Bits from Beth

May 20, 2026

 

Dear Friends,

We want to begin by wishing Dr. Judson Hout a very happy 91st birthday on May 22nd. Last night at Sue’s Table, I told some folks I had visited Dr. Hout & Carolyn last week at their home in Conway. Everyone at the table exclaimed that he was their doctor and how much they loved him. We have had many members retire and move away to be closer to family but none of them have been forgotten. Speaking of Sue’s Table, we had a full house last night with almost all the table full. We served between seventy and eighty individuals. The Wesley class hosted last night. They always do a great job! Jim Stinson told us about one of the first Sue’s Table over ten years ago. Wood’s Place was going to serve the next week for the first time. When it was announced that Wood’s would be there, he said the group went crazy with delight. It is so inspiring to hear stories told and retold.

 

This Sunday is Pentecost! Here is Wednesday’s Word for Today:

May 20, 2026           

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Acts 2:1-13

 

Pentecost, often called the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot, was celebrated fifty days after Passover and marked the beginning of the early wheat harvest in Palestine. It was one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals, when Jews from across the Roman Empire gathered in Jerusalem. In Hebrew tradition, it also commemorated the giving of the Law to Moses at Mount Sinai. The Ascension of Jesus back to the Father happened forty days after Easter so Pentecost would have occurred some nine days later. In those nine days, the disciples had done nothing of significance. They had seen Jesus many time and witnessed his ascension but they were likely still frightened and unsure what to do next. They gathered with many to celebrate the Feast of Weeks. People from all over the Roman Empire had come to Jerusalem to the Temple so the town was crowded and tensions with roman were likely high. Suddenly, there is a noise that could be heard all across Jerusalem and people ran to see what was happening. The disciples all had these tongues of fire above their heads and they were speaking different languages so that everyone present, no matter what language they spoke, could clearly hear the gospel being lifted up in their own language. People were amazed, wondering what it meant and of course, you had the cynics thinking they were drunk. What would you have thought if you were a bystander? Ponder this amazing sight! It was the birth of the church!

 

My last Sunday here in Camden will be June 14th. We hope you can join us for the last Sunday and stop by the Commons between 9:15am and 10:15am for a good bye reception. I will take vacation the last two weeks to give our Leadership time to make needed updates to the parsonage. The Bachuss family will be arriving the week of June 29th. Ellen Horseman will be leading the service on Father’s Day, June 21st, and Rev. Gary Harrison will be our guest preacher on Sunday, June 28th. Rev. Harrison grew up in our church and answered a call to ministry. He retired as an Ordained Elder in the Arkansas conference of the UMC in 2024. It is a pleasure to offer him an opportunity to preach at his home church.

 

We had another great Sunday this week with the baptism of Truitt Stetson Mosley. If you can, join us Sunday for Pentecost. We encourage everyone to wear red! Have a wonderful week and enjoy your air-conditioning!

 

Grace and peace,

Beth