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Jesus on 301
I don’t have much to say. I’ll just let the Glennville news handle this.
Dennis Barnard of Glennville to carry cross on a 250-mile route through South Georgia
Last year, it was a walk. This year, it’s a journey.
In 2009, Dennis Barnard felt called to construct a cross and carry it through Tattnall County so that others would remember the significance of Easter. He began his one-day walk at Union United Methodist Church near Claxton and walked the approximately 12 miles down Highway 301 South to Glennville.
Now, Barnard will embark upon a ten-day, 250-mile trek through South Georgia , beginning on Palm Sunday, March 28, that will put his physical endurance to the test.
“My main reason for doing this is to lift up the Lord and remind everyone what Jesus did for all of us during this Holy Week. It’s to remind everyone of Jesus and the Cross, and that is my main goal and message,” Barnard said.
Barnard plans to leave from the Tattnall County Campground around 8 a.m. on Palm Sunday. He’ll walk along Hwy. 280 to Bellville, Hagan, and Claxton, where he will take Hwy. 301 North to Statesboro. From there, he’ll walk along Hwy. 80 West through Portal, Twin City , and into Swainsboro, and then travel Hwy. 1 South through Lyons , Baxley, Alma , and then Waycross . Hwy. 84 East will take him through Blackshear, Jesup, and Ludowici, and then he will again walk Hwy. 301 North from Ludowici to Glennville.
“I’m going to try to do 20 to 25 miles per day so that the whole trip will probably take around ten days, weather permitting. I’m taking into account that on last year’s walk, I did a little over two miles per hour, so that’s what I am basing the time frame on,” Barnard explained.
He has mapped the route in his car—twice–so that he can visualize the challenges that each leg of the journey has in store.
“The hardest part of the journey will be from Portal to Swainsboro on Hwy. 80. The road is not that wide, and there are some hills. Then from Lyons to Baxley, there are a lot of bridges and it’s narrow, and there are some steep hills along that road as well,” commented Barnard.
Barnard will be using the same cross he and friend Willie Bland of Glennville constructed last year. The beams of the cross are hollow to reduce weight, and the cross is equipped with wheels so that it rolls behind him. He plans to attach a small bag to the base of the cross that will contain bottled water, power bars, a slicker in case of inclement weather, and possibly a pop-up tent.
“I’m hoping to end each day in a town where I can find a room to spend the night, but if that doesn’t happen, I’ll pitch a tent under a tree, or maybe some Good Samaritan will take me in for the night,” Barnard said. “God has put it on my heart to do this, and I know that there will be blessings waiting for me along the way.”
Last year, Barnard was overwhelmed with the unexpected outpouring of community support as he walked down Hwy. 301 to Glennville. Motorists stopped to pray with him and give him food and water, and many offered words of thanks and encouragement.
As he did in 2009, Barnard will walk wearing a flowing robe made for him by Willie’s wife, Judy, such as one Jesus might have worn. This year, he’ll wear a purple sash around his waist from Palm Sunday through Thursday, April 1, representing Jesus as King. On Good Friday and Saturday, a black sash will represent the crucifixion and death of Christ. On Sunday, Barnard will don a solid white robe to represent the resurrection.
“In John 12:32, Jesus says, ‘When I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw men to myself.’ That’s the reason I love carrying the cross and am blessed that God is using me that way. The cross is our banner, it’s a symbol of our Christianity, and that’s the reason I love lifting Him up on Easter holidays during the Holy Week,” said Barnard. “We won’t know how many have come to Christ until we get to Heaven. This is going to be an amazing walk. Only His strength can do it.”
Although Barnard has not mentioned this himself, a friend remarked that he is using his annual two-week vacation from his job with Clyde ’s Market to embark on this journey. Barnard also hopes to raise funds for Haiti relief through his walk.
Barnard and his wife, Robin, are active members of Glennville United Methodist Church . Robin is a preschool teacher in Glennville and says her plans are to stay home while Dennis is gone and pray for him.
“I know that Dennis has heard from God on this, so I know that whatever happens, God has him in His hands. I’m just going to trust that God will keep him safe,” she said.
The Barnards realize that many people have a church family, and that denominations of all faiths currently have their own avenues through which donations to Haiti relief may be made. However, if someone does not have a church affiliation and wishes to donate to Haiti relief through the United Methodist Church , donations can be made to Haiti through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), a non-profit humanitarian agency of the United Methodist Church , in the following avenue:
Through a local United Methodist church:
Make your check payable to the United Methodist Church in your area (Glennville UMC, Hopewell UMC, Harmony UMC, etc.) Write on the check: “Haiti Emergency Advance #418325,” and drop your check in the offering plate.
Giving by mail: Make your check payable to Advance GCFA
Write on the check” Haiti Emergency: Advance #418325” and send your check to:
Advance GCFA
PO Box 9068,
GPO New York ,
NY 10087-9068.
Giving by phone: Credit card gifts can be accepted by phone. The number is 1-888-252-6174.
One hundred percent of donations will go to Haiti relief.
Barnard will not be accepting donations along his route but asks that anyone wishing to donate to Haiti relief through the United Methodist Church use the above-mentioned information to do so.
Anyone who wishes to send a note of encouragement and support to Dennis Barnard may email him
Creativity Opposed
I took this picture while working on a project at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I was writing a paper on the Imago Dei (the image of God) and felt like the opposing pianos hinted at the idea of depravity.
Creativity divided and opposed. We stand at odds with ourselves, each other, and God because of the Fall and our continual sin.
I guess the more I write about this, the more uncharted territories I explore, so I’ll just be quite and let the picture speak for itself.
Passion 2010
I just received my Passion 2010 Tickets and i’m stoked.
Check out Passion’s Vision and Core
From the beginning Passion has been rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8: “Yes Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we wait eagerly for You, for Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.”*
As a result, Passion seeks to gather college and university students across the nation and around the world to seek the face of God, asking Him to ignite in our souls a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ and a desire to spread His fame to everyone on earth.
We believe God is calling out a generation of college students committed to the glory of His name in all things. God longs to bring awakening to every campus, mobilizing the students of today to finish the task of global evangelization in this generation. God is calling us out for this purpose, in this moment, for His renown.
*This version of Isaiah 26:8 is a combination of the NIV and NASB translations.
The Civil Heretic – Freeman Dyson
The Civil Heretic – Freeman Dyson – Profile – NYTimes.com.
Freeman Dyson is “coming out of the closet as far as global warming is concerned.” It’s interesting that Times admits the “orthodoxy” of global warming in scientific academia.
Dyson says he doesn’t want his legacy to be defined by climate change, but his dissension from the orthodoxy of global warming is significant because of his stature and his devotion to the integrity of science.
I’m sure al gore and tipper are a little frustrated with this….. but let’s abandon orthodoxy in science.
The warming, he says, is not global but local, “making cold places warmer rather than making hot places hotter.” Far from expecting any drastic harmful consequences from these increased temperatures, he says the carbon may well be salubrious — a sign that “the climate is actually improving rather than getting worse,” because carbon acts as an ideal fertilizer promoting forest growth and crop yields. “Most of the evolution of life occurred on a planet substantially warmer than it is now,” he contends, “and substantially richer in carbon dioxide.”
If you have time on your hand, read the whole article. It’s very interesting.
Postcards from the Almighty
So, I’ve started a postcard series. It’s pretty much the halmark of Christian satire.
The first entry goes in reference to dorm room theology’s open discussion on Christians and drinking.
thanks for the open discussion drew! I hope this card from god helps your decision making process
