e-Note from Guest - May 29 Issue

Dear Friends in Christ: Thank you, Martin, for the opportunity to write an e-note! It is an absolute joy in my life to serve as your Pastor of Congregational Care and Missions/Outreach. Here are a few highlights from these areas, both of which seek to serve you and the greater community. (And, while I'm at it, there is always a place for YOU to serve!)

Congregational Care Ministry: Almost a year ago we launched a new 501(c)3 ministry, Patient Advocate Ministry (PAM) to help people, and particularly our senior citizens, navigate this complex health care system. The church had an active hand in health care ministry throughout the founding of our country, but somehow we do not have the impact we once had, of ministering in Christ's healing. Thus, this ministry. Here's a link to a great article in the Brentwood Home Page that tells the story.

Mission/Outreach: We have a new Director of Missions/Outreach, Mike Dennison, and together with a gifted laity team we are building upon the strong foundations of BUMC ministries and moving forward at a fast pace-literally. At the right you will see a picture of our BUMC race team. Last week BUMC had over thirty individuals

participate in Ellie's Run for Africa. This race benefits several charities operating in African communities, helping to provide opportunities for children to escape the cycle of poverty they are living with. What a great way to help others while enjoying a time of fellowship together. We had the largest team of any participants.

You will note in the above picture that the team is all wearing our new missions shirts, which say on the back "The Church Has Left the Building!". If you are participating in a missions/outreach opportunity through the church, we would love for you to buy these shirts ($6) and wear with joy to get the word out about missions outside our walls. For more information contact mbknighten@bumc.net.

Our Habitat for Humanity build in Spring Hill is ahead of schedule! The dedication of this house for the O'Neal family will be Sunday, June 3, 2:00. We would love to see all of you there, and especially all those who worked on the building teams and all of you who financially supported this great work. To the right is a photo of the team from the women's build in front of the house. We accomplished a lot that day!

Lastly, it was a joy last Sunday to welcome in worship Rev. Dr. Simangaliso Kumalo from the Brentwood Society Church in Tumbleweed South Africa. There will be more exciting news about our future work in South Africa coming soon.

And it was also a joy to celebrate Pentecost, the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church. Rev. Buddy Benedict led us in a powerful witness of worship. May our Pentecost prayer continue to be these ancient words: "Come, Holy Spirit, and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created. And YOU shall renew the face of the earth. Amen."

Thank you for the joy of serving as one of your pastors.

In Christ's ministry together Kaye