FIFTH ANNUAL HELEN LEWIS LECTURE

On Friday, February 6, The Craddock Center will welcome Marian Wright Edelman as guest lecturer. As President and Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., she has worked relentlessly for 35 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. CDF champions policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect, and ensure their access to health care, quality education, and a moral and spiritual foundation. In a recently released The State of America’s Children 2008 report, Marion Wright Edelman said, “It is a national disgrace that the richest nation on earth lets every sixth child live in poverty. Our poor children exceed the population of all ages in the state of Illinois (13.3 million). The number of uninsured children exceeds the population of the country of Switzerland (9 million). We continue this neglectful waste of our precious human capital at our collective peril. We can and must do better!”

Please come and help us welcome the nation’s leader among child advocates to Cherry Log as she inspires us all to reach out more to our children and help improve life for them.

 Location: Cherry Log Christian Church, 1149 Cherry Log Street, Cherry Log, GA, between mile marker 19 & 20 on Hwy. 515
Time: 7 PM—The Sonny Houston Band, Lecture begins at 7:30 PM
Admission — Free, no reservations needed — TLS

I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND                      

That I have asked Steve (Darsey) to include a couple of Appalachian hymns in his repertoire for the Songs and Stories program on Saturday night, January 31. Of course, those who know Appalachian culture can hear the faith of the people in most of the songs, whether they are about train workers, mine explosions, jealous husbands, or coon dogs. But some songs were written to be sung in religious gatherings: church worship, funerals, or camp meetings. In fact, a few have made their way into church hymnals and are often sung with appreciation by folk with no Appalachian memory.

OK? Good; I felt you would agree. After all, Appalachian culture, like any oral culture, is passed along by old sayings, stories, and songs, including songs of faith.

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday night, Jan. 31, at 7:30, in the Performing Arts Center on the campus of the Fannin County High School in Blue Ridge. — FBC

RAINBOWS GRIEF PROGRAM                    

Will offer hope and healing to children and youth in the face of loss. Beginning this month The Craddock Center will be sponsoring the RAINBOWS program which is a weekly support group for children and teens (4-18 years old) who have experienced traumatic change such as divorce, abandonment, deployment of parent with the military, incarceration of parent, or death. Parents and guardians also meet in a group to consider what is happening in their families from the child’s point of view.

These groups are facilitated by RAINBOWS trained adult volunteers and foster emotional healing in a non-judgmental environment. For the last twenty-five years this curriculum has been helping children and their families deal with loss. Pain of loss cannot be avoided, but it doesn’t need to hurt forever.

The groups will be offered at Cherry Log Christian Church and Fannin County High School. However, our goal is to get facilitators trained to offer the RAINBOWS program in all nine counties where the Children’s Enrichment Program is offered. — TLS

WELCOME VICKI HITT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS        

Vicki Hitt, who is originally from Waycross, spent 35 years in Atlanta as an international flight attendant for Delta Airlines.  In 1998 she became the developer of Goose Island Hide Away in Cherry Log.  She is very involved with The Kenya Project, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing health, education and spiritual development of the children of Kenya.  Vicki has also worked with Meals on Wheels in Fannin County.  Her favorite pastime is traveling and learning about other cultures.  Vicki currently lives in Cherry Log. — TLS

TWO GREAT SERIES BY DR. FRED B. CRADDOCK

“THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS” (5) Forty-Five Minute CDs that chronicle the prayer life of Jesus from his Baptism until his Crucifixion for $49.95

“THIRTEEN WAYS TO END A SERMON” (2) One Hour Sessions recorded live in October 2008 for $29.95
Order online at www.craddocksermons.com
or call 770-294-1469

BONUS ADDENDUM TO MARCH 2 PREACHING WORKSHOP

Jennie P. Perryman, PhD, RN, director of policy and outcomes management, Emory Transplant Center, Emory University will share her research findings and experiences with end-of-life issues within the hospital setting from 1PM-2:30PM. Dr. Perryman became interested in the topic of end-of-life from a rather circuitous route – that of decision-making about organ donation and transplantation, which continues to be her day job. With more than 35 years of experience in healthcare, 20 years of experience on hospital ethics committees and her research on healthcare professionals’ (chaplains, physicians, nurses and social workers) attitudes and practices in end-of-life, Dr. Perryman will lead a discussion regarding the tough issues that sometimes present themselves at the end-of-life. If you plan to stay after lunch for this seminar please email Tammy at craddockcenter@tds.net.— TLS

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Saturday, January 31, 2009 ---“Winged for the Heart”,  — 7:30 p.m., Fannin County High School, Performing Arts Center

Friday, Feb. 6, 2009 — Fifth Annual Helen Lewis Lecture. Marian Wright Edelman, the Founder and President of the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C. will be the guest lecturer. 7:00 p.m. at Cherry Log Christian Church. Free Admission.

Monday, March 2, 2009 — Spring Preaching Workshop. 9:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. at Cherry Log Christian Church. Topic: “Preaching the End Time”. No charge but reservations are required.