April 2014
NHBC News
Love God ~ Love People ~ Grow Together
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These are exciting days! During the month of April, we celebrate the Resurrection and proclaim the Living Savior through a variety of ministries during the Easter season. Invite friends and family to join us for our Easter Musical Sunday, April 13, our Living Lord's Supper, Wednesday, April 16, and our Easter services, Sunday, April 20. April is also the time of year when we emphasize the wonderful ministry of our North American Mission Board through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Our Long Range Planning Committee has also presented us with exciting and challenging opportunities for ministry with our community. As we prepare for the future of ministry at National Heights, I can't wait to see what God is going to do through you!

~Vaughn Weatherford

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Calendar
News Deadline
April 21 will be the deadline to have articles in for the May newsletter.  Email Sharan at: [email protected]
  

February to-date

income report 

Budgeted $ 83,333.34 

Received 80,441.44 

Year-to-date  

under budget $ 2,891.90

 

 

April

Door Greeters

Barbara Vallely 

Patti Crocker 

Gary & Millie Dollins 

Joe & Mary McLemore

 

 

Sympathy...

...to the family of 

Connie Irvine 

in her death March 7

 

 

Congratulations...

...to Eleanor Hoyt on the birth of her great grandson Rodman Chiles, March 23.

 

Celebrating 125 Years!

The History Committee is planning a church anniversary celebration for July 27. They would appreciate your help in providing names and addresses of former members to the church office so that we can invite them to join us.

 

Fellowship Dinner

The church family is invited to a fellowship dinner on Wednesday, April 23 at 5:15-6:30 pm. Hosted by the Mixed Age Class, the menu will be baked ham, sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes and gravy, salad and dessert. Cost is $4 each, maximum of $12 per family. Guests are welcome!

 

Food for

Grand Oak Pantry

During the month of April our church will be collecting canned foods, paper goods, and other staples that are needed by Grand Oak Mission for distribution to their clients. During 2013 Grand Oak served 8,743 families which is almost twice what they served in 2007. The need is great. Your generosity is appreciated.

 

 Baby Shower Invitation

 

Sharon is having not One but Two! One dressed in Pink, and the other in Blue.

 

You are invited to a twins baby shower in honor of Sharon Blauvelt Saturday, April 5 at 2:00 pm at National Heights. She is registered at Amazon.com/BabyRegistry, Babies R Us and Walmart. Clothing is needed as well and sizes no smaller than 3 months or 6 months, please. Hostess is Denise Blauvelt. Please RSVP at 849-5265 (call or text) or [email protected].

 

 

 Fremont Day

@ Culver's

 

Monday, March 31

5:00 - 8:00 PM

at 2520 N. Glenstone

A portion of all sales that day

will be contributed to the Fremont Elementary School.

  

Beginning

March 5

 

Spiritual

Disciplines

In the Compass service

Wednesday @ 6:30

First message March 5:

7 Habits of

Hypocritical People

 

  

 

Thank you

 

On behalf of the South African Mission Team, I want to thank you so much for your gracious support for all our fundraisers that we have held for this trip. Even though you won't be with us in person, you still will have a part in what God is doing in South Africa through your prayers and giving. Again, thank you so much. ~ Brian Miller

 

I want to thank my church family for all of their prayers and cards during my illness this winter. Also in the death of my brother. I am so glad to be a member of such a wonderful family.

~ Sharon Roberson

 

To my friends at National Heights: Thank you for your prayers, cards, calls and visits, and especially thanks to Brother Vaughn for his daily visits. Your continued prayers are appreciated! ~ Mary Farris

 

Brothers & Sisters in Christ... 

   Words cannot express how much our family appreciated the wonderful lunch after Mother's memorial service. To all the ladies that prepared our "feast" we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. To our church family for your prayers and concern for Mother, we thank you! And to Bro. Vaughn for both allowing us to do our new twins' dedication at NHBC and for his calls, prayers and concern for our family, we say a heart felt "Thank You." And lastly, for the beautiful rubber tree ficus plant -- I will keep it always!

~ Jacque Hamilton and the family of Helen Hamilton

 

  

 

Passion Week

April 13-20

For love like this, we celebrate

 

 

 

   This year's church-wide Easter celebrations will begin on Palm Sunday. That evening, our children's choir will present a few musical selections, after which, our Adult Easter Choir and a small chamber orchestra will present the musical The Seven Last Days. This musical journey focuses on one event of each of the seven last days of Jesus' earthly existence. The worship service will end with a somewhat dark and somber mood enabling us to ponder the emotions that Jesus' close followers must have felt during those days leading up to the resurrection. 

    Then, our next worship service that week, will be our annual Living Last Supper. This evening will give us an opportunity to partake in the Lord's Supper by bringing to life what might have happened in the Upper Room when the ordinance was first instituted. At the close of the service, we will move outside to a crucifixion scene where each person may pause for reflection.

    The Passion Week activities will then conclude with a celebration on Easter Sunday morning during our worship services. With live trumpet fanfare, we will sing and celebrate the resurrection together on this joyful day. 

     This year's celebrations take us on a week-long worship experience to consider and reflect upon the passion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I encourage you to be a part of all three events! 

 April 13 - Palm Sunday - The Seven Last Days at 6:00 pm

 April 16 - Wednesday - Living Last Supper at 7:00 pm

 April 20 - Easter Sunday - Worship with Trumpet Fanfare at

8:30 am or 11:00 am 

 

Called business sessions for Long Range Planning
 
   On Sunday evening, March 30, at 6:00, the Long Range Planning Committee will present a facilities report to the entire church family in a special called business meeting. On approval at an earlier business session, the church hired architect David Damron to complete a feasibility study for facility improvements, with special focus on enhancing our ministries to preschool, children and youth. There will be a multi-media presentation of the proposals at the March 30 meeting and the church family will have opportunity to ask questions. There will be no vote taken at this meeting.

    After the presentation meeting, the church family will join together in a month-long season of prayer, seeking God's leadership as we move forward in ministry. The congregation will meet again in a special called business meeting on Sunday evening, April 27, at 6:00, to discuss and vote on the feasibility recommendations.

    It is very important for the life and ministry of NHBC that the entire church family participate in this process. See you on March 30 and April 27 at 6:00 pm!

 

Directory Photos As painless as possible!

Note: Photo days added!

 

   It is universally true that most everyone looks forward to seeing all the photos in a new church directory, but hardly anyone really wants to have their own photo taken! The History Committee is working on a new church directory as a part of our 125th anniversary celebration this year, and the goal is to include EVERYONE. So we are trying to encourage the highest participation ever -- as painless as possible.

    Photos will be taken at the church April 5 & 7-12. Because of the great response, we have added two more days to the schedule! Please go to the church website for a link to sign up online, or add your name to the photo schedule at the table outside worship. Every family will receive a free 8x10 portrait and a free copy of the new directory. There is no obligation to purchase photos.

    The goal of producing a church directory is to connect the church family -- to help us all become better acquainted. The more people participating, the more successful we are in reaching that goal. The photo shoot schedule is flexible to accommodate a time most convenient for your family and signing up is a snap -- either online or at church. Additionally, the church staff is setting a casual tone in their photos this year and you are welcome to do the same. If you want to dress up in your Easter finery, that is great, but if you prefer casual, leave the necktie at home! Just be yourself -- you can even wear gear from your favorite sports team. You also are welcome to bring special people from your family who are not a part of the church family to join your photo. Please sign up -- the directory will not be complete without you -- and the process really is painless.

 

A huge Thank You to everyone who has already signed up!

  

 

Season of Prayer for

North American Missions

April 6 - 13, 2014

Annie Armstrong

Easter Offering Goal -- $9,000

 

 

  

 Fremont principal at WOM

   Tuesday Women on Mission will meet at 9:30 on April 8 in the fellowship room. The group will start the morning with coffee, cookies and a catch-up sharing time. Hostesses are Ima Johnstone and Judy Divine. All women of the church are invited. 

   There will be a brief business session led by President Divine at 10:00. The featured speaker for the event is Andrea Fraser, Principal at Fremont Elementary School, our National Heights adopted school. Ms. Fraser will be speaking on the timely subject of "Understanding Poverty in our Schools and Community." Becky Bennett, program leader, suggests we ask ourselves the following questions as we consider this topic. Could we survive in poverty? Could we survive in wealth? What are the "hidden rules" of our culture regarding relationships? How do poverty and/or wealth affect our schools, our work, our community organizations, and personal relationships?  

   One of the main points of our study will be asking what can our church do to encourage progress in this important cultural issue. What are we doing? Should/can we do more? How? Ideas? Thoughts? The WOM will be looking at this topic and associated issues periodically over the next few months. Come and share this time with the group. You will be most welcome.

 

  

Jim Wilcox at second WOM meeting

   On Tuesday, April 22, Women on Mission will meet at 10:00 in the fellowship room of the church. The business session will be under the direction of President Judy Divine. Several items of upcoming summer and fall mission projects will be discussed. 

    Speaker for the morning will be Rev. Jim Wilcox who recently made a mission trip to the country of Lesotho, Africa. Women on Mission of Missouri began praying for and sponsoring the work in Lesotho over 25 years ago. We now have several missionary families there along with national believers and the work continues to grow. Jim Wilcox, retired pastor of Sycamore Baptist Church, will share his experiences through a video presentation. Men are invited to join the women to hear Pastor Wilcox' presentation at about 11:00.  

    There will be a pot-luck carry in lunch served at the noon hour by hostesses Ima Johnstone and Judy Divine. Come and join the group in this time of learning about our world.

 

 

  
Prime TimersPrime Timers
 

Everyone 50 and over is invited to join us on Thursday, April 17, at 11:00 am for Prime Timers. Our own Bruce McNeely with share some thoughts on Easter and then we will gather at our "Famous Carry-in Cafe" for some good food. Invite a guest!

 

~ Carl Rose, Prime Timer President

P.S. Don't forget to bring staple foods for Grand Oak Mission.

  

Youth Rummage Sale

April 11 - 12

Church family pre-sale April 10

April 11 (7:00-5:00) & 12 (7:00-2:00) in the church garage. Pre-Sale for the church family only on Thursday, April 10, 5:00-8:00 p.m. No items will be available for sale before the 10th. You may bring donations for the sale at any time or call the church office to schedule donation pick-ups.Sale

 

 

  

Volunteers are needed to serve as "Falcon Buddies" at Fremont Elementary during the upcoming school year. For an investment of only 30 minutes per week, you will have the opportunity to work with a child using flash cards, work on sight words, listen to the kids read a story, etc. Please contact Jeanne Carpenter if you are interested or for further information.

 

  

Care & Share  Care & Share

Care and Share Ministry to widows of the church community will meet on Thursday, April 24 at Golden Corral North in their meeting room at 11:15. This is a time of sharing and praying together. All widows are invited to attend. More information needed? See Mildred Burns, Judy Divine or Phyllis Sanford. 

 

  
Gearing up for Vacation Bible School

VBS Kickoff is set for Sunday, April 6 for workers to begin preparation for VBS week June 9-13. It's time for the church family to begin praying for VBS! Please pray for all our workers and staff as they prepare -- for families as they consider sending their children to VBS -- and for children that they might experience the love of Jesus through the church family at NHBC.

 

  

tuesdays at 2 Tuesdays @ 2

Praying every Tuesday at 2:00 for the ministries of National Heights

4/1 - Youth Ministry

4/8 - Music Ministry

4/15 - Worship

4/22 - Sunday School

4/29 - The Compass

  

National Heights Baptist Church
3050 N National Avenue, Springfield, MO 65803

417-833-4111   www.nationalheights.org

Staff

Dr. Vaughn Weatherford - Pastor

Joshua Roberts - Minister of Music

Brian Miller - Youth Minister

Jeanne Carpenter - Preschool & Children's Minister