I wonder if you've ever thought about how two preachers and one Office Manager are able to keep computers running in The Craddock Center, to cover all the technical needs of recording presentations, and to run the sound equipment for all the events?

You may have thought we have a couple of technical support folks to keep up with our computers, as well as copiers, and all the other office equipment. And surely we have a couple of sound technicians to keep up with our recordings of all the events sponsored by The Craddock Center. And don't forget the sound equipment on The Story Express.

I want you to know the truth of the matter is that one wonderful and very generous volunteer, John Garceau, takes care of all these technical support needs. Without John's assistance there would be no recordings available for purchase, no emails, no amplification at our events or on The Story Express. When The Story Express was first purchased and outfitted with hookups for computer and sound system, John, was instrumental in the installation. Without John's help, The Craddock Center's communication would be very limited. John has been volunteering this critical technical support since the founding of the Center in 2001.

John was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and was trained as an engineer. He has worked with computers all his life.  He was with the Missile Program at the Cape in Florida from its beginning and ultimately owned his own computer business. In 1989 he and his wife, Kay Vanderhooft, bought a home in Cherry Log and moved here permanently in 1999. We are most grateful for his extraordinary gift of time and expertise to the mission and ministry of The Craddock Center.  Thank you, John!--TLS

I AM ALREADY AT WORK                    

On the Fall Preaching Workshop scheduled for October 5, 2009. Why begin so far in advance? The reasons are two: one, the importance of the subject matter; two, the complexity of the subject matter.
We will be discussing “Emotion in Preaching”. Certainly emotion is much more than feeling, even though it includes feeling. And shall we locate it in the preacher or in the listener? If we say “In both” then does emotion flow from one to the other? If so, then are we not into manipulation? Would it not be better to avoid emotion altogether simply to avoid its misuse, as in “Emotionalism”? But the fact is, emotion in communication cannot be avoided; unless, of course, it is a case of the dead talking to the dead. At best, what we can hope for is genuine rather than manufactured emotion. Can you tell the difference?

Woe is me! I have only seven months to prepare.
Is it too late to change the subject?
Yes. — FBC

FIFTY PERCENT INCREASE            

In population of Cherry Log was noted when Marian Wright Edelman came on February 6th. The Fifth Annual Helen Lewis Lecture evening began with some great bluegrass music by the Sonny Houston Band. Believe it or not, the deer and other animals that love to cross the roads heeded our warnings of the anticipated crowd and stayed in the woods that night.

Mrs. Edelman gave a motivational lecture on the state of children in this country, including many astounding statistics such as each day in America: 4 children are killed by abuse or neglect, 5 children or teens commit suicide, 8 children or teens are killed by firearms, 32 children or teens die from accidents, 78 babies die before their first birthdays, 155 children are arrested for violent crimes, 296 children are arrested for drug crimes, 1,154 babies are born to teen mothers, 2,145 babies are born without health insurance and 2,483 babies are born into poverty. She challenged us to continue doing what we can to make this world a better place for all children. You can hear Marian Wright Edelman’s lecture on The Craddock Center website: www.craddockcenter.org.

This great evening ended with Mrs. Edelman signing her newly published book, The Sea is so Wide AND MY Boat is so Small: CHARTING A COURSE for the NEXT GENERATION. Next year we plan to have the Helen Lewis Lecture on the first Friday in March, which will be March 5, 2010. The details will follow. — TLS

MOUNTAIN STORIES      

By Dr. Craddock are airing semi-monthly on WPPR-FM, a Georgia Public Broadcasting station at Piedmont College in Demorest. If you missed “Winged for the Heart” on January 31, you can hear Dr. Craddock on 88.3 as a part of the ‘Community Life’ program. The hour-long program will feature Craddock stories about 20 minutes into each broadcast which airs Fridays at 3 p.m. If you tune in, you may hear about the new Word Museum located on a side track between Blue Ridge and McCaysville and can only be reached by the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad!--TLS

REFLECTIONS ON MISSING APPOINTMENTS DUE TO ILLNESS

I have had to miss five speaking engagements in recent weeks due to illness, and I want you to be my confessor because I fell guilty. Yes, guilty, and I don’t know why.

I would understand the feelings of guilt if I had at the last minute been invited on a cruise or been offered a cottage on the sand and had my secretary send five “Sorry, I’m sick” notes. But no cruise or cottage here.
Or the guilt feelings would be appropriate if I had dilly-dallied, failed to prepare adequately, and called in sick. You remember, don’t you, the homework was not done so, “Momma, I have a stomach ache.” Not the case here; five speeches lie here on my desk.

I would even accept the feelings of guilt if my illness were borderline; you know, don’t really feel up to it but with aspirin I could probably make it. Getting up and going under such a circumstance would have its rewards. “Even though I was sick, I preached” has a nice ring to it. Martyr like. But this illness was not borderline. I had pneumonia, for crying out loud! Even when I was paralyzed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome and had to cancel my classes, I felt guilty. When I lay in North Fulton Hospital, split open like a slaughtered hog, following a botched colonoscopy, I missed several Sundays in the pulpit, and—you guessed it—I felt guilty.
What do you think is my problem? Maybe I have taken “In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword” too literally. Maybe I have let the Apostle Paul set the bar too high: “It was because of my illness I preached to you the first time.” Maybe it is ego, plain and simple, thinking myself so necessary for an event that no substitute, no postponement, no program change will work. Maybe it is just poor planning. When saying “Yes” to an invitation, throw in four or five “ifs”; then I’m covered in advance. I do know that those friends who speak knowingly of God’s will or who recite Paul’s “Satan has hindered me” have not erased the feelings of guilt.
It could be the case that I am too concerned about what my would-be hosts might think of me. During my illness, when Nettie answered the phone, I comforted myself with the thought, “They are saying, ‘He’s really sick; the poor dude can’t even answer his phone’”. But when she ran an errand, I picked up the phone and could almost hear, “He doesn’t sound all that sick.”

If you know what’s wrong with me, don’t tell me. I have lived so long with questions I am more comfortable with them than with answers.

In the meantime, I’m walking around with five undelivered speeches inside me. I feel a headache coming on. — FBC

GOAL GETS CLOSER

The Scholarship Campaign for the Children’s Enrichment program continues to move toward the goal of $40,000. Currently we have reached $10,000. Please help us reach the goal by sponsoring a student. This program helps prepare the HeadStart/Pre-K students for reading. $140.00 will help bring music, storytelling and creative movement to 3-5 year olds in nine counties in these Southern Appalachian Mountains. Just imagine being able to fill the gap for these children who have no one in the home who can read or no one at home who will read to them. Your donation will offer direct service to these children. Join us in making a difference in these children’s lives. — TLS

SPECIAL THANKS

To the Facilitators and Assistants who just completed the first RAINBOWS group last Sunday night.  Because of these eight dedicated volunteers:  Feenie Midkiff, Jack Senterfitt, Bobbie Cherry, Carl Hendrickson, Lucie Coffie, Dave Cherry, Lisa Weir, and Peggy Cleveland, The Craddock Center was able to offer grief support for kids from four through teens.  The core of the RAINBOWS program is centered on trust, acceptance, and sharing.  It enables those who hurt to better understand their feelings, to better express their feelings, and to begin to move toward resolving their feelings.  We also have been able to offer the grief program at Fannin County High School through counselor referrals.  Plans are underway to offer RAINBOWS again in the fall after school gets started.

Also to Dr. Jennie Perryman, Director of Emory Hospitals' Center for Transplantation, who presented a most helpful lecture on End-of-Life Care in the afternoon following the Spring Preaching Workshop.  Those of you who were there know how well she dealt with a very tough subject with compassion and much grace.  Dr. Perryman would be a great presenter at your churches on preparation for death, decisions about dying, and organ donation.  She can be reached by e-mail at jennie_perryman@emory.org. --TLS