You all continue to amaze me. If you will give me about 10 minutes of your time, I want to simply share some good news/bad news issues that are really close to my heart right now.
The good news is we continue to grow! The bad news is we have some issues now we didn’t have a year ago this time. Attendance April 19th (the week after Easter and traditionally one of the poorest attendance days for US churches) was 276 — and there really wasn’t anything special going on for either service or Sunday School! This is great that we are able to minister to so many. And the really exciting thing is that we continue to see new faces among the college students. Which means we must be having an impact on their lives.
I don’t know if you have thought about it or not, but what college students learn here at HFM will be shared all over the USA and even to parts of the world! And one of the really cool things I hear over and over as I talk with college students is that HFM is really blessed with a great number of really awesome adults who take an interest in their lives. All I can say is, “Thank you for all you do in this area and keep up the great work!”
We do have some growth issues I want to share with you with which you may or may not be able to help. First is a parking issue with the second service. We still have some parking spaces available but if we continue to see growth, they will be used up shortly. Anything you can do to car pool, walk to church, or (if you attend first service and Sunday School) possibly surrender your spot ASAP after Sunday School, we can use your parking spot for second service worship. We don’t want to diminish your worship experience here at HFM. So if you feel any of these accommodations are pressuring you to do that, please ignore this recommendation. But, it doesn’t hurt to let you know what our needs are and allow you to best work with meeting those needs.
Also, in regard to growth issues: Slowly but surely we are seeing growth in our
Wednesday night Youth and Kid’s Club meetings. We have already asked for a number of concessions from the adult Sunday School class that meets in the Fireside Room and from the adult Wednesday Evening Bible Study; but we may be forced to ask even further concessions to try and accommodate continued growth in these two areas of ministry.
We are pretty sure we are going to be able to make it through this school year with our present arrangements. But, after next school year begins to gear up, we may have to make some changes in order to try and accommodate growth in these areas as well.
I have been so pleased with the number of our faithful who have taken it upon themselves to go and pray with those who come to the altar on Sunday AM. Thanks so much! It is great to see you come-along-side of those who are reaching out to God in a special way. As your pastor I am really proud of the fact that you are concerned enough to do this.
Right now, we are holding the line in regard to our finances. Thanks so much for your faithfulness that has allowed us to continue on with ministry without reigning anyone in too severely. I am especially grateful for the number of past memorial contributions that have so blessed this church because (through the memorial money) we have been able to make many, much needed, improvements without putting stress on our Unified (annual) Budget. By the way, it is because of those memorial monies we were able to remodel the gym, the landscaping, as well as make improvements in the sanctuary and educational rooms.
I am also so very pleased with the way this congregation listens intently to Sunday morning messages. Not only is this a great encouragement for your pastor, but it is also a wonderful example and model for our visitors as to the proper posture and attitude of a congregation when God’s Word is being read, preached or expounded upon. Thanks so much for your God-honoring, careful listening to God’s Word.
Finally, thanks for the number of people who volunteer to do more jobs per week here at HFM than I can keep track of. Nearly every day I am blown away by the work that gets done by those who are never paid, never formally recognized, and do it cheerfully, and effectively. Without you ministry could never take place here at HFM.
To sum this all up . . . I am honored to be your pastor. Thanks!
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