January 11, 2007

Gratitude

It was about five-thirty last Friday morning, as our oldest child attempted to take a shower, that we learned that something was wrong with our hot water heater.  A visual inspection revealed water gushing from the heater’s tank, flooding the garage floor and potentially ruining everything inside.  Though the repairman came that morning, the Harbin family was without running water at all for much of the day.  Because we decided to install an energy-saving tankless water heater, which required both a county inspection and a new meter from Piedmont Natural Gas after the weekend ended, we were without hot water for five days.

Boiling water for sponge baths, walking to a neighbor’s house or driving to the YMCA for a shower made me realize how easy it is to take for granted the simple luxuries of life.  Having to live a different way…without power or water or air conditioning or heat…always helps me to gain a more thankful perspective.

In reality, if we can read this eNews, we are more blessed than two billion people who cannot read at all.  If we have food in the refrigerator, clothes on our back, a roof over our heads and a place to sleep, we are richer than 75% of this world.  If we woke up this morning with more health than illness, we are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.  If we have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, we are ahead of 500 million people in this world.  If we have money in the bank, in our wallets and in a spare change dish someplace, we are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.  And if we can attend worship without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death, we are more blessed than three billion people in this world.

It is an understatement to say that we have been given incredible abundance as individuals and as a faith community.  It is so easy to dwell on what we don’t have in our lives and in our church instead of being grateful to God for those things that we do.  If reaching the world for Jesus begins on our knees (as described in last week’s eNews), living lives of perspective…lives filled with gratitude…comes next.  What will you do with the spiritual and physical abundance God has given you?  How will we as a faith community lavishly offer that abundance to the people of our neighborhoods, our city and our world?  

J. Derek Harbin, priest

Around Beloved…Many of you may have seen The Charlotte Observer’s article in early December announcing the potential development of one of the largest tracts remaining in Charlotte’s South Perimeter at the intersection of Providence Road and Ardrey Kell Roads (just south of I-485 and almost at the Mecklenburg county line...see it here).  The Matthews Family of Gastonia (of Belk-Matthews department store fame) is deciding how to best develop their family farmland.  Members of the Advisory Team many years ago approached this family and were told that the land was not being developed.  Now that the family is taking proposals, Church of the Beloved respectfully requested that the family (including a retired Episcopal priest from Gastonia who was associated with Derek’s childhood church) tithe ten acres for Church of the Beloved’s physical campus for our growing congregation.  Desiring a legacy for this historic property, the family’s Executive Committee is meeting to discuss their options on Friday, January 12.  Please pray specifically for the Holy Spirit to be present during their deliberations. If you know any one associated with this family or the land developer, T B “Skeet” Harris, jr, please share your enthusiasm and support of this proposal with them.  If you have any questions or suggestions about any other parcels of land in Charlotte’s South Perimeter, please contact Clifford at the Development Office.

Miles Harbin has been cast as “Doc” in the musical, West Side Story, to be performed at Piedmont Open IB Middle School, uptown next week for three 7pm evening performances on Thursday (the 18^th), Friday (the 19th), and Saturday (the 20^th) with a Sunday afternoon (the 21^st) matinee at 2pm.  If you’d like to see his performance, contact the Development Office for more information about pre-purchasing tickets.  If you have a jukebox in your house and are willing to loan it for a worthy cause, the cast and crew would be forever indebted to you.  Contact Clifford at the Development Office for more details.

It’s Girl Scout cookie time!  Please remember to support those girls at Beloved who participate in Girl Scouting by purchasing cookies from them this Sunday, January 14^th.  If you’ll be out of town for the Martin Luther King, jr. holiday weekend, contact the Development Office and we’ll put you in contact with a Girl Scout.  Cookie orders end on January 19^th. 

Deacon Deb Blackwood is in Sarasota, Florida to participate in Anti-racism trainer training sponsored by the national church.  She will return to Beloved’s worship on January 21.

Our Priest and Pastor, Derek and Clifford King Harbin, will join with Forrest Boylston, Miles Harbin and others from around our diocese on Saturday to begin the planning process for this spring’s New Beginnings spiritual enrichment weekend for middle school students sponsored by the Diocese and Church of the Beloved to be held in Charlotte April 20-22 at Trinity Episcopal School, uptown.  Next Tuesday and Wednesday, January 17 & 18, Derek and Clifford will fly to Indianapolis to consult with that diocese’s New Congregations Committee, teaching diocesan clergy about planting new communities of faith and sharing skills from these endeavors that are transferable to existing congregations.

Beloved’s Worker Bees, the youth group for those ages 9-12, will gather for a light meal and Movie Night on Friday, January 26 from 6:30-9pm.  Beloved’s metamorphosis, the youth group for those ages 12-15, will gather for a light meal and Movie Night on Saturday, January 27 from 6:30-9pm.  Bring $3 for food and a friend.  Because Beloved’s youth groups meeting only monthly, please make every effort to clear your calendar and attend your respective evening.  To see the remainder of the school year calendar for the youth groups, please click here.

Sunday Christian formation resumes on January 21.

Last Sunday…Attendance: 172; Basket Offering: $3,500

Serving at God’s Altar This Sunday…Angel Army Team 4 (Captain: Fred Mellon; Administrator: Claire Kraft; Pastor: This ministry is available; Convener: Linda Mellon); Acolytes: Joseph Nichols, Katie Sanniota, Elizabeth Nichols, David Dygowski; Altar Bread Baker: Shari Wynn; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Betsy Fox & Wes Nichols; Offertory Basket Passers: Adam Burnett, Holly Burnett, Carter Ricket, Madelyn Ricket; PowerPoint: Paige Wilson; Presenters: Dave, Claire, Katie and Emma Kraft

In our Prayers…Wes Nichols‘ father, Jim, who remains hospitalized…Janie Wooten who is healing from a broken ankle…Annabelle Duty who is recovering from having tubes inserted in her ears…Michelle Dezzutto‘s sister, Joan…Mike Montagnino recovering from back surgery…Clifford King Harbin who will have surgery on Monday, January 22…Elizabeth, Shari Wynn‘s sister…Bob, Lee Frickhoeffer‘s uncle…Phyllis, Linda Mellon‘s mother…Mike, Dick Reif’s brother…Joe, Michele Nichol’s father…Melissa, Donna Elyea’s cousin…Emily, Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter…Michel, Catherine Atwood’s father…those serving in Iraq, especially Bob, Clifford King Harbin‘s nephew, Jared, Wes and Michele Nichols’ nephew; Ron, Marilyn Doyon‘s brother-in-law...Palmer, Betsy Fox’s teenage cousin…Jessie Powell...Bertie, Bonnie Lowder’s mother…Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents…Pat Kitts, friend of Beloved…Penny Crawford and Chris Morley as they seek permanent employment...the staff and students of Community House Middle School

Upcoming Calendar…click here