I Am the True Vine

Today's sermon, delivered by our Senior Pastor Bill Etheridge, at the Arbor came from John 15:1-"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. My official title at the Arbor service at First United Methodist is Arbor decorator. I put together the altars for the service every week. It has been an amazing, and to begin with expensive, process. When I first started doing this about 5 years ago...I bought what I needed. I had no clue that there was an account for such as this. I looked at it as my ministry....so I never asked for money back. I love getting the sermon topics during the week...and then praying over what the altar will look like on Sunday. Many times I have one idea...and change my mind when I get to the Arbor to put the altar together...other times the altar comes into my head...and stays there. I have scavenged through thrift stores, junk stores, antique stores...looking for just the right element to make it come to life. It wasn't until this year...that someone actually realized...I put the things together...and that they are never the same. Do I photograph them...keep a file on them? Nope! I just do them(my friend Billy took the picture I have attached today.) It was kind of funny. I have never wanted to take pictures of my altars...but this week I was singing Shackles...and had this post idea. Putting the altars together is my alone time with God. You see, I go to the Arbor...usually late in the afternoon on Saturday....don't even turn on the lights...except for the one in the storage room...and the altar comes to life. It is amazing sometimes and definitely humbling. Do I do this? Heck No! This is a God Thing...it is time that God and I spend alone. I am not a interior decorator...but somehow (it's God)...there in the darkness of the Arbor (again...it is God)....an altar comes to be...under my non-artsy hands...when I step back...it never fails (and I don't know why it surprises me...after all it is a God thing)...there it is. The altar...just as I envisioned it. God is amazing...and no matter what your talents are....or aren't....He can use you. BTW...for those of you who read my sermon earlier in the week...it went over well. Hummmmm....is there another calling there? Who knows...we will just have to listen for the whisper and see! Happy Sunday and God Bless You All Real Good!

Mom's 80th Birthday Party Was A Huge Success

| View Sample Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

Under the Arbor

Ten years ago, a rag tag group of musicians gathered in our churches new Arbor to discuss being part of a Praise and Worship....Contemporary Service. How fun it was....but most of us had never been part of anything like this and did not know exactly what would happen. I began playing acoustic guitar. I was not a singer in the beginning....although I do sing. They really didn't need any singers....but now...guitar players....that was another story. About 6 weeks into practices I became a singer....AND guitar player. I felt like I had arrived. Ten years ago....I found my niche. I found my calling in the church. I found my ministry. Ten years later I am still going strong. Members of the band and worship leaders have come, gone, some have come again....but every Sunday when we stand on that stage and kick off the service with music....I feel so very priviledged to be part of something so great! It does not get better than this. The picture I put in the blog...is one of the groups....like I said....people have come and gone.....the young girl in green.....Jennifer Scott...is an awesome musician....her husband Jason is a youth minister in Georgia....it was a little difficult for her to commute....The long haired young man, Richard Forehand....is now at college in Auburn and plays with another praise band. The man on the far left...Brian Bice is an awesome guitarist....he can make a guitar talk. Woman in blue t-shirt is one of the lead singers...Rhonda Kinman. She is from the Kinman family....what a set of pipes she has. She can make me weak at the knees with her voice. I feel honored to sing with her. Woman in red shirt - Rita Romine is our number one keyboardist....she plays like angels singing....me in black....I sing only now....man behind me....Steve Forehand...is our bassist, silver haired man - Robert Turner - plays trumpet....look out Doc Severinson....yellow shirted lady - Cindy Pinkston - plays flute....and adds so much to most of our songs with her lilting sounds. Guy in red shirt is David Sturdivent - "Sticks" we lovingly call him. He is our drummer. He helps keep us straight...especially when we try to run away with a song...he is the ONLY one who can slow us down. We now have Debbie Blackmon on keys....a second keyboardist....Blue Vardaman as a leader - second time around. All in all....it is such an honor to serve God in such a powerful way. I feel so alive when we are singing songs on stage....our congregation is awesome....they come as they are....share what they have or want to....and then go out into the community.....and do what they are called to do for God. Ten years....I hope I have ten more....to serve God....with music....and my heart! Happy Sunday!