A Message from the Pastor
December 2015
Dear Dalewood Members,
Christmas greetings in the grace and peace of Jesus Christ! Our church is undergoing a season of significant transition and redevelopment. Since 2000, many churches in our area have seen steady decline in membership, some like Dalewood by over 40%. This decline has happened despite the fact that we are located in a neighborhood reported by The Tennessean to be the fastest appreciating and most desirable residential real estate market in Nashville. The time has come for us to examine our faithfulness and fruitfulness as disciples of Jesus Christ and discern God’s leading in our efforts to transition and redevelop for the purposes of Christ and the kingdom of God. Our 65th anniversary in April became more than a homecoming; it was a time to reflect and celebrate Dalewood’s historic witness and consider how we can faithfully carry that witness into the next sixty-five years.
As a church, our efforts to transition and redevelop the way we’re living out our witness together is now well underway. We have invested much effort and time to utilize all of the resources at our disposal as we grow in this important season. As a church, with God’s help we are humbly doing our best to provide support and guidance to each other by:
• Calling upon connectional leaders to help guide us to a strong and vibrant future (Ideal Curtis of Spiritual Leadership, Inc, Tom Laney of the Turner Center for Church Leadership, and others)
• Sharing our pulpit with gifted ministry leaders whose stories and expertise speak to our current situation (Nashville district church planter Jason McAnally, Center for Youth Ministry Training director Deech Kirk, Community Care Fellowship director Bob Coleman, Senior Pastor of Franklin First UMC Lynn Hill)
• Teaching and facilitating holy conversation around Dalewood’s past, present and desired future, such as our special 65th anniversary church-wide 3-week bible study entitled “I Hear Voices,” based on the work of James Moore
Minister within the members and to the world by:
• Visiting the sick and shut-in on a regular, monthly visitation schedule; visiting and calling members during hospitalizations and recovery; visiting and attending funerals of friends and family of members
• Leading the teams in research and implementation of a new, visual media resource for worship leading (i.e., sanctuary screen)
• Working with our Minister to Families with Youth to create “65 Days of Service” in conjunction with our 65th anniversary celebration, helping us better expose and connect our congregation to the needs of our East Nashville community
There is much to be grateful for as God’s grace and mercy has been extended to us here at Dalewood this year. We have a gifted and dedicated staff, a strong lay leadership team, many faithful members, a wonderful facility, and a thriving neighborhood. Praise God for these gifts!
In the season of Advent, we’re brought into the stark revelation that the God who is holy and sovereign is breaking in to our world and revealing the Way, Truth and Life for which we were created. We are also regularly reminded that although “God, who spoke, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light…” we certainly “have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
As we look forward with great excitement to the transformation of ourselves, our neighbors and our world, may we continually be drawn to the light of Christ and share it as his faithful disciples.
Yours Continually in Christ,
Rev. Kyle D. Frohock
Christmas 2015
Dalewood United Methodist Church
Email: kyle.frohock@live.com
Website: www.dalewoodumc.org
Location: 2300 Ridgecrest Drive, Nashville, TN, United States
Phone: 615-226-6316
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dalewood-United-Methodist-Church-119806154702036
Twitter: @DalewoodUMC