Like many children I grew up singing the familiar tune: “Red, and yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”  But while that was music in our ears the melody didn’t always match the behavior of those who sang those songs. In fact, in our nation we still have work to do before we can see people like Jesus does.

Perhaps that is why in part, it is always a special experience when our congregation hosts the Haddock Thanksgiving Community Worship service on the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving where we welcome all the churches of our area to our church sanctuary. This service is one which our congregation looks forward to each year and it is one in which people often comment that they feel and sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. Yes- I know that we have different styles of worship and no doubt our tastes in music and preaching may vary- but the common bond that draws us together is that we desire to worship God together in spirit and in truth. Thanks be to God for this dynamic worship experience.

It was a special blessing to watch children bring boxes to the altar this past week.  The scene reminds me that God desires for us to give him what we have. In the Gospel story of John 6 no one except Jesus believed a small boy’s lunch could feed a multitude. The story reminds us that no gift is insignificant when placed in the hands of Jesus.

   The school bells rang again on Sunday afternoon, November 6, 2011 as alumni from the Haddock School gathered on the grounds of our church for their first ever class reunion. On property now owned by our church, the original Haddock Academy was constructed in 1907 and opened its doors the following year for students in grades 1-12. In 1934 Jones County received federal funds to remodel and expand the existing building into a premier primary school and model junior high school. Beginning in 1948 the Haddock School provided education for elementary students of our area until 1967 in its final year when it housed middle school students in sixth and seventh grades. When the school closed, Cherokee Products, Inc. purchased the school property and would later donate the property to the Haddock Baptist Church in 1976.  The church transformed the old school building into a sanctuary and the completed building was celebrated on Homecoming and Dedication Day on October 29, 1978. After our current sanctuary was completed in May 2005 the former church sanctuary/school building was renovated for space for our youth center.

It was great to welcome back the former Haddock students along with their friends and family this past week. Our church appreciates all the members who were involved in working to make the old building look its best for this special day. Thanks also to the alumni and the work of the Jones County History and Heritage Committee for the gift of the historical marker. Most of all, thanks be to God whose loving and gentle hands have been present on this sacred site to teach and shape young minds past, present, and future.

I went into the local bank in Haddock to close our account this morning. No, I am not moving away but the bank will close its doors in just a few weeks after being in business for over 100 years. It marks the end of an era. Without question, the folks who will miss it the most are the elderly who made going to the bank and post office a part of their weekly ritual. The first time I went into the bank with my wife to open the account they were rather suspect of these strangers coming in to open a new account. However, once we identified ourselves we were welcomed with open arms and the explanation, “the last time strangers came in the bank they robbed us.” Now, some would suggest the only robbery taking place is being done by the Texas bank that purchased the oldest bank in the county a few years ago and now has decided it serves their purpose no more. Thus, current and future residents will be robbed of this central ingredient of small town living.

I will miss the little bank. No, I told a new staff member once, they don’t have an ATM machine but I don’t need an ATM machine. I just go to the bank during their hours and ask for money without even having to show my ID. Nor did I have a debit card until the big bank entered town. But I have been known to go into the bank to make a deposit without the requisite deposit slip and begin to apologize and one of the tellers would quickly begin to call out my account number so she could help me finish my banking transaction. They knew my account number even when I did not- I’d like to see a TV commercial about that! The first time I went into the bank years ago to make a loan to buy a vehicle, I asked the bank president what paperwork I would need to complete in order to get a loan. He looked at me with a quizzical look and said go get the car and come in and sign the papers- no application papers are necessary.

Thinking about the bank leaving town is not really a surprise as most customers saw it coming. What other changes are coming for small towns and communities like Haddock? It is a a phenomenon of our society- Walmart comes to town and smaller stores disappear. We call it progress. As I reflect on what this all means for the Church I realize that in many places, especially urban centers smaller neighborhood churches have succumbed to the mega churches that are larger than the shopping malls of my youth. I’m sure these churches have terrific ministries and have a vital purpose in the Kingdom. But I like a church where the pastor and staff know my name. I like to enter the doors and recognize familiar faces and I feel especially loved when a kindergarten child runs to embrace me because I am their friend. It is a special environment to be in a deacon’s meeting where kinfolks, neighbors, and friends discuss what’s best for the future of our church. There’s something special about multiple generations sitting on the same pew and strangers becoming like family because of the connection we have in Christ. By the way, I have it on good authority the Church of Jesus Christ will not be closing, it’s guaranteed to remain open in the Good Book.

This is the time of the year when many people are preparing their gardens for planting. My experience as a farmer is limited; but I have had some experience growing a successful garden that flourished. Over 25 years ago and shortly after moving to Kentucky, we had a good-sized garden. I was attending school full-time almost two hours from home each way, serving as pastor, and we had two preschool children under age 3.  We canned and ate a lot of homegrown vegetables and I had church members weekly telling me when to weed, water, or harvest.

I also know a bit about planting gardens that were essentially much less productive. I have had my share of spring times since that one when my efforts failed miserably.

Perhaps there are many secrets to successful gardening- one essential ingredient is good soil and the right location, especially the right amount of sun. If you want a good garden most people will use some sort of supplement to the soil: compost, nutrients or fertilizer to create the right mixture which will allow growth to come.

One of the things we forget about at times as Christians is we are to be growing as disciples. It’s not automatic- weeds are automatic!  I can plow ground- fertilize the area- but I’m unlikely to get butterbeans or tomatoes, unless I sow the seed or plant the plant and care and nurture it by weeding, watering, etc.

During this time of Lent- (spring) I will be talking about spiritual disciplines on Wednesday evenings during prayer meeting time. Think of them as fertilizer for your soul. One does not plant tomatoes tomorrow and harvest them next week to eat on a sandwich. Spritual disciplines are about sustained habits and behaviors that bring about wonderful and rich results in time. Join me in a time of reviewing the classic book by Richard Foster: Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spritual Growth.

I have thought about that game now for 24 hours- and one thing stands out in my mind as I relate that scene to the church today.  It seems we keep score in a similar way: attendance, budget, baptisms and the like.  Members and ministers alike can have highs and lows based on watching the scoreboard.  Morale can suffer in the church when we get behind on the budget or a church family leaves or attendance is off. Maybe we need to just play the game.  And let God keep the score. After all we are on the winning team!



A few months ago Sharon brought home a beagle (sixteen pounds) naming her Thelma Lou we were certain she would help to resolve Barney’s fears.  Well, no one told Barney our plan. There as I looked outside lay Thelma, curled up on her pillow, comfortable and dry, sleeping peacefully. Obviously the thunderstorm had only lulled her to sleep.

Preachers are always looking for spiritual lessons, even before daylight on a rainy Monday morning. The psalmist words echo, “Be still and know that I am God.” Yet when storms or troubles come it is often tempting to be overwhelmed by what looks or sounds intimidating or frightening and like Barney sometimes we run off into the unknown leaving security behind.  I’m still working on how to alleviate the fears of a dog during a storm. But in the meantime, I hope that I will learn when trouble comes to hang on and trust that God will take care of me.

Let me offer you my recommendation for one of the best places to see the beauty of the changing season. Life is full of changing seasons.

Occasionally I get to hold a newborn baby in my arms before our congregation as the new parents dedicate themselves to the Lord. It’s the epitome of spring marking the beginning of new life. Though summertime is supposed to be a more relaxed and laid back time – often it is full of trips and activities that keep us going from early morning to late at night. Raising children reminds me a lot of the summertime of life. It is an incredibly busy time of life- vacation plans run head long into limitations of real life like the demands of work, budget limitations, and scheduling conflicts. As we move toward the fall season of life perhaps an empty nest or early retirement, we discover the wisdom the years bring. We seek to create memories that we can savor during the approaching winter season of life. Winters can be short and cold but they can also be long and rather mild. Most of us enjoy the simplicity of sitting by a fireplace and telling favorite stories or rocking a child to sleep in our favorite chair. The winter season of life when rightly lived does not have to be dreaded or feared but can be enjoyed and celebrated.

Back to the point I started with- the best place- to witness the beauty of the changing seasons is – your local church. Each week at Haddock Baptist Church, I enter the baby class during the Sunday School hour and get down on the floor to talk and play with the youngest sheep in the flock. The children will not remember the moment- I will never forget it. It is like drinking from the fountain of youth. Every week, you can see children celebrating pivotal moments of life- from losing their first tooth to getting their driver’s license. And yes, you can overhear parents stressing about braces, baseball games, or boyfriends. Pause by the coffee pot in the fellowship hall and you’ll see unforgettable vistas like new grandparents proudly displaying the latest photos or a group of retirees lamenting about how they never have enough time to go fishing or play more golf. Older seniors will fill you in on their latest ailments and incredibly those classes are often where I hear the most laughter.

I’m confident I’ll head north to see the beauty of the seasons sometime this fall; but until then I’ll just point my truck toward the church and there I will behold the wonderful beauty of the seasons that God has created.