Adoption Update: Adam and Melissa are parents!

Today was one of the hardest and most wonderful days of our lives. We are so grateful for Stephanie and the gift that she has given our family. We are finally home, all three of us together.

Noriah Jade Hoffman is beautiful and doing great. thank you for all your prayers!
If you live close by we would love for you to come over and meet Noriah and rejoice with us. We are so thankful for all your prayers and encouragement through this journey. Now it is time to celebrate!

For the first few weeks we will be focusing on bonding with Noriah. With adoption this is extremely important. She does not know us yet as her parents and what that entails. We will need to be the ones holding, feeding, etc so she begins to understand that we are her caregivers and begin to bond to us.

Please feel free to drop in for a short visit starting tomorrow. If you are feeling under the weather maybe wait a little while until you are feeling better. We are new parents and might freak out if you cough in our house ;)

please keep praying for Stephanie, I can not even imagine what she is feeling. Pray that she will heal and that we can continue to love on her as well.

Sunday Feedback July 31

Poor Pinocchio got some bad advice from the Blue Fairy and Jiminy Crickett.

Be praying for Janessa Long as she begins reaching International Students at NC State this year. Pray, too, that she's able to raise her needed support.

Next week's Urban Legend: With God Comes Good Luck!

Need for Foster Families in Dare Co. is Great - Can you help?

Dare Co. Dept. of Social Services is in "desperate need" of foster families, "willing to open their homes to children on a long term basis (for up to a year".

Here is an outreach opportunity that might be just right for you. Currently we have several church families providing foster care. Who should have more love to share than those who love the Lord?

If you would like to learn more about how to provide a home for a child/children in need call Susan Nelson at 475-5532 or email her at nelsons@dcdss.org.

Maintaining Unity

This devotion from Turning Point has been making the rounds today via email. I found it right on target. - Rick

Pastor Larry Osborne, in a book about church unity, wrote, "I don't think it's an accident that Jesus predicted church growth but prayed for unity. If left unattended, or taken for granted, unity can disappear. All it takes is a few wrong people on the board, or even a series of minor annoyances left to fester… That's why I've taken to heart Paul's advice in Ephesians 4:3." ¹

While we need to remain true to our core beliefs, we shouldn't be difficult and opinionated. Some people have a personality that adds to the chemistry of the group; others are so headstrong in their ideas they unwittingly harm church unity.

A church that is composed of encouragers is a unified church. On the other hand, it's hard to stay united in a church where a handful of members are easily offended, get their feelings hurt, air their grievances, want their own way, and criticize the leadership.

Are you endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?

In essentials, unity; in differences, liberty; in all things charity.
Philipp Melanchthon

Most Lastest Adoption Update from the Hoffmans

Adoption Update

GIRL!
At 9:30 this morning a baby girl was born. We talked with Stephanie this afternoon. She is doing well and the baby is healthy. She is not ready for us to come down to the hospital yet but she reassured us that she is still going through with the adoption. :)

Since she had a c-section they will both be discharged on Saturday. Not sure what we're suppose to do with ourselves until then, but as far as we know right now we will be bringing home our baby girl in 2 days!!

Thank you for your prayers and please keep them coming!

Adam and Melissa

Latest Adoption Update from the Hoffmans

We went to the doctor today and he has scheduled a C-section for Saturday at 3:30. This is a lot later than we had expected, but he feels that her original due date is wrong and the baby is not ready yet.

5 days to go, keep praying!

Blessings,
Adam and Melissa

Sunday Feedback July 24

Does Romans 8:28 mean that God is behind everything that happens?

Eleven kids and youth were baptized Sunday evening! Exciting stuff!!

Don't forget CREST Wednesday night. More exciting stuff to come!!!

Matt and Sylvie Glock are in town!

If you'd like to get up with the Glocks, they'll be in and out of town (mostly in) the next 3 weeks.
You can email Matt to connect. (matthewglock AT gmail DOT com) Or you can message him on Facebook at Matthew Glock.

Adoption Update from the Hoffmans

Adoption Update

The last two weeks have been crazy. The short of it is that we have been matched with another birth mom and the baby will most likely come next week. Below is more of what we know.

• We got a call July 6th that a birth mom had seen our profile and liked us and wanted to meet. We met that Thursday and it went great.
• She took a little while to decide and finally said that she wanted to work with our family for Adoption
• There is a doctor's appointment Monday 7/25 to schedule a c-section

About the birth mom and the baby

• Her name is Stephanie, she is 23 and very sweet
• She has two other kids, that do not live with her
• We don't know the sex of the baby
• Everyone involved is healthy

Since we have been matched Melissa has been able to spend time with Stephanie building a relationship. We are glad that she wants to have an open adoption and maintain this relationship after the birth.

Please Pray!!

• Pray that Stephanie will have peace about her decision and with working with us
• Pray for the health of the baby and for Stephanie
• Pray for us as we balance the excitement and fear that this brings
• Pray that we can continue to build a good relationship and have the oppurtunity to share the Love of Jesus with her

We will let you know when we find out when the c-section is scheduled and any other news that comes along the way.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Online Giving Now a Reality!

If you're like me, the only checks I personally write each month are my tithe checks to NHC. Most of our regular payments - mortgage, electricity, insurance, etc. at home is done through automatic bank withdrawals. For Gail and I it just makes life simpler.

So I'm excited that now at NHC I can give my tithes and offerings automatically without writing a check or remembering to bring it (or cash) to church.

Through Lifeway, the Southern Baptist publishing house, we are now doing online giving. It's safe, simple and convenient. You can use a debit card, a credit card (not our recommendation) or register to have your giving regularly deducted from your checking or savings account. You can set it up to be a regular (weekly, monthly, quarterly) method of giving. Or you can go in each time you give and tell it how much.

You'll be receiving an email (if you're on our data base) about this new feature, which will include instructions and Q and A about how it all works.

Want to get started right now? Here's the link to get started.

And of course, if you prefer, you can continue to give as you have been, using checks or cash and our envelopes on Sundays.

Rick

Sunday Feedback July 17

Living within God's will. Blueprint or Game Plan?

Remember to pray this week for our partners in Honduras and Steve Wise as he goes in for a heart procedure this week.

Operation Backpack deals this week

Staples has a lot of 1 cent deals through Wednesday this week on items.

Sunday Feedback July 10

A morning with Stan, Sandy and Raquel Anonby!

The love offering for them was very generous!

Our guests had some great comments, too.

Forgiveness and Worship

How are forgiveness and worship connected? The Psalmist explains:

If you kept record of our sins, no one could last long.
But you forgive us, and so we will worship you.
- Psalm 130: 3-4 (CEV)

That's why only those who truly know God's forgiveness can truly worship Him.
That's why some can be in attendance at a worship gathering and go through the motions.
That's why gathering together at the Lord's table, where we have such a deep and visual reminder of forgiveness and our need to both confess and forgive and where we are challenged to look within at our own hearts is indispensable to maintaining a life of worship.

Worship is the supernatural, normal outcome of a forgiven life. It is the connection between our hearts - which must be devoid of sin - and the holy heart of God. If we have not applied 1 Jn. 1:9-10 regularly and often in our lives there is a disconnect that cuts off worship.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say, "We have not sinned," we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Pray for Camp Contagious

Monday, July 11 a group of 26 students and 10 adults leave for our first ever Camp Contagious. We will be traveling Monday to Pigeon Forge, Tn. Living for a week together in a log cabin (really big one) and studying the Bible together.

Our week's theme is InHabit:
Tuesday - Holiness - Holy living requires a personal decision to honor God.

Wednesday - Speaking the Truth - Honoring God is not just a matter of personal belief, but also sharing God's truth with others.

Thursday - In it Together - God is with His people no matter what they encounter in this world.

Friday - Stay in Prayer - A holy life is empowered by continually submitting our thoughts to Christ in prayer.

All of the above is coming from the life of Daniel, Shadrack, Mishak and Abednego.

For fun we will go to Dollywood, whitewater rafting, hike (casual walk in the woods) and swim. We will be hanging out together playing games, eating meals together and building the relational strength of our youth group.

You can pray for us and track how camp is going here. You can also see the list of who is going so you can pray specifically for each camper and leader. Thanks!

Sunday Feedback July 3

Urban Legend: Christians don't judge.

Is that what Jesus said? How do we apply His words?
Scroll down for the Scriptures mentioned this morning.

Thanks to all who jumped in and helped out in ministry today. Lot's of people gone for the holiday weekend!

An open slot to Honduras

There is an open spot on the medical/construction trip to Helene Honduras. If you are interested, please contact George Farah ASAP. This spot must be filled within the next few days.

252.305.5599

Outer Banks Team Helene

There is an open spot on the mission trip to Helene Honduras. If you are interested, please contact George Farah ASAP. This spot must be filled within the next few days.

252.305.5599