Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8
As we continue through the heart of 2020 it could be easy to find reasons to be frustrated, discouraged, or overwhelmed. But I love the way the Psalmist puts it in this Scripture. Our happiness is ultimately not in our circumstances, rather even in the midst of difficult circumstances, as we take refuge in God, we find ourselves happy because of His continued goodness which never ceases!
Below you will find exciting celebrations, important information, as well as our weekly financial report. There is so much to celebrate this week, so let’s get to it!
Dr. Wheeler: I had a chance to speak with Dr. Wheeler following the service. He and Debbie where overwhelmed and beyond blessed by the incredible generosity and love of our church family. You were such a blessing to them and he wanted remind you all how grateful he is and how much he truly does love each of you. Thank you for being the church that loves people beyond description! If you missed the worship service Sunday, you can watch this special service by following this link: hhbc.net/watch
Baptisms: Last week we celebrated two more baptisms! God continues to use our church as a part of His mission to see people brought into His kingdom and we could not be more thrilled to be a part! We even have 3 more scheduled baptism services on the horizon so if you or someone you know is still in need of being baptized, email Kathy Straw at kstraw@hhbc.net and she will help to begin the process with you to be baptized at one of these services.
New Life Groups: This Sunday, August 23rd we are launching FOUR new Life Groups! I can’t even begin to tell you how exciting this is to me! I believe Life Groups are such an important aspect of being a part of our church family and seeing God build and use our church in tremendous ways in the coming years. If you are in a Life Group already, this launch is the perfect time to invite or invite again those who are not in your Life Group to be a part. If you are not already in a Life Group, go to hhbc.net/lifegroups so we can help you find the right fit for you in the coming weeks.
Next Sermon Series: Starting August 30th we will begin walking through one of my favorite epistles, the book of Ephesians. A few weeks ago I mentioned how amazed I was at our youth taking such good notes from the various sermons they listened to at camp. If you are a note taker, check out this resource as a way to keep all your notes together for the next sermon series: Ephesians Scripture Journal
Celebratory Business Meeting: We have great reason to celebrate God’s faithfulness over the past year but also have some incredibly important information and items to bring before our church for a vote. We know you care about the future of Hyland Heights and desire to see us continue to make an impact for the kingdom in Rustburg, Lynchburg and around the world. For this reason, we want you to be a part of this meeting on Sunday, August 30th at 6:00 p.m. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing at HHBC!
Children’s Ministry Update & Ministry Opportunity: This Sunday, August 23rd we plan to be back serving children and families during both hours (9:30 & 11:00) on Sunday morning. However, to do this successfully our preschool and nursery departments could really use your help. If you can serve 1 Sunday a month in either of these areas or during Wednesday nights, please contact Carmen Kerr at mykerrboys@aol.com. If you are already background checked by HHBC we could use your immediate help for this coming Sunday and if you want to help but have not been background checked we will do so and get you serving in the next couple of weeks.
Men’s Prayer Breakfast: We want to remind all of our guys that we do have a men’s prayer breakfast this coming Sunday at 8:00 and you are invited to join us! We are looking forward to a great time of prayer and fellowship as well as enjoying some great food before Life Groups and worship this Sunday morning.
Sunday Reminders: As we continue to see Covid-19 numbers rise in our community, we remind 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. Last week we saw many more people wearing masks in our hallways and would say this is a good thing, as our hallways are the hardest place to maintain social distancing. 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
HHBC Weekly Financials:
Weekly Offering: $27,984.94
Weekly Budget: $33,228.00
As of August 17th, we have received 107% of our year-to-date budget.
Please continue to remember that giving in worship will continue to look different throughout phase 2 of our regathering plan. We will not pass the plates for your safety, but will have offering baskets where you can give as you exit the worship center following whichever service you attend. 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 the weeks to come. If you would like to give to Hyland Heights online, simply go to hhbc.net/give.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
Dr. Josh Carter
Senior Pastor