On Saturday, December 9, 2006 the Baton Rouge District United Methodist Men held a district-wide prayer breakfast. Ponchatoula UMM at First United Methodist Church in Ponchatoula, Louisiana hosted it. All men, as well as all pastors from the Baton Rouge District were encouraged to come. Pastors at churches that do not have current UMM charters were especially invited to come and bring any men from their congregation they could to share in this event and bring something back with them for the men of their congregation. There was a breakfast followed first by a speaker and then by a time of prayer.

The guest speaker was Louisiana Conference Bishop, William Hutchinson. The message brought by Bishop Hutchinson was that Advent is a season of gifts, beginning with God’s gift of Jesus, his son and our savior. He spoke about how everyone will at sometime experience a sense of great loneliness, but we are not alone because the gift of Jesus is part of God not being a distant god on some lofty place, but a God of great love who is bending down and reaching to us to let us know that we are not alone. He also emphasized that at Christmas and always we have an opportunity and responsibility to share with each other in UMM, as well as with all others, the message of God’s great love and gift, to help them out of the greatest loneliness of all, being distant from God.

A time of shared prayer was lead by Rev. Larry Miller, District Superintendent of Baton Rouge District. Rev. Miller invited anyone to spontaneously add in their prayers after his opening prayer. After a time of many additions to prayer from around the room, Rev. Miller concluded the session.

There were more than 60 in attendance from around the Baton Rouge District representing some twenty different churches. There were UMM officers from the conference, district, and local levels in addition to just general UMM members.

Ponchatoula UMM had prepared a breakfast of eggs, sausage, grits, hash browned potatoes, cooked apples, biscuits and various condiments and beverages. An offering was taken from any wishing to help reimburse the host for the cost of the food with the extra money left over going to the UMM Baton Rouge District to help fund the organization and function of the District.

Ponchatoula UMM President, Frank Kraemer (Left), presented special guests, Bishop Hutchinson and D.S. Larry Miller with Ponchatoula UMM local unit hats.

Baton Rouge District United Methodist Men are just starting these District-wide prayer breakfast gatherings. At first, there will be one per quarter rotating around the District hosted by a different UMM unit each quarter. It is hoped and prayed that these events will bring together men from around the whole Baton Rouge District to grow together in a spiritual fellowship that will spread throughout the churches of the Baton Rouge District. Any church willing to be host to one of these prayer breakfasts should contact:

Kirby Larpenter

Baton Rouge District President, UMM

(985) 634-1597

klarpenter@bellsouth.net

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