THIS YEAR our CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES on DECEMBER 24, 2019 will be offered at 4:00 PM, 5:30 PM AND 10:00 PM!  As you gather with your families over the Thanksgiving holiday we hope you will make plans to attend one of them and invite your families to join you.

OFFERING

Our Christmas Eve Offering will be designated for Mel Trotter Ministries.  The mission of Mel Trotter is to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ, through rescue and restoration for anyone experiencing hunger and homelessness.  During this season when we decorate our homes and gather with our friends and families, let’s work together to support this valuable ministry that works to show Christ’s compassion to the homeless in our area.  Check out their website at Mel Trotter Ministries.

Last Sunday you received a flat box and flyer in your church mail slot from Paradise Bound Ministries, one of our mission partners in Guatemala.  This box is for you to collect coins and currency to support Open Doors Orphanage that is located at the PBM base near Chimaltenango.

The proceeds will go 100% to the orphanage and will help feed, clothe, and love the children who call Open Doors their home.  This love is provided by full time nannies who live right on site with the children and by nurses who work at the base.  The children are visited by social workers and doctors and are also transported to off-site appointments.

Extra boxes are above the church mailboxes if you want to give them to additional family, friends, or co-workers over the holidays.  Fill them up!  Have a friendly competition to see who can collect the most in their boxes!  Then return them after the holidays on January 19 when we will all bring them on stage as an offering.  They might be pretty heavy!  Tape the bottom closed just in case!

If you want to learn more, contact either Julie VanOordt or Sharon Peters.

MISSION TRIP OPPORTUNITIES:  Guatemala 2020!  Julie Van Oordt will be leading TWO separate (but could be combined) trips to Guatemala this summer that have room on them yet.

The first opportunity is June 7-14 which will be a pilot VBS program running out of the new Paradise Landing land.  We will be working at Lavosi (Jenri’s deaf school) in the morning and doing VBS in a village in the afternoon.  This will be a five-day VBS program.  The entirety of the program has not been completely finished yet, but this is what is known so far.

The second opportunity is a traditional mission trip experience with home building and medical clinics.  This trip is June 14-21.  Julie is taking students from Allendale Christian School on this trip.

Contact Julie (julie.vanoordt@gmail.com or 890-9737) with any questions or if you are interested in either or both trips.

LIFE STRESSES sometimes can be more than we can handle on our own.  It’s often difficult to ask for help. Resources through Pine Rest are now available to HPC members and leadership through CAP (Church Assistance Program).  Pine Rest commits to services that are delivered from a Christian worldview that is sensitive, inclusive, and without apology.  Face to face, phone, and online resources are available. Please see the flyer in your mailbox for more information and the sign in you will need to access the online resources.