THINKING ALLOWED...  

WOW!! Can you believe that it is already October? Do you know where the year has gone? What happened to all that time? I hope that you invested it in doing some things that are going to last for all eternity. I hope you invested it in your own spiritual growth. I hope that you invested it in a way that caused someone else to enter the Kingdom of God. I hope you invested your time laying up treasures in heaven and not just here on earth.

In the next three months, you will have many opportunities to invest your time laying up treasure in heaven. As we enter one of the busiest seasons of the church year, you will need to examine your calendar and make sure you include time to serve your Lord and the community through the Church. An immediate need is of course, Trunk or Treat and our Fall Festival Halloween Alternative. This year it is on Friday. Many people will be playing football and many of our larger sister churches are doing their event on Wednesday. There will still be plenty of people going out on Halloween night and multitudes of them will be coming to Hilldale Baptist Church. We need more volunteers than ever this year. We need more and more trunks. We need every member of Hilldale and most of our friends to join in helping us. We have an opportunity for some new approaches to sharing our faith specifically designed for these kinds of events. Pray, give, and do everything possible to be present. We already know of a number of our regular faithful workers who will be out of town. Make plans to be a part of our gift to the community.

Also, start praying now for the upcoming opportunities to include your friends and unchurched co-workers in the special events for the rest of the year. We will have a special time of worship and fellowship with our Thank You, Lord Service. Do not forget to pray now for special Christmas presentations and our Carols, Candles, and Communion Christmas Eve service that always draws many people who do not regularly attend church. Watch your bulletin and this mailout for more information on other special events coming in the next three months. You have some surprises in store and you have a Lord to present to the rest of our community. For whom are you praying? To whom are you witnessing? With whom are you building a relationship? Whom will you rejoice over when they come to faith in Christ within the next three months?

Praying with you,