WholeHeartedLife

Sunday is one of "those days"

There are days when we just know (and anticipate) the priviledge of being a witness to those who do not ordinarily come to church - this Sunday is one of those days.

How will you make a difference - what will you do? Parking? Greeeting? Singing? Loving? Many of you have a ministry you've been a part of this year (one of the above mentioned). How about getting up with the leader of that ministry and asking what you can do to take this special day over the top?!?

We want our guest to feel so welcome this week that they will want to attend our special "Year End Service" next Sunday (12/30) at 10AM. Wouldn't it be awesome if that 10am service was standing room-only?

Describe This Sunday!!!!!

Are you ready for Sunday? Question is: do you REALLY know what's happening Sunday so you can tell others about it?

I explained to our congregation Sunday (just so we were clear...) that "back in the day" we used to do special productions at Christmas, Easter (and any other time we could come up with an excuse to be busy) for the purpose of reaching out to those we were trying to reach. Problem was that "those we were trying to reach" didn't come - other church people came. Heck, if you'll be honest, many of you didn't even come!

Statistics say that people are not "anti-church" - they are just unconnected. Recent surveys also tell us that they would be open to attending church if somebody would just invite them (and they didn't have to go by themselves).

With these facts in mind, we made the decision that rather than doing 3 or 4 special programs per year that wear out our most valuable assets (that would be YOU ) that we would do 52 special programs per year, on Sunday morning, putting a higher emphasis on the weekly service (after all, every Sunday is someone's 1st Sunday at hyde park). And then, on a few select Sunday's (Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day and maybe a few more) we will go "OVER THE TOP", taking our excellence to new levels for the purpose of reaching...

THIS SUNDAY IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

"The Divine" is a full-service presentation that will feature great music, Creative elements, touching songs, a story - and a creative presentation of the Gospel that will bring Christmas to new heights.  This is an outstanding opportunity to invite your family and friends who do not ordinarily go to church…I promise they will hear the Gospel in a unique way! (By the way–BE EARLY NEXT SUNDAY!!! Trust me, you do NOT want to miss the beginning of this service!!!)

(PS - Did you get a "Backwindow Christmas Sticker" on Sunday? If you missed it - we've got stickers to advertise our Christmas times while you're driving. There has never been an easier way to share - While you sit at a busy intersection God can use you to remind the person behind you what times our services are THIS SUNDAY! Simple. There are still a few left, come by the office and get yours.

We are SO Doing This!!!

"You got eyes - plagarize." - Ed Young, Jr.

I've heard Ed say this on more than one occasion in reference to "stealing" great ideas from others. His point: when you see something that is "hot", use it - don't be so full of pride to think everything you do has to be original. By the way, there is not much in this world that has not been done somewhere, at sometime, by someone.

So when I saw this picture, I got excited! I thought, "man, that is TOO awesome!! I could imagine 100 or more cars roaming Lumberton next week promoting our Christmas Services on the 23rd!!

So we're gonna do it - we're getting the window chalk - we're gonna make up multiple stencils (so it will look cooler than the picture ) and with your permission, we'll even have someone put it on your car for you while you worship this Sunday. Pretty Cool, huh?

So here's what we need: who is willing to help stencil cars Sunday while people worship - if you are, reply here or let me know.

Blessings at Christmas

Christmas is such a special time of the year...

Despite the hurried tones that accompany the season, the truth is it more often than not brings out the best in people.

Christmas is the time when God sent the "HOPE of the World" into this world - we, His people, must extend that hope to as many people as possible (for example, just a few weeks ago we sent thousands of shoeboxes to children all over the world hoping to share the love of our Jesus!) As Christmas approaches there are SO MANY opportunities for you to BE a blessing to those who need a touch this Christmas. Maybe you were looking for a way...

• There are still 14 Angels on our "Angel Tree" - This is one of the greatest ministries we have within our congregation. The Angel Tree is filled with "angels" from our congregation. So when you pick an angel, you are picking a hyde park child! Gifts are due Sunday, so come by the office this week and pick one up!
• The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - We support missionaries all over the world. Also...in anticipation of our upcoming Mission trip to Senegal, West Africa in January - the missionaries we will work with directly benefit from this offering.
• Santa Shop - Our Sr. High ministry is working with His Little Ones Pregnancy Service to provide a free shopping experience for expectant mothers who already have small children at home. You can help by bringing new or gently used toys (ages 2-10 years) to Carole at the hyde park office
• Adopt-a-family - some of our Bible Fellowship Groups are adopting needy families around the area for Christmas.

Also, Monday nite was our annual Boy's and Girl's Supper in the ROC Gym where we team with a local prevention program to reward at risk kids at Christmas. Very touching night!

I hope that you plan to give to others this Christmas in JESUS' Name.

Why i don't like Christmas (or at least didn't)

In yesterday's post i made reference to the long running joke about me "not liking Christmas". The truth is that i love Christmas as much as anyone - but it is a fun topic of discussion for us around the Christmas holidays. Here's the background on where all that came from...

On my first Christmas at hyde park I did some Christmas music (notice the emphasis on some, meaning that i conveniently worked in a few carols with our normal songs). We of course did the obligatory "Christmas Cantata" (which, if you don't have a church background, the word cantata sounds like a holiday treat that would probably taste decent it's a concert - call it a concert and let the "outsiders" understand what it is you're having!). The next year, as Christmas approached, it was asked if "we were going to actually sing Christmas songs this year"? (in a very sarcastic tone by the way...don't you just love the tone that "God's people" can take when they don't like something?). Feeling as if I had done something wrong by not singing "more" Christmas music the year before I went and pulled all the Carols from the hymnal and we sang nothing but carols that year...

...Problem with that was that I HATED IT!!! Not because I hated the songs of Christmas, but because the arrangements that I was forced to use made our whole music program take what felt like a step back-in-time. Our music was beginning to get good at hyde park, but the lame Christmas arrangements just brought the spirit of our services to a screeching HALT! I was SO READY for Christmas to get over, if for no other reason than we might sound like hyde park again!

During the next year I encouraged friends in the music publishing industry (often) to give those of us who were not traditional church something to work with at Christmas (to no avail). So, that year as Christmas approached, I lamented of how i was dreading it! The problem was that i lamented ALOUD around the office - which is where the joking started - you would think i was the grinch or something. That Christmas I once again called the publishers and practically begged for some contemporary sounding Christmas classics and this time they asked me to put it in writing so they could take my requests deeper.

The next Christmas got a little better...

But by my next Christmas the publishers FINALLY gave us some great Christmas arrangements, stuff that doesn't take the worship spirit out of Christmas - after all, the true Spirit of Christmas is worship (think Shepherds and Wise men).

So that's why so many people joke about me not liking Christmas. (and by the way - did i tell you that we kick off Christmas this Sunday?!? I'm EXCITED! Don't be late - the beginning's "strong")