THE CHURCH VISITOR. A Road Less Traveled. Faithful Giving RICHLAND HILLS CHRISTIAN CHURCH

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1 OCT. 18, 2016 RICHLAND HILLS CHRISTIAN CHURCH THE CHURCH VISITOR our humanity, we choose the journey that costs the least but, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we miss out on the greatest adventure of our lives when we choose our way instead of God s. We miss the Potter s hands that are waiting to shape and mold us for His work He wants us to give the very best of what we are for His Kingdom and in turn become the very best we can be. Let s together, as God s church, take the road less traveled, and discover a life beyond what we can imagine. A Road Less Traveled On Sunday after church, Jeff Stricklin said he remembered a poem from Robert Frost with a similar title as my sermon and asked whether I had read it at some point. I did not remember it, so I took a moment and looked it up online. Its title is The Road Not Taken, but its concluding lines are equally valid for us. It reads: Two roads diverged in (LIFE), and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. God, you see, leaves it up to us. That is the path we choose to follow. Now God, through His Word, points us in the direction that is best; but we often choose the path that leads us away from rather than toward God. Through the life and death of His Son, he says live a life as the Messiah did: one of love and sacrifice for others. On this path you will find who I have created you to be. The world offers what appears to be a better and easier life. In Faithful Giving We are in the midst of our Stewardship Campaign that helps us chart our financial course for the coming year. John Howard and our Stewardship Ministry are still receiving pledges for If you have already pledged, we say, thank you. Perhaps you have pledged already, and God has been prompting you to look at your giving and increase it even more for the coming year. If you haven t pledged, we ask you to pray and respond to God s call to support the work of His church here at Richland Hills Christian. We are looking forward to many exciting and fruitful ministries in 2017, but it takes all of us to do all that God has called us to do. Thank you for your faithful giving! Richland Hills Christian Church 3908 Ruth Road Richland Hills, TX (817) Senior Pastor: Paul Klaus Website: info.rhcc@gmail.com

2 CHURCH CALENDAR OCTOBER CWF Night Group Meeting (6:30 pm) (Child Care will be available!) Adult Coir Practice (7:00 pm) Prayer Ministry (8:45 am) Seekers, Pioneers, Discipleship, Coffee House, Youth SS Classes (9:15 am - 10:10 am) Preschool/Kindergarten Music Class (9:15 am) Preschool SS Classes (9:45 am) Morning Worship Service (10:30 am) CWF Visitation Day (9:30 am) Adult Choir (7:00 pm) Fall Festival (4:30-7:00 pm) - (more information inside of newsletter!) Prayer Ministry (8:45 am) 5th Sunday Intergenerational Sunday School for Adults in the Gathering Place (9:15 am - 10:10 am) - Breakfast will be served by Fellowship Committee Preschool/Kindergarten Music Class (9:15 am) Preschool SS Classes (9:45 am) Morning Worship Service (10:30 am) NOVEMBER Adult Choir (7:00 pm) Prayer Ministry (8:45 am) Seekers, Pioneers, Discipleship, Coffee House, Youth SS Classes (9:15 am - 10:10 am) Preschool/Kindergarten Music Class (9:15 am) Preschool SS Classes (9:45 am) Morning Worship Service (10:30 am), Drama Meeting after worship service for those in Christmas Cantata Cabinet Meeting (4:00 pm) Board Meeting (5:15 pm) SERVING SCHEDULE Worship Coordinator Patrice Morrison Deacons (Month of October) Gay Agan, Brandon Hall, Toby Runnels, Judy Walther Worship Leader Alan Baker The Table Bill Agan & Mike Visage Children s Moment Paul Klaus Greeters Brian & Melissa Hall Coffee Fellowship Mike & Patrice Morrison Communion Preparation Patrice Morrison Communion Clean-Up Rita Rowe & Theresa Tyler FAITHFUL ATTENDANCE & GIVING Sunday School - 34 Worship Service Faithful Giving (10/09) - $ 6,668 FAITHFUL ATTENDANCE & GIVING Sunday School - 46 Worship Service Faithful Giving (10/16) - $ 2,532

3 BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES FOR OCTOBER Please let the office know if there is anyone that needs to be taken OFF of or ADDED to this list. We appreciate your help! Please pray for the following: Betty Lee & Family Arlene Kendall Melanie Hatfield Nathan McGee, great grandson of Polly Slama Family of Wendy (friend of Peggy Troth s sister) Patsy Agan, sister-in-law of Bill Agan Tom Loughlin Family David Lott Family Sarah Wellman The Stewart Family Wanda Noah Dale Proctor Bob & Kay White Tina Oblinger Jessica, niece of Gretchen Halfmann Duane McGormley, Kevin McGormley s dad Mike Proppe Lincoln Mancuso Brenda Ledbetter Alvarado s granddaughter, Reagan BIRTHDAYS (OCTOBER) Jim Phillips Iris Woodall Evan Lawson ANNIVERSARIES (OCTOBER) Donald & Rosemary Pentecost CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS Please help us decorate the stockings and return them by Sunday, November 6. We will fill the stockings and deliver them to the Salvation Army to give to the Forgotten Angels. If you would like to help in other ways: we will need small items to fill the stockings for ages from infants to age 10. COFFEE FELLOWSHIP SCHEDULE 10/23 - Mike & Patrice Morrison 10/30 - Jim & Connie Phillips 11/06 - Mike & Patrice Morrison 11/13 - Brian & Melissa Hall Crib Nursery Guardian Angel Grandmas Jean Plummer Rita Rowe TBA Ann Runnels Shay Lawson Amanda Hall Rick Crain Brandon Hall Play Room Parent Helper Schedule:

4 DONATIONS NEEDED FOR: I Can S9ll Shine Ministry THANKSGIVING DINNER I Can S(ll Shine Ministry will be having their annual Thanksgiving Dinner on November 12th at Peace Lutheran Church. They will be feeding about moms and kids this year. If anyone would like to donate a food item for that dinner, please call Judy Walther and let her know ( ). We will be needing all of the usual Thanksgiving fare: Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, turkey, ham, stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, and pumpkin and apple pies. Whatever you donate, be sure that it is in a container that DOES NOT have to returned. All food would need to be at RHCC by 10:00am on 11/12. Also, if you have an old or unwanted Fall/ Thanksgiving table décor, we could use that to help decorate the tables. Thank you for your generosity! Welcome to our NEW MEMBERS Gary & Tracy Aulfinger joined our church on National Back to Church Sunday, September 18. We did not have a photo available at the time. Please give them a warm welcome! We are so glad to have them! LOOSE CHANGE OFFERING TO BE COLLECTED ON OCTOBER 30! We will be collecting your loose change on Sunday, October 30. The money collected will go towards stocking the pantry shelves for the I Can Still Shine Ministry. Their pantry is here in our building, and they need some help filling the shelves with food and paper products. Start saving your change, and bring it with you that day!!! I Can Still Shine Ministry wants to shout out Children s Moment a big Thank You for your continued donations! Sunday, July 17

5 NEEDED: Winter Scarfs and Mittens The CWF is asking all women (or men) who crochet or knit to make scarfs and mittens for Binion Elementary. So, let s get those needles going and see how many we can have ready by the time cold weather hits. Many blessings to those with talent! --Thanks, Judy Walther CWF October Schedule: Tuesday, October 18 6:30 pm - CWF Night Group Sunday, October 23 CWF Executive Board Meeting following worship Tuesday, October 25 9:30 am - CWF Visitation Day CWF IN ACTION... Read, Read, Read As we continue to grow in our faith, one of the areas that is critical and fruitful is making time to read. Of course reading our Bibles should be at the top of our list, but each week - just outside the sanctuary -are other selections that you can choose. Don t miss out on this opportunity to encounter God in new ways as we read books that help us live our lives more faithfully. PRAYER MINISTRY Every Sunday morning at 8:45 am, we gather for prayer in the Sanctuary to start our worship day. Did you know that? Prayer is a time where we share concerns of the congregation and pray for the morning as we gather to worship a Holy and Loving God. So join us before Sunday School, and start your Sunday off right in prayer and thanksgiving. Leaders, I challenge you to set the example each and every Sunday. Sacrifice a little time, and see the difference it makes in your week. Bible Readings Plans Christmas stockings are being lovingly prepared by the following ladies: (Pictured from le_: Jean Plummer, Charlo`e Cox and Paula Hall - with assistance from Paula s granddaughter, Prestyn Hall - not pictured). It s never too early to start a Bible reading plan. Pastor Paul has printed several different Bible reading plans that you can start today. Learning the Bible doesn t happen by accident or by osmosis. To learn of God and His ways, you must dive deeply into His Word and the Truth will set you free. The Word of God should fill us up to a point where the Living Waters of God flow out.

6 OCTOBER 30th ADULT SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT EVENT Introducing our 2017 Elders: (Pictured from Left: Evan Lawson, Doug Fulk, Ryon McCann, JoEllen Howard, Mike Morrison, Carol Jean New, Mike Visage, Brian Hall) CWF at work: Purses & Toiletries for Homeless Women JUST INVITE ONE! If everyone would just invite 1 person to church (and get them to come to church every week) we would double in size. Invite your friends, family, and/or co-workers. Prayer should be at the heart of all we do as followers of Christ. With that in mind, on October 30 we will be having a class for all adults in the church. All other classes for youth and children will remain the same. This training will be held during our regular Sunday school hours (9:15am 10:10am) in the Gathering Area. A recent study by one of our Sunday School classes called Vertical Church provides the teaching for this spiritual instruction. Also, some of the best breakfast tacos you will ever have will be provided! So, enjoy breakfast here at church! Mark your calendar, and set some time aside to attend this important class. Prayer is a fundamental need for the future of our church, and each of us needs to deepen our prayer life. Let s come and learn to pray better together. We can do this!!! From: Men of Courage - by Dr. Larry Crabb Becoming godly people is no simple matter, unless you define godliness as merely avoiding obvious sin (and getting others to do the same) or as resolving our problems so that pleasant feelings return -- feelings that we can then call victory. But when godliness is understood to involve a passion for God that continually transforms the way we relate to others, it makes us willing to postpone personal comfort till a later day. This godliness stirs a desire to know Christ that is stronger than every other desire, and it shows us that our greatest enemy is ourselves. Becoming like Christ becomes our consuming ambition. The greatest need in our world today is simply this: godly men and women who possess and display a quality of life that reflects the character of God, and that provokes curiosity in others about how they too can know God well.

7 FALL FESTIVAL Come join us and support Christian Education with Fun, Food, Carnival Games And Trunk-or-Treat Saturday, October 29 th 4:00-7:00pm 4:30-7:00pm If you would like to sign up to enter your car in the Trunk-or-Treat, please let Rachel or Leah know this Sunday at Church. Prizes will be given to the top 3 cars!!! Holy Smokes will be cooking hotdogs and hamburgers

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