The Kids of Upward

The past two Saturdays I have spent time at the church interacting with the kids and parents who are involved in Upward Basketball and Cheerleading. This is a great ministry. It is such a joy to watch the kids smile and laugh as they learn the importance of teamwork in a positive environment. I appreciate all those at HDBC who have made this a reality for our church.

Praise the Lord for adding to the church yesterday during both morning worship celebrations. Welcome to the Sharps and the Moseleys. You are are now officially members of a wonderful church family.

I look forward to all the Lord has planned for HDBC in the next few weeks and months. There is certainly a sense of excitement in the air.

On a final note . . . "how about those Mississippi State Bulldogs!" 5-0 in conference with a big game in Fayetteville this week. Go Dawgs.

Blessings,
Johnny

Busy Week

Looks like this is going to be a busy week. We are planning an all-day staff meeting for Tuesday in order to place the major events for 2008 on the calendar. If you think about it, pray for us as we sort it all out. By the way, it is a joy to work with our staff. They are truly the BEST.

Blessings.
Bro. Johnny

Israel

What a joy it was to lead a team of 25 individuals on a tour of the Holy Land during the past couple of weeks. We spent the first night in a hotel on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea (see picture). From there we toured key Biblical sites throughout the land of Israel. It was a blessing to read the Beatitudes from the likely spot where Jesus preached the sermon on the mount, to take a boat ride on the very lake that Jesus walked upon, to stand upon a stone floor that dates to Jesus' day and was located in the place where the soldiers abused our Lord, to see an empty tomb that fits the description of the tomb that Jesus borrowed for a few days before bursting forth in resurrection glory. It was truly a great trip. Thanks to all the team members who made it such a memorable experience for Jan and me.

Blessings

What a blessing it was to enjoy Christmas Eve with my church family for our annual Christmas Eve Celebration, and to enjoy Christmas Day with my family at our home. I am truly a blessed man.

Johnny

Christmas Plans

It's the most wonderful time of the year. For me, that really is the case. I love the Christmas season. Now that Christmas day is only a few days away, our lives will really get busy. But we love it.

We plan to travel to Louisiana this weekend to visit my family. We will enjoy great food, wonderful fellowship, fun gifts, and the warmth of being together with all the brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, parents . . . well, you get the point. We will be back on town Sunday evening.

I look forward to the Christmas Eve Service each year. It has become one of the most precious elements of our Christmas celebration. After that we will enjoy spending time with our family on Christmas Day.

As usual, our kids will enjoy the challenge of finding and securing their gifts. They simply call it "the hunt." Though they are grown, they still enjoy the fun and excitement. Over the years they have had go dig their gifts out of the ground, find them in A/C vents, under bridges, in trees, and in all kinds of other hiding places. They have had to work puzzles, answer questions and solve clues in order to get their gifts. This year will be no different. Though they have no idea what to expect Christmas morning, they know it will be fun.

The following weekend Jan's family will come to our place. They love to come and we love hosting them. When the Nichols and Millers get together at the Hutchison's the food is plentiful, the laughter is contagious, and we always find time for some shopping.

As you can tell, we are in for a grand time this Christmas Season. May the coming days bring you more blessings than you can imagine. And remember to spend some time honoring the one whose birthday we are celebrating.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Kids are the Best

Don't you just love kids? Boy, I do. I am so proud of the kids who presented The Mystery of the Manger last night. It was a great program. The kids choir Christmas program is always a highlight of my year. They are so full of energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Thanks to all the parents who make sure that their children receive the benefit of our children's choir ministries. Thanks also to Sharon Wilson, Staci Gibson, Glenda Chamberlain, Dana McKinney and Theresa Phillips for leading these ministries.

Thanks

Dear HDBC Family:

Thanks so much for the positive response to the vision that I shared with you on Sunday night. The future looks great. I am so blessed to be your pastor. Have a great week. Remember to "build some bridges."



Johnny