HDConnections Magazing :: Spring 2009

HdcONNECTIONSSPRING’09 ISSUE 50

FEATURES:

5

9 Identiy Theft

13 CALENDAR14 SEVEN16 HARBOR19 CLASSIC20 CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES22 YOUTH MINISTRIES26 SPIRITUAL GROWTH27 PF’s CORNER

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

by Tom Mercer, Senior PastorCulture is constantly telling us to go one way, while Scripture suggests otherwise. What are we to do?

HIGH DESERT CHURCH STAFFSENIOR PASTOR - Tom MercerEXECUTIVE PASTOR - Jack Hamilton

ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP TEAMMANAGING ASSOCIATE PASTOR - George BeardsleyCFO/ TECHNOLOGIST - Joel LingenfelterOPERATIONS MANAGER - Wade HazelbakerCOMMUNICATIONS MANAGER - Josh BishopDIRECTOR of OFFICE ADMINISTRATION - Judy CaffeyCOMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST - Tony MercadoSENIOR PRODUCTION DIRECTOR - Jacob BarbourPRODUCTION DIRECTOR - Jeremy HagerIT DIRECTOR - Daniel HazelbakerDIRECTOR of COMMUNICATIONS - Matt CurtisASSISTANT VIDEO DIRECTOR - Eyerly Dickerson

SPIRITUAL FORMATION LEADERSHIP TEAMMANAGING ASSOCIATE PASTOR/HARBOR LEAD PASTOR - Kurt ThielenCLASSIC WORSHIP PASTOR - Jeff CrandallCLASSIC LEAD PASTOR - Tim WheelerPASTOR of ASSIMILATION & MISSION - Scott ThibodoHARBOR WORSHIP MINISTER - Steve WilmertSHEPHERDING PASTOR - Jeff BarbourSHEPHERDING MINISTER - David Beardsley

FAMILY LIFE LEADERSHIP TEAMMANAGING ASSOCIATE PASTOR - Todd ArnettSTUDENT MINISTRIES PASTOR - Tim KuhlSTUDENT MINISTRIES WORSHIP DIRECTOR - Mike DayHIGH SCHOOL MINISTER - Doug StoryJUNIOR HIGH DIRECTOR - Kasey Myers5TH-6TH GRADE DIRECTOR - Evan NelsonNURSERY DIRECTOR - Julie McMican1ST-4TH GRADE DIRECTOR - Debbie AguirreASSISTANT PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR - Staci YoungASSISTANT PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR - Lisa Wingerd

SEVEN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TEAM7 LEAD PASTOR - Paul Gostanian7 WORSHIP MINISTER - Matt Coulombe

HIGH DESERT CHURCH14545 HOOK BLVD.VICTORVILLE, CA 92394PHONE: 760.245.2415FAX: 760.245.7442E-mail: [email protected]: www.highdesertchurch.com

by George Beardsley,Managing Associate PastorOur identity is often seen by others through the way we behave. Do our actions show off our identity in Christ?

Back in the nineties, during about an eight-year stretch, our family put a half million miles on two vans, traversing the entire country several times, visiting forty-five states, touring virtually

every national park of notoriety, even watching a baseball game in every major league city’s ballpark. To say we were road-warriors would have been an understatement. But nothing in this country ever prepared us for the Amazon jungle.

The older single-family bungalow that we had been assigned to had a couple of bedrooms, a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a living area. But the wood frame construction only reached about three and one-half feet above the floor. From that point all the way up to the ceiling, a screen wrapped around the perimeter of the bungalow. There were no windows. Predictably, there was no privacy or peace.

When Sheryl and I first got married, we lived in the flight path of Ontario International Airport, one block away from a major rail hub and on one of the busiest intersections in the City of Ontario.

But I’ve never heard anything quite as loud as the nightly parties that jungle creatures throw on a

regular basis. We were told, “In time, you get used to it.” (Editorial note—eight days is not enough

time to get used to it.)

Rising at least thirty feet above the jungle floor were large mango trees. Inasmuch as our visit occurred during the Peruvian summer, the mangos

were ripe and were, therefore, falling to the ground with great regularity. Every night (usually right after we would finally fall asleep), one or more of

them would invariably fall onto the aluminum roof of our bungalow. Bham! Keep in mind; these were not small mangos! Our family began to refer to them as mango bombs.

We figured that between our schedule, the insects, the mango bombs, the humidity, and the fear, we averaged about three hours of sleep per night.

When you vacate any dwelling in the jungle for more than a few weeks, the jungle moves in. So by the time we arrived, our bungalow was no longer vacant (if you know what I mean). Seeing a boa constrictor pulled out from under a nearby building was enough. But when our

then twelve year-old son came into our small room late one night, trying to explain what was sitting next to the kitchen sink, we started to see a

pattern developing.

It was the biggest spider I had ever seen. While its body was only about the size of a half-dollar, it measured at least six inches from toe

5SPRING’09 ISSUE 50

to toe. I stood there for about ten minutes trying to figure out what to do. I knew I had to kill it, but this wasn’t the kind of spider that you smash with the heel of your shoe! That’s because nobody in our family wears a size 29 shoe. I also knew that I would only have one shot to nail it, because, if I failed, and it crawled away into some dark corner of the bungalow, Sheryl would kill me!

So after praying for wisdom (I’m not kidding), the Lord turned my attention to a set of Peruvian arrows hanging on the wall, placed there, I’m sure, for display purposes only. I grabbed one of them, approached the spider slowly and then lunged forward, impaling that bad boy on the end of the arrow. I’m telling you, I felt just like what David must have felt like when he killed Goliath. In fact, the plan worked so well, I didn’t even have to clean up the mess! Inasmuch as the carcass was still hanging on the tip of the arrow, I simply walked to the back door and flicked it out into the jungle.

…and then the triumphant warrior returned to his family... “Me Tarzan!” Jane was impressed.

We’ve all had those “What am I doing here?” moments. You know, those times when we just “Wanna get away.” In fact, the main reason the Southwest Airlines ad campaign has been so popular is because we can all relate to those situations. We are the dancer who breaks a move and then breaks the sound system. We are the guy who gets carried away with virtual baseball and destroys his friend’s flat screen. Our journals are filled with descriptions of situations that were very awkward—often due to our own ineptness but, at times, due to simply being stuck in a circumstance that is just so outside of our comfort zone!

In reality, for the Christian, our entire life is just one of those moments. We Christ-followers are all stuck in an

environment that is just so not us, called on by God to lose our identity in a counter-culture movement to change the world.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia

and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for

obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 1 Peter 1:1-2

Strange

… strangers in the world.

Our jungle experience provided us 98 percent humidity, 98 degree heat, arachnid-friendly accommodations, little sleep and bizarre food. The jungle, in short, was not our home- we were strangers.

One of the best-known works of the post-apostolic age, The Epistle to Diognetus, describes our plight- “Christians are not marked out from the rest of mankind by their country or their speech or their customs...They dwell in cities both Greek and barbarian, each as his lot is cast, following the customs of the region in clothing and in food and in the outward things of life generally; yet they manifest the wonderful and openly paradoxical character of their own state. They inhabit the lands of their birth, but as temporary residents thereof; they take their share of all responsibilities as citizens, and endure all disabilities as aliens. Every foreign land is their native land, and every native land a foreign land...They pass their days upon earth, but their citizenship is in heaven.”

Scattered

...scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia...

It’s not just that we’re strange. We can’t even be strange together! As difficult as it might be to be separated from one

another, it is important to be available to go wherever He wants us to go.

For Peter’s audience, just reading the word, “scattered,” would bring to mind one of the most common scenes in the ancient world, that of a farmer scattering his seed. A farmer does not scatter seed accidentally, but intentionally. And he doesn’t throw it just anywhere, but strategically, in the best available soil. It’s interesting that Peter cites five specific locations. The call of the Christian may be less convenient than we had hoped for and less comfortable than we would wish for. But there is always a reason for anything God asks of us. He is strategic at every level, positioning His children, specifically in such way as to ensure the greatest Kingdom productivity.

That’s why God has drawn the people in your relational world around you. Each one of those oikos relationships has been integrated into your life for a strategic reason. God wants to reap an optimal harvest. He placed you in the best possible place to ensure the greatest success possible.

Selected

...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood…

The word, “sanctified,” simply means to be set apart for or assigned to a specific task. From the moment that God decided to include you in His plan for the redemption of the world, your mission has been as specific as it has been spectacular. Even when you feel like a fish out of water, like you’re all alone, lost in the maze of an unforgiving culture, there is always a new assignment just waiting around the next corner. It may not be easy or comfortable or convenient, but it will be strategically important, because God is always about the details.

I don't know what the ratios are any more, but back in 1979, United

Airlines flew more people to Hawaii than all the other airlines combined! So when United was grounded by a strike, no one was in a position to pick up the slack for the vast majority of people who had planned to travel to the Islands that summer. I mean, finding space on a flight for a family of four was difficult, let alone a group of 120! But thankfully we were able to transfer our youth choir's reservations to a Braniff flight.

Utter chaos. The most cramped room I'd ever been in. I'd never experienced claustrophobia before that day and I don’t remember experiencing it since. A small Braniff boarding area was absolutely packed with hundreds of noisy,

sweaty, nervous would-be passengers, thankful they had a seat and ready to

board a standing room only Braniff 747 for flight number 650 bound for

paradise.

While I was second-guessing my sanity (I was directly responsible for thirty percent of the people in the room), I noticed a rather bizarre party of three young people, two guys and a gal not related to our group, giggling to my right. Then, if you can believe this, the young lady in the trio, who was wearing a weird black scarf, picked up the microphone at the boarding pass desk while the airline official was not looking and said over the public address system, "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, but Braniff flight 650 to Honolulu has been canceled!" Then, just as quickly, she replaced the microphone and disappeared back into the mass of humanity, laughing hysterically with her

friends.

Instant hysteria! It happened so fast and caught everyone so off guard, I don't think anyone else saw who was responsible for the announcement. Immediately, a rather incensed Braniff flight attendant

grabbed the microphone off of it's

cradle and s c r e a m e d ,

"Disregard that announcement and, if

we find out who said it, they won't be traveling with us on this or any other flight!" Boy, he was angry. And who can blame him? On the scale of practical jokes, this one was below the practical line. And then, on top of it all, the three stooges kept on laughing, so excitedly proud that they'd gotten away with it. You'd think they'd won the lottery!

Well, you know what I wanted to do! That's

right, rat city- "Excuse me, mister attendant sir, I know

who did it! They did, right over there! That's right, those three!" But for some reason, a quiet calm replaced my anxious spirit. It was as if the Lord was saying, "Relax, Tom. It's not worth getting all worked up about. You've got a flock to shepherd! I’ll take care of it!”

Boarding seemed to take forever. About twenty minutes into the sixty-minute ordeal, my lead tenor, Eric, wormed his way through the crowd and grabbed my arm. I'll never forget his face. It was white. Real white. Too white. He said, "Tom...(buuurp), I'm sick." I said, "You're what?" He said, "I'mmmmm (burp) sick." I said, "Eric, buddy, what are you doing here sick? Why did you even try to come?"

But when I saw the disappointment in his face and knew that he, like every one of those kids, had worked so hard to get there, I backed off the chastisement approach. But he did make it clear, he needed to get to a restroom, and sooner than later!

Looking behind me toward the terminal, all I could see was three hundred

people packed into a space designed for thirteen. No way could we make it to the restroom out there. I looked forward, saw another 200 people and estimated at least another twenty minutes before we could get on board and occupado a lavatory. But it seemed to be our best option. "Eric, can you hold on?!!... (Eric) "I'llllll (belch) try!"

I prayed. I pushed. I waited. Twenty minutes became twenty-five, and then thirty, but finally I could see the cabin door. I also could see the problem! The friendliest, most talkative airline hostess you'd ever seen, heard or wanted to fire was individually greeting every passenger! By then the mass of people had narrowed significantly and we were boarding Noah style, two by two. Guess who my partner was? Pepto.

We were two rows away (that's four total passengers yet to be interviewed by Gertrude the gracious greeter). I could see the lav doors inside the plane, “Vacant” loudly prodding us forward. We were almost there! But our luck had run out.

Eric diplomatically said, "Tommmmm, this issssssss it!" The thing I had always appreciated about Eric was his ability to be clear and accurate. He was right again. It was it! Up it came, and not just all over the floor. To my horror, I noticed he'd also hit point blank the back of the gal in front of me. Humiliated and heart-broken, I was about to apologize when I noticed the black scarf and realized who she was!

I learned a lesson that day. When God said, "Vengeance is mine. I will repay," He wasn't just whistlin' dixie!

Remember, even when you feel like a fish out of water, like you’re all alone, lost in the maze of an unforgiving culture, there is always a new assignment just waiting around the next corner. It may not be easy or comfortable or convenient, but it will be important, because God is always about details. And, did I mention, He also has a sense of humor?

I will always remember the day I turned 16. On the morning of my birthday my dad took me to the DMV to take the tests that would determine whether or not I would be joining

the ranks of licensed drivers. I remember the relief I felt when I passed and received a piece of paper that said, “Temporary Drivers License.” I proudly folded that piece of paper up and put it in my wallet not knowing that before the day was out I would be handing that piece of paper to a police officer standing at my driver’s side window. My first trip was to school that day and my second was to Youth Group that evening. As I was taking a friend home after Youth Group, another friend pulled up along side me at a stop sign. Yes, the race was on and my dad’s LTD with a 429 and a 4-barrel


blew the doors off of my friends ride. The race was abruptly shortened when I noticed the flashing lights in my mirror and was introduced to my very first traffic stop. I don’t think the ink was quite dry on my temporary license.

I’ve often wondered what was going through the officer’s mind as he unfolded my temporary license and noticed the date at the top. He didn’t say anything for a moment and his expression never changed. What he did say has been permanently burned in my memory. He didn’t lecture me; he didn’t write me a ticket; he looked at the name on the paper, folded it up, and handed it back to me through the window. He then looked me in the eye and said, “You come from better people than to be doing stupid stuff like this.” Then he got back in his car and drove away.

A 16 year-old kid drag racing on Main Street is not what caught his attention; it was the name on the piece of paper. My name is George Beardsley II. I carry my father’s name. When that officer saw my name I became more than a brand new driver, I carried with me my father’s identity.

Webster’s Dictionary defines identity as, “sameness of essential or generic character in different instances.” The word identity probably comes from the Latin word “identidem” which literally means “same and same.” Like it or not, your identity defines you and places expectations on your actions and behaviors. That’s why companies invest significant resources to track what you drive, what you wear, what you read, what you listen to and where you go. Your identity will predict what you will purchase. Once they learn who you are, they can strategically target their marketing.

We can try hard to protect our personal information and take great steps to keep our identities safe, but there is one group of people we can’t hide from. At HDC we call those people our Oikos. They are the people who know who you really are, not just who you claim to be. You can’t hide your identity from them and it begs the question, “How important is your identity?”

Your identity has great value, not only to the marketing world, but also to those who would seek to steal it. Basically, identity theft happens because someone with a tarnished identity appropriates a more responsible identity that they exploit until the newly appropriated identity is tarnished and useless and then they steal another. This is not a recent phenomenon; it is something that Satan has been doing for a very long time. Satan knows that his true identity is shot. If Satan’s identity was clearly open for your world to see it might look something like this.

Satan: Former chief angel exiled from heaven after failed coup attempt. Subsequently introduced death, disease and decay into a perfect world.

Currently working to convince the world that Hell isn’t hot, separation from God isn’t a big deal and that eternal loneliness and agony is a great way to exist.

If people could see him for who he really is they would not follow him in his path of destruction. He has a much better plan and that is to use an identity other than his own. Satan understands Oikos. He gets it. He knows the best shot he has at the world is through relationships. And what better way to accomplish this than to steal the identity of a Christian and conform them to the pattern of this world so they will become tarnished and useless for the purpose of worldchange.

Now, I can already hear some of you saying, “Whoa, I gave my life to Jesus, my identity is secure! Isn’t it?” When you become a Christian you can rest assured that your eternal destiny was decided once and for all. You are a child of God’s and nothing can change that. The question is not whether or not you are a child of God’s, but who’s child would your Oikos identify you with? I’m sure the police officer that walked up to my window on my 16th birthday

wasn’t really surprised that another stupid kid was drag racing on Main Street that day. The disconnect came when he read the name on the license. I was the son of a man who respected authority, valued his reputation and tried to be a person of integrity. I was raised to be different.

Paul told the Galatian church that as a follower of Christ we have a new identity. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”–Galatians 2:20. As Christians we were saved to be different! We are to take on the identity of Christ for our world to see. But all to often our world watches marriages that fail, parenting that is ineffective, a lack of personal integrity, and in the midst of the chaos that is our sin our Oikos gets

a look at our ID and we hear them say, “You come from better people than to be doing stupid stuff like this.”

I’m glad I had a merciful dad when I was a kid. He actually let me drive again after he found out I had been pulled over for racing, but I will never forget the impact my actions had on his name. And as much as I love and respect my dad, that name is not as important as the name of Jesus. He died for us so that we could take His name and the new identity that came with that name. As Christians, now more than ever, we need identity theft protection. We need to protect our identity by reading the Bible to understand what it means to be identified with Christ.

We need to pray regularly and ask God to show us where we do not live consistently as one of His children. We need to surround ourselves with other members of Christ’s family and give them permission to point out these inconsistencies in our identity. We need to live out our lives in such a manner that we bring glory and honor to the family name we bear.

I challenge you to value your identity in Christ and take these steps to protect it. And, come to think of it, we still have a very merciful Dad that will keep giving us more opportunities to live out His name to the world.

VictorVille campussaturday 6pm

sunday 9&11am & 6pm

Hesperia campusmeeting at ranchero middle school

sunday 9&11am

2:00PM - BOARD MEETING

MOTHERS DAY

8:00AM - MEN’S BREAKFAST8:45AM - LADIES TEA

7:00PM - JR HIGH TRIBAL COUNCIL

7:00PM - FU3L REUNION

MEMORIAL DAY - OFFICES CLOSED

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8:00AM - MEN’S BREAKFAST


9:00 & 11:00AM - EASTER SERVICES : RANCHERO MIDDLE SCHOOL

8:00AM - KIDS MATTER HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR

7:00PM - FUEL REUNION

KATRINA MISSIONS TRIP


7:00PM - FUEL REUNION


8:00AM - MENS BREAKFAST6:00PM - EASTER SERVICE : VICTORVILLE CAMPUS

9:00 & 11:00AM & 6:00PM - EASTER SERVICES : VICTORVILLE CAMPUS

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This isn’t everything going on at HDC this SPRING! Find out comprehensive event listing, event locations and other details online at WWW.HIGHDESERTCHURCH.COM.


I recently re-discovered a great book I read years ago entitled Windows of the Soul by Ken Gire. In it the author writes, “We reach for God in many ways. Through our sculptures and our Scriptures. Through our pictures and our prayers. Through our writing and our worship. And through them He reaches for us.” The basic idea of the book is that God shows Himself to us in a variety of ways, oftentimes in what may initially seem like the most unlikely, unexpected places. In fact, if we’re not paying attention we may miss it! Of course, the more obvious places are not to be devalued by any means – the Word is precious and God speaks to us very specifically through it. Likewise, God meets us in the intimate moments of prayer and when He does there is little to compare with it. But when was the last time you experienced the glory of God…at Cinemark? How about Barnes & Noble or the iTunes store? If you take time to squint your eyes…lean in…bend an ear – you may be surprised to find God tapping at the window of your soul, revealing His nature in surprising ways. Here are a few of my more recent “windows”:

MUSICSigur Rós :: Takk

I have no idea what these artsy rockers from Iceland are singing about, but I’m sensing this album is a collection of praise songs to Jesus.

Daniel Lanois :: Here Is What IsBeautiful, raw music with nothing artificial! Lanois’ speaks of beauty and its “source” in somewhat vague,

open-ended terms, but this only magnifies for me the true and ultimate Source of everything that’s beautiful.

Andrew Peterson ::Resurrection Letters, Vol. II

This album has served as a great companion for my own personal times with God. The lyrics are honest, deep

and biblical. Listen to the whole thing in one sitting if possible! Otherwise, check out “Invisible God” and “Hosea”.

MOVIESHorton Hears a Who!Went to see this with my kids, not

expecting much. Then God used it to remind me that He sits exalted above an immeasurable universe that He spoke into existence, but also intentionally draws near in love.

MISC.French-pressed coffeeLast year I went out for a really nice

dinner with my wife. That was the evening I discovered coffee at a whole new level. I’m pretty sure I praised God for His goodness that night and got a little better idea of what heaven will be like.

To the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Volunteers, those of you who came and worked, those of you that came but never got assigned a task, and those of you that would have come if you could, the project was a success. Some of you worked really hard in painting, landscaping, cleanup, serving in the catering tent, digging and hauling supplies and water. Some of you ruined your blue shirts, your clothes and even your shoes.

You braved the high winds, the ever-present dirt, the mud and the cold weather, but the house, the learning center, and the animal cages were completed on time.

The trades people worked together, in a friendly manner, in a tight situation of time and in limited working space, and yet, the job got done. Many of you donated food to help feed the workers and other volunteers and above all, you volunteered your services unselfishly for others in need. You, as individuals and as a unified church, all came together and gave of yourselves. SC Homes and, of course, the Almquist family thanks each and everyone of you for all that you did.

It was a humbling experience to stand side by side with each of you to complete this amazing adventure. Thank you for helping us make this a life changing event in each of our lives; it was special.

SC Homes

WINDOWS OF THE SOUL


“The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.”

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke these words to a nation struggling through the turbulent days of the

civil rights movement, yet the truth behind them rings true for any challenge we may face. Today for instance we are experiencing a crisis that has seen banks fail, homes lost in foreclosure, companies declare bankruptcy and even close friends and family lose their jobs. Along with these economic storms, we also face moral and spiritual challenges that threaten to unravel our culture and society. No one knows for sure, but it looks like we might be in for some rough weather ahead.

If this is the case, what are we to do about it? Or perhaps more importantly, what does God want you to do in it?

Throughout human history, economic, moral, physical and even spiritual crises have occurred time after time, and in the midst of each difficulty, God calls His people to get involved. He asks those who love Him to show love to others. He invites men and women to step out in faith when their own faith is faltering. It is God’s way of showing His greatness to a world that so often ignores Him. That’s why Jesus told His followers,

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Christians have always been called to be light in a dark world and many have answered the call. Back in the earliest days of the church, it was also a very tempestuous time for the people of God. If you claimed to be a Christian, you would likely lose your job and you may also lose your life. The government was corrupt, immorality was rampant, poverty was commonplace and to top if off, a madman named Saul was shouting murderous threats against Christians. Sound familiar?

Yet, in the midst of that crisis, God commissioned a man named Ananias into action. In Acts 9, we read how God sent Ananias to speak to Saul, the most ruthless enemy of Christ. You can imagine what Ananias might have thought about this idea. High risk…low reward…with little chance of success. In spite of this, Ananias courageously stood strong in his time of conflict and controversy and led Saul into a personal, life-giving relationship with God.

Why did God choose Ananias for this job?

First, he was willing. Ananias was ready to do whatever God asked, whenever God asked him. Their relationship was built on obedience and love.

Second, he was listening. You get the sense from Acts 9 that this wasn’t the first time God had spoken into the life of Ananias. It seems to me that Ananias was in the habit of listening to God’s voice, and this listening made him ready to respond in faith.

Ananias was the man God used to change his world forever. He was ready and willing for God’s use. So let me ask: Are you ready for God to call on you? Are you listening?

• If God wants to touch someone’s life with encouragement and hope, are you available to go for Him?

• Are you willing to offer a listening ear to a friend who is hurting?

• Will you reach out to that family member who is hard to love for His sake?

You see, God has intentionally placed YOU here in this specific time and place to illuminate your world. And the fact that your world is facing turbulent times only makes your job more important. Remember: The darker the days, the brighter the light. It is your time to shine!

The only question is whether or not you will stand up when God calls your name.

Pastor Kurt

HARBOR COMMUNITYHOPE IN THE STORM

“The spiritually blind can’t lead others to the light. The spiritually deaf can’t pass along insights they never hear. The heartsick can’t demonstrate Christ’s compassion. [To those who are willing] He will give us eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to think, hearts to feel and hands and feet to move in His service.” Gary Thomas

Women’s Retreat June 5-7

Calvary Chapel Conference Center at Murrieta Hot Springs


WOMEN’S MINISTRIES

MEN’S MINISTRIES

Bible study for singles 35 and older who have never been married or have lost a

loved one through death or divorce.

Meets every Friday at HDC (trailer T3 & T4) at 7pm. No childcare available. Call Brenda at (760) 240-6940 or

Kay at (760) 949-7226 for more details.

HDC Men’s Annual Outreach BBQFriday, July 17th

HDC Annual Men’s Retreat (Twin Peaks)November 6th-8th

PLAN AHEAD:If you would like to receive almost weekly updates regarding Men’s Ministry events and devotional challenges for men, email Pastor Tim Wheeler at [email protected]. Sign up today!

MEN’S EMAIL:Join us the second Saturday of every month for our Men’s Breakfast. Check your weekend program for more information.

MEN’S BREAKFAST:

REGISTRATION STARTS: March 7-8 at the IslandSPEAKER: CJ RAPP of Saddleback ChurchCOST: $195.00 (After May 1st, cost is $215.00)

SMILES (Satisfied Moms In Life’s Every Situation) Bible Study Thursday from 9:30-11:45AM

TLBS (Today’s Ladies Believing and Serving) Bible StudyMonday 6:00-8:00PMTuesday 9:15-11:30AM



CHILDREN’S MINISTRYYou have been entrusted with the monumental task of preparing your children to change their worlds for Christ. We want to help. If you missed Tim Smith at our Family Matters Parenting Conference, you’ll want to pick up a CD in the island today, so you’ll know “The Danger of Raising Nice Kids – Preparing our Children to Change their World.” Breakout sessions including “How to Biblically Nourish Your Child” and “Fun on a Budget” CDs can be purchased in the Island as well. Keep an eye on your weekly bulletin in anticipation of our next Family Matters Parenting Conference. Partnering with you in preparing your children to help change their worlds for Christ.

In this time of economic slowdown many families are in need of a little extra help with their budgets. One tool that is available to you is Angel Food Ministries. Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing quality, low cost groceries to families in communities throughout the United States. Check out their website at angelfoodministries.com or call Susan at 243-7375.

64% of Christians accept Christ before the age of 18.

We have 40 hours a year with children, parents have 3000.

100 years from now the only thing that will matter is someone’s relationship with God.

Are you the missing piece?Contact Susan at 245-2415 ext 270

HEY PARENTS! Check out our upcoming Beach House Virtues!

MARCH: Hope – believing that something good can come out of something bad.APRIL: Conviction – standing for what is right even when others don’t.MAY: Obedience – trusting those who lead you by doing what you’re asked to do.

Health and Safety Fair

8TH ANNUALCHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR

Saturday, April 25, 200910:00am-2:00pm

“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white all are precious in His sight…”

You remember the song from when you were a child don’t you? Kids Matter is an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love and caring for the children of our church, children of our oikos, and the children of the Victor Valley Community. The mission of Kids Matter is to protect one of God’s most precious gifts, children.

Kids Matter is a FREE event that is open to the public. It is an event to bring your children for free health screenings, free immunizations (offered by St. Mary Medical Center), and free car seat safety inspections (offered by the CHP). There will also be safety information, educational opportunities, support groups, and much more. The HDC parking lot will be filled with organizations that offer information or provide services to enhance the health, safety, education, and faith of the children who attend.

Outback Steakhouse will be on hand to provide a delicious lunch to the participants. The donations received from these lunches are the operating funds that allow us to put this event on. If someone cannot afford to make a donation, lunch will be provided for free.

It will be a wonderful day full of fun for children as well as adults. This is a great opportunity for you to bring your oikos to HDC and let them know how much Jesus loves their children!For further information, contact the church office.

Health and Safety Fair


Summer Camp registration opens on Saturday, March 21! Any student going into grades 7-12 can register for summer camp beginning this weekend. Our camps fill up quickly, even though we register months in advance. Please register as soon as you can to ensure a spot for your student.

The school year is in full swing and your home is probably buzzing with the

need for practices, homework, events, and every day life. Feeding the family, driving the family, and housing the family are more expensive than ever. And as parents, it also falls on us to grow our kids in between juggling everything else in life.

Up at church we understand the tenuous schedule your family has. Staying busy is the American way. But it can feel like staying on top of normal life is all we have time for. It seems like adding anything else would push us over the edge.

Once upon a time a very important and, I am guessing, very busy man asked Jesus to boil it all down. He wanted to know if there was a single idea that he could live his life by while not making it any more hectic. And Jesus, who usually challenged people’s questions, actually answered

the question simply. Love God and love others. If we really want to know what this is all about, then do those two things.

In student ministries we want our students, your students, to be worldchangers. And we believe that students today are overwhelmed with life. And as we fill our own schedule we want them to hear exactly what Jesus taught that man. Someone who loves their oikos does two things. They love God. They love people.

We hope that we don’t add to the chaos of your life. We hope to be a single, clear call to Jesus. Our services aim to push kids to love God. Our small groups push them to love others. Sometimes, what seems like more busyness is actually a chance to do what’s most important. Amidst the buzz at home, hopefully we are the place for your student to do what is most important. To love God, and love others.

YOUTH MINISTRY

OIKOS STUDENTBy Tim Kuhl, Student Ministries Pastor

March 21 - Summer Camp Sign-Ups Available21 - Night of Champions : 1-9pm : $1031 - Tribal Council : 7-8:30pm

April4-6 - Upkeepers Spring Retreat : $357 - No Tribes (Spring Break)28 - Tribal Council : Photo Scavenger Hunt : 7-8:30pm

May1-3 - Milestones : 8th grade only : price TBA26 : Tribal Council : Grad Night/Talent Show : 7-8:30pm

March21 - Camp Packets Available25 - Reunion28 - FUEL Theology Classes : 6pm : T5

April11 - Illuminate Event : VV Rescue Mission17 - Car Ralley25 - FUEL Theology Classes : 6pm : T529 - REUNION

May2 - Illuminate Event (United Way I E)15-17 - Aqua Caliente (Lake Havasu Trip)23 - FUEL Theology Classes : 6 pm : T527 - REUNION

Don’t forget to have your student check out our new website at hdcfuel.com! They can get info on our events, listen to our own podcasts, check out pictures from events and more!

If you want more info, we send out a monthly email just for parents. It includes a quick hit about different teen topics, and calendar info for both jr high and high school groups. To sign up for this newsletter, send an email to [email protected] with the word “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.

Don’t forget that 2% is a push to get only 2% of church investing in students. Our summer is approaching and we want some of you to join us as camp counselors, event staff, or weekend volunteers. We are near our goal of 2%, and maybe you can push us over the top. Call in to the church office and ask what opportunities there are for you to be involved as a student ministry team member!

ELEMENTARY CAMp 5TH-6TH gRADESLocation: Forest Home

Cost: $395

JR. HIgH CAMp 7TH & 8TH gRADESLocation: Thousand pines

Cost: $360

HIgH SCHOOL CAMp 9TH-12TH gRADESLocation: Hume Lake

Cost: $489


OIKOSBIBLE INSTITUTE

OIKOSBIBLE INSTITUTE

by Pastor Frank Mercer

amazing mysterious energy leaps forth in response – let God’s love sustain you! God’s love is morally proper and upright in conduct.

3)The Security of Love.

How precious is the discerning heart of love... a love that is the root of all graces of the Spirit: compassion is the heart of love, kindness is the act of love, mercy is the attitude of love, sacrifice is the service of love... see why love is vital in reaching people for Christ. Love suffers long, allowing you to count to ten, at least, before you act unkindly and regret it. Have confidence in the fact that God loves you, He desires the very best for you, that He will help you sort out everything in life, and allow you to live in His will – blessed security... living in God’s will!

It simply staggers the mind as to how God takes sinful, worthless people who have rebelled against His love, saves them by grace through faith in Christ, transforms their lives and then requires that He, God Himself, must be seen in them – if He is to be seen at all! Love gets a top priority in our lives!

STUDY QUESTIONS

1.What is the one debt you will always owe? Romans 13:8

2.What saying does Romans say will fulfill all of the commandments?

3.Why is it important to implement this instruction now? Romans 13:11

Dr. Frank Mercer, known through the years as “Pastor Frank” or simply “PF,” continues to be a faithful ambassador of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His clear and practical messages from God’s Word have encouraged people in their walk with Christ for seven decades. PF and his wife, MaryAnn, who now live in Oelwein, Iowa, pray every day for HDC, our staff and our mission. Connections is pleased to share PF’s insights from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, excerpts from PF’s devotional book, “Feasting on Philippians.”

Paul’s Prayer For Light In The Church Family

Philippians 1:9 “depth of insight” Scripture Reading: Romans 13:8-14

It is Paul’s prayer that the church family in Philippi will have a love which is based on the Word of God – then they will love one another properly. The instrument that God places in our hands to do His work is the Bible – He will use it to bring salvation to sinners, to build up faith in His family, and to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Philippians is written primarily to build up and enrich the family of God: having called us into a “fellowship with His son Jesus Christ, our Lord” – I Corinthians 1:9. He faithfully ministers to our lives, providing spiritual light – a clear understanding of God’s Word, made known by our built-in Bible teacher God the Holy Spirit.

1)The Source of Love.

Paul refers to “your love” – this was God’s love in them, made real in and through them by their relationship to Jesus Christ. In the Bible you find God’s gracious plan of redemption, the Philippian believers accepted God’s offer of salvation and demonstrated its transforming power in their loving attitudes and actions with one another. Keep in mind that God’s salvation plan flowed out of the wisdom of God – it originated with Him! Human wisdom, the wisdom of this world, can never lead a person to God, because it never uncovers or leads to divine truth. Divine truth is ours only by revelation of God. Don’t miss this fact: man in his own wisdom could never design a plan to get even one person into heaven... human wisdom is totally bankrupt with regard to spiritual things. Spiritual life comes from, only one source – the God of the Bible!

2)The Sustaining of Love.

A sound understanding of biblical love provides stability in our relationships and it is exciting to know that “love never fails.” A person doesn’t have to be “spiritually gifted” or “a great talent,” not even a conversationalist, to have a good ministry for God – just love people! When people know you love them unconditionally, that you are a dispenser of God’s comfort, they will eventually listen to you – they must learn that you care! At the present time people are starved for genuine love. Frustration, emptiness, loneliness, hostility, and resentment flourish where there is no love. However, when God’s love comes in contact with those types of people an

DEVOTIONAL: PF’S CORNER


High Desert Church14545 Hook Blvd.Victorville CA 92394For more information:

760-245-2415 | [email protected]

Saturday, May 9, 20098:45 -11:45am

Ticket Sales:Adults: $12.50

Child (under 8): $8.00(Tickets sales begin April 18-19)

For all ladies of the churchand their Oikos members

Documents

HDConnections Magazing :: Spring 2009