Author: tbc

Young adults continue to be a vibrant, growing, and vital part of the Tabernacle Baptist Church family.  The Young Adult team exists to encourage young adults to build close relationships with one another and to engage them in the existing ministries and activities of the Church.

The Young Adult Team hosted several fellowship events during 2013.  A large group of us gathered for the Super Bowl last February—some to watch the game itself and others just to spend quality time with old and new friends.  About a dozen attended a workday in the spring at Camp Alkulana, where they painted the “Big Lodge” and did yard work in order to help the camp get ready for its summer season.  A handful of folks went apple picking again this fall at Carter Mountain Orchard.  And a large group of us gathered in December for our annual Christmas party, where there was much laughing and silliness during a boisterous white elephant gift exchange.

While the Young Adult team tries to organize several “official” events during the course of the year, we believe that the best, most meaningful connections happen organically and often spontaneously. In order to help foster these connections, the Young Adult Team maintains a fairly active Facebook page where people can connect with one another, ask questions, and invite people to events they are attending. Fellowship, discipleship, worship, and service opportunities are frequently posted there.

Young adults continue to support children and youth activities.  They also meet regularly for discipleship activities and small groups.  Young adults participate regularly in worship, serve as deacons and committee members, and continue to support the life and mission of the church.  We find that Tabernacle is a place where we feel called to serve, to plunge into the deep waters of faith, to offer our best to God in worship, and to find kindred spirits to share our lives with.

As we look to the future, we are excited about how we see God leading us.  Tabernacle is growing, and new faces continue to show up regularly.  The Young Adult Team hopes to continue supporting the life church by helping people feel connected and welcome.  We hope to do even more in the year to come to promote fellowship, mission, and discipleship opportunities for young adults as we seek to follow Christ in the world.

Art Wright

Young Adult Team Leader

This semester, I’ve had the opportunity to work with the music and youth ministries at Tabernacle in addition to many other areas of ministry throughout the fall.  My internship began when I preached on September 1, 2013.  September was a busy month, as our students and teachers settled into our fall routine, which we kicked off with our first “DNow” weekend.  Our youth spent the weekend in the homes of the Hoffpauir and Hartman families with their mentors, studying the bible, getting to know each other, and having fun!  Much of the end of my summer and the beginning of my fall was spent coordinating and planning for this event with the youth team, mentors, and Sterling.  I’m always amazed at the insight and willingness to learn and growth together that our youth show each and every day, and our DNow weekend was no exception.  In helping to facilitate Wednesday night DGroup with our middle schoolers and Kate Ayers, I saw our younger youth build relationships with one another, ask good and engaging questions in bible study, laugh, and share their joys and concerns as they committed to pray for one another. 

Judy Fiske, my supervisor, Ron Simmons, and my site team provided me with feedback and encouragement as I conducted anthems in rehearsal and in the service with our sanctuary choir.  I’ve conducted a choir once before in my life (usually I’ve taught band), so it was a learning experience for me, but by the time we began preparing pieces for our Bruton Parish concert and I took a break from conducting to sing again, I felt more comfortable and confident in my ability to lead and conduct.  I’m looking forward to conducting more anthems in the spring and continuing to learn with Judy and the pastoral staff about worship planning!  We are so blessed to have such wonderful musicians who are willing to guide and teach among us!

The second half of my semester, I turned my focus to growing as a minister in providing good care to church members in many different areas.  One of the highlights of my time at TBC has been visiting with members, both in church and outside throughout the week.  This summer and fall semester, I visited weekly with one of our own members who is now in hospice care and shared stories with her about what was going on at the church.  The youth made her cards, which brought a smile to her face, and she often told me how wonderful it was to hear the church she loves so dearly thriving.  My visits with her and many of you have me strongly considering chaplaincy with senior adults in an assisted living facility as a possibility when I graduate.  I enjoyed getting to build relationships with each of you as we chopped vegetables in the kitchen before Christmas in the Fan, sang at Bruton Parish and in choir rehearsals each Wednesday night, ate together and shared meals, went trick-or-treating, worshipped, planned, and learned together.  This time was extremely valuable for me and helped affirm my call and stretch me as I learned from and with you all.  As we look toward another semester together, I’m excited to continue learning and ministering alongside you as we listen to the Spirit’s leading and continue to follow as we are led.  Thank you for your continued guidance, challenge, and support!

 

This ministry provides food and clothing to needy families in our neighborhood.  Food is distributed and the clothes closet is open for all to shop.  This is also a place where people can come to share their experiences and situations, and sometimes to just fellowship and talk or have prayer.  It is funded by contributions made to the Fellowship Fund and Food Pantry Fund and staffed by dedicated volunteers.

In 2013, we distributed 2,403 bags of groceries to over 600 families, including 82 homeless persons.  Some came only once and some every month.  On average a family came between 3 and 4 times a year.  There were 225 families who visited the food pantry for the first time in 2013.  We distributed over 47,000 pounds of food (almost 24 tons) this year – an increase of 34% over 2012.  We strive to provide well-packed bags of food each week.

About 60% of food we distribute comes from the USDA program.  A change in distribution of food from the Food Bank required that we pick up USDA food once a month instead of weekly.  With this change, the amount of food picked up at one time required extra help.  One week we picked up 3,600 pounds of food.  Dan Schumacher came to our aid by organizing a group of volunteers to pick up food on the first Wednesday of each month.  Many thanks to Dan and his team for taking on this task.

This ministry to the needy could not be accomplished without the help of a lot of volunteers.  In 2013, 19 volunteers gave over 2,200 hours of their time to make this ministry possible.  Many thanks to our regulars who come most every week – Jerry Spiller, Priscilla Kinchen, Joey Kinchen, Jack White, and Bill and Jean Finley – who serve so faithfully.  I want to also acknowledge the help Dan Schumacher provided this year.

Jane Denzler continues to manage the clothes closet, assisted by Linda White, Connie Jones and Brenda Cox.  For nearly three months, Jane was unable to volunteer for the clothes closet; and in her absence Linda, Connie and Brenda did an awesome job keeping the clothes closet stocked and operating.  Each week the volunteers sort donated clothes, shoes, etc., hang clothes in designated areas for women, men and children and assist clients in selecting clothes.  Items chosen are bagged and toiletries given out if available.  An important part of this ministry is to maintain a friendly environment where clients feel welcome and comfortable.  Each week, a steady number of clients visit the clothes closet as the word spreads about this ministry.  Consequently, we always need your clothing and shoes, particularly for men.  Thank you to everyone who donated clothes and toiletries.  With your donations, our clients are able to tell us Tabernacle’s Clothes Closet is the best in the area.

We continued the mission-of-the-month ministry which helps provide toiletries, socks, etc. to our patrons and helps to keep costs down.  This ministry continues to provide a vital service to our neighbors in need.  A few have attended Tabernacle worship services from time to time, and we let everyone know they are always welcome.

If you visit us on any Thursday, do not be surprised if you hear laughter, for it truly is a fun working environment.  Every week people tell us what a great thing this church is doing and how much they appreciate what we do and the way they are treated.  I think that is what this ministry is about – whether it is getting food, clothing, or just having someone listen.  We want people to feel better after coming here.  I find every year that the people who serve in this ministry do so because they want to help others.  We are still here because there is still a need and because we have people willing to help address the need.  This is a ministry of serving, expecting nothing in return.  We are just there to help.  To me, this is Church.

Dick Denzler

Director, Food Pantry/Clothes Closet Ministry