Memory Monday

Yesterday - in his sermon - my Sr. Pastor, Dr. Larry D. Robertson, mentioned that in 2010 he wants to spend more time in the Word. He was talking about knowing God's will and how you must spend time int eh Word to know what God's will is. He then shared some great scriptures that talk about what God's will is.

This got me to thinking about two different things.

1. I thought of one of my favorite verses that talks about what God requires (which I think would qualify as His will).

Micah 6:8.
He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God

I'll do a little mini sermon about it in a moment. I also like it because it has been set to music at least two times that I can think of. John Ness Beck's setting is sooooo beautiful! Here's a youtube video of the ending of it done very well. I found a couple others that had the entire song but they really weren't very good.


Anyway...
2. the other thing I thought of is how every year I tell myself that I want to be more intentional in my scripture memory and then I thought how it would be easier if others were memorizing scripture with me so I thought of "Memory Mondays."

For the next year (keep me to this) I'm going to post a verse or two that I am going to work on memorizing that week. I want to challenge you all to join me. It will be easy the first month, but I figure by June when we have 20+ verses memorized it may be a little harder to remember all of them. Leave a comment here or on facebook that you are memorizing with me.

The first verse will be Micah 6:8

Micah 6:8. He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God (NASB) New American Standard Bible

These three things that God requires in this verse are legs of a stool. You must have all three equally for it to stand well.
If you "do justice" but don't love kindness and don't walk humbly with God you very easily become a tyrant.
If you "love kindness" (translated "mercy" in many translations) but don't do justice you won't hold anyone accountable for their actions and the world will become like "Lord of the Flies" or like the time of the judges in the Old Testament where everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
If you don't "walk humbly" with God then you become proud and holier-than-thou and aren't much help to anyone.

The verses before this the prophet asks the question of what he can bring before the Lord - burnt offerings, thousands of rams, an oil offering, would even his first-born be enough to pay the Lord? Micah 6:8 is the response. This is what God requires.

Micah 6:8. He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God

Will you memorize this verse with me? and more importantly, will you try to live this way? I guess that's another sermon...

Music for January 10, 2010

So are you saying "twenty-ten" or "two-thousand-ten?"
I'll put a poll up over there
◄ for you to vote.

Here's the order of worship for Sunday. If you are in my choir and missed rehearsal last night you can still sing with us because we are singing one of our favorites "Let the Worshippers Arise."

January 10, 2010 AM

To God Be the Glory
Everlasting God

Choir anthem – Let the Worshippers Arise

Welcome song – You Are Holy (Prince of Peace)

When the Roll Is Called up Yonder
When We All Get to Heaven
I Will Rise

Special Music – Brooke Hill

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation Song – I Give You Me

Offertory – Mary Beth Mathews

Baptisms: Both Services

Closing – Bro. Tony Lewis

How Are They Different - The Answers

Way back in December I posted about Christmas.
http://hilldaleworship.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas.html

and at the end of the post I asked if you could tell the differences between these two pictures.

Some of you played along and sent in your guesses about how these two pictures are different, but most of you just read it and answered to yourself. So you may be wondering if you guessed correctly.

The most obvious difference to me is that in the first picture I am wearing a top hat and in the second one I'm not. The lighting is different. Someone guessed correctly - I think it was Alyssa - that the microphones are different. In the second one I'm standing in front of "the Tree."

Aunt Di Di in her guess mentioned that the little boy was cute and stole the show, (and of course I think she is correct) but she also knows the difference is that the first picture here is of me and Gibson at FBC, Joelton and the second one is six years later and is of me and Beau. And believe it or not, I could have taken the same picture 30 years earlier with their dad and it would look like the same little boy! (I think I have aged at least a little bit in 30 years. Hahaha!)

The First Wednesday

It's the first Wednesday of the new year!

That means it's the first choir rehearsal of the new year. ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

That means it's the PERFECT time to join a choir!! ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

If you live in Clarksville and you aren't already active in another local church come by Hilldale tonight and check out our choir.

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

Do I have to audition to be in choir?

NO! Never! Maybe for a solo, but not for singing in choir.

Where do you meet?

The choir room is located directly behind the Sanctuary. There are doors on both sides of the stage area that open to a long hall that takes you back to the choir room.

What time do you meet?

6:30-7:30 (longer times when it is close to Christmas or Easter)

We have a great time in choir. We laugh, we sing, we pray together... it's a fantastic pick-me-up for the middle of the week.

I'll look for you tonight!

Christmas

The Christmas season is such a wonderful time! It would take me too long to mention all the great things that happened during this year's Living Christmas Tree, our Sunday morning services are so joyful as we sing the music of Christmas, the lights on houses are festive, the baby gate around our tree at home keeps the little ones from hauling off all of the ornaments or climbing up the tree, family and friends are all smiles as each new Christmas event takes place ... it's just a great time of year.

I hope you are taking time from the hectic pace of the holidays to relax a little and enjoy all the things happening around you. And then don't just be a spectator, join in the song and the fun and the festivities and the food.

We'll be singing some of your favorite Christmas carols and songs this Sunday morning at 8:30 and 9:45 and then again on Christmas Eve at 5:00. Bring your family. Sit with your children (they need to be with you in a service now and then - and more often than not if you ask me - which I guess if you're reading my blog, you did ask me. hahaha)

Here are two of my favorite pictures from Christmas. Can you find the differences?

BIG Rehearsal Night

Tonight's rehearsal begins at 6:00! This is earlier than the usual time. Spread the word.

If you have a student or family member as part of the cast please have them bring their costume tonight. They don't have to wear them for the rehearsal, but they need to be seen in them to make sure everything is ready for dress rehearsal tomorrow.

We are expecting REALLY BIG crowds. We have given away more tickets than we maybe should have. The excitement has caught on and we are getting tons of calls every day asking for more tickets. We're out! (And we printed a few more than we actually have seats for.....)

See you tonight at 6:00.

Rehearsal Schedule

I hate not posting regularly, but the last few weeks have been pretty crazy! If Abe Lincoln had followed the church calendar he wouldn't have put Thanksgiving so close to the beginning of Advent! Too much to do to take a weekend off.

Here is our rehearsal schedule if for some odd reason you have missed it.

Sunday, Dec. 6, 5:00 - all choirs walk through (and sing some) the whole program

Monday, Dec. 7, 6:00 - orchestra rehearsal - soloists can come by and sing their song

Tuesday, Dec. 8 - take the night off - go to supper with your family

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 6:00 - ALL choirs, church orchestra members, all cast

Thursday, Dec. 10, 6:00 - dress rehearsal with EVERYONE and orchestra

Friday, Dec. 11, 6:30 call, 7:00 performance (whichever children's choir is singing pre-tree needs to be here at 6:00)

Saturday, Dec. 12, 6:30 call, 7:00 performance (whichever children's choir is singing pre-tree needs to be here at 6:00)

Sunday, Dec. 13, 2:30 call, 3:00 performance (whichever children's choir is singing pre-tree needs to be here at 2:00)

We have given out over 850 tickets for every performance so far and that is before the door knockers go out Sunday and radio ads start and newspaper article is printed. Tell your family and friends to come early to get a good seat!

WOOOHOOOOO! It's gonna be great!