HUNTINGTON'S NEWSLETTER

Vol. 2 No 2 December 24, 2000

Family Heritage Tour

Lloyd Weaver

A conviction developed that our family should hear the faith stories of our

ancestors so Sarah Marie and I, over Thanksgiving, took our family to Penn-

sylvania where I was born and raised to see the birth places, the churches,

the cemeteries, etc. of my parents, grandparents, and my birth place, plus the

various houses where we lived, the schools I attended and other locations that

had spiritual significance to me in growing up. We also visited the birth place

of Sarah Marie's mother, Alta Yoder, who lived near Gap, PA.

For two days, at each of these places, we gathered around to tell faith

stories of how decisions were made for the Lord. In particular, in two church

cemeteries, as we stood in a circle around the head stones of both sets of grand-

parents, stories were told how they lived their lives in obedience to the call of

the Lord. At the East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church, where I grew up,

I had the privilege of showing the exact spot in the church building where I was

baptized; where I led my first hymn in the church and where I, as a teenager,

began teaching a Sunday School class of boys. Among the stops was the armory

where, in World War II, I was intensely questioned by the draft board in their

attempt to break me from my CO position. Stories were also told of the Lord's

mercy and grace in times of failure. Indeed, God is good.

                                       Children’s Ministry Workshop

                                                                Diane Blumber

 

Bob Dunford and I had the                              These can bring humor and fun into the

privilege of attending the International                            story.

Network of Children’s Ministry Workshop

held at Liberty Baptist Church all day on                            We had another topic on games for a

Saturday, Nov. 11^th.  A few others had                         wide range of ages.  About 100 persons

planned to take part but then could not                          attended this workshop so we had groups

attend.  I will try to communicate at least                       of 10 or so and played three games.  We

one idea from each of the topics discussed.                   all had a good time with “Screamers” and

“Crazy Countdown”.  Very simple games

The first workshop was singing                          but fun!

with the principle of teaching the unknown

by using the known.  By that, I mean                             We also had helpful input for discipline

using songs that the children already                              in the classroom.  We were encouraged to

know like Old MacDonald’s Farm and                         get to know our students and try to under-

adapting the story from “Noah’s Ark”                           stand the needs of each child and their

and adding all the animals from the ark.                         family situation if possible. Another import-

We can also use movement and instru-                          ant point was to pray for our students daily.

ments to add interest to other songs.                             Since more children are brought by parents

Memory  verses put to songs are also                            who do not stay for services, it was suggest-

good learning tools.                                                       ed that an adult mentor be assigned to each

new child so that he/she would have some-

Another topic was story telling.                         one to relate to in the church if and when

We are all story tellers each with our own                      discipline was needed and to help the child

testimony which should also be shared with                   feel more a part of the church.  Another

our students at the proper times.  The                            helpful idea in discipline was to put the bad

following are ideas: in telling stories we                          behavior choice onto the child. As an exam-

should try to “internalize” and not                                  ple say to the child “don’t make me do this

“memorize” the story.  You can “walk”                          (“remove from class, etc.”).  It puts the

through the jungle and hear animals,                               responsibility up to the child and not the

waterfalls, hearing and “smelling” etc.                            teacher.  Also then, to explain forgiveness

using your senses as you take an                                   when the child has a change of attitude and

imaginary journey to the story of Adam                         bringing God into that healing activity by

and Eve.  Let the children help tell the                            prayer.

story as you journey.  Some creative ways

of using a refrain were given to get the                           It was a “doing” workshop.  We learned

children into the story.  This can be done                       by doing the principles taught.  We also had

with almost any story.  Each character can                     fun and could experience firsthand easy

have a one or two line repetitive phrase to                     learning skills to bring to the classroom.

say whenever that character is mentioned in                   The leader was marvelous and had an 

the story.  (We did Samson and Delilah).                       entertaining way or presenting each topic.

These can bring humor and fun into the                          A thank you to HMC for giving us the

story.                                                                             opportunity to attend.

 

 

WHO IS THIS PERSON?

 

     “Do you really have a job?”  someone recently asked, and with good reason.  Earlier in the fall  I spent the day on the Roanoke River near Williamston, NC and the surrounding swamps.  Another two days I was in Pinehurst for a meeting (managed to get in 18 holes of course).  And yet another day I spent the day boating on Lake Gaston (85 degrees and sunny).  Though those days seem like recreation, they are a legitimate part of my responsibilities.

 

     Dominion Generation (formally Virginia Power) owns and operates 5 hydro power stations.  They are Roanoke Rapids and Gaston (in North Carolina on the Roanoke River), Cushaw (on the James River near Bedford), Bath County (near Covington, VA on the headwaters of the James) and North Anna (on the North Anna River in Louisa County, VA).  These power stations generate electricity using water flowing through a dam to turn a turbine, which turns a generator to make electricity.  As with any man-made power source, these projects are regulated by the federal, state and local governments.

 

     The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has the primary responsibility to regulate hydroelectric facilities.  The main function of my job is to ensure Dominion Generation complies with the FERC regulations.  The regulations are contained in the Federal Code of Regulations that takes up 4 volumes and is about 5 inches thick.

 

     Over the next two years my main responsibility is to ensure the relicensing of the Roanoke Rapids and Gaston projects.  FERC originally licensed the facilities for 50 years and the current license expires on January 31, 2001.  We will get an annual license for the next year or two until the new 40 - 50 year relicensing process is complete.  FERC requires that the licensee have a “project manager” for the process.  That too is my responsibility.  The relicensing process began in 1993, and to date has almost 4 file drawers full of licensing information.

 

     The key issue that I (and the rest of the project team) have to overcome is FERC requires that all stakeholders “settle” on an acceptable method of operating the facility prior to issuing a new license.  In the case of dams, this involves (1) stakeholders that want the dams removed (to enhance river fish habitat), (2) land owners and realtors on the lake who have invested their lives there, (3) the power company who wants to make inexpensive electricity, and (4) industries who rely on the river/lake as a resource for their corporations.  As project manager, I am to manage the process to obtain acceptable outcomes for as many stakeholders as possible, and ensure the new license is obtained in a timely, cost effective manner.

 

     This is a completely new job for me.  I have no hydro experience and it seems most of the technical expertise needed is either in civil engineering or biology.  It seems I was selected for the job based on my experience with York County.  During the 60's, 70's and early 80's, Virginia Power, York County and the neighborhood around the Yorktown Power Station (where I used to work) had a rather contentious relationship based around pollution issues.  As a result, Virginia Power was issued a federal court order and accompanying 96-condition use permit in order to continue to generate electricity at the facility.  During my tenure at Yorktown, I was very involved in the administration of that use permit.                            (continued on next page)

     Right now, perhaps because of the excursions mentioned in the first paragraph, the job is a lot of fun.  The learning curve is quite steep and the process is all very refreshing compared to a production environment.  I worked with my current director when he was at Yorktown in the mid eighties.  He has given me a great deal of latitude in determining priorities work schedule and doing what needs to be done to ensure our compliance with the law and completion of the relicensing.

 

 

                                                  

 

                                    Christmas Presents for Your Pastor

 

     If you’re wanting some suggestions on what to give the pastor this year, I have a few ideas!!

 

     1.  People who volunteer according to their gifts and abilities when there is work to be done.

    2.  People who respond quickly with an idea or questions or setting up a date for something

          that I might leave on your answering machine, or in a note.

    3.  People who try to fill the rows toward the front of the church (It gets lonely up there!!)

     4.  People who call me and identify themselves right away so it doesn’t leave me guessing.

     5.  People who are friendly and outgoing when a visitor or unfamiliar person sits next to them

          in church.

     6.  People who pray for their unsaved friends and invite them to church and to the Lord.

     7.  People, when deciding where to park at church, choose the front area when possible, so we

          show we truly are an active church.

     8.  People who report to me or one of our ministers or the secretary’s office when someone is

          being hospitalized.

 

    (I was aiming to find TEN THINGS, but you all are so dedicated and sensitive to the needs of      our church family that I couldn’t think of anymore!!  Maybe I will by next Christmas!!)

   

                                                                                                         In Christian Love, Pastor Ed

 

 

 

Did You Know?

 

This newsletter is for you

Needs to hear from you.

To be issued once a month

Desperately needs an editor.

So grab the phone

And inform the pastor/secretary

Of your pleasure to help!                                              Jim Thornton