We dusted off an old one

In case you missed it, or still don't believe it, Nathan and Rick played and sang a duet Saturday night. It's an old Larry Norman song about what people might have said about Christ.

End of the year giving

Many folks find that at the end of the year they want to either make an additional offering or complete their tithe. Often with the holidays partners are out of town and miss giving in worship gatherings. So, it's not unusual for them to drop by the office the last week of the year or to mail it in to finish their annual giving.

A final deposit for 2012 will be made Friday. If you have a tithe or offering that you want credited to your annual giving it must be received before that deposit at noon. The IRS will not allow us to make your offerings retroactive if you wait until Sunday, even if the date on your check or envelope says "Dec. 31". At this late date we don't recommend mail!

So, if, like Gail and I, you want to add to your giving, or give a special gift to outfit the youth room, please bring your envelope to the church office. None of our staff plans to be in the office on Friday, but if that is the only day you can make the gift, then please call Rick prior to Friday at 441-7548 or 261-7573 and he'll make arrangements with you to receive the offering for the church. Of course, you can also give online up until midnight Saturday!

If you have any questions, please give us a call at the church office.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

Christmas Morning Worship

Christmas Greeting from Dina and Sergey Butenko

The Butenkos are our missionaries in the Ukraine with Campus Crusade.

Santa? Yes or No?

Guest blogger Mark Driscoll on what to tell your kids about Santa.
Click here.

Sunday Feedback December 18

Ready or not, here He comes.
Today's message in the series was about "the One who is to come".

Did you know "Joy to the World" wasn't about His first advent?

Great spirit and worship today. Tell us about your worship and/or ministry experience at NHC this Sunday before Christmas.

We'll Miss George Robinson

George Robinson went to be with the Lord this morning. A long time partner at NHC, George was always ready to do anything in his ability for his Lord and his church. He faithfully served us as a Deacon, and served us well.

"Absent from the body and present with the Lord."

A Legacy of Missions

A man who influenced me in my college days about the importance of missions died last week. Roscoe Brewer was a giant when it came to reaching the world for Jesus. He and I also are part of a small fraternity, having both served the same church as youth pastor.

I challenge you to turn off the TV for a few minutes and watch and listen to this video. He was near death when it was recorded, and I'm so glad it was done. I hope this moves you as it did me.

Why Be Sure About the Real Jesus?

· The primary area of error in false religions is what they believe about Christ. They may talk about Christ and say they acknowledge Him, even as Savior. But the big question is, “Is your Christ the true Christ of the Scripture?” And they get that question wrong every time.

· You may be questioned about Christ by non-believers. Are you ready to give an answer? You need to be! It never hurts to know what you believe.

· If Jesus came into existence at His birth then the idea of God being a Trinity is false. One of the core beliefs of Christianity has always been that God is 3 in one. And that requires Jesus to be pre-existent.

· If Jesus is not eternal and pre-existent than He is not God, because God is eternal. Think about it: How could God be created? If He could, then whoever created him would really be God.

· If Jesus is not eternal then He is a liar, because He claimed to be. We read His own words. Either He was telling the truth or He knew He was lying. But think about it…who would die for what they knew was a lie?

The real biblical and historical Jesus only spent approx. 33 years living as a man. But He is ageless; the “Ancient of days” He is called. He is the eternal God and the eternal God wants to be the Savior and Lord of your life. David marveled about that in Psalm 8. When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are people that you should think about them, mere mortals that you should care for them?

But, He does care about you, and He desires you to receive Him as your God and to spend eternity with Him. That is guaranteed to any and all who will accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. If you don’t know that you’ve done that in your life, and would like to right now, all you need to is to believe in your heart that God sent Christ to die for you; to forgive you of all your sin and to give you a new life. It’s that simple.

Our Holiday Schedule at NHC

(Don't get crazy because of the use of "holiday". The schedule includes New Years Day as well.)

"All Over the Earth"
The MP 13 Band in Concert
Friday, Dec. 9 @ 7PM
Child care provided

Jesus Before Bethlehem
Part 2 of "This Jesus...Not That One"
Sunday, Dec. 11 @ 9 and 11

Discovering Nags Head Church
Sunday, Dec. 11 from 2-6PM

Ladies Christmas Ornament Exchange
Monday, Dec. 12 @ 7PM

Youth Christmas Party
Thursday, Dec. 15 6-8PM

Get Ready: He's Coming Back
Part 3 of "This Jesus...Not That One"
Sunday, Dec. 18 9 and 11

Christmas Eve Worship
Part 4 of "This Jesus...Not That One"
5 and 7PM
Nursery and Kidmo 5PM only

Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25
No Gatherings... Worship with your family!

New Years Day Gathering
Sunday, Jan. 1 @ 11AM only
"Indoor Picnic" covered dish lunch!

Why do you put that disclaimer at the bottom of the outline?

You've seen it. It simply says,

"Any/all outlines whether adapted or in their original form are used “by permission” of their original authors."

What's that all about?

On (rare) occasion, usually during a special series, such as "40 Days of Love", which we did in the fall of '10, I'll use the outlines of the originator of that series. The disclaimer simply says that if the sermon is not my own, I have permission from the "owner" to use it...that I'm not plagiarizing.

Although I doubt there are few, if any, truly original ideas or ways to express biblical truth, the vast majority of what is preached at Nags Head Church is developed by the preachers. Even if we have a guest preacher, as we did a few Sundays ago with Larry Benson, you'll still find that disclaimer. And knowing Larry, I'm sure he "originated" his sermon that Sunday.

Is there anything wrong with a preacher using another's material? Not unless he takes credit for it being his own. I heard a preacher say, "If my bullet fits your gun, shoot it." After all, if it's truth, it's God's truth. Certainly, if a preacher is always preaching downloaded or copied sermons, that would be cause for concern. But at NHC, if a sermon is not "original", it's the exception, not the rule.

Another example is the last series we did, "Freedom from Religion". I knew I was going to miss one of the Sundays, but wanted us to stay on course, and asked Andy to preach. To keep the series (which I developed) consistent, I provided him the outline and direction of the message, or the "skeleton", and Andy was free to put in his own particular illustrations, use his "style" and add the "meat" to the sermon.

Occasionally I'll even have visiting pastors or pastor friends who hear about a series we're doing ask me for my notes. I'm glad to send them, and if they work for him, great! We're all on the same team, and it probably shouldn't really matter who gets the "credit". At least that's how I look at it when sharing my "stuff".

Anyway, I would think that what really matters is not, "Who's sermon is this?", but "Is this biblical and true?" That's a standard that all of our elders at NHC seek to uphold.

Now, I need to get back to preparing for this Sunday.

Sunday Feedback December 4

We started a new series today to help us have a firm knowledge on the Jesus of Scripture.

Nathan's song, "The Real Jesus" echoed the desire of our culture to know the truth about Him.

Did you get to take a tour of the Youth Room upstairs?

See you at one of the concerts this week...Wednesday and/or Friday nights @ 7PM.

Annual Church Conference Report

First, the budget proposal was unanimously approved. And the bylaw change was postponed due to a bylaw that requires such changes be announced 30 days in advance, not one week. It will be re-visited in January.

Rick gave the following report for the Elders.

Annual Church Conference

December 2, 2011

Every year around this time we gather as a church body to make an important decision: where will we go next year? That’s what a budget says. Some might think it’s just about dollars and cents, and that it simply is a guide to spending, which it is, but a budget really is a statement of faith and vision. And if you’ve been to our annual meetings in the past few years, you know that we talk about budgeting by vision. It’s what we believe.

Before we get to that part of our meeting tonight, and to also making a change in our bylaws about scheduled church conferences, I want to spend a few minutes with you laying some foundation for the budget and for the new year to come. It’s not ever been our practice to hide anything from you or be less than truthful, and we’re not going to try and spin the facts, but want to be real and at the same time optimistic about what God has around the bend for us here.

This year saw us accomplish a lot in outreach and saw a strong number of baptisms. But 2011 has not been a banner year for us at Nags Head Church. For the first time in the past 20 years we did not grow larger as a church, and with people moving away, a few leaving us and some just dropping out, I’m sure our partnership is less now than it was a year ago. Some of you have had friends leave us for varying reasons. Some just have fallen through the cracks. And that’s an area of concern, not only for us as your leaders, but we know it impacts you as well.

On top of that, and we believe connected to that are two other trends that concern us. One is that our finances have taken a hit. Certainly the local economy has something to do with that. We’ve seen faithful, ministering and giving families move away because of jobs. And although we’ve seen some new folks come in to the church, those who are new believers typically don’t immediately become tithing partners. And many of the baptisms of this year are youth, who aren’t able or ready to contribute financially.

Trying to be pro-active, I challenged the church to the 3:10 Dare over the summer, encouraging those who haven’t learned the habit of tithing to try it and for those of us who do to add a percent to our giving. Burnie led the Financial Peace University, which taught biblical principles of stewardship. That course will be repeated soon, by the way. And we added online giving, which is the way things are going in our culture, to help giving be more convenient, esp. to younger people. Our staff continued to work outside jobs to help out. Yet, still our bottom line is struggling to meet our needs.

I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding about this next statement. We don’t put a dollar sign on anyone. But there are only two ways for our finances to grow. One is for us to give more. But likely most of us here are doing all we can. And since most of us aren’t seeing raises, it isn’t likely for our ability to give to increase. The other is for our church to grow in partners. When we grow in the numbers of people in the church, we see our offerings grow as well. I may not be able to give more next year, but all of us can witness and invite our unchurched friends to come to church with us. That’s how we grow. So, let me ask this question of everyone here: Who became part of NHC in 2011 because you led him or her to the Lord or invited them to come to church? That’s all of our responsibilities.

So, you’ve seen that our 2012 budget proposal is significantly decreased from this year’s budget. At the same time it isn’t a surrender. It does say, “We’ll grow from 2011”, because it plans for growth. We had to make some difficult decisions with this budget. And truthfully, if growth doesn’t happen in 2012 we’ll be making some more difficult decisions this time next year. But we’re going to aggressively work with God at turning the ship back on course.

The sluggish economy, the loss of partners for whatever reasons and our efforts to keep the level of ministry and mission up at the same level have all worked together to create a general feeling of discouragement among many of us, me included. I’m not one to retreat, but to charge forward. But sometimes when your charging too hard you can run out of gas. Out of that discouragement and fatigue, we’ve seen a trend lately of folks having to choose between their ministries and other priorities of work and family. That shouldn’t be a choice anyone has to make. But again, when we’re tired, it’s easy to become discouraged.

So, if you were hear at the last CREST meeting you heard me say that 2012 is going to be a year of transition for us. It’s been a while since we’ve made any major transitions as a church, but we believe as pastors that the time is now. We’re going to work hard to simplify what we do and what we ask you to do, without compromising our mission or our purposes. But we’re going to seek in 2012 not to overload anyone. We’re also going to return our staff to being full-time in our roles, knowing that we need that devotion on their parts to lead us forward in our ministries.

If you’ll remember from when you took Discovering NHC (which I encourage you to retake once in a while) one of the statements I make in that class is that if you can’t deal with change you’ll have a hard time with this church. But we believe there are some necessary changes that need to be made, correcting some things, that will help us be better focused on Christ and His will for this church.

That starts with what we do tonight. I want to challenge you to accept this budget and to stay committed to your ministry and your financial commitments here. I also want you to agree to the bylaw change, which isn’t a major thing, but is part of the transition to make things simpler for us all. So before we move on with both of those, I want to lead us in prayer.

Annual Church Conference tonight

A reminder that our annual Church Conference is tonight at 7PM. Be a part of setting the vision for 2012. I'll have some important things to share as we prepare for a major transition in the next year.

A new 6 week Connection Group for married and engaged couples starting Sunday, Jan. 8. The Group will meet at NHC following the 11AM Gathering. Sign up here or with a Communication Card on Sundays. The group will be limited to 6 couples! We will do our best to provide child-care if needed.

Dare Hospice Needs a Few Good Men

I will pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore I can do, or kindness that I can show to any human being, Let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
Etienne de Grellet

Imagine that you are a man at the end of your life.

You are dependent on others for your needs. Your life has changed dramatically, and you are no longer in control. Dignity and modesty are hard to maintain as your spouse and family have become your care providers. Like many facing end of life challenges, you have things you would
like to talk about without further burdening your family.

You are receiving Dare Hospice Services to keep you pain free, comfortable and to help you meet your end of life goals. You have been offered Volunteer Services but the volunteers are all women.

You want your spouse to have a break; to have some time for herself. If the volunteer was a man, he would be able to connect with you and understand your journey differently than a woman would. Modesty would be less of a concern.

That’s why Hospice Needs a Few Good Men! Volunteer opportunities are available for women as well.

For more information, call Tracy Bell, The Dare County Department of Public Health’s Volunteer Coordinator for Dare Home Health and Dare Hospice at (252) 475-5057.

Sunday Feedback November 27

Today we wrapped up the "Freedom from Religion" series with teaching that with freedom comes responsible boundaries.

Share something you saw or heard today that God used to grow you.

Annual Church Conference Items

Next Friday night, Dec. 2, is our Annual Church Conference. This is the time when as a body we come together to set our annual budget and to address any other significant changes that we need to consider.

The Budget Proposal for 2012 is being posted on our web site for your review. (Click on the "About" tab, then "2012 Budget Proposal". Then click on the link to the PDF file.) You'll notice we have cut the budget, reflecting the giving for this year, but also trusting that we will grow and with that growth see giving increased.

The elders will also ask the church to consider a change in our bylaws regarding church conferences, which we have called CREST over the past few years. CREST meetings are a time of hearing reports from our various ministries, our quarterly financial report and an opportunity for questions and for vision casting.

Attendance the past few years at CREST has shown us that the majority of our church - sometimes as high as 80%, for whatever reason, don't find attendance at CREST to be an important part of their church relationship. While we believe church conferences like CREST play a valuable role in praising God and open communications, we also believe that having it on a regular quarterly basis appears to be unnecessary. We will continue to communicate as we are now through announcements at church gatherings and via emails, our blog, church Facebook groups and NHC web sites. In fact, those methods of communication will likely expand.

So, our proposal is to hold church conferences, similar to the last one, when the elders held a conversation and Q and A with the church about church dynamics, on an as needed basis. Our bylaws require us to publish any changes a week in advance of the meeting.

You'll note that anything requiring a church affirmation will still be handled by a vote in a church conference. This change is also reflective of the coming transition in 2012 that Rick spoke about at the last CREST meeting to seek to simplify everything at Nags Head Church.

Below is the proposed change. Current wording in our Bylaws is in black text. The new wording is in blue.

Article IV

Section 3- Church Conference

A. Meeting times and place- Regular Church Conferences shall be held at the church in the months of January, April, July and October. Church Conferences may be called by the Elders periodically throughout the year as they feel necessary for the good of the church and to share vision and communications vital to the church’s health. Regular financial reports from the treasurer will be made available to the church within thirty days of the close of each quarter.

An annual Church Conference shall be held in November in the last quarter of the year at a date no later than the second Sunday of December and announced two weeks in advance to approve the annual church budget and affirm annually elected stewards. The church fiscal year shall begin January 1 and end December 31. All conferences, barring unforeseen reasons (ie. the building being unusable), will be held at the church’s facility.

Thanksgiving Gathering

Worship: Getting Back to the Basics

“I love the music at NHC!”

As your worship leader, I hear this statement all the time. To be honest, I really enjoy knowing that people love the music and the musicians who play and sing each week. I love that people invite others to church by telling them how great the music is. Part of my responsibility to our church is to lead a team of musicians and technicians who can consistently produce quality music on Sunday mornings, and a good thermometer for success in this area is hearing our partners at NHC talking about their love for our music.

But, producing quality music is not the highest calling for my life or for my church. My personal mission statement is, as it has been for several years, “To help people experience genuine encounters with Christ by leading, teaching, facilitating and exemplifying authentic, Biblical worship.” Our church mission statement is “To reach people to discover life in Christ.” Music is a great tool to use to accomplish these things, but ultimately, music is only a means to an end, not the end itself. Bottom line, if our church is not collectively moving closer to becoming a church that is passionate about worshipping God (understanding that “worship” is so much more than “music”), as a worship leader, I am falling short. As a church, we are falling short.

People are creatures of habit. We feel the most comfortable and safe when we know what to expect, when we are presented with things that are familiar to us. And, to some degree, church should be a place where we feel comfortable and know what to expect. But, when tradition and ritual take over, going through the motions takes priority, true worship of God cannot thrive.

So, beginning this Sunday and continuing through the end of November, you will be experiencing some different things on Sunday mornings at NHC. The first thing you’ll notice this Sunday is that the stage will be nearly empty of all musical instruments, equipment and people. Normally I wouldn’t give you advanced warning, but I want to make sure that nobody misinterprets what is going on. Nobody from the band has been “fired” or asked to step down…the band has been offered the opportunity to take a short, collective break so that they can experience the next month with you from off stage, and they have been more than happy to accept.

I have always told those who ask, that the most promising thing a worship leader can experience is to witness those he’s leading lay down their lives in an act of worship to God. The most encouraging words I can hear are, “I love the worship of Nags Head Church.” The greatest compliment I could receive is to have somebody say to me, “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to worship God today.”

Nags Head Church is an amazing group of people, and I am proud to be a partner with each of you. But even for a church that loves God and is serving her community well, there are times and seasons when we need to slow down, refocus and return to the basics of what God has called us to do and who He has called us to be.

I hope that you’ll join your pastors, your band and I in spending this next month seeking after the heart of worship.

Nathan Lawrenson

Sunday Feedback November 6

Childish or childlike?
Growing and maturing?

We were taught a great new song by the MP 13 Band.

And we heard a story of childlike generosity, not childishness.

Share your take on today's Gatherings.

Reaching Rome

A few weeks ago we received a love offering to help with the outfitting and remodeling of a building in Rome, Italy that is a place of outreach to the university student population of the city.

Our church partners with the International Mission Board of the SBC to place missionaries there, including Taylor Edmonds. Taylor's mom, Carol, is part of our church.

Thanks for giving! We sent just a tad under $900 to help them. Pray that many who need Christ meet him there.

College Profs Openly Sharing Their Faith

WHAT I CAN’T SAY IN THE CLASSROOM

Oh me of little faith. I confess that I did not really know what to expect. Would anybody show up? Would the content be good?

Four professors involved with Faculty Commons (Campus Crusade’s ministry to faculty) at Stephen F. Austin University wanted to do an outreach to professors and students. (They got the idea from professors at another university who did a similar event.) I (Cindy) flew to Dallas and drove to Nacogdoches, Texas. The idea was to capture the event on film so we could show it to other professors and replicate it across the country.

As I walked into the room I saw a professor-ish looking man – a bit older and wearing a tie. I introduced myself wondering if he was one of the speakers, but he quickly set me straight saying he wasn’t with ‘those people’. His boss was speaking and he wanted to hear what she had to say. Hmmm. That is the way it’s supposed to work, but I still wasn’t convinced.

By 7:00pm the room had filled with about 100 students and 15 professors. Four profs shared their spiritual journey, and did an excellent job explaining what their faith in Christ means to them – both in and out of the classroom. The audience was spellbound, but what the professors did next was even better. They sat down on the edge of the stage and took questions from the audience.

Picture these professors – the power brokers of the classroom – physically taking a lower seat to put them at eye level with the audience. It was very moving.

They’ve already decided to do this same event again next semester.

God granted many of our requests concerning this outreach, and we’d really appreciate your prayers for the professors and students who came. I cannot wait to see what God does through this strategy on other campuses!

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. Sometimes this job is more fun than it should be. (The Texas State Fair was okay too.)

Helping Leaders Reach Leaders,

John and Cindy Peterson

Coming This Weekend

ELEVATE! Our monthly Friday night worship and communion gathering for believers. 7-8PM. Nursery and a children's lesson for pre-school - 1st grade. Bring a dessert and we'll stick around and enjoy some fellowship!

Fall Back! The time changes back to EST, so be sure to set your clocks Saturday night before sleeping. Or if you don't you can help the Hospitality Team get the coffee ready for the rest of us! And as you "fall back" it's a great time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors!

Colony Ridge Ministry. Saturday @ 2PM.


Freedom From Religion. Rick's series on how to be free from empty religiosity continues this Sunday at 9 and 11.

Sunday Feedback October 30...And what about Mormonism?

After both gathering I was asked, "So was the Texas pastor right or wrong when he said that Mormons weren't Christians?". I thought I answered that, but apparently not as clearly as was needed.

Here's what I said.

"That’s also why there are some groups with whom we just can’t fellowship. Their understanding of Jesus and the salvation He brought is different in major ways. Maybe it’s the addition of good works as a requirement for salvation... Maybe it’s the addition of another book that’s put on equal basis with the Bible or the denial of the Trinity. Those are all religious traditions that have been added to Christ by men."

That pretty much describes Mormonism. I encourage you to scroll down a couple of posts on this blog and read more about Mormonism and Christianity.

This is for all the single people...

Written to single women, but the principles apply to single men as well.

Should I pray for a Husband? (Click the link.)

Is Mormonism a Cult?

Recently the pastor of a leading Baptist church, while introducing presidential candidate Rick Perry, proclaimed Mitt Romney to not be a Christian because he is a Mormon, which the pastor classified as a "cult".

His words have stirred up quite the hornet's nest. So, was he right or was he wrong. Just what is a "cult"? Are Mormons Christians as they claim, or are they something else?

Mark Driscoll, a pastor and author in Seattle, WA, wrote a well researched blog post to answer that question. It's not a quick read, so give yourself a half-hour do digest it. But he does a good job of summarizing the meaning of "cult" and pointing out Mormon beliefs that differ from orthodox Christianity.

Read it here.

Team Trunk or Treat

This Sunday is the deadline to join the Trunk or Treat Team.

Nags Head Church partners and regular attenders can sign up for the TOT team HERE
You will find a description for each team on the same page. There are two ways to sign up for the team: Use the link above or use a communication card on Sunday morning and include your name, e-mail and phone number.

As of today we do not have enough people or candy to pull off Trunk or Treat 2011. So if you have been dragging on joining the team please do so as soon as possible.

Women's Overflow Conference Feedback

Post a comment (click on "comments" below) and tell us about the conference, ladies.

God opening doors in France

Dear praying friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers concerning the opening last evening of the movie Oxygène et even more so for the testimony of our friend Tricia Lawrenson.

When we arrived at the theater there was already a big crowd waiting outside and by the start of the movie the theater was full. The producer introduced the movie and explained how he had discovered it. At the beginning it was a short movie in Flemish that was about the lives of some teens who had cystic fibrosis. It is not a movie about the disease but about how to make sense of life when we know our lives will be short. The director of the movie is young, 28 years old, and he has cystic fibrosis. The movie is now in French.

It is magnificent and it is remarkable to see how the actors play their roles. The movie deals with a wide range of topics: living with a terminal disease that shows few outward signs, do you stay in school when the future is uncertain, can you love someone and have a lasting relationship, can you have children, waiting for a lung transplant, the reality of death.

Before coming to France Tricia had prayed that God would open a door so that she may encourage both people suffering with cystic fibrosis and those who surround them, family and friends... God answered her prayers in an incredible way with the opening of this movie.
Max Gavi, who is the local director of the Cystic Fibrosis foundation, asked Tricia just a few hours before the start of the movie to tell her story once it was finished. I would be doing the translation. Thankfully during the projection of the movie I was seated next to Tricia and busy with translating the story so I was not overcome with the emotion of the movie. After it ended there was a time of discussion for about an hour and the producer of the movie asked Tricia to come to the front and tell her story.

It was a powerful and touching moment. She clearly expressed her faith. Her testimony mirrored the themes that made up the movie. God helped me to not get mixed up in the translation and to get through it all without crying.

The theater was filled with local authorities, medical professionals, those suffering from cystic fibrosis (many very young), parents and family members of these young people. There were also parents of young children with CF, parents who have lost a child, and members of the Gregory Lemarchal association (Gregory was a well know French singer with CF who died a 4 years ago at the age of 23). There was another non-profit association composed of 20 or so French athletes who work with children and teens who have CF, encouraging them to be active in sports.
During the discussion time a number of the spectators spoke about the way the movie had touched them and how it reflected their own experience.

As everyone left the theater, Nathan and Tricia were surrounded by people who wanted to thank the personally for the hope they had given them. Nathan and Tricia took down the addresses many of these people and will let them know of the other events where they will share their story during the time they are here. There we also many other conversations and many requests to continue the discussion, to see each other. Also Tricia will have other opportunities to speak...
Please pray for what happens next...

The owner of the movie theatre (6 Rex) has offered to show the movies longer than was originally planned, 3 - 4 weeks. If you are in Grenoble or elsewhere in France please take the time to see the movie and to tell other to see it.

This Friday, October 14th, Tricia will give her testimony at a women's breakfast.
May God fill her with His Spirit and may he speak to the hearts of those in attendance.

In Christ who is our hope.
Sylvie

Lost and Found

We have several lost and found items at the church building. They include Bibles and prescription medications.

The Bibles are at the Welcome Center. See me for the medications.

And put your name in your Bible!

Special Request from Matt Glock Wednesday afternoon!

Greetings everyone.

This is a quick special request email for something that's
happening in the next few hours...

You learned about Tricia, Nathan and Gwyneth in the update I sent
out this morning.

Tonight at 8pm local time (2pm EST). Tricia, Nathan and Sylvie
will attend the premier of Oxygène, a dramatic film that talks
about the experiences of teenagers who have cystic fibrosis.

When Tricia and Nathan were here last year the met Max Gavi who
heads up the local branch of the French Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation. He invited Tricia and Nathan to the film and has
asked that Tricia share her story. Please pray for Tricia as she
shares and for Sylvie as she translates. Pray also that Tricia's
faith would be understood by those who hear and that they would
be drawn to Jesus.

The Prayer of Columbus

Here's a bit about the history of America's discoverer.

ELEVATE Tonight at 7PM

Worship/Communion/Prayer/The Word.
Nursery and teaching for kids through first grade.

7-8:15.

Every Dad Needs to See This Movie

Courageous starts playing Monday, Oct. 3 at Movies 10 in KDH.

Why We Do What We Do

Free Dental Clinic Needs Volunteers

Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic October 28,29 Recreation Center KDH

Free services will be provided to the adult underserved population of the area on a first-come, first-served basis.

The North Carolina Missions of Mercy (NCMOM) offers free dental treatment to those in financial need who have few or no other options for care. In North Carolina, the problem of access to dental care has reached nearly epidemic proportions. More than one million adults and children have no source for regular dental care. Many have never seen a dentist, and many suffer the complications of advanced dental disease. The NCMOM program is staffed by volunteers from across the State and funded by tax deductible donations to the NC Dental Health Fund. For more information, contact the North Carolina Dental Society at (919) 677-1396.

Should you need additional information a Volunteer Information Pamphlet is available.

Reaching Out in Rome

Sunday, September 25 we'll be receiving a love offering to help Taylor Edmonds and her team get this building outfitted to reach out to their mission in Rome.

Hatteras Island Stories

Have a Hatteras Island story to share? Tell us in the comments section, or contact Nathan.

This week, Danny Plyler and I met five people while working with the North Carolina Baptist Men on Hatteras Island that I would like to tell you about.

Bob

We met Bob on the ferry from Stumpy Point to Rodanthe on Thursday night. We spend about 2 hours with Bob. Bob lives in Nags Head, works construction for a big company. He has been working on the south end of the breach at Mirlo Beach, moving sand and building the temporary bridge so the road can be reopened. He is in charge of bringing the tractors and bulldozers across, so he has already made about 15 round trips on the ferry in the past 3 weeks, which comes to about 60 hours on the ferry.

Bob is in his late forties, married for about 25 years with nine children. His youngest is only a year old, born via emergency C-section and now lives with a form of Cerebral Palsy. He and I had that in common, and by the time we arrived in Rodanthe, we had exchanged phone numbers. He and his family aren't involved in a church, and he has never visited my church, but has heard about our band and was excited about coming to visit soon.

Bob was obviously a hard worker, talked about how he enjoyed his job and was grateful to be able to help the people on Hatteras Island. We prayed with him for his son.

Marty

Marty and his wife worked with us all day on Friday, helping to gut two houses. Originally from TN, both he and his wife lost their jobs, then lost their home in the past few years. They then sold all of their possessions except for one car and any necessities they could fit in it, and have now been living out of their car for a year or two. They have four adult children and a few grandkids.

When Irene hit, they immediately felt God calling them to come out to the coast and find someway to help. The first landed in Virginia Beach, but couldn't find much to do there. After a few days, they moved onto Elizabeth City, NC and stayed for a few days at a local church. There, they heard about the need for help on Hatteras Island and contacted the NC Baptist Men. They were given special permission to catch the ferry and have been working there for about a week.

Marty and his wife can relate better than most to the situation of those in need on the island. Many people there have lost everything, and these two have spent just as much time just sitting and listening/talking with people as they have doing physical labor, which I know is a huge blessing. NCBM have housed them in a few different places. They are planning to stay as long as they are needed, and they don't yet know where they will go and what they will do when they are done there.

Jean

Jean lives in Rodanthe. We met her just a few hours before we caught the ferry on Friday evening for home. Her two-story house is on the sound side of HWY 12, maybe a hundred yards from the sound. Her first floor, which houses her business/shop was flooded, and they lost all three of their vehicles. Her husband works on the ferries and hasn't been able to spend much time at home cleaning. They have had the carpet removed, but that is only major thing that has been down downstairs. Mold appeared within a few days and is now taking over the entire first level.

Jean is living in the second floor, and she has become sick, most likely due to the mold that she is breathing in every day and night. She was coughing when we spoke with her, and she was obviously very emotionally worn down. She also helps care for her three grandsons when she can. Whether she has chosen not to taken advantage of insurance, FEMA and organizations like NCBM, or she is still waiting on help to arrive was unclear, but unless she receives help soon, her house will become unlivable and she will become very, very sick.

We left Jean with a few gift cards for Food Lion, and after trying to contact a friend of hers who also needed help, left a few more gift cards with her for her friend. She was crying as we left her.

Bryan

Bryan and his wife and young daughter lost nearly everything they own, with only a foot of water in their house. When we arrived to help him on Friday afternoon, he had already emptied the house, ripped out the lower half of every wall, and was in the middle of ripping out his subflooring and insulation. Bryan's family has lived on Hatteras Island for over 50 years, his parents and grandparents all live close by, and they all also lost everything. They have been living in temporary housing a few blocks away.

Bryan's house was built well above the highest flood levels every seen on Hatteras Island. After the water began to come into their house around midnight, they threw their daughter on an air mattress and waded through chest deep water down the street to their neighbor's two story house. By sunrise, the water was gone.

Bryan and his wife were positive and upbeat about this all. They were thankful to be alive, and they were thankful that they were going to be able to start over again with help from insurance. By the time we left that afternoon, we had helped him finish all the demo in his house...now he is just waiting on a final word from his insurance company before he begins rebuilding.

Kenny

We met Kenny at dinner at the community center in Rodanthe while we were waiting for the 7:30 Friday ferry back to Stumpy Point. Kenny is an older gentlman, white hair and mustache, reminds me of somebody's favorite grandfather. From Arkansas, Kenny had never been to NC before, and had never seen the Atlantic Ocean. He is a semi-retired truck driver who got a call from his old boss just after the storm hit and was in his car driving to the OBX that same night. He has spent the last two weeks on the northern beaches driving a dump truck, cleaning up debris...he even made the front page of our local newspaper.

Kenny had just arrived that afternoon on Hatteras Island for the first time, one of the first trucks over to begin collecting debris. He had never been on a ferry, never crossed so many bridges before, and had never eaten canned pears (part of dinner that night)...he liked the pears, thought all the water under the bridges was the ocean until somebody told him otherwise, and spent his entire trip on the ferry standing on the bow of the boat looking for dolphins. He told his wife and he was going to bring her back to the OBX on vacation.

Kenny was amazed at how many people had thanked him, shook his hand, given him food and drink the past two weeks while he was just "doing my job". He was also amazed at the devastation, and as we rode back with him on Friday night's ferry, we showed him the video we had shot earlier that day of the debris he would be spending the next several days cleaning up.

These are just a few of the people we met during our 24 hour trip. The overwhelming majority of residents in Rodanthe, Waves an Salvo have some damage to their homes, most of those have lost nearly everything they own, and most of those are unable to live at home right now. The debris is just beginning to be cleaned up, and there are many, many homes that haven't even begun to be cleaned. There is standing water everywhere, due to the over saturated ground and the continuing rain, which is infested with mosquitoes and is becoming stagnant and dangerous. Once already, because of ferry delays due to weather, the entire island has run short on food.

The national media has forgotten about Hatteras Island. But that hasn't stopped many people from all over the country from coming to help. But, only the tip of the iceberg has been seen, and they desperately need your help. Donations are appreciated, but the greatest need is manpower. If you can spare any time, please contact the North Carolina Baptist Men Disaster Relief http://www.baptistsonmission.org/Projects/Type/Disaster-Relief and ask how you can help.

New CLI Course: How To Get the Most Out of Your Bible

"How to Get the Most Out of Your Bible" is a CLI course for NHCers starting on Sunday evening, October 9 from 5 to 7PM.

This is an EXCELLENT class for every believer. The class will be for 7 weeks and is taught by Sam L Knight. Registration is via email to info@nagsheadchurch.org or Communication Card.

A textbook, "Living By the Book" by H. Hendricks is required. The accompanying workbook is optional. Please order your book in time for the October 9 class start.

CLI stands for "Christian Life Intensives", and are one facet of our strategy to develop fully devoted followers of Jesus. This is not a Connection Group or a Quest Bible study, but class with a well-qualified teacher.

If you have questions, email Sam at skforgiven@gmail.com.

NC Baptist Men Disaster Relief Update

Click here to read the latest news and need for volunteers.

NEW Hatteras Island Donation List- updated Tuesday 9/20

Through Thursday afternoon, Nags Head Church will be accepting donations of the following items. These items will be transported to Hatteras this Thursday evening/Friday morning by partners of NHC. If possible, please bring items in a plastic tote to the church building during normal office hours. Any and all donations are welcome and greatly appreciated, although the items toward the top of the list are the most needed.

Plastic Totes
Men’s Shaving Cream
Men’s Razors
Bug Spray for inside ants
Home Cleaning Supplies
Shop Vac
Sock (all sizes and kinds)
Rubber Boots
Rain Gear - Hooded windbreakers
Ladies Underwear/Bras - women's briefs
Men’s Briefs- M L XL
PJ’s (all sizes)
Dove Soap and/or Body Wash
Toothpaste
Mouth Wash
Facial Cleanser/Moisturizer
Ladies Personal Wipes
Hair Brushes
Q-Tips
Cotton Balls
Anti Bacterial Cream
Alcohol (medicinal)
Peroxide
Band-Aids
T-shirts
Baby diapers/wipes/formula

We are also accepting monetary donations and gift cards to Home Depot, Ace Hardware and Local Pharmacies and will be happy to do the shopping for you if you can't do it yourself.

Contact Chris Davis at 704-500-7956 if you have any questions about this list, if you would like him to come to your house to pick up items (if you cannot bring them to the church), of if you are interested in traveling to Hatteras on Friday.

Sunday Feedback September 18

Tom Lee brought a message about ministry - serving one another - at Nags Head Church. How did it encourage you to get involved? What about Tony's story?

And if you want to get a head start on Sunday, read the book of Galatians this week.

Volunteers Needed on Hatteras Island

Over 1,100 projects are completed and approximately 40 have accepted Jesus.  But the work is not complete.  We need volunteers to help us finish what was started.  You don't have to be trained in Recovery to participate.  We can put you with an experienced team if needed.

The type of work is tree debris removal and mudout/tearout.  We are working in Belhaven, Greenville, Kinston, New Bern and the Outer Banks. 

To sign-up, please go to the following link:  http://baptistsonmission.org/Projects/Type/Disaster-Relief/Hurricane-Irene/Get-Involved

Sincerely,
Gaylon Moss

Note: The team in Salvo is accepting able-bodied volunteers. NCBM training is not a requirement. Contact Rick for more info.

Sunday Feedback September 11

We will never forget. We will always remember.
What did you see, hear and experience that God used Sunday to get your attention drawn to Him?

And if you attended the picnic, share about that as well.

In My Seat - The Pilot Who Got Bumped from Flight 11

So what's your life objective? This 15.5 minute video is a powerful and gripping testimony.

Kick off Night Tonight at NHC

At 7PM tonight we will worship and kick off our Fall Connection Groups year. This is when all our group leaders will be signing us up for the fall groups.

We'll also be announcing a change for First Wednesdays tonight.

Child care through 1st graders is being provided.

The MHS/FFHS football game has been postponed to Monday night due to mosquito spraying, so if that was your plan, now you can make the Kick Off at NHC.

And a couple other weekend reminders:
The Ladies Brunch has been cancelled.
The Picnic is on - Sunday at 3PM at Rec Park.

Teaching Christian Stewardship to Your Kids

Recently two different young men, both fathers of young children, commented to me about my children. My kids are now all adults, married, and doing well, for which I thank God and their mother! These two men were noticing things about my children and the people they’ve become.

No family is perfect. All of us have our flaws. But as I reflected on their observations about my children and how they were reared, I thought about some of the values that we instilled in them. With so much emphasis today in the news being on debt, both personal and national, it behooves us as parents to do all we can by word and example to help our children not only appreciate money, but how to handle it.

When Nathan was twelve or so he was taken to the bank to open a savings account. He had begun to cut grass, and we knew that if he was going to keep from going through his earnings buying baseball cards, he needed some guidance. So, first he was taught that ten percent of his earnings were to be given back to God. That would leave him with 90%, and of that one half needed to be put into his savings account.

A couple of years later when his account had a balance of $1000, I took him to the bank to withdraw it. By now, he had purchased his own lawn mower and with a donated and rebuilt trailer and help from his parents with transportation, his business had branched out significantly. But, the miniscule interest rate he was earning in a passbook savings account wasn’t enough.

We set out to teach him something about being a good steward, sort of like Jesus parable on the talents in Matthew 25. Two of the servants wisely invested what their master had given them, saw their investments reap dividends and were rewarded. One, however, afraid to take a risk with his master’s money, foolishly buried it in the ground. As a result, what he had was taken away and given to the other servants. On top of that he was punished. Investing is for the future and Jesus gave it His implicit approval.

On his behalf I had done some shopping for CD rates at the local banks and found that a different bank than where he had his savings account offered the best rate. So, one day we drove to the bank and he withdrew $1000…cash money. I wanted him to hold $1000 of his own money in his hands for the 5 minutes it took to drive to the other bank. His eyes got big; especially when he began to think what he could do with that thousand. But he didn’t spend a penny of it. He invested it in certificates of deposit, with a substantially higher interest rate.

A year later, when it came time for the CDs to mature, we went back to the bank and once again he withdrew the $1000 plus interest, and after talking to the financial advisor at the bank, put his money into mutual funds. Fortunately for him, this was in the late 90’s and some of his funds were earning 20% interest and better!

He continued to put earnings into these accounts with the discipline he had been taught. And by the time he graduated from high school and set out to college his funds totaled more than $20,000! That’s a lot of dinero from cutting grass for an 18 year old. By the way, along the way he had purchased his own truck, a new, larger trailer, a riding mower, weed eater, blower…all the tools needed to grow his business…a business he continued through college.

The money he had earned, saved and invested, along with scholarships paid for his college expenses.

Our girls followed suit. They didn’t go into business for themselves, but both found summer employment early on in high school, and with their savings bought their own cars when they were ready to drive. Gail and I did not buy them. In fact, I remember teaching Rachel how to change the oil in her first car so she could save money.

What were some of the lessons they learned?
• If I want it I need to work for it. We believe a good, honest work ethic is both Christian and American. There were no entitlements in our house.
• When I purchase something with my hard earned money I’ll take better care of it. Ask Nathan sometime about learning the importance of having oil in your lawn mower engine.
• Do a little bit more than I’m expected to do by my boss or customers. Good service might result in greater reward. Bad service will result in loss.
• Everything I have is God’s. But I honor Him with a tithe.
• If I save and wisely invest, God’s money in my hands can grow and be useful in my future. You work hard for your money. Let some of it work for you.
• The more I have, the more I can give to God. That’s not hard to figure out, and should be motivation enough for the Christian to be a good steward.

Like most everyone else, I am naturally concerned about the direction of our economic system. Unless our society as a whole, not just our government, but our citizenry learns those same lessons, we’re sunk. We have recently witnessed in the UK what happens when a generation has not learned to work, save and invest, but instead depends on the government to meet its needs. A culture believing they are entitled to be cared for by others is in so many ways contrary to a Christian work ethic.

I believe that for the most part, how to handle money is passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, as parents we need to take the time to teach our children that money is not evil. Living for money is the cause of all kinds of evil. But at the same time, living without money because of wasteful spending or no plan for saving for emergencies or the future is being a poor manager of the master’s resources. Teach them to give generously to God. And let them see you practicing what you preach.

Aerial Spraying For Mosquitoes Planned

An aerial spray operation has been scheduled this week for over 50,000 acres within Dare County to help reduce the number of mosquitoes resulting from flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. The aerial application will begin Thursday evening, September 8 at approximately 6:30pm and continue until about 2:00am, weather permitting. September 9th and 10th will be back up days in case of bad weather. The aerial application may take 2 days to complete. Dibrom® is the pesticide being applied at the rate of 0.75 fluid ounces per acre.

The aerial spray operation is being conducted in response to surveillance findings that indicate greatly increased mosquito populations and also due to the limited road accessibility in portions of the County.

Although a person's chances of experiencing any health effects from spraying are very low, the Dare County Department of Public Health offers the following steps to reduce exposure to pesticides during spraying:

• Remain indoors when pesticides are sprayed in your immediate area.
• Close windows and doors before spraying begins.
• Wash homegrown fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Should you feel you are experiencing health effects from spraying, please consult your doctor.

For more information, please contact Dare County Department of Public Health at 252-475-5003 or Dare County Public Works at 252-475-5880.

Melody C. Clopton, SPHR
Management Assistant

One of those weeks created one of those weeks

September is always a busy month as lots of things get cranked back up after the summer. But when a hurricane comes in to play the last week of August, it not only wreaks havoc in physical ways, it creates a logjam in the calendar.

Last week as we jumped into recovery mode, it became necessary to put everything that was previously scheduled on the back burner or reschedule. This week we're seeing way more lumped into one week than we certainly would prefer.

We try, at NHC, to keep from becoming a "something at church every night" church. In fact, we work hard at not allowing that to happen. But Irene's surge followed by a holiday weekend has pushed a bunch of things together.

The Connection Group Leader training that was to be held on Sunday, Aug. 28 has been moved to Wednesday night, Sept. 7.

Our youth begin their new schedule this week, with middle school on Wednesday night and high school on Thursday night. But last week's storm moved FFMS open house to this Wednesday night. What do you do? Andy says there will be middle school youth tonight at the church for those who can make it.

Friday night is our planned Kick off for our Connection Groups. It's also a change from the past, moving "First Wednesday" to Friday nights. There is child care through 1st graders.

Saturday morning is the Ladies Ministry Brunch at Kelly's.

Saturday night, that last installment of the Financial Peace University (previously scheduled for the night of Irene's arrival) is at 5:00.

Sunday morning is normal!

Sunday after the 11:00 gathering we have a lunch and new partner interviews.

Sunday at 4:00 is our Fall Church picnic.

Did you get all that?

Trust me. This too shall pass!

Soundside Relief

One of our connection groups was already in action today on Soundside Road! Take a look at this video, share it with you friends!



The next video is one of our NHC neighbors on Soundside Rd, sharing his Irene story.

We're back to our normal schedule at NHC!

If you're checking on line about Nags Head Church's status after the hurricane, we are open for business at our regular hours this weekend!

• Worship at 9 and 11. Our worship is contemporary and casual, so please, come as you are!
• We have a fantastic nursery, and worship gatherings (Kidmo and Lil' K) for pre-schoolers through elementary school students.
• Coffee and pastries before and after our gatherings!
• Baptism this Sunday after the 11:00 Gathering!
• Soundside Road neighborhood clean up Sunday 4PM to dark. Bring any rakes, shovels, pitchforks, wheel barrows, etc. and work gloves as we volunteer to help our flooded neighbors clean up.
  

Adressing Rumors and False Accusations Directly

Because we have seen sincere people listen to and believe false accusations and rumors directed toward Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church (author of "40 Days of Purpose", etc.), I thought this article would be especially helpful. Maybe you, too, have heard the nonsense that he has embraced something called "Chrislam".

Note the biblical references in the article about what to do if you hear something about someone that causes you to wonder. Believe it or not, God's people have a tendency to be cannibalistic - attacking and devouring one another. It apparently happened in the first century, so we shouldn't be surprised today. And the Scripture also teaches we need to be careful that we aren't taken in by deceivers.

So, as the Sunday school song many of us remember said, "Be careful little ears what you hear". Just as important, "Be careful little mouth what you say."

Want to know just what Warren believes? Click here for his church's statement of faith. Get it straight from the horse's mouth; not from some small minded preacher who has never met him but has an axe to grind.

Irene Aftermath Service and News

As I hear of NHCers in need of help in the aftermath of the storm I will post their info here. I'll also update with news that you can pass on to friends and neighbors of resources available.

This is a great opportunity to put 1 Jn. 3 into practice. Here are opportunities for our Connection Groups to "do church".

David Brinkman lives 2912 Bay Drive, KDH is in need of help with clean up. Dave's health limits what he can do. 441-8681.

Tillie and Rachel Zuhars attend NHC and youth. Their home on W. Kitty Hawk Rd (across from the Police Station) was flooded and they have lost pretty much everything. They need help with clean up and will need furnishings, etc.

Monday Morning:
Josh McKenney reports that free water and ice is available in front of Wal-Mart while it lasts.

Tuesday Morning:
Power has been restored at NHC. Lots to do to get it up and ready for Sunday. Phone system, however is currently down.

Can I borrow your...?

The church in Jerusalem - the very first church - had so many things right; things we can't help but admire and think, "That's the way it ought to be!"

One of those traits is shared with us by Luke in Acts 2:44. Now all the believers were together and had everything in common.

And again in 4:32, where again we're told, Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.

How can you not think, "How awesome is that?" You're thinking right! So, how should we copy that fellowship and community?

You may own a power tool or equipment that someone in the church could use to assist them in cleaning up from the flood. Maybe it's a wheel barrow or a pitchfork to move marsh grass. It could be a chain saw to cut up downed limbs or even trees. Got a pressure washer? That would be really handy for someone whose garage floor is covered in mud.

If you have something that you could share with someone who needs it in our church family, either tell us about it in a comment below (include your contact info), or email Rick@nagsheadchurch.org and he'll post it for you.

If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion ◙ from him—how can God’s love reside in him? Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth; - 1 Jn. 3:17-18

Sharing your tool or equipment with someone in need is sharing God's love.

CBN Crew at NHC Sunday after the Storm

Click here to see the report.

Sunday Morning after Irene

If you're able to get out we will meet at 11:00 for a most wonderful time of thanking and praising God for the privilege of worshiping Him on a day like today.

I have been out and can get through Kitty Hawk Road. The waters are rapidly receding. Colington Road is passable. Watch out for debris!

Water on Soundside Road came all the way up to 158, so until we get to the church facility I have no idea what condition the building is in. But, we believe the church is not a building. Bring your lawn chair and be ready to praise.

Saturday Update on Sunday

The plan remains to have an 11:00 worship gathering Sunday morning at NHC for all who can get there. If power is on, we'll gather indoors. If there is no power and no rain we'll gather outside.

In that case, bring your own chair, sunglasses or an umbrella. In fact, bring an extra lawn chair if you have one in case someone doesn't have one.

Hope you can make it as we give Him praise together.

Bulletin from DC Control Group re: residents evacuation and shelters

The Dare County Control Group has ordered a mandatory evacuation for all Dare County residents beginning at 8:00 a.m., Friday, August 26.

Residents throughout Dare County should make evacuation plans in anticipation of Hurricane Irene. The storm poses a serious threat for all of Dare County, which is now under a Hurricane Watch. Hurricane force winds, with the potential for flooding and over wash on highways and roads throughout Dare County, are expected when the storm arrives on Saturday.

The State of North Carolina will be opening 2 shelters at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning for Dare County evacuees, at the following addresses –

• TJ Davis Recreation Center
400 E. Sixth Street, Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870.
Pets will not be co-located at this shelter, but accommodations will be available and
Information will be provided upon arrival.

• Northampton Cultural & Wellness Center
9536 Hwy 305 North, Jackson, NC 27845
Pets will be co-located at this site.

Dare County residents without a means of transportation to a state managed shelter outside of Dare County may call 252-475-5640 to make travel arrangements.

Those with special medical needs should contact 252-475-5655 for assistance.

Dare Storm Emergency Contacts and Re-entry information

ACTIVATION OF THE JOINT INFORMATION SECTION (JIS)
The Dare County Control Group has activated the Joint Information Section (JIS) in response to Hurricane Irene. All information regarding local government agencies in Dare County will be released through this source effective today, Wednesday, August 24, 2011.

The JIS is a collaborative organization that encompasses the six municipal governments in Dare County, the National Park Service, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, and the County of Dare, all of which have representatives on the Dare County Control Group. The JIS is operated in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Manteo, North Carolina and managed by Dare County Emergency Management.

Outlets for information include the following:
The Dare County Website – www.darenc.com
Government Access Channel 20 – Charter Cable Channel 20
Releases emailed and faxed to local, regional and national press outlets
Emergency Management Public Phone Inquiry Line – 252-475-5655

Other Important Numbers:
NCDOT inside North Carolina: 511
NCDOT outside North Carolina: 1-877-DOT-4YOU (1-877-638-4968)
North Carolina Highway Patrol: 1-800-441-6127
Virginia DOT: 1-800-367-7623
NC Ferry Service: 1-800-BY-FERRY
Dominion/North Carolina Power: 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357)
Cape Hatteras Electric: 1-866-511-9862
Tideland Electric: 1-800-637-1079
North Carolina Attorney General (Price Gouging): 919-716-6000 (Outside NC)
877-566-7226 (Inside NC)

The public and media should DIAL 911 IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY.

RE-ENTRY Information Can Be Viewed At:
Though no evacuation decision has yet been made by the Dare County Control Group, you should check on your re-entry documents. Visit http://ow.ly/6bqce for more information from Dare County on re-entry. The current County re-entry permits are dated 2008-2009. They have not re-issued permits since then. The Control Group is scheduled to meet again today.

For those who do not have the 2008-2009 stickers, we are told that a valid drivers license with local address will also be accepted when appropriate.


Storm Basis Preparation Initial Checklist:


* Check First Aid Kits/ Fire Extinguishers
* Obtain medicine and prescriptions
* Check and fuel vehicles and generators
* Obtain cash
* Make pet arrangements
* Pick up loose items around the yard
* Protect vulnerable portions of property
* Obtain non-perishable food and water for 3+ days (5+ recommended for Ocracoke)
* Obtain baby need or personal need items
* Check battery powered electronics and generators
* Assemble valuables and documents that cannot be replaced easily

What about Sunday if there's a hurricane?

Looks like we may have some bad weather this weekend. Don't assume worship gatherings are canceled. We will make every effort, if weather and conditions permit to meet together.

If we are experiencing tropical storm (maximum sustained winds are between 35-64 knots (39-73 mph) or hurricane strength winds/rain on Sunday morning we will not have worship gatherings.

If the weather is clear, but the power is out we will have one gathering at 11:00 outdoors. So bring a beach chair, an umbrella and sun glasses! Remember, the church is not a building!

If Northern Dare is under an evacuation order, but the storm is not at tropical storm strength on Sunday morning we will have one gathering at 11:00.

If there is flooding and roads (Colington Rd. for example) are impassable we will try and be creative for those who can't get through.

As we are able, we will post updates here and on the NHC Facebook page.

More Urban Legends

So many have told me how much they have learned from this current Urban Legends series, that I've thought of putting together a follow-up series, "More Urban Legends" for a later date. To do that I need your help.

If you've heard what you believe to be an Urban Legend - a myth about what the Bible says that many believers accept as fact - send it to me in an email to rick@nagsheadchurch.org. Depending on the response, I'll take the best of the submissions and run with them.

Here's an example:

"It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere."

Sunday Feedback August 14

Matt Glock, missionary in France, brought a message from Galatians about Christians seeking acceptance from God when He has already accepted them by grace.

John and Cindy Peterson were in attendance at 9:00.

Great video from Operation Backpack!

The magnetized NHC postcards vanished! We'll make some more.

The band taught us a new song.

What happened during your worship experience that you'd like to share?

Update from John and Cindy Peterson

(John and Cindy will be worshiping with us Sunday at NHC.)

She was an articulate and beautiful 19-year-old college student who had checked the box on a student survey. She indicated that she was interested in knowing more. She wasn’t interested in knowing more about sororities. She wasn’t interested in knowing more about the social scene on campus. She was interested in knowing more about having a personal relationship with God. She wanted to know, “Is it possible?”

As a 20-year-old student I (Cindy) met her with fear and trembling. Though I had been trained to share my faith by Campus Crusade for Christ, I never expected to have the privilege of leading this young woman to Christ. Oh me of little faith! I will never forget the look on her face when with tears streaming down her face, she told me that this was exactly what she had been looking for.

Two lives were changed that day. She became a Christ follower, but I became hungry to be part of seeing people understand the life-changing message of the Gospel. I knew that wherever God would lead me I wanted to give my life for the sake of the Gospel.

Fast forward to this summer. While John helped lead the ‘Leadership @ Altitude’ training venue for senior Campus Crusade staff, I had the privilege to help train new Campus Crusade team leaders. I also coached two of the participants - a new leader serving at The University of Hawaii and another at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. What a joy it is to see 120 new team leaders trusting God to reach every student and professor within their reach. And what a privilege it was to multiply my impact by investing in their lives.

We talked about strategies and gave them new skills, but most significantly, we begged God together to go before us and bring spiritual revival to the college campus.

One highlight of my summer was interviewing Swede and Judy Anderson - 52-year Campus Crusade staff veterans. The team leaders hung on their every word. If anybody has earned the “right” to retire, this couple has. Though Swede and Judy battle a number of health issues, they shared, ‘there are just too many lost people to retire.’ The Andersons spend much of their time in Eastern Europe sharing the love of Jesus with business executives and political leaders. They model an extraordinary commitment to our leaders.

What a delight it was to be part of designing and delivering this training. By investing in these leaders, God used you and I to make a difference in the lives of students and professors this coming year. Thank you for giving and praying; we could not do this without you. I can’t wait to see what happens through these men and women!