Praise for the Past, Faith for the Future Renewal Sunday, September 25, 2011

This past Sunday, September 18th we distributed "Estimate of Giving" cards in our morning worship services. You might remember that the original building campaign called for a commitment of gifts to be made over a three year period. We are well into our third year of the campaign and I want to thank you for your faithfulness to give so generously. At the time of our original campaign, we had $749,904.16 committed over a three year period. I am pleased to announce that as of August 31, 2011 we have received $694,836.45! This amount includes your campaign gifts as well as the 11% of our undesignated receipts each month when we were able to do so from our general fund.

Your Capital Fund and Steering Committees have decided to extend our original campaign eight (8) months, concluding December 31, 2012. There are three reasons for this extension:

1. This will allow people a little extra time to make their original three year commitment.

2. This will allow people to make adjustments to their commitment if needed.

3. This will allow our new members and others who did not feel that they could make a commitment previously to have the opportunity to join us in this campaign.

What Is Your Committee Asking You to Do with The Estimate of Giving Card?
1. If you made a commitment in the original campaign, and you are satisfied with the original commitment that you made, simply record your original commitment minus what you have already given. This amount would represent your commitment for the remainder of the campaign, 15 months. You should have received a letter with the amount that you have given as of August 31st. If not, please contact the church office.

2. If you made a commitment in the original campaign, and you have already completed your commitment, prayerfully consider what you might give above your original commitment for the remainder of the campaign through 2012. Here’s an example of how this might work.

Say the original amount that you pledged over three years was $6,000 and you have completed your pledge. But since the campaign has been extended and you are able financially, you might feel that you could give an additional $2,000 through December, 2012. On your Estimate of Giving card simply record the additional amount of $2,000 that you feel led to give over the next 15 months.

Similarly, if you made a commitment in the original campaign but for some reason you are not able to fulfill that amount, then record what you plan to give over the next 15 months.

3. For new members and those who did not make a commitment in the original campaign, let me encourage you to prayerful consider partnering in this campaign from now until the original campaign concludes December, 2012. So the amount that you record would be your pledged amount for the campaign from now, September 25th through December 2012.

4. If you can only pray for your church, then please record the prayer response stating that you will pray for HBC as we seek to do God’s work and bring Him glory.

This Sunday, September 25th we are asking that you bring your completed Estimate of Giving cards to worship where we will lay them before the Lord and have a special time of prayer. I look forward to what God has in store for Hebron as we continue to be faithful in extending the Gospel of Jesus in our community and in our world.

See you Sunday as we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, ready to serve the living and true God.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
"Phil. 1:3"

Sunday, September 18, 2011 Sermon Text (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10)

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10, ESV

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

Fall Revial Is Here!!!

All are welcomed to join us for our Fall Revival beginning this Sunday, September 11th and continuing through Wednesday, September 14th! Following are the details for the week:

Guest Speaker: Keith Manuel
Guest Worship Leader: J. R. Walley

Schedule of Services
Sunday 8 & 10:30 a.m.
6 p.m. "Bring a Friend Night"

Monday 7 p.m. "Family Night"

Tuesday 7 p.m. "Sr. Adult Night"

Wednesday 7 p.m. "Children and Youth Night"

"Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" Psalm 85:6

Sunday's Sermon Text: Psalm 32:1-11

This Sunday's sermon, "Hope in the Hard Place of Sin's Guilt," is based on Psalm 32: 1-11, ESV

A Maskil of David.

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Look forward to seeing you this Sunday for Christ-exalting and life-changing worship!
Pastor Joe

Hope in the Hard Place of Disappointment (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

This Sunday, August 21, 2011 I will continue the series, "Hope in the Hard Places." This week we are going to look at Jeremiah 29:10-14.

Jeremiah 29:10-14, NIV

10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

See you Sunday as we worship "the living God."
Pastor Joe

Hope in the Hard Places, New Sermon Series at HBC!

New Series: “Hope in the Hard Places”
Begins Today, August 7, 2011

Hope is “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment” (Webster’s). For the Christian, hope is the belief that regardless of our circumstances, God is going to come through! To lack that kind of assurance is to become hopeless, despondent, despairing, even sick. “Hope delayed makes the heart sick” (Pr. 13:12, CEB).

Where does hope come from? Hope comes from the Lord and from trusting in His word of truth, for truth is what is needed to dispel our false beliefs that cause us to lose hope. Over the course of this series, we will look at some of the “hard places” that we often find ourselves in. God’s Word offers us great encouragement and hope in these hard places of our lives. Invite a hurting friend to join us on Sundays for worship to hear God’s healing Word in Scripture and song.

Messages This Month
August 7 -- Hope in the Hard Place of Sickness -- 2 Kings 20:1-6

August 14 – Hope in the Hard Place of Depression – Psalm 42:1-11

August 21 – Hope in the Hard Place of Disappointment – Jeremiah 29:10-14

August 28 – Hope in the Hard Place of Weariness – Isaiah 40:27-31

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe

Sermon Text for Sunday, July 10, 2011 (Romans 12:1-2)

Here is a tremendous text dealing with the believer's relationship with God and knowing God's will. This Sunday, July 10th we will be exploring this rich passage for the truth about worship and God's will. I hope to see you this Sunday for life-changing worship!

Pastor Joe

Romans 12:1-2

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.