Summer Intern

This summer NHC will be hosting a summer intern from Liberty University. Jacob Brinkley is going into his junior year at LU and is majoring in youth ministry. Jacob will be working about 20 hours a week this summer with our student ministry and serving on Sunday mornings as well. This is our opportunity as a church to help Jacob learn some new things in ministry and gain some insights on how we function together as a church.

Jacob will be arriving in just a few weeks as his semester at LU is coming to a close. Take opportunities to get to know Jacob, invite him over for a good home cooked meal, get to know Jacob and for him to get to know you.

NHC will need to house Jacob for the summer. We are looking for a family that will take Jacob in and give him a place to live this summer, not just a place to stay. This could be the most rewarding part of his internship as he builds a special relationship with a family from NHC. If you would like to know more about giving Jacob a place to live for the summer please contact Andy at the church office or on his cell phone.

Sunday Feedback - April 25

Surf's Up!

Pastor Steve tells his story of Grace and God's Truth.

You Love Never Fails.

Bike week!

Beautiful weather.

Tell us about your Sunday morning experience this week!

BBQ & Live Concert this Friday Night!

Come out anytime from 4-8pm and enjoy some great local BBQ, drinks, slushies and live music!
Accepting donations for the Team France mission trip to Grenoble France this summer.

BBQ provided by Hardison Family BBQ!

Juan and Pam Johnson's story in today's Pilot

Juan and Pam and their six adopted children moved away from us last year. They were an integral and special part of our church and are missed by all of us who knew them.

Today they get to tell their story (see two posts below about telling your story) to hundreds of thousands - maybe more via the internet - in the Virginian-Pilot. And it was placed front page above the fold!

Here's the link to the story. You will find it a bit unnerving. Remember that this is the writer's interpretation of their story. To read their story as they tell it, read their blog, which is linked on the right of this page.

Sunday Feedback - April 18

God the Creator and Sustainer.

How He Love Us.

Jeremiah 29:11.

Contagious Youth Band!

Has Andy's story affected your story? Tell us about it! And, make sure you check out The Jeremiah 29:11 Project below!

The Jeremiah 29:11 Project

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Stories about who God is and how He works in our lives can be incredibly powerful. Andy shared today that Jeremiah 29:11 changed his view of God, which ultimately changed his entire life. Because Andy's life was changed, so were the lives of three little ones.

This idea that God can take a seemingly tragic situation and use if for good, to make beautiful things out of the pain and dust in our lives is a radical concept, but one that can change lives.

We each have had situations in our lives that have appeared full of disaster...but, if we're open to God's grace and love in our lives, we can now look back and see how He was using those situations to bring about something good. But, to simply know that God did something amazing with the messiness of our lives is not the end of the story. He also wants us to share the story with others, knowing that there are people all around us who need to know.

The Jeremiah 29:11 Project is an chance for you to consider one of those times in your life, and to look for opportunities to use that story to bring blessing to those around you.

You're mission, should you choose to accept it:

1) Read through Jeremiah 29:11. Use your notes from this morning to spend time really getting a clear understanding of the truth of God's promise.

2) Apply it to your life. Think of a time in your life past when you felt angry or bitter toward God...when you felt like God had abandoned you or didn't care for your situation. Looking back on that situation now, can you see how God was orchestrating everything to bring about something good in your life?

3) Tell your story. To a neighbor, family member, co-worker. Write in on your blog, on facebook, in an email. And share it in the comments section under this post. It doesn't have to be a 30 minute story like Andy's...it can be as simple as a few sentences or as short as a few minutes.

Remember, God's story is your story, and your story is God's story. Whenever we tell other about what He has done for us, we're telling them about Who He is!

Prayer Update from John and Cindy Peterson

New York, New York!

It is one of the most influential cities in the world. Fashion trends begin there. The world watches and waits to see what Wall Street will do each day. Broadway, Carnegie Hall, it’s all here. New York City is also home to more than 1,000,000 college students and an estimated 100,000 Professors. There are 15 full-time Campus Crusade staff there working to reach the whole campus, (faculty and students) with the Gospel. They feel overwhelmed and under resourced.

In March, 28 of our faculty ministry staff (Faculty Commons) went to New York to test the waters. What if we could find Christian faculty there willing to launch movements of evangelism and discipleship on their campuses?

Though I (Cindy) had gone to the City many times as a child to visit family, I did not know how to get around. Since I was leading this trip I decided to arrive a day early. We divided the staff into teams, giving each a list of campuses to scout out. At Medgar Evers we asked students if they knew any professors who identified themselves as Christians. The same name kept coming up, and the next day some on our team met with this professor. She was thrilled to connect with our staff, and to learn about ministry resources we could provide. By the end of our 4 days in New York, the Lord gave us contact with influential professors at Juilliard, Hunter College, The New School, Medgar Evers College, Columbia and NYU. That was so exciting!

At Medgar Evers, I had a fabulous spiritual conversation with Victoria and Carmelita. Carmelita is a single mom, going to school to try to make a better life for her child. The stress of school and mothering is heavy on her. Victoria is the first person in her family to attend college. Her father died from cancer when she was 18 and she is pursuing education in honor of him. I was surprised by how deep our conversation went in such a short time. Both women seemed delighted to talk about Jesus and while they did not turn to Christ in faith that day, they were genuinely grateful for the conversation.

Our staff left New York with a renewed vision of how professors can impact students and how students can help reach professors. We learned of a professor on Long Island that came to Christ because a student dared to share his faith with him. This professor now leads a ministry of around 60 students. What if this happened all over the city? What if...

Thank you for joining with us in reaching professors and students, and in taking the whole campus to the whole world. New York, New York, what a wonderful town!

Helping Leaders Reach Leaders,

John and Cindy

Prayer Update from Don and Mary DeHart

(Don and Mary are our missionaries with NAIM, reaching Native American people with the Gospel.)

Thank y'all for covering our lives so well,

We've been working beyond our energy levels in the past few weeks. Mary and I did get away for two days to celebrate our 43 anniversary but were so weary, we just came home instead.

Operations Council and Recruiting planning meetings have kept us long hours at the table as we lean in to serious proactive recruiting of potential Native staff. Pleas pray for two recruiting teams currently traveling among 2nd and 3rd generation Native believers in New Mexico and Oklahoma where the gospel ahs long been present. We are asking Jesus for 10 Native ministry units(couples or individuals)

Summer is fast coming with Red Soul Rising camps and ministry teams...again long hours on the phone and e-mail putting details in place.

We leave for Chicago on Thursday with a Hul'qumi'num brother to engage a city-wide Native Awareness Conference involving nine large churches and four universities. A full week of recruiting and speaking into church lives. http://www.efccl.org/NativeMinistry.html

So prayer cover is a serious need as different denominations gather with invited Native people to address the issue of 45,000 Native people in Chicago and no visible church. Unity in our diversity is a key theme. Our old enemy would like nothing better than to undermine this work.

Please pray for one of our churches led by two Native men who have become divided over contextualization issues. An offense occurred when a pre-believing Chief brought a hand drum to express honor to a Christian ministry team which had just seen strong positive imprint in the village. I'm reading 1 Corinthians this week and clearly see the problem is not new at all.

For Mary and me, our energy is returning, but it is increasing clear we must monitor our strength and delegate some of our responsibilities. Please ask God to bring forward the people He would use to carry these. Learning curve here.

Funding has been low for the First Nations Partnership initiatives we have on the table this winter/spring. As well, we are feeling the bite of the Canadian dollar becoming par with the US dollar, the exchange rate has been for years around 20% to 25% as a buffer zone built into our support base when US funds are converted to Canadian. So, ultimately it looks like 20% pay cut until the dollar adjusts or we see an increase in our support team....another church or two and some individual donors to make up the difference. The hard facts of cross cultural ministry in the 21st century.

Please great the beloved there for us expressing our deep gratitude for their faithfulness,
don and mary.

Sunday Feedback - April 11

Sorry it's late!

Tom's story of accountability and conviction.

This is who I am.

Are you ready to answer to God for your life?

Tell us how Tom's story and your worship experience with our church family and our guests impacted your life this week.

Parents: Family friendly TV programming

This is from our friends at the Willow Creek Association.

New industry research has revealed that moms have a clear desire for more positive options when it comes to entertainment. While it may not be a surprise to you, corporations are discovering that the best way to reach moms and families is by supporting what they care about the most…the welfare of their children.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Giants Ally on Film in Bid to Promote Family TV, “Executives at both Wal-Mart and P&G say that just 23% of American parents are satisfied with the amount of family programming, citing research from the Association of National Advertisers. In a 2009 poll of 2,400 consumers, the trade group also found that ads were less effective when they appeared on shows containing gratuitous sex, violence or drug abuse.”

As a result, Wal-Mart and Procter & Gamble (P&G), two advertising giants, have joined in an effort to produce quality family TV programming, beginning with Secrets of the Mountain, a TV movie, which will debut on NBC on April 16th at 8/7C.

Click here to read more and to see a trailer.

If you watch it, let us know how it was. We want to promote healthy entertainment for families when we find it.

Expect Delays This Sunday

There is a half-marathon this Sunday.

The Kitty Hawk Police Dept. will be closing Kitty Hawk Rd., both lanes, from 7 to 9am this Sunday morning. I called and confirmed this with the KH police dept. If you live off Kitty Hawk Rd. and serve at the 9am worship gathering please plan accordingly (sounds like a good morning for a breakfast at the Jolly Roger before church).

Colington Rd. will have lanes shut down as they normally do for the marathon in the fall. Traffic will still be able to flow through but expect delays until 11am.

The by-pass will be open to traffic.

See you Sunday!

Family Photos for Team France!

ColemanShots (Rich Coleman) and Nathan Lawrenson Photography are teaming up to offer family photo sessions in exchange for a donation to the MilePost13 Band's trip to Grenoble, France in June of 2010. 17 partners of NHC will be serving with Matt and Sylvie Glock on this trip.

These sessions are specifically available to anyone who wants "family" photos.

Photo sessions will take place outdoors at The Elizabethan Gardens on Saturday, April 17. Sessions with either Rich Coleman or Nathan Lawrenson are available at:
9am
10am
11am
12pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm

This means that there are only 16 sessions available. Photo sessions are scheduled for 55 minutes each, although depending on the size and cooperation of each family, a session could be as quick at 30 minutes.

All photos are digital, no prints. You will be given a DVD of the digital photos and ownership of the original and edited photos and permission to copy, print, and distribute photographs as you wish under “Home Rights Use”.

In addition to a donation, you will need to pay a reduced fee of $7/adult, $4/youth, (5 and under are free) to enter the gardens...this fee goes directly to The Elizabethan Gardens, NOT to Team France.

Photo sessions of this kind are typically valued at around $200, but our goal is both to offer you an affordable option for family photographs and to raise financial support for Team France. To learn more about Team France, please visit http://nhc2france.blogspot.com

You can learn more about this event at our Facebook Event, "Family Photos for Team France". If you are interested in participating in this event, please visit the Facebook event page and follow the instructions for setting up a session. Or, email/call Nathan at the church.

Please, let us know if you have any questions.

F1RST Wednesday Feedback - April

In my world, be lifted high.

Scott Williams presented his mission to local students and coaches through FCA.

FCA Presentation Video from FCA on Vimeo.

Tell us about your experience at F1RST Wednesday this month!

Easter Sunday Feedback April 4

Including kids, around 700 people worshipped together at NHC this Sunday!

The true story of Jesus.

What does God look like?

What do YOU say about Jesus?

Come and take your place in the story.

Good Friday Feedback

Death brings life.

Remembering, Thanking, Celebrating.

This is MY story!

Share with us what God is revealing to you this Easter weekend.

Sunday's Coming

Good Friday!

Why is this Friday so good?

7PM @NHC

Happy Birthday Nathan!