High fuel cost, a struggling economy or real estate being at a recession level; however bleak the outlook is, God is always there and still in control.  With all the financial difficulties we have personally, corporately or even as a church, God continues to provide.  God has amazingly continued to bless our small church. We have been meeting as a body of believers for over one year now, and some might wonder how we are doing financially?  Well, that is where the mighty power of God comes into play; HE and only HE continues to provide for our needs. 

As we continue to be faithful in the small things, He is faithful in the greater things.  We have been able to meet in a great facility and have been able to provide the needs for two full-time pastors, which is the mighty power of God at hand.  Most plant churches in today’s times begin with one bi-vocational pastor.  With all the struggles in our economy, I am excited to say that last week our offerings were the largest they have ever been.  Why? One very simple reason: we allow God to be in control of our finances and when God is in control, blessings come. 

In Luke 6:36-37 it states:
 
             Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
 
In verse 38 we recognize a verse we have all heard before, but carries such great truth:
 
             Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
 
This is the type of blessing I pray for our church and for each of you in your personal lives.  Allow me to share with you one other scripture that encourages me every time I feel myself getting stressed with my own financial worries.  It comes from the book of Malachi 3:10,
 
             “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it”
 
Please let that verse soak in and remember it during your times of struggle, the LORD says “Test me in this”.  I encourage you to act on God’s work, bring your whole tithe in the storehouse and see what God has in store for you.  He just might give you an unbelievable testimony!

-Randy Jones
Treasurer @ HCC

Looking back, it seems like yesterday that we were standing at the alter saying I do!  On the afternoon of July 9th, 1988, I married my sweetheart.  However, our wedding day didn't go without it's fill of drama----one of the groomsman passed out and rolled down the stairs while in the middle of the service, and we had to move our reception inside because of the rain.  Did I mention that we got married in the middle of a heat wave in the north and the church we got married in didn't have air conditioning? Well it didn't stop there--that night after standing in the receiving line for 4 hours and then going to Merideth's parents to open gifts, we eventually loaded the car and trailer and headed toward Boston on our way back to Florida to begin our new life together.  

Our first honeymoon night, while staying at the hotel in Boston, I was awaken by the alarm clock going off at 3:00 am--or at least I thought it was the alarm clock. After pulling the clock off of the desk and throwing it on the floor, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the alarm clock but the fire alarm.  I thought, "you have got to be kidding me!" I went to the door, to witness others emerging as we were coming out of winter hibernation.  We were all evacuated from our rooms and stood outside while the fire department made their inspections and declared that it was a hoax.  While standing outside, we noticed this familiar looking face only to learn that Merideth's aunt and cousins were staying a couple of rooms down from us. We were eventually released to return to our rooms and awoke the next morning to continue our journey back toward Florida.  That was twenty years ago, yet I remember it like it was yesterday.

Last night we celebrated our 20th anniversary.  It was a special time. Today, I just wanted to acknowledge to you that God blessed me with an awesome wife and helpmate.  I hit the jackpot!  Merideth, I look forward to our next twenty years, and I am excited to see what God will do as we continue to grow in Him as well as together in oneness.  I love you!

Your husband,

Sidney

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's scheme's.
-Ephesians 6:10-11

For the past week, I have had a couple of chances to take our kids into the woods to pick blueberries.  It has become the ritual after each picking to see who has the most ticks and redbugs.  For whatever the reason, it seems that our littlest always ends up the winner.  I guess it is because she is the smallest and most vulnerable.  The last time we were out, I came upon a new place down close to the swamp, that was loaded with fresh berries.  While filling our buckets,  it became apparent that an ole black bear had also found the berry patch and had been enjoying the berries as well.  Tonight, right before dark, we went down to pick some more berries.  As we made our way down to the spot, I saw where the bear had stripped a couple of pine trees of it's bark to mark his territory.  I thought to myself, that ole bear didn't want us back in his berry patch, and he wanted us to know he was there and in charge.  After showing the kids the bears markings, they were careful to let me know of any signs or sounds that they heard while picking.

Satan is not always as bold as the ole bear was.  He loves to be subtle and cunning, leading us to believe that things are good while he lurks in the darkness scheming to destroy us.  For the believer,  life is a battlefield that is filled with potential land mines that can be strategically placed by the enemy.  Fear, sexual sin, compromise, partial truth as well as a heart that is unforgiving, are grave clothes of the flesh that we have been instructed to take off and wear no longer.  However, Satan would love for us to believe that those actions are harmless.  We must be aware of the potential landmines and learn how to protect ourselves as well as learn to live in the Freedom that is available through Jesus Christ.

A huge "Thank You" to James Tealy for joining us at our picnic on Sunday and encouraging us through song and word! If you would like more information on James, his music, or his travels, you can visit www.jamestealy.com.

Also, you can click on the albums below if you are interested in purchasing his music.