Over many months the Vision Team has engaged in a time of spiritual discernment. Through much prayer and discussion, this team of over thirty individuals representing a cross-section of the congregation listened for common themes to where we sense God leading us as a congregation. These five themes affirm current ministries, provide future direction, and/or establish new priorities that will enable every member to live out God’s calling to the fullest.  Feel free to share your thoughts about these themes with a member of the Vision Team and the ministerial staff.

Intergenerational Ministries
HRBC has organized numerous activities and projects that involved members across all ages. However, we sense God leading us to seek more repeatable opportunities to draw all age groups together for ministry and fellowship.  The benefits of such intergenerational activities are endless, including learning alongside other generations and strengthening fellowship between the two worship service communities.

Local Missions
HRBC’s approach to missions work has exploded in recent years, offering some distant opportunities to serve in places like Charlotte (Hyaets), the Gulf Coast, and now in Kentucky (Owsley County).  However, the time seems right to consider additional ways of serving our Lord in places just outside our window.  The desire is to explore new local ministries that are consistent with our outward focus to reach out more intentionally and regularly to those who are close by and in need.

Identify Gifts & Matching Opportunities
HRBC has many diverse needs that require a variety of gifts.  Our members possess such resources, but in order to fulfill our kingdom potential, we need to identify and develop those gifts and match them with corresponding ministry opportunities.

Equipping

An integral part of our spiritual growth is to be better equipped to serve the Lord. We will evaluate other channels to provide developmental tools (either hands-on or otherwise) so that we can more effectively minister in the areas we are called.

Healthy Relationships
Our members deeply value the relationships we develop at HRBC.  Because these relationships are so vital to our ministry and our identity, we will explore ways to nurture healthy relationships with each other and, by extension, with Christ.

Many events converge in this spring/summer season that serve as reminders to me that time stands still for no one.

On the first Sunday of June, we will recognize our graduating high school seniors (note the date change — Heritage Day moves to the second Sunday of June this year). What a significant milestone this is for so many! Remember to congratulate them and to pray for them.

Heritage Day marks our 46th birthday as a congregation. It is a time to celebrate God’s goodness to HRBC through the years.

In June, both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship hold their annual national gatherings. These are times of fellowship and also for networking resources.

The Baptist World Alliance World Congress takes place in late July. I look forward to participating in this once-every-five-year event.

Each of us experiences life as a series of occurrences and events which come our way, each one reminding us of the inevitable passage of time.

In this calendar year, I have already celebrated the birth of my first grandchild, thanks to our middle daughter. Still to come this year is the marriage of my youngest daughter. What a year!

What marks in time remind you of the onward march of life? Are you enjoying and embracing those events? Sometimes we wish time would stand still — it never does. Invite God to be your companion along the way, and live each moment to the fullest! After all, time cannot and will not stand still for any of us.

Bert Browning

This past year we focused our HRBC  mission and ministry around the theme of “Make a Difference.”  It has been a good year of understanding what that means and of putting it into action.  Our mission and ministry theme for the upcoming months is: “Be. Love. Serve. Repeat.”

The purpose of a theme is to give us a common thread to tie together who we are and what we do together for the Kingdom of God.  It isn’t enough for Christian people to “be good” or for Christian churches to “do good.”  There needs to be intentionality and direction for us to fully live out our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ.

This year’s new theme will lead us as the family of God to explore more deeply who we are, how we live, and what we do.  It is far better that we explore and discover these truths for ourselves than to allow the world around us to shape us in its own image.  How much better that we invite God to shape us and then use us as God sees fit!

As we study the Gospel of Luke this year (and we will do so throughout 2010), let us be open to seeing in the life and ministry of Jesus what it means to “be, love and serve,” repeatedly.

As we live into the theme, we should grow in Christ-like faith, discipleship and service.  So let’s get started!

I am looking forward to the first Sunday in October when we will begin what I hope will be an enjoyable and in-depth three month Bible study journey together. The scripture passage studied in Sunday School each week will also be the central text for the sermon that day and then the topic for discussion in the following Wednesday night adult Bible study.

This will afford each of us the opportunity to consider Biblical passages, topics and themes in a variety of settings, in a variety of ways and from a variety of perspectives. Hopefully, what will emerge is a deeper understanding of scriptural truth for all who participate.

We will begin with a five-week focus on Baptist distinctives. This will be followed by three sessions dealing with our stewardship of self and of our resources. Late November and the month of December will feature Advent and Christmas passages for consideration.

The way to enjoy the richest experience will be to do the following:
Commit yourself to study of the Sunday School lesson.
Participate in your Life Community’s consideration of each passage.
Actively listen to the sermon on the topic.
Discuss and offer feedback in the Wednesday night Bible study time.

We will have a great time in God’s word, together!

We are about to enter the final trimester of the calendar year.  It is also the beginning of the new church year.  The calendar year to this point has been filled with opportunities for ministry and missions service.  The new church year promises yet more ways to act on God’s call to serve in his name. 

There are several ways to respond to the call to be on mission.  We can ignore the call; we can run the other way; we can complain about what we are being challenged to do; we can say, “Here am I, send me!”  

Each of the above-mentioned responses is found at least once in scripture: for example, a rich young ruler ignored the call of Jesus to become a follower; the prophet Jonah ran away from God’s call; Moses whined, on several occasions, about the people he was called to lead and about the expectations of God concerning his leadership; Isaiah heard God’s voice and said, “I’ll do what you need done.” 

Followers of God in Christ have a clear call to impact the world by living, being, announcing and doing the good news.  I hope you are growing in your faith walk with God, first of all.  As that happens, you will see before you people and needs that God has called and equipped you to impact.  These are the specific ways you can make a difference in someone’s life and in circumstances where the love of God is needed. 

Make a difference!  In doing so, you will represent God, be used by him, and honor his holy name.