Pastor’s Corner

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Last Sunday we had a snow storm and our attendance was down. We realized that some of you would have had difficulty getting to church.

We had a good Missions conference. The services with Dr. Steadman and two missionaries were held Sunday, Nov. 29 through Wednesday, Dec. 2. Dr. John Hutcheson preached the final service of our Missions Conference on Sunday Morning, Dec. 6. During the Sunday School hour, he spoke on persecution of believers in other countries. Then he brought an excellent message on living by faith and faith promise missions. We received our Faith Promise for Missions Cards at the close of the service. As I mentioned above, the attendance was very small last Sunday. Actually we received only five Faith Promise Cards. I was thrilled with the fact that those five cards promised $8,920 for Missions through Harvest Baptist Church for 2010! ! There are many of you who were not present and thus unable to turn in a card. Therefore we are extending the time for receiving these cards through the next two Sundays, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20. We encourage yo to bring a card with you this Sunday or be prepared to receive a card in the services, to fill it out, and then to turn it in to add to our present figure of almost $9,000. Last year our Faith Promise was $14,000. Now, I am believing we might be able to increase that figure by almost 30% to $18,000 for 2010. I had planned to send you a snail mail letter today enclosing a card and also a Christmas Offering envelope. But my printer quit on me this morning and I cannot seem to get it back to working. Therefore, you may not receive that letter in your mail tomorrow as I had hoped.

In the paragraph above, I mentioned the Christmas Offering Envelopes. Let me tell you what those are and for what purpose we will use them. Our Arise and Build Campaign had a goal of having received $15,000 for the Building Fund as of last Sunday. However, we were short $500, having received only $14,500. The goal as set for the entire month of December was that we will have received $15,000 in the Building Fund by the end of December. To do this we are planning to receive a special Christmas Offering, 2009. We are using Christmas Offering envelopes for the purpose. We will be handing out these envelopes in all the rest of the services in December. We will appreciate your praying about what you can give to the Lord this Christmas in our Arise and Build Campaign. Every thing received in this Christmas Offering will be placed in our Building Fund. In the balance of December, we need to receive $3,500 in order to reach our goal of $18,000 by the end of December.

Remember that this Sunday Morning we will have our Children’s Christmas Program. To prepare for that there will be a practice tomorrow, Saturday, December 5, at 10:30 A.M. Be sure to have your children present for this practice. And the children will have a lunch after the practice.

Last Sunday night’s Cantata “Holy Night of Miracles” was a great blessing The Highlands Baptist Church Choir ministered to our hearts in singing this wonderful musical presentation. The Cantata certainly brought glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. We did have visiting families attend this program. Thanks goes to Highlands Baptist Church and its choir.

Personals:
Marge Lamoreaux has been in the hospital this week. The doctors used two stints to stop blockages in a vein and in an artery. This procedure was done on Wednesday. She may get to come home today. In their examination of her, they found that she has had a hole in her heart, possibly from birth. The doctors do believe she has had a recent heart attack. She definitely needs our prayers.

David Head is waiting for Workman’s Compensation to inform him of what they will do concerning his recent job-related injury. He is not able to work and will possibly be facing surgery. He is suffering great pain and needs prayer for his healing.

God bless you. We will be looking to see you next, Sunday, December 13.

Yours and His,

Ed Nelson, Pastor

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