Living our motto: "Welcoming to Fellowship"
by Frank and Shelia Hamelly
We’ve been Christians for decades and Presbyterians for almost as long. Because of our frequent moves up and down the East Coast over the past 10 years, it’s been about that long since we really felt like we had a church ‘home’. So, when we moved to Mebane (hopefully our last move – we love it here) we wanted to find a church we could call home. We moved to Mebane in November 2009 and after visiting some other churches in the area, we decided to give Mebane Presbyterian a try in January of this year. We pretty much decided after our first visit to Mebane Pres that this was the church we were looking for. This was for a number of reasons –
1. We were impressed with the first sermon we heard Pastor Jeff deliver and it didn’t
hurt that he and Cyndie are native Pennsylvanians, as we are
2. We felt genuinely welcomed by the congregation, but not overwhelmed, which can
be common when a congregation greets ‘new blood’
3. The church building has a good ‘feel’ to it
So, we decided to come back and were greeted by a very pleasant outreach by some of the church members – Dwight Johnson, who got me involved with the Men’s Ministries, where I met Bob Graham (we share a passion for aviation). Karen Richmond
took Sheila under her wing and quickly got her involved in the Ladies’ breakfast on Wednesday mornings. I also started attending the Men’s breakfast on Wednesday mornings and have had the pleasure of breaking bread with Bob, John Parham (and we
can’t forget his lovely wife Janet), and the Wards – Joe and Steve. Then, when we joined the church, the welcome by the congregation was touching – especially the welcome we received from Jane Bailey – who must be one of the sweetest people to
walk the earth.
Even though we haven’t been home to attend since we joined the church in May, the entire congregation makes us feel so welcome and part of the family – Mebane Pres really does feel like home. Thank you all so much for being such dear people.
Living our Motto: “Growing in Faith”
by Sarah Saunders
I wasn’t raised in the church. We went to a church daycare and through them I learned some basics about Christianity. My parents told us that if we wanted to go to church, they would take us. But as most teens would, I preferred sleeping late on the weekends.
I went on to further investigate different religions as an older teen, but without a personal connection or the guidance of a mature fellowship of believers, those intellectual pursuits never developed into a spiritual awakening. It was like being adrift at sea without navigation.
However, as I look back, I see that God had been working in my life for a long time before I was aware of it. He brought Garth into my life, and through that relationship and
my relationship with his mother, Connie, I was introduced to Mebane Presbyterian Church. At first it was through occasional worship services, then through Pre-marital
counseling with Pastor Jeff and the wedding ceremony at Mebane Pres.
Over time, we began attending more frequently though still not with much regularity. With the birth of our first child, a yearning for a closer relationship with God was also born. I felt it was very important not to set my children adrift, to provide them a Lighthouse to keep them on the right path for their own salvation.
Mebane Presbyterian has provided a welcoming, supportive and encouraging community for me to build Christian-centered relationships and to further my spiritual
development. Through Pastor Jeff’s encouragement, I participated in the Alpha Course,
which I have since repeated with my sister, Karyn. MOPS has provided me with the
inspirational guidance and encouragement of a strong Christian “Mentor Mom” in Cyndie Smith and allowed me to enjoy fellowship with other Christian mothers. Garth and I have benefited from joining the Cornerstone Sunday School Class, which has provided invigorating and thought-provoking discussions, expanding my Christian education. Through service opportunities in Children's Ministry and Sandwich ministry, I have been able to participate in my own children’s Christian education and it has been wonderful to see them begin their own relationships with Jesus.
Through all of these avenues, God has placed Mebane Pres. in my path as a beacon
to help me set a safe course Home, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Living Our Motto: “Sending to Serve”
by Christie Smith
Good morning, my name is Christie Smith and I am here to share about a way that you
as a congregation have helped 'Send to Serve', as it says in our church motto.
This summer I participated in an experience through Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
called GUPY. GUPY stands for Greensboro Urban Project, Y'all, and it brings together
college students in the city of Greensboro to learn about God and His vision for his
children. Marshall Benbow heads the project and lives with his family in the Glenwood
neighborhood, one of the poorest communities in Greensboro.
The first 8 weeks of the summer I lived and worked in the Glenwood and participated in service projects, trips, and Bible studies that helped us understand and realize the themes of the summer, which were reconciliation, redistribution, responsibility, and relocation. First, we went in depth about how God wants us to find our identity first and foremost in Him, not as sisters/brothers, wives/husbands, teachers/nurses/businessmen/or pastors. When we do this, we begin to fully realize how much He loves
us, what He has done for us through His son, and that no matter what we do, we can
never fail as sons and daughters of the King. This paved the way for us to begin thinking
of His other sons and daughters in a new light, namely the people of Glenwood neighborhood. We did various activities each week that brought us in direct contact with children and adults in the community and we learned what it looks like to love the
impoverished and downtrodden with the heart of Christ. We participated in reading
groups with elementary students, afternoons in the park with middle and high schoolers,
Wednesday night dinners at Grace Community Church for primarily homeless and those in need of an extra meal, and weekly Bible studies and small group times.
Over the course of the summer, we delved into scripture about God's vision for His
kingdom on earth and the reconciliation of races and nations in our own Christian communities. We learned about the importance of the sharing of our wealth and blessings, just as God shares with us so richly, and we were able to learn of His desire
for His children to live in community with each other. The strength of the experiences this summer were that we saw these Scriptures come to life through what we did.
The second part of the summer was spent in Costa Rica with a larger group of volunteers from Grace Community Church in Greensboro. There we were able to witness big ways in which God is working through the Young Life organization in San Jose, Costa Rica and were able to take part in some of the physical labor needs that Young Life has identified throughout the city. We worked on the broken-down homes of students, a group facility for the elderly, and I was in a group that helped paint many surfaces (including the roof!) of a church where a Young Life group for students with disabilities meets each week. It was so fantastic and fulfilling to see some of the concepts we had been studying come to life in such a different part of the world. Through worship and fellowship with other believers, God's character was revealed in such new and beautiful ways.
I know that God was working so much in me through my experiences in Greensboro
and in Costa Rica, and I know that you all played a huge role in sending me to serve in
those places. Many of you supported me financially and I'm sure even more of you sent
essential love and prayers my way throughout the experience. The missions committee
also allocated funds toward the cost of my summer. Thank you so much for helping me
participate in this project that continues to impact me and the perspective I have on my
relationship with Jesus Christ and the people God places in my path. He wants all of us
to come to know Him in such an intimate, beautiful way. I am so blessed to be a child of
the King, and so blessed to be a member of His family with you.
Thank you.
Team Leader
by Shannon Taylor
I want to share with you all a little about my experiences with serving as the team leader of Fellowship at Mebane Pres over the last 2 ½ years and how I came to be in this area of service.
Mike and I joined about 3 ½ years ago. When we joined I desperately wanted to meet people inthe church and make friends, but I am a relatively shy person. I have a hard time getting to know people. Thankfully, Cheryl Durham called and invited me to attend the evening circle group which allowed me to meet some of the ladies in the church. I got to meet Laurie Stadler and I heard that she was involved with the Long Range Planning committee. This is where God’s plan began for me. For reasons that I still can’t explain, I asked Laurie if they needed help on Long Range Planning.
Keep in mind that I did not grow up in church and really had no idea of what this would involve. But something (now I know someone) pushed me to get involved. The group (Ken White, Ralph Olsen, Dwight Johnson, and Pastor Jeff) welcomed me with open arms. I worked with them for over a year. During that time, the fellowship team was created. We talked monthly about needing someone to hold the first meeting to get it off the ground. A few people in the congregation were asked, but everyone had a full plate.
A few months went by and every time we talked about needing to have a kick off meeting, I had to bite my lip to keep from volunteering. I knew someone needed to do it, but I was too scared. After all, I did not know anyone in the congregation… I had not grown up in church… and what did I know about Fellowship… I have a hard time talking to people, I can’t cook, I have never organized anything. There was a battle going on in my head. God kept putting the opportunity in front of me and I kept saying no. Finally I offered to lead the first meeting. I was still adamant to myself that I was not going to lead the Fellowship team, just get it started with the first meeting. So that is what I did. To try to be successful, I wrote an agenda for the first meeting. The first thing on the agenda was to decide from the people there, who wanted to lead. The first response
to this topic came from Phil Langley. He said, “Anyone who writes an agenda would make a great leader.” And so it was… I was the leader of the Fellowship Team.
Over the last two years, I have come to realize that no matter how many times I said no, this is where God wanted me. I had no experience, but he has provided everything I have needed to keep going. He knew that through this experience, I would have the opportunity not only to serve the congregation of this church, but to develop relationships with so many in my church family. Serving this congregation has been a blessing to me. Through this service, I now feel at home here and feel comfortable interacting with everyone in the congregation. It has also made Mebane feel more like home. There are not many places I go in town now without seeing someone I know. Just a few weeks ago we had a church gathering at Lowe’s when I saw Shirley Johnson and Dave and Mary Kimball.
I want to challenge you all to open your hearts and minds to what God is calling you to do. Even if it means jumping out of your comfort zone into unknown territory. He has a plan for you and knows where your service is needed most. Let him lead you there.
Living Out Our Church Motto: What the Men’s Ministry has Meant to Me
by Mike Taylor
I was introduced to the Men’s Ministry by Dwight Johnson. He invited me to be a
member of the newly formed Men’s Ministry Team. I have not always been active in
church and wasn’t sure what would be expected of me as a part of this group.
Reluctantly, I went to the first meeting. I quickly realized that I had no reason to be
concerned. I had a great time getting to know other men in the church that I probably
would have never talked to except to say hello on Sunday morning. Participating in the
events sponsored by the Men’s Ministry has allowed me the opportunity to serve God
through serving the community and by fellowshipping with others. Three events that I
especially enjoyed this year were the car show, the fishing trip to Atlantic Beach and the
Siloam Missionary Homes work day trip. The car show was especially great because we
were able to get people in the area to the church for a day of fun and fellowship. I also
think it helps to let people know we are here and active in the community. The Atlantic
Beach fishing trip was a good get away with members of the church. It was the first
event I headed up so I stressed over it some but with a little prayer the stress went away
and everything turned out fine. Though our numbers were few, the people who came
enjoyed beautiful weather, fellowship and some good fishing. The Siloam mission trip
really opened my eyes to how God works in people and how everyone is connected in his
plans for us. We went to help clear out the property and paint for the mission who in turn
builds housing for missionaries from are all around the world to live in when they are in
the states.
My experiences with the Men’s Ministry have helped me develop Christ centered
friendships with other men in my church family. It is a lot of fun and it has helped me to
feel more at home both in church and in Mebane. I encourage men of the church of all
ages to join us in a few events. Interacting with Christian men is important to help you
grow in your faith and become closer to God.