This week's newsletter from Karen

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

If there were a Top 10 of verses to memorize, this one is right up there.
The message seems easy, right?
Wrong.

A friend and I were discussing some recent medical “emergencies” happening in our families and this verse ran through my mind. Why? Because in both of our situations, we mentioned that anxious feeling we had when the doctors treated our “emergency” in such a routine manner. In my situation, I had to purposely take a step back and see things from the doctor’s point of view. I then realized that what to me was an “emergency”, to him was just another “day at the office.” He had much more experience and knowledge about the situation and knew it wasn’t anything for me to be extremely worried about. I needed to trust his knowledge and experience and, by doing so (and not taking matters into my own hands), everything would heal and be fine.

Isn’t it the same with God? We often feel like He’s not taking care of our “emergency” in the way we think it needs to be done and we just take matters into our own hands. A lot of time this gets us into trouble.

Next time you have that anxious feeling that God doesn’t quite understand your “emergency,” remember this verse and take a minute to see things from God’s perspective. Remember that He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Remember to lean on Him instead of yourself. Remember He loves you.

This week's newsletter from Steve

Well, it’s Craft Show time! This Friday and Saturday, October 30 & 31, come on out to the church for some great enchiladas, chocolate cake, and a whole lot of shopping! Craft Show will be open from 10:00 AM–7:00 PM on Friday, and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday. All proceeds from the Craft Show go to help raise funds for youth activities next year. It will be a lot of fun!

Sunday night is our First Sunday Fellowship. We will be going to see the movie “Woodlawn” at the local theater. Students will need to bring $12 to cover their movie admission, and then extra cash if they want to purchase anything to eat or drink. Movie show times have not been published yet, but I will send that information out as soon it is available. Should be a good week!

This week's newsletter from Michael

Most evenings after putting the kids to bed, I find myself on my iPad or laptop catching up on Facebook, news, or simply reading articles related to music ministry. I came across this one a few weeks ago and I thought I would share some of it with you. The article is titled, “Ponder Anew: Discussions about Worship for Thinking People.”

Here are a few reasons to Keep the Church Choir Alive:

1. Choirs support good congregational singing.
2. Their visual presence is an encouragement to the congregation.
3. Choirs help singers develop and improve their musical gifts.
4. Participation in choir ministry can be an avenue for introducing outsiders to the church and the Christian faith.
5. A church choir is an open, welcoming, and diverse group.
6. They add creative artistry and beauty to a worship service.

Last Sunday was the best I have ever heard Hillcrest sing! The Holy Spirit was here! You know, the Holy Spirit will show up if we show up with a heart ready for worship. Many visitors last Sunday wanted to know if there were recordings from our services. I said, “YES!” I posted a few on the Hillcrest Facebook page. Spread the “good news” around, church family, let’s not keep it to ourselves.

These are just a few reasons as I mentioned above, but I just want to say Hillcrest has a wonderful choir! Our choir is made up of many different individuals from young to old, and many different ethnic backgrounds, etc.

I would encourage you who may not have participated in church choir to consider making it a part of your life. You can help make a difference each week in someone’s life whether during rehearsal or worship. If you have participated in the choir in the past, I would encourage you to come back and join us on Sunday afternoon at 4:15pm

Have a Blessed week!

Your Presence is a Present

by Tom Goodman

What’s true for Saturday college football teams is true for Sunday church attendance, too: Missing players impact the whole team.

By this point in the college football season, every team is banged up. At my alma mater an injury last Saturday sidelined our star quarterback for the season. Of course, we look forward to what his highly-touted freshman replacement will do. But already the commentators who predicted my team would run the table this season are second-guessing their prognostications.

When you’re not attending, your church misses your involvement as much as a college football fan misses their favorite player.

You may say, “Who me? What’s so vital about someone like me showing up each Sunday? I’m not important.”

Think again. According to scripture you serve others in three ways. These are absolutely essential for the spiritual growth of others and the well-being of your church body.

First: You sing to your church. No, I’m not talking about singing in the choir. Colossians 3:16 says that “you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.” When you’re not present, we don’t have your voice teaching and admonishing us through communal singing. Sure, we like to hear the trained voices on stage, but it’s your voice next to us in the pews that Colossians 3:16 says we need.

Second: You encourage your church. It’s not just the pastors and deacons who are responsible to keep the flock on the right path. In Hebrews 10:24-25 we are told that gathering with the church gives us a chance to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Even a brief word to someone in the aisle following the worship program has a powerful impact. Sitting with your small group gives you even more time to perform this ministry.

Third: You support your church. A growing number of members give their offering electronically regardless of their ability to attend. But a majority still base their giving on whether they’re present. If they’re not there, neither is their offering. This significantly impacts the ministry of your church.

You deny your fellow members what they need from you when you let other things replace involvement on Sunday morning. You’re a key player, and you’re missed when you’re missing.

This weekend, set your clocks back an hour before you go to bed, get an extra hour of sleep, and join your church family at 10am. Your presence is a present to others!

Sundry Dinner

by Tom Goodman

47 Comedians Confess the Jokes That Crack Them Up Every Time


"Thou shalt commit adultery." This 17th century "Sinner's Bible" with the misprinted Commandment is now up for auction. 


Favorite American accent for Brits? Southern, of course.


Do you think you're a good person? You're probably 'morally overconfident.'


“'Train up a child.' Rarely is a proverb so often quoted and so often misunderstood. It has become the slogan of parenting seminars. It gets referenced as a surefire promise – a divine reward for our toil and sweat as parents. Young parents latch onto the proverb with the hope that their training will ensure the faithfulness of their children. Older parents feel the proverb’s implicit judgment, weary from watching a child or two depart from 'the way,' and wondering whether their children’s disobedience points backward to their own failure in 'training.'" Trevin Wax explains how people misunderstand this parenting proverb--and what we need to get out of it.


America has had 2 Democratic presidents who were Baptist, but the first Baptist president was  Republican Warren G. Harding. Timothy George recaps his controversial life.


"Right now, for every dollar that the federal government spends on medical research through the National Institutes of Health, 15 cents goes to HIV/ AIDS, 10 cents goes to cancer, 2 cents go to heart disease and less than one penny goes to all mental illnesses combined" (HuffPo)


Planned Parenthood’s problems go far beyond whether it sells organs



.

Six Things to Look for in the Lord’s Supper

by Tom Goodman

The late Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot just by watching.”

Smart man.

When we schedule the Lord’s Supper in a worship service, as we will this Sunday, we sometimes call it the “observance of the Lord’s Supper.”  So what can you “observe” in this sacred time?  According to 1 Corinthians 11, there are six things that deserve our attention.

First, look around.  In verses 17-22, Paul says that, because of the Corinthian believers’ insensitivity to each other, “it is not the Lord’s Supper that you eat.”  Let’s make sure we never deserve that reprimand ourselves.  Instead, we should take time during the Lord’s Supper to think about the health of our church relationships.  Are we growing closer together or further apart?

Second, look up.  Paul wrote, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it” (verses 23-24).  The Lord’s Supper is a chance to look up to God in praise.  A communion service should be solemn but not somber!

Third, look back.  Jesus told them to eat of the bread and drink from the cup “in remembrance of me” (verses 23-25).  So, look back to the crucifixion and remember what it cost the Lord of Life to bring you to himself.

Fourth, look outward.  In verse 26, the Apostle wrote that we “proclaim the Lord’s death” every time we participate in the Lord’s Supper.  Remarkable:  We serve as God’s witnesses simply by the devotion we give to this ordinance.

Fifth, look forward.  In verse 26, he continues to say that by participating in the Supper we proclaim the Lord’s death “until he comes back.”  The Lord’s Supper is a time to think about Christ’s promised return.  “I tell you,” Jesus said upon establishing the Supper, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).

Sixth, look within.  In verses 27-28, Paul says to “examine yourself” before taking part in communion.  Since the Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s death for our sin, we should confess to God those besetting sins which required his precious sacrifice.

This Sunday, you have a chance to make these six observations as we take part in the Lord’s Supper.  Join us at 10 a.m.

This week's newsletter from Karen

In his book, Grace-Based Parenting, Tim Kimmel discusses showing kids a secure love through three avenues – acceptance, affiliation with an honoring home, and affection. This made me wonder how my children would answer three questions:

1. Do my parents accept the things about me of which I have no control (gender, IQ, mannerisms, physical abilities, etc.)?
2. Do my parents model an “others focused” atmosphere in my home?
3. Do my parents show me affection?

God created each of us with a unique blend of gender, IQ, mannerisms, physical abilities, etc., and it is this blend that He intends to use for His glory. Our children are no exception. Recognizing this and loving them because of their uniqueness is essential in modeling God’s love for them.

God expects us to put others’ needs ahead of our own. Are we modeling this behavior in our homes for our children to see? If we expect our children to learn this Christ-like attitude, they must see us putting the needs of others ahead of our own.

God gave each of us the need for affection. A hug, kiss, pat on the back, and “I Love You,” can go a long way to showing our children how much we (and God) love them. So…have you hugged your kid today?

Take some time this week to think about how your child(ren) might answer these questions and things you might do to model God’s love for them through you.

This week's newsletter from Steve

Have you prayed for our missionaries this week? I know I talk about that a lot, however, we’re talking about a group of ministers that are often “out of sight, and out of mind.” We do not get to see these folks very often, so it is important that we remember to not only pray for our missionaries, but to be a source of encouragement, as well.

One major item of prayer for our missionaries would be in regard to the scale-down of the International Mission Board. I wrote about this several weeks ago. The IMB has asked everyone within a certain age/time of service group to pray about early retirement. This is in an effort to reduce the total overall number of missionary personnel worldwide by 600-800 people. Yes, this should bring some financial stability to the IMB, but will mean some major changes for many families all over the world.

The deadline for the missionaries to accept/decline the early retirement option is just a few days away. Several that we have been in contact with have made the hard decision to bring their family home. Many are still struggling through the decision. Please be in prayer for these families. Pray they may know beyond a shadow of a doubt what they are supposed to do. Pray for peace among their families, as uncertain futures always create stress, even among children. Pray for joy… yes, that even in the midst of the uncertainty, these brothers and sisters in Jesus will still be able to find joy in the Lord each day.

Lastly, if you know a missionary, make it a point to reach out to them this week and encourage them. Send them a note (yes, the mail works overseas), a text, or even Skype them. Let them know you are praying for them, even if they are not facing the possibility of retirement. Everyone needs encouragement. Let’s be that light to them!

This week's newsletter from Michael

Watch/Listen:

Hillcrest family! I want to give you some instructions on how you can watch/listen to our recorded services each week online. We are still working out small issues with cameras, internet speed, etc.

If you are sick or on vacation:

Go to www.Hillcrest.church
Click on “Service Live” right at the top of the page (This will take you straight to the service.)

To watch at anytime on PC:

Go to www.Hillcrest.church
Click on Resources
Click on Sermons
On the bottom right page click Watch/Listen

To watch at anytime on a mobile device:

Go to www.Hillcrest.church
Tap the Go to… bar
Scroll to Sermons
Tap Sermons
Scroll to the bottom of the page
Tap Watch/Listen

We are still working on Sermon Notes, Got questions, and the Give buttons. You may also notice some distortion in the videos. We are working with our provider in fixing the issues. If you have any questions or concerns, contact me here at the office and I will help you.

Sundry Dinner

by Tom Goodman

50 Jokes for 50 States


This week's "Painfully-Honest Onion Article" award goes to: There’s No Greater Bond Than The One Between A Mother And Her Child’s Accomplishments


The Definitive Ranking of Insanely Awesome Christian Album Covers. Like this one:

Early warning signs of Adult Onset Calvinism. Calvinism as a set of beliefs is beautiful; Calvinism as a cultural pose is ugly.


God calls us to share the gospel, not just talk about it.

This week's newsletter from Karen

Diaper Drive for Brothers brothers – Robert and Ericka Brothers will be bringing their twin boys home very soon from Dell Children’s Medical Center where they have been since they were born in July (15 weeks too early). They are in need of diapers (or gift cards) of all sizes. You can deliver your donations to the church office.

Trick or Treat with your Neighbors – Plan to be out and active in your neighborhood on Halloween evening. If you need special treat boxes (come in packs of 12) to give out, contact me at karen@hillcrest.church.

Operation Christmas Child – Pack a box for a child. Box item ideas for different age groups can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child. Your packed box is due to the church November 11.

This week's newsletter from Steve

Are you ready for Christmas? I know I am ready for the holidays! Of course, we have a couple of months until the real date, but you can celebrate Christmas early with Operation Christmas Child!

That’s right, it is that time of year again! Operation Christmas Child is our church’s opportunity to join with churches all over the country to bring the hope of Jesus to children all over the world through a simple gift. A shoebox, filled with small toys, school supplies, socks, hair clips, a letter from you and your family, and maybe even a photo of yourself. Sounds so simple, but to those in the world with very little, simple gifts can bring great joy!

The most important part of Operation Christmas Child is the opportunities these boxes give to pastors and churches in foreign countries where the name of Jesus is not well known. Along with these shoebox gifts, Operation Christmas Child teaches classes about the message of Jesus and the Cross to the people where the boxes are delivered. The kindness of your gift can open the door to the hearts of so many.

I cannot think of a better way to teach our children about the joy of giving. Will you be a part of Operation Christmas Child this year? Shoeboxes need to be brought to the church by Wednesday, November 11.

This week's newsletter from Gene

It was really good for Lynn and me to get to be back in the service this past Sunday. I’ve been in and out many times, but it’s was exactly 8 weeks that she was in the hospital in Houston, so home looks really good but is taking some getting used to. We hopefully will be here until the first of November when she has another chemo treatment back in Houston for a few days.  

It has been so obvious to us through all this process of her leukemia treatments that there has been a lot of praying going on. The Lord has provided an answer for each circumstance that has arisen. We want to thank you for your faithfulness in lifting her up. There are still several chemo treatments ahead, or possibly a stem cell transplant. Whichever is done, we hope to be finished with this by February or March. Please continue to pray for her healing and wisdom for decisions that are made. 

We are at our budget preparation time of the year, so if you have any responsibility for any budget funds, please get those requests to me by the end of this week. 

We have many places of service for you in the music ministry. Do you play an instrument, sing, play handbells? We want you involved in the music ministry. Please get in touch with Michael or me and we’ll do our best to get you plugged in to a ministry.

Messy Church

by Tom Goodman

Church is messy.

I’m not talking about a building with dinged-up walls and overflowing trash baskets. I’m talking about a congregation that struggles with moral compromise, theological shallowness, and relational tension.

Welcome to church.

This is church? Of course. Haven’t you read Paul’s letters to the Corinthians? The church in Corinth had a member who was sleeping with his stepmother. They snubbed each other. They didn’t understand the resurrection, one of the most important truths of the Christian faith. But Paul understood that these were men and women drawn to the gospel out of a culture with very different views of success and sex and God. Their spiritual progress couldn’t be microwaved. It was going to take time for them to live out the implications of the gospel they had received.

So he wrote to the church of God in Corinth.

And to the church of God in Austin.

Paul’s letters to the Corinthians are remarkably relevant for us today. So, this Sunday we’ll begin a study through 1 and 2 Corinthians. We’ll see how Paul accepted them as members of God’s family, and yet patiently and firmly pressed them to live more consistently as those who belonged to God.

This should be a great encouragement for us whether we’re coming out of the surrounding culture or leading people out of the surrounding culture. In a sense all of us come out of the surrounding culture. Even if we’ve been raised in a Christian home, we are deeply influenced by our culture. It takes time for all of us to believe the gospel and to live it out. And if you have the responsibility to lead people through this process, Paul’s letters help you lead patiently but diligently.

Join me this Sunday at 10 and let’s listen to Paul address a messy church--ours.

Baptism. I’m baptizing in this Sunday’s service. Watch a video of some of our members explaining their decision to be baptized at www.Hillcrest.Church/Baptism. Contact Lisa (lisa@hillcrest.church) if you want to schedule your baptism.

Keep on Prayerwalking. We had a great experience at our first prayerwalk through the neighborhoods immediately around our church building! We’ll schedule another churchwide effort in the future, but you don’t have to wait. Write Lisa (lisa@hillcrest.church) and she will send you a map with a one-mile assignment. Return that map with your name and the date you walked it.

Sundry Dinner

by Tom Goodman

What people in 1900 thought the year 2000 would be like.


If you're in this apartment, no need to pack up when you need to move. A truck will transport the entire apartment to another city and slot it in their frame. Starting in Austin in 2016.


The new Muppets aren’t particularly muppet-y.


"Many American workers are actually poorer today than four decades ago. They may be earning more money. But, in real terms, they're getting less for it." Read here.



Making Guitars:


Take 11 minutes with this video of John Oliver discussing our culture's dismal record on dealing with mental illness. Oliver is occasionally crude and he drifts into the gun control issue, but don't let that keep you from hearing his main thrust: There are ways to take care of our community's neighbors who have mental illness, and these ways are mostly left untried.


"The government should march off to jail scientists and others who don’t support man-made global warming theories, according to 20 climate scientists from several universities and research centers." World


In the latest PP expose video, Amna Ibrahim Dermish, a Planned Parenthood abortionist describes how she tears away preborn babies’ 'lower extremities' in an effort to get at their torsos. This abortionist works for PP Greater Texas, which operates in Austin among other cities. “I’m the only Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas clinic who goes up to 24 weeks,” brags Dermish. She has yet to procure an aborted baby’s brain with both hemispheres intact. “This will give me something to strive for,” Dermish adds in the video, chuckling.


Mollie Hemingway – A Quick and Easy Guide to the Planned Parenthood Videos. Trevin Wax says this is the best one-stop place for seeing summaries for the videos and the videos themselves. Share widely. Don’t look away.

This week's newsletter from Karen

In case you haven’t heard, a family in our church, Robert and Ericka Brothers, were blessed with beautiful twin boys (Robert Jr. and Richard) on July 13, which was about 15 weeks too early. Since that time, the boys have been at Dell Children’s Hospital and have undergone several surgeries and procedures to get them ready to come home. Latest news is that both boys should be able to come home in the next week or so.

To help the Brothers brothers and their parents make a smooth transition to their new home life, we would love you to join us in donating a package of diapers to help meet some immediate needs for these little ones. Any brand/variety starting with sizes newborn through 2 years old are appreciated. You can also donate gift cards if you prefer. Donations can be dropped off in the church office. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call Linda Green (936-662-6000) or Carrie Messinger (806-441-5494).

This week's newsletter from Steve

Craft Show is on the horizon! This year’s Craft Show Fundraiser will be on October 30–31, and we have a great variety of vendors that will be showcasing their wares. Some of those vendors are from Hillcrest! Plus, we will have our normal selection of food that we will be making and selling.  Enchiladas, bbq, soups, chocolate cake, and much more! Watch for the order form in the bulletin so that you can pre-order enchiladas by the dozen or entire chocolate cakes. These work great for feeding family during the holidays.

Please remember that the money raised from Craft Show goes into accounts for our Youth Ministry. Each student and family member that works during the craft show is earning money to pay for things like camp, retreats, and other things we do during the year. This is a huge blessing for our families, particularly those with more than one child involved with the Youth Ministry!

I pray you have a blessed week, filled with the love of Christ! May He use you greatly!

This week's newsletter from Gene and Michael

Over the years, we have been blessed with excellent pianists. They are critical in having an effective choir ministry. 

The past 4 years we have been fortunate to have Connie and the added talent of Mitch. Thank you for your faithfulness!!  We will continue to pray for you in your move to Houston to continue his treatments.

___________________ 

From Michael Slaughter
Associate Minister of Music

For those who missed yesterday's service, guess what? You missed out!  Yesterday we said goodbye to Mitch & Connie Mallory. Once again we thank them for their service to Hillcrest Baptist Church. Connie started playing piano for Hillcrest in October 2011, and come to find out that Mitch also played piano and organ and they both have been a great asset! We will miss them dearly! I would ask that you, church family, continue to lift them up in prayer as they make the move to Houston. 

Have you checked out our website? Have you noticed a countdown clock on the homepage? Well, we are now testing our live streaming services. We continue to work on this project to make sure all bugs get worked out. If you missed a service, go to the Resources tab and click on Live Streaming. There you will find archive services for your viewing. Once again it is not the final product, as Pastor Tom mentioned Sunday. We are still waiting on cameras and other key components that will better enhance our services. 

This Sunday, our Student Worship Choir is singing. Come be blessed! I am really proud of this group of young people! It's never too late to join this awesome group. We meet in the choir room on Sunday at 4:44pm. All in 7th-12th grade are invited to come.

No More Hermit Holes

by Tom Goodman

“God told me it was time to come out of the hole. But I don’t know if I have the energy.”

I love that line.

It comes from an old Boston Globe story about Thomas Johnson, an eccentric hermit. For ten years he avoided society by wandering deep into a Boy Scout campground on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts and burrowing eight feet underground.

Then a deer hunter stumbled over his stovepipe jutting out of the ground, and soon federal agents and state health officials were demanding he abandon his unauthorized hideaway.

He surrendered to the inevitable. “God told me it was time to come out of the hole,” he told the Boston Globe with a shrug, adding, “but I don’t know if I have the energy.”

Like Thomas Johnson, believers are tempted to burrow down into bunkers in escape from the world around us. But when Jesus was asked to identify the most important commandment, he answered with two: Love God and love your neighbor.

It’s impossible to love your neighbor from the comfort of your hermit hole. That’s why I challenged you six weeks ago to simply discover the names of 8 of your closest neighbors. The deadline for that challenge is this Sunday, October 11.

Some of us can identify with Johnson. Though he knew what he had to do he admitted, “I don’t know if I have the energy.” That’s where prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit comes in. Take a step in the direction of a neighbor today: Once you start you’ll find God supplying what you need to finish.

This Sunday is the end and the beginning of our neighboring project. It is the end of the six-week challenge to simply discover the names of 8 of your closest neighbors. But it’s also the beginning of actually building relationships. Some of those relationships will remain superficial, but some will go deep. And some may even impact eternity. I’ll tell you more about the “next step” in good neighboring this Sunday in our 10 a.m. service!

Keep on Prayerwalking. We had a great experience at our first prayerwalk through the neighborhoods immediately around our church building! We’ll schedule another churchwide effort in the future, but you don’t have to wait. Write Lisa (lisa@hillcrest.church) and she will send you a map with a one-mile assignment. Return that map with your name and the date you walked it.

__________________________________________

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Sundry Dinner

by Tom Goodman

Stephen Colbert on being a "Fool for Christ."


Whale vomit goes for $17,000 at auction. It was the basis of perfume in days past.


Megan Hill explains what's deficient about asking your contacts on social media to "send out good vibes" for you when what you really need is prayer.


"The Salvation Army’s history makes it clear: Evangelism and social uplift belong together." Read it here.


Eleven Takeaways from the Tenth Planned Parenthood Video. Trevin Wax: "It is frustrating to watch the New York Times and other news outlets ignore this most recent video, which clearly shows Planned Parenthood operatives worried about the kind of news coverage (“Imagine the New York Times headline”) they might get if their organ harvesting scheme were to be investigated."


Bill Nye the Science Guy "claims that laws against abortion reflect 'a deep scientific lack of understanding.' But it turns out that it is Nye himself who doesn’t understand the science. 'I really encourage you to look at the facts,' he says. But then he misrepresents the facts from top to bottom in an embarrassingly transparent effort to hijack science in the cause of pro-abortion ideology." Read more from Princeton's Robert P. George.


"Christian leaders should be wary of mistaking an enthusiastic reaction for a sign of evangelistic success or incipient conversion; sometimes the enthusiasm is just a sign that the world thinks that it’s about to succeed in converting you." In the middle of Ross Douthat's NYT piece explaining why enthusiasm for Pope Francis' visit is an encouraging sign, he concedes a point that may collapse his entire argument.