161 Beulah Church Rd. Gilbert, SC 29054 www.beulahunitedmethodistchurch.org I f any of Eden remains, it can be found in the western quadrant of the Smoky Mountains somewhere along the hiking trails that hover above a place that goes by the name of Cades Cove. As a child my family would make the trek up to the Smokies every other year or so, and the highpoint of every trip was a ride around the Cades Cove loop. The loop is an eleven mile long ribbon of single lane blacktop which follows the boundaries of this magical place filled with wildlife unafraid of humans and fields filled with wildflowers unnumbered. The beauty of the place is breathtaking and a drive around the loop will leave the passerby filled with inexpressible awe at the loveliness produced by our Creator’s hand; but if the peace of Cades Cove is to be found, one must rise above. If a quiet soul is what you seek, then you have to take a hike. As you ascend the northern slopes of the mountains surrounding the Cove and gaze down onto the fields of bachelor buttons and sour weed, then look up and out beyond the poplar and pine windbreaks that trace their ordered way across the fields; the distant mountains appear dreamlike through the ever-present mist. When you reach the place where the mountains begin to melt into the clouds, the white noise of life slowly fades away until nothing but the frantic sound of your heart beating, the rustling of the leaves above and the still small voice of God comes to your ear. It is then that the peace of Eden can be found. For me at least, a hike through the Smoky Mountains is a quiet walk hand in hand with my Lord in cool of the evening. Yes, if any of Eden remains, it can be found along the hiking trails above Cades Cove. My mom, Bobbe Jean by name, loved this place more than just about anywhere else in the world, save the back roads and black waterways of the Florida panhandle, her home. The otherworldly wildness of the place seemed to fan an ancient fire within her Native American roots that simply smoldered at other times. Her emerald green eyes would dance with excitement, and her voice would take on a lilting quality as she told us kids of the history of the place. You couldn’t help but fall in love with the Cove when mom spoke of it, for her love was contagious. Mom did have one strange peculiarity when it came to this place. Like a mother with a favored child among many, she loved one particular tree in the cove over and above all others. It was a massive cedar standing alone and proud in a field on the northernmost border. The tree had a presence about it that drew your eye and a quiet solitude that threatened melancholy if you looked upon it too long, not unlike my mother in many ways. There was a connection there, mystical and mysterious. Just before her death, mom asked me to take some of her ashes and place them at the base of that tree. So on the summer after her passing I did just that. Veering off the trail, I stealthily made my way through the field in which that tree stood until I was beneath that venerable old cedar. Mom’s law and order child breaking the rules to fulfill her final wish. I bet she wondered if I would do it; but love compelled me on, only to discover her final wish was for me. As I turned up and tapped the bottom of that old Ball Mason jar, a fitting container for a country girl, the continuity of life became clear to me. My Native American roots found voice, and somewhere within my spirit the mystical harmony of life and death and earth and Heaven softly soothed my soul, and I was finally at peace with mom’s passing. My Lord promised her eternal life. I knew she was at peace and content, and I was okay. Epilogue My Dad passed away several years (Continued on page 2) The Venerable Old Cedar August 2016
Transcript
161 Beulah Church Rd. Gilbert, SC 29054
www.beulahunitedmethodistchurch.org
I f any of Eden remains, it can be
found in the western quadrant of
the Smoky Mountains somewhere
along the hiking trails that hover
above a place that goes by the name of
Cades Cove. As a child my family
would make the trek up to the Smokies
every other year or so, and the
highpoint of every trip was a ride
around the Cades Cove loop.
The loop is an eleven mile long ribbon
of single lane blacktop which follows
the boundaries of this magical
place filled with wildlife unafraid
of humans and fields filled with
wildflowers unnumbered. The
beauty of the place is breathtaking
and a drive around the loop will
leave the passerby filled with
inexpressible awe at the loveliness
produced by our Creator’s hand;
but if the peace of Cades Cove is to
be found, one must rise above. If a
quiet soul is what you seek, then
you have to take a hike.
As you ascend the northern slopes
of the mountains surrounding the Cove
and gaze down onto the fields of
bachelor buttons and sour weed, then
look up and out beyond the poplar and
pine windbreaks that trace their
ordered way across the fields; the
distant mountains appear dreamlike
through the ever-present mist. When
you reach the place where the
mountains begin to melt into the
clouds, the white noise of life slowly
fades away until nothing but the
frantic sound of your heart beating, the
rustling of the leaves above and the
still small voice of God comes to your
ear. It is then that the peace of Eden
can be found. For me at least, a hike
through the Smoky Mountains is a
quiet walk hand in hand with my
Lord in cool of the evening.
Yes, if any of Eden remains, it can be
found along the hiking trails above
Cades Cove.
My mom, Bobbe Jean by name, loved
this place more than just about
anywhere else in the world, save the
back roads and black waterways of
the Florida panhandle, her home.
The otherworldly wildness of the
place seemed to fan an ancient fire
within her Native American roots
that simply smoldered at other
times. Her emerald green eyes would
dance with excitement, and her voice
would take on a lilting quality as she
told us kids of the history of the
place. You couldn’t help but fall in
love with the Cove when mom spoke
of it, for her love was contagious.
Mom did have one strange
peculiarity when it came to this
place. Like a mother with a favored
child among many, she loved one
particular tree in the cove over and
above all others. It was a massive
cedar standing alone and proud in a
field on the northernmost border.
The tree had a presence about it that
drew your eye and a quiet solitude
that threatened melancholy if you
looked upon it too long, not unlike my
mother in many ways. There was a
connection there, mystical and
mysterious.
Just before her death, mom asked me
to take some of her ashes and place
them at the base of that tree.
So on the summer after her
passing I did just that. Veering
off the trail, I stealthily made
my way through the field in
which that tree stood until I
was beneath that venerable old
cedar. Mom’s law and order
child breaking the rules to
fulfill her final wish. I bet she
wondered if I would do it; but
love compelled me on, only to
discover her final wish was for
me.
As I turned up and tapped the
bottom of that old Ball Mason jar, a
fitting container for a country girl,
the continuity of life became clear to
me. My Native American roots found
voice, and somewhere within my
spirit the mystical harmony of life
and death and earth and Heaven
softly soothed my soul, and I was
finally at peace with mom’s passing.
My Lord promised her eternal life. I
knew she was at peace and content,
and I was okay.
Epilogue
My Dad passed away several years
(Continued on page 2)
The Venerable Old Cedar
August 2016
Our Star Member for the month is:
Mickie Folk-727-9961
117 N. Woodside Parkway
W. Columbia, SC 29170
Fellowship Friends will list in the
bulletin each month one or more Star
Members. A star member is anyone
over 65, a nursing home member or a
home bound member. These are our
special members who need our care
and concern. Greeting cards or note
cards are a great way to stay in touch
when we can’t visit or call.
Star Member
PAGE 2 BEULAH NEWS
The Venerable Old Cedar (cont.)
after mom, and being a romantic at
heart, I decided to place a portion of
his ashes beneath that same old tree.
So later that summer, in the midst of
a rain storm, I retraced my steps and
found myself beneath that old cedar
once again. Sheltered from the rain
by the outstretched limbs, I turned
up and tapped the bottom of the little
ornate urn, a proper container for a
city boy, and mom and dad were
reunited once again.
My folks loved each other
passionately and with passion comes
fire, but little did I know how
enduring that fire could be.
I returned to Cades Cove the very
next summer to rekindle my
memories and to find the peace, once
again, that I had allowed to fade. My
heart longed for that tree somehow;
it had come to represent my folks,
their relationship and their love to
me.
As Mary and I followed the loop, my
anticipation grew. After what seemed
like ages, I could at last see the
afternoon sunlight slanting across
the blacktop indicating that the
meadow was just up ahead.
Mary was the first to see it and she
fell silent, wondering no doubt what
my reaction would be. As I recall,
through my astonished haze, a laugh,
(Continued from page 1) a deep and satisfying belly laugh,
rumbled up and out of me for all the
world to hear.
You see, between the time of the
reuniting of mom and dad and my
return; a well placed streak of
lightening had split that tree in equal
halves and burned it to the ground.
“Blew it to smithereens,” as mom
would say. I have to admit though,
that the smoldering remains were a
fitting testimony to a wonderful
couple with a fiery relationship and
fierce love.
I returned just a few months ago to
the cove and took note of the stump. It
has been years, but life remains.
There was a hint of green and the
beginning of a new venerable old
cedar for future generations to
admire.
I often wonder why the Lord draws
certain memories out of me; why He
wants certain things to remain
between Him and me and why He
wants others told. Well, this time I
think I may have an inkling.
The world is in turmoil. Every day it
seems that a new horror awaits us,
and it fills us with dread and fear.
Stability, it appears, is a thing of the
past, and now even our beloved
denomination has joined in the fray.
The goings on as of late have left
many of us concerned as to what
direction things may take. The
security of like minds and like
spirits has vanished it seems
leaving many afraid and unsure.
When I recall that old stump, I
remember a majestic tree standing
sentinel for decades. Countless
storms assailed it. Winters too
many to count burdened its limbs
with snow. Untold birds raised
their young and sent them soaring
from its branches while other
creatures sought the shelter and
coolness of its shade.
Then in an instant it was gone,
through happenstance or
providence we will never know; but
take heart for from the smoldering
remains, new life emerged. Life
cannot be defeated. Life will always
find a way.
So take heart!
Matt 16:18
18 And I say also
unto thee, That
thou art Peter,
and upon this
rock I will build
my church; and
the gates of hell
shall not prevail
against it.
Love, Pastor Tony
PAGE 3 BEULAH NEWS
As I write this, according to the
outside thermometer, it’s 97 degrees.
Makes it difficult to think about fall
being right around the corner but it
is! We’ve two great fundraising
events this fall that you won’t want
to miss.
September 17th is the second
annual Beth Moore Living Proof
Simulcast. Join women from
around the community as we gather
for a day of fellowship, worship and
praise at Beulah United Methodist
Church for the 2016 Beth Moore
Living Proof Simulcast on Saturday,
September 17th. Tickets are $25 in
advance and $30 at the door and
include a light breakfast, boxed
lunch and afternoon snack. Seating
is limited and tickets can be
purchased
at http://beulahunitedmethodistchur
ch.org via credit card, PayPal and
check. Thank you to Kenneth Shuler
News from Your Fundraising Committee Schools of Cosmetology for their
sponsorship of this event.
The Beth Moore committee will
meet on August 15th at 6:00 p.m.
This will be our final planning
meeting before the event. I’ll
need updates from each
subcommittee chair. If you’re not
able to attend the meeting,
please email me an update prior
to the meeting.
October 6th, 7th and 8th is our fall
yard and craft sale. Our spring and
fall sales are our biggest fundraising
events, and it takes a village to make
them happen. Please call Mary
Price(803.892.2618) or the church
office (803.892.2842) to make
arrangements for donations (no TVs
Save the date! On Monday, August
15, from 2-7pm, the Red Cross will
hold a Blood Drive at Beulah. Your
donation makes a difference! Call
Blood Drive in August
please). If you are a woodworker, quilter,
knitter, jelly maker, baker, seamstress,
etc., please consider donating your crafts.
These items have become an important
part of our sale. On Sunday, October
2nd, we’ll need folks to help bring
donations into the Family Live Center,
throughout the week
(October 3rd through 5th) we’ll need
folks to help setup for the sale and
on Saturday, October 8th, we’ll need
folks to help pack up and put away
unsold items.
Please mark your calendar today
and make plans to join in the fun
and fellowship of these two great
events!
Karolyn Berg Grimm
Alice Wallace at
803.767.6873 to schedule
your time.
Dear Beulah, I would like to express my appreciation for the many calls, cards, flowers, and food
during my recent recovery from surgery. Karen and I especially want to thank you for your prayers and
concerns throughout the past several months. We are very thankful for our church family and the many
blessings we have experienced over the past years. God Bless! Donnie and Karen Woolsey
Just as we read in the Bible that
King David danced and in
Ecclesiastes that there is a time to
dance, Beulah is dancing! In
addition to almost two years of
offering REFIT®, which is a faith
based dance fitness class and held
on Tuesday evenings at 7:00, a new
class will be starting on Wednesday,
Join Us for Line Dancing September 7th. The new class will be
We are in need of any ladies of the church who are willing to give the time
and talent to making prayer shawls for homebound members of our church
and community members. If you would be interested in this ministry,
please contact the church office. Once we see if we have enough interest in
this ministry we will have more details to come.
BEULAH NEWS PAGE 6
PRAYERS: Continue to pray for the following: Rhonda Sweatt, Steven Binkley, Louis Hodge, Veterie Slice,
Wayne Chester, Diane and Gene Gantt, Vivian Mitchum, Ricky Crout, Thomas Covington, Jimmy Nix, Kathleen
Woodruff, Richard Flythe, Barbara Krepps, Babies Luke and Jonah and the entire McGee family, Wayne Leaphart,
Ruby Bedenbaugh, Betty Jo Gable, Polly Derrick, Alan Tompkins, Rosetta Leaphart, Luther Rogers, Mickie Folk,
Mildred Price, all those in our armed forces, and everyone who has lost their jobs. (Please keep the church office
informed as to names to be added or removed from the list.)
PRESENCE:
GIFTS:
Financial Report As Of 7/17/16
Actual Budgeted Income YTD $249,845.67
Actual Budgeted Expenses YTD $238,682.67
Building Program Account $372,825.98
Jessie’s House $141,294.88
B Dollars YTD $3,961.00
Coins For Land YTD $1,137.00
Refit YTD $752.00
Stewardship Report
6/26 7/3 7/10 7/17 Weekly Average
Sunday School 58 70 83 86 74
Worship 208 203 218 232 215
A HUGE THANK YOU to all who
donated towels for our towel drive! A
HUGE THANK YOU to all who
donated money for gas cards as well!
We collected 14 towels, 6 hand
towels, 2 bath mats, and 47 wash
cloths! That’s AMAZING! What’s
even more amazing is that we’ve
collected $235 for gas cards! Thank
you all so much! The families at
Samaritan’s Well will be SO excited!
The Women’s Group of Beulah
Towel Drive for Samaritan’s Well Women’s Shelter
Calendar for August 2016
MONDAY, AUGUST 1
9:30 am Bridge - SH
TUESDAY, AUGUST 2
9:30 am Bible Study - FLC
7:00 pm REFIT® Class - FLC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3
10:00 am Weight Watchers - SH
6:30 pm Choir Practice
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4
7:30 pm Praise Choir
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5
9:00 am Mother’s Morning Out (until noon)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7
8:30 am Contemporary Worship Service
9:40 am Sunday School
10:30 am Traditional Worship Service
4:30 pm Back to School Bash (until 6:30)
6:00 pm Bible Study - Conf. Room
MONDAY, AUGUST 8
8:30 am Water World Camp (until 12:30)
9:30 am Bridge - SH
TUESDAY, AUGUST 9
8:30 am Water World Camp (until 12:30)
9:30 am Bible Study - FLC
12 noon Mary/Martha Circle at Angelo’s
7:00 pm REFIT® Class - FLC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10
8:30 am Water World Camp (until 12:30)
10:00 am Weight Watchers - SH
6:30 pm Choir Practice
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11
8:30 am Water World Camp (until 12:30)
10:30 am Fun, Food, and Fellowship
7:30 pm Praise Band
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12
9:00 am Mother’s Morning Out (until noon)
8:00 pm Square Dancing
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
10:00 am Strategic Planning - Conf. Room
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14
8:30 am Contemporary Worship Service
9:40 am Sunday School
10:30 am Traditional Worship Service
6:00 pm Bible Study - Conf. Room
MONDAY, AUGUST 15
First Day of School (5k and up)
9:30 am Bridge - SH
2:00 pm Blood Drive - FLC (until 7 pm)
6:00 pm Beth Moore Meeting - SH
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16
9:30 am Bible Study - FLC
7:00 pm REFIT® Class - FLC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17
10:00 am Weight Watchers - SH
6:30 pm Choir Practice
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18
6:30 pm WGOB
7:30 pm Praise Band
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
9:00 am Mother’s Morning Out (until noon)
9:30 am Seniors Trip to Sumter
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21
8:30 am Contemporary Worship Service
9:40 am Sunday School
10:30 am Traditional Worship Service
4:00 pm JAM/ROC
5:00 pm Aftershock and Youth
6:00 pm Bible Study
MONDAY, AUGUST 22
First Day for Preschool Teachers
9:30 am Bridge
TUESDAY, AUGUST 23
9:30 am Bible Study - Conf. Room
6:30 pm Trustees - Conf. Room
7:00 pm REFIT® Class - FLC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24
10:00 am Weight Watchers - SH
6:30 pm Choir Practice
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25
5:30 pm WGOB Samaritan’s Meal - SH
6:30 pm Fall Festival Meeting
7:30 am Praise Band
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26
LICS Beulah Workday
9:00 am Mother’s Morning Out (until noon)
8:00 pm Square Dancing
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27
Preschool Back to School Night - FLC
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28
7:00 am UMM Meeting
8:30 am Contemporary Worship Service
9:40 am Sunday School
10:30 am Traditional Worship Service
4:00 pm JAM/ROC
5:00 pm Jr. Youth and Youth
6:00 pm Bible Study - Conf. Room
6:00 pm Gospel Singing
MONDAY, AUGUST 29
First Day of Preschool
9:30 am Bridge - SH
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30
Mission Team Leaves for Riga, Latvia
9:30 am Bible Study - FLC
7:00 pm REFIT® Class - FLC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31
10:00 am Weight Watchers - SH
6:30 pm Choir Practice
God who acts; the God who listens; the God whose love for his people culminated in his sacrifice of Jesus, his only Son, to atone for the sins of humanity.” THE STORY is divided into 5 parts: The Story of the Garden (Genesis 1-11); The Story of Israel (Genesis 12-Malachi); The Story of Jesus (Matthew-John (Gospels);
The Story of the Church (Acts-Jude); and The Story of a New Garden (Revelation). Ladies, come join us beginning September 4 for this exciting study of our Bible. We meet in the room across the hall from the nursery. Books cost $5.00 and can be purchased at Family Christian Book Store across from Walmart in Lexington.
The Ladies Bible Study class will begin a 31-week study of the Bible done in story form. From the foreword by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee: “This book tells the grandest, most compelling story of all times; the story of a true God who loves his children, who established for them a way of salvation and provided a route to eternity. Each story in these 31 chapters reveals the God of grace—the God who speaks; the
One example of how the preschool is succeeding in our goal of the church becoming the community church is in the passing of Kelly Hallman. Her son graduated from the preschool 2 years ago. We have continued to stay in contact, do fundraisers and pray for her and her family. The night of her funeral her husband called the preschool director asking for recommendations for after school care. A lot of preschool staff and prior preschool parents were there for her before her passing and after for her family. This is what makes our preschool so special. We are a program for the community. The Hallmans have a home church but still came back to Beulah for support and encouragement. A perfect example of how Christians
More students have registered for Summer Camp than ever before. Some camps have 45 kids signed up and registration is still going on. This is a terrific opportunity for anyone to volunteer and spend the week with the preschool. Our next camp “Discovering God’s World” is July 25-28. Our last camp “Water World” is August 8-11. The school year registration for the fall is going well. We still have room in some of our classes but for the most part most classes are just a few students away from being maxed out for the amount of students allowed. Overall we are doing very well and continuing to grow. We continue to reach out to our community.
should be helping each other in the hard times. We also are receiving recommendations from First Steps, a local program that helps kids with special needs. We have a child enrolled because of a recommendation from First Steps because Beulah Methodist Preschool has become known for our time, patience, and experience with our students.
