WOODMONT CHRISTIAN CHURCH MARCH 14, 2017

Welcome New Members!

Chris and Carroll Baxley Karen and William Cooper

with Brooks, Gates, and Vaughan with Constance and Wills.

Clay and Lindsay Rhodes with Marion, Sanders, & Sterling Sharon Michie

CHILD DEDICATIONS - March 12, 2017

Joseph Baron Pride Elizabeth Whitaker McGuigan

Son of Bart and Brittany Pride Daughter of Kevin and Vance McGuigan
Woodmont Christian Church 615.297.8563 www.woodmontchristian.org 3601 Hillsboro Road Nashville, Tennessee 37215
 NEW CLASS STARTS
WEDNESDAY!
Lent and the Christian Faith OUR MIS SION:
with Alexis James Waggoner Growing Disciples of Christ by Seeking God,
Sharing Love, and Serving Others.
March 15, 6:30 PM in the Boardroom
Learn more about the history of Lent, the celebration of
OUR CORE VA LUES:
Easter, who God is, and what God is calling us to in the Welcoming
world. On Wednesday evenings, starting March 15th, Outstanding Worship
we will be tackling the building blocks of Lent and the Outreach
foundation of Christian practice and belief. Well build off Different Traditions
the Lenten Devotionals being offered via daily emails and Mission & Ministry
On The Move
explore topics like, What is Lent? Who is God? What does Nurturing
Jesus teach? Understand your faith more deeply, and Transforming
expand your experience of this sacred time before Easter.
WOODMONTS MINISTERIAL STAFF
Dr. Clay Stauffer, Senior Minister
Dr. C. Roy Stauffer Minister of Adult Education & Church Life
Rev. Justin Gung Minister of Children & Congregational Care
Farrell Mason Minister of Family Life & Pastoral Care
Rev. Chris Cox Minister of Youth & Their Families
Michael Graham Director of Music Ministry
Mary Clare Pyron Parish Nurse
Katie Sheridan Gossage Assistant Youth Ministry Director
Thom Schuyler Director of Young Adults, Missions & Outreach
Sign up to get daily devotions from Woodmont delivered to your inbox Andra Moran Creative Director, The Bridge
every morning during Lent at www.woodmontchristian.org/lent Stephen Daniel King Worship Musician
Abby McLean Childrens Ministry Director
Anne-Marie Farmer Director of Small Groups & Connections

Practice: I am doing a new thing WOODMONTS SUPPORT STAFF

Remind yourself of Gods perpetual creative love by doing something Chris Beck Business Administrator
new today, and commemorating it! Perhaps youre an artist and you can Mandy Barton Brown Executive Assistant
Russell Davis Accompanist
literally make something new to display or experience: a painting, a song, Martha Duff Director of Preschool
a photograph. If youre artistically challenged - like me! - try bringing MacKenzie Baldwin Administrative Assistant
a new experience into your day. Sit with a new crowd at lunch or grab Sam Marsh Property & Facilities Manager
coffee with a co-worker you dont usually socialize with; prepare a new Matt Diffenderfer Communications Director
meal with your friends or family; pick up the phone and call someone
you havent talked with in a while.
For assistance, please call the church office at
615.297.8563 or email info@woodmontcc.org
Then, take something with you to remind you of this experience: maybe
its the napkin from your coffee date, or the wooden spoon from your
(hopefully!) delicious dish, or a post-it with the name of a friend you Get the most up-to-date information at
chatted with. Place the item somewhere youll see it and keep it there for www.woodmontchristian.org
a day or two - or as long as you want!
Woodmont Christian Church
Be reminded that God is continually working love into the world in
3601 Hillsboro Road
new ways. Perhaps you feel that your new experience was one small Nashville, Tennessee 37215
manifestation of this divine work. 615.297.8563
- Alexis James Waggoner www.woodmontchristian.org

pg 2
 Beyond Self Absorption
by Clay Stauffer
As we continue our Lenten journey through Marks gospel, one of the main themes that becomes
evident is the challenge of discipleship. Following Jesus is not easy or convenient if we take his
words and example seriously. In Mark 8, Jesus says, If any want to become my followers, let them
deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will
lose it. And those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

These words sum up the essence of Christianity, and these words tell us why being a Christian in
todays world is hard. Its challenging. Its counter-cultural in many ways. We all know that we live in
an age where we are taught to take care of ourselves, to look out for ourselves, to do well for ourselves, and many of the
decisions that people make are in their own best interest. So these words of Jesus about, denying self seem strange to a
self-centered culture. David Brooks says we have managed to build a culture around the Big Me. Technology and Social
media have played a big role in this. Brooks says, Social networking technology allows us to spend our time engaged in a
hyper-competitive struggle for attention, for victories in the currency of likes.

In his book With Love and Prayers, Tony Jarvis has a chapter titled Beyond Self Absorption. In it he says, Life involves a
continual temptation to return to self-absorption. He says, There is a great tendency in all of us to withdraw into ourselves,
or into safe little cliques of like-minded people to live sheltered, claustrophobic, risk-free, boring little lives. This is often our
natural inclination as human beings. But Jarvis goes on to say that the Christian faith calls us to involve ourselves in the lives
of other people. It calls us to go against our natural, innate tendencies of self-absorption. It calls us to care. It calls us not just
to tolerate, not just to involve ourselves, but to actually love one another. Self-absorption, when its all said and done brings
about unhappiness. Happiness, on the other hand, only comes from self-risk, inconvenient involvement, self-sacrifice, and
love. Selfish and narcissistic people are usually not very happy.

It usually doesnt take long to identify those who are completely wrapped up in themselves - people that seem to only care
about their situation and what you can do for them. These types of people are not interested in listening, but in talking. They
are not interested in giving, but in getting. They are not interested in how they can help others because they only want to
know whether or not you can help them. And if you cant help them, then they have no use for you. You become irrelevant.
Its been said before that there is no smaller package in life than someone all wrapped up in themselves, and I think that is
true. Selfish people, narcissistic people, think that the world revolves around them and their needs.

As a church, there are countless ways and opportunities for us to move beyond self. Habitat, Room in the Inn, Morgan Scott,
Guatemala, The Food Project, Heart for Africa, visiting shut in members, teaching Sunday School, being a youth sponsor,
leading a small group just to name a few. During the month of April, we will have our annual stewardship campaign
called Growing Together in Faith and Generosity. It will be chaired this year by Jeremiah and Mary Clare Pyron. Faithful
stewardship is another way that we grow spiritually and move beyond self. The church requires sacrifice and generosity.
There would be no church without sacrifice and generosity. Everything we do here, we do together.

I invite you to join me on Saturday, April 1st at 9:00 a.m. for our congregational breakfast in the Gathering Hall. Our speaker
will be Rev. Bruce Barkhauer and his talk will be titled Stewardship as Spirituality. Bruce is the Director of the Center for Faith
and Giving in the Christian Church. He will have lots of interesting insight so I hope you can make it. All of us give and work
together to make Woodmont the church that it is. And the church, at its best, calls us to move beyond self-absorption to focus
on others.
Blessings,

Bruce Barkhauer
Stewardship as Spirituality
Saturday, April 1 9 AM in the Gathering Hall

All are invited for this special Congregational Breakfast!

RSVP at www.woodmontchristian.org/signup

For elders and leaders, a meeting on Creating Culture

of Generosity will follow at 11 AM in the Boardroom.

pg 3
 Bad First Drafts 2017 Habitat Build
by Chris Cox Day 3 & 4, March 11 & 12
Im a little bit compulsive when it comes
to writing. I cant get going until I have
the perfect title. Then I have to have
the perfect opening paragraph; the kind
of opening that will make the person
reading nod in admiring approval. The
trouble is great writing does not usually come
automatically and then I get writers paralysis. I cannot write great
automatically and so I just dont write.

I have had to unlearn this habit. In her memoir on writing, Anne

Lamott talks about the importance of writing bad first drafts. Lamott
actually uses a more colorful adjective, but well stick the modifier
bad. If you cant write, you should not wait for the Almighty to
hand you a perfectly formed manuscript from the sky. Just put pen
to paper or fingers to keyboard and write. Will what you write in that
rough first draft be any good? Probably not, but at least youre trying.

Maybe, just maybe, somewhere in that bad first draft lurks the seed
for a slightly better second draft. Maybe that second draft buds into
a not-terrible third draft, andif you cultivate, water, and care for the
wordsmaybe this all eventually blooms into something beautiful.
Maybe. Maybe not. But you have to start writing before any of that is
remotely possible.

Lamott also points out that the principle of bad first drafts applies
to everything in life. Each day is a daunting blank page. In how we
live, we want to write different things: to follow God more closely,
the pursuit of love, the quest for a more just world, or maybe just
not messing up as much. But the words, sentence, and paragraphs
that make up those ventures can seem impossible to write at times.
So many times, we just dont try. We dont try because were terrified
that well fail, yet failing is part of the process.

Failure happens when you try to follow Jesus. Were studying Mark
right now on Sundays. If you look at the disciples in the gospel of
Mark, they are walking bad first drafts. They dont get most of what
Jesus is saying. They trip all over themselves. Yet they kept following
and God did some amazing things through those twelve ordinary
individuals.

What do we do? We have to hold our noses and jump in. Write a
bad first draft. Shove the question of What if its terrible? out of
your mind. Maniacally laugh at it like a cheesy 90s action flick villain.
It probably will be terrible, or, the great sin in our spectacle-loving
culture, ordinary. Were just starting! Dont worry about that.

We are in Lent. This is the season of bad first drafts. Your fast may
have failed yesterday or you might have skipped the devotional
this morning. Today is a new day. Try. Take the first step. Take on a
spiritual practice. Risk vulnerability. Talk to God. Study scripture. Talk
to a friend. Help someone in need. Try to get through the day. Youll
trip and fall. But try. Write a bad first draft. Then write again, again,
again, and again.

Practice doesnt make perfect. Perfection is nigh impossible, but

practice can make something worthwhile or, at the very least, a
little less bad. And in this world, that transformation is practically a
miracle.
pg 4
March Memory Verse:
Then the king will reply to
them, I assure you that when
you have done it for one of
the least of these brothers and
sisters of mine, you have done
it for me.
Birthdays
March 15-31:
3/16 Hattie Hobart
3/16 Robert Hobart
3/18 Briggs Waddey
3/19 Liam Cox
3/20 Bella Infante
3/21 Parker Holley
3/25 Gigi Donelson
3/30 Hannah Walker
3/31 Julianna Burks
NEW VIDEO!
Watch the Cherub Choir sing
I Can Do All Things, from Feb. 26.
Go to www.bit.ly/allthingscc
NEW FROM ANNE!
GodFresh - Experiencing the Power
of Gods Word
WatchJacob & Esau - Isaacs
Blessing - GodFresh March 12.
Go to www.bit.ly/godfresh8
A legacy may mean different things to different people: money, property,
a loving supportive family, a good name, jewelry, or it could be a history of
hardship and desperation. For those of us who think of legacy in more positive
terms, do we consider our moral understandings, values, development
and religious and spiritual understandings as legacy we can pass on
in a tangible way?
In a retrospective look at my history at Woodmont Christian Church I
recognize what an underlying integral part of my life this church has been.
From very early adulthood it has challenged me and hopefully made me
think more seriously about religious education, spiritual development, social
awareness and injustices, prejudices and commitment. Then as now answers
are not easy and always forthcoming but I was challenged to do more or be
better than I was.
As a family we have been nurtured in many and varied ways by this church
family. Our children grew up here. At Woodmont we have celebrated births
and baptisms, weddings and funerals, boy scouts and choir events, times of
joy and those of frustration. This was a place not only of worship, but in its
manifestations strengthening the values and behaviors we were trying to
teach at home. Things didnt always go according to the ideal family or church
standards. One child ran away from home, but guess where we found him? On
the back steps of the church! Another decided to lift a bottle of communion
grape juice, and I am sure there were other transgressions of which we never
heard. Today, childhood events behind them they are adults of whom we are
proud and lessons taught here though they may not be remembered as such
seem to be incorporated into their lives.
Many of us remember Matt. 28: 19-20 as the great commission, Go ye therefore
into the world, however, we with many skills and varied talents may not
have been called to be missionaries elsewhere, we can further that purpose by
helping this church continue to do its good works here inculcating its teachings
and qualities we have known and experienced in future generations. We can do
this easily by being a part of the Legacy Society.
The Legacy Society is simply those individuals who have promised to leave a
monetary gift in the amount of their choosing to Woodmont after their death.
There are no documents or contracts, but simply your intent that Woodmont
will receive a legacy from you at that time. For further information, speak to a
member of the Endowment Committee or Dr. Stauffer.
If Woodmont Christian Church has given you much, share that by paying it
forward!!
- Elizabeth Regen
pg 5
 Do you know about CWF?
by Anne-Marie Farmer
Two of my goals for the year are to help people who are interested in starting new small groups
get their ideas off the ground and to make sure that our church community is aware of the existing
small group opportunities we have at Woodmont. This week I want to share about a network of
small groups that has been important in my life, and with which a surprising number of people
are not familiar!

Christian Womens Fellowship, or CWF, is the umbrella for one type of womens small groups known
as Circles. Most of these small groups meet on the second Tuesday of each month around lunchtime,
either at church or in each others homes. There is also a Circle that meets one Monday evening a month. Circle meetings each
month involve a shared meal, a short program of interest, and a service project. There is also a meeting of the full CWF on the
first Tuesday of each month, with a lunch in Drowota Hall.

I can tell you from personal experience that CWF is a wonderful way to meet other women at church and form multi-
generational friendships, do meaningful community service, and grow in faith. Even if you cannot commit to every meeting,
come check it out! You can find more information at https://woodmontchristian.org/christian-womens-fellowship/ and email
CWF president Pat Johnson pjohnston@bellsouth.net with questions.

And if you are part of a small group that youd like to have highlighted in an upcoming article, please let me know!

NEW! This Sunday, beautiful new urns will be

premiered to hold the chancel flowers!
Come see the new urns this weekend!
SPECIAL THANKS TO CWF FOR THEIR GIFT TO WOODMONT.
Pictured here with one of the new urns is (left-to-right) JoAnn
Patterson, treasurer of CWF, and Pat Johnston, president of CWF.

Ministers now available! Thank you

Woodmont currently has Stephen Ministers available. Dear Woodmont friends,

Stephen Ministers are Christian men and women trained
to provide one-to-one care to people experiencing a
difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic
or terminal illness, relocation, or separation.
Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life. Their
commonality? A passion for bringing Christs love and
care to people during a time of need.
If you know of someone in need,
contact Karen Conrad at 615-838-6907.
pg 6
Thank you for your many cards, visits, and flowers during
my recent surgery and rehabilitation time. Your caring and
attention to me is greatly appreciated. Mostly, just knowing
so many church friends were keeping me in their thoughts
and prayers has helped me get thought this difficult time.
Also many thanks for ALL the lovely birthday cards I received
for my March birthday.
Fondly,
- Kay Butterworth
 Next Weeks Calendar Upcoming Special Events
Sunday, March 19 - THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, Lent and the Christian Faith
8:15 a.m. Seekers Bible Study, Room 105 week 2 with Alexis James Waggoner at 6:30 p.m. in the
9:30 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary, Sun. School Boardroom. Learn more about the history of Lent, the
9:45 a.m. Worship at The Bridge, Drowota Hall celebration of Easter, who God is, and what God is calling
11:00 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary, Sun. School us to in the world. Understand your faith more deeply, and
6:15 p.m. Youth Group, Youth Wing expand your experience of this sacred time before Easter.

Monday, March 20 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, Experiencing God Through
3:30 p.m. Geezers Mens Group, Boardroom
Contemplative Practices week 3 with Anne and Roy Stauffer
Tuesday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 105. This class will focus on knowing
9:00 a.m. Womens Prayer Group, Campbell-Stone & experiencing God in your daily life vs. knowing about
9:45 a.m. Womens Bible Study, Room 200 God and Jesus. Sessions include exercises in contemplation
10:30 a.m. Book Club, Room 107 which open us to Gods presence in our lives.
6:00 p.m. Handbell Practice, Choir Room
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, Free pizza is now available for
all children at our Fellowship Dinners! Socialize & relax with
Wednesday, March 22 your church family at 5:45 PM in Drowota Hall.
6:15 a.m. Mens Small Group, Room 100 MENU: Meaty Baked Spaghetti, Italian Green Beans,
7:00 a.m. Original Mens Bible Study, Room 105
7:00 a.m. Younger Mens Bible Study, Boardroom Caesar Salad, & Italian Cream Cake
5:30 p.m. Grace Notes Practice, Kids Commons RSVP at www.woodmontchristian.org/signup
5:45 p.m. Wednesday Fellowship Dinner, D.H.
6:30 p.m. Choir Practice, Choir Room SATURDAY, MARCH 25, Day 5 Habitat for Humanity build
6:30 p.m. Lent and the Christian Faith Week 2 with in Antioch, TN! The day will start around 7:00 a.m. with
Alexis James Waggoner, Boardroom breakfast and work will begin around 7:30 a.m. Most will
6:30 p.m. Experiencing God Through work as teams on various tasks throughout the house.
Contemplative Practices Week 3, Anne Habitat will provide all the tools and knowledge. Lunch will
& Roy Stauffer, Room 105 be at 11:30 a.m. and the day will conclude around 3:30 p.m.
Sign up at www.woodmontchristian.org/habitat
Thursday, March 23
10:00 a.m. Sit and Stitch, Gathering Hall
SUNDAY, MARCH 26, Day 6 of Habitat build! www.
Friday, March 24 woodmontchristian.org/habitat
5:00 p.m. Room In The Inn, South Hall
SATURDAY, APRIL 1, Congregational Breakfast with Bruce
Saturday, March 25 Barkhauer at 9 a.m. in the Gathering Hall. Barkhauer was
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Habitat for Humanity Build, Day 5 called as the first Minister for Faith and Giving for Christian
Hallmark community in Antioch, TN Church in 2010. Since that time, he has engaged the whole
church in conversations about generosity and offered
Sunday, March 26 transformative ways for congregations to think about
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Habitat for Humanity Build, Day 6
Hallmark community in Antioch, TN stewardship.

pg 7
 MA R CH

PRAYERS FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY: THIS WEEK, THE ELDERS OF

IN THE HOSPITAL: CONTINUING CONCERNS (CONTD): WOODMONT ASK YOU TO
Donnie Creighton Norman, Ed Kelly JOIN THEM IN PRAYER FOR:
St. Thomas West
Lee Ann Hawkins The new Disciples class.
NEW CONCERNS:
Tammy Regen, daughter in law of Gene Beverly Small Those who are traveling for Spring break.
and Elizabeth Regen, Knoxville, TN
Gus Stranch, son of Gerard & Patty Our Habitat build.
Stranch
CONTINUING CONCERNS: Our Habitat Family, Asad Mohamed &
Kay Butterworth Joyce Stanley, Jan Andersons sister Asma Abood.

Camille Gift Clay Perry, son of Diane & Tim Perry, Refugees and victims of war.
grandson of Betty & Bill Johnson, Seattle
Vicki Phillips
Ben Cherry
Al & Pam Richardson

March 19, 2017 Elders and Deacons Serving

By Our Presence and Our Gifts
Deacons Serving Elders Serving
Date Sun. School Total Atd. Operating Communion Prep: Patricia Taylor 9:30 a.m.
February 19 364 877 $49,184 Service Coordinator: 9:30 - Chad Greer John Hobby
February 26 367 883 $26,390 9:45 - Mari-Kate Hopper 11:00 - Jim Hester Tim Perry
March 5 367 921 $60,313 Video Camera: 9:30 - Bob Faricy 9:45 a.m.
March 12 369 908 $74,193 Mark Drury
11:00 - Laurie Hester
Worship Services March 19, 2017 9:30 a.m. 9:45. a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Jim Batson Andrew Chelton Patricia Taylor Rich Sanderson
Nick Holscher Stephanie Chelton Bette Christofersen Jade Forlidas
9:30 & 11:00 a.m. Worship Laura Beth Brown Rob Cochran William Liles
Are You Really A Disciple? John Weldon Ellen Cochran Darden Copeland Hospital -
Dr. Roy Stauffer preaching Lindi Jobe Emily Carpenter
Fran Stewart
Mark 6:7-13 Randy Drinnon Joel Hysmith
Marty Jordan Nick Forlidas
9:45 a.m. The Bridge Worship Diane Perry Judy Davis
The Walking Dead
Rev. Chris Cox preaching
Mark 5:1-20