JUNE 2020 HILLTOP CHAPEL NEWSLETTER

JUNE 2020

HILLTOP CHAPEL NEWSLETTER

JUNE 2020

“You Can’t Go Back” - Pastor Rod

     Often,  in these articles, I try to incorporate stories and anecdotes from my past to make a point about our situation here in the 21st century.  Looking back can be cathartic and promote a feeling of cleansing or loathing.  Some of the past is difficult to deal with, but dealing with it helps us to make adjustments that strengthen us.  While we seek to live in the present, we must also look to the past for lessons learned as we prepare for the future.

    One of the most important lessons for me has also been one of the most difficult to come to terms with.  No matter how much one may wish to go back in time and change the stupid and many times sinful behaviors manifested in our youth, it’s not possible.  We must all live with the consequences of our past thoughts and actions, good or bad.

     As Christians, accepting responsibility for our collective thoughts and deeds has an even more urgent component attached.  People’s lives, both physical and spiritual, hang in the balance.  What we say or do can have eternal implications.  As a pastor these things are magnified many times over.

     The world judges Christians rightly or wrongly, by what they perceive to be “Christian type behavior.  It’s been said that we who profess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, are the Bible to those who don’t know about or have ever read the Bible.  What those people see us saying and doing becomes their reality concerning Christianity.  No wonder Christians, time and again, are tagged with the label “hypocrites”.

     My dad had many little gems of wisdom which he would quote often as I was growing up.  One pearl went like this:  “Your actions speak so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”  It makes a lot of sense within the context of our daily lives to realize that others are watching what we do all the time.  We are under the microscope of public opinion much more than we realize.  The question becomes, are we consistent in living for Jesus?  Are we giving non-Christians a favorable or less than favorable picture of Christ-like behavior?

     We all have a past to deal with, but do people who know us see a difference between then and now?  Your own family is usually the best barometer of whether or not you’re making progress in erasing past perceptions.  Two schools of thought usually  arise within family circles:  Either you are fundamentally different than you were before you became a Christian or you’re the same old person trying to fool everybody into believing that being a “Christian” has really changed you.  We have to constantly be aware that old wounds heal slowly and can be reopened with a careless word or action.

     The Bible is always our best guide as to how we are to live as Christians.  The apostle Paul, in his 1st letter to the Thessalonians chapter 3:12-13 wrote: “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”  Is this admonition from God’s word what we strive to do each day?  Are we looking for ways to please God and proclaim His gospel day of our lives?

     You cannot change your past or reclaim the days that are gone. What you can do is live a life that proclaims God—His love, His mercy and His grace—to everyone with whom you come in contact.  Make a difference for Christ in the life of someone who really needs Him today and you will begin to see how quickly your past sins & failures will fade from view.  II Corinthians 5:17 says:”Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”. You are in Christ and God the Holy Spirit dwells within every believer!

     Knowing the truth of your  salvation, the reality of your life in Christ and the expectation of your new home in heaven, why look back on the past and all of it’s hopelessness.  As the little one page tract, that I carry around in my Bible says:”Only one life will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”  May God richly bless you as you seek to serve Him every day.

                                                                                                                            -Pastor Rod

UPCOMING EVENTS

     As we are still under Phase 2 of the COVID-19 protocol, we are still unsure as to how we will  be able to proceed with reconvening full church activities.  Our hope is that within a reasonable period of time we will have the “go ahead” to resume, in some fashion, most if not all of our schedule, within the next few weeks.

     We are anxious to be back with our fellow believers and those who just happen to be in the neighborhood on any given Sunday or weekday.  We very much miss being able to see and talk with each other face-to-face and experience the closeness of Christian fellowship.  

     We will be starting Morning Worship Services outside on the lawn beginning Sunday, June 7, at our regular time, 11:00am.  If this remains the pattern for several weeks, we will be observing “social distancing” (with families allowed to sit in groups).  It is recommended that family groups and others bring their own lawn chairs or spread blankets on the lawn for comfort.  Sanitized chairs will be available for those who can’t provide their own chairs.  Also, other forms of protection (gloves, masks, hand sanitizers) are highly encouraged.

     Being as safe as possible is uppermost on our agenda as we begin to reopen our doors to our parishioners and the community.                                                             

                                                                                            May God Richly bless you, Pastor Rod

HILLTOP CORNER

     We joyously report that another name is written in the Lamb’s Book of life.  Gene McFarland, a long-time friend of Hilltop Chapel, has rededicated his life to Jesus and was baptized on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.  Praise God!  There can be joy in this time of uncertainty!

     Hilltop Chapel Women’s Bible Study has begun meeting again on Tuesday mornings at 10:00am.  Our Helping Hands Women’s Group is meeting on the first Tuesday of every month at 10:00am at the church.  We will have Bible study at 10:00am, potluck lunch followed by a short meeting. Wednesday Evening Bible study is meeting at 5:30pm with the Mid-Week Prayer Service at 7:00pm.  Social distancing is in place at all functions.

     The Christian Education Board Committee of Hilltop Chapel is sad to report that due to COVID-19 VBS has to be canceled.  With much prayer they have decided that it would be too difficult to adhere to the social distancing and sanitizing requirements that Fresno County Health Department has issued.  It saddens our hearts that we has to do this , but, we look forward to a bigger VBS program next year.

     Please continue to pray for those families you know that may have had a family member or friend become ill or pass away during this COVID-19 global pandemic.  Every life is precious to Jesus!