Looking Ahead – Vision Night 2012!

April 20, 2012 in HomeTown with 1 Comment

This past Easter weekend we just celebrated our one year anniversary.  Lots of great things that day and it helped us realize that the best is still yet to come.  In case you are wondering we had 75 people at our gathering that past week which is the biggest gathering we have had to date.  Things that stood out, 23 kids in the kids areas, band did a great job and opened the morning with an U2 favorite Pride, we had people all over the place smiling and greeting people, lots of good food, and we taught from the most famous verse in the Bible John 3:16, in case you are interested in hearing it check it out HERE.

What I am really excited about is that we are finally getting return visitors from our Dallas area.  There are people that are coming by and finding  a church home in their community.  This is as it should be but now is the right time to capitalize on this type of momentum.  So here is what I need for you, change your plans if you have not already and dream with us on the night of April 29th!

As we are getting geared up for another year at HTC I believe it is time to unveil the next piece of the puzzle for our church.  So on the night of April 29th we will talk about all of our plans for the next year.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • 6pm is the start time. Don’t be late!
  • Child Care is provided for birth through k-5.  
  • It will take the length of a normal service time.
  • We will discuss all the “Got to know!” info for the church.
  • Please, please, please make this a priority.
  • That’s it, that’s all your getting out of me, you will have to show up to get all the facts!

Listen I never guilt you all about anything but seriously if you are not making plans on coming to this event then I ‘will’ be asking you why.  I have asked it to be a priority for all of us, this is church-wide business.

Looking forward to an evening of planning and dreaming of a future for God’s presence to be known in our midst!

Blessings,

Pastor Joseph May

Easter around the corner!

March 30, 2012 in HomeTown with 0 Comments

OK so there is like no denying it, Easter is the super bowl of Sundays.  More people will visit church on this day more now than at any other time during the year. And because of this it would be foolish of us not to expect more people nor would it be wise not to step it up a little for our guests.  We want to put our best foot forward for those visiting so I would like to make some small requests of our church family.

1.  You will have a chance to get HTC T-Shirts this week.  We can order them and get them to you by Easter Weekend.  We are looking for all of those that will be serving on Easter Weekend to wear theses shirts.  It will help with the identification of those that are the regulars at our church.  This helps visitors track us down easily for questions as well as show a sign of unity and solidarity. (It means that we like and support our church when we proudly wear the colors!)

2.  If you are a regular at HTC and you are not serving this weekend I want you to think of yourself as “On-Call”.  This means you may be a kid-worker and it’s not your week to volunteer in our Kid areas but that does not mean you can’t walk around and meet someone or help with the coffee.  This works the other way around as well, we all need to be ready to step up to the plate and help wherever we can.  Let’s come prepared to worship our Lord but let us also come prepared to fulfill our mission of Glorifying God by making Disciples.  That means helping people want to come back.

3.  This upcoming week I want us to put an emphasis on inviting family, neighbors, and friends to HTC.  We just got in, hot off the presses,  a tool to help you all do this.  We have the first ever HTC road signs.  We would love to have all of our local families put one of these in their yard, as well we are looking for an elite force to put these up around our area in Dallas.  It is a fact, that Road Signs have a high rate of return, and many first time guests will check out a church just because they saw a Road Sign.  Let’s step it up a little and get these signs out and put out some invites to those that need to hear the life changing message of the gospel!

Alright, that’s the three ways everyone can help out around our Home.  Oh, yeah did I forget to mention that it was last year that we opened on Easter!?  Can you believe it?  Our official anniversary is still a couple of weeks away, man time flies when you are having fun.  I mean it guys, yes it has been a hard road for some of you as well as the Mays but I wouldn’t want it any other way.  I love serving you as your pastor.  Let’s make this a Great Easter to remember!

See you Sunday,

Pastor Joseph May

They came looking for answers…

March 27, 2012 in HomeTown, Theology with 0 Comments

   [18] For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
[20] Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
1 Corinthians 1:18-23 ESV

This week at church we are preaching a very appropriate and mysterious message.  It comes in a time that is right before one of our most Holiest Times of the year, passion week, the week we remember where Jesus went to Jerusalem to face His death.  The message is called “Get Born” and it comes from John 3:1-15.  It’s a story that can leave us looking for more answers than what we came to church to have answered.  Basically, Nicodemus, is searching for the answers to life and Jesus tells Him, “You must be born again.”  Meaning that it is something that must be done to you not that you can do it to yourself.

The above passage from1 Corinthians I came across earlier this month.  It straight up tells us that all of our wisdom cannot save us.  This is exactly what Nicodemus was seeking, more wisdom.  This is why it will be important that you all come this week and find out what can we do for our family, friends, and acquaintances when they come to us looking for answers.  Our wisdom can’t help them but there is something to be said that can.  It is found in John 3 this week.  You gotta get hear this news!  We will all tackle a tough situation and figure out what can we do for those we care about that are searching for some answers.

Be blessed and have a great week!

Pastor Joseph May

 

 

HTC… The Next Generation!

March 21, 2012 in Leadership, Shooting from the Hip with 0 Comments

Hey guys I am posting on my blog your Gospel community Curriculum for the next few months.

Things you need to know!

  • This week we are beginning our study at 7pm.  You can get here before that and I would suggest it so you won’t be late.
  • We will wrap up the study section no later than 8:30.
  • People are more than welcomed to hang out, and we might have other business to address after our study section.
  • No dinner this week.  I will make coffee every week.  If you want something to snack on bring it.  We will create a list of needs at our first meeting on 3/22.
  • Guests are welcome, this is an open group format.
  • The dates of this group will run from 3/22 – 7/12.  We are sticking to Thursdays.  Please make this a commitment in your life.

Here is something you have to bring with you and have it signed.  (You know I am an ex-teacher I can’t help but do stuff like that). HTC Gospel Community Covenant

Then here is your curriculum I developed.  I know it is short notice but have week 1 ready to go. That means you have to read it ahead of time guys, do not come unprepared… HTC…-The-Next-Generation!-student

Ok I am looking forward to this get ready for a Wild Ride!

Pastor Joseph May

Giving of an Offering…

March 21, 2012 in HomeTown with 0 Comments

 [20] Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, [21] so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, [22] and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”
                                                                                                   Genesis 28:20-22 ESV

I came across this passage the other day and wanted to share with you some things that I find interesting in the attitude of Jacob.

  • Jacob recognizes that it is God that has given Him the necessities in life as in food and clothing.
  • He is compelled to give a tenth in response to all that God has given Him.
  • The giving that takes place here is not in trying to buy God’s favor because He has already received it out of Grace.

Recently we installed a time of receiving and collecting offering at the end of service.  Let me state the purpose behind this.

1.  Like Jacob, it becomes a response for people recognizing God’s provision.

2. There is grace from God being given to us that needs to be recognized every week.

3.  Giving is a form of worship just like singing or preaching and should be included in the order of service.

4.  As in this passage as it shows the principle of “Testing God” (See Malachi 3:10) I want our people to push their faith and step out and trust God.

5.  To be real honest with you we all need to be reminded of the financial responsibilities of the church.  I think way too many of us overlook this and can ignore a box on a wall.  That has come to an end…

The offering boxes will be gone for a while but not forgotten.  We will put them back up later but for now we want to offer our people the chance to give to God as an act of worship as Jacob did.  To recognize that all we have is a gift from God.  That He has promised to give the basics and in reality everything over and above is a blessing for you already.  It is in this heart we give.

It is an honor to give back to God and tithing is only a starting place for the Christian.  Christians give out of what we have and we give to God first because we recognize what He has already done for us.

May you find joy in the Offering my family.

Pastor Joseph May

 

 

Got questions about giving or tithing and want to research more? Check out This Link.
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