Providence UMC kicks off “2012: Year of the Jubilee” on Sunday, Jan. 8.
Senior Pastor Warren Huddleston explains, “Like the rest of the community, we’ve had people who attend Providence who have lost jobs, dealt with chronic illness, lost loved ones or just had a rough time of it in the last few years. God promises to give us hope and a future when we seek Him with our whole hearts.
“I have been encouraging the church to stop asking God to be with us, and instead to claim God’s presence in our lives. We thank Him for being with us on the peaks and in the valleys of our lives, and for the hope He grows in our spirits us through Christ.”
Jan. 8 worship services will blend into one incredible day of testimony and music with the Soularize praise band during the first and last hours and the choir during the middle hour.
Included in Sunday’s worship will be several testimonies, a message only during the 10 a.m. hour, and communion at 9:45 and 10:45 a.m.
The community is invited to come for one, two or all three hours since the music and testimonies will be different throughout the day.
“This will be a great day of praise and worship and a positive, uplifting way to begin the new year,” Huddleston added.
As part of the year-long celebration, Providence introduces the Jubilee Community Garden this quarter. Middle High Student Minister Jono Moehlig explains the vision behind the garden,
“I was reading in the book of Isaiah about what type of fast God requires,” he said. It is not just a fast from food, it is not a prideful spiritual discipline that you can show off to others, it is to share your bread with the hungry, to satisfy the desires of the afflicted.
“Looking around at the 105 acres at Providence I thought there was more we can do. Having food drives and giving canned goods to organizations is a good and necessary thing but God gave me a vision for something sustainable, that we could grow healthy food from to help our hungry neighbors.
“This idea was spawned from a love of God for those who are on the margins and who need help. We can do more than just look at the trees, we can use the resources God has given us, in this case the land, to grow and distribute food.”
Moehlig adds, “After we kick-off the project as part of the 30 Hour Famine Feb. 24-25, a large garden plot will be designated for middle and senior high students to grow fruits and vegetables to be given to the Fayette Samaritans and Real Life Center for distribution to the hungry in our community.”
The community is invited to reserve plots in the garden for personal use.
“We welcome anyone in the community who is interested in growing organic fruits and vegetables,” Moehlig said. “People can get a plot just for their family, or they can share one with a friend. We will be amending the soil, dividing the plots and putting in fencing, so the garden will be ready for spring planting.”
For additional information and forms contact Moehlig at jmoehlig@provumc.com .
Another first quarter Jubilee event will be Providence’s fourth annual Jerusalem Marketplace March 22-24, with free crafts, activities, music, and drama.
This year children will have the chance to learn more about growing and harvesting food.
“Since we are very excited about the Jubilee Garden, we thought it’d be a good idea to feature the garden at the Marketplace where children will learn what was grown and how it was harvested during Biblical times,” explains Huddleston. “We will still have camel rides and the other popular attractions, along with new crafts and activities, but also want children to learn what every day life was like when Jesus lived.”
First quarter Jubilee events conclude with the Providence senior high ministry leaving on their first international mission trip to Belize March 31.
“Several of our students went to the Dominican Republic with our adult mission trip last summer and came back ready to go into the world in ministry again, said Senior High Minister Brent Ritter. “We are proud of the students for being willing to spend their spring break helping others, but are even more excited to help those in need.”
The trip is open to teens in the community who want to share the mission experience. Contact Ritter at britter@provumc.com
Providence is at 592 Bernhard Road in southern Fayette County between Redwine Road and Ga. Highway 85.
Call 770-719-8800 or go to www.provumc.com for more information.
