The Hillsboro Christian March 2022 - Volume 62
Hope Grows Here
In This Issue of The Christian By Brad Clouse
Chris Spielman was a twotime All-American Linebacker at Ohio State University, and later three-time all pro for the Detroit Lions. For twelve years, he watched his wife Stefanie battle breast cancer. As the cancer metastasized throughout her lungs, spine and spinal fluid, it became clear that the end was approaching. The time had now come for him to tell his four children that their mother would not be with them for much longer. In his book That’s Why I’m Here: The Chris and Stefanie Spielman Story, Chris shares the following: “I put an arm around each one of them and said, ‘Mace, Aud, Mommy isn’t going to get any better.’ They started crying. They weren’t inconsolable, but the news profoundly affected them. I think, in their hearts, they knew this was coming. Then I said, ‘But there is one way she can get better. When she gets to heaven, she’s going to get a whole new body. She’s going to get to do the things that she loves to do. You know. Mom loves to run. She loves to dance. She loves to play.
She’ll get to do those things she loves to do, and she won’t ever have to worry about being sick again. That’s something we should be very, very happy about.’ Audrey asked, ‘Is her hair going to grow back?’ Isn’t that what heaven is all about? Where we will be given new bodies. Where the consequences of injuries, of ageing, of disease will no longer have their way, but rather, where God’s resurrection power will give new life, new bodies, where we get to enjoy Him forever.”
As Christians we have the hope of eternal life. It is the apostle Peter who writes, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). It is through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that we have this hope. This is exactly what Jesus was telling the disciples as they were sitting together in the Upper Room: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that
were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).
This is a living hope. As the people of God, we live every day in the certainty of that hope. While on this earth we are not exempt from trials and tribulations, from disease and death, we are never without hope as we experience these things: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
“Of all the forces that make for a better world, none is so indispensable, none so powerful as hope.” (Charles Sawyer)
“The Christian hope is not simply a trembling, hesitant hope that perhaps the promises of God may be true. It is the confident expectation that they cannot be anything else than true!” (William Barclay)
In this edition of The Hillsboro Christian, Micah challenges us with the following question: “What do you hope for?”
Also, Adam takes the time to remind us as Christians that our hope in Jesus anchors our soul.
Our guest contributor this month is Keith Warner, the Director of Butler Springs Christian Camp. With the theme of our newsletter being HOPE GROWS HERE, Keith shares with us the impact that BSCC has on our young people – How so many young people each
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brad and his family, including his wife, Julie, son Will, and daughters Annaleigh and Samantha, live just outside of Hillsboro. They spend most of their free time at sporting events for the kids or cheering on the Louisville Cardinals. They view themselves as a ministry family that wants to set an example for others while knowing they need the grace and mercy of Jesus each day!
year at camp hear about the hope of Jesus.
May you all be edified and encouraged by this edition of The Hillsboro Christian.
In Christian love, Brad
article by Keith Warner
I hope you will invite someone to camp this summer. This is what could happen!
Psalm 25:5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are
God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
In 1993 I was completely lost. I was living to party and was addicted to alcohol and marijuana. I, like many kids of the 80’s, was raised in the church. However, I had given up on God, but since I was still living at home, my parents required me to attend church. It was there that I made a friend who was the youth minister named Jake Copely. (Jake Copely served as the minister at Sugar Tree Ridge for several years around 2000) Jake was a funny and down-to-earth guy and, above all, was caring. He asked me to go one week with him to Elkhorn Valley Church Camp in eastern Ohio. To be honest, I wasn't even into church, or God, let alone church camp. However, because of our friendship and him telling me there would be single girls there, I went. The first two days at camp I was miserable. I didn't see any "girls" I was interested in, so I called my parents and asked them to come get me. They refused. I was stuck. So, there I was at a camp entitled “Life Recruit Camp” with no ride. By day four, the speaker at vespers shared a message that shook me to the core of my being. It was that night that my resistance was met by persistence, and the spirit of God fully convicted me. At the end of the message, I went forward to the surprise of Jake, others, and myself. God had moved my heart, and I knew what He wanted me to do. Later that night, I gave my life to Jesus and was baptized in the old pool that is no longer there. It was two weeks later that I found
myself sitting in a dorm room at Kentucky Christian College. I knew I wanted to serve God but still needed to decide how. Fast forward 25 years, and I have now been in fulltime ministry for over 20 years! Without parents, a youth pastor, a church camp, and KCU, I wouldn't be where I am today. Barry Pettit Last summer, 85 young people made that same decision to give their life to God and were baptized at camp to put on Christ and receive the Holy Spirit. How do they make the decision to come to camp? Sometimes, Mom and Dad simply say you are going. Sometimes, a friend invites them to go with them. Sometimes, someone gives toward the Scholarship Fund to make it possible for those who don’t have the funds or opportunity. I hope you will step out and boldly ask young people if they are going to camp this summer. I hope you will do whatever it takes to get them here. I could tell you many more stories of unlikely children, being invited or sent, whose lives have been changed for all eternity because they were influenced by the Christian camp experience to surrender to God and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
All I can do is HOPE that you will do what you can. Keith Warner Director of Butler Springs Christian Camp,
about the Author
Keith Warner is the Director of Butler Springs Christian Camp. He has been with Butler Springs since 1989. He is pictured here with his wife Laura.
Keith is retiring at the end of this summer, after completing a 33 year (34 summers) in ministry at Butler Springs. Although, if you know Keith, you know that he won’t stop doing ministry as he will seek opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus as fitting to his new schedule and location in Tennessee).
Keith has a “Treasure Chest” he keeps and refers to on occasion. This “Treasure Chest” consists of notes, cards, and letters of encouragement that he has received through the years. He will refer to his “Treasure Chest” on days he may feel defeated to remind himself why God called him to this ministry.
If you would like to participate in adding to Keith’s “Treasure Chest”, please send your letters, cards, or notes of encouragement to: INFO@BUTLERSPRINGS.COM The Camp Staff and Executive Committee are asking if you would please include the following with your letters:
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Your first & last name (if you submit one as a family, list all family member’s names)
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What church you attend (it is ok to list several, or none at all)
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How do you know Keith (heard him preach, you or your kids attended camp, Board member, summer staff, volunteer, Dean of Camp sessions, etc. Multiple answers are perfectly acceptable)
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When did you first meet Keith (approximate year only)
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Content (you are more than welcome to recount memorable stories, share meaningful moments, be very encouraging, express appreciation, revisit funny encounters, well wishes, blessings, favorite scripture, etc. This can be as lengthy or short as you like)
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Please have your submissions in before June 30th
Our goal is to add 750 new entries to his “Treasure Chest”. If you have any questions, please contact the camp office at 937-588-2205.
We are getting closer to completing our new recipe book! To the left is the cover of our new cookbooks (thank you Kyah Chaney for your artwork!) If you would like to order a cookbook (or two, or three, or more), please use the order form to the right. Just complete the form, cut it out, and mail it in to the church, 155 W. Walnut St., Hillsboro, Ohio 45133 or you can drop it in the offering box. Please include payment at the time of order. Cost is $20.00 If paying by check, please make it payable to
Hillsboro Church of Christ.
We expect these to come in before Mother’s Day.
I would like to introduce you to Laura Ginter.
If you remember, in last month’s newsletter, there was an article about the Penny-A-Meal ministry. Penny-A-Meal is probably one of the oldest ministries here at Hillsboro Church of Christ. Larry Holladay, who was the head of this ministry for many years, has made the decision to retire. We want to thank you Larry for your dedication to the Penny-A-Meal ministry. Laura Ginter read the article and has volunteered to head this ministry. Some of you may already know or have seen her as she has been volunteering in the nursery. Laura has been wanting to get more involved here, but with little ones she felt this limited her options (at least for right now). She is excited to get started, thank you Laura for volunteering! Laura, her husband Ben, and their son, Samuel, live in Wilmington. They have been attending Hillsboro Church of Christ for several years. If you are a part of the Penny-A-Meal ministry, please take time to introduce yourself to Laura.
Penny-A-Meal In case you didn’t know:
Penny-A-Meal ministry is collecting Community Market grocery receipts. They receive 1% of the total receipt. This may not sound like much money but you would be surprised at what that 1% has taken care of around the church. For example:
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Our desks in the office
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The current nursery carpeting
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New stoves in the kitchen
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Couch and loveseat for the ministers’ office
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And most recently, archery supplies for our AIM ministry
Anyone who shops at Community Market, please save your receipt and place it in the Penny-AMeal box in the front lobby (below is a photo of the box).
If you have been a member of the Penny-A-Meal ministry, I know no one has been collecting the monthly dues, but if you would please place your dues in the church box at the beginning of the month that would be extremely helpful.
Thanks!! Susie Burns
Hope is an important concept. Throughout human history, hope has been a concept that has been important to almost every culture. It is the idea that gives the soldier the energy he needs to keep fighting even when it looks like he has lost. It is the present in the endurance of the martyr who is forced to endure torture and imprisonment. Shreds of hope can make all the difference in the world to someone who is struggling with depression and/or thoughts of suicide. Hope is a very important idea for human existence, and the loss of it usually brings death and despair. That is why as a church, we have made Hope Grows Here our vision. In a world full of sin, sadness, and pain, hope is one of the most important things that the church offers to people. The fact that true hope is available through a relationship with God through Jesus is exactly what the world needs.
their name, such as Hope College in Michigan, use the image of an anchor as part of their logo. The anchor is an enduring image of hope, even though many people today don't have much experience with anchors. The purpose of an anchor is to keep a ship or boat from moving by connecting it to the bottom of the body of water. It keeps the ship from being tossed around by the waves and wind. The key for the ship to be secure comes down to the trustworthiness of the anchor and where the anchor is set. Even a strong anchor, if set in mud or sand, will fail to hold when the waters get rough. The metaphor of hope being an anchor has been used by many people throughout history. Socrates says, "To ground hope on a false assumption is like trusting in a weak anchor." The writer of Hebrews also uses the metaphor when discussing the hope that Christians have in Christ.
One of the symbols of hope throughout human history has been that of an anchor. It shows up in the Greek and Roman classics as well as our modern world. Many organizations that have hope in
The letter of Hebrews is written with the purpose of showing how the work of Jesus is better than, and fulfills, the Old Testament system that God revealed to the Jewish people. This idea is discussed from a variety
of angles throughout the letter. The author discusses how Jesus is a better messenger than the angels and prophets of the Old Testament. He discusses how Jesus's substitutionary death on the cross is a better sacrifice than the blood of bulls and goats offered in the Jewish temple system. He also discussed Jesus as our high priest is better able to perform those duties than the human priests in the Jewish system. It is within this discussion that the writer of Hebrews uses the illustration of an anchor. Hebrews 6:19-20, "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever." This passage is referencing the day of atonement when the high priest would take the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle it on the Ark of the Covenant to cover the sins of the Jewish people. Jesus offered his own blood to forgive the sins of the world through his death on the cross. While the Jewish high priest had to offer a sacrifice year after year for the sins of the people, Jesus' sacrifice was so powerful that it
only needed to be offered once.
The sacrifice of Jesus is the event and person on which we have as Christians set our hope. We trust in Jesus and what he has done on our behalf to bring us safely through whatever storm we may experience. This anchor is described as "sure and steadfast," meaning we can trust that Jesus will not fail us in his duties as our high priest. No matter what happens in our family, country, or world, we can be confident that Jesus and his work on the cross will never fail us. This is the anchor that will hold us secure, and we can be sure that no matter what happens, we can have hope. This is a message that our world desperately needs to hear.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Steele has served with Hillsboro Church of Christ since 2016 as our Associate Minster — Discipleship & Youth and Family Minister.
On February 13th, Teagan Davis made the decision to begin her new life in Christ by being baptized during our 10:30 service. She was immersed by her father, Tim Davis. Tim is getting pretty good at this as he has immersed three of his children in as many years. Congratulations Teagan, we are all so excited to see you continue to grow in your relationship with Jesus. This is just the beginning.
On February 20th Ezra Rand was obedient to the call of God in his life and was immersed into Christ during our 10:30 service. Ezra was immersed by his grandfather Terry McConnaughey. If you see Ezra in the future be sure and congratulate him on his decision and encourage him in his walk with Christ. We are all so excited for you Ezra.
by Micah Herrick
As we grapple with the topic of Hope this month, I want to ask you a question. What do you hope for? Many were holding out hope just a few weeks ago for a win from the Bengals in L.A. Some have high hopes for the future of their family. Some place their hope in the craft of human ingenuity and progress. Whatever it is that we put our hope in, that is where faith grows. Scripture tells us this about Hope: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for…All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:1-2, 13-16 (NIV1984). What this is telling us is that our hope, our real hope, is not in anything that we experience of this world. The core of our hope is in the kingdom of heaven. As a Christian, we may know this information in our minds, but I have to ask, do you know it in your heart? Here are a few things for us to ponder. Depending on your answers to these questions, perhaps you can cry out in your heart along with me the words of the father who approaches Jesus in Mark, chapter 9, “Lord help me in my unbelief!” •
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When someone you trust lets you down, does it shatter you and shake your belief in what is good? Is your core reaction fear when you look at the direction the world is heading? Does missing out on an important event allow you to fall into a state of depression? If “your guy” doesn’t win, are you dejected for days?
Lord Jesus, help us put our whole trust in you and lay aside the cares and frustrations of this world. Help us in our unbelief. Help us to put our trust in you. Help us to seek your kingdom and your righteousness first and lay at your feet all the other things in which we place our hope.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Micah Herrick, along with leading our worship service, teaches a theology class each week at Ohio Mission Bible Training Center.
“A Night of Hope” March 13, 2022 6:00 PM
An evening in worship and the Word. We will be exploring the reason we have hope in Christ Jesus.
This evening of worship is for all ages. We are inviting you, your family, your friends, and anyone you think needs the hope of Jesus in their life.
Ministry Team Leaders, you have a meeting Sunday, March 6th, right after second worship service. Lunch will be provided.
Area 937 is collecting canned meat (tuna, chicken, etc.) for the month of March. You can put your donations in the Area 937 barrel at the south entrance of the church.
T.H.E.O. will have their monthly meeting Sunday, March 27th, right after the second worship service. T.H.E.O. stands for They Help Each Other.
Faith in Action women’s ministry will hold their monthly meeting Thursday evening, March 3rd, at 6:00 pm, in the Connection Café. Any lady who has a heart to serve is welcome to join this ministry.
CIY for 4th and 5th grade students is March 18-19, 2022. You can learn more about CIY or sign-up on our website: hillsborochurch.net/events
SATH AUCTION is Saturday, March 5th @ 10:00 am in the Wharton Building at the Highland County Fairgrounds. This will be their 21st annual auction. This is a great way to help support Kamp Dovetail.
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MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) will meet Thursday evening, March 24th, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm.
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Little Lamb Christian Preschool is having their rummage sale Saturday, March 5th, from 9:00 to 3:00 here at Hillsboro Church of Christ.
LITTLE LAMB CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL is accepting enrollment for the school year 2022-2023 You can get an application at: hillsborochurch.net/littlelamb
Print and fill out the form and send it in to Hillsboro Church of Christ 155 W. Walnut St. Hillsboro, Ohio 45133
along with the $30.00 enrollment fee
Intercessory
Prayer requests
03-01-22
Health and Other: Sue Bryan Denver Conley Jim Cook Ohio Mission Bible Training Center Janet Pence Shalom Orphanage Keith Sowell Wayne Wiedenbein Tammy Wilson Shut Ins: Barbara Boris Jewel Calmes John Porter Carol Setty Ruby Wallingford Cancer: Jeffery Aurigema Vicki Butler Kari Crafton Bob Fisher Judy Roush Mark Sears
Family Loss: Karen Adam’s family Marvin Gotherman’s family Eloise Yochum Moran’s family Missions: The Brittons, The Millers, The Newmans,
HCC Leadership: Steve Allen Brad Clouse Roger Epley Dan Fauber Micah Herrick Mike Labig Adam Steele Richard VanZant
Military: Tyler Amos Ryan Burns Mark Conover Thadeus Conover Corey Hughes Phillip Mycroft
Average attendance for the month of February was: 264 Average weekly giving for the month of January was: $12,461.00 Our weekly need is: 11,229.13