On The Move
Fannie Battle Rejoice School of Ballet Nurturing
Transforming
First Steps, Inc RITI
Harvest Hands Safe Haven Family Shelter
Hope Clinic For Women Salama WOODMONTS MINISTERIAL STAFF
Hope Force, Intl Siloam Family Health Dr. Clay Stauffer, Senior Minister
Dr. C. Roy Stauffer Minister of Adult Education & Church Life
Insight Counseling Center Tools For Schools Rev. Justin Gung Minister of Children & Congregational Care
Intl Partners in Rural Dev World Convention Farrell Mason Minister of Family Life & Pastoral Care
Justice Industries Rev. Chris Cox Minister of Youth & Their Families
Michael Graham Director of Music Ministry

HAVE YOU MADE YOUR

Mary Clare Pyron Parish Nurse
Katie Sheridan Gossage Assistant Youth Ministry Director

PLEDGE YET?
Thom Schuyler Director of Young Adults, Missions & Outreach
Andra Moran Creative Director, The Bridge
Stephen Daniel King Worship Musician
Abby McLean Childrens Ministry Director
Anne-Marie Farmer Director of Small Groups & Connections

WOODMONTS SUPPORT STAFF

Chris Beck Business Administrator
Mandy Barton Brown Executive Assistant
Russell Davis Accompanist
Martha Duff Director of Preschool
Sam Marsh Property & Facilities Manager
Matt Diffenderfer Communications Director
Jan Anderson Administrative Assistant

For assistance, please call the church office at

615.297.8563 or email info@woodmontcc.org

Get the most up-to-date information at

www.woodmontchristian.org

Woodmont Christian Church

3601 Hillsboro Road
Nashville, Tennessee 37215
615.297.8563
Pledge online at www.woodmontchristian.org
woodmontchristian.org/pledge
pg 2
 2017 Stewardship Update
by Clay Stauffer
Many of you have asked how the stewardship campaign is going so I want to give you an update of where we currently
stand. First of all, THANK YOU to those who have made a financial commitment to support the mission of Woodmont for
another year. We are grateful for your support and you make the ministry of this church possible. Pledges are still coming
in and it is certainly not too late to be a part of this campaign. We are now in the follow up stages of the campaign with
phone calls and emails going out. Our finance committee will meet in a few weeks to propose a balanced budget that
will then be passed along to the Woodmont Board on June 5th. After the board approves a budget, details will be passed
along to the congregation. Our congregational meeting to approve the budget and leadership slate will be on Sunday,
June 18th (Fathers Day) at 10:35 a.m. in the sanctuary.
We have had a very strong campaign this year and I want to thank Jeremiah and Mary Clare Pyron as well as the
stewardship committee for their leadership and hard work. As of Tuesday May 9th, we have received 309 PLEDGES totaling
$2,249,909. This is exciting and will enable us to continue living out our mission of Seeking God, Sharing Love, and
Serving Others. Last year, we ended up with 322 PLEDGES totaling $2,245,751. This number includes pledges that came
in throughout the summer and year (new members etc.). The other part of our churchs revenue comes from non-pledged
giving and plate offerings (cash). If you take a look at Woodmonts 10 year stewardship history, you can see how we have
grown substantially as a church in the area of stewardship. This has been a collective effort on the part of many over the
years.

We want to continue Growing Together in Faith and Generosity. This includes our time, talent, and treasure all three
are important. For a church our size with a 2.5 Million dollar operating budget with an attendance of roughly 800 on a
Sunday, we actually have a relatively low number of commitments. This means two things: 1) Those who commit are very
generous 2) We still have work to do in the area of stewardship participation. Every gift matters and makes a difference.
These pledges allow us to set a reasonable and responsible budget for the upcoming year. Part of my job as a pastor is to
identify the areas where we need to grow as a church and challenge us to grow. Stewardship participation is one of those
areas. Research shows that those who make a financial commitment to the church are likely to give approximately SEVEN
TIMES MORE than those who dont. Not to mention, faithful stewardship is part of our spiritual responsibility as Christians.
It is what Christ asks us to do so that we can spread love and hope to a hurting world.
Thank you for being a part of this campaign! Thank you for supporting Woodmont in all that it does. Your generosity
keeps us moving forward in many areas worship, education, mission, outreach, small groups, children, families, youth,
young adults, connection, leadership development, and staffing. Faithful stewardship is a lifelong process. It changes the
lives of others and just as importantly, our own lives as well!

2017 Leadership Slate

As a part of this Spire edition, you will also find our 2017 Leadership Slate. These are the dedicated members of our church
who have been nominated and who have accepted to serve in leadership positions beginning July 1st. Please keep
them in your prayers. Final approval comes from the congregation on June 18th. I want to thank Dr. Mark Clymer and
the nominating committee for their hard work. This is an exceptional slate of leaders who will serve our church well in
the years ahead! As John Maxwell says, Everything rises and falls on leadership. We are blessed at Woodmont to have
many talented leaders. We count on the leaders of this church to move Woodmont into the future. I am grateful for their
willingness to serve!
Blessings,

pg 3
 Morgan-Scott Recap
by Judy Davis
On April 27-30, twelve Woodmont members drove to Deer
Lodge, Tn to the Morgan Scott Project.
Eight of our mission team went out to build a 74-foot ramp with
two landings, wide enough to accommodate a gurney. The
home owner has to be taken by ambulance for kidney dialysis.
A highlight of the trip was working with the RAM (Remote Ares
Medical) team. The large tractor trailer arrived with foldup dental
chairs, all dental equipment, and a sterilizing lab. All equipment
for testing eyes, determining eye glass prescription, and a lab for
making glass lens. The lens are made in the lab inside the truck.
The entire process only took 30 minutes.
Some of these adults have never been to the dentist before. Five
dentists, along with their assistants, pulled and repaired teeth.
Dr. Tom Underwood, DDS from Nashville, participated. Others
were there to help clean teeth. Some of the dental patients also
received new glasses. One man was very excited because he
could now get a drivers license and get a job. Prior to getting
glasses, his eyesight was too poor to get a drivers license.
The Morgan County Drug rehab group of 10 young men helped
unload all of the equipment and arrange it in the gym. They
also came back to reload. Seth Norman from Woodmont had
mentored Tom Patric from the Morgan County Recovery Court.
Four members of our team volunteered at the clinic in different
areas. There were many other local volunteers.
RAM plans to return in the fall.

NEW FROM ANNE!

pg 4
 Many Members, One Body
by Chris Cox
This past Sunday, our youth group led worship in our 9:30 and 11:00 services andI realize that
I am biasedthey did an awesome job. It takes a lot for many of us adults to get up in front
of a large group of people and pray, preach, sing, play an instrument, give announcements, or
even shake someones hand and say Good morning. Doing any of that as a teenager is quite
impressive. I hope you are as proud of them as those of us who get to be with them each week.
One of the aspects that I love about a worship service is that it is a team effort through and through.
We typically conceive of the service is being the domain of the ministers and though we may plan it
out and be the ones up there the most, there are far more people involved that you realize.
Take this past Sunday for example. I know that Youth Sunday is a bit of a different beast than your week-to-week service,
but there were over fifty people at minimum that made that service happen. We had forty-one youth share their gifts in
an myriad of ways. Seven of our graduating seniors preached wonderful sermons in which they shared part of their lives
here at Woodmont. Jubilationour youth choirsang and then various smaller ensembles also shared their musical gifts.
We had two students play piano. Some of our students prayed or lead in responsive readings. Some shared offering and
communion meditations. Some gave the childrens moment. Some did announcements, read scripture, served communion,
collected offering, greeted people as they came in, and even designed artwork for the bulletin.
That list is not exhaustive and that is just the students. Our adult Youth Sponsors helped our students plan the service and
guided them in the weeks leading up to Sunday. Some of them were in the back and in wings during the service; cueing
deacons on when they needed to go where there were supposed to go. There were choir directors, accompanists, ministers
that talked with our seniors about sermons, people that put together the bulletins, printed bulletins, stuffed bulletins,
stuffed bulletins again on Saturday night when we realized the responsive reading was not in there, and so on. This is to say
nothing of parents who drove their children to Youth Group meetings, rehearsals, and encouraged their children to be with
us at Youth Group. They say it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes one to put together a worship service.
The night before Sunday, our students met down in Drowota Hall for rehearsal. Before we started, we read 1 Corinthians
12:12-27. In the passage, Paul compares the church to the human body saying that there are many parts within the body yet
they are all necessary. The head and the heart are incredibly important, but the entire body cannot be head and heart. It
would look like something out a 1950s sci-fi movie. We talked about the fact that whether they were preaching a sermon or
shaking someones hand as they walked in the door, they were vital to the whole. We needed every single one of them and
that is the absolute truth.
That is the story of one worship service and the many wonderful people who used their unique gifts to make that happen.
A weekly worship service is just a fraction of what a church is. There are so many ways we are all called to love God and
neighbor each and every day. We need everyones unique gifts and abilities. We need, to borrow from our theme this past
week, everyones voice. It takes an entire community for a church to be what it is meant to be and we need you.

Troubling Texts: A Framework for Understanding

by Alexis James Waggoner
We wondered last time if ALL scripture truly is useful and profitable, and I provided a brief explanation
about how I think we can address those troubling texts wed rather just gloss over. I suggest that its:
1). important to take the text on its own terms understanding its context, place in history, audience,
and so on
2). important to place the text as part of the larger arc of scripture the story the Bible is telling from
beginning to end.
So before we can address these individual passages that make us want to throw our Bible across the room and put our head
under a pillow, we have to come up with a framework for understanding what the Bible is all about. We can do that in one blog
post right??!
Im not trying to drill down into various Biblical theologies to come up with the perfect ways for understanding troubling texts.
Im trying to pull back to a high-level view and remember our second task: placing these stories in the overarching narrative.
Im also not trying to explain these stories away. Sometimes the texts that well encounter are just troubling. Full stop. By
utilizing contextual tools and specific modes of theology we can get a better grasp on what theyre about. And looking at the
larger story of scripture will help us get perspective. But sometimes the best way to honor a story is to let it be what it is, to sit
with it in our discomfort, and to allow God into those spaces of resistance.
I DO think all scripture is profitable, but I think that sometimes the profit comes from our own spiritual quest, not from our ability
to clean up the mess and tie things up with a nice, neat bow.
To read more about what I suggest are the overarching themes of scripture, and how to place stories within these themes, check
out my full post on the website. And join us for class next Wednesday at 6:30 in Room 100 where well look at some texts of divine
violence, and discuss whether or not we can place them in the overarching narrative of Gods redemptive work in the world.
pg 5
 VBS
Registration now open!
woodmontchristian.org/vbs
May Memory Verse:
Therefore, go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey
everything that I have commanded you.
Look, I myself will be with you every
day until the end of this present age.

- Matthew 28:19-20

NEW FROM ANNE!

May Birthdays:
Hayden Duvall 5/2 Grace Stefan 5/19
Alice Reynolds 5/8 Ella Organ 5/24
Buford Wiles 5/8 Campbell Leach 5/26
Rollin Piercy 5/10 Julia Pitts 5/27
Cecelia Cummings 5/13 Caleb McLean 5/27
Tav Shaffer 5/16 Palmer Maggart 5/30
Jim Cox 5/18 Halle Kate Johnson 5/31

GEMS Speakers this month:

John and Ginger Manley

Gingers book, Disarmed, is a love story

about their 50 year marriage and the
importance of humor in triumphing over
obstacles. They met in 1967 after John lost an
arm in an Air Force training exercise. Theirs is
a marriage of three entities--Ginger, John, and
that darn artificial arm as she describes it.
 Next Weeks Calendar
Sunday, May 14 - MOTHERS DAY
8:15 a.m. Seekers Bible Study, Room 105
9:30 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary, Sun. School
9:45 a.m. Worship at The Bridge, Drowota Hall
11:00 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary, Sun. School
Monday, May 15
3:30 p.m. Geezers Mens Group, Boardroom
Tuesday, May 16
9:00 a.m. Womens Prayer Group, Campbell-Stone
9:45 a.m. Womens Bible Study, Room 200
7:30 p.m. Womens Babylon Bible Study
Wednesday, May 17
6:15 a.m. Mens Small Group, Room 100
7:00 a.m. Original Mens Bible Study, Room 105
7:00 a.m. Younger Mens Bible Study, Boardroom
5:30 p.m. Grace Notes Practice, Kids Commons
Fellowship Dinners resume in the fall
6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room
6:30 p.m. Troubling Texts Week 1 with Alexis training sessions for us in the past, and is a national
James Waggoner, Room 100
Thursday, May 18
5:00 p.m. Deacons & Shepherds Training & Social
pg 7
Safety and Security Training and Social
for all Deacons and Shepherds
Please join us for a cookout for both the current and
incoming Deacons and the Shepherds at Campbell
West at 5:00 PM on May 18, and we hope you will
stay for some training at 6:30 PM in Room 200 of the
church. With the approval of the Woodmont Board,
the Safety and Security Committee created the
Shepherds Team last year, and the team has now been
operating about six months. While the team is still
growing, in both numbers and in duties, it has become
a very important and well-accepted ministry in the life
of the church. The Deaconate is an important partner
to the Shepherds Team for multiple reasons, two of
which include your extra eyes and ears for us, and
the assistance the Deacons can provide during an
evacuation due to a fire alarm or other emergency.
On May 18 Michael Mann will be at Woodmont for
another training session. Michael has given several
leader in the area of church and school safety. While
some of his training sessions have focused on other
areas, this one will include many of the basics as
to observation and responses. This training will be
beneficial for each of you not only in your role as a
Deacon, but can also provide valuable skills for you
every day, whether you are simply walking to or from
your car in a parking lot, taking your child into school,
or one of many other scenarios you will imagine after
participating in the training.
I also encourage you to consider joining the Shepherds
Team and serving a shift as a Shepherd once a month,
in addition to your role as a Deacon, especially if you
consider yourself to be a people-person. For those
of you who are ending your three-year term as a
Deacon, this would be an excellent way for you to
stay connected with the membership, as we are first
and foremost a greeting ministry in the parking lot
and at the building entrances (in addition to duties
pertaining to safety and security in the event of a
weather, fire or other emergency). We currently have
about 25 Shepherds on the team, and need to increase
that number to about 50 in order for everyone to only
be asked to serve a shift once per month.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
me, or any of the other Shepherds who have been
serving as Team Leaders on Sunday mornings (Mike
Brent, Darryl Glascock, Charley Hankla, Alan Sowell,
Beth Sowell).
Thanks,
Allen McDonald, Chair
Woodmont Safety and Security Committee
 CHANCEL FLOWER ARRangers
A love of flowers is important if you would like to join our team. We arrange flowers for the altar each and every Saturday,
2017 Summer Reading List
taking turns. Schedules are set every 6 months giving each person a few Saturdays to arrange during that period. No special
Staff Recommendations
training is required but having arranged before is helpful. We will be glad to show anyone the process of arranging and be with
you in the beginning if need be to get you started. Please give me a call if you are interested and would enjoy working with
beautiful flowers. - Rita Baldwin, 615-665-9772

PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY:

Clay Stauffer:
Make Today Count by John Maxwell
Two Paths: America United or
Divided by John Kasich
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan
Haidt*
What I Wish I Knew before We Got
Married by Gary Chapman
The Gospel of Luke
Justin Gung:
Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of
Trayvon Martin by Sybrina Fulton and
Tracy Martin*
The Pocket Cathedral: A Collection of
Prayers by Farrell Mason
What is the Mission of the Church?:
Making Sense of Social Justice,
Shalom, and the Great Commission by
Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert
The Resurrection of the Son of God
by N.T. Wright
Making Sense of God by Timothy
Keller
Farrell Mason:
The Hidden Life of Trees by Wohllben
Love Does by Bob Goff
The Pocket Cathedral by Farrell
Mason
No Man is An Island by Thomas
Merton
Andra Moran:
Only Love Today by Rachel Macy
Stafford*
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate
DiCamillo
If You Want to Write by Brenda
Ueland
The Weight of Heaven by Thrity
Umrigar
Alexis James Waggoner:
The New Jim Crow by Michelle
Alexander
Welcoming the Stranger by Matthew
Soerens and Jenny Hwang
Prophetic Imagination by Walter
Brueggemann
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
The Spiritual Child by Lisa Miller
Anne-Marie Farmer:
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar
Nafisi
Confederate Streets by Erin Tocknell
Also a Mother: Work and Family as
a Theological Dilemma by Bonnie
Miller-McLemore *
March. Book One by John Lewis
The Giver by Lois Lowry
* - will be in stock in Woodmonts
bookstore
May 14, 2017 Elders and Deacons Serving
CONGRATULATIONS TO:
Billy and Ceci Billington on the birth of their
daughter, Grace Gadsby Billington, born on May 3
SYMPATHY TO:
Thereza McCoy on the loss of her Uncle, John
Muller Carioba. Cape Coral, FL.
IN THE HOSPITAL:
Robbie Richardson
Willie Bandy, Woodcrest
Cory, Beth, and Porter Short. Beth gave birth to
their first child, Porter Earnest Short, born at 27
weeks. NICU St. Thomas Midtown
NEW CONCERNS:
David Conrad
CONTINUING CONCERNS:
Becky Griffith
Robbie Graham, nephew of Michael Graham
Tammy Regen, daughter in law of Gene and
Elizabeth Regen. Knoxville, TN
Vicki Phillips
Al Richardson, Belmont Village
Lee Ann Hawkins
Gus Stranch, son of Gerard & Patty Stranch
Clay Perry, son of Diane & Tim Perry, grandson of
Betty & Bill Johnson. Seattle
Ben and Gayle Cherry
MILITARY:
Dave Albritton, nephew of Pat and Dave Malone
THIS WEEK, THE ELDERS OF
WOODMONT ASK YOU TO
JOIN THEM IN PRAYER FOR:
All those who have suffered from floods and
tornados.
Guidance for our leaders as they plan for the
churchs future.
The Childrens Sunday School Program.
The Music Ministry at our church.

By Our Presence and Our Gifts Deacons Serving Elders Serving

Date Sun. School Total Atd. Operating Communion Prep: Diane Perry 9:30 a.m.
April 16 NA 1673 $68,864 Service Coordinator: 9:30 - Jerry Johnson Martha Galyon
April 23 299 932 $36,521 9:45 - Andrew Chelton 11:00 - Rob Cochran Tim Perry
April 30 325 795 $29,689 Video Camera: 9:30 - Sara Anne Quinn 9:45 a.m.
May 7 296 825 $56,144 Rich Sanderson
11:00 - Jim Hester
Worship Services May 14, 2017 9:30 a.m. 9:45. a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Sarah Schuyler Chip Hooper Patricia Taylor Faye Tevebaugh
Jim Batson Sara Kate Hooper Bob Faricy Marcella Derryberry
MOTHERS DAY 9:30, 9:45, & 11:00 A.M. Randy Drinnon Shane Douglas Laurie Hester
NEW SERIES: All in the Family DEACON NEEDED Heather Douglas William Liles Hospital -
Family Function and Dysfunction Mike McConnell Emily Carpenter
DEACON NEEDED
Clay Stauffer preaching John Weldon Don Hart
Lindi Jobe Tom Woodard
Ephesians 5:21-33
Peggy Burrahm Nick Forlidas