"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13)
This past Sunday began Advent, a season of waiting as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christmas. The first week of Advent represents hope in the waiting. It’s a reminder of the faithfulness of God to the people of Israel, the world as a whole, and more specifically to each of us as followers of Christ. In the midst of tragedy, upheaval, unrest, trials, and waiting, hope can feel unsubstantiated by the circumstances. Yet over it all is the God of hope, who upholds hope with the joy of salvation, peace that surpasses understanding, and the power of the Holy Spirit that strengthens us in our moment of need. Paul reminded the church in Rome that we have hope because we know the God of all hope, and that hope never disappoints. Take time to reflect with others this week on how our God of hope has brought hope into your life.
Below are some celebrations of what our God of hope is doing in our church, as well as our weekly financial update.
Signs of Life:
One of the greatest signs of life in a church is the regular celebration of salvation in the lives of those who have trusted Jesus through the ordinance of baptism. What an awesome privilege to be a part of a church where it is an anomaly to go more than a few weeks without seeing the baptistery filled, and to celebrate in the joy of the life changing power of the gospel. Last week included 4 more baptisms and we eagerly look forward to celebrating many more in the coming year.
Family Photo Op!
Everyone loves a great Christmas photo! Make sure to check out our family photo booth at entrance one to grab your photo this week. The photo area will remain set up through December 20th.
Business Meeting This Week:
Sunday night, December 6th at 6pm will be our end of the year business meeting. As members of our Hyland Heights family, your prayers, support, and wisdom are valued. We encourage you to join us as we look ahead with eagerness to 2021, trusting upon God for continued blessing as we follow His lead as a church.
*For a copy of the agenda, please email Kathy at kstraw@hhbc.net.
Save the Date:
December 20th (6:00pm), Hyland Heights will have a family candlelight service. We hope you will join us for this special celebration representing the culmination of Advent as we look forward to the Christmas week.
January 24-27 (6:30-8:00pm), Hyland Heights will be hosting our first ever Winter Bible Conference. We have an absolutely incredible line-up of guest speakers that you are going to want to hear from each night. Mark your calendars today and stay tuned as we plan to announce our speakers and share the theme of the conference on December 6th.
HHBC Weekly Financials:
November 29th Weekly Offering: $25,452.04
Weekly Budget: $33,228.00
As of November 29th, we have received 102% of our year-to-date budget.
Please remember that giving in worship will continue to look different as long as Covid-19 persists. We will not pass the plates for your safety, but will have offering boxes at each entrance to the worship center where you can give as you enter or exit. For many, we know that you have started to give online, and this continues to be an excellent choice to make giving easier/safer for you and to make sure that the ministry and mission of HHBC continues to impact more lives in the weeks to come. If you would like to give to Hyland Heights online, simply go to hhbc.net/give.
Sunday Reminders: HHBC continues to strive to keep our church family safe during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. We continue to encourage everyone to take the precautions you would take when entering into any other building. If doing things like social distancing, washing hands well, and wearing masks can help us love our neighbors better and avoid potential spread in our church family so we can continue worshiping together in person, we should strive to do these things as much as we are able. We also want to remind everyone that the 9:30 service still has plenty of room for you and your family to join us while best maintaining social distancing. Thank you for your help and understanding as we strive to keep the people we love as safe as possible. For additional information on HHBC’s response to Covid-19 go to hhbc.net/coronavirus.
Worshiping in the waiting,
Dr. Josh Carter
Senior Pastor