New member social this Thursday

We invite all new members that have joined since the beginning of 2021 to a casual Happy Hour event this Thursday, Nov. 10, at 6:00 PM on the patio of Campbell West, the former parsonage house behind the church. Enjoy some light appetizers and drinks with Clay and some of our church leaders. This is a time to socialize with other newcomers from the church and build community with others. RSVP to Tammy Morgan at tammy@woodmontcc.org. Childcare provided with an RSVP.

Intro to Woodmont this Sunday

If you’re new to Woodmont, we want to see you at our Intro to Woodmont luncheon on Nov. 13 at noon in the Boardroom! This is a chance to meet with Clay and some of our leaders to learn more about Woodmont and if God is calling you to make this your church home. Lunch is served and you are warmly invited! Childcare is available! RSVP to tammy@woodmontcc.org

Father-Son Campfire this Sunday

Our annual Father-Son Campfire is back! Please click here to register so that we can plan accordingly! This event is open to fathers and sons of all ages on Sunday, Nov. 13, and runs from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Campbell West, the former parsonage house behind the church.

Welcome, new members!

Signups for Walk Thru Bethlehem are now live!

For over 40 years, Walk Thru Bethlehem has brought the story of Christmas to life in the Nashville community, and in our church’s families. It’s a core ministry of our congregation involving 200 costumed roles in addition to building roles, backstage roles, and help-from-home roles for all ages!  This ensures everyone has a part to play in Building Bethlehem at Woodmont.

It takes all of us at Woodmont to build Bethlehem each Christmas! Simply put, we need you— and also, we want you to get to experience the joy and mystery of the Christmas story in this unique and beautiful way.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of something truly special— and just plain fun!

Visit woodmontchristian.org/walk-thru-bethlehem today and click the buttons at the bottom of the page to sign up for your role!

Nov. 16 Churchwide Thanksgiving Dinner next Wednesday, followed by Dr. A.J. Levine

Our Wednesday night classes conclude on Nov. 16 at 5:30 PM with our Churchwide Thanksgiving Dinner in Drowota Hall followed by Dr. Amy Jill Levine with a special lecture called “What Jesus Means by Loving Your Neighbor” at 6:30 PM in Carpenter Chapel.

DivorceCare "Surviving the Holidays" workshop next Wednesday, Nov. 16

5:30 PM in the Bay Room

Leading a congregation through Covid was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Other faith leaders that I have talked to agree. Nobody took a class in seminary focusing on church leadership during a global pandemic. Over the past two years, many ministers have retired early and many others have left the church to do something completely different. This became easy to understand when they got repeatedly criticized for holding a worship service, youth activity, or fellowship dinner. Covid brought out some of the worst behavior and divisions among members and leaders. Everybody was stressed, fearful, and uncertain about the future. Matters of politics and race did not help the situation. It’s still too early to know what the pandemic will mean for churches in the long run, but we do have some specific trends that have emerged which can be identified. In talking to other faith leaders, here are twelve of the lasting effects that the pandemic has had on North American congregations:

• Most churches (not all) have now returned to the 55-80% range of pre-pandemic in person church attendance; very few are above that mark.
• Online worship is now the preferred option for many and churches should be intentional in offering it. This has become a ministry in and of itself
• Many members who were marginally committed to the church simply have not and will not come back. Their Sundays are now filled with other activities.
• Covid also revealed some church leaders who were not truly committed to being present.
• The pandemic presented a unique opportunity for “church shopping” and many have taken advantage of it, both online and in person.
• *Many now believe that attending once a month constitutes regular church attendance.
• People missed their small groups most and that was the first thing they wanted back. Isolation and disconnection was very difficult.
• It became clear that much of the programming offered in churches was ineffective and only kept active members busy and overextended.
• Churches should now realize what matters most - vibrant worship, forming small groups, and mission. Church mission statements should reflect these basic priorities.
• Churches that are reaching young families, children, and youth have a much brighter future than those who are not. Young leaders are essential for the future.
• Staffing structures and areas of specialization will need to change and evolve; many churches are still staffed for the year 2000.
• Effective biblical preaching must lead to self-reflection, inspiration, and ultimately life change.

These observations are based on personal experience and what I have heard other faith leaders report. “Christendom” is the word referring to the culture giving preferential treatment to Christian practices and norms. Those days seem to be gone. Youth sports happen on Sunday mornings, even in the south. “Blue laws” are a thing of the past. It will now be up to churches to create a culture that people want to be a part of because the days of going to church out of obligation or social pressure are gone.  

Help needed for Fall-Hamilton parking lot fundraiser this weekend

We’re looking for a few more volunteers to help in our Fall-Hamilton Flea Market Parking Lot fundraiser this Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 12. No experience needed - just standing and directing cars to open parking spaces. It’s a great way to meet fellow Woodmont members in a beautiful outdoor setting, and raise funds for this inner city school. Sign up for a 3-hour shift here: signupgenius.com/go/70a084ca5a62d6-fall2

Our 2022 Angel Tree

The Woodmont Angel Tree, which benefits children and families at Fannie Battle Day Home, is in the Gathering Hall and outside the chapel and available online at woodmontchristian.org

The Angel Tree offers members of our congregation the opportunity to provide presents for children and families in need during the holidays. There are 136 Angels this year! 

Gifts should be brought to the Gathering Hall by noon on Sunday, Nov. 27, which is Thanksgiving weekend, so please plan accordingly. Contact Tracy Crawford crawfordbt@icloud.com or Ann Wiles annwiles@gmail.com with any questions. 

Smoked turkey fundraiser

The grilling ministry, now named “Burnt Offerings,” will be doing it’s first fundraiser by offering smoked turkeys (12-14 lb) for this Thanksgiving. Pre-orders will be taken until Wednesday, Nov. 16. It will be limited to 50 for this first event, first come first serve. Turkeys will be fully smoked and ready for pick-up Tuesday, Nov. 22, at Campbell West. Proceeds from this event will go towards funding future Mission and Outreach projects. 

We have 30 turkey slots left!

Payment for turkeys can be made via cash or check at time of pickup OR if you want to pay online via Realm, please use the “Miscellaneous Payment” fund and indicate in the memo field that it is for a smoked turkey.

To place an order, contact Rob Smith by Nov. 16 at robeycotton@gmail.com or (901) 490-2110.

Date: March 4-10, 2023 (a family spring break trip is in the works for March 2024)

Adult Trip: Age 18+

Cost: $1450 + airfare to Guatemala City. We will likely have a $200 pp stipend available from Woodmont's Mission Committee to put toward each person's trip.

Each traveler will arrange their own airfare; Unbound will give everyone a window for arrival, and the first and last nights will be spent in Guatemala City.

Rooms: This is a small(ish) group/trip as staff in countries such as Guatemala are just stepping back in to travel. There are 9 rooms at the Center in San Lucas, and the large dorm rooms are housing only 2 people on this trip, so space is somewhat limited. We could have from 9-18 people. Single travelers are welcome to room with a friend.

Sponsored Friends: If you have a sponsored friend through Unbound, you will get to meet them on the trip. There are a few variables, but we have always had a great opportunity to build friendships and further relationships. 

Stacy King from Unbound/Kansas will be accompanying the group and Jerry Johnson is the Woodmont lead! This is our 9th trip to Guatemala!

Feel free to reach out to me, Jerry, Stacy at Unbound, or any of the past travelers to ask all the questions you'd like to ask. Unbound is wonderful to travel with and provides a glimpse into the people and sights of Guatemala that you would only get if you were staying at a close friend's home in a foreign country!  

For a mission awareness trip packet info and registration, contact Jerry Johnson at jjwestwind@aol.com

Woodmont's Guatemala group from 2019

Child dedication

Anna Katherine Wedgworth, daughter of Davis & Jenna Wedgworth 

Sunday, Nov. 6

Dr. Lee Camp "Scandalous Witness" tomorrow

Wednesday nights continue with Dr. Lee Camp, Lipscomb professor and author of the book Scandalous Witness, tomorrow, Nov. 9 at 6:15 PM in Carpenter Chapel, with dinner beginning at 5:30 PM in Drowota Hall.

Christian identity is in moral and political crisis, and Dr. Camp writes “that one major reason Christianity in America has been made into a bad public joke is our failure to rightly understand what Christianity is.” In Scandalous Witness, Camp reminds us that the gospel is inherently political and that we are called to be political witnesses, while at the same refusing to reduce Christianity to any partisan agenda.

Dr. Ben Curtis "Living with God in Darkness & Light: The Eyes of Frederick Buechner" tomorrow

Led by Dr. Ben Curtis and sponsored by the Center for Healing & Spirituality, this session begins at 6:15 PM in Room 105.

Frederick Buechner, who died recently, was a novelist and theologian. He wrote a spiritual memoir, Telling Secrets, which encourages honesty and the gift of hearing God in small things. In these three sessions, we will trace the arc of healing through his losses and avoidance. The right events at the right moments lead to grace and acceptance, becoming an inspiration for our own lives. 

DivorceCare continues tomorrow

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 6:00 PM in The Bay Room

The Bridge

Pastor Jay Hutchens preaching at The Bridge this past Sunday, Nov. 6

Donovan McAbee sitting in with the band

Celebrating All Saints' Day

This Sunday, Nov. 13

"Are You Being Faithful?” 

 Clay Stauffer

Matthew 28:16-20 & II Timothy 4:1-8

 “Fruit of the Spirit” series

Breakfast is back weekly

8:30 AM - Breakfast in Drowota Hall

9:30 AM – Informal service in the sanctuary with livestream

9:40 AM – The Bridge service in the chapel

11:00 AM – Traditional service in the sanctuary

Troop 92 Christmas Wreath Sale

Our Boy Scout Troop is now selling beautiful Christmas wreaths with a large red bow for $35 per wreath on Sunday mornings in the Gathering Hall. Wreaths will be distributed the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Church members can pick up their wreaths from the new wing of the church on Sunday, Nov. 20. If a member cannot pick them up that day, the wreaths will be available for pickup from the church office during weekly office hours. You can also purchase wreaths online at this address https://scoutsales.org/?1313.28.2022

An opportunity to serve

Please join out CWF and Childrens’ Ministry in a coat drive to help the children in the Edgehill Community Center stay warm this winter. You may bring any size coat up through a small adult size to the Gathering Hall or front office on the first two Sundays of November. We are accepting new or gently used coats. If you’d like to throw in some gloves, that would be great also! For further information check with Susan Batson (subatson@gmail.com) or Abby McLean (abby@woodmontcc.org). 

The Bridge Advent Decoration Day

Our Advent Decoration Day for The Bridge and Carpenter Chapel is Nov. 20 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Contact Andra Moran or Tammy Morgan to sign up to help! This year, we're bringing in a 12-foot tree and will decorate with traditional Chrismons, or "Christ monograms," decorations of symbols that tell the story of the life of Jesus. On Nov. 27, the first Sunday in Advent, we'll hang some additional decorations during worship together. 

The Bridge Ornament Exchange

Throughout Advent, you're invited to bring in ornaments from your own collection to add to our exchange-display. Swap your ornament for one from another worshipper and bring a bit of your church family's love to your Christmas tree. 

Hanging of the Greens is Sunday, Nov. 27

One all church service on Christmas Day and New Years Day at 10:00 AMin the sanctuary 

Our church has supported the Heart for Africa effort for over 11 years. Park and Mary Welsh Owen recently returned from their fourth trip to Eswatini, Africa, Heart for Africa’s home. Heart for Africa is a faith-based humanitarian organization that brings HOPE in terms of hunger, orphans, poverty, and education. The most recent trip was a 10-year celebration of the El Roi Baby home. Pictured above is 10-year-old Joshua, the first Project Canaan baby to arrive.

Mary currently serves as a Woodmont Board member, a Life Elder and is a former Chair of the Congregation. Park is a Life Elder, a member of the Shepherd team and serves on the organizing committee for Walk Thru Bethlehem. Woodmont has been their church home for over thirty years. They are active in small groups and serve at Fall-Hamilton. 

Join us Tuesday, November 29th at noon in Room 105 to hear more about this incredible ministry. Call the church office for a lunch reservation.

Woodmont and CWF circle members have supported the Morgan Scott Project for many years. Morgan Scott is a non-profit in the two poorest counties of East TN. Their mission is “helping people help themselves”.  Judy Davis, Woodmont’s long term volunteer for Morgan Scott gave a wonderful program presentation for Circle #3 this month. 

Again this year, the October service project for several of our Circles was creating unique baskets that will be auctioned at the Morgan Scott yearly fund raiser. One circle’s theme for their basket was games. It was filled with board games, card games, and pop corn. 



What a wonderful way to share our talents and gifts with God’s neediest folks.  

Watch sermon "Kindness & Goodness in a Struggling World"

Watch sermon "Growing the Fruits - Kindness & Generosity"

Church calendar

Sunday, Nov. 13

8:30 AM Breakfast, Drowota Hall

9:30 AM Peace, Grace, & Truth Class, Room 200

9:30 AM 21st Century Class, Boardroom

9:30 AM Disciples Class, Room 105

10:45 AM Reflections Class, Room 200

10:45 AM Connections Class, Room 100

11:00 AM Points of View Class, Room 105

12:00 PM Intro to Woodmont, Boardroom

3:00 PM Pickleball, Drowota Hall

4:00 PM Father-Son Campfire, Campbell West

4:45 PM Jubilation Ensemble, Choir Room

5:00 PM Leadership Woodmont, Campbell West

5:00 PM Youth Group, Carpenter Chapel

Monday, Nov. 14

3:00 PM "Geezers", Boardroom

Tuesday, Nov. 15

9:30 AM Women's Prayer Group, Boardroom

10:30 AM Women's Bible Study, Campbell West

10:30 AM Book Club, The Bay Room

6:30 PM Alateen (ages 12-19), South Hall

6:30 PM Parents Al-Anon Group, Room 105

8:00 PM AA Meeting, South Hall

Wednesday, Nov. 16

6:00 AM Men's Small Group, Room 107

7:00 AM Younger Men's Bible Study, Boardroom

8:00 AM "Original" Men's Bible Study, Room 105

5:15 PM Churchwide Thanksgiving Dinner, Drowota Hall

5:30 PM Grace Notes Rehearsal, Christ Quest

6:00 PM DivorceCare "Surviving the Holidays," The Bay Room

6:15 PM Dr. Ben Curtis class on Frederick Buechner, Room 105

6:30 PM Dr. A.J. Levine, Carpenter Chapel

6:30 PM Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary

Thursday, Nov. 17

10:00 AM Sit & Stitch, Gathering Hall

1:00 PM Mahjong Group, Gathering Hall

4:30 PM Walk Thru Bethlehem Committee, Room 107

5:30 PM Handbells Rehearsal, Choir Room

6:30 PM Andra Moran Virtual Vespers, Zoom

6:30 PM Nar-Anon, Room 105

8:00 PM AA Meeting, South Hall

Friday, Nov. 18

Room In The Inn

3:00 PM Pickleball, Drowota Hall

Saturday, Nov. 19

10:00 AM Al-Anon, Drowota Hall