Playground
Dear Church Family,
The school will begin setting up the playground in the backyard for the new school year this Monday. I know they could use some help with this. If you are free that day, would you consider dropping by to lend a hand. They will be starting in the morning. Todd can answer any questions you might have.
Your Servant,
Randy
Friday Evening Prayer
Dear Church Family,
We are seeing God lead us in a new direction for our Freedom Ministry on Wednesday evening. We believe He is leading us to focus on helping those who are coming out of incarceration and who are also addicts. I look forward to sharing with you how He has been speaking to us about this at a later time. But for now, I will just share with you two obstacles we need to overcome before we can move forward. The first is a children's teacher for Wednesday evenings. I am temporarily filling that position until our Lord raises up someone uniquely gifted for this important ministry.
Church News and Updates
Dear Church Family,
- We are looking at starting a Trail Life troop for boys and an American Heritage troop for girls here at Vista Hills for our church and school families. These two organizations are Christian oriented alternatives to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Representatives will be here July 11th. They will give a brief presentation and then be available to answer questions and help folks sign up after the service. Please begin praying for this ministry. The Christian Nuclear Family is rapidly becoming an endangered species in our culture. We believe God has called us to work at rebuilding broken families in our community. We also believe Trail Life and American Heritage could be extremely useful tools in helping us accomplish this calling. And we believe having a troop here at the church will be a load of fun. Please seriously consider getting involved as you listen to the presentation.
- Summer is here in full swing. As generally happens at this time of year, offerings are down as folks travel. Yet, many repairs and modifications are needed on the building and church grounds. We are in the final stages of converting the Eagle's Nest from evaporative to refrigerated air. That leaves us with just two zones to convert. The school is trying to get their portion of the building ready for the new school year even as they are doing summer camp. Today's rains have revealed several leaks in our roof that need to be repaired. We are still pushing to finish the construction on the pro-life building. Please be praying that God will provide for all these needs. We have learned that in His Kingdom, He gives us work to do, which generates needs of provision, which we take to Him in prayer. He then provides and we celebrate and give Him thanks. Then we start the process all over again with more works and needs. Right now we are in that praying part of the process. Please do not neglect it. Praying is the work that needs to be done right now. I look forward to sharing with you how He provides in response to our prayers.
- We will need to call a couple work days this summer to get the playground equipment installed before the new school year begins. Tom Ruth is heading up that project. Check with him to see when and how you can help.
- We are planning an overnight camping trip to Cloudcroft for late summer. The idea is to arrive in the forest just west of Cloudcroft village on a Friday afternoon. We will fellowship and camp overnight then use Saturday morning to fill all our trucks with firewood to make available for church members for the winter. We will keep you posted as the time draws nearer and we get a go date.
Church Updates
- Spanish Congregation - Paz Espiritual has decided that since they are more a part of Vista Hills Church than a separate congregation, and in keeping with what God has been doing with them lately, it would be fitting to drop the Pas Espiritual name. Therefore, instead of having a seperate church, we will simply have two worship services; one in Spanish at 9:30 and the other in English at 10:45. Beginning this Sunday, the Spanish service will take place in our main sanctuary, instead of upstairs, just before our English Service. This will allow us to fellowship with one another between services. However, it also means we will have to be respectful to not go into the sanctuary until the early service concludes at 10:30. The sanctuary upstairs will become the chapel for the school's upper classes and a music room for the school. Room 101, next to the food pantry, will become the class room for our Sunday morning Spanish Bible class. We will also be adding a page to our church website to feature all the ministries and activities we have in Spanish.
- Memorial Day Weekend -
- Since roughly half our congregation will be having church in the Sacramento Mountains on the first Sunday of June, we will have our combined worship and communion service this Sunday.
- Our Spanish speaking members have a potluck lunch after church the last Sunday of each month. In keeping with the drop in name and with their move downstairs, they would like to make this a potluck for the entire church. Please consider joining us for lunch after the English service. Simply bring a dish to share and an appetite for food and fellowship.
- Church Family Retreat Sunday - Pastor Jon will lead the Sunday worship service for the folks on the retreat. Pastor Randy will lead the worship service in El Paso. Please be praying for a move of God and open hearts in both places
- Jesus is coming Soon! Maranatha!
Well done Church!
Dear Church Family,
I just can't help but send a little personal note to you all. I am so proud of the way you have walked through the difficulties of the last year. You have been challenged in many ways yet your faith and your love for the Lord and each other has not wavered. Well done Church!
Also, I hear of folks talking about you around El Paso and your reputation here is a good one. I praise God for that, knowing that He is the author and finisher of our faith. But I want to commend you too for obeying Him. Your obedience has set you apart from so many who claim to be His but their lives do not match their claims. Well done Church!
And finally, I would like to commend you for the way you treat my wife and I. You make pastoring a joy. Thank you for the grace you show us when we are weak. Thank you for the respect you show me in the office I fill. Thank you for the love and compassion you show us in taking care of our needs. Well done Church!
Randy
Commissioning Service & Praise
Hello everyone!
June Retreat Updates
Hello to all of you who have signed up for the Retreat.
I am so blessed with how God is bringing all this together - He enjoys spending time with His kids!
I would like to meet with all those who are to meet NEXT Sunday. NOT this Sunday but next Sunday, May 16 after church in the Fellowship Hall. The purpose for the meeting is twofold; I'd like for everyone to see everyone that is going. Since we have some people who have not gone with us in the past, I feel like it's good to see the faces and meet those who have attended in the past. Secondly, we have to discuss activities. By the time of the meeting I'll be down to the wire on getting activities scheduled so I need to know who would like to do what. I'm attaching to this email a link that you can go to to see the available activities. If you would please take a few minutes to look at that and talk with your kids so that we can finalize the plans. Keep in mind that the Activities are done on Saturday so plan accordingly (in other words, no activities on Friday or Sunday). There is also a "Covid Waiver" form that needs to be signed by EVERYONE (even if you aren't doing any activities) that needs to be completed before we arrive at the Camp.
Mother's Day
Dear Church Family,
Game Night
From Katy Clark - Mission Trip
Hello everyone!
Food Boxes
Dear Church Family,
June 4-6 Retreat
Message from Grae: