Please be praying for peace in Ukraine. THIS  article, written by a missionary there, describes their heart of identifying with the people staying in the country to minister to those who didn’t leave. I think it is a great example for us in having courage for the cause of Christ.

I hope you will attend at least some of the upcoming revival March 20-22. Invite a friend! There is a denominational sponsored training event Saturday March 19^th from 2:30-5:30 with dinner to follow. There is no cost. If you are a leader at HEFC I’d like you to come. If you are a future leader, come! Sign up on the bulletin board.

Pastor Ed

We are hosting a community meeting tomorrow evening for our neighbors to ask questions and raise concerns about the sale of some of our land to Stein Investments to build high end storage units.  Please pray that the meeting goes well (is uneventful!)  Also pray for our upcoming revival with the Leadership Development Director of EFCER, Dave Mercadante on March 20-22.  I’m praying you will be revived!

I just got back from visiting Bobby Hare at the hospital.  He was hungry and talkative, so you can tell that he is doing well.  He looked great and should be home by the end of the weekend.

Our denomination has asked me to be a coach for pastors/leaders.  There’s a new skillset for doing that versus pastoring that I need to learn.  I need to “practice” on a few people.  If you have some personal goals that you’re trying to accomplish, but need some encouragement and accountability, I can help you.  Let me know and we’ll talk.

Pastor Ed

I trust you are spending time with God daily in the Word and in prayer.  If you don’t have a regular place in the Bible you are reading, can I suggest James?  Read the text that I will soon be preaching on.  Use the bulletin insert verses in James to meditate upon while we are in those chapters.  You can do a parallel study with Tony Evans or Frances Chan on RightNow Media by going HERE.

I’m excited for the Grief Share Ministry beginning March 12^th.  We did Grief Share in our church in Ohio and it is excellent!  Pray for Susan Haynes and her team.  Pray for people to be helped within our church and in the community.  Come yourself and invite someone that is grieving.

Mark down in your calendars March 20-22 for a Revival.  Denominational leader Dave Mercandante will be the preacher.  Stay tuned for more updates.

The back half of the sanctuary was pretty full Sunday.  There’s room in the front pews if you’d like more space.  Come sit with me!

Esther Moeckl shares a testimony:

“Throughout scripture, especially in the Psalms, we are told to ‘Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever.’  Psalm 107:1

I am giving thanks today for the goodness and mercy of the Lord. I have experienced health challenges during the last 3 months, and the Lord has been with me every step, opening doors to the right doctors and treatments, giving me words of encouragement when I was tempted to fear, and giving me strength when I was weak. He has also used family and friends to send words of hope, bring meals, and to pray for me. Their prayers were essential medicine in my recovery process, and I am grateful for their sacrifice of time. I am rejoicing in the Lord’s faithfulness and kindness to me.”

Esther Moeckl

 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thessalonians 5:16-17

January 19, 2022

This coming Sunday will be special at Hanover Friends. We will be celebrating the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.  Our own Kim Southerland, Director of the Pregnancy Resource Center of Greater Richmond will be speaking.  Several families in our church will also be sharing their stories of adoption and fostering.

Pastor Ed

Cathy mentioned on Sunday an opportunity to join with Friends from all over the world to learn of possible mission fields and pray with those Christians.  You can do so the 2^nd Thursday of each month at 1:00 p.m.  It’s called the Luke 10:2 Gathering via Zoom in support of EFM’s Five-Year Goal.    If you’d like to participate, let Cathy know or sign up for it at www.friendsmission.com/prayer-gathering.

If you are interested in being baptized this Sunday, let me know this week.  The baptism will be held at Compass Christian Church, just east of us, at 1:00 p.m.

There is a meeting on planning your estate with retired attorney Felix Cross at Fairmount Christian Church on Tuesday, January 18^th at 6:30 p.m. in room 132.

Friends,

I’m not a big New Year’s resolution guy. I like to walk with God each day as He leads as Jesus said, “take no thought for tomorrow.” Today has enough troubles to focus on. But I can get behind these resolutions.

2 Chronicles 20:3, “Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord.“ That’s a great New Year’s resolution, to inquire of the Lord daily for wisdom and direction.

Psalm 17:3 where David said, “I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.“ How much better would our lives be to resolve not to say whatever is on the tip of our tongues?

Daniel 1:8, “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine…” This isn’t a dietary resolution, but one of purity. What an important resolution for us in 2022!

I Corinthians 2:2, Paul says, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” This is the most important resolution you can make for 2022 is to know Jesus better!

Here’s to these resolutions playing out in our lives.

We are approaching a new year and with it comes hope for a better year than the past year. Even though 2020 and 2021 were very challenging, God was also very gracious to us and we should acknowledge Him for that.

I want to encourage you to make prayer and time in the Word a daily habit. I am planning to read through the entire Bible this year. Why not join me in that, especially if you’ve never read through the Bible before.

Another suggestion is to read the book of James thoroughly the next several months as I preach through it on Sunday mornings. I will also be reading the passage that I will be preaching on daily each week. If you want to interact with me via email over the sermon or text, please do so.

You could go a little deeper in the book of James by doing a study on RightNow Media. Take a look at Education Elder James Southerland’s suggestions:

“We want you to join us as we read along in James and do a study to be able to follow along and discover new truths and “eat” as much for yourself, whether you are a young or seasoned Christians.

Two studies they could do on RightNow Media would be; Tony Evans: The Purpose of James or Francis Chan: The Book of James. If you haven’t created an account on RNM, please contact the HEFC office for help in setting up your account.”

Here is another idea devotionally for you for January. My friend, Jeremy Chambers, is an author & missionary. He creates monthly devotional exercises. Here is his email and resource.

Finally, a person who is growing spiritually spends time daily in God’s presence praying. Please be in the habit of praying in 2022. You can kick that habit off this Friday evening, December 31st, from 6-9 pm at the church. The doors will be open for you to come in for personal prayer in the Sanctuary.

I am praying that you will grow exponentially in your walk with God in 2022!

Pastor Ed

Friends,

Cathy & I love taking walks together, especially in the woods. So sometimes we walk at Pole Green Park. Back by the dog park, there is a path through the woods. It’s beautiful. We were walking the path on Saturday the 11th. Cathy is more adventurous than me and likes to go “off road.” We left the trail for a lesser walked trail along a creek. We came to the end of the little trail and you could either go back or straight up the hill. We made a turn and followed the little creek, but Cathy slipped on some leaves and slid on her rear down the slope and went feet first into the creek!

It was too steep and slippery to come back up the slope so she had no choice but to continue beside & sometimes in the creek! I didn’t want to be in the creek so I followed along the ridge above. The creek ended or rather began at a steep rocky place with a little waterfall. She was stuck. She’d have to walk back the way she came or somehow climb out. It was too steep for that.

I managed to easily cross the hill to her side and come down above where she was. I could hang onto a tree with my left arm & reach down with my right arm & lift her to a rickety tree sticking straight out from the rock where she could put her arm over it & help me pull her out. It worked! We were muddy & messy but walked out of the woods to a field.

We hurried home and made it to Christmas caroling without missing a beat!

I had the privilege of “rescuing” my wife. That’s what God has done for us at Christmas. He reached down with His strong right arm and pulled us out of sin by sending His Son. See Matthew 1:21.

I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year of getting to know the rescuing Father better & better.

Pastor Ed
pastoredvinson@gmail.com

Join us Friday Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. for a communion candlelight service and Sunday the 26th as I speak on the Purpose of Christmas.