Special Announcement

In recent weeks, the Board and I have been talking about the need of HWC… specifically needs revolving around our volunteer base and all of the rapid changes we have experienced.

Although our ministries have continued on throughout all the changes… it would be inaccurate to say that we have not been both emotionally and physically impacted by all of the changes.

Those changes include:

The changing of hands with Woodston Camp.

The loss of our children’s pastor, Paula Haskett.

The loss of our youth pastor candidate.

I am super proud of how our team has handled the changes and the rapidness in which they came. But if I stood here and told you that those changes have not left us without injury, I would not be telling you the truth.

With these changes and their emotional impact, it has left us with two concerning results.

Our staff, both paid and volunteer, are tired. Many are pulling double and triple duty to make sure everything is getting done.

Our ministry strategy and structure needs revisited. If we continue at the pace we are on… burnout is inevitable.

Therefore, in response to what has been observed by our leadership team, the Board and I have unanimously decided to create a strategic ministry season to address the above concerns. This season will begin Sunday, July 10 and will extend to Sunday, August 21. This six week time period is designed to accomplish three things.

This season will be a season of:

Renewing - for our staff and volunteers. We want to give our staff an opportunity to pause, to be poured into, and to be refreshed by the Word and a season of rest.

Restructuring - for our ministries and teams. We need to evaluate what we are doing and why with our mission in mind. We need to make sure we have the right people in the right places for the goal of reaching the heartland for Jesus.

Recruiting - for the effectiveness of completing the mission. We will be working to recruit additional volunteers to help according to their spiritual gifting and abilities. We will be limiting how many places one person can serve to make sure everyone has the opportunity to serve and to be poured into.

In order for this to happen, we will be implementing a temporary ministry schedule… everyone say temporary with me… TEMPORARY… a schedule that will give us the time we need to be ready and refueled for our ministry launch in the fall.

This schedule will include this changes.

Sunday Night church will be paused for six weeks to give our ministry team an opportunity to regroup and to be refreshed. That need… goes for your pastor as well. It has been hard for me to adjust… but I simply cannot do what I could do a year ago. It hurts my pride to admit… but I simply cannot keep up with our current pace.

A 21 day season of fasting and prayer will be encouraged. From August 1 to August 21, we will be encouraging ALL attenders of HWC to participate in a season of seeking God. All seasons require prayer… but some seasons require more than others. We will be sending out more information on that as we get closer to those days. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER!

A gearing-up for our relaunch Sunday, August 21. On that day, Sunday Night WILL RETURN with a prayer and worship night for our ministries and volunteers. It is going to be a night like no other. We will lay hands on this facility, on our buses, and on our team as we ask God to fill this place with His presence and Spirit. It will be a night you will not want to miss!

1 Corinthians 9:24 reads,

1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

This is one of my favorite passages as it talks about the need for ministry excellence and spiritual self discipline. As we prayed about this decision, God repeatedly brought this passage to mind.

HWC has done well to remain on the track despite the many changes we have experienced. Yet I see a struggle. I see a need, and if that need is not addressed, it will develop into an injury that might disable our ability to run. Therefore… it is time for the church to pause, and to get back in the weight room.

This may not be what we want… but it is what we need. And as we renew, restructure, and recruit, we get this body back in shape for the long haul. We are going to do all that we can do to insure that we can run our race in such a way as to get the prize!

So in this next month I ask for this… I ask for prayer for our team and for anticipation of what God is going to do in the season ahead.

I ask for you to trust in God. Trust in the direction He is leading us. Today is a season of consecration… tomorrow is the day that the walls will come down.

Will you join me? Will you guard yourself against negative thoughts and talk? I realize with change comes concern. HEAR ME CLEARLY: This is temporary. This is a season. August 21 is going to be an amazing day as we relaunch Sunday night and our fall ministries. Can we stand together and pray for God’s will to be done this summer as we choose to follow Him into the New Normal He has for His church?