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Church

November 7, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD

by Brendon

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BUILDING

” He said to them, ” But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, ‘ You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ” Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matt. 16:15-18

Each of us have a natural instinct to build.

Whether it be a child wanting to build a lego tower, fire house scene, kitchen scene, fantasy dream land, or even a fort on the couch. Maybe as a teenager it is building an identity or building friendships or building grades or building a foundation to drive or building knowledge for college. As an adult, we continue to want to build, whether it is a home, a family, a career, wealth, influence or maybe it is just building a tree house for your kids.

Building seems to be a natural process all throughout life. Building could be equated to work or learning or just getting older. There is something in the passage above that struck hard at a conference last week.

As Christians, we tend to fall into the same category of wanting to build things. We want to build our understanding of the Bible. We want to build our standing in the church. We want to build a place for us to call home.

The interesting part of building when it comes to church, is that it is not about you or me.

Building a church, is what Jesus said He would do.

The disciples are this point in their walk with Jesus, are maybe starting to grasp who it is they are walking with. We see in this passage in Matthew 16 that Simon Peter states it blankly and bluntly. Peter states, while they were standing in a place that was known as the gates of hell, it was a large rock opening that burned red due to sulfur under ground. But with boldness and clarity Peter claims that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God.

Jesus greets that answer with exclamation! Isn’t it interesting

There is another place where Jesus references building a space. In John 14, the beginning of the farewell Discourse that he is having with his disciples in the Upper Room, Jesus says this:

” Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare(build) a place for you?” – John 14:1-2

Not only is Jesus stating that here on Earth He is going to build HIS CHURCH, Jesus also states that He is building a room for anyone who believes.

As much as we try to control the areas that we can build in our every day lives, Jesus is working diligently behind the scenes building both the church and rooms in heaven.

Jesus will build HIS church. Not me.

Jesus will build HIS church. Not you.

Jesus will build HIS church. And the Gates of Hell shall never prevail.

Jesus will build a room…for you.

Jesus will build a room…for me.

Jesus will build a room…..for all to hear and accept the message of love and grace.

Jesus will….

Breath a deep breath knowing that not everything depends on you.

October 5, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC

by Brendon

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DTOTD – Abram

” Now the Lord said to Abram, ” Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

Genesis 12:1-2

The Old Testament is a fascinating read.

Have you ever thought about that?

When you pick up your bible and turn to the Old Testament, have you ever thought…this is awesome?

Now, I might be weird, but I truly think the Old Testament of the Bible is one of the most fascinating reads you can read in your life. Not just because it is the Bible but because it has everything you could ever want in a book to read. It has love stories, sex stories, war, blood, confusion, anger, betrayal, praise, unheard of rawness, hope, heaviness, light, creation and so much more. That might be just in the first 5 books!

As we walk through the story of Abraham on Sunday morning @ Harvester CC, it was fitting to continue those conversations here. Because Abraham is a man full of interesting stories that we can all learn from. The timeline of Abrams story starts in an interesting way. We are only 12 chapters into the bible, in which we have already encountered creation, the fall, death, murder, chaos, a flood that wipes everyone out except for a few, humans create more people, then a big tower is built and God separates people and then we see Abram’s father Terah get to a certain point in the journey and just stop.

Abram then comes on the scene mainly as a nomad for the first little while. He is called by God to go to a land that God will show him. So Abram, packs his things and goes, along with his wife Sarai. They travel hundreds of miles and to multiple locations before we find them having to travel south to Egypt because of a famine.

As they approach Egypt, Abram makes a decision that leads to an interesting lesson. So Abram looks over to his wife, Sarai and says……your really good looking…..(brendon’s translation) and instead of telling people that you are my wife….because apparently Abram was not good looking???…..we are going to tell people that you are my sister so that they don’t kill me so that they can take you as their wife. And for some reason, Sarai agrees!

We can leave the obvious marriage counseling that is needed in this relationship aside, but in the grand scheme of things, Abram makes a decision to hide a truth about himself to other people to make sure he is ok. Even at the risk of losing his wife, losing his life anyway and possibly never being able to leave Egypt.

As the story continues, we see that Abram loses Sarai and she is taken into Pharaoh’s house and Abram is set somewhere else. But as time goes on, God takes matters into his own hands. While Sarai is in Pharaoh’s house, God sends great plagues towards Pharaoh(Gen. 12: 17). Pharaoh then goes and finds Abram, maybe Abram was not that far away. Pharaoh then brings Abram and questions him:

” What is this you have done to me? Why you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say ‘She is my sister’, so that I took her for my wife?” Gen. 12:18-19a

Abram has to feel rather embarrassed or maybe just idiotic at this point. Abram in an attempt to save his own life, gives up his wife and now is caught in an elaborate scheme to keep himself alive over the life of his wife.

Haven’t we all been there though?

Abram is in a place we have all found ourselves in at some point.

Abram is in a place where we either tell the truth or run and hide from it.

Abram is human.

He is flawed and weak just like anyone else.

Abram was afraid that he would not be welcomed because of the beauty of his wife.

You have been afraid that you would not be welcomed because of your clothes.

You have been afraid that you would not be welcomed because of your past.

We have all been afraid of not fitting in so we do things that everyone else is doing to fit in even if….we don’t want to.

We have all gone places that we don’t really want to go because that is where everyone else is going.

We have all made up stories to either keep ourselves in good graces with others or to feel accepted.

We have all had those facades come down in a very heavy way.

We have all felt the after effects of the stories that we have created.

We have all seen the effect that our decisions have on other people in the wake of our elaborate schemes.

Why do we do that?

There could be lots of reasons and some could be better than others.

What Abram in this scenario learns is that God sees him.

God sees Abram in his fear.

God sees Abram in his weakness.

God sees Abram in a place where he cannot get out.

God sees Abram in a way, that Abram cannot see himself.

There are times in our lives, when we need to be seen in this way.

We need to allow God to see us in our weakness, instead of bulding a facade that we are ok.

We need to allow God to see us in the place that we cannot get out of on our own but allow God to come and rescue us.

We need to be vulnerable enough with God to know He Loves You despite of our elaborate schemes.

Abram demonstrates to us a posture of…well just like you and me….a posture of performing when we need to have a posture of humility.

As you go today, think about the posture you have with God.

Is it one that demonstrates humility in needing God? Or could we be posturing in a way to make it look like we are something we are not?

August 30, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, Local, Outreach

by Brendon

1 Comment

DTOTD – step out of the crowd

” …but it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but TO serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45

It is really easy not to serve. Seriously. I get it. There are so many reasons that we could choose to not serve. Busyness. Calendars. Appointments. Homework. Dinner routines. Not sure where to serve. Not sure how to serve. Covid. Pandemics. Fear. Unsure of your place. It’s not for me. They don’t need me, they have plenty already.

I recently read an article by Danny Franks titled 4 Reasons Volunteering Within the Church is Crucial. In the article, he tells of a study, ” While 84% of respondents said their church encourages every adult to serve in some capacity, only 30% said they have personally served in the past year.” My upbringing was probably a little different than yours. I was born into this world with a pastor as a dad. One that was hard-working and passionate about what he did. My mom took the step to be a stay-at-home mom to raise me and my 3 siblings the best should could. But it also meant that we were at church a lot until maybe I could drive myself. But for some reason, I still showed up on Sunday mornings for church/youth group. I can remember being in middle school and going to help at church whether it was just to play with friends or to help run through drywall to take a wall down to revamp a space for students. As I entered high school, I was one that everyone knew and looked too. Not sure if I was the best person to always be looked to, but my youth pastor saw something in me that I did not know was there. He put me on stage to host our weekly youth services. He had me pray on stage. He had me lead group discussions. And after I graduated he helped me make the decision to go to bible college. Going to bible college was well, small and isolated. I went from living on the East Coast where I could drive to 2 of the largest metropolitan cities in the country, to finding myself surrounded by corn and bean fields. It was a world unlike anything I knew about growing up. It was flat and you could see as far as you wanted to. In this rural community, one thing remained true. Serving became something that not only was taught but it was expected. Every year in bible college there was a dedicated week to serve on a mission trip or in an area that you may have never been to. Serving on the weekends at local churches whether it was with adults, students, or kids was always welcomed. After graduating from bible college, my personal service became serving students full-time both on the East Coast and then back into the Midwest. Even when it came time to step away from full-time paid ministry, I knew God always called me to serve. Whether working in the church or in the business world there was no question that I would still make it a priority to serve in student ministry and eventually moving to the adult ministry.

Serving has always been something that has been there in my being. It has been ingrained in me to serve is to be Jesus to those around me. Even in my darkest, most confusing, most fearful moments of questioning what I was doing, where I was going, how I was going to be a good husband, how I was going to be a good dad, how I was going to provide and lead my family…..serving provided clarity of who I was and what I was supposed to be doing. Service to others didn’t take something away from me. It provided an anchor and a constant in my life.

There are a few things that I have learned about serving others that I want others to experience either for the first time or for someone stepping back into serving after a break.

Serving allows Jesus to work in you and through you – It is always interesting seeing in scripture, the rhythm that Jesus shows to his disciples. Serving always was part of what Jesus showed them for everyday living. In a recent cohort, Greg Curtis, the Guest Services Pastor at Eastside CC in Anaheim, CA, taught me this term – Outcome-based Discipleship. Essentially, this was all about the process of going and doing while learning and growing about Jesus. Hearing that phrase made me think about this idea that putting ourselves in places to serve not only allows us to show the love of Jesus to others, it allows Jesus to continue to mold us into his image.
Serving brings community – Have you been in a church where you just feel left out? Maybe it’s because at church you feel like just another face in the crowd. Can I encourage you to step out of the crowd? It is super easy and comfortable to come to church and just sit and sing and listen and sing and leave. I tried that, but it didn’t last long. Take a step out of the crowd and find out where you could serve. Whether it is inside the walls of the church or outside of the walls. When you take the step to serve, God will guide you to a place where you will find a community of people who will love you and care for you.
Jesus commanded us to do so – Not just in Mark 10:45, where Jesus says he did not come to be served but to serve but Jesus also shares in John 13, after getting on his hands and knees taking the place of a servant and washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus commands his disciples, ” A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as. I have loved you, you also are to love one another. BY THIS, ALL people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ( John 13:34-35) Jesus did not say the commandment was to learn about him and sit on your butt and not do anything. Jesus did not that just going and attending a Sunday church service and going home is enough. Jesus said, love other people. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and tell others about his love and grace and to baptize those who believe. Jesus tells us that we are going to be his witnesses in our towns and regions and all over the world. Jesus tells us to pick up our own cross and follow Him daily. If we are to show love to others like Jesus showed to us, then that means we must step out, make sacrifices, and follow his calling to serve others.

” For you were called to freedom brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through Love, SERVE one another” – Galatians 5:13

God has huge plans for you, both in and through your life. You have the chance to be part of serving others to allow them to get to experience Jesus in a way they never have before or maybe for the first time ever. If you ever feel inadequate or maybe not ready or any of the other excuses we can use to stop us from serving you are not alone. Just look in scripture at all of the mess ups and the failures and the messed up people that God was able to use. Whether it is someone who tries to run away from God and ends up getting swallowed by a fish, or someone that follows Jesus for three years and then denies knowing him at all….those guys still gave testimony to who God is and brought about change in an entire city that was known for being crazy and the other is the one who leads the start of the early church.

In our weakness, God supplies strength. Take a step out of the crowd and see how you can serve those around you. Get ready to receive the blessings of knowing exactly you who are and your purpose no matter what.

August 26, 2023

in Church, Local, Outreach

by cefiggins

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Food Truck Love

So many things happen in life to remind us we are not in control. I think we all reluctantly come to an understanding there is little we can do to control disease, accidents, just life. But Lord, could I have just a LITTLE control over the weather, and the ability to predict it, and it NOT impact incredibly fun things like Fireworks and Food Trucks!!?!?

We just had to make the hard, hard decision once again to cancel Fireworks and Food Trucks. There are so many factors that go into this decision such as guest and volunteer safety, protecting electronics, City of St. Peters permits, and permissions.

One of the ones that is just a sucker punch to my stomach is having to cancel on the food trucks, AGAIN. I love our city and county so much. I am a huge advocate for buying local and supporting small businesses. It is no small decision to cancel sales and income to these small business owners, especially within the City of St. Peters. They work their tails off to shop, prep, prepare, serve, and promote their food truck businesses.

They have been so gracious and flexible with all the starts and stops this month. Harvester Christian, would you do them a favor and share this post on your own social media feeds to promote these businesses? And then do yourself a favor and find the next location they will serving at and consider buying some yumminess and thank them for understanding why we had to cancel our event.

Sweet Streetz Stl : https://www.streetsweetzstl.com/

Tom’s Coffee Truck: https://travelintomscoffee.com/find-a-toms-coffee-truck/

One Dish Wonders: https://www.onedishwonderful.com/

Kona Ice: https://www.kona-ice.com/

Truck O’ Soup: https://truck-o-soup.com/

SNS Goodies: https://streetfoodfinder.com/SNSGoodies

August 16, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, HCC, Local, Outreach

by Brendon

0 Comments

Story Teller Series

” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he CHOSE us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In Love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed un in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Ephesians 1:3-7

Adoption.

A topic that has gained steam in my life as I have met more and more families that have entered into this realm. It is a world that I do not fully understand and am not sure if I am ready for. This month, the month of August, it is Adoption/Fostering Awareness month and we have had many families at Harvester Christian Church venture into adoption and the stories of their adoptions are more and more impactful.

Adoption is not a foreign topic to scripture or to God. God has placed the concept of adoption all throughout scripture. Adoption is defined as, the action of taking another life, usually a child, and legally raising it as one of their own. In scripture, Adoption is defined as the reception of a believer into the Family of God.

If you think about it this way, the earthly version of adoption is when a person receives another person, not of their own blood or genealogy, brings them into their home and routine and rhythm and way of life, to raise that person as one of their own. God, the creator of all, is doing the same thing with each and every one of us. When we accept Jesus, God’s son, into our lives, God is adopting us back from the dominion of Satan, to raise us, grow us, teach us, discipline us, bless us, guide us into a thriving and full life with God as the leader of our life.

Some friends of mine, The Dickerson’s, went from a family of 5:

To this, a family of 7:

.Our families were in a life group together during this process that they journeyed through and let me tell you, it was one that was absolutely crazy and fast and so encouraging. I was able to ask Nathan and Brittany some questions about their adoption story. In Brittany’s words……is there a word count requirement? I have had a chance to read all these answers to the questions that they sent back to me and, well I am just going to let you take the time to read them:

Foster and Adopting is something that not everyone thinks about. How did you get your feet into the world of Fostering and Adopting?
- Dickerson’s – I (Brittany) have been drawn to adoption since age 14 when I volunteered in a district preschool. There was a little boy who had just been adopted from Russia. His parents discovered he was deaf and had no way to communicate after he arrived in the U.S., which was tough on the class. I was asked to just have fun with him and give the teacher a break for a bit. From there I’ve always had kids in my life who have been in foster care or been adopted.
- I (Nathan) struggled to consider it seriously until we became friends with a family in our Harvester life group with two adopted kids and two bio kids. They were doing a great job. It helped me grasp a vision for what adoption when we already had three bio kids could look like.
- Later I (Brittany) had some health issues, so there was a five year gap between our second and third kid. We decided that the best way to grow our family was a private adoption to minimize wait time, but it would probably have to be infant adoption because I didn’t want to travel to another country. What we really wanted though was an older child to fill our five year gap. We worked with an adoption consultant who helped us complete the paperwork in three months, and then we presented to 16 different birth moms two months time. We obviously weren’t chosen by these birth moms. But then the boys popped up and we decided on a whim to apply for them. Their birth mom chose us and four days later we were on a plane to pick them up! God had a plan to fill our five year gap all along, with not one but two preschool aged children.
In the process, what were some of the biggest struggles that you faced?
- Dickerson’s
  - Since we thought we were adopting a baby, we didn’t have any training for older kids! None! Outside of a book my friend mailed me the day before we picked up the boys, we knew little of the trauma and grief that adopted kids experience. Our boys are wonderful and really want to love and be loved, but we didn’t always understand them and they didn’t always understand us. They grieved leaving Florida and their birth family more than we expected, which sounds silly to say now. Grief showed up in unexpected ways and we gave them consequences at times that didn’t match what they really needed. But all this helped reveal the areas we were lacking in our parenting even before adopting, and through it we have grown to parent all of our kids better. Consequences and rules MUST be tied to how much we love them and how much we want good for them, every single time we discipline.
  - COVID hit shortly after we adopted and all therapies stopped, not to mention seeing our extended family and friends in person. While it gave us the time to focus on bonding as a family of seven, it was exhausting and lonely. We needed a community, but were too tired and we had too much to learn to do much else.
  - Finding our parenting groove took a while. Adoption books and counselors differ on tactics, and at times we didn’t agree with any of them! It took a while to find therapists and strategies that worked with who we are as parents.
As a dad to 3, Nathan, what were some of your prayers as you navigated the adoption world?
- Nathan – I prayed that our future adoption would be a win-win-win, a win for us, a win for the kids and a win for their birth mom. Ideally adoption is a ministry to both the child and their first family.
As a mom to 3, Brittany, what were some of your prayers as you navigated the adoption world?
- Brittany- The thing that I’ve had to be the most intentional about is loving their birth mom. God made it very clear to me that I was not to judge her. I do not know her whole story and who knows how I would deal with the things she has had to deal with. God made it clear that He loved her and that she was okay with him- that would be enough for me. This idea first came to me on the plane flying to get the boys, and has been reaffirmed as I read scripture these past four years. No matter what anyone says, I am to accept and love her as she is. Sharing the mom role can be hard, especially because we are very different people. She is easy going and I’m more type A with routines and structure for everything, but we try to help the boys see the benefits to both ways and how much they are loved by both of us.
When you got a call that there were boys that were looking for a family, what was your initial response, and did you have any hesitation?
- Dickerson- Yes! We had a lot of hesitation. With private adoption you get almost no information about older children. We were told to ask more questions if we were chosen, but the questions we asked made the adoption agency nervous. She told the boys’ birthmom to pick another family, but 24 hours later, the boys’ mom was steadfast. She still wanted us. We homeschool and like to go on family adventures- and it was all over our adoption photobook. That’s what she wanted for the boys.
- During that 24 hours that we were unsure about our match with the boys, we didn’t sleep at all. Both of us individually had to decide if we could do this with the little info we were given. A short phone call with the birthmom and a couple sentences of information, plus some notes from their latest well check… is that enough? What if things got really bad for our current three kids we were responsible for protecting already? In the end, we knew it was a risk but we thought God was telling us to move ahead. We are so glad we did! I don’t think this is smart in every situation, and I’d probably recommend against it to others, but it’s worked out really really well for all of us.
You have a unique adoption story in that you have made it a point for mom of the boys to still be in their lives….how did you come to the decision?
- Dickerson’s – We never felt like we had a choice to NOT allow her to be part of their lives. God worked things so that we were put in touch with a family adoption counselor BEFORE we adopted (which is unheard of with this specific company) and the counselor told us that their birth mom being able to continue the relationship would allow the boys to feel loved and cared for, instead of being abandoned. The adoption process would still be grieved, but they would grow up with a better sense of belonging. As a mom, I would do anything for my kids’ wellbeing. If having their birth mom in their lives was best, then that’s what we would do! Plus she’s quite wonderful. The boys have so many emotions before, during, and after her visit that she doesn’t necessarily see. We are exhausted before she even arrives dealing with it all. BUT she supports us and encourages us and makes it clear that she thinks we are doing a great job. Slowly we are all starting to feel like one big family.
When you look at scripture, what scriptures stand out to you when it comes to adopting and why?
- Nathan – James says that true religion is caring for orphans and widows in their distress. That call to action didn’t fully sink in until we had friends who had adopted kids and it normalized adoption for me. If they could do it, I couldn’t keep making excuses as to why I wasn’t cut out to adopt.
- Brittany – I love how adoption is all throughout the Bible. The more I learn about attachment and how it works, I’m convinced we all have attachment disorders with God. I’ve seen so many adoptive children go through stages. First they push back against the change. They don’t want anything to do with this new family or way of living! Suddenly they have to eat vegetables, go to bed on time, bathe daily, AND their new family lives somewhere new and even talks or smells different. After a while, they kind of start to like the family, but still don’t trust the family and aren’t sure they like all these rules. Some more time passes and they start to see the benefit of eating regularly and following agreed upon rules, but they still aren’t sure they belong. Finally, they reach a point where they believe they do belong. They still don’t always like the rules (Who does?!), but they know this is their family where they belong and their family wants what is best for them. They trust their parents for good outcomes and know their parents really know who they are deep down. Family is GOOD.
- God IS the adoptive parent in scripture, wanting to help and love us and make everything better. But we just can’t trust him. We don’t think he has our best intentions at heart and we don’t trust that we will like his outcomes. However, His ways ARE best and his outcomes ARE better. We have to do the hard work of sticking around, getting to know God, and learning to trust him, moment by moment, in all things.
What would you say or how would you encourage others to think about the adoption world and process?
- Dickerson’s –
- To people thinking of adopting- God’s fingerprints are all over our story. He picked the time and the boys that were perfect for us. And I hope that they say that we are perfect for them too. Nathan wasn’t always on board with adoption, and God used that to work out the just right timing. If things aren’t lining up and you are feeling impatient, just hold on. God will work things out when the time is right.
- To people who have adopted- It’s amazing the therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, homeschool co-ops, friends, soccer coaches, and more that have been placed in our lives at just the time we needed them. I have friends who I can ask to pray and within hours, whatever I asked them to pray for is better. Often I feel so much relief that I even forget I sent an urgent prayer text just that morning until they ask later how things are! You truly don’t have to have it all figured out. None of us do. God will provide the resources and help you need. You might feel alone at times, but you never are. You just have to be faithful and truly trust God to bring what you need when you need it. And hold on when God seems to be answering slowly- He is working and whatever it is won’t last forever. Also It can be hard to find the energy for community, but it is worth it and desperately needed. You can’t pour from an empty cup- God often uses people to fill mine.
- To people who aren’t sure if adoption is for them with kids at home- If you already have kids at home it can be tricky. Our three that we already had before adoption were the number one reason we hesitated saying yes. But what we learned in parenting adopted kids made us ten times better at parenting our biological kids. There have been times that our bio kids didn’t get enough attention from us, but extended family helped and they grew in maturity so much. At this point, all three of our bio kids would say that adoption is the best thing that ever happened to them. They can’t imagine life without their brothers. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth it.
Now that you are a family of 7, would you ever think of changing anything?
- Dickerson’s – If we suddenly had more time and energy, we’d totally adopt more! But with our oldest two entering the teen years, we don’t want to miss out on time with them. We love watching them play sports, attending High Hill camp with them and taking them on trips. Adding another little one would definitely change our availability and we don’t want to do that right now.
What would be your prayer or encouragement for those that have never thought about adopting or are thinking about it already?
- Dickerson’s – Hello!! Wherever you are on your journey, God is there working things out. I often tell my kids that God is doing a thousand things in your life right now and we only stop to notice a couple of them at any moment. Trust that He is here and he is working. He knows the desires of your heart and he has good plans for you. He knows where you are lacking and need support. He knows where you are strong and could more easily help another. And He will use any hardship along the way for good (Romans 8:28).
- Also, everyone doesn’t have to adopt. In fact, adoptive families need families that aren’t struggling right then to come alongside them and support them. If you don’t feel that God is calling you to adopt, He could be calling you to befriend an adoptive family and provide support for them. Meals right after adopting is really helpful, but adoptive families really need friends who are okay with the messiness that first year or two as well. Biological kids are going through a HUGE change and maybe not act like themselves for a while. And if a family adopts and disappears, just texting to see how they are doing and what you can pray for helps so so much. Prayer really does change things. We see it all the time in our lives- something feels hard and it’s just not getting better, so a friend starts praying. It doesn’t always change right away, but we see improvement immediately. My (Brittany’s) best friend is a prayer warrior and always going to bat for us in prayer. I know we wouldn’t be where we are now without her. If adoption isn’t working out for whatever reason, maybe your spouse isn’t on board or the finances are lining up, I would pray, but not push. God will line things up in time, and I’m sure he has big things for you to do in the meantime 🙂

I’m not crying….you are.

In all seriousness, Adoption is one of the most significant images when it comes to the relationship we have with Jesus, because of his death on the cross, when we take the step to allow Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our life, we are adopted into the Kingdom of God.

Adoption may not be on your mind right now, but maybe after hearing the Dickerson’s story, you might start a prayer that may open your hearts to how you can be a part of your own adoption story or someone else’s.

If you are wanting to hear and learn more about this world of adoption, come join us on August 31st to learn how you can Unleash Hope to Children:

August 9, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services

by Brendon

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DTOTD – Seasons

Seasons come. Seasons go.

That is the phrase and saying that we say about life. Have you ever used that phrase in a conversation with anyone?

Sometimes, that can bring a sense of peace to those that are working through a hard time or maybe even someone who is a season of plenty.

The interesting thing about that phrase is that it also pertains to our discipleship process.

In a conversation yesterday, along with a few others from across the country, a conversation centered around serving and what it means and how it is beneficial to our becoming like Jesus.

In this conversation, I was struck by something that was said by the leader of the cohort. He said this, ” People must serve to be discipled.”

Strong statement.

However, that statement is one that I would truly stand by. But…..

That statement does not mean that if you have a season of life come about that does not allow you to serve or is not the right time, then that season is for you to step away.

Jesus came to this earth to show love and grace and truth and to serve others, ultimately to give his own life as a sacrifice for ours on the cross.

The Gospel of Mark states in chapter 10, ” The son of man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.”

We continually see Jesus serving and teaching and serving and teaching.

But there is something about Jesus’ life that can sometimes get overlooked. That in reality might not be nearly as long as what we think about it, but there are times when Jesus need to have a moment of rest or retreat from the continual serving that He did.

Multiple times in the Gospel we see Jesus retreat to a quiet, desolate or place of loneliness to be alone with his heavenly father. He would go to be quiet and to pray and to reset his heart.

In our lives, we all have those seasons. Where we feel an immense pressure to serve or succeed or to do things. But in those seasons we also seem to feel the weight of serving more and more.

Jesus said this in Matthew 11: ” Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When you find yourself in a season where you are overwhelmed and feel an immense burden of responsibility……maybe it is time to take a season of rest.

I was once asked the question, ” Brendon, are you having fun with what you are doing?” The question came at a very weird time in my life, one that I was not ready for or expecting. However that question led to one of the darkest but yet life giving seasons of my life. The follow up to my answer, ” I think I am.” was this….” That’s good. Because if you are not having fun with what you are doing, then it might be time to take a step back and find the next thing God has planned for you.”

It takes a lot of courage and patience and prayer to follow that guidance to take a step away. Especially if you are taking a step back to reconnect with God in a way that you have not had time to do so.

But if you do find yourself in a season of stepping back, do not fill the time with other things.

Fill the time that you used serving, with a chance to run to Jesus and allow him to embrace you and give you the rest you need.

Season come. Seasons go.

Jesus’ peace and rest is always available.

July 18, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, HCC, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach

by Brendon

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Story Teller Series

” For the son of Man, did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Over the past few years, I have been able to be blessed by meeting a lot of great people. People of all ages, backgrounds, upbringings, experiences and teachings. Some of these people have become friends, some acquaintances and some have become people that I am able to do life with.

We started the Story Teller Series last month as we got to meet a volunteer that took her role as a mom to the next level getting involved in a school partnership and has become a champion volunteer there. Today we get to dive into a story of someone the has been around Harvester Christian Church for a long time. The Hances, Darren and Suzanne….

No photo description available.

…. have been serving with Harvester for a long time. They have been able to become a critical piece in our Local Outreach ministry by serving in the schools, both inside and out. They have been part of the Pack-a-Pack initiative for many years and have become leaders for one of our local school partnerships. I was able to ask Darren a few questions about serving, more specifically about serving in our local school outreach teams and here is what he had to say:

1) Mark 10:45 states, “ for the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” This is one of my favorite verses when it comes to serving. Do you have a verse that you come back to that keeps you grounded that you are serving for the Kingdom when you serve during Pack a Pack?

a. Darren – Galatians 6:2

b. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

2) How did you fall into serving with schools?

a. Darren H – HCC Connection Point, Small Group Serving, City wide serve days.

3) You and your wife Suzanne, have been serving with Pack a Pack for a long time…why do you continue to serve in such a selfless way?

a. Darren H – First, we are Commanded to serve others. I thoroughly enjoying serving the younger groups and connecting with future Followers of Christ.

4) Can you remember a specific time that stands out to you during an event or conversation where you felt you were in the right place for serving?

a. Darren H – All serving events have been special to me. Whether, local or abroad the opportunity to serve the Lord and Others is always humbling which provides a feeling of unity and community.

5) What are your dreams for serving through Pack a Pack? How do you hope to partner with God and impact the families you serve for the kingdom?

a. Darren H – My goals are not a dream, but reality as a part of the Christian faith. Just one of many commands from our Lord and Savior.

6) What has been your favorite part of serving with Pack a Pack over the past few years?

a. Darren H – The kids, parents, and teacher’s reactions. So many smiles, joys, and relief that there is a community of Christ followers who care about their needs.

7) What would you hope to communicate to others that might be on the fence about serving, whether in general or on a school team?

a. Darren H – Jump in and try it, you won’t be disappointed. Accept Christ command to serve others and bear their burdens. Be open and alert to opportunities to serve. Remembering that our Lord provides these opportunities every day.

Darren and Suzanne have done some amazing things over the years…but what I love most about them, is that they continue to serve others, no matter the cost or season of life they are in. Darren and Suzanne are grand parents and our very proud of their daughter and grand baby, but that love does not hinder them from continually serving those around them in unleashing the hope of Jesus however they can.

I love what Darren said in the last question, ” Jump in and try it..” I think that is an awesome way to look at serving, especially outside of the church walls. Some of us have never been in the position to serve outside the church walls and so we may not know what we like to do or what our passions might be….but to jump in and try it out for a season to see how it goes and what it looks like and how it feels….it just might be worth the jump.

So will you take the jump?? Will jump in and get involved with us? Maybe it is during Pack-a-Pack or maybe it is down the road……but don’t miss the opportunity to love others for their benefit.

June 27, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, HCC, Local

by Brendon

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DTOTD – The Lost Art of _______

” Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, ” What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, ” he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities’ – because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.” – Acts 17:18

There are a lot of things in our world that seem to be mystifying. Things that blow our minds as to why they happen, or where they happen or when they will happen next. There are also things in our world that shock us more than we can comprehend. Like when someone does something good for someone else, or someone helps someone else for no apparent reason. In the book of Acts, we see that the spread of the Gospel is a mystifying event. It is something that is so different to people that it draws them in to listen. It captures the attention of people that like to sit around and talk all day long. It attracts conversation with people of all sort of backgrounds and history and literacy rates.

In this current section of Acts 17, we see that Paul is by himself in the city of Athens, waiting for the other disciples and crew that were traveling with Paul to catch up to him after they made Paul flee from Berea, the last city they were in. Paul found himself with an urge and push from the Holy Spirit to talk with the people of Athens and all of a sudden Paul finds himself in the middle of one of the largest conversations he could have found himself in.

” So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said ” Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription ‘ TO the unknown God’. What therefore you worship as unknown , this is I proclaim to you…..” Acts 17:22 & 23

What I love about Paul and the way that he interacts with people of different cultures and cities and backgrounds, is that he takes the time to know them, before he introduces them to anything new. Sometimes it takes longer than others. But here we see that Paul finds himself in a surrounded space with people that literally sit and talk all day long about religion and gods and anything else they can muster up a conversation about.

There is no where to do that in todays world. If you track along with Paul and his missionary journey’s throughout the book of Acts, you will see that it is full of conversations that he is having with other people. Whether the people accept what he has to say is another question, but there is something that Paul has that seems to have been lost over time. Something that would really change the way that life could react and respond too if we all took the time to do this…

There is a lost art of listening to each other in our culture.

We live in a world that demands to be right and demands to be the best. No matter what it might be, whether it is a work promotion, adult recreational basketball league game, kids swim meet, or how good your lawn looks compared to your neighbor that you don’t particularly care for. We live in a world that demands a certain amount of callousness versus porousness towards one another.

What I love about the rise of Christianity and the spread of the Gospel, is that it was determined on the ability of the disciples to be bold in what they believed, which was that Jesus is the son of God and he died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins and that Jesus is coming back. But they also had the ability to listen to those people that were sent too. They did not take offense to each and every single person that said something against what they believed, they listened and either decided to move on like Jesus commanded them too back in Matthew 10. But they listened before they approached.

What would it look like if we took that approach in today’s world?

If we fully listened to another person or another party and instead of jumping at the first chance to we have to prove them wrong or to show our disdain to what they said, we listened all the way through the conversation and gave the other party some dignity even if we don’t believe everything they say.

The lost art of listening to each other could change the way we view everything.

Instead of seeing just the billboards or the ideologies being pushed through tv shows or books or memes or whatever media. Instead of seeing someone wearing something different than you and you immediately judging them, instead of jumping to conclusions of why someone went to a place that you would never go, instead of a blasting someone on facebook for supporting something….

what if we started an open-hearted conversation and listened to each other?

” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, ” We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed. among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” Acts 17: 32-34

Even the people of Athens that were intrigued at what Paul was teaching wanted to ‘ hear ‘ more about what Paul was talking about. And in the end, their ability to listen by Paul and their willingness to listen to the message of the Gospel, Dionysius goes on to lead the church of Athens and is now considered a saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. There is a very large difference in a conversation between hearing and listening.

When you find yourself in a conversation, try listening, wholeheartedly. Better yet, the next time you spend time in prayer with God, try this…..

Just listen for his still and quiet voice.

June 14, 2023

in Church, HCC, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach

by Brendon

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Story Tellers Series

” And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave or servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10: 42-45

If you have been around Harvester Christian Church for any given amount of time, you have heard us talk about serving and loving people as they are. Well, it’s true. We have a heartbeat of serving and invite anyone that calls Harvester home to join us in our mission to serve others. You will hear this phrase a lot:

UNLEASH THE HOPE OF JESUS into our World.

One way we do this whole thing is through our School Outreach programs. One in particular that is coming up, which is the entire month of July, is our Pack-a-Pack initiative. Last year we saw close to 1000 back packs packed and given away to love on families of St Charles County. This year we hope to collect and distribute more than 1k to help and serve with 5 other organizations to Unleash the Hope of Jesus into the lives of families throughout the Francis Howell and St Charles School district. We will be serving with the Boys and Girls club of O’Fallon and St Charles, Harvest Ridge Elementary, Becky-David Elementary, The St Charles School District and We Love St Charles.

Pretty cool eh?

What else is pretty cool, is that we have people in our midst that are champions of serving in certain schools or areas. One of those champions is Rachel Vandermeulen:

Rachel along with her husband Brett and two girls Avery and Emma, live in the St Charles area and attend Harvest Ridge Elementary. Rachel has watched Avery go through all grades and is ready to see her move on to Middle school after next year and Emma just a few years behind. Rachel has served on the PTO as president that last few years at Harvest Ridge which has allowed a unique partnership with Harvester Christian Church to be able to love and serve on the families that attend Harvest Ridge Elementary.

I reached out and asked Rachel about her time serving the families at Harvest Ridge and what she has dreams of for impacting the Kingdom of God in the lives of those families, here is her heart:

Mark 10:45 states, “ for the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” This is one of my favorite verses when it comes to serving. Do you have a verse that you come back to that keeps you grounded that you are serving for the Kingdom when you serve at Harvest Ridge?
- RV – Honestly, not really. God just keeps reminding me that it isn’t about me. It’s about bringing others to Christ and showing them His Love. I still find myself amazed how God is using me to serve His Kingdom in a public school setting. God works in ways we never would have imagined.

How did you fall into serving with schools? Why do you continue to do it?
- RV – When we moved to STL I didn’t have friends and felt so lost. Life felt very foreign to what I knew in KY. I threw myself into the PTO as an attempt to make friends and get to know the school. I continue to serve the schools because I feel that is where God has led me. Showing the love of Christ through a cup of lemonade or an event to feed hundreds has brought multiple HR families to experience the difference at HCC.

I know that your girls go or will go to Harvest Ridge, how do you show love to the other students and families on a day to day basis when you are in the school?
- RV – Some days it’s a simple smile, delivering notes of encouragement, or passing out a delicious cup of coffee. Other days it’s planning large events that are affordable and convenient for families to attend.

Can you remember a specific time that stands out to you during an event or conversation where you felt you were in the right place for serving?
- RV – Recently we had a family attend HCC because the church continues to show up at HR. HCC wasn’t and hasn’t pushed a message or a motive but shows love and support to families and staff. This family recognized something was different about HCC and felt led to see what HCC was all about. While I’ve always understood the mission, I don’t know that I have ever truly experienced it like this. Showing up and doing the small things really makes a big impact. I was brought to tears finally understanding why God has placed me on this journey to serve at HR.

What are your dreams for serving at Harvest Ridge? How do you hope to partner with God and impact the families you serve for the kingdom?
- RV – I pray that I can continue to be a vessel to show families God’s love. Whether that is generating different events to feel included and a part of the community at HR, or feeding them a meal to ease a financial burden. I pray that He will continue to open doors in the public schools for our church to be a partner and support for families in need.

What has been your favorite part of serving at Harvest Ridge over the past few years?
- RV – For me it is planning events. I love the logistics of a good, organized event but I didn’t realize the impact it had on others. Allowing families time to enjoy things together, to join in community with others, to kindle friendships that will last forever.

What would you hope to communicate to others that might be on the fence with serving, whether in general or on a school team?
- RV – God has a plan and a purpose for us all. Step outside of your comfort zone and listen to what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do. Be the light for someone in the small moments and serve the Kingdom of God.

I love her heart for serving others and loving people for their benefit and allowing God to lead where she walks. I also love the encouragement she gives to anyone that is on the fence about serving or getting involved at a school.

If you are interested in getting involved with our School Outreach Team reach out to Carissa Figgins or Rachel herself!

June 6, 2023

in Church, Local, Outreach, School Outreach

by cefiggins

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June Local Outreach Opportunities

Organization	Opportunity	Date	Time	Purpose	Location	Sign Up
	Pack A Pack Planning Meeting	Monday June 5	1 p.m. -2:00 p.m.	Plan the various school outreach activities for July and August	HCC Offices-Large Conference Room in lower level	email cfiggins@harvester.cc
	Journey Trail-June Workday	Saturday June 10	8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.	Repair the bridges and clear the prayer garden and pavillion area through weeding, trimming, limb removal	Journey Trails at HCC	Register to serve here
	The Sharing Shed June Workday	Saturday June 17	9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.	Sharing Shed Crew specifically needs people phyically able to lift furniture and make deliveries to clients'	923 E Terra Ln, O'Fallon, MO 63366	Register to serve here
	11th Judicial Circuit of Missouri	As needed 1-2 hours a week	Evenings & Saturdays	Two volunteers needed to consistently monitor and mentor non-violent youth fufilling community service hours	HCC Campus	email cfiggins@harvester.cc
	Becky David School Crew Leader	2-4 hours a month	Primarily during school hours	Assist in creating and maintaining a service opportunity calendar to meet the needs of Becky David.	1155 Jungs Station Rd, St Charles, MO 63303	email cfiggins@harvester.cc
	Hackmann Rd Early Childhood School Crew Members	As needed 1-2 hours a month	Primarily during school hours	Serve on the school crew to meet the needs of Hackmann Rd. Could include prayer, events at school, teacher appreciation etc.	2555 Hackmann Rd, St Peters, MO 63303	email cfiggins@harvester.cc

June 1, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Outreach

by Brendon

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DTOTD – How do you stand out?

” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them ( Saul and Barnabas ) and sent them off….” Acts 13:3

My family moved into a new house about a year and a half ago. It was a needed move since we had 3 kids and a dog in a relatively small house. The house we moved into, was larger and has become our home. With projects going and new paint and new murals on the walls….made by the kids, with toys all over, with comfy chairs and a long comfy couch and a fireplace and a back deck that we use all the time. We love our home. Do you love your home? You probably have memories just like we do in your home or you have your favorite spot in the living room or your bedroom.

What if you were called to leave your home? Called not for a new job or a new opportunity or retirement or anything like that. But what if you were called to leave your home and enter the world as someone who is going to preach the good news of Jesus to anyone that will listen?

Would you?

Seems kind of crazy.

The book of Acts brings this thought to mind. In Acts 13/14 we see that Saul (Paul) and his ministry partner Barnabas are sent off on their first missionary journey. They were in Antioch, the birth place of the term Christian. They were there with there friends and possibly family, but in a time of prayer and fasting, Paul and Barnabas are lead off. The whole reason for their journey was for them to go into the Gentile cities, cities that were not primarily Jewish, to preach and open the hearts and ears of the Gentile people to the sacrifice and grace of Jesus Christ.

They were sent off for evangelism.

Evangelism is an interesting term. Because there are times when it is tied to only a certain type of person or rally or revival. Evangelism is the mission of telling people about Jesus. Whether it is in a home or in a stadium or a coffee shop. Evangelism is the encompassing term for the Great Commission of Matthew 28. It is what we as Christ followers are called to be a part of in our lives.

The problem with Evangelism, is that is requires you to stand out.

It requires for you to be set a part from others. It requires you to act differently. It requires you to look at the world differently. It requires you to talk with people differently. It requires you to listen to people differently. It requires you to love differently.

For Paul and Barnabas, it wasn’t hard for them to stand out. We see in these two chapters, Paul and Barnabas immediately found a way to stand out by trouncing into a Jewish synagogue in every city they went to and they stood up and preached the word of God boldly. In chapter 13 of Acts, we see that Paul & Barnabas are in the Pisidian Antioch, and when the time came for Paul to stand, he gives one of the most pointed messages I have read. It starts at the beginning and walks through the history of Jewish/Israelite people all the way to Jesus. Paul doesn’t stop with just the arrival of Jesus, he boldly calls out the people of the crowd that were a part of the Jews that lead Jesus to his death.

” And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed.” Acts 13:28

Ouch. Paul goes on to tell the good news of Jesus by declaring how God raised Jesus from the grave and how Jesus’ death and resurrection leads to freedom.

” Let it be known to you therefore brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from you could not be freed by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39

Paul and Barnabas in just these two chapters, traveled to at least 16 different cities.

How many of you could say that you have traveled to 16 different cities in one trip? Better yet, how many of us can say we have left our home state for the sake of Jesus at any point?

Evangelism requires you to stand out. Even to the point where your life might be in danger.

In chapter 14, we see Paul and Barnabas have began to leave a trail of emotion behind them as they continued to travel through these cities. They find themselves in Lystra, a city in Lyconia, and we see Paul and Barnabas preaching the good news of Jesus to the people there. Paul in Lystra see’s a man that is crippled, his feet didnt work from birth and was never able to walk. Paul looks at him intently and tells him to rise and walk, immediately this man is healed and in the wonder and amazement to the crowd, they begin to call Paul and Barnabas gods and want to sacrifice things to them. In quick haste, Paul pleads for the people to knock it off since they are just men and the power is in Jesus. But in this moment, the trail of emotion that Paul and Barnabas left caught up with them.

” But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead.” Acts 14: 19

But what about us? We do not live in the same period of time that Paul and Barnabas lived. We do not have to walk from city to city, we can drive. We do not have to sail and risk open water, we can fly. We do not have to go into a synagogue to preach people, we have the internet. We do not have to worry about being stoned, because we live in a free country. So what do we have to risk in order to be a part of this evangelism?

What does evangelism look like in our life?

if evangelism requires us to stand out…how do we stand out as christ followers?

There are countless things we could say here. We could talk about how we use our phones or how we talk with people or how we communicate on Social Media or where we hang out.

The big question here, is whether your heart is in the place to talk about Jesus when it is not easy.

We live in a world where inclusivity is important. We all want to be known and we all want to be a part of something larger than just us. We want to be accepted for who we are and where we are. We want people to respect us and give us the chance to prove ourselves. We want the world to know who we are whether we have done something or not. We live in a world where social media posts almost outweigh anything else that we do in life. We live in a world where our homes, which should be a refuge, where we can rest and retreat and be together with family and friends, become hot spots for arguments and bickering and quarrels and heart ache.

How do we stand out?

When our words match up to what Jesus has called us to, to love Him and love others. When we act differently than even those closest to us that don’t know Jesus. When our social media posts look and sound different than those of the rest of society that rages with anger and divisive comments. When our hugs go beyond the normal ‘ hey how are you’. When our hearts constantly strive after this Jesus that died on a tree for you. When our conversations over coffee at our favorite coffee shop are open and bold for the love that Jesus has for you and for who you are with. When our homes look and sound different than the homes around you, not because we are better than them, but because the peace and grace that Jesus gives us each and every day is flourishing in every room in the house.

How do we stand out?

We stand out, when we live our faith boldly to those around us.

It’s not easy. It’s not natural. It’s not always going to work. But when we continue to do it, to stand up for what we believe and what Jesus calls us too, we begin to have a part in this thing we call evangelism.

Stop and read Acts 13 and 14.

Celebrate today what Jesus has given you in your lives. But also pray for the opportunity to tell or show someone else about the love of Jesus.

May 30, 2023

in Church, Guest Services, Outreach

by Brendon

0 Comments

GST #2 is a wrap!

” When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So theytook his advice, ” Acts 5:33-39

We had a great night to celebrate and gather together last Thursday night! We gathered to be together, to fellowship with cookies and coffee and to learn some things.

As a Guest Services team, we do not always get a chance to see each other since we are spread out all over the place on a Sunday morning. So as a team we are going to be getting into an annual rhythm of meeting together 3 times a year.

The first Guest Services Training ( GST ) will be at the beginning of the new year with a focus on safety and security things that we as a team should be aware of.

The second GST will be towards the end of the school year so that we can learn and be together before the summer travels begin.

We will gather together one more time at the end of the year, normally October before the holidays start to celebrate together what God has done throughout the year and what to expect as we finish the year strong!

Below is the Power Point presentation we walked through with lots of information. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me or your coach/leader for more information!

Guest Services Training #2 Power Point. Download

Thanks so much for being a part of our Guest Services Team!

Church

From the HCC Outreach Team: