I hope Psalm 100 is still ringing in your ears today. It was not the lectionary scripture for Sunday but it was the scripture from which I was led to preach. One family posted on facebook that they are memorizing it for Thanksgiving and may make its recitation the ticket for pumpkin pie. Our lives are not our own. We belong to God. “It is he who made us and we are his.”
The Thanksgiving Meal last evening looked delicious. The tables were full. Thanks to the turkey and ham cookers: Bill Lowe, Pam McNeese, Shelley Flint, Ginger Magee, Rachelle Reigard, Cathy Preston, Lisa Anderson, Angela Manley, Ruthann Terrell, Miriam McMillan, Carol Waller, and Sandra Hunt. I know at least three ladies who made dressing: Betty Willis, Pam McNeese, and Barbara Parrish. Thanks to everyone who provided the fixings, the salads, the vegetables, the bread, the desserts, the drinks. Thanks for the good company. Thanks to the New Life Sunday School Class for handling set-up and break-down for the event. Great teams are required to make the church work. Thanks to Lisa Anderson and Pam McNeese for setting up and cleaning up the serving tables.
The Weekend Bake Sale led by Diane Cater was an attempt to raise money to alter Hunger for Children. Over $600 was raised from the HCN parking lot on Saturday. The total edged closer to $1000 from the Lobby on Sunday. We will give you totals next week and the route the money takes to make a difference for kids.
Upwards Basketball Evaluations take place on Monday and Tuesday, November 27-28, 2011, from 6 to 8 PM in The Center. It is not too late to register online or by picking up a form at the HCN offices. Pastor Ken Jewett directs the ministry.
Reid Swoner, Maxwell Mullins, and Grant Phelps’ B-Gray Team won their State Champion-ship Game in Brentwood and Preston Phelps’ CCC Team won their State Championship Game.
I know grandparents who traveled from Kansas City to attend the games. Congratulations.
For weeks, I have written to you regarding the Thanksgiving Offering for world missions. I have attempted to offer multiple reasons for supporting the 700 plus Nazarene missionaries in 150 plus world areas. If specifics are your thing, I offered the support of our own missionaries, Spencer and April Baggott, who serve with their three children in Rwanda. The Baggotts are members of HCN. Giving to missions in the month of November totals $6,337. It is not too late to participate in this offering. Someone who will be out of town this weekend handed me their mission offering on Sunday night and asked if I would put it in the plates this coming Sunday. How close could we get to $10,000?
Like you, I am thankful this year for my family, the health and safety of my family, my church. I am thankful for the pastoral staff team with which I work week-after-week. I am thankful for you. The Wednesday night class I teach is currently studying a newly published book by Gordon MacDonald entitled Going Deep. Two weeks ago, the lesson contained an elevator story. The simple message was: if you were on the first floor in an elevator and were traveling to the thirtieth floor, what would you tell someone about your church in that amount of time. I asked the pastoral staff team that question last week and these are some of the words they used: healthy, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, intergenerational, non-threatening, genuine love for people, relationships with Jesus, challenges for life, young people, energetic worship, pastoral, longevity of staff, community, missional, eclectic, biblically based, relevant, hospitable, fluid, trust, future-driven, family oriented. I know all those words take longer than thirty floors but that included seven people sharing. What would you tell someone in that elevator? What are you thankful for regarding your church this Thanksgiving?
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
In Christ Jesus,
Pastor Howard
Posts
