A Few Quick Announcements

A few quick announcements!

Ultimate Frisbee!

Thursday Nights

Youth, come out to Cottonwood Clubhouse for Ultimate Frisbee at 6:00 P.M. Now until July 30! Bring a drink and have fun!



Middle School Pool Party

Monday, June 29

2:00-5:00 P.M. at the Dejeans' Home: 2075 Hunterwood Drive, Franklin, TN. Bring a towel and a snack to share. I am experimenting with a new location app thing. It shows where the Dejeans' home is. It might not work this is just a test.



Nashville Sounds: Faith Night

Thursday, July 9

All youth and youth families are invited to join us for an evening of fellowship, food, and fun! Tickets are $10 per person and include a pre-game concert by Jars of Clay, hotdog, soft drink, and a night of baseball! There are 50 tickets available; first come, first serve. Money is due to Martha Ray or Amber as soon as possible.

-J. Wooten

The Search: Student VBS

The Search was a whole lot of fun. We had great bible studies and great activities after our bible study. I really hope they do something like this next year. It was super fun!


Upcoming events: edirectory is launching soon. More info coming soon.

Keith and Kristen Getty in Concert with FHBC Choir. Sunday August 16, 2009. 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

-J. Wooten

VBS Boomerang Express & The Search

Hey everybody,

Yesterday, Friday, was the VBS Workday. It was lots of fun setting up and decorating VBS Classrooms. There are a lot of cool decorations like the train tracks on the children's hallway. and the Lighthouse in the big stairway room. If you are working VBS it will definately be a blast. Hey I have an idea! If you are working VBS post a comment saying where you are working.Then everyone will know where everyone else is working. I myself am working in preschool music. Where are you working?

Also make sure to be there every night of VBS for "The Search: Students VBS". It will be a fun 3 hours from 6:30 to 9:30. Remember there is no Ultimate Frisbee this thursday because of "The Search: Students VBS". It will also replace our normal Wednesday night service.

J. Wooten

Reactions and Order.

I just added something to the blog called reactions. I also rearranged the order of the blog posts. now the order is:

Title
Author Comments
Reactions
Post Text
-
-
-

Please feel free to choose a "Reaction" or post a comment. I will make sure to reply to your comments. All comments have to be approved by me so it may take a little for your comment to appear on the blog. But please post comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J. Wooten

Keith and Kristyn Getty in Concert

**Keith & Kristyn Getty in Concert**
Date: Sunday, August 16, 2009
Time: 05:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Location: Sanctuary

Irish composers and artists, Keith and Kristyn Getty, are on a mission to revive the art of hymnody for a new generation. The Gettys are committed to writing hymns that help teach the faith and create a timeless musical style that every generation can sing, a style that relates to the past and the future. A few of their well-known hymns include 'In Christ Alone,' 'The Power of the Cross,' and 'Speak, Oh Lord.' As Keith and Kristyn stand at the helm of an emerging group of new hymn writers today, it seems the Church need not fear the death of the medium in this modern age. Join us at 5:30 P.M. in the Forest Hills Sanctuary as we worship together with the Gettys."

-J. Wooten

This Hope

Last Night was the "This Hope" concert at the church. They have incredible music and if you weren't able to come you can listen to a lot of their music for free online. Below is a list of links where you can go to listen to their music:
http://www.thishope.org/mp3s/myWimpy.html
http://www.thishope.org/its-Christmas.php
http://www.thishope.org/final-destination.php
http://www.thishope.prg/reason.php

If you go to their online store you can buy cd's and downloads of their songs.

-J. Wooten

Reminders - June 2009

**Wednesday night w/ Pastor Sam**
All students will be combined in the chapel to hear from Pastor Sam!
Starts at 6:00 p.m.!! This is the only picture I could find of Pastor Sam.






**Ultimate Frisbee**
This Thursday, 6pm @ Cottonwood Clubhouse.
Don’t forget to bring your water.

**YOUTH VBS: THE SEARCH**
Finding your meaning, purpose, and significance in life.
Save the date: June 15-19 here @ church
(Mon.-Thur.) 6:30-9:30pm and on Friday immediately following Family Night.
For all students!

-J. Wooten

"The Gift of Grace"

June 7 - Understanding Grace
June 14 - Defending Grace
June 21 - Grace By Faith
June 28 - Grace Relationships
July 5 - Liberty and Grace
July 12 - Grace on Display

Cell Phone or Bible

This is another great email I got.

"Cell Phone or Bible?"

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go.....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill and no dropped calls!

'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'
Place your mouse on the first quote(") below and drag to the second quote(").
"Even though you can't see GOD he is there for you."

-J. Wooten

A Trillion Dollars

This is an email a got that is really interesting.

"What does one TRILLION dollars look like?
All this talk about 'stimulus packages' and 'bailouts'...A billion dollars...A hundred billion dollars...Eight hundred billion dollars...One TRILLION dollars...What does that look like? I mean, these various numbers are tossed around like so many doggie treats,so I thought I'd try to get a sense of what exactly a trillion dollars looks like.

We'll start with a $100 dollar bill. Currently the largest U.S. denomination in general circulation. Most everyone has seen them, slightly fewer have owned them. Guaranteed to make friends wherever they go. A packet of one hundred $100 bills is less than 1/2' thick and contains $10,000. Fits in your pocket easily and is more than enough for week or two of shamefully decadent fun.

Believe it or not, this next little pile is $1 million dollars (100 packets of $10,000).You could stuff that into a grocery bag and walk around with it.

While a measly $1 million looked a little unimpressive, $100 million is a little more respectable.It fits neatly on a standard pallet...

And $1 BILLION dollars... now we're really getting somewhere...

Next we'll look at ONE TRILLION dollars. This is that number we've been hearing so much about. What is a trillion dollars? Well, it's a million million. It's a thousand billion. It's a one followed by 12 zeros.You ready for this?It's pretty surprising.Go ahead...Scroll down...Ladies and gentlemen... I give you $1 trillion dollars...(Notice the man in relation to the pallets. The man is the tiny line at the bottom left corner. And notice the pallets are double stacked.)

So the next time you hear someone toss around the Phrase 'trillion dollars'... that's what they're talking about."

That is incredible how much a trillion dollars is.

Our new youth building in hundred dollars bills would probably fit very comfortably in a shopping cart.

-J. Wooten

Great Email

Here is on really good email I got while I was in Ukraine.

Somebody's RAISING THEIR KID RIGHT!

One Nation, "Under God."

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God up there?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there possibly he just doesn't exist.
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions.
The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky ?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No.
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she possibly may not even have one!

"FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT" 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7

-J. Wooten

Good morning sunshine. Wayne is taking us to Dinner!!!

We are indeed headed home. We only seem to be missing one, in the head count, and DO hope it's not your loved one (just kidding). We have a long six hour bus ride back to Kiev, and are looking forward to dinner in Amsterdam and to sleep in a real bed again. Pastor Sam prayed before we left the ship's parking lot and we wept again for our week's work. We must continue to pray for our children, and the harvest. Pray for us as we ride and fly these next 24 hours.
P.S. Please ask Teressa Boren to return her Room Key!!! :)

- Bob Crawford -

To See More About This and Other Mission Trips, Go To: http://www.hopehouseinternational.org/blog/

Last Stop Odessa

Grace, grace marvelous grace...grace, grace, and some more grace, etc. Without God's grace, and tons of prayer from you, we would not have sustained the level of energy, good health conditions, and fresh minds, during the ups and downs of such a Mission Trip. It would take pages to tell you the stories, to share the victories, and even expose a couple of dark moments along the way. But just when we were down,or wondered just why God let the enemy slap us around a little, he sent the sunshine after the storm. And guess what? We had learned to lean harder on Him...and the children were the ones that still got blessed.

We're here serving in a society that does not accept organized Religion, and offers no such hope to it's people. One person called it a Religion-less Society. Our prayer has never changed, as we have sought to just touch one tender heart at a time, and trust that God will have a plan to us that young soul to reach others...and perhaps someday even change a Nation for Christ.

One more Orphanage to go. We're gearing up for it to be the best. Sam has held a Football in his messages, this week. Perhaps this is Our last goal-line stance, so to speak. We'll worship together one last time, this morning (after all it's Sunday Morning here), then pack out bags and equipment, so that we can began the trip home, early Monday Morning.

- Bob Crawford -

To See More About This and Other Mission Trips, Go To: http://www.hopehouseinternational.org/blog/

Sailing, again...

We're sailing again...back across the Black Sea...to our last stop in Odessa. We arrive back to the ship,once again, just in time to sail. We're already out of blogging range. Please know that we're all healthy, and ready to return and share some wonderful stories!!! Morning will bring you lot's of new photos.
God bless you for caring so much about us,

- Bob Crawford -

To See More About This and Other Mission Trips, Go To: http://www.hopehouseinternational.org/blog/

Across the Black Sea

Last night we sailed across the Black Sea, and were out of Cell Phone range. We didn't forget you!!!
We have had an incredible roller coaster day. Two totally different types of Orphanages...two totally different receptions from the children and Orphanage Staff. God gave us a beautiful day of weather, and some breathtaking scenery on our two hour bus ride each direction. We should be back to the Ship by 8:00pm (our time) and will be having Dinner with some of the Hope House families and kids. What a blessing that will be, to end a very long day!!!
We'll send more News and photos soon,

- Bob Crawford -

To See More About This and Other Mission Trips, Go To: http://www.hopehouseinternational.org/blog/

Kherson and Headed to Sea

It's not hard "in this line of work" to realize when our efforts step aside, and God begins to work. The Orphanage at Kherson, this morning, was another unique experience. The children amaze us at how they "attach" themselves to us. Carolyn Boyd had more than one in her lap, Linda Crawford had a teenage girl not leave her side yet never tried to talk. The clowns continue to be like magnets, and the two Drama segments mesmerize everyone in total silence. We've seen a whole new side to Pastor Sam. When the tall, handsome, figure takes center stage, his message to the youth all eyes and ears are locked onto him (maybe we should let him speak through an Interpreter some Sunday). The icing on the cake was seeing yet another older teenage boy, touched enough to want to pray with one of the Adults.We're headed to Sea. The Black Sea is beautiful, and should make for good rocking-to-sleep-by. We'll awake to dock in the beautiful seaside City of Sevastopal. Enjoy some extra Photos, being sent tonight.
And THANK YOU for the wonderful Comments, we're receiving daily. They're a real breath of fresh air, from home.

-Bob Crawford -

To See More About This and Other Mission Trips, Go To: http://www.hopehouseinternational.org/blog/

Whirlwind Day Three

What a glorious whirlwind day!!! Someone said we saw 200 Children, between the two Orphanages. There were minutes that it seemed like 2000!!! The Clowns always get hit with the first wave, then Face Painting, the ladies painting the little girls' nails, and they run a cluster of excited faces over to the Cameras so that each child can have his own personal photo made. This year we gave each child a Journal thatopens with a color, group-photo of all of us on this Mission Trip. Then their own photo slides into the plastic sleeve beside it. An excellent tool for them to remember the events of today, and materials to help them focus on the message.We started our day shocked, as the orphanage Staff literally rolled a hospital bed out in the courtyard, complete with a young boy. How sad, we thought, but also how good for him to be allowed to be involved. Then it was an "oh my" moment as we saw a second bed coming, then a third...then a few on crutches appeared. There is no telling how many "live wires" were running circles around us...but God kept drawing us, one by one, to the four laying on their stomachs watching the fun and then the program. The business at hand moved on, but I wish you could have counted the tears of this Mission Team, as Dr. David Allen scooped up little Victoria from her bed, and carried her in his arms up to the front so she could see. We haven't the space to tell you a dozen other stories that were shared tonight. I wish each one of you could somehow be linked into the nightly worship times we share, after Supper.
One of our hilarious FHBC Clowns led four teenage boys in the Sinners Prayer. Oh my, again. We prayed for seed planting, and God suddenly sent us a little harvest. Saved by His power divine, they were saved to a new life sublime!!!
We're refreshed, and re-motivated, and we push on down river to Kherson for Day Four.

- Bob Crawford -

To See More About This and Other Mission Trips, Go To: http://www.hopehouseinternational.org/blog/