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Tuesday, 14 February 2012 00:00 |
Something Truly Old and Truly New
Friends, I’ve just come across a group of musicians who perform together as Page CXVI. Their name comes from a beautiful passage in one of C.S. Lewis’ books in which Aslan sings creation into being. They especially of interest to us here at Heights because they are doing as a band something that we very much do in our worship. That is, they continue the great tradition of singing and loving the hymns of the faith. Time and again they take the words and melodies many of us know by heart and give them new interpretations and renewed life. I hope you’ll give them a listen because if you love hymns like I do then seeing good and God loving artists run with them should be a true joy.
You can listen and find out more about them here. http://pagecxvi.com/
In Christ
Aaron
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Monday, 06 February 2012 00:00 |
How You Can Be Part of HCPC becoming a Faith Community
Through Which People Dicover Their Need For Jesus
A little more than three years ago the Elders and ministers of HCPC concluded an extended time of reflection, conversation and prayer by bringing to our congregation a new vision for our ministry together. This vision of course is in the title of this blog, a faith community… During these first few weeks of 2012 we have made thinking about this great calling from God (indeed it flows not only from our discernment but the scriptures themselves.) a big part of our worship teaching. We've also recently taken up the challenge to spent just a few minutes in prayer for our church and this vision every day for a week. As a follow up to this for the next few weeks we’re going to periodically post some ideas about how any of us can become a part of seeing this vision become reality. Here’s our first post…
Become more open to the faith community in your own life.
An interesting thing happened in my life recently. I began joining together with a few men one morning each week to study the word, talk and pray together. When we first began I knew some of persons in the group well and some not at all. Soon we had made it through those initial “I don’t really know you” conversations and into the real meat of our lives. It amazing what these first six weeks of adding gospel centered relationships to my routine has made. Already I find myself perking up when I realize our group is meeting the next morning. If nothing else were to come of the group that would be enough. Last week though, something really amazing happened. As we sat and talked one of our group mentioned that he felt like he was going through an unexpected spiritual revival. He was craving God more and getting into the Word more deeply. Real changes were taking place in his life. Suddenly another guy speaks up, the same things been happening to me! A realization began to come over us. We were all going through this sense of spiritual revival and for all of us it began around the time we began to meet together!
I am convinced that it was no accident or Heavenly “side project” when God called us to knit our lives together through gospel centered relationships. When we take the time to get connected with other Christians the first blessing is often our own. I’m doubly convinced that before we ask God to help us with our Vision for ministry as a church something has to happen. We’ve got to decide for ourselves whether we want to be the kind of church where busy people stop by for a fill up on God, or the kind of church in which the gospel has formed a true faith community. It doesn't really make sense to invite someone to a party you yourself aren't interested in going to does it? So, the first challenge is this. Take the faith community seriously. If you’re not in a small group yet call or email us in the church office today (click contact in the link above.) We’d love to get you connected. If you are in a group (whether it's called a "Covenant Group" or not) pour your heart into it. You never know what might come out of it.
In Christ
Aaron
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Thursday, 08 December 2011 00:00 |
A New Decision for Soul Care
Recently in worship Elder and Pastoral Search Team member Jon Ashworth shared with us the news that we will be postponing our search for a new full time Pastor of Soul Care. What does this mean and why was this decision made? Today I will answer the first question.
This decision was made in part due to current financial realities facing our church. Our current plans for ministry in 2012 , which include the presence of a full time Pastor of Soul Care, do not match our current levels of giving. Although the ministers and elders of Heights remain ready to move forward boldly with the plans we believe God has given us we feel patience in the area of Soul Care is the most faithful response at this time.
Although financial concerns may have been the means God used to open our eyes to new ways of doing things at Heights this decision is far more significantly a response to God’s amazing provision of two wonderful ministers in our own midst. Six months ago Pastors Paul Collins and Jerry Smyrl agreed to serve as our part time interim Pastors of Soul Care. Between the two of them they would cover the duties that were previously overseen by one full time Pastor. Jerry and Paul have done wonderfully and Heights has been blessed! We were excited to ask Jerry and Paul if they would be willing to continue serving as they currently are for the near future. We were even more excited when they both said yes!
There is another, possibly even more exciting, reason for this decision. It could be that God is showing us a new way of giving and receiving Soul Care at HCPC. For many years we have all dreamed of a church where nobody falls through the cracks, where all receive loving care and all give loving care. In other words we have dreamed of being a congregation where the Body of Christ is caring naturally for itself as we see described in the scriptures. In many ways thins is already a reality at HCPC. So, as we continue in this season in which “pastoral care” is shared among several pastors of the church as well as our Stephen ministers, our REACT team, our Covenant groups and more, how could we not be a little excited to see if God may already be taking these long held dreams to a new level? How could we not show a little faith and see if God might really have known what he was doing when He called Christians to give their lives one to another? Could this be a step in God’s direction? I think it may be. I definitely can’t wait to find out!
Next time: What does this decision mean for HCPC?
Aaron
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Thursday, 08 December 2011 00:00 |
A New Decision for Soul Care (Part 2)
In our last post I shared a little bit about why the decision was made by our Elders and ministers to place our search for a full time Pastor of Soul Care on hold. Today I want to talk a little bit about what this means for our church in the near future. Here are a few things you might want to know:
Our other staff seaches will continue. As you may recall God has led us through a combination of life change (in the lives of our ministers) and our church's ministry calling to be seeking several new ministers at once. We are currently searching for a Pastor of Discipleship and Service and a new Minister to Children and Families. The Children's ministry position is part time. The Discipleship and Service position is full time. In fact we will have an exciting announcement this sunday about one of these positions.
Our Vison for the Staff of Heights has not changed. We continue to believe that God's unique calling upon Heights will best be brought to life with a Minister of Worship Arts (a position we are not currently seeking to fill) and a Pastor of Soul Care (the position we are stepping away from filling at this time.) We remain prayerful that God will lead provide the resources for these positions and the right people to fill them in His own timing.
Our Pastoral Search Team is not being disolved at this time. I mean really, who would disband a Superbowl calibur team? We have a great team of leaders that have really learned how to conduct ministerial searches in a godly way. We continue to be prayerful about what God would have us do in staffing our church. So, for the time being we're giving them the next few months off. Be sure to thank Mike Tebo, Carole Pinnell, Jon Ashworth, Sheryl Anello and Wayne Einfeld for their hard work when you see them.
So, I hope this is helpful. If you have any questions about how our minister searches are going or enything else in our church life I hope you won't hesitate to ask!
Blessings,
Aaron
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