Dear MidSouth District,

The events of recent days have troubled us all on numerous levels. Racism, ethnocentricity, and violence are all reflections of deep-seated injustice. If humanism, secularism, and godless societies could have addressed the human predicament we would not be facing the challenges we face today. The evidence of their impotence is obvious.

There is only one God who is able to bring about a new way of being human in the world. And, we worship Him! Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I wish to add my voice to the voices of our Board of General Superintendents in support of the letter sent last evening to our pastors. I have attached it below for your benefit. Please know that we on the MidSouth District and in the Church of the Nazarene stand against all forms of racism. It is not the way of Jesus in the world and we deeply desire to walk in His ways.

However, simply speaking out is not enough. True worship requires that our words must become flesh and we must live in such a way – treat everyone in such a way – so as to reflect each person’s God-breathed value.

As you read the letter from our BGS, let your life be stirred to transformation of yourself, your church, your community, and the world around us.

Dear Friends,

The last few days have been exceedingly difficult for the global family. For months now, the world has encountered the deadly effects of the coronavirus, which has affected our societies, our churches, and our families. Yet, this week, the news of an older virus that continues to affect many segments of our society—and even our churches—has added to the world’s grief. The virus of ethnocentrism, expressed in explicit and/or veiled racism, has struck again the core of our society; we are now witnessing the many ways in which people respond and react to such a rampant disease. People are in the streets calling for justice and a human cure to this endemic sin of the heart manifested in violence, political division, and great suffering.

With so much bad news, what does it mean to be a people of hope? More specifically, what is Christian hope and how does it change our perspective?

Two fundamental aspects of Christian hope are absolutely linked together.

Christian hope is based in a Person.

Hope is not the power of positive thinking. It is not based on circumstances, either good or bad. It is not new and better ideas, utopian philosophies, or reformed politics. It is objectively focused in the person of Jesus Christ who has been revealed to us as “the grace of God,” “the salvation of all people” and our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:11-13). Hope in anything else will not give us what we are looking for. Jesus is the only One who can satisfy the deep hunger of our hearts and the pain of our world. A deep embracing of Jesus’ life, teachings, and sacrifice will give the world the true sense of peace, justice, and harmony that brings about hope.

Christian hope looks forward to a promised future.

Our hope in Jesus Christ is the hope that there is coming a day when God will make all things that are wrong in the world right again. Our hope is that God will remake the world the way He intends it to be. Our hope is that we will live a resurrected life with Jesus and with all the family of God, from all races, cultures, and times. Christian hope looks forward to a better future.

That hope changes us.

Looking forward in hope changes our behavior. Suddenly we find ourselves acting very differently and thinking very differently. “It teaches us to say 'no' to ungodliness and worldly passions” (Titus 2:12). The old way of life does not have the same pull on us that it used to. Looking forward in hope changes our purpose. Our priorities change. Our passions are redirected. “It teaches us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:12). We begin to live today as though God’s promised future were already at hand. Looking forward with hope means we see God’s vision of a world with no more injustice, no more violence, no more poverty, no more prejudice.

Because that is a picture of what our future hope looks like—as citizens of the kingdom of heaven and people who believe that God always keeps His promises—we start working toward that vision right now, here on earth.

We begin to long for, and pray for, and work for a time where there is justice and peace; where hungry people can eat and where diseased people can be made well; where holy love enables us to live together joyfully even in our great diversity. We begin to live toward the time where there is no hatred, prejudice, unjust systems, or racism. We live today the way God wants His world to be tomorrow. Hope demands we do more than speak a good word—it is a call to act on behalf of God’s preferred and coming future.

Because of our deep sorrow for the way things are, and our profound hope in God’s faithfulness to bring about a more just and loving world, the Board of General Superintendents calls the global Nazarene family to a Day of Prayer and Fasting on Sunday, June 7, 2020 (also known as Trinity Sunday). The prophet Joel declares, “Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly” (Joel 2:15-16). We ask our district superintendents and pastors to lead our churches in prayer for the healing of the world according to God’s vision for reconciliation, justice, unity, and holy love.

In the case of the current news in the United States, we are moved by the responses of pastors and district superintendents who are calling their congregations to address these issues in their communities. We join with the prayer that one of our USA district superintendents wrote from the depths of his heart. God’s promised future gives us the courage to risk much more than we could dare without it. “All things becoming new” is the future hope of God’s tomorrow and gives us the strength to pray, “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.”

Praying with hope,
Board of General Superintendents


Classes & Studies

Sundays

• Sunday School with Debbie Woodard at 9:00am on Zoom. 
  Meeting ID: 852 143 427
  Password: Nazarene
• Great children’s lessons can be accessed each Sunday on our Facebook page.
• Sunday morning service will continued to be live streamed for those unable to be with us in the church building.

Wednesdays

• Youth Group with Elizabeth Hunter on Zoom (please contact Elizabeth if you need the access information)
• Wednesday Night Bible Study with Debbie Woodard at 6:30 pm on Facebook Live

Thursdays

• Chair Aerobics - 6:00 pm in the FLC with Anita Woods as the instructor
• Prayer and Bible Study with Richard Baisden at 7pm on Zoom
  Meeting ID: 968 0414 4773
  Password: Nazarene

Announcements

• Please continue your faithful giving through Givelify, Paypal or mailing of your checks.
• There are many Work Projects available here at the church. If you are unable to help and would like to make a donation to hire one of our teens to help around the church. Please contact Pastor Mike if interested, or would like more information.
• The Coffee Shop is now open on Sunday Mornings.
• The Food Pantry will be opening soon. Ruth Inzer UMC will be partnering with us. You can begin bringing donations of food to the church office.There will be many opportunities to serve in this ministry. Please contact Pastor Mike if you are interested in serving.
• Sometime in July 2020 we will welcome our new Children's Pastor, Maddie Malone to our Old Hickory Church family.