Hey, we are back in the parsonage!

It is with great delight that I share the news that we moved back into the parsonage last Saturday. It has been about 3 months since the fire in the parsonage and what a time of rebuilding this has been. One of the benefits since the fire is that the fire detection system has now been extended into the parsonage. For lunch today, I made some biscuits, yes from scratch. When I got done eating lunch, I made some biscuits with strawberry jam and took them over to the church. When I went out the front door there were three fire alarm security trucks and a truck from the fire department out in front of the church. I walked into the fellowship hall where they were working and said, "I did not burn the biscuits." That had been the joke while they were putting in the sensors that when I cooked, the fire department would come. It was a good laugh for all concerned. 
   The best thing that has happened to our church after the fire, is that the whole process of rebuilding has helped bring out the best in people. The companies that have helped us have been so kind, and helpful. From our insurance adjuster to the contractor, to all the volunteers from here at Deerfield UMC, the measure of grace has filled our cup to overflowing. It has been a spiritual journey for me in not being in charge, when I really like to have things in order around me. The last few days of putting things in order have been days filled with healing, as I have waited for the day to come when a regular day would come again. I think we are really close to a regular day, just around the corner, and for that, I sure do give the Lord praise. On an earlier post, I published a picture of the shadow of a cross that was left on the wall of the parsonage after the fire. Today, that same cross went back on the wall in the same place as it was before the fire. In all things, we remember, Christ is with us. I invite you to observe a Holy Lent.

Weeping Willow brings a sign of spring

     This past week I attended a session for clergy for the Clergy Health Innitiative. Duke Divinty School is working on a study to help pastors learn how to manage stress and live a more healthy lifestyle. Some of the statistics on clergy health for pastors in our conference were pretty shocking. One that stands out in my mind is that clergy in our conference are twice as likely as the general population to suffer from depression. There were several other areas like diabetes, asthma and arthritis that were high enough among clergy that there was also a statistical difference in the high levels in these health problems compared also to the general population for people in NC. If you are into scientific studies, these folks have truly done their homework on the book work to make sure that what we do is worth the time. So the bottom line for us this past week boiled down to learning how to do a better job in managing stress. Stress brings with it so many different kinds of sickness that if we can bring down the stress level among our clergy, our scientific data show us that we can increase health in our clergy. All this sounds good. To get started this week, in Ashboro NC at Camp Caraway, we launched the journey. Clergy from the NC and the Western NC Conferences. Very little cell phone service, and no T.V. in my room did a little to raise my stress while I was there. Monday night I went to bed at 7:30pm. No joke. Tuesday night I went to bed by 9:00pm. The schedule had a 30 minute break between activities, so all day long we were not at a rushed pace and it really felt weird to have that much time before I had to do something else.
    I tried to honor the spirit of being on retreat when I left home. I left my laptop at home and kept my phone cut off and when we were not in worship or in class, I would check messages. Like many pastors I did have a pastoral emergency while I was at the retreat, the death of one of our oldest members. His funeral service was today. There was a pastor here in Boone on call for me that was able to take care of the family until I could get back at the end of the retreat to be with them. Something good did happen this week as we had Holy Communion together, sang hymns, listened to sermons, prayed for our congregations. Today, even after doing a funeral this afternoon, I feel like some of my peace has been restored. I have had the opportunity to think about holy things and put my trust in God to hold everything together until I could get back to my post. I am not quite able to find the words to describe what it's like to have a burden lifted, but somehow I actually do feel less stressed, more rested, and looking forward to worship tomorrow. God wants to give us what we need each day, if we will slow down long enough to receive the gift of each day. At Camp Caraway, there was a beautiful weeping willow tree that stood above a lake. Not a big deal to most of the folks there probably, but to me, who left snow on the ground in the yard of the parsonage when I left to go on retreat, this tree meant something different to me. The weeping willow was in full bud. Spring is close at hand. New life is right around the corner. To me, it was the image of the retreat that means new life is right around the corner, hold on to that hope. God is sending you a message of hope today as well. Look for your own willow tree, and know that new life is just on the verge of breaking through.

Update from Deerfield UMC

     The work at Deerfield in the recovery efforts from the fire continues. Each day we can see more progress. Last week when we had some warm weather, they were able to replace the roof. The work inside the fellowship hall in pretty much completed. It is still going to be a couple of weeks before the parsonage is ready to move back into. The folks here have worked so hard. All the contractors that have helped us have been so kind, we really do appreciate people being so thoughtful.
   I hope that you had a great Valentines Day last Monday. Today, I was schedule to attend the clergy health inniative at Haw River State Park, but I was not able to attend because I have been sick for a few days with a sinus infection which took my voice with it on Friday and today it has returned to a small voice.  So over the last few days, starting Friday morning when I woke up and could not talk, life has been very different. I have had to be still, rest, stay off the phone, and didn't even feel like doing anything on the computer, and that is pretty bad. So the new Lay Leader at Deerfield, got a crash course in one to the job responsibilities of the Lay Leader, ready to lead worship on Sunday morning if the pastor is sick at the last moment. Well,  Friday was not last moment, but it still was not much time, and I thank her for her diligence to write a sermon and lead worship on Sunday.  We have some very capable lay folks here at Deerfield and I am so proud of them. Late Saturday afternoon, I got a call from parishoners that had cooked supper for me and were ready to deliver supper. How could you not love these people? God has had some time to speak over these last days of having to be still and quiet, whether I wanted to or not. The scripture speaks volumes when it says, "Be still and know that I am God." I figure, God may have nudged me that I was pushing too hard, and needed a break and in my own hard headed way, ingored that nudge. I don't recommend that. So, if a couple of days of peace and quiet and rest is what I needed, the Lord has provided, even though I would have picked a warm beach and long walks in the sand and sun if just a break was all I needed. I think a greater lesson of letting people be the best they can be was also a teachable moment for me and the congregation, like folks bringing me supper, and preaching with hardly a moments notice, are a couple of ways that our lay people had to shine, and be the best God has made them to be. So praise the Lord for every time we let God use us for good, and for the healing that God has brought already. We look daily for the hand of God, and give him the praise when we see a new miracle unfold. Already I am feeling some better and I have gone from no voice to now a small voice, and for that I am already so thankful. Thanks for your prayers. We are pressing forward.

Ready to turn over a new page on February 1

     At Deerfield, we are ready for February! What delight comes this month with putting January behind us with cleaning up from the smoke damage and moving forward with the reconstruction. I am passing on to you this week the update we sent out to our church family on where we stand with the clean up process after the fire. We thank you for your continued prayer support as the good work for Christ continues in this place. God is in charge and we look for good to come. Praise the Lord for being with us through a time of chaos. Rev. Evelyn Lemons

Here is the update from our trustees:
This has been a productive week in both the church and parsonage as we work on repairing the damage done by the fire of Dec. 29. I would like to give our church family an update on what has been accomplished in the month since the fire.


All the ceiling tiles have been replaced in the fellowship hall, restrooms, and Sunday School rooms except for one classroom where some additional cleaning is being done. All of these rooms have also been cleaned and put back together so that classes can resume their normal meeting places. Thanks so much to the very dedicated people who have worked on this--even to the point of re-covering many of the chairs in the Sunday School rooms. If you are willing to help in that project, please let me know and I will put you in touch with the upholstery crew!

Much has been completed at the parsonage also. The three bedrooms in the newer section of the parsonage (upstairs) have been sealed, cleaned, and painted on all walls and ceilings. Flooring installation in these rooms can start this week. The older section of the parsonage (downstairs) has been cleaned, insulation has been removed, and the fire-contaminated attic has been sealed. The painters will begin sealing and painting in this downstairs section on Monday. The reconstruction in the parsonage will begin on Tuesday. Cabinets, countertops, and appliances have been chosen, and furniture selection is being worked on also.

Professional cleaners have been involved in cleaning the ductwork, attics, and rooms of the church, but much of the work has been done by members of our church, along with ASU students and members of Boone United Methodist and Faithbridge United Methodist. These efforts will help our church because we will be reimbursed through insurance coverage for the hours these volunteers have spent rather than having to pay someone else for this time. This will support the trustees of the church as we work to complete necessary renovations and purchases while remaining within the funds provided by insurance coverage. We understand and honor the financial commitments which have already been made by the members of our church and will do all within our power to prevent a financial burden on the congregation as a result of the fire. We are also thankful for the love offering taken by Boone United Methodist which will help to cover the costs of repair.

Lawrence Caviness

Chairperson, Deerfield UMC Trustees

Deerfield UMC gets volunteers on MLK BD

    Early this morning, we received a call from ACT office at ASU. There was a group of about 20 ASU students looking for a place to serve in the community in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. I asked them to meet me at the church at 1:00 and we would see what kind of work they could do.  Some of our faithful church workers, Lawrence and Jeannie, Bobbi and JC, came over to help them get started. These kids came and worked in the kitchen in the fellowship hall, repacking items in plastic, washing pots and pans, all the glasses, drying them and putting all that back on the shelves. Another team worked in the pantry. Everything came out, was cleaned, sorted and put back in. Not only did the ASU kids come to help us, we had the chance to tell them about Deerfield, and invited them to come be apart of the work of Christ here in our community with us. Twenty one years ago today, I said yes to the call of ministry. I gave these kids my witness of how God has been faithful to provide faith and courage all these years and I have no regrets of giving my life's work for the cause of Christ. I also told them we as a church had been searching in very intentional ways to be in a sustainable ministry with ASU students for the long haul, and that they had come to serve us in our time of need moved several in the room to tears. From the students who have been worshiping with us regulary, we have now a new youth volunteer and we are going to try to meet with our youth this coming Sunday to get something going with them again, and now all this work today thanks to Emily Schrecker who was our ASU student contact to bring all this help on board today. Praise be to God, for taking the mess we are facing and day by day, bringing out the best in people. We have given the memory of MLK Jr. a good reflection today, and we have honored Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. It's been a good day for our church family of sowing seeds and being really grateful for how God is meeting our needs as a church family daily.  As a church family, we are so grateful for the ASU connection that Rev. Toby Grady makes for the cause of Christ on a weekly basis to help students connect with Deerfield UMC. We are so overwhelmed with the goodness that surrounds us in the midst of hard times. For all the work being done to lift up the name of Christ through Deerfield UMC, we give the Lord the praise.