Bits from Beth

November 14, 2025

 

Dear Friends,

It has been a busy week here as teams have started preparing for the Community Thanksgiving meal, teams have been putting together cleaning buckets for Ingathering, and teams have been working in our food ministries to make certain our neighbors are fed while the government is shut down. So far this month, we have served a record 360 families in the Food Pantry and Sue's Table has served over 100 meals each week. Without your generosity, we would be unable to do all we are called to do. Thank you!

 

Sunday I made the announcement that I would be retiring after this appointment year. I informed our District Superintendent of my desire to retire in September at my annual consultation and informed SPRC at our annual consultation last week. While these announcements are often made in January, I decided to go ahead and tell the congregation since I have tried to always be transparent. That does not mean we stop working together to further the Gospel but it does mean we begin a transition process to welcome a new pastor and allow him/her to truly have the wonderful experience of getting to know all of you.

 

Last month we became a participant in the Camden-Fairview K-5 Turkey Teacher Donation Drive for the Backpack program. Our town has the second highest poverty rate in Arkansas and given that many parents have chosen to homeschool or go to other area school, our school population is particularly vulnerable. Many students eat two meals a day in our school cafeterias. So what happens on the weekend or during holidays when they do not school meals? Qualifying students are sent home with backpacks of ready to eat and easy to prepare food. Thanks to you, our boxes are overflowing! The final day for donations is November 19th.

 

As we prepare for this season of gratitude and generosity, let us always give thanks for gifts we have received. We were born in a country that allowed us freedom to worship, freedom to speak, freedom to assemble, and freedom to make choices. Many of us grew up in homes that valued education whether it was learning a trade or a diploma, or a degree. We have been offer the gift of forgiveness because we all make mistakes, we all have flaws, and we all say and do things we regret later. We have been offered the gift of salvation which means there are no eternal consequences for our poor decisions. And finally, we have been given God's grace through Jesus Christ. Following Jesus as Lord provides the pathway to becoming more human and more able to love God and our neighbor.

 

This Sunday, I will be preaching from one of my favorite parables. We hope to see you in worship!

 

Grace and peace,

Beth