*
Methodists Prepare Bicentenhial Celebration
?
By LOUISE WRIGHT
* The people called Methodist
?re celebrating the bicenten
nial of Methodism in America
this yew. On Christmas Eve
in 1784. a group of M Methodist
ministers gathered at the
Lovely Lane Chapel in
Baltimore. Md. to found the
Methodist Episcopal Church
In America.
- From that meeting has
grown the I.S million member
United Methodist Church, as
well as several other
Methodist-Wesley an
denominations; the Africaa
Mrlhodisl Episcopal Church,
the African Mrthodist Ep
sicopal ZIm Church, the Free
Methodist Church and the
Christian Methodist Church
are joining in the bicentennial
ceiebratioa.
The theme of the celebration
is "Methodism For Two Cen
turies: Proclaiming Grpce
and Freedom
Each local church has been
asked to aame a bicentennial
chairman and committee
Jeanette Byrd of the St. Paul's
tailed Methodist Church hat
been named Ike cfcairasan a (
Ike Asheville district's 71
churches.
A hig celebration at the
general conference of the
Halted Methodist Charch to he
held ia Baltimore ia May wll
laanch the aaliaaal obser
vance aad celebrations will be
held ia local cbarche*
throughout the natioa over a
nine-month period ending on
Covenant Sunday in Jan.
A planning session was held
last wee* la Nave a district
wide Han-Methodist abser
vaace in Ashevilie during Ike
month at May. The plaaaiag
session was held ai ike Barry
Temple United Methodist
Church oa College St. la
Ashevilie.
Maay churches arc aow con
ducting special stadias on the
lives of Joha Wesley and
Bishop Francis Asbury. a
pioneer circuit rider who
preached in Western North
Carolina in the IMh Century.
Hymns written by Wesley are
being (ritwtd in niaay Saa
day morning warship wvkti.
The Weavervllle United
Methodist Charch is devoting
an eatire quarter's slady la
Ike church's history aa San
day mornings and evenings.
The Black Moaaiain Charck
women presented a drama
teiliag of Ike first women mis
sionaries sent oat by tke
church.
Other programs iaclade
short skits far Church School,
class studies of Methodist
heritage, trips to the World
Jaaalaitka and progranu
designed to emphasize the im
portaace of each church main
taining a written history.
District-wide observances
will be held on Heritage Sun
day, April 2?. AMersgate Sun
day. May 2* and Com inanity
Service Week, Oct. 21 through
Mars Hill Sets
Visitation Day
The final Spring Visitation
for prospective students and
their parents will be held at
Mars Hill College on April 14.
Students and their parents
can take part in a full day of
activities at the school, in
cluding meeting with favulty
members from every depart
ment and members of the
school's athletic programs
and the school's financial aid
director.
The program will begin at
9:30 a.m. with registration
held in the lobby of Blackwell
Hall. There wilt be a buffet
luncheon, free to touring
students. Parents and guests
will be charged $2.
During the afternoon,
parents will meet with the col
lege's administrators while
students meet with faculty
members and admission
counselors.
Limited overnight ac
comodations are available on
campus Friday night for
students traveling long
distances to atend the session.
Reservations for both the on
campus accomodations and
Saturday buffet are
necessary.
For more information, or to
make reservations, call the
Office of Admissions at
689-1201.
T
County Unemployment Shows Decline
Madison County
?Unemployment decreased by
haft a percentage point in
February according to figures
released last week by the
North Carolina Employment
Security Commission (ESC).
The decreased lowered the
county's jobless rate to 7.6
percent and matched the half
percent decrease in
joblessness reported
statewide during the month.
In releasing the February
figures, ESC chairman Glenn
Jernigan reported that the
figures represented the
highest employment level in
February in 15 years.
Madison County's 7.6 per
cent jobless ffgure represents
510 unemployed workers. The
ESC figures released last
week stated that 7,430 county
residents are currently
employed.
Madison's 7.6 percent
joblessness was the lowest
among neighboring WNC
counties. Buncombe County
reported a 7.8 percent
unemployment figure for the
month. Both Yancey and 1
Haywood counties reported
double-digit joblessness in
February with rates of 12.7
and 14.9 percent respectively.
Orange County reported the
lowest unemployment rate in
the state at 3.6 percent while
Swain County reported the
state's highest unemployment
figures, with 26.7 percent of
the work force unable to find
iobs
UNCA To Host Anti-Nuclear Fair
The University of North
Carolina at Asheville will host
an anti-nuclear rally and in
formation fair on the campus
quadrangle Friday from noon
until 4 p.m.
The event, sponsored by the
UNCA Student Goverrnment
Association, will feature live
music, speakers, voter
registration and information
booths staffed by represen
tatives of WNC groups work
ing to prevent nuclear war.
Among the groups par
ticipating in the rally will be
the Ecumenical
Peacemakers, Physicians for
Social Responsibility, the
Swannanoa Valley Peace
Fellowship and Educators for
Social Responsibility.
Dr. Phillip Bennett, a
philosopher with the State
University of N. Y. will present
a talk entitled, "Morality and
Nuclear Annihilation."
Also speaking will be UNCA
philosophy professor Dr. An
thony Coyne, who will present
an adresss on "The Right tc
Self Defense."
Musical entertainment will
be provided by the band "One
Straw" and A.D. Anderson.
For more information on the
event, contact Cathy Guthrie
at 258-6587.
Johnson's Farm and
Home Supply
*45-4957
North Main Street Weavervilte. N.C.
See You In Church On Sunday
Revival Services Begin
Revival services will begin on April 8 at the
North Fork Baptist Church in Big Pine. Ser
vices will begin each night at 7 p.m. The Rev.
David Allman will be the guest speaker. Pastor
Rev. Bruce Buckner invites everyone to attend
these services.
Saturday Night Singing
The first Saturday night singing will be held
at the Hopewell Baptist Church on April 7 at 7
p.m. The Rev. Ralph McDevitt invites all
singers and listeners to attend the service.
Special singers will include the youth choir
from the Freeman Gap Community Church.
Church
; SEEDS FROM
(THE SOWER
By Michael A. GukJo, Metier, Georgia
A man was asked, "Why
didn't you get an honorable
discharge?" "Because of
furlong," he explained. "I
went too 'fur' and I stayed
too long."
There are many who go
too far from the Lord and
who stay too long. David
did. But he was not happy.
He prayed in Psalm 51:12,
"Restore unto me the joy
of Thy salvation."
No believer can be happy
in sin, for in his sinfulness
he is backslidden. Back
slidden believers do not lose
God's salvation, but they
do lose the joy of His sal
vation, and they need to be
restored. But only God can
do the restoring.
Restoration is that act
of God's grace whereby a
backslidden believer is
brought back to the place
of dose-linked fellowship in
which he began, and the
time as well as the trans
gression of backsliding
blotted out.
But before there can be
restoration, there must be
repentance. And when there
is repentance, it is always
followed by restoration and
rejoicing.
This prayer of the
Psalmist should be the
prayer of every unhappy
Christian. The 90ur pickle
is a poor recommendation
for a candy shop. So it is
with the Christian who has
lost the joy of God's sal
vation. What kind of a
recommendation are you?
Pup-Pup Parlour
175 Weaverville Hwy, Suite R
Across from Harbor Light Restaurant
iProfessional Dog Grooming with T.L.C.
We Groom and Dip All Breeds S
Open Tuesday ? Saturday
Call for Appointment 6580512
Proprietors
Eileen Carter Marlene Kifer
Complete Line Of Supplies
LINDA'S CAKE DECORATING
& CANDY MAKING SUPPLIES
1 Mile East Of Burnsville On 19E
Hours. Tim. - Set. 10:00 ? 5:30 phone
Owner^A Opwetor - Mo?to, 704/682-3514
Dr. LeRoy S. Roberson
Optometric Office
Monday 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Masonic Building, Marshall
For Appointment Call:
649-3171 Monday
Tri-City Plaza Weaverville
0Dailtf Jtwc/i A 'DOuten,
Hamburger Steak. . *2.95
Calf's Liver . '. . . . St* *7! . . . *2.95
Chicken Fillet '.T?!'. . . *2.95
Grilled Pork Chop *2.95
Barbecue ..... *3.95
Spaghetti .... . . >2.95
Flounder Fillet ?2.95
Lunches & Dinner Include Bread & But
ter, 3 Vegetables (From A Choice 01 9)