Union Hill Baptist
by Mickey Bigbie

Welcome to 2008 with its new opportunities, new challenges and new goals. We, at Union Hill, know that some of you have already been faced with steep hills to climb, sadness, even doubt. Our prayer is that you will depend on the love, grace and comfort of our Lord Jesus Christ to get you through the tough times.

On the first Sunday of the new year, Brother Bill's message was about priorities. As he went through the list, many of us felt an undeniable cringe of guilt, a thoughtful reflection over some less than appropriate choices made and a powerful desire to examine and realign our own priorities. As usual, the message was very apropos, pertinent to the challenges and decisions we will all surely face at some time during the coming year. As we face the New Year, we join you out there in an endeavor to renew our faith and dedication to our Lord during every waking minute.

I know that many of you spent the holidays baking all kinds of goodies. Me too. On Christmas eve, as my friend and I stood in the beautiful kitchen of a very special young lady, preparing goodies for folks we had yet to meet, hoping that they'd come out "perfect", it dawned on me that life is much like baking. If you mix the right ingredients in the proper portions, life will turn out good and the main ingredient is always plentiful and always available to you. Otherwise ... well, you get the picture, don't you?

Eleven years ago last Sunday, we moved into our new sanctuary. The time has come for a refreshing renovation, therefore the morning and evening services Sunday were held in the gym. If all goes as planned, work may be finished a week early so that we can have this Sunday services in the shiny newly "redone" sanctuary. If not, it's back to the gym, but look at the bright side; metal folding chairs are conducive to standing and singing loudly and then sitting up straight and paying attention! Seriously, assuming that renovation is completed by Sunday, Brother Bill has scheduled an evening baptismal service. If you are a candidate for baptism, you need to meet with him this week.

The women's retreat scheduled to be held January 11th and 12th at the Timberline Camp has unfortunely been postponed, but not to fret, it will be rescheduled and we'll let you know the new date for the anxiously awaited retreat.

We are still in need of volunteers for our Children's Church. If you are available to help out in this area, please get in touch with the church office. For those of us who have been fortunate enough to have served in this capacity, it is truly a blessing. Little ones are energetic and eager to learn.

The group, Palmetto State Quartet will be headlining an eagerly awaited gospel show in Athens on January 19th. Tickets are $12 each and there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. Get on board, it's going to be a great show and you'll really enjoy it.

That's all for this time. None of us know what the new year holds. It may be a deliriously happy one, it may be a scary one and it may have lots of hills and valleys, but with the Lord guiding us daily, we can handle it. Why take a chance on doing it alone? Want help? Come listen to the Word of God. Instructions are easy. See you on the hill.