Hillview Family and Friends!
Children’s Ministry will be with the Ministry leader during worship time starting in the fall. Pray with us in our transition. Sis Debbie.
Youth ministry will meet in the fellowship hall at 9:30 am. Youth Ministry will be meeting every 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 am.
Please add pocket change in the “Stones of Truth” jar in the foyer. All monies collected will go to offset cost to the Branson 2025 trip.
If you want to volunteer to be on the calling team, please contact LaTanya Dunn.
We will need volunteers to help with cleaning the Sanctuary, Foyer, and vacuuming. Contact LaTanya Dunn hillviewchurchofgod@gmail.com
Happy Birthday and Wedding Anniversary to all family and friends celebrating in the month of December.
Pastor Dexter will be having a 6 week study “Horizontal Jesus” by Tony Evans. If anyone is interested, contact Pastor Dexter White.
Dec 12th– Bro. Wayne Hanna Funeral Service at the Kansas City Kansas Community Church. 5901 Leavenworth Rd. Kansas City, KS 66104. 10 am visitation. 11 am Funeral Service. Repass will be at Hillview in the Fellowship Hall..
December 14- Holiday fundraiser Cookie exchange. 2:00pm-4:00pm. All proceeds go to the Branson 2025 trip. See attached flyer.
Dec 14th Church Clean Up- 8am-12pm.
Dec 21st Board Management Meeting 9am.
Dec 22nd Christ Birthday Offering.
Dec 24th Christmas Eve.
Dec 24 Candlelight Service 6pm at Hillview.
Dec 25th Christmas Day.
Dec 29th Celebration of Life Service for Bro Edd Ussery here at Hillview. 1pm – 3pm.
Dec 31st New Years Eve.
Jan 1st New Years Day..
If anyone is interested in being part of the Management Board, Please contact Pastor Dexter.
Offering Envelopes are located on the wall outside of the sound booth.
Church of God News
I once heard it said that we, as a group, do not read books like we should, and our society suffers because of it. I googled how does our society suffer because we don’t read books? I found this answer, “Beyond being a skill, reading emerges as a force for good, encouraging critical thinking, fostering empathy and understanding, and significantly contributing to the creation of a compassionate and educated society.”
The next question I asked was, how many books should we read a year? The answer I received was for a person working a full-time job and having other responsibilities, they should be able to read 12-15 books a year.
I brought up this information on reading because it is important. I encourage you to begin reading books that help you in your Christian Walk. Often the books I read enlighten me spiritually and I like to share my knowledge with you in a small group or in a sermon. I’m currently reading a couple of books. One book we are using on Sunday morning, and the other book was received as a gift. That book is titled The Joy Challenge, by Randy Frazee. He is a local pastor and an accomplished author. I know Pastor Frazee personally and I have used some of his small group material here at Hillview.
The Joy Challenge is based on the letter Paul wrote to the Philippian believers. When he wrote the letter, he was a prisoner in Rome chained to a Roman guard. You might think, how is it possible to be joyful under those conditions.
He was joyful because of the relationship he had with the Philippian church. This church was supportive of Paul’s ministry and supported him financially.
“Someone once defined joy as what I feel when I see the sparkle in someone’s eye that conveys, I’m happy to be with you. The Philippians put a sparkle in Paul’s eye, and it gave a jolt to his joy. Through his writings, he was now doing the same for them.”1
In Psalm 139:14 David wrote:
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.
David was saying of God, you created me with care and attention. We have parts of our bodies we don’t even know exist unless you are in the medical field or a scientist. We might know they exist, but we don’t know what they do. For instance, a section of our brain contains the temporal lobe. Within the temporal lobe is a structure called the hippocampus. Do you have any idea what it does? I didn’t until I read the book. The hippocampus’s main job is to store our memories.
Living in this world we are bound to have good and bad memories. It is up to us to decide what memories we are going to focus on. It makes sense that reflecting on memories that bring us joy despite our circumstances are the memories that are worthwhile. The more we think about those positive memories, the stronger they become, helping us to overcome our struggles, and increasing our joy.
Paul had a relationship with all the churches he started. I would venture to say the church in Philippi was at the top of his joy list. As Paul reflected on his encounters with this church as a whole and individuals within the church, the joy of the Lord would swell up inside of him.
One of the things we did at my birthday celebration was to share memories of our childhood. We didn’t share negative memories, only memories that brought us joy. We talked about our parents.
Our parents wanted the best for us, and we wanted the best for them. When I became pastor of this church, daddy became my first new member. He not only accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, but I was also given the opportunity to disciple him and baptize him. I was even able to eulogize him when he passed. That memory brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.
Momma was a disciplinarian, she didn’t wait for daddy to get home, she handled business. She was a seamstress, a good cook, and a reliable source of love and encouragement. Karen would tell you that she spoiled me. I would contend she spoiled all six of us children. For many years I lived next door to my parents. There was a lake between our homes. Share story of Denise crying, we didn’t hear her, but momma heard her and called us.
You should be able to bring back to your remembrance memories of people, places, and things that will infuse you with joy despite your circumstances. I would even encourage you to display a memento or a picture of that person, place, or thing that brings joy to you in your office or your prayer closet.
Of all the things that bring joy to me/us, I think the fact Jesus knows my/our name is at the top of the list. Knowing Jesus and being in relationship with Him should bring you joy.
Hebrews 12:2 (Amplified)
2 [Looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].
Jesus had joy! The joy came from accomplishing the goal set before Him, the goal of dying on the cross that we might be saved. We know that there are multiple words in the Greek defining what love is. When I thought about this joy Jesus experienced, I immediately thought there must be multiple words for joy. His joy and my joy might be similar but surely, they had to be different. I got out my Strongs Concordance and found out there is only one word for joy. You and I can experience the joy of the Lord as we accomplish the goal God has set before us.
What goal has God set before us, what are we called to do?
Mt 6:33, 34 – we are called to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Mark 16:15 – we are told to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
1 Corinthians 7:17 – to live out the life God has assigned to us (each person is unique and is accountable for his choices and conduct.
Ephesians 4:1-6 – we are called to live a life worthy of the calling we have been given. A life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior. A life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation.
Philippians 2:1-4
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 3:12-14 – we are told by Paul he had not obtained the goal of being Christlike, but he was actively pressing on to take hold of the perfection for which Christ Jesus took hold of him. We are to have the same attitude as Paul. We haven’t arrived yet, either.
2 Timothy 1:10 – we are called to holy living. The gospel offers us the forgiveness of sins and draws us to holy living. It also announces life and immortality. When you believe the gospel, you begin to live in the power of an endless life.
Topic: The Joy of the Lord
Text: Philippians 1:1-8
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you.
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Support Hillview’s Greeting Card Ministry – We have anniversary, birthday, and get-well cards on the table by the front entrance for you to send to others to let them know you are thinking of them. A donation of $1.00 will help cover the cost of cards and postage.
Continue to pray for the sick and shut-ins and their caregivers. Prayer is needed for our entire congregation as we are all dealing with spoken and unspoken needs and requests.
Weekly Events
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