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Leadership Lessons from the Lightkeeper

Years ago, there was a lighthouse keeper on a rugged stretch of coastline. He was given just enough oil each month to keep the light burning through the nights. The light wasn’t for him—it was for sailors out at sea who depended on it for safety. He had one job—you guessed it- keep the light burning. Pretty straightforward, right? Don’t let ships crash into the rocks. Not complicated. But the guy was super nice. Maybe too nice. The neighbors would show up:

“Hey, can I borrow some oil for my lamp?”

- “Sure, no problem.”

“I need a little for cooking.”

- “Of course, anything for you.”

“My tractor’s squeaky, think a little lamp oil will help?”

- “Absolutely, take all you need.”

By the end of the month, guess what? Yep—the oil tank’s bone dry. And wouldn’t you know it, the night he runs out just so happens to be the stormiest night of the year. The lighthouse goes dark, ships slam into the rocks, and chaos ensues.

And when the authorities ask him what happened, he’s like, “Well… I was being helpful! People needed me! I didn’t want to let them down. I didn’t want to make them mad at me. It was easier if I did it than if someone else did, I was called to do these tasks, I was meeting needs!”

Except—his actual job was to keep the light burning.

And that’s leadership in the church, isn’t it? Everyone wants just a little more oil from you. Everyone’s got just one request this one time. And as leaders, we’re tempted to say yes to everything, because it feels good to be needed. And as leaders, we think we can handle all the extra responsibilities. But if we forget the one job—keeping the light of Jesus burning bright—then the whole thing falls apart.

There are some lessons to learn from the Lighthouse Keeper.

Leadership is both a privilege and a weight. Weariness can creep in—there will always be another need, another event, another demand, not enough people. We have the weight of temptation. We can start to wonder if the work matters, or can someone else do this, or to say yes to everything. Satan may convince us we are the only ones doing the work or we are the only one with this calling.

This is why it is crucial to listen to what God says to combat Satan’s lies. Galatians 6:9 reminds us that our labor is not in vain; God will bring a harvest in His time. 1 John 3:17–18 tells us that leadership gives opportunities to love with action, not just words. We read in Hebrews 10:24–25 that we lead as part of a body; we are not the entire body, we inspire and encourage one another and would be nothing without each other. Finally we land on Romans 12:11–12 – “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Cheerfully expectant, don’t quit in hard times. “

How do we keep ourselves fueled and aflame as leaders with the ultimate responsibility of keeping the light burning for Jesus?

Keep pointing teams toward loving God first. We lead others to find and follow Jesus by living a compassionate, Christ-centered life, praying for guidance and preparation in others’ hearts. We build genuine relationships with the people He places in our lives both inside the walls and outside the walls of Harvester. We humbly share the Gospel message of God’s love, sin, salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice, and eternal life. This is our greatest responsibility, and this is what we need to be obedient to before anything else.

Keep reminding your teams that loving neighbors matters deeply. If the teams you lead run into difficult people or messy complicated lives Satan will tempt them into turning away with apathy or fear or responding in anger or frustration. Loving each other is the key to what God has truly called all of us to.

Know your purpose in God- why do you do what you do – is it to please man or is it to please God? We find our purpose by seeking God’s guidance through prayer, studying the Bible for wisdom, and using our spiritual gifts to honor God in service to others.

Pause before saying yes, seek God first- high-capacity volunteers and leaders are typically able to do more than others. However, that does not mean that God necessarily wants you to do more. Seek His will first. Don’t rush to the yes.

Lead from a place of rest– not from a place where you have to rest. Truly godly leaders prioritize rhythms of rest and Sabbath. Listen to yourself. If you are constantly saying how busy you are, if you are always running late, if your conversation is all about how you are tired, how exhausted you are, you may have prioritized the God of Busyness and bringing attention to yourself rather than from a place of rest where you can be the light to show people who Jesus is.

Keep praying—for endurance, joy, and unity. Praying without ceasing reminds us not to rely on our own strength, our own understanding, or wisdom. Praying for yourself to follow Jesus, for your team to help people to find and follow Jesus, and for the people they are serving to come to know how much Jesus loves them allows God to increase our faith and trust in Him.

Trust the promise: There will be a harvest. God calls us to join in the work as laborers. But we are not responsible for the harvest. We cannot put our place in God’s place. God directly oversees the growth and the outcome. He just calls us to be obedient to Him.

Keep the light burning- do the one job of managing the challenge of leadership through posture, pausing before saying yes, rest, prayer, and trusting the promises of God.

December 17, 2024

in Food Backpack Program, Guest Services, HCC, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Serve Teams, Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteer Spotlight: Ken Sabo

At Harvester Christian Church, we love highlighting how God works through our volunteers, and Ken Sabo is a powerful example of His hands at work. Ken’s service is not about recognition but about responding to God’s call to impact His kingdom. Through Ken’s obedience and heart for others, God brings hope, joy, and transformation to those he encounters. This story isn’t about Ken; it’s about the incredible things God is doing through him to glorify His name and lead people to find and follow Jesus. Continue reading below to learn more about Ken and his obedience to God through service to others!

Where do you serve with Local Outreach?

I serve in the Food Pantry, the Parking Crew, the Backpack Program (which provides food for children at local schools who may not have the means to be fed on weekends), Local Outreach events at schools in the area, and other service projects through the church as needed.

How are your gifts and talents used in this service?

God uses my ability to serve others and to help meet their needs.

What inspired you to start volunteering with Harvester Christian Church Local Outreach?

When I first started serving, I was at Guest Central. One hot Sunday, our Then-Local Outreach pastor (Kevin Hamilton) asked me to drive the golf cart to pick up people and take them to the Worship Center. At that point, I wanted to keep doing more.

How has serving impacted your personal relationship with Jesus?

It has brought me closer to Him. Realizing that He made sacrifices for me, I should sacrifice my time and talents to help increase the size of the Kingdom and show His love to others.

What advice would you give to someone considering volunteering for Local Outreach at Harvester?

It is real easy to get plugged into a program that needs help. You can try one and if you feel that is not a fit for you, switch to another until you find one that works for you.

How do you see God working through the Local Outreach efforts at Harvester?

I see that we can all help to grow the Kingdom in some way, whether it is large or small part. Every part counts.

November 4, 2024

in Guest Services, HCC, Local, Outreach, Serve Teams, Uncategorized

Upcoming Serve Opportunities- November 2024-January 2024

As you start to map out your holiday plans don’t forget to prioritize serving our city. We have lots of things planned but I would love to hear how you and your small group will unleash hope in your neighborhoods during the holiday season!

Serving Opportunity	Date	Time	Location	Sign-Up
Elections	11/4	6:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.	HCC North & South Entrances	No additional volunteers needed
Post Election Prayer	11/5	4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.	HCC Chapel	No volunteers or sign up needed
Woot Woot Wagon of Snacks to Hackmann Rd	11/6	Anytime before 4 p.m.	Hackmann Rd Early Childhood	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Harvest Ridge Veterans & Active Military Breakfast	11/8	8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.	Harvest Ridge Elementary Cafeteria	Email Rachel Vandemeulen rachel.e.vandermeulen@gmail.com
School Outreach Monthly Pray & Prep	11/11	6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.	HCC St Charles Campus Annex Door 10	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Guest Services/Local Outreach (GSLO) Gathering	11/14	6:00 p.m.-8:15 p.m.	HCC St Charles Campus The Landing	https://my.display.church/e/mZ4F75Uh/tqyDV7d8V9U
Kona Ice Volunteers at Barnwell	11/15	11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.	Barnwell Middle	Email Rachel Vandemeulen rachel.e.vandermeulen@gmail.com
The Sharing Shed	11/16	9 a.m.-11 a.m.	The Sharing Shed	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Education Support Educator Appreciation Gifts Delivered to Schools	11/18	Flexible times	Hackmann Rd Barnwell Harvest Ridge Becky David	3 volunteers needed Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Help Local Outreach decorate the Mission Café Lobby for Christmas at the Movies Series	11/25	10 a.m. until complete	HCC St Charles Campus Mission Cafe	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvester.cc
School Outreach Monthly Pray and Prep	12/2	6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.	HCC St Charles Campus Annex Door 10	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Undecorate Christmas at the Movies Only	12/23	1 p.m.-3 p.m.	HCC St Charles Campus Mission Cafe	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvester.cc
Deliver Christmas cards and gifts to local schools	12/5	Flexible times	Hackmann Rd EC Becky David Barnwell	3 volunteers needed Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Serve Hot Chocolate to Parent Pick Up Line	12/12	2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.	Harvest Ridge Elementary	Email Rachel Vandemeulen rachel.e.vandermeulen@gmail.com
Kona Ice Volunteers at Barnwell	12/13	11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.	Barnwell Middle	Email Rachel Vandemeulen rachel.e.vandermeulen@gmail.com
Undecorate all Christmas from Mission Cafe	1/2/25	1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.	HCC St Charles Campus Mission Cafe	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
School Outreach Pray & Prep	1/6/25	6:30 p.m.-8:0 p.m.	HCC St Charles Campus Annex Door 10	Email Carissa Figgins cfiggins@harvestser.cc
Food Pantry	Multiple Days	Multiple Times	HCC St Charles Campus Food Pantry	Email Sherry Bollinger sbollinger@harvester.cc
Food Backpack Ministry	Multiple Days	Multiple Times	HCC St Charles Campus Food Pantry	Email Shelly Swart swartshelly@gmail.com

May 23, 2024

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC, Jesus, Outreach, Serve Teams

An Ode to Volunteer

” …. But that misses out the vital middles stage – that those who are declared to be in the right, to be God’s people, are the renewed humans, the people God had in mind when creating his image-bearing creatures in the first place, the people who now, in the present age have a decisive role to play in the coming to birth of the new creation….”

– NT Wright, Into the Heart of Romans pg. 16

” All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. THEREFORE, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Paul, 2 Corinthians 5: 18-20

Serving is hard. Serving is counterintuitive. Serving is putting others before ourselves. Serving is thinking differently than we typically would. Serving is not always the hot thing to do. Serving doesn’t always lead to a sexy outcome. Serving doesn’t also bring about all the accolades that we might be searching for.

However, serving may not be the things listed above, it is something that we are called to do. Even if we are not serving in a role or on a serve team or at an event. Serving is what we are called to do always.

Rich Villodas, a pastor in New York, said this about Jesus ” Jesus went towards all….”. He was making reference to how Jesus continually found himself around people serving them however was needed. Whether it was teaching, clearing out a temple, healing, relieving from a demon, recovering the sick, waking the dead or drowning a herd of pigs after putting demons in them. Jesus was always serving, wherever he was with whoever was around.

Every week, we have the chance to serve others when we open the doors for worship services on Sunday’s. I know, serving does not only have to happen on Sundays, but there is a lot of opportunity on Sundays to serve others. Some that do are consistent and others not so much. But whether you are there every Sunday or once a month, you are an ambassador of Jesus to those you are serving. You cannot change that fact.

For those that serve, we thank you! For those that will serve, we thank you! For those that have not yet served…..think about it.

Here is one guests story about their encounter on a Sunday morning:

From:
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 1:29 PM
To: Lead Pastor <leadpastor@harvester.cc>
Subject: Recent Visit

Nikomas Perez,

I was happy to attend Harvester this past Sunday with my son on the way to his hockey game. My interest

was piqued at your invite to the Living Room. I enjoyed meeting you and wanted to share how I came about

coming to Harvester. My home church is Oak Bridge but when I cannot attend I love to seek out other similar

Christian Churches just enjoy the service and see how well they welcome visitors.

I had been to Harvester for an event but not a service when I decided to attend on a cold snowy

day in January. It would have been easy to stay in bed, the roads were bad and I wasn’t even sure the

church would be open since some churches were canceling due to the weather. I had to make the trip

to Wentzville anyway so if being early was the only negative I decided to forge ahead. The Harvester

Facilities team had cleared the lot and salted the steps, kudos to them for a job well done. I walked

in as a familiar looking gentleman held the door open and greeted me with a smile. Wearing a hat with

a jacket I didn’t get a great look at who it was but once inside I had to turn back and see who the

familiar face was. Sure enough I recognized Kim Forney! Kim had attended Oak Bridge and knowing

he had chosen Harvester as his home church I knew I had picked the right church to attend.

Everyone from the parking lot to my seat was cheerful, friendly, and willing to provide any information

that I needed. Knowing a little about the operation of a church, I had to send a note of praise to your

team and all the wonderful volunteers at Harvester. As I mentioned earlier, I brought my son with me

on Sunday and holding open the same door and greeting me with a smile was Kim. Please double his

salary!

Thank you Harvester for reflecting Jesus in such an excellent and authentic way!

Sincerely,

Again, serving is not always the easiest thing to do. But when you do, you make a difference in other people’s lives.

If you need help, let us know. We would love to help get you plugged in to a serve team!

May 13, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, Child Welfare, Church, DTOTD, Global, Guest Services, HCC, Local, Natural Disaster Response, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Serve Teams, The Sharing Shed

Faith without works, is dead

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you say to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled”, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

– James 2:14-17

Serving others, out of a humble heart, is not an easy choice that not everyone will make.

In the church, we talk about serving all of the time. And to be honest, we have too. Serving is of vital importance to every church’s existence and operational ability. The church was not created to be a paid enterprise organization that is able to pay every single person that changes a diaper or leads a small group. As crazy as it sounds, the church was created to be a vessel of people that would pour into the people around them and inside the walls of the church building to be able to lead those to knowing and following Jesus.

There is one thing about learning about God from an academic stand point, but it is something completely different when it comes to following Jesus’ example of life here on earth.

When we see the disciples, which eventually become Apostles in the book of Acts, get called by Jesus, very early on we see the disciples both learning things and unlearning things. The disciples are learning from Jesus about what life could look like and unlearning what they have been taught since they were kids. Jesus also takes the moments to send his disciples out, very often, the disciples are sent out to serve and to preach the good news of Jesus.

You see when you begin to follow Jesus, and become his disciple, we find that serving is intertwined with your faith and your deepening understanding of who Jesus is for us and through us.

The problem we all face, is that serving has become somewhat of a ‘glamour’ seeking endeavor. Serving has been distorted to be into something that we can brag about. If you read Thought #8, you may be thinking, this sounds a whole lot like hospitality, well because serving and hospitality go hand in hand with our discipleship to Jesus.

You see as we get closer to Jesus, we see that Jesus had a natural rhythm to life that we can emulate. It may not be as deep or as perfect as Jesus’, which is no surprise, it can be lived out in a daily way.

” ………….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 came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:43-45

Serving is not about your ability to brag about where you serve or how many people you serve. Serving is about the love you have for Jesus overflowing out of our hearts towards others. It could look like this:

Having a meal with family friends that don’t know Jesus. (hospitality)

Planning a VBS while on a mission trip in Ethiopia. (serving)

Wiping the nose of an upset 3 year old at church in the middle of the summer. (serving)

Stopping to listen to a hurting friend or coworker. (hospitality)

Cleaning the bathrooms at a church that doesn’t have anyone to clean the church on a regular basis. (serving)

Reaching out to your neighbor about the doctors appointment they had. (hospitality)

Could it be hauling furniture from The Sharing Shed to a family in our community? (serving)

As our love for Jesus grows, our hearts for hospitality and serving increase.

There is a forward-facing part of serving and hospitality that is undeniable and very real.

When we serve someone or a group of people, there is a very real and undeniable focus put on you and the same goes for when you show hospitality to someone or a group. As Christians, we are called to go and make disciples of all nations, of anyone that will listen and accept the good news of Jesus and to lead them to following Jesus and his commands. Which means we will be looked at and unfortunately, potentially judged for our actions.

Jesus gave us a new command in John 13 by saying ” we must love one another, like I have loved you…..BY THIS, all people will know you are my DISCIPLES.” – John 13:34 & 35

Then again in John 17, Jesus says ” I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of this world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world…..I do not ask this for these only, but also for those who WILL believe in me through their word, that they may be one just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me….” – John 17:15-21

To James’ point, can we have faith with out works….yes but it doesn’t mean much. On the flip side of that, can we just serve others with out the faith behind it….sure but that also doesn’t mean much because there is nothing attached to the deed. Sure you could be looked at a good person, but in the discourse of salvation, serving to check a box on a to-do list, doesn’t lead to being a disciple of Jesus.

Serving should first and foremost always come from the outpour of love that Jesus has given you and now you attempt to give to others.

As much as bible study and worship and small groups and prayer and silence and solitude are important to your discipleship with Jesus, if we neglect to serve also, then we are missing the whole picture of being a disciple of Jesus.

The question then is, where will you serve to be able to breath the life and love of Jesus out to others?

If you are reading this and are not serving, here is a painted picture worth thinking about:

Here at Harvester Christian Church, there are hundreds of places you can serve…….hundreds really.

Recently I asked just some of the ministries around HCC, what kind of volunteer numbers could they use right now…….150…..Meaning, we could use 150 more people to come and serve the church and the guests that are coming to church each and every week and month.

That number gets even larger when asked what would a dream number of volunteers be….one ministry said 200, another said 270!!

Imagine the kingdom impact we could make as a church if we all took one opportunity to serve in some way….what would it look like, what would it feel like, how would you be used to impact someone else’s life?

Can I challenge you…..take a moment and think about where you would want to serve, just TWO TIMES…what ministry would be it, how would you be serving?

Could it be that you want to help guests find a parking spot with our parking team?

Could it be opening a door for one of our disabled guests that struggle to open the door themselves?

Could it be serving behind the cafe counter helping our guests with some donuts to make the environment of Sunday morning warm and welcoming?

Could it be holding a crying baby until they fall asleep in your arms so that the parents can go and worship?

Could it be leading a small group of 2nd graders to help them understand how much God loves them?

Could it be flipping switches on our tech team in that back where if we didn’t have people, our services wouldn’t happen?

Could it be having conversation with our online guests to welcome them and help them have the best online experience they can?

Could it be helping a new family walk from Guest Central to Kids Check in to help them feel calm and welcomed as they bring their kids to Harvester Kids?

There are so many opportunities for you to step out, in faith, and serve those coming to Harvester Christian Church.

The question is, will you?

If you are interested, let us know or join us for Discover Harvester on June 9th, here is a link – Discover Harvester –

April 3, 2024

in Child Welfare, Guest Services, Local, Outreach, Safe Families for Children, Uncategorized

April 2024 Newsletter

Welcome to our April 2024 newsletter!

We are thrilled to share with you the latest developments in HCC’s Local Outreach ministry and our mission to unleash hope in St Charles County. Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to all of our volunteers who continue to serve consistently to build relationships with our neighbors in St. Charles County. Continue to share information, opportunities, and prayers with your friends and family. You all are GREAT ambassadors.

In terms of our recent activities, Local Outreach volunteers have been BI-ZEEEE! We cooked and served hundreds of pancakes at Harvest Ridge Elementary, we served at The Sharing Shed, we assembled gifts and wrote thank you cards to local school teachers, and we served at Barnwell Middle during their Kona Ice Days.

With more and more people finding their way to Harvester we need more and more Guest Services volunteers. In particular, more Parking Lot volunteers would be great! Check-in with Brendon to see what that would look like. Local Outreach and Guest Services had their first fellowship meal in March. It was just a nice time to come together over a fabulous potluck meal and get to know each other better with no other agenda. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. Thank you for your continued support! Enjoy this month’s newsletter!

DID YOU KNOW? April is Child Abuse Prevention Month & Foster Care Awareness Month

The zip code 63376 which runs through the cities of St. Peters, Cottleville, and parts of St. Charles has the highest substantiated rate of of child sexual abuse. This is one of the reasons we are partnering with the Child Advocacy Center to bring the free Stewards of Children: Darkness to Light Training. EVERY adult needs to protect all children. As the saying goes, knowledge is power and eliminates fear. Join us on April 11th 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the Large Conference Room in the lower level of the Offices to learn how to prevent and protect children from experiencing abuse.

We are also excited to announce that we will be hosting an informational meeting for Safe Families for Children on April 23rd from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the FLC. Safe Families for Children hosts vulnerable children and creates extended family–like supports for families through a community of devoted volunteers meeting is for families that would like to learn more about becoming a host family. This meeting is also for those who want to support host families with things like babysitting, transportation, meals, and resources. Register for one or both of these events on the HCC website or email Carissa at cfiggins@harvester.cc

Safe Families for Children

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Matthew 18:6

A Few Ways You Can Prevent Child Abuse

Know the signs: Consider attending the free Stewards of Children Darkness to Light Training on April 11th in the Large Conference Room in the lower level of the Offices from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Join millions around the world for the 30th anniversary of Blue Sunday, April 28th, a day of prayer for child abuse victims. Wear blue to church to show your love and advocacy for child abuse victims.
Invest in the lives of at-risk children
Speak up! If something doesn’t feel right – SAY something
Join us on April 23rd at 6 p.m. to learn more about Safe Families for Children– an intervention for families before foster care gets involved.
Join our HCC group that provides meals, transportation, or babysitting to HCC Safe Families, foster families, and adoptive families.

Ready to unleash hope in St. Charles County?

Click here to sign up for upcoming April information meetings, trainings, and serving opportunities!

January 24, 2024

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, GiveHope, Guest Services

DTOTD – Thought 3

” If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you……These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14: 15-17, 25-26

Just follow your heart.

Have you heard that phrase before? It is a phrase that you can find in all of culture, movies, songs, art and even the news cycles. Just follow your heart.

That phrase has led to most likely, heartache, confusion, questions, counseling, divorce, anger, resentment, mistrust, bad financial moves, and maybe even worse but the hurt of your own body.

Just follow your heart is a dangerous phrase. It can lead us down so many different paths that we may not know where we end up at the end of it.

There is a story in the Gospel of Luke, where the author writes a parable that Jesus used in teaching about Grace and God the Father. The parable goes that the youngest of two brothers went up to his father while he was still living and asked him to give him his portion of the inheritance that he would receive when his father is dead. For some reason, the Father says ok and gives the youngest son a whole pile of money. The youngest son, follows his heart and the bible says:

” not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need….” - Luke 15:13-14

The youngest son followed his heart and it led him to nothing.

We might not all be able to resonate with the youngest son, that followed his heart and it lead him to literally having nothing to his name other than his clothes. But, we probably are able to look back at seasons or years of our lives where we followed our hearts and it led into a place of desolate isolation and regret.

What if there was something or maybe someone that would remind us of who we are, what we are, what we are made to be, the concrete truths that we can stand firm on in our lives…..

” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

Recently in a discussion about the Farewell Discourse of Jesus in John 14-18, the topic of the Holy Spirit came up and if we would rather have Jesus still on earth or if we understand the power of the Holy Spirit. Conversation ensued and the thoughts came to this:

There is a reason Jesus told us that it was better for us for him to go back to Heaven and the Helper come to Us. Because if The Holy Spirit did not come, then we would never be able to break free from anything that our hearts lead us towards.

Just follow your heart is not the phrase to lead us to Jesus or even help us become more like Jesus in our every day lives.

Allowing the Holy Spirit of Jesus/God to come into our hearts, so that when we have moments of time to make a decision, the Spirit Helps us through those times.

There are lots of thoughts and perceptions of the Holy Spirit. Some are right, some are off and some are just downright weird.

But for the simple-minded, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that brings us knowledge and strength and power and healing and grace. The question is whether or not we allow the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts or whether we will continue to just follow our own hearts that are riddled with sin.

The Holy Spirit is a Helper.

The Holy Spirit is a Healer.

The Holy Spirit is a Guide.

The Holy Spirit is a Presence.

Take a breath and allow the Holy Spirit to come into your lives.

January 8, 2024

in Church, Guest Services, HCC Basketball-Cheer, Local, Outreach

Signing up to Serve on ChMS:

Systems can be a fickle and frustrating thing. They can feel restrictive and box like, but systems are necessary for growth and for organizational leadership. With a new system, there will always be growing pains and head aches. But, if you stick with it and continue to working on getting your entire organization involved and in support of the new system, it can then bring freedom, flexibility and an ease on whatever event you might be coming up to.

Here is another help resource for you in regards to signing up for Serving via ChMS:

Remember to be put in the general volunteer group please complete this brief general volunteer registration. https://harvestercc.ccbchurch.com/…/forms/19/responses/new
To volunteer to ref please complete this brief referee registration. https://harvestercc.ccbchurch.com/…/forms/18/responses/new
Once these are completed you are placed in the volunteer group and You will receive an email from Jillian Hohensee titled – New Serving Opportunities

Open the email
Scroll to the bottom of the page where you will see a button that says – VIEW OPPORTUNITIES – Click the button
That will open a web browser window with 2 categories on the top of the page – Assignments & Requests // Browse Open Positions
You should automatically arrive at the Browse Open Positions portion of the page
Scroll down on the date listed, to see where you can serve for a Game Day – if you are looking to ref:
Find a ref position that is open ( court and time ) that you are interested in
Click on the button – it should bring up a pop-up for you to TAKE OPPORTUNITY
1. If you want to see the schedule you can click the VIEW SCHEDULE link above the blue TAKE OPPORTUNITY button
  1. If you click on the view schedule link it will take you to the full schedule of the gameday where you can see which games need refs and which are full
  2. CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR NAME IS ALREADY on the schedule as you may have been assigned a game to ref
  3. Once you either find the right spot or see where you are scheduled to ref – click the back arrow on the web browser to find the time to sign up

iii. Once you are ready to TAKE an OPPORTUNITY – Click the Blue Button

It will automatically add your name to the schedule – and bring you back to the original link page of Assignments and Browse
You will receive an email confirmation of the opportunity you signed up for and…
To check – click on the Assignments and requests button on the top of the page
Once there you can see where you are scheduled to serve and where you might have been requested to serve.

Before closing out of the web browser –I would suggest pinning the web page to your browser for quick access throughout the season

Thanks for being willing and gracefully allowing us the space to get this under control!

Click here to download a quick PDF on how to sign up– Volunteer Sign Up Process

December 18, 2023

in Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services

DTOTD – The Coming King

” ….But you, O Bethlehem Ephraith, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, FROM YOU SHALL FORTH FOR ME ONE WHO IS TO BE RULER IN ISRAEL, whose coming forth is from of old and ancient days…..and HE SHALL BE THEIR PEACE…..” Micah 5:2, 5a

In a season of busyness and checklists and grocery lists, baking time, cooking time, family time, work time, rest time, present time, worship time, church time, and all the other times that are pulling for our attention, there is little to no time for peace.

Maybe not peace and quiet, but memories, feelings, and emotions of peace. Where we allow time to slowly slip by as we sit with our family and remember the things that were, things that are and things that will be. Peace that rests our hearts, minds and souls.

In the midst of the chaotic busyness there is a chance for us to use this time to find peace that we have not found and not felt at any other point of the year.

The above text is from the prophet Micah in the OId Testament, as he was prophesying to the nation of Israel about coming turmoil and tribulation that they will endure of being taken over….in verse 5, he states what this coming ruler will bring that will come from Bethlehem…

Peace.

In a state of confusion and chaos that the Israelites were in, there was a message of peace. When all else seemed to be fading into darkness and into a pit that will be incredibly difficult to get out of. Peace was the coming message.

Fast forward a couple hundred years to Matthew 1 / Luke 2, the coming of this prophesy takes place. The birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God is born in a time that was full of chaos and confusion and misunderstanding. The Roman empire had swallowed up so much land that rules and regulations and censuses were being taken for the first time or coming from a land that most Hebrews would never see. But it was in this moment, in the moment of busyness and travel and confusion and bad travel plans and cancelled reservations that Jesus made his way onto the scene.

Immanuel has come. As Richard Foster so eloquently states in his book Life With God, that the desire and outcome of the grand story of God is that Jesus comes to earth as a baby to show and prove that the place that God desires to be is WITH his people. Not separated or far away from or not in touch with, but one that is intimately with his people every day.

In a season where people were lost and looking for answers. In a season where people were hurting and looking for someone to heal them, maybe not physically but spiritually. And even some that were seeking healing physically. Jesus came to the world to give them peace.

In John 16, Jesus, in his Farewell Message to his disciples with him and to us, tells us:

” I have said these things to you, that in me you may have PEACE. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. ” John 16:33

Jesus came to Bethlehem to bring Peace.

Jesus spoke a message of Peace.

Jesus died so that you can have Peace.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so you can have Peace.

Jesus calls you to Himself to offer you peace.

Will you find and reach out and accept his Peace?

Take a moment today, tomorrow or sometime before the calendar switches and as Jesus to bring you Peace that he can only give.

December 4, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC Basketball-Cheer, Local, Outreach

DTOTD – Farewell Message

” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…….And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5, 14

In a season that is full of lights…lights on houses, lights on cars since it is darker sooner and longer, lights on shoes, lights on shows, lights on trees, lights in motion….there can be a whole lot of darkness. The Christmas season can bring so many memories, both good and bad and some just indifferent. Whether you love the holiday or despise the holiday or maybe you are just a grinch until you realize that you can’t steal Christmas away and just embrace it.

And even those who gather together to celebrate the birth of Jesus for Christmas, feel this weight that the season brings. So it seems kind of weird that this season, reading the end of Jesus’ life brings a whole lot of peace and life by breathing slowly.

Jesus came into the world in a time of dysfunction and confusion. The people of God, the Hebrews or Israelites haven’t heard from God in over 400 years at this point. Then all of a sudden a star shows up in the sky, a young couple travels back to a hometown that they didn’t know well and find themselves in a manger where the pigs and horses and cows and chickens and any other number of barn animals slept and got out of the cold. But it was in this moment in time when God decided to make a grand entrance and send his son Jesus to the earth.

Over the next 33ish years Jesus would live amongst the creation that he was a part of as we read in John 1. But in Jesus’ 33rd year of life, came the moment where it was time for him to go back to the Father in Heaven. He spends 3 years with a group of disciples that walked with him, breathed with him, learned from him, ate with him, watched him preform miracles and healings and listened to every teaching and got to ask questions to him directly. At the last moments of Jesus’ life, we see Jesus with his disciples but away to pray and he prays these words:

” I do not ask for these only, but also for those WHO WILL BELIEVE in me through their word….” John 17:20

Jesus prayed for you.

Jesus prayed for you in the darkest moments of his own life.

Jesus prayed for you before you were born, or your parents were born or your grandparents were born or even your great grandparents were born.

Jesus prayed for you before you knew him.

Jesus prayed for you knowing you would find dark times.

Jesus prayed for you knowing you would find light times.

Jesus prayed for you.

As we enter into another Christmas season, whether the season is filled with lights and traditions and places to go and people to celebrate and hug or whether the season brings pain and hurt and memories that are hard…..know this……

That Jesus, the light of life, prayed for you.

That Jesus, the wonderful counselor is here for you.

That Jesus, the prince of peace will give you peace in the chaos.

That Jesus, the Mighty King died on the cross for you even while we still sin.

That Jesus, the Son of God, prayed for you.

Let those words sink in as you walk or run or crawl through this season.

November 7, 2023

in Church, Guest Services, HCC Basketball-Cheer, Local, Outreach, School Outreach

The Gathering Recap

“ So much time and energy is put into religious concerns-church buildings, church committees, church programs, and activities – that the secular world suffers from pure neglect. But it is in that very world, Christians spend more of their time. If the Christian faith is going to have any kind of impact at all, it must address how believers live in the secular world. Ordinary people must learn to live as disciples of Jesus when they are NOT at church. Perhaps we need a new category of saint – a ‘ secular saint’ who lives passionately for Christ while serving as a banker or teacher or construction worker or artist.”

Gerald Sittser – Waters From a Deep Well

It is hard to believe that it has been almost 2 weeks since we had our Guest Services and Local Outreach team Gathering! But it’s true, the days have flown by and it is time to prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

If you were able to join us for the Gathering, the quote above was one I explained that stood out to me when I read it but I wasn’t sure why at the time. But as I continued to think about and stew on the quote, it finally dawned on me…..

As a Guest Services and Local Outreach team, you are fulfilling this quote.

As a team, we welcome guests onto our campus and inside our doors and in our worship center. As a team, we go into the community and serve many different schools, organizations and people of all kind to be the hands and feet of Jesus to each of them. As a team, you are all secular saints. People that do not do ministry full time as a career, but a group of people that have fallen in love with Jesus and are genuinely passionate about Jesus and wanting others to know who Jesus is, all the while being that secular saint in your work places and homes that are in the secular world. The premise that Mr. Sittser speaks of in this quote, is that ordinary people learning to live as disciples of Christ in a secular world is one of the hardest but most fulfilling roles to have in life. And as a team, you are all a part of that premise and are doing amazing at it!

Before I get to any sort of information or details about a few things that will be coming in 2024, let me encourage you going into a very busy time of year:

” 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 you souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-20

Jesus speaks these words when he is talking with his disciples as well as disciples of John the Baptist. Jesus says these words also to each and every one of us. That when we are in the craziness of life, the mundane daily tasks, the transportation company that is your vehicle to practice and games and concerts and friends houses, that Jesus is the best place to find rest.

My hope for you individually, is that you are able to find rest in Jesus. I hope that you find the rhythms that find you resting in Jesus far more often than you have at any other point in your life. That 2024 can be a year that is a catalyst for a life long journey with Jesus as not just a need or help in dark times, but the source of light and life in your every day.

We are going to need it. Because in 2024, there will be two big things changing on an every week level that you need to know about:

A new Database – ChMS – Some of you reading this are probably thinking…huh? Why is this important? Well, in years past it may not have been. But this year, mainly for our Guest Services teams, this change to a new database is going to be a pretty large move, due to the additions of:
1. Self Logins – meaning, you will have access to this database. You will be able to create a login username and password for you to have access to ChMS. Sure, still may not seem like a big deal, but our reach just became massive! Having your own login will allow you to be just as big of a resource as a coach or leader because we all become ambassadors for our teams and our church. Recruiting is a massive task and when all of us have the ability to recruit and contact people, it makes recruiting an easier opportunity.
2. Scheduling – did you know that there are 8 teams that make up the Guest Services team as a whole?? Parking, Golf Carts, Greeter, Communion tables, Section Hosts, Living Room Guides, Guest Central, First Aid and our Mission Cafe is a huge partner with us. All of those teams have their own schedules right now….that is a lot of schedules to keep track of. In January 2024, we will be moving to using ChMS as our primary way of signing up to serve and keeping schedules. This will also allow ALL members of the Guest Services teams to see who is serving and where. As an individual team, it can seem a little lonely, but when we see the whole picture, we know that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. There will be more talk about the online schedules in the coming weeks.
The Belong Experience, wont Belong anymore – man that sounds so depressing, and it kind of is. But, we are brining our Belong Experience to a close so that we can start something new!
Enter – Discover Harvester – Discover Harvester, starting in April, will be our new space to invite and push new guests and anyone wanting to get more involved with Harvester CC. Just like Belong, Discover Harvester will be where people can learn about who we are as a church, what we believe and how they can get involved. But instead of attempting to do that in one hour, it will be broken down into TWO parts:
1. Week 1 – this will be very similar to what our Belong Experience is right now. It will be video driven and information based. However with filming new videos, it will also free up a ton more time for table conversations all about Harvester. Think these two things about week 1 – we want people to make a decision for Jesus and then Harvester.
2. Week 2 – part 2 of Discover Harvester will also be video driven but will be geared and designed specifically to help people have more time to see where it is that God might be calling them to take a next step. Through video stories, table conversations and hosts, week 2 should be a great chance for not only the hosts of the morning, but also the attenders to make a great decision on where God is calling them to be involved with HCC.

The last thing about the Gathering that I do not want to over look is this:

Our goal for 2024 – is to not get stuck in what was, but embrace what could be.

The great theologian, Olaf the Snowman said this in Frozen 2 – ” Oh how I wish this could last forever. And yet change mocks us with our beauty.”

Olaf could not be more right. The machine is clicking right now. Things are working and each week, as teams fulfill our team goal of being the most welcoming church anyone can experience.

The danger that we run, especially in a season like it is right now, that if we do not begin to change or think about how things get better and move towards that, we get stuck and end up behind the game. And it is much harder to catch up instead of trying to be ahead of the curve.

So come along with us for another great year of welcoming guests and being the hands and feet of Jesus to our church, community and world!

Oh yea, here are some dates you might want to know:

Christmas 2023: all services are full programmed except the 11pm service on the 24th.

Friday, December 22nd – 6pm
Sunday, December 24th – 8am/9:30am/11am & 3pm/4:30pm/11pm

Guest Service and Local Outreach Trainings 2024:

Thursday, February 29th – 6:15-8:30pm in the Mission Cafe
Thursday, May 16th – 6:15-8:30pm in the mission Cafe
Thursday, October 24th – 6:00-8:30 – The Gathering in the Landing

feel free to reach out if you have any questions!!

Love you guys, thanks so much for serving!

October 5, 2023

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC