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God’s Vision for Our Hilldale Family Summer is here! Wow is it obvious! We are traveling everywhere! Please remember this: Studies show that, as a group, persons who attend worship, even when on vacation, have a more fulfilling summer experience, less stress, fewer problems (including fewer family fights while on vacation), and are healthier than those of us who go on vacation or just stay at home without attending worship. Let’s make the best of this summer. So, while on vacation or hanging out at home, attend worship! What is God’s vision for our congregation? Fifty-two years ago, God’s vision was for a congregation to become Hilldale Methodist Church at this location. (The United became part of our name in 1969.) Eventually, the vision changed to where additional ministries were added. Later a Christian Life Center was built and the rest of our facilities remodeled. Ministries continue to be added. God is anointing this congregation because we continue to grow and grow and grow in numbers and in Spirit! So, what is our next step? What is God’s vision for us? Two Sunday’s ago, I showed a poster board with a dot in the center of it. I asked the worshippers what they saw. Typically, most of us saw a dot. But if people look beyond the dot, they saw a much larger piece of poster board. Looking beyond that, the worshippers saw me holding the poster board with the dot. Looking beyond that, the worshippers saw a sanctuary with a choir behind me as I held a poster board with a dot. The point is: Look beyond one focal point to see the whole picture, the whole context, and the whole system. Additional bottom line: When praying for God’s vision for our church, look beyond the facilities, beyond the location, beyond the finances, beyond our staff, and beyond what we presently have to see the whole context of who and where we are in ministry. Last Sunday morning, I told of the most intensive study that the Ford Motor Company completed to date in the 1950’s. They asked thousands of persons what they wanted in their perfect car. The result: the Ford Edsel. It flopped! So the Ford Motor Company asked thousands what their neighbors and friends wanted in a perfect car. The result: the Ford Mustang. Immediate success! They learned that when people look beyond themselves to what others want and need, they are more likely to find what they themselves want. Sounds like something Jesus already knew. The point: When praying for God’s vision for our church, we will more likely see it if we ask, “What do the rest of our church members, our neighborhood, and county want and need?” instead of asking, “What does God want for me?” So, our goal this week: Pray to see beyond what we presently see and look for what God wants for the rest of us. Also, attend worship somewhere this week…it’s very healthy! - Skip Neil’s Coming! Neil Heffelbower arrives Monday night, June 12 ,to begin work as our youth director on Wednesday, June 14. Please be in prayer for him as he makes this leap of faith moving from Michigan, transferring to a new school (APSU), and working with us.
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