Hiawassee United Methodist Church 1139 U.S. Highway 76 P.O. Box 609 Hiawassee, GA 30546

Sam Hamby, Pastor

Our Mission: Worship Jesus Christ;

Grow as Disciples;

Serve Others

Web : www.hiawasseeumc.org

Ema i l : humc@hiawasseeumc.org

Phone : 706.896.2818

Of f i c e Hour s : Monday—Thursday

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Give Thanks to God In the month of November in America, many people all over our country will participate in a celebration

of “Thanksgiving.” The celebration has become known as an “All American Holiday.” However, various

studies of the origins of this celebration in our country points back to a time rooted in giving thanks to

God for His goodness and blessings. 1 Chronicles 16:34-36 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is

good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from

among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the Lord, the God of

Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.” Perhaps this is why we

find ourselves year after year desiring to turn toward God and others to express our gratitude for what we have and

how we have been carried through all the ups and downs that is part of life.

Some historical studies reveal that the early Pilgrims to America decided to celebrate a time of “Thanksgiving” modeled

after the Fall Feast of Tabernacles in the Bible. This feast is a celebration of the harvest season and the provisions from

God, among other reasons for the celebration. These Pilgrims had been spared and blessed to survive a very difficult

time of coming to a new land and making a new way of life. In many ways, these early settlers identified with the Israel-

ites that left the land of Egypt, made their way through the wilderness, and entered the Promised Land. How can we

not want to give thanks to God for bringing us through so much? While life was not easy for those Pilgrims and may not

always be easy for us, we know who the One is that brings us through and blesses us!

As we gather during the month of November and you prepare to celebrate “Thanksgiving,” I want to encourage you to

begin to make a list of the things you are thankful for. Begin by asking God to reveal one by one the blessings in your

life so you can write them down. Start recalling the big things that are easy to remember, then ask God to show you the

blessings that are harder to remember and almost forgotten. By the time you get to the celebration, maybe you will

have 20 or 30 blessings to share with your family, friends, and church family. You will be amazed how simply giving

thanks can change your attitude about many things in life.

As our congregation continues to build a culture of blessing, remember that a foundation of giving thanks is so im-

portant to receiving blessings and giving blessings to others. Being thankful to God keeps our hearts open to Him and

others. We have so much to be thankful for, even when our circumstances in life seem difficult. As the old Christian

hymn says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings,

Pastor Sam

HUMC Mountain Messenger

At the September Administrative Council Meet-

ing, the church approved the recommendation to implement the new administrative system

known as the Simplified Accountability Struc-ture (SAS) beginning in January of 2020. This system simplifies the management of the

church so that more people are freed up to do ministry as the Lord leads. Basically, the four

committees, Trustees, Finance, P/SPR, and Ad-ministrative Council are combined into one Leadership Board. Internal maintenance and

external ministries are to be done by Task Groups without the need for many committee

meetings. As you see a need/opportunity, do it! If a member of the Leadership Board asks you to be a part of something, prayerfully con-

sider it! Some Task Groups will be ongoing, such as building maintenance or Communion stewards. Some Task Groups will be tempo-

rary, such as managing a Fellowship Meal or heading up VBS or researching a new phone

system.

At the October Admin-istrative Council Meet-ing, eight members of

the new Leadership Board were approved.

One name was with-drawn at the last mi-nute, so the Nomina-

tions Committee is working to find that

last person to serve on the Board. This person

will be approved at a Called Church Conference

in the near future.

Pam Allen joined the church in

2017. She participates in Going Solo Single Ladies Group, is a Greeter,

and is on the Board of Trustees.

Joan Crothers came to HUMC in

1990. Among her many contribu-tions to the church, she has most recently been our Administrative

Council Secretary.

George Fell, with his wife

Sandy, joined HUMC in 2003. George currently heads up PPR

and is instrumental in our Mis-

sions and Outreach ministries.

Bob Ghiotto and his wife Joan

came to the church in 1999. Bob is a former pastor, currently heads

our Prayer Teams and teaches Sun-

day School.

Tayo Leduc and his wife Betty

joined HUMC in 2000. Tayo is in the Choir, on the Board of Trus-

tees and participates in Habitat

for Humanity.

Pat Lee came to church in 2007

with her husband Gary. She

heads up our Shoebox campaign, teaches children’s Sunday School

and is in the Choir.

Ivan Rexroth came with his wife

Lera in 2010. A retired pastor, he has taught Sunday School and re-

cently was most helpful with the

Room Relocation Project.

Kathleen Schmidt and her hus-

band Fred joined the church this year! Kathleen is a choir member

and a prayer warrior.

Please encourage and pray for these folks as

they step into these church leadership roles.

2020 Leadership Board

Church Member Services Directory Massage Contact: Geri Baker 706-896-6108

Coin Collecting Club and Stamp Collecting Contact: Tayo Leduc 706-896-6001

Chili & Pecans The Chili Supper will take place on Friday,

November 8th. Please sign up as to how you can help. Everyone’s help is needed!

HUMM are now taking orders for Pecans with delivery by 11/7 in time for the

Chili Supper.

Operation Christmas Child Have you picked up a shoebox to fill with gifts for those in need? Each box should be labeled “boy” or “girl,” and returned by 11/17 with $9 for post-

age. Thank you for working with us to share God’s love with millions of

boys and girls around the world through

Operation Christmas Child.

11/1 @ 3:30 Feed the Football Team 11/1 @ 6 pm Going Solo Ladies Meeting 11/3 All Saints Sunday 11/7 @ 2 pm Finance Meeting 11/8 Chili Supper 11/14 @ 5:30 AED Training in FH 11/17 Celebration Sunday 11/28 Thanksgiving Day; Office Closed Weekly: Tuesdays @ 10:45 am Bell Choir Wednesdays @ 11 am Ladies Prayer Wednesdays @ 6 pm Bible Study Wednesdays @ 7 pm Choir Practice Thursdays @ 9 am Men’s Prayer Thursdays @ 10:30 am Bible Study Thursdays @ 3 pm Single Board Meeting

November 3rd

Going Solo Ladies Group

ATTENTION ALL SINGLE LADIES:

Come to the November 1st gathering at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall!

It’s pizza night!

Growing Christlike, Having Fun and Serving Others!

Did you know that in October….

World Wide communion Sunday was held on the 6th?

Pledge cards for 2020 were sent out mid-month to be returned by

Celebration Sunday on November 17? How much of your time, tal-

ent, and treasure will you commit to your Lord?

October was Pastor Appreciation month?

Fellowship luncheon was held on the 13th?

There was an Admin Council meeting held on the 17th to approve

the 2020 budget and to vote on nominees for the Leadership Board?

There was a church-wide cleaning, inside and out? Look how every-

thing sparkles.

Safe Sanctuary training was held for those volunteering to work in

the Nursery and lead Children’s Sunday school?

The Rexroth’s donated a lovely table and chairs for the church li-

brary? Take a look.

Craig Hill from Family Foundations International was the guest

speaker on the 27th?

Thursday morning Bible Study completed a year-long in-depth study

of Genesis? The group will next study Daniel.

Coming in November:

All Saints Sunday (remembering those who have passed)

Chili Supper on the 8th.

Leadership Board training.

AED training (postponed from October)

Celebration Sunday on the 17th to acknowledge and praise God for

2020 pledges.

This month’s quiz is a little differ-

ent. We are not trying to identify

a person but an English word of

Greek origin that is/was in com-

mon usage and is found in English translations, usu-

ally in ACTS and Revelation, (it is found more often

in the Apocrypha, the Maccabees). The Greek term

means “witness” and that term has been applied to

Christians, across the ages, who bore witness to

their faith by giving their lives. As the church faced

deadly persecution these “witnesses” turned the

horror and degradation into hope for the fu-

ture. Tertullian, an early church theologian, said,

“The blood of these [“witnesses”] is the seed of the

church.” Can you identify this word?

Thanks everyone for your thoughtfulness and gifts during Staff

Appreciation Month. We are very

grateful.

Hope Linda

Mary Lee

Betty

All Saints Sunday

November 3rd

We honor and remember the lives of our

church family who passed over into glory

this past year:

Walter Nowak

Kathryn Stewart

Elizabeth Edge

Betty Pearce

New in the HUMC library for November, 2019:

Jeremiah, David. Captured by Grace: no one is beyond the reach of a loving God. (Theology). By following the dra-

matic story of the "Amazing Grace" hymn writer John Newton and the apostle Paul's own encounter with the God

of grace, Jeremiah helps readers understand the freeing power of permanent forgiveness and mercy.

Stedman, Ray. On the Way to the Future; Daniel’s visions and the believer’s hope. (Bible Study) The world as we know it will eventu-

ally end. Are you ready for it? Here you’ll examine the prophecy of Daniel, gain biblical insights, and find practical illustrations to

enhance your values, impact your behavior, and strengthen your faith.

Lucado, Max. When Christ Comes; the beginning of the very best. (End Times) There is much about the end of history we don't un-

derstand. But while thoughts on the final day will stir our questions, they needn't stir our fears. Regarding that day, Jesus urged,

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me" (John 14:1).

Lucado, Max. Facing your Giants. (Inspirational) This profound look at the life of David digs deeply into the defeats he suffered, and

the victories he won, as he faced the giants in his life. We learn what David learned, and we do what David did. We become God

focused. We pick up five stones. We make five decisions. And we take a swing.

Please check out your book or movie and leave the card, found in the back of the book or movie, in the box in the library on the shelf near the return box. This gives us an opportunity to find out what is being used and we can send you a gentle reminder if

you have forgotten to return a book or movie.

A listing of titles in the library is now available online. Go to our website for a direct link under “News”

then click on Library and choose either Books or Movies.

HUMC Library Notes: Dawn Lamade Quiz Answer: Martyr (from the Greek Martys)

Thanks to God

Thanks for prayers that thou hast answered,

Thanks for what thou dost deny.

Thanks for storms that I have weathered,

Thanks for all thou dost supply.

Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure.

Thanks for comfort in despair.

Thanks for grace that none can measure,

Thanks for love beyond compare.

Thanks for roses by the wayside,

Thanks for thorns their stems contain.

Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,

Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain.

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,

Thanks for heav’nly peace with thee.

Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,

Thanks through all eternity! —August Storm, 1891

Find us on Facebook as Hiawassee United Methodist

Church. Please LIKE and FOLLOW us. www.hiawasseeumc.org

Here it is! Can you believe it? November! A month we usually associate

with thanksgiving; we even have a special day, Thanksgiv-ing. But, for followers of the risen Christ it is more than a day of feasting on turkey and the trimmings, watching football, loosening the belt and maybe catching a nap. More on this a bit later.

This November seems, at least to me, both compressed and expansive at the same time. Consider October 31 is All Saints Day when we remember with fondness the lives of the saints that have gone to their reward the past year (yes, I know it’s also Halloween). This is an expanded day. Then, with Thanksgiving Day falling on the 28th and our Advent sea-son beginning on December the first; it feels like time is being compressed with so much going on in Advent.

The bible makes it clear that thanksgiving is important. In fact the OT had as its purpose, giving thanks to God. See 1 Chron. 25:3 which specifies the duties of the priests and Le-vites were to direct the Israelites to give thanks and praise to the Lord. It is not surprising that thanksgiving is important in the NT as well. In Luke 17:17-18 Jesus makes it clear that thanks is important when only one of 10 lepers returned to thank God. It was only the Samaritan that returned. The oth-ers went selfishly on their way.

Thanksgiving is at the heart of Christian worship. It is showing God our great and deep gratitude for the wonderful things he has done and for the wonderful person he is. The most sacred act of Christian worship is the celebration of Holy communion. Jesus commanded the celebration, and he showed the thanks our hearts should feel when we receive the bread and wine, “…, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it and broke it…”. (Mark 14:22).

The picture of the end times is a time of thanks and praise. (Rev. 11:17) where the twenty-four elders worship God singing, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and was,….”.

Should we do any less? Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Another month of challenges and praises for us as we move forward. We have certainly had to face many ob-

stacles at Ms.Elaine's House. The first trailer we were given to house transitional women had to be moved because the neighbors complained. The first one hun-dred dollars I was given was paid to an attorney who really did nothing to help us get our 501c3 government status. I finally wrote up the papers myself. When someone said to me, “You do not seem to know what you are doing.” I answered, “You are right, but I know this is what God wants.” It is by His mercy and grace that we still exist as a ministry. The creation of an Exec-utive Board to watch our backs has really helped. Vol-unteers continue to join us with advice, protection, and support. The outreach from visitation in the jails was the result of what we saw with women who were continu-ally being arrested because they would get out and go right back to the environment from which they came. The State of Georgia calls it recidivism and laws are being added to address the situation. I understand that there are now Accountability Courts all over the U.S. We have found that those who oppose the Ac-countability Courts and ministries are those who have been victims of crimes or former law enforcement. My best friend quit speaking to me because she had been a victim. Some guards at the jails and prisons call us “the thug huggers”. Just last night I attempted to teach on the Joy of the Lord. How do you explain Joy to a woman sit-ting before you in an orange jump suit, who does not know what the future holds? You see a person who can barely be called an adult, coming off of heroine, has no place to live, and an uncertain future. I heard one of them speak at a NA meeting the other night. My response to her was, “But for the Grace of God go I.” Thanks to all of you for your support and espe-cially for helping us get thru the long hot summer. In His love, Ms. Elaine

Jail/Prison Ministry: Elaine McEver

From Our Lay Leader: Dale Gardner

Missions Ministry …...Robin Broom

The other morning I sat down in my room with coffee to enjoy my time in the secret place with our Lord.

As it got later, I noticed outside that the sun would soon come up. I looked up once more to see such a beautiful reflection of the sunset. A reflection, you ask? Yes. The view from my bed-room window is one of the sunset, not sunrise. I thought to myself, if this is what it looks like from afar, from behind, how beautiful must it be to look directly into it.

The difference of our view or our perspective means everything. It is the same in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Are we looking to Him from afar off, distantly, back-wards, or maybe even viewing God only as mere words on a page? Do we only know about Him as Ancient of Days, a God of the past? A God that other people talk about? Or do we know, do you know intimately the One so close as to hold our hands every single moment of every single day?

I have wondered the same thing, and even asked the same questions to some of the youth that are such a special part of my life. I desire so greatly for them to know this God that has comforted me, healed me, challenged me, shaped me, and loved me so dearly. I am reminded that their experiences with a father have been little, or nothing, or only extremely damaging. Their stories are devastating.

This week I spent time with two young men who were sharing stories about their fathers. One stated, “My dad would not even know if someone was asking about me.” I asked him what he meant. He said that his dad has so many wives, so many children that he does not even know him by his first name, only his second name. He shared how one night his dad came outside of his hut demanding he give him money to buy alcohol. When he kept quiet, his dad said, “You are no longer my son.” The second young man shared his father has had so many women and so many children he always had to get ac-customed to being the “step-child”. He would basically be the

slave in each new relationship as he watched “her” children get to attend school, as his father would pay their school fees (and not his) to impress the new wife. And yesterday I went to visit a family of a young girl I am discipling. She seemed sad the past few days so I asked her what was wrong. I learned that her dad came home last week to sell off most all of the family land. On this land was the home where she lived with her grandmother and three of her siblings. So this man came and sold their home out from underneath them. He sold the home of his own mother that was caring for his children, the home of his own children. This 14 year old young girl was unsure, unsteady this week because she is unsure where she will live. And these are just a few stories of thousands that exist just right here around me.

Why do I give my life to be here? This is exactly why. They are exactly why. Their pain is real. Their insecurity is war-ranted. And so is yours, so was mine. But, I know the One who called my name that night when I had nowhere else to turn. Our Heavenly Father is drawing us, His arms are open wide. None of us have gone too far or waited too long. He is waiting for us. He is the One who can make the broken beautiful. He did me. Now I look directly into my Father’s eyes—full on. I can share the hope of Jesus Christ with these youth and point them to Him.

Just like the sunrise that pierces through the darkness every single day, His love is waiting to pierce through broken, desperate hearts just like He did mine. His love is as sure as the sun that rises each morning. May you

look full-on, directly to the Father. May you know Him. This is my prayer for you, for me, and for the countless youth who are looking for something sure in their lives.

5 Y e a r s ! ! !

October 2019 marked 5 years that I have been serving our Lord here in Uganda. Time has sure flown by! I am so thankful that God has such a wonderful plan for our lives. And even more thank-ful that He knows what is best for us. I have never been more ful-filled in all my days!!! He has been with me each step of this amaz-ing journey, not that there haven’t been hard days, there surely have. I miss family and friends, I miss you—but He keeps me. And He gives me such JOY! My heart continues to remain dedicated to the youth of our community and the team of our Esangalo Children’s Ministry Program. Although this has expanded greatly as I have grown to know and love their families too! Of course, I love having our fe-male, long-term volunteers live in my home. It is such a sweet op-portunity to walk with younger women who feel a call to reach the nations and to be able to speak into their lives. I’m sure they teach me much more than I ever impart to them! Also, this year I began teaching the Women’s Bible Study for our church each week. I real-ized how much I missed teaching God’s Word to women! It has

been a pure joy to walk through the pages of Scripture with these women, young and old. THANK YOU for standing with me as family! I cherish you, your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support. God put together an incredible team to reach Uganda with His love and Good News, and I am grateful you are each such a HUGE part!

PRAYER POINTS:

For my heart to remain completely surrendered to HIS!

Women’s Bible Study

Youth

Courage—as there seems to be a new facet of my calling devel-oping

Financial provision for a CAR!!! (yep, I finally got my Ugan-dan driving permit)

With all my love, Robin

Mail Tax-Deductible donations to: Answer God’s Call Ministries

215 W. Mesa Avenue Gallup, NM 87301

(Include a note for Robin Broom-

Africa)