Volume XVIII May 1, 2009 Number 8

[ Declaring the Love of Jesus & Sharing His Good News Through our Faith In Motion from the Heart of the City ]
A Bimonthly Newsletter McKendree Church - 523 Church St. - Nashville, TN 37219

PB&J Party recap Community Gathering Bethlehem Center Stephen Handy visits
Children’s Ministry
Kevin Sparkman Don’t forget that benefit concert McKendree
Prep Day recap
Read about the good describes the impact of Sunday May 10 we will McKendree will be Rev. Stephen Handy
things that happened on one of the biggest be gathering with friends hosting a benefit will be preaching at
April 18 and find out events McK hosts and & family at Watkins concert featuring The both services on
what important actions shares his highlights of Park! Nashville Praise Sunday, May 3
you need to take next as last Sunday evening Symphony - read more
a children’s volunteer details on Page 4! Page 4
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McKendree United Methodist Church Non-Profit Org.

523 Church Street U.S. Postage
Nashville, TN 37219 PAID
615.271.2600 Nashville, TN
Fax 271.2607 Permit No. 2855

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY PREPARATION DAY

- recap by Laurie Cooper
McKendree Children’s Ministry Statement of Faith:

Paul told Timothy, “…from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” As facilitators of the
children’s and youth ministry at McKendree United Methodist Church, we therefore commit to
ensure that each child who enters our church is shown the love and compassion of Jesus and
offered the opportunity to accept His gift of eternal life in a safe and affirming environment.

A huge THANK YOU to all
involved with the tremendously
successful Children’s Ministry
Preparation Day held at
McKendree on Saturday, April 18.
Twenty-six individuals involved
with our children’s programming
attended and received training in
our safety policy and bus driver
safety in addition to helping with
renovations in our THRIVE area.
We are grateful to Jo and Gary
Vincent, Roberta and Joe Daws,
Emily and Carter Baker, and Polly
and Gene Thompson for
underwriting all costs for this
important day of ministry and
training in the life of our church.
Beginning on May 1 all
individuals, employed or volunteer,
who work with our children or will
be having contact with our
children, will be asked to read the
McKendree Children’s Safety
Policy and will be encouraged to
view the video of our training day.
Included with the Safety Policy
will be two forms that will need to
be completed and returned. One
form will be the volunteer
agreement to allow the church to
conduct a criminal background
check and the other form an
affirmation of our statement of
faith (shown above).
It is of the utmost importance that
we continue to be obedient to the
Lord’s instruction to love, protect,
and instruct each child that He
sends to us. How exciting!
Please pick up a copy of the Safety
Policy the next time you are at
church. These forms are in the
church office and also at the back
entrance on the table where the
parking stamp is kept. Turn your
forms back in to the church office
as soon as possible. We will begin
following up with our children’s
workers during the second week of
May to obtain all forms.

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Hip hop on the...GYM FLOOR!
A rainy GMA Sunday couldn’t wash out the excitement or hold back hundreds of music fans from
flooding McKendree to see the third annual Peanut Butter & Jelly Party
The buzz surrounding a silly named
event called The Peanut Butter &
Jelly Party/Hip hop on the Rooftop
reached an all-time high with the
third annual version that occurred
last Sunday, April 19 at McKendree
UMC’s Christian Life Center.
Even with the silly moniker, the
event’s creators Syntax Records of
Lemon Grove, CA take the PB&J
Party and Christian hip hop very
seriously. “I have intentionally not
been inviting people to the event
this year” says Syntax co-founder
Steve Trudeau in response to my
question about crowd control on the
approx. 350 standing-room
capacity rooftop. “I just don’t want
to have to turn people away.”
This year the event has reached
more of a national audience than
ever with MySpace Music jumping
on board for the second year as a
sponsor. Leading up to the event,
MySpace users across the globe
were greeted with a PB&J banner
every time they logged on to the
site. (according to alexa.com,
MySpace is consistently one of the
Top-10 most visited websites in the
world)
Other notable national sponsors this
year included Rockstar Energy
Drink (2nd year providing over
1,500 drinks), Gospel Music
Association (2nd year sanctioning
the event), Microsoft Corporation
(donated a Zune mp3 player to one
audience member along with free
music download cards for everyone
in attendance), and Christian
apparel company Not Of This
World.
In addition to the sponsorship
exposure, CrossRockTV.com
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by Kevin Sparkman
broadcasted the event live on their music related event. I am in
website crtvlive.com. When agreement with Steve and brother/
speaking with CRTV producers Syntax co-founder Tim Trudeau
after the event they mentioned that who have modeled this event
it was one of their smoothest live around the vehicle of hip hop music
broadcasts they have featured. and legitimizing it with household
names like MySpace and Microsoft
Another improvement from the to bring people in to experience
previous two year history of the Jesus - even if that’s not what they
PB&J Party was the audio and were expecting.
visual production. Maxx
Productions of Franklin, TN There were two specific highlights
donated all of the tour-quality surrounding this event for me
sound, lighting, and technical personally: 1) I was touched by
aspects of the event including set- Syntax artist Kaboose’s personal
up and tear-down crew. This was an testimony given at the New Wine
unbelievable blessing and really service that morning, and 2) all of
provided for a professional the Syntax artists/employees that
atmosphere through and through. came to church Sunday morning
could not stop telling me how
I believe the Lord was looking out blessed they were by this church!
for McKendree this night. I was Again, praise God! Oh, and 3)
extremely worried about not being yummy peanut butter & jelly
able to control the crowd number sandwiches! :-)
on the rooftop and He provided the
solution with an all-afternoon
downpour that forced us into the
gymnasium. All together, I think
this event drew over 500 people
into our CLC facility, a crowd that
for the first time in three years,
stayed for the entire show. The
rooftop simply would not be able to
handle a crowd this size, but our
gym handled it beautifully - praise
God!
I am so thankful that we were able
to host this concert again at
McKendree. Even though it is
technically a Christian music
industry event, Syntax and this
church has been very intentional at
marketing the PB&J Party to music
fans in the Middle TN area that can
easily make it to the event. The
goal is to expose the message of
Christ to people who normally
wouldn’t come to a church for a
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Upcoming Special Events:
Community Gathering - Watkins Park
Sunday, May 10 from 4-8p
Come and enjoy BBQ and fellowship with McKendree
family and our friends and neighbors in our community
around us! Please bring a small side item and/or dessert
if you are able.
* If you would like to make a donation to support this
event, please contact Jordan Callaway at the church
office: 615.271.2600, jordancallaway@yahoo.com
Stephen Handy to speak at McKendree
Rev. Stephen Handy will be speaking at both the 9a &
11a services at McKendree UMC on Sunday, May 3,
2009. Rev. Handy will officially join McKendree as
Senior Pastor on Sunday, June 28, 2009. If you have
not had the chance to meet Stephen, this would be a
great opportunity to meet him and hear his heart for the
Lord this Sunday.
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Benefit concert for Bethlehem Center
Saturday, May 16 - 5:00p
The Center for Non-Profit Management completed a
report on Bethlehem Centers of Nashville and its
viability in the current economic environment. The
study found that BCN’s programs are in demand, that
management and board have sound policies and are
generating good, quality information needed for critical
decision making but need immediate financial support.
The report also recommends developing a Contingency
Plan. The BCN Board accepted the report and is in the
process of developing/implementing a plan.
Bethlehem Centers is still a viable ministry and
continues to minister to clients Changing Lives and
Building Futures in our community.
The study also finds that “cost cutting is not an
option.” “What little bit of fat there might have been
in the BCN budget has already been cut and further
cuts will be at the program level.” It recommends that
Bethlehem Centers take “immediate action” to seek
funding to meet urgent needs.
Bethlehem Centers has ministered in the Nashville
community for 115 years and needs your support now.
Church - do not miss this opportunity to bless the
Bethlehem Centers with your support!
The NASHVILLE PRAISE SYMPHONY will lead
us in an evening of music and worship as we unite
to support one of Nashville’s most vital ministries.
Tours and a light reception will be held at the
Bethlehem Center immediately following the benefit
concert event. Our church bus will provide shuttle
to/from the Bethlehem Center facility.
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May Birthdays
1 - Jim Barr, Josh Kriner, Ray Prince
3 - Harriet Vivion
4 - Steve Kohl, Amie Post
7 - Johnnie Manire
Weekly Bible Readings 8 - Dwight Sperry
9 - Grace Hardin
Apr 27 - May 3: 10 - Rick Hodges
Acts 3:12-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7; 11 - Ruby Mai Farrar, Derrick Walker
Luke 24:36b-48 15 - Justin Elliott, Dan Keenan
May 4 - 10: Mary-Helen Marigza
Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; 1 John 16 - Beth Allen
3:16-24; John 10:11-18 17 - Steve Barlar
May 11 - 17: 18 - Martha Ann Gregory
Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 22:25-31; 1 John 23 - Angel Loupe
4:7-21; John 15:1-8 24 - Floyd Elliott, Genell Price
May 18-24: 28 - Paul Muncy
Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9-13; 29 - Trent Kirby
John 17:6-19
May 25-31:
Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b,
Rom. 8:22-27; John 15:26-7, Sunshine Group Events
16:4b-15
Coming up soon on May 5th, we will go to Red
Boiling Springs and have lunch at The Thomas
House. Built in 1890, this is one of the town’s oldest
Prayer Concerns and most beautiful landmarks. We will meet at the
Tim Kinnane (Vanderbilt 3457) Expo Design Center parking lot on Powell Avenue
Mary Ellis (home) and will leave at 9:30a. The cost of the trip (including
Bob Barr (home) lunch) will be $13, plus fuel expense.
Plans for June 2nd are to go to Ashland City for a
Memorials river cruise on the Blue Heron. This is a 24-passenger
pontoon boat that travels the Cumberland River
McKendree has received gifts in memory of Betty viewing wild birds and scenic wildlife. The boat trip is
Dawson from Elizabeth Wood and T.M. and at 10:00 a.m. and leaves from the Riverview
Sarah Voss Pulliam. Restaurant. We’ll eat at the restaurant following the
boat trip. We will take the church bus from the Expo
Design Center parking lot at 9:30 that morning.
Please contact Mary Alice Miles (292-3814) if you are
interested in going.

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Thank you...

Lacey and I want to thank all of our family here at McKendree church! We have been overwhelmed and humbled by
everyone’s kindness and support over the past several weeks. From the baby shower, to coming home from the
hospital, we have been nothing but grateful for the church community of which God has blessed us.
We are most thankful for your prayers and are so pleased to be a part of a church that places such a great emphasis on
prayer. God is so good to hear and answer our prayers! It excites us to see this community growing and ministering to
more people. We continually experience the benefits of living in Christian community and are anxious to share this
with everyone that we can. We love you all!
The Callaways

Weekly Events & Activities

* all events at 523 Church St./Worship Center unless Wednesday
otherwise noted 5:30p Dinner (Fellowship Hall, covered dish every 1st Wed.)
Sunday 6:00p Program/Bible study
8:30a Prayer Team (McKendree Room) 7:00p Community Groups Bible study (Library Cafe)
9:00a New Wine @ McKendree Thursday
9:30a THIRST/Youth ministry 11:00a Jubilate choir rehearsal (Choir room)
10:00a Adult Bible Study Noon Kairos Bible Study (bring a brown bag lunch)
11:00a Worship Service (communion every 1st Sun. ea. month) 4:00p Transient meal (Fellowship Hall)
Monday Saturday
9:30a Ladies’ home Bible study 9:00a Saturday Morning fitness ministry
(The St. Paul, Hillsboro Rd., Nashville) (CLC, 520 Commerce St.)
Tuesday 5:00p Mosaic Downtown Fellowship
9:30a Art Group (Rm 304) (every 2nd Sat. ea. month)

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