April 2016 A publication of Heartland Baptist Church Proverbs: Practical Living in Perilous Times NEW SUNDAY MORNING SERMON SERIES BEGINNING APRIL 17 What s INSIDE 2 Pastor Jim s Gems 3 Family Ministry 4 Music Ministry/Heartland KIDS Inserts Calendar 5 Impact/Youth 6 Grandparent Ministry Announcements 7 Volunteer Schedule
Years ago H. Richard Niebuhr wrote a book titled Christ and Culture. He wrote the book identifying the Christian's response to the world's culture. In the book, Niebuhr gives a history of how Christianity has responded to culture. He outlines five prevalent viewpoints: Christ against Culture. For the exclusive Christian, history is the story of a rising church or Christian culture and a dying pagan civilization. Christ of Culture. For the cultural Christian, history is the story of the Spirit s encounter with nature. Christ above Culture. For the synthesist, history is a period of preparation under law, reason, gospel, and church for an ultimate communion of the soul with God. Christ and Culture in Paradox. For the dualist, history is the time of struggle between faith and unbelief, a period between the giving of the promise of life and its fulfillment. Christ Transforming Culture. [https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/h._richard_niebuhr] I have become keenly aware that the Christian culture that we thought was in America, is and has been rapidly disintegrating over the past few decades. The immoral atmosphere and seemingly complete disregard for people, property and authority is appalling. So how is a believer, a person of faith to respond to the dilemma we find ourselves in today? When all the world seems to be chaotic at best, where does the Believer fit? I know we are told that greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world; and that we are to be IN the world but not OF the world. But how do we put a practical Christianity in the public place, when there is a growing animosity towards evangelical beliefs and people who hold those beliefs? I am going to be starting a series of messages from Proverbs called Practical Living in Perilous Times. The book of Proverbs is a Wisdom book. This makes sense since Solomon wrote it. If you have ever read Proverbs, you quickly recognize Pastor Jim s Gems that its words are penetrating and very cutting to the issue of normal everyday behavior. I believe that as we look at the words of Proverbs, we can gain the necessary insights to responding to a culture that doesn t want us, but also find the ability to influence the culture for the good of the Kingdom of God. Now life is hard enough when things go right, but to take a stand against the folly of the world, which is so counter-culture to it will take more power than we have. For the Believer to live boldly and confidently in this day and time, have a testimony before the world will take the power of the Holy Spirit! We just completed the series on World Changing events. Now I believe we need to pick up the gauntlet and be the World Change people we are meant to be. Matthew 5 tells us that we are the Light of the World, the Salt of the earth; and so we are. I would say looking at the cultural condition of our churches and nation; it is time that we live out the Faith that we proclaim. We who know and love Jesus are today s witnesses to His power and saving grace. We can no longer be silent and let the world system take away all morality, personal safety and security. As the song from years past said People who know go to people who need to know Jesus. We are not the first nor the last generation that has to fight against the norms of society. This is a beacon call for all believers to live openly and confidently in their faith in a world that cares for neither. If our witness is silent, how will those currently and following us know of the wonderful Savior and Christ Jesus? We must pray, we must participate and we must partner together as the people of faith. Pray for not in your power, but the power of God will defeat the principalities and powers of wickedness in high places. We can no longer ignore our culture; we cannot idly stand by and hope all will change. Nor can we embrace the counter-christian culture in hopes that we will be unscathed by it. Onward Christian Soldiers! Forward into Battle! Lovingly, Bro. Jim 2
We talk a lot about family ministry within Heartland. I wanted to take some time to write about an important blessing that we have at Heartland that is not true of many churches in America today. We have the blessing of five generations being present within our church. That may bring some laughter or snickering, but I hope it brings about a provoking thought. There are church plants that may be missing the upper one or two generations because of the newness of the church. There are dying churches that may be missing the younger two or three generations. The newer churches may be missing out on the experiential FAMILY MINISTRY An Important Blessing wisdom the elderly generations can bring and the dying churches may be missing out on the vigor and energy the younger generations bring. Each generation is necessary. At Heartland, we have the opportunity to receive the important blessing that God provides through each generation. Use the sunny weather of the summer to create opportunities to get to know the Heartland Family. God has given us this hugely important blessing; don t waste the opportunities that we have with it. Tim Weihrauch Discipleship/Family Minister Just in case you missed our "Launch Sunday" with The Restore Network, I wanted to communicate our connection to this ministry. We voted to financially support them in our 2016 budget as a part of our Local Agencies. This ministry has three specific ways churches and people can connect: foster, adopt, or support. The Restore Network's primary focus is to foster children with the purpose of restoring them back to their parents and their home. This is not always able to take place. This is where the adoption connection could take place. If your life situation does not allow you to foster or adopt, you may get involved on the support side of things. They need all kinds of support from prayer or tutoring to babysitting and providing meals. There is a place for everyone to get involved with The Restore Network. There is more information about this ministry on our turnabout in the foyer. You can check them out online at www.therestorenetwork.org. You could also connect with LeAnn Parish who is Heartland's liaison to this ministry. My prayer is that a generation of children that might have been forgotten and overlooked would find Jesus Christ as a result of Heartland and The Restore Network. Tim Weihrauch Discipleship/Family Minister 3
MUSIC MINISTRY Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:12 One thing I have been highly convicted of lately is allowing things to become mundane, and not being as excited about what God is doing. Many times I look at what we do in life as worship in a sense of standing in awe of God. However, I have missed out on the excitement of that worship. Knowing that God loves me in spite of everything I have done or who I am and keeping my focus on what He does, and has done, should get us excited. I am not talking about us trying to generate an excitement in order to appear on fire for God, but genuine excitement because of who God is, and who we are because of Him. Let us become excited about what God is doing in and through us. Let s worship Him in a way that others see the joy we have within us. I pray that we all desire to have the Joy of Your salvation restored to us, and that it continues to shine through us so that others might see it. Steven Trask Music Minister HEARTLAND Girls in Action has been wonderful this year. The girls have spent the year building awesome relationships with each other. Carole and I have enjoyed getting to know each of the girls better. This year we have learned about missionaries in Canada, Scotland, Thailand, Denver, Miami, San Diego and many more. The girls have had the opportunity to taste food popular in the countries or cites we have studied. They have tried bananas and coconut milk, shortbread cookies, and haystacks. (Sadie loved the butterscotch). They have learned how families have been planting churches and how they have been able to tell others about the gospel. They have also learned how kids their age have been used by God to impact the communities they now live in. Each of the girls have learned both their motto (Go Forward) and pledge. They have also spent time doing missions. They made cookies for the veterans, became ushers, and collected the Annie Armstrong Easter offering. Come join us Sunday evenings at 6pm to become a Girl in Action! Jackie Parish and Carole Fredrick 4
UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS Dare 2 Share - April 1 & 2 3rd ANNUAL YOUTH SPEAK OUT Thursday, April 21 from 11:30am-1:00pm at the Riverbender.com Community Center A light lunch will be provided. Young leaders from Alton High School have taken an in-depth look at how substance abuse and mental heath issues are negatively impacting the school and the community at large. They have spent time examining the issues to determine root causes and potential solutions. Please join us to hear these young advocates express their concerns and hopes for positive change! WHO S INVITED? Local government officials, Local law enforcement, Parents, Youth, Faith leaders, Community members, School administration and faculty, Local business owners, Local volunteer and civic organizations. Funding provided in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, SAMHSA, and by the Madison County Mental Health Board. 5
GRANDPARENT MINISTRY Good News!! The Grandparent s Ministry is up and running. An Organizational committee has met to discuss ways to proceed with developing a ministry by which our experienced older adults can connect with each other, our church family and our community. And now, we need you to join us. This ministry begins by connecting with the children of our church family. On Sunday, April 3 you will be able to pick up a bookmark with a child s first name embroidered on it. Use this bookmark in your Bible or other favorite reading material. Each time you read this child s name, you can minister to her or him through intercessory prayer. You may not know the specific needs of this child, but God certainly does. On this same Sunday, you will be given a questionnaire, developed by the Organizational Committee, giving you the opportunity to express your personal interests as a senior adult. In our current political environment, you may have already been bombarded with surveys, but please do not just file this one in the trash. Take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire and join us in developing a ministry that honors God and connects us with each other, our church and our community. Committee Members: Tom & Sheri Marshall, Selma McAdams, Jack & Marcia Pruitt, Nancy Denby and Linda McRoy MONTHLY DEACON S MEETING April 24, 2016 at 5:00pm If you have a need or know of someone who needs assistance, has become ill or hospitalized, please contact the church office or Mike Harris at 972-9145. QUARTERLY BUSINESS MEETING Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30pm 6
Volunteer Schedule for April 2016 Nursery/Children s Church April 3 Babies: Linda Witcher & Amy Vatole Toddlers: Bridget Perkins Children s Church: Jack Pruitt & Matthew Payne April 10 Babies: Leona Barnett & Lisa Pimentel Toddlers: Karen Burleson & Carole Fredrick Children s Church: Jackie Parish & Daniel Parish April 17 Babies: Missy Denby & Amy Vatole Toddlers: Linda Chapman & Linda McRoy Children s Church: Sandy Stolze & Jeremy Sneddon April 24 Babies: Susie Krietner & Karen Harris Toddlers: Selma McAdams & Amy Vatole Children s Church: Mark & Missy Denby Greeters April 3 Dallas & Janet Moore April 10 Jim & Joann Cassidy April 17 Selma McAdams & Chris Bramstedt April 24 Ted & Karen Burleson For more information or to volunteer contact: Nursery: Mary Burger at 462-5634 Hazel Morgan at 466-2306 Heartland KIDS : Jackie Parish at 789-2974 Greeters: Linda Witcher at 466-1844 Bus - Driver s Schedule If you would like to set a pick up time, please call the scheduled driver. To volunteer as a bus driver please contact Ed Kreitner at 466-9047. April 3: Karen Harris April 10: Ed Kreitner April 17: Karen Harris April 24: Ed Kreitner Ed Kreitner (618) 466-9047 Karen Harris (618) 466-8950 7
Church Staff Senior Pastor Dr. Jim Grant pastor@hbcalton.com Discipleship & Family Minister Tim Weihrauch family@hbcalton.com SATURDAY, APRIL 16 at 8:00am Please reserve the date many hands make a difference! (Rain Date: April 23) Music Minister Steven Trask music@hbcalton.com Financial Secretary Jeanie Farrow financial@hbcalton.com Church Office Sarah Neuhaus office@hbcalton.com preachbetweenthelines.com