March 21, 2014

Dear Church Family & Friends, and Prayer Partners:

Harmony Community Church was blessed with a tremendous day on March 16th.  In both morning services, quite a number of people came forward, expressing their desire to join our church family in membership and ministry. We welcome each family and know God is bringing each person into the body for His own purposes and plans. Their names are listed in the body of the online newsletter. Please join me in welcoming them into our Harmony family! 

On Sunday evening we enjoyed a wonderful meal and fellowship, a time of ministry volunteers appreciation, and a table talk. Everyone present and involved in the work of the ministry in our church body was included in the evening, receiving gourmet cupcakes, candy bags, and Legend of the Starfish scrolls, to remind them of the huge difference they make.  Harmony Community extended special thanks to our team facilitators, to hospitality families who have been cleaning the church, facilities volunteers, our band, and to several others who have given of themselves in inspiring and sacrificial ways in ministry.  Over the course of the night we shared a number of laughs, and celebrated what God has already done here, and is doing now. Speaking of that.

Nine years ago this month, a group of us gathered for our very first Harmony worship service together, Easter 2005.  We had been meeting in homes and praying together in the month prior, and we continued doing that for the 6 months that followed that service, to see what God would have us do. From that Sunday forward, we continued the weekend worship services, and we officially chartered by that Fall, in October 2005. As most of you know, we began worshipping in a shop/garage building, and within 6 weeks we were meeting in the Powersville Opry House. Then, within 6 more months we relocated to the Byron Auditorium.  From there, we moved to the Westfield School, and finally moved to our current location on Housers Mill Rd in August of 2007. To help us adapt to continued growth, we expanded our facilities in 2010.

It appears that by our 10th anniversary we will have both old and new things to celebrate. On Sunday night we agreed as a body to commit ourselves to a 6 month process of preparing our hearts and minds for a goal of constructing a new auditorium and community space with a minimum of 12,000 sq ft.  Note that during this 6 months we are NOT entering construction or loan commitments. We all understand that at some point between now and completion of a new building at least a temporary 3rd worship service may be needed.  Let’s just pray and open our hearts to hearing and dreaming with God.

While a new building does seem to be a great need, and holds really exciting possibilities, as a portable church for our first 2-3 years we learned the lesson early on at Harmony Community that the church is not a building. We’ll all seek God and I know He’ll help us and surprise us in this process.  More funds will be needed. We’ll seek God privately and as a body and do all we can, and let God do what only He can.  However, so often in these types of situations it is tempting to let EVERYTHING become about the new building or the money needed.

A perfect example of what I love about this church family is that in this very same gathering of talking about new buildings and sharing gifts with some folks who deserved special thanks (which I see as a ministry investment, not an expense, as they do not receive a fraction of what would be due, although it is our prayer it blessed them and expressed our deep gratitude for them as a church family), we also agreed to give nearly $5,000 to immediately upcoming missions trips and ministry outreach in Scotland (Scott & Cathy Beach, Paisley & Garrett) and to helping train pastors in Tanzania (Paul Clark), in addition to our other regular mission commitments.  We will be wise, we will do our part in terms of the finances, but never to the exclusion of ministry being a priority. There is always a fine line between selfishness and good stewardship, and I pray we will never confuse the two.

In closing, it is important for me to say this to you: It continues to be one of the great blessings of my life (and that of my entire family) to be sharing life and ministry with you here at Harmony Community Church.  Not one of us is perfect, but God has created something special here.  Let’s never take it for granted.  Seek Him, and be in His Word.  Please remember to thank God for what He has already done, and ask Him to protect us, so that we will be totally HIS as we go forward.

Your First Mate,

Terry Hendrix