Pastor Allen's November Letter

Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

In the Fall of 1774 the citizens of Bristol, England were caught up in the parliamentary elections among Lord Clare, Henry Cruger, Matthew Brickdale, and Edmund Burke with the treatment of the American colonies being a source of great contention. Cruger, an American born, and Burke would ultimately win the two contested seats. The Methodists were as divided in their loyalties as the surrounding community. John Wesley offered them the following advice:
I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them 
(1) to vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy; 
(2) to speak no evil of the person they voted against; and 
(3) to take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side. 
-- John Wesley, October 6, 1774, The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley (N. Curnock, Ed.; Vol. 6, p. 40.)
 As we move into our own national elections 250 years later, Wesley's advice to the people call Methodist still applies. It may be easy to villanize the opposing candidate and demonize our opponents, but our Savior instructs us to "love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us" (Matthew 5:44).
The more important work before us at Haymount is the celebration of who the Spirit is calling us to become as citizens of God's soon-coming and already-arriving kingdom. We begin this celebration by remembering the saints who walked among and are now members of the Church Triumphant at our All Saints' Celebrations on November 3rd. Additionally, we will remember sainted loved ones by attaching bells to our bell banner and speaking the names aloud of those who have gone before us. The next Sunday we will celebrate Consecration Sunday with the Rev. Lynn Benson bringing the word in both worship services before we gather together for a luncheon in the New Life Center. We continue our celebration the following week by remembering our baptismal and membership vows and meeting in Annual Charge Conference at 4:00 PM on November 17th. All these events point toward our 79th Anniversary celebration on November 24th as we give thanks for all the ways we are blessed to be a blessing. 
November will bring excitement and energy throughout the month. Let us be a beacon of hope and healing as we worship, belong, and serve together as the church called Haymount!

Grace and Peace,


- Rev. Allen Bingham

Morgan Bunker

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