items as wild hog, deer, bear, fish, alligator and even—if
you dare—rattle snake. Mark your calendars for March 3,
2018. That is when we will have our next Wild Game
Dinner and Auction at Mills River United Methodist
Church.
United Methodist Men:
Men in Ministry
by Bud Hall
For many, many years the United Methodist Men of Mills River have worked at
fund-raising in order to meet the needs of not only those in our church, but in
the community and local schools as well. The United Methodist Men of Mills
River help support our Student ministry, those in the church and community that
might have needs that they need help with — physically and financially, provide
financial support for many facets of the church, volunteer time with Habitat, and
much more. The following stories tell a little about some of the men who have
worked to bring the United Methodist Men to where they are today — able to
provide help and support to others — financially and physically.
The Christmas tree sale each year is one of the most popular fund-raisers. Not
only do we sell over three hundred trees each year, but we enjoy a lot of
fellowship around the fire barrel. This year we had a surplus year and at the end
of the sale we were able to give some of the trees, free of cost, to people who
otherwise would not be able to purchase a Christmas tree this year.
Jack Combs tells me that in the past he and Tom Dalton, Ken Orr and others
sold trees off of the back of a trailer. Jack would pick up the trees and leave the
trailer full of them parked at the tree lot for Tom, Ken and the others to sell.
Then Jack would go to work at his job all day only to return to pull the trailer
home each night. As tree sales increased through the years the United
Methodist Men began buying from a tree farm that would deliver.
One year, the supplier was on his way with a load of trees from Avery County
when his truck broke down. He got word to Ray Bryson and Ray went to Old
Fort Mountain and pulled the trailer load of trees back to Mills River himself.
Ken Calhoun realized that the supplier would need a truck as his had broken
down—so Ken loaned the supplier his truck. Caring for others is a trait easily
found among the Mills River United Methodist Men.
The Wild Game Dinner and Auction is another fun effort of these men. At this
dinner one can find a wide range of foods. On the menu you may find such
There was a time when Jack Combs agreed to plant one
acre of sorghum cane. The United Methodist Men
harvested it and took it to Tom Dalton’s place and made
molasses to sell as a fund-raiser. Many years the United
Methodist Men would go to an orchard and pick up apples
to make cider to sell. The United Methodist Men have
worked hard through the years in order to have funds to
help Mills River United Methodist Church’s ministries and
others in our church and community. Through all these
endeavors, Mills River United Methodist Church has
supported us in such generous ways. The United
Methodist Men would like to say thank you. One way we
said thank you this past year was to pay for and cook the
Covenant Sunday Dinner for our church members and
friends.
I feel it would not be right if I left you with the impression
that fund-raising was all that the United Methodist Men
are about. The United Methodist Men is a ministry, not
only to others, but to each other. It is a place where we
grow closer in fellowship with each other as we find the
joy in helping those in need. So in different ways, we can
follow the teaching of Jesus when he said we should love
one another.
This article only begins to list some of the names of those
who are now or have been a part of the United Methodist
Men. Dozens of names could be added and each one of
those could tell their own story. If we tried to do that it
would take a book instead of this short piece.
The United Methodist Men meet on the fourth Saturday of
each month at 8:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall where we
have a huge country style breakfast of sausage, eggs,
biscuits and gravy, and fruits. All men are welcome to join
us. We normally have between fifteen to twenty men at
each meeting, but have had as many as thirty. It is a fun
time of breakfast and fellowship. We also have a devotion
and short business meeting. Looking forward to seeing
you at our next meeting January 27, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. in
the Fellowship Hall.
Finally I want to say that the United Methodist Men is not
just for older, retired men. We would love to see some
younger men join us. After all, I’m sure you young men
like biscuits and gravy. Please join us.