October 10, 2008
Words to Ponder…
Thomas Merton died in December 1963 at the age of 53 by touching a poorly grounded fan while stepping out of the shower in Bangkok. His body was flown back to Gethsemani, Kentucky where he is buried. His writings continue to influence Christians
who are striving for a deeper relationship with the living God. He wrote
[We] in modern technological society [have] begun to be callous and disillusioned. [We have] learned to suspect what claims to be new, to doubt all the "latest" in everything. [We are] drawn instinctively to the new, and yet [we see] in it nothing but the same old sham. The specious glitter of newness, the pretended creativity of a society in which youthfulness is commercialized and the young are old before they are twenty, fills some hearts with utter despair. There seems to be no way to find any real change. "The more things change," says a French proverb, "the more they are the same."
Yet in the deepest ground of our being we still hear the insistent voice which tells us: "You must be born again."
There is in us an instinct for newness, for renewal, for a liberation of creative power. We seek to awaken in ourselves a force which really changes our lives from within. And yet the same instinct tells us that this change is a recovery of that which is deepest, most original, most personal in ourselves. To be born again is not to become somebody else, but to become ourselves.1
How profound, to be born again is to become ourselves. I have come to love the writings of Thomas Merton. In this reading I am reminded of the sociological idea that we all wear masks; that none of us are ever really ourselves. We wear a certain mask in the work place and different one when we are around family and friends; and I would add that we also wear a different mask when we are in the church and when we interact with God. I don’t necessarily believe that this is a bad thing, just a reality. So I wonder when or if ever in life we are really truly ourselves. I guess the old adage that God knows us better then we know ourselves is true.
To be born again is to become ourselves, not something we do in a moment but rather throughout our life time. And to become ourselves is to become the person God created us to be. A journey that requires being in relationship with self, with others and with God as we discover together what it means to remove the masks that hide our innerbeing. May we grow more in love with God as we grow in relationship together!
Ed
¹ Thomas Merton. Love and Living. Naomi Burton Stone and Brother Patrick Hart, editors. New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux,
1979: 176.
This page last updated:
November 9, 2008
Reverend Dr. Ed Judy, Senior Pastor Morrow First UMC
Ed was appointed to Morrow First UMC June 2007. He is married to the former Julie Shafer from Berlin Center, Ohio. They have one daughter, Lauren.
Ed enlisted in the United States Army when he was eighteen years old. He served 42 months and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army, Signal Corps.
While on active duty in the United States Army Ed served in Germany; Korea; Japan; Fort Gordon, Georgia; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and Fort McPherson, Georgia. Ed retired as a Major from the Army Reserves September 1, 2002 after serving 231/2 years.
Ed has a Doctorate of Ministry from Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West South Carolina, a Master of Divinity from ‘Emory University, Candler School of Theology’ and Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma.
He is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, North Georgia Conference. He served as pastor to New Hope UMC June 1996 – 2001; to Forest Park UMC 2001 – 2006; and to Saint Paul UMC 2006 – 2007. He was appointed to Morrow First UMC June 2007. Ed has also served on the district committee on finance, Hispanic ministries and the North Georgia UMC homeless council.
Julie has a Bachelor of Social Work from Marshall University; she is a Certified Pharmacy Technician and has worked for twelve year at Henry Medical Center. Lauren is a graduate of the University of Georgia and currently in her second year at Candler School of Theology of Emory University where she is working toward a Master of Theological Studies.
Administrative Assistant
Jean Peacock
Administrative Assistant for Morrow First United Methodist Church has served in this position since 1972. Professionally, she is a member of the United Methodist Association of Church Business Administrators, the Professional Association of United Methodist Secretaries (PAUMCS) and the Georgia Chapter of PAUMCS.
As a staff member responsible for the finances of the church, she is a member of the Committee on Finance, Administrative Council, and an ex-officio member of several committees. Among her varied financial duties and responsibilities, she is the church's registered agent for the State of Georgia Corporations Division and the primary purchasing agent for the church. In her administrative capacity she is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the church office, researching, preparing and maintaining all permanent records, liaison for church and non-church sponsored groups using church facilities, and supervising hourly paid employees.
Secretary
Pam Foust Rich
Pam is the key data input person for the computer. She prepares office correspondence, bulletins, and mailing lists. She is also the content manager for the church Web site. Although born at Frances E.Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne , Wyoming (family is from Tennessee ), Pam has been a resident of Jonesboro since 1970. She currently holds several leadership positions in her church including Sunday School teacher for the Searchers Class, Member of the Joy Sunday School Class, Sunday School greeter, Chair of the Visitation Ministry, Member of the Administrative Board, Member of the Council on Ministries, Member of the BBQ Committee, Member of the Mary Alice Boyd Scholarship Committee,the Co-Chair of the Bereavement Committee and a Wedding Hostess. Pam has previously been an acolyte and the Family Care Chair. Her hobbies include bowling, cross-stitch,reading.
Director of Music Ministries
Donna Weeks
Donna Weeks has been the Director of Music Ministries at Morrow First United Methodist Church since 1995. She is also the choral director at East Coweta High School. Donna has sung with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus for the past twelve years, giving performances at Carnegie Hall and one at Avery Fischer Hall in Lincoln Center.
Donna performed a concert series with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in March 2007 in conjunction with the American Choral Directors Association national convention in Miami, Florida. Donna has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus since 1990. She was one of 40 women chosen from the association to perform the Debussy Nocturnes at the convention. Donna has traveled numbers times to Carnegie Hall to sing with the Association. She also spent eight days in Berlin, Germany with the Association singing with the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2008, Donna will again sing with the Association at Carnegie Hall in April and in Berlin, Germany in May. Way to go, Donna!
Church Accompanist
Jackie Davis
Jackie returns as Church Accompanist in February 2005. Previously, she served as church accompanist from 1984 to 1998.
Jackie has been a member of Morrow First United Methodist Church since 1987. She has a Masters Degree in Music with a concentration in Piano Pedagogy. Jackie and her husband, Don have two children, Casey and Luke. She has taught many piano students in private and studio settings and continues to share her talent with us, her church family. Jackie and her husband are the parents of two teenagers.
Nursery Attendant
Nannette Dooley
Nannette has been a nursery worker for Morrow First United Methodist Church since 1997. She is active in the United Methodist Women, the Handbell Choir and the Chancel Choir. She is a member of the Administrative Board, Class of 2008. Outside of the church, Nannette does clerical work. Nannette has one son who deployed to Bahrain in July 2006.
Elizabeth Lee
Elizabeth has served in the nursery of Morrow First United Methodist Church since 1995. She has kept the nursery in her own church for since 1965 and for the Homemakers Club since 1977 at their meeting places. Elizabeth, married since February 16, 1952, has eight children, 16 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Her hobbies include crafts. Taking care of children is Elizabeth's ministry. She loves children, as they are a joy to her.
Custodian
Tracy Holland
Tracy, a newly wed in May 2007 has served as a part-time custodian at Morrow First United Methodist Church since 1998, and previously from 1988-1992.. He has been a full-time custodian for the Clayton County School System since 1983, currently working at Jonesboro Middle School. Tracy is active in his church and enjoys his hobbies, which include football, basketball, bowling and pool.
Cook
Alva Inman
Alva has served as church cook at Morrow First United Methodist Church since 1998. She is retired from the City of Lake City and has worked for the State of Georgia, at the State Capitol, for the House of Representatives as a Committee Secretary since November 1995. She also works with Georgia Artists with Disabilities. Alva was born in Texas but lived most of her life in Savannah until moving to Clayton County in 1969. Alva has three children and five grandchildren. Her hobbies include being involved in her grandson's sports and her granddaughter's cheering, keeping her grandchildren, cooking, crafts, travel and friends.
Morrow First UMC Historical Highlights
- 1800’s: 1865 Brush Arbor - served by circuit and lay preachers. Named “Arbor Place”
- 1870 Williams Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church built
- 1881 Williams Chapel replaced by white frame building
- 1900’s: 1930 erected brick building on Old Rex Morrow Road. Renamed Morrow Methodist Church
- 1967 Present building completed. Named Morrow United Methodist Church in 1968
- 1969 Fellowship Hall built
- 1973 Addition of Education Wing and expanded parking lot
- 1997 Stained glass windows installed in sanctuary. Major renovations to grounds and facilities
- 2000’s: 2000 Name changed to Morrow First United Methodist Church, Inc.
- 2000 Storage room added to Fellowship Hall
- 2006 Began a two-phase investment plan to Retain Sacred Valuable Property (RSVP), our inherited responsibility to maintain our buildings and grounds for posterity.
- 2008 and beyond: To fulfill the first words of the church’s Mission Statement: “Morrow First United Methodist Church is a community of faith with a passion for Jesus Christ and all people” through a ministry of intentional and authentic evangelism that glorifies God’s call for the church’s future.
