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.

Friends,

I encourage you to come to our special services on the 19th & 24th. This coming Sunday, our children will be featured musically. I know you’ll enjoy them. Then on Christmas Eve, we will meet at 5:00 p.m. for a communion candlelight service. It will be beautiful to be together to celebrate our Savior’s birth.

Pastor Ed
pastoredvinson@gmail.com

Jane Kinder sent this to me. I think it is an important word for us.

Word from the Lord for the days we are in.
Updated: Oct 27

The following is a prophetic word I posted four years ago. I just came across it this week and I sensed the Lord saying to post it again as it is even more relevant today. So here it is:

I had a somewhat concerning dream that a couple who are pastors and friends of mine and I were preparing for some hard times. It woke me up at 5:30 a.m. I asked the Lord what it meant and He told me, “You will need your notebook for this.” So I got up and wrote this down. I have submitted it to a few people, my pastor friends included, who have felt this was from the Lord. See what you think.

There are things about to take place in the world that will be perplexing to Christians who are expecting a revival in which people are saved and things are blessed as you have expected Christianity will be again in America. There will be people saved and people will always be coming to Me but the idea, the concept people expect is not how things will take place. You (plural) need to allow Me to reset your expectations of what Kingdom values are because a lot of what is expected is cultural but not Kingdom culture. There needs to be a rethinking of what constitutes Kingdom culture.

For instance, is “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials” your automatic response to difficulties? Would you be willing to go the extra mile for your enemy? What I am telling you is not for immediate issues but are to let you know to prepare yourselves for days to come.

This is a time of preparation, even a warning for what will come about in days, perhaps, after Donald Trump is no longer president. For now, there will continue to be adversity from those who are warring against him and what he stands for. At the same time, many Christians are expecting all to go smoothly and for America to become a Christian nation as it once was. But that was then; this is now. The days are becoming darker in the world and while there is Kingdom advancement today, and it will continue, so also will the kick-back from the enemy. There will be an increase of darkness. Do not be alarmed by it. Have I not told you such days would come. I have also told you that there would be a great light – and the glory of the Lord would shine brightly in the darkness. Are not the stars able to be seen more clearly on darker nights?

So this is a time to begin to prepare, to think more deeply about what it means to be light in the darkness. These messages of the need to prepare will seem like the messengers are just being negative to some people but they must also be warned against seeing the preparation as negative, for these preparations will carry the power of God to be strong in faith when things seem to be contrary to what you would want or expect. This is a time to begin to absorb My Word so that your prayers are one with My Word and therefore of Kingdom reality. For instance, not to make you more comfortable or happy in fleshly terms but to know the joy of the Lord as your strength, and the forgiveness of the cross even when times are not comfortable.

You would do well to begin to consider what brings fear to your hearts so that you can put the fear behind you so your faith in Me becomes deep trust, regardless of the circumstances. This is why “Consider it all joy” should be something to meditate upon. Not to do it on your own but because you can grab hold of the love of God that is poured out in your hearts. And this not only because you may feel My love in your hearts for yourselves, but secure in knowing I am a very present help in trouble. And also because of My love in your hearts for those who appear as the worst of your – or other’s – enemies. Beware of taking on offenses, for yourself or others.

Remember that I died for all. My blood was shed for all mankind. There is power that is and will always be available for loving your enemies and seeing them as having a great need for My love and to know Me. Preaching the gospel is most effective when there are demonstrations of the Kingdom and not just the recitation of words. Love is the greatest demonstration of My Kingdom.

This is not meant to frighten you but to redirect your thoughts (and your preaching and teaching for those to whom this applies) in order that for the next years there is a preparation for more difficult days to come.

Pastor Ed

Cathy & I will be in Canton, Ohio this week visiting family. I hope you also have a very blessed Thanksgiving with family & friends, remembering how much we have to be thankful to the Lord.

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

~1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tonight, you are invited to Shalom Baptist Church at 7 p.m. for a community Thanksgiving service. Five local churches worship together. Please bring a can of corn or peas for MCEF’s pantry.

Friends,

Susan Haynes will be sharing this Sunday, “A Personal and Passionate Perspective of the Cross.” She is a passionate communicator and has a powerful testimony. You won’t want to miss this Sunday.

With the holidays approaching, please remember our shut-ins. A card or note would lift their spirits.

Friends,

I will meet with anyone who wants to talk and pray about life, current events and Scripture on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Seekers Classroom.

Also, if you haven’t done so already, please forward your updated contact information, as well as a recent photo, to the church office for inclusion in the Pictorial Directory.