Thursday, July 28, 2011

What's So Amazing About Grace?

A book I read years ago came to mind today as I was preparing to write about Sunday's music - "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Phillip Yancey.
I remember that it is a wonderful book that I really enjoyed reading and it made a big impact on how I view the world and grace and how we as a church need to be offering grace.

Here's a quote from the book:
"'The world can do almost anything as well as or better than the church,' says Gordon MacDonald. 'You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry, or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer grace.'"

Looking at the paper sleeve on my book I must have paid $19.99 for this book back in 1997. You can get it for $3 on Amazon now. You should. It really is a very good book.

We're singing some songs about grace this Sunday morning. I hope you'll join in and sing from a heart bought by grace and filled with grace.

Music for Sunday, July 31, 2011


Your Grace Is Enough
Hosanna
Choir anthem – How Great Is the Love

Fellowship song – Have Faith in God
His Eye Is on the Sparrow
Amazing Grace, (My Chains Are Gone)

Special music – Diane C and Dan D

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Class is Filling Up Quickly

Our Art for Missions project is filling up quickly. Several of you have mentioned that you plan on coming, but I haven't seen your names yet on the list. Call Donna at the church office today and reserve your spot before they are all gone.

I'll show you how you can paint your own vase of hydrangeas. If you'd rather have pink hydrangeas I can show you how to do that too. Maybe you'd rather have a green vase or a beige background. I'll show you how. Just make sure you get in the class before it's all filled up.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Music for July 24

I usually write a little something about the music for Sunday but I'm in the middle of listening to Christmas music and I'm kinda on a roll, so I'm just going to list Sunday's songs. I think you'll see how the first three go together and the again I think it's easy to see the connection between "Are You Washed?" and "Covers Me for Life."

Join us Sunday with your heart ready to worship so God can revive your heart as He shines on you.

Come, Now is the Time to Worship
Revive Us Again
Shine On Us

Choir – Lord God Almighty

Fellowship song – Mighty to Save

Are You Washed in the Blood?
Covers Me for Life
Special Music – Andrew and Calli Smith

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

A heART for Missions


Join us for a fun afternoon of painting and create a beautiful picture for your home while supporting missions.

We'll all paint the picture in the ad - Hydrangeas in an Orange Vase. However, if you would rather have pink hydrangeas and a red vase, you can do that. Whatever color scheme would work in your home you can use with this painting.

It's easier than you think. I will be leading the class and promise we'll have lots of fun. Our mission team going to Portugal will have some cookies or something for us to snack on.

Space is limited, so be one of the first ones to sign up. Call the church office and talk to Donna today!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Expectations - and music for July 17

If you are familiar with FaceBook you know that those who have pages there have a place where they can list favorite songs, movies or books. They can also put up their favorite quotes.

Last night I remembered one of my favorite quotes that I put there.

"We get along great now that I've lowered my expectations." (You can go to my FaceBook page to see who I quoted.)

I thought of it because I was pulling into the parking lot of Ryan's. Please don't see this as a slam on Ryan's. It's a whole lot better than fast food places but in all honesty, it's no Olive Garden. But as long as I wasn't expecting Olive Garden it was great.

What does that have to do with worship? Expectations work both ways. If you expect something to be something it can't be, you will be disappointed. If you expect local church musicians to sound like the latest greatest band in concert then you will probably be disappointed. If you expect your church musicians to help you focus on God and your focus is on seeing Him you won't be disappointed, you'll see God.

We take from worship what we bring to worship - what we expect to get from it.

We should be expecting to meet with our great God, the Creator of the universe, our merciful Savior full of grace and truth, our Comforter and Healer, our mighty King...

I'm afraid that many times we come expecting to hear some good music and a good sermon. And hopefully more often than not we DO hear some good music and a good sermon... but did we see God? Did we hear His voice? Did we spend time in His presence? Did we commune as friend with Friend?

Let me encourage you as you attend a worship service this week - whether with us a Hilldale or at your church where you usually attend - to enter worship expecting to meet with God. Expect to hear His voice. Expect to worship Him. Don't expect to be entertained by the music, expect it to offer you words and melodies that you can join in singing to express your love, devotion, adoration, gratitude, etc.

If you come to Hilldale at 8:30 or 9:45 you can join us in singing these songs. Come expecting to see God.

Lord, Reign in Me

Everlasting God

Choir Anthem – Power of the Cross (See the Chains Fall)

Fellowship song – Hallelujah - Your Love is Amazing
At The Cross
The Old Rugged Cross
The Power of the Cross

Special music – Josh Ford – Lay ‘Em Down

Here's Kristin Getty singing "The Power of the Cross" that her husband Keith wrote with Stuart Townend.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Music for Sunday, July 10

As a general rule when a worship pastor or preaching pastor is going to be gone we don't advertise it much because - I'm sure it's not you - many people will use that as an excuse to skip out of worship that week.
But I am going to be gone this Sunday. My brother-in-law has stage 4 stomach cancer and it's important that Cheryl and I go see him. I'll be back Monday.

Dandy Dan will lead worship for us.

Victory in Jesus
Days of Elijah


Fellowship Song – Friend of God

Nothing but the Blood
You Are My King

Special Music – Don and Paula McElroy

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation Song – Just As I Am

Offertory – Don McElroy

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Clarksville Through the Eyes of Captain and Clark

Captain and Clark were here Sunday and Monday to check out Clarksville to see if we are the most patriotic city in America. They were in our service Sunday morning and recorded it all. They made a video of their visit to Clarksville and used our choir's singing of The Star-Spangled Banner as the background music. There is a tiny bit of footage from our service. You can see our Marine, our Narrator and you get a glimpse of my bright blue coat as I'm directing the choir.

I couldn't load the video from their web site, so you'll have to Click here to go to Captain and Clarks' web site to see the video.

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Proverbs Challenge -Day 31 - WonderWoman!

This is the last day of our Proverbs Challenge. I hope you will continue to read not only Proverbs, but all through the Bible in the days and months ahead.

Oh my! I got tired just ready all about the woman in Proverbs 31. Is that even posible for one person to do? I don't think so. She gets up before the sun and feeds everyone works, buys, sells, plants, and more during the day and then stays up half the night still doing stuff. This might be the only way to actually do so much!


30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,


But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Now THAT is doable. Perhaps Lemuel knew a woman who could bring homethe bacon and fry it up in a pan. Oh. I guess a good Jew wouldn't do that... but you know what I mean. But my guess is that he was just conveying the idea that she worked hard and was resourceful. But the bottom line is verse 30.

Since I am doing this Bible study with a couple of younger guys,(we e-mail each other about the chapter after we read it) my emphasis from this chapter would be How can we as men be the kind of man that a woman like that would want to be with us. Are we hard workers? Are we resourceful? Would we be a man at the city gate? (a place of honor) Do we also fear the Lord?

I pray we all can become more godly, wiser, etc. all the things we've seen in Proverbs this month. kWe probably need to read it again!