Headlight 2

Ordination Celebration

2008-07-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

May 24 we celebrated the ordination of Reverend Caleb Cox! Ordination is a two-year process that involves reading books, writing papers, attending ministry “module” workshops, and intense study which leads up to a grueling interview. Caleb took his two-hour interview in March and passed with flying colors.

Ordination it is a stamp of approval on Caleb’s ministry by the district leadership. This is a confirmation of what we at East Hills already know, that Caleb is a worthy servant of God who handles the Word well, and knows how to apply it to his own life and helps others do the same.
Many people from East Hills were in attendance as well as some special guests from out of state. Caleb and Becky’s families from California came for the event, some family friends of Caleb’s and his youth pastor from high school.

Caleb’s ordination mentor, Tim Heffer, a C&MA pastor in Lacey, WA, gave a charge to Caleb to live in the current of faith alongside such biblical heroes as David, Abraham, Deborah, and Noah. John Thompson, Caleb’s former youth pastor, spoke about Caleb’s compassion, artistic ability, leadership, empathy, and the value of his wife Becky. Erik Williams came from the district office to affirm that God says to Caleb “U Da Man.”

The evening also included a special presentation to Caleb from the rest of the staff at East Hills. Nick presented a sweatshirt from local high school RA Long, while Ann protested that he should receive her gift of a Kelso sweatshirt since he lives in Kelso. Jeff, our intern, came through with a sweatshirt from his alma mater, Cheyenne East High in Wyoming.

The evening concluded with a time of prayer and blessing on Rev. Caleb and Becky and a delightful reception that had been put together in honor of the occasion.

Remodel Completed

2008-07-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

All of the time and energy put in by the willing volunteers of East Hills has paid off. The sanctuary remodel is finished! The stained glass window is installed, sound equipment is functioning well, and the chairs are getting worn in perfectly. The room comes complete with a new name "Main Hall." Our goal is to make this space accessible to the community for clubs, special events, and any other large events. Come check out the new space if you haven't yet seen it at one of our weekend services or during normal office hours. You can also see highlights of the project by clicking on the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPpcFV_CSFI

Almost there!

2008-06-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

The installation of the new stained glass represents the last contracted job of the church remodel. A few finishing touches do remain, such as replacing the outside sign and eliminating interference in the sound system, but major construction is now complete. The work itself took about three months and involved over 70 volunteers, and the Sanctuary Improvement Team had been meeting since April of last year to plan the remodeling. That team was Kirk Sherrell, Bob Shaw, Tom Hight, Katrina Mendenhall, Jeremy McAninch, Leon Rennells, and Jean Imholte. An East Hills Alliance trustee, Leon co-chaired the construction team along with Pastor Nick.

"We're real close," Leon said. "Nick was hoping it would happen overnight in a massive labor push, but unfortunately, that doesn't happen when you have contractors. Hopefully, it will serve the goals that we set for it."

Some of those goals had to to with basic upkeep. The roof in particular needed work to prevent leaks from damaging the church. Others were for convenience, such as plumbing in a sink at the coffee area. Beyond that, the team wanted to make the building more welcoming by improving its appearance, to increase the usefulness of the platform area, and to open new possibilities for the entire space by switching from pews to chairs.

Katrina had a big hand in the design and color selection of the sanctuary, although expert opinion, the consensus of the team, and feedback from the church body all factored in.

"Even myself, I was uneasy about how some of the colors would match," Leon said. "What's funny is that there's about five colors of beige in there, but when you look at it, it's hard to tell they're different. That was deliberate."

The new platform extends about three feet farther and is much more accessible. By removing the steps from the back and adding acoustical panels, we ended up with a much better site for a real drum set than we had before. The main speaker has been replaced and eight stage lights added. We have not yet figured out how much to use the new lighting in typical services, but it will definitely improve mime and drama performance.

One less obvious upgrade I personally appreciate is the balcony temperature control. Before work started, the loft was always hotter than the outside air during a Saturday night service, but with better insulation and a new air conditioner, we can now keep it cool in the summer. So you can expect to be more comfortable whether you are standing up front, sitting on one of the new chairs, or in the balcony.

Ultimately, though, the real goal is not to have a comfortable building for ourselves to spend time in, but one that helps us reach out to the lost and draw them into the love of Christ. We can reap a small reward now by looking around and seeing the improvements, but the real value will be in the lives of people who find it that much easier to start or strengthen a relationship with Christ because their surroundings make them feel welcome.

"There were so many times that we planned for something and it didn't work out per plan. It seemed like a mistake. And the way we resolved that mistake turned out to be God's will and was even better than we planned. God used it as a way to show His power. That was the neatest thing, to see God at work. God just put the right people in the right places. And he did provide the manpower. It was a God thing all around."

All-Star Camp coming June 23-27

2008-06-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

East Hills has changed the format and location of our 2008 summer children's outreach. Rather than a traditional vacation Bible school held at the church itself, we are hosting the All-Star Camp at Barnes Elementary School, 9:00 to noon on June 23 through 27. This is a free event, open to kids entering first through fifth grades whether they attend EHA or not.

VBS was split into five sites, with each child cycling through one site per day and seeing a different staff member at each one. Instead, All-Star Camp is broken into three tracks: soccer under Pastor Caleb Cox, cheer under Becca Reid, and arts under Rene Rennells. Pastor Ann Hight is the overall camp director. Each kid chooses a track at the beginning of the camp and spends each day under the supervision of that track's leadership team, hopefully allowing the kids and adults to build trust and relationships.

"Each of the tracks has really competent, talented staff that seem like a great fit," Ann said. "It has been amazing to watch the people who are going to be involved step into the right spots. We are looking at every activity from two directions: first, the kids from the North Kelso community who we don't know yet, and second, our Kidville citizens. We want this to be a positive and fun summer experience for both like previous VBSs have been. I believe we can do both well with the level of staff that we have seen step forward."

Even so, the departure from past summer ministry, both in what we do and where we do it, is a big undertaking. This is our first time running such a program away from East Hills. Barnes has a great deal to offer: not only do they have more and better indoor and outdoor facilities, they will serve lunch, and kids from the neighborhood can walk there much more easily. We expect about 125 kids, double what we have had in the past.

Each day will have its own theme, such as never quitting. During a break in activities, the speakers will relate the theme of the day to Biblical values, leading up to a salvation message on Thursday with an opportunity for the kids to respond. Friday will feature an exhibition soccer match with cheer and drama performances and hotdogs for the kids and their families. For those not interested in athletics, the arts track will include drama, cooking, and interesting and unusual crafts leading up to their own presentation on the last day.

"We are definitely out at the edge of our experience," Ann said. "All-Star Camp has been one of the most gratifying and encouraging programs that I've ever been part of. I am absolutely delighted to be a part of this."

About 30 people are already involved, but both large and small positions remain available. If you are interested in participating, contact Ann. One way everyone can help is to pray that the leaders will be able to form meaningful relationships with the kids. For church kids who want to attend, pre-registration is highly encouraged. The forms will be available in Kidville next week and through Barnes itself.

A Testimony in Hard Times

2008-06-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

My name is Alyssa Hansen, mother of the sole baby boy attending East Hills Alliance. I have only been attending for about two years now, and have had a lot of life changes happen in that time. Most importantly, my fiance and I had a baby boy last October and it's been a roller coaster since. We both work full time, and I attend LCC 4-5 days a week. Between his student loan payments, two car payments, rent, utilities, tuition, etc...it's been a long year. One of my goals, since starting to attend East Hills regularly, has been to tithe on a regular basis. I have been faithful to this commitment, and have seen some major blessings. I wanted to attach a blog that I wrote about something that happened to us last week, just so that you know how blessed I feel to be attending East Hills and also to give praise to God by sharing this story:

"No matter what you’re going through..."

"...heaven's watching over you."
So, I got home from work yesterday, and it had been a pretty good day. It was busy at work and I had made good money. Which was good considering that Chris and I are getting a combined (maybe) 40 hours a week and super struggling with money. I know everyone is going through the same thing, so it's hard to complain too much. But, I've been at Sharis for over three years now and all of a sudden I have Saturdays, Sundays and another weekday off every week. Normally I'd be stoked to have the weekends off, but when you waitress it's the only time you can make really decent money.

But, the point of this blog wasn't to gripe about my schedule. I came home from work yesterday and the first thing Chris said was, "You should check out that card we got in the mail." I went over to the mail pile and found a blue envelope, no return address with a card inside that said, "No matter what you're going through, heaven's watching over you." It was a beautiful card, no signature...and had five 20 dollar bills inside. I instantly got goosebumps, because this kind of stuff doesn't happen everyday and it seriously felt like something way bigger had just said, "See, I told you it would be okay."

I have been attending a church that I really like for almost two years now. It's called East Hills Alliance and it's in Kelso. There are great people and great music. The head pastor is named Nick Stumbo and he's young and puts together simple, concise messages that really get to the point. Anyways, in the past two years, even if I slipped in attendance, I tried really hard to tithe every week, (give 10% of my income to the church). It's a touchy subject with some people, understandably, and I know that it's one of the reasons that a lot of people stay away from the church. But I don't think of it as greed on the church's part. For me, when broken down to it's simplest form, God gave it to me and it's my way of thanking him for always providing. In the last two years, since I've been tithing, so many things have happened as a direct result. Sometimes it was just the right amount of money at just the right time. One time it was Chris getting hired for a second job on the spot. Getting this house, and the way that it all came together I know was a direct result of having faith and trusting God.

And it's funny because last week the check that I wrote was literally $25 of my last $50 in my bank account. But I know that it's just as important to tithe when you're broke as it is to tithe when you're in a time of plenty. It's all about the trust that you'll be taken care of, and for me that's a hard thing, to basically put my faith in something out of my control....and even harder, trying to convince Chris that I know what I'm doing. But it's paid off every time.

So yeah, take it as you will. And if you are, or know of, the person who sent us the $100. You paid the remainder of our P.U.D. bill, and we thank you so, so much. You've also renewed my spirit and assured me that I'm putting my faith in all the right places. The card had no signature. I am holding onto it until I am in a place where I can help someone else, and I'm going to use that card.

I also wanted to share that God is working through me at my workplace, Sharis, and I have co-workers attending with me on and off. I know that God is softening hearts around me and I just keep sharing stories like this with them so that they might know that God is waiting to bless their lives as well.

Red, White, and True-Blue

2008-06-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

Red, White, and True-Blue is an evening event that celebrates the value of friendship between women. It will be held July 2nd, Wednesday, from 6:00to 8:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Themed for the July 4th holiday, there will be food, conversation, prizes, and more. It promises to be an evening of relaxed fun with lots of laughter guaranteed. It is a great way to start your holiday weekend a little bit early. Ladies, watch for more details in coming weeks and be thinking of a true-blue friend you can invite!

Summer Kidville News

2008-06-03T17:45:00.000-07:00

Kidville classes have had a successful run during this school year. Dedicated teachers and helpers have taught and tended kids in a variety of ways in Noah’s Park & Ride (newborn through age three), Fun Factory (age three through kindergarten), and Uptown (first through fifth grades). During the Spring quarter we added KidSpace, a special class just for fifth-graders. Directed by Tary and Chris Jenkins, this practical program was designed to help kids transition confidently in to middle school and into church youth group by equipping them in the basic beliefs of their Christian faith.

Currently we are gearing up for our summer Kidville programs. We want to give our regular teaching staff the summer off, but we also want to offer a quality program for all kids, both Saturday night and Sunday morning. Nearly 70 slots need to be filled to staff each class for the entire summer. We are currently over halfway to our goal and it looks like we will be able to run the summer program at the level we would like. If you have not yet seen what areas of service are available in the Kidville area for this summer, please check out the flyer in the Welcome Center. Your help is needed, even if you do not consider yourself a teacher. And if your kids are part of this program, we strongly encourage you to help out a few times this summer. I believe you will find joy and satisfaction in sharing your love of Jesus with our wonderful Kidville Citizens.

Next weekend for Father’s Day kids will have a unique opportunity to get together in the Fellowship Hall during regular class times and create a gift for someone special in their life. The design team is Ed and Candy Sanders; I know kids will have fun and parents will be delighted! Be sure your child is part of this end-of-the-year event.

Men's Retreat - "The Office"

2008-04-24T12:03:00.001-07:00

The Annual Men's Retreat is coming up May 30th - June 1st. We hope you can join us for a great time of golfing, hanging out, and of course the annual Ultimate Man Feast. It will be taking place in Corbett, Oregon (15 miles East of Portland in the Gorge). Check out this video for more info and a good laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsU8k2Uvm5o

To sign up for the retreat, or for more info contact office@easthillsalliance.org

Remodel Progress

2008-04-24T11:17:00.001-07:00

It's been a few weeks since the start of the remodel of our sanctuary. Much has happened. The walls are painted, doors are being hung, and switch covers are even going on the light switches. We are nearing the finish line. In the next two weeks we will be installing carpet, unloading new chairs, and putting the finishing touches on the space. If you would like to see some pictures of what is going on this week, click on the following link. http://easthillsallianceremodel.shutterfly.com/

Along with remodeling the space, we are seeking feedback about re-naming the room. Our intent is for the room to be a multi-use space that could even be used by community groups. Some of the favorite options are: Great Room, Auditorium, Main Hall, & Gathering Place. Please leave your feedback as well. We'd love to hear from you.

Construction Derby

2008-03-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

As I sit here in the church office typing an article about the remodel, the sounds, smells, and sights of it filter through to me. Outside my window, I see workers putting the finishing touches on the brand new roof. I hear them pounding the final nails on the last side of the roof to be completed. And I smell the comforting scent of grilled cheese sandwiches prepared for the crew from EHA working in the sanctuary today. The project is in full swing. Walls have been demolished. Paneling has been pulled down. Doors have been removed. Now it's time to build the new pieces to replace the old. Today, for example, the platform is being expanded. New steps are leading up to an enlarged platform surface to make more room for dramas like the one performed last week.

Volunteers have been generous with their time and talents. Sunday afternoon, the pews were removed in record time. Monday & Tuesday, large crews removed paneling, carpet, sheet rock, walls, doors, and anything else in view. Work is right on schedule. The roofers should be finishing up in the next day. Although the sun is shining brightly, it is again raining. The rain has slowed up the work somewhat, and has caused a few downpours inside the sanctuary, but work continues anyway. The electricians are coming on Tuesday, and plan to be done by Thursday. This was one area that we didn't know how difficult it would be until the walls were opened up. "Things look good" according to Leon Rennells, project co-lead. "Some things are getting done that are on the list, and some things aren't, but it will all even out."

Thanks to all who have participated so far. There is plenty more work to be done. Stop by the church during the week to take a peek at the progress, or to offer your services. More photos of the project are available at http://easthillsallianceremodel.shutterfly.com/

Join us for the Good Friday service at 7:00 in the demolished sanctuary.

Join us this weekend as we meet at Kelso High School. Service begins at 10:30 in the auditorium, coffee & goodies are available at 10:00.

Demolition is Imminent

2008-03-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

Work on the church remodel is underway both inside and out! The roofers have finished the addition and will be working their way across the north-south section of the roof this week as weather permits, installing a layer of two-inch insulation as they go. Inside, Tom Hight and Leon Rennells tore into the foyer wall last week and replaced the vent line coming from the downstairs plumbing. This made that penetration of the roof ready to be enclosed while also giving us a way to drain the foyer sink.

After the service this Sunday, March 16, all are invited to a meal at the church and to a work party that will remove the pews and move the musical instruments and other sound equipment to the fellowship hall. Everything not nailed down must go. On Tuesday the 18th, another work party is planned to tear out the sheetrock, trim, and paneling from the sanctuary to clear the way for the new installations. The following weekend, we will meet at Kelso High School for a combined Sunday service while the interior work is underway!

All in favor...say aye!

2008-02-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

This year's annual celebration and business meeting was held Sunday, January 27th at noon. After a pot luck lunch enjoyed by about 75 attendees and their kids, the kids were dismissed to their own play area and the meeting got underway. We began with a time of communion served at tables. Pastor Nick then shared his annual "State of the Church" message in which he noted that we have great people, a great staff, and a great God. We are ready to take the next step!

We established a quorum, approved the agenda and the minutes from last year's meeting, and noted that ministry reports have been published.

We then looked over the treasurer and assistant treasurers' reports and approved those. The election of the various ministry teams was accomplished by a unanimous vote. In fact, throughout the meeting not a single nay vote was cast! Finally we considered the budget for the coming year and approved it for $251,642.00.

The meeting was closed with a real sense of unity and purpose as we begin the next steps for our long planned sanctuary remodel. If you missed the meeting, reports are available in the church office.

It's a case of Mistaken Identity!

2008-02-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

East Hills Women's Ministry begins a new Heart to Heart series on Thursday, February 21. Heart to Heart is a morning and evening time for women to get together for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship in a safe caring environment. Refreshments are provided and free childcare is available for the morning sessions.

Our new series, "Mistaken Identity", explores our understanding of who God really is. Do you see him has a cop? A genie in a bottle granting your wishes? The Old Man upstairs? How we relate to God depends upon our view of Him and this series will help us clarify and correct our mistaken ideas about His identity.

The first week we are pleased to welcome a guest speaker from north Carolina, Stef May. Don't miss this opportunity to connect in a community designed just for women of faith. For more information or to volunteer to help out in a variety of ways, contact Pastor Ann at ann@easthillsalliance.org.

Thursday mornings at 10AM, Thursday evenings at 6PM. In the Fellowship Hall at East Hills.

"CHOSEN" Life Group

2008-01-31T10:37:00.000-08:00

Our Life Group, led by Leon Rennells, consists of people that are empty-nesters, used to be empty-nesters, and/or are soon-to-be empty-nesters. Jean Imholte dubbed our group the “CHOSEN” (Couples Helping Others Survive Empty-Nesthood)! – but we certainly welcome anyone at any stage of life.

This session, we are meeting on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Currently, we are alternating our weekly meeting place between Ed & Candy Sanders’ home in Kelso and Rick & Jean Imholte’s home in Longview. We share dinner together (a very important part of our evening!); and then we discuss the previous weekend’s message.

Although we all have grown-up children out on their own, our end of the evening prayer time seems to revolve heavily around their needs, more than any other topic.

Leon (our “captain!”) is very organized and cognizant of the time and makes every effort to keep us on track – which is much appreciated, especially by those that have an early morning schedule the next day.

But for being involved in a Life Group, we would not have had the great opportunity to really get acquainted with other people that we attend church with and that are at a similar stage in life. It has been a blessing and an honor to come to know our co-life groupers. We welcome couples and singles alike and invite anyone that would even like to come and just share a meal with us to please do so.

Candy Sanders

Life After Fifty Updates

2008-01-31T10:26:00.000-08:00

Here are some announcements related to LAF, and a couple of offers and reminders for all.

1. Life After 50
February 4th 6 PM Potluck
McRaes will show slides of hiking in the Scottish Highlands.
A new "what to bring" list is avaalable. Contact Noel with any questions.
If at any time, you have something else you want to bring, that is fine.
This is just a general guideline.

2. February 19 LAF movie night
Tuesday evening 6:30pm "End of the Spear"
Bring popcorn and finger food to share if you want.

3. Take a hike
The McRaes invite you to come out for a hike on the trails of their property.
They have 40 acres in Rose Valley and walk on the trails almost everyday.
You may come almost any day -- just give a call.
There are even some places for a weiner roast or hike-in picnic as weather improves.

4. Check out the church family webiste at East Hills Alliance church on a regular basis for on-going information.

5. Noel McRae has an large discipleship related blog that can be searched.

6. Men's Bible study
Third Saturday of the month - 7:30am.
Feb 16.
For this time together read 1 Timothy and come prepared to share your insights, questions and encouragements from this letter.

Hope you can join this group for one or all of the events. It is a great time to share life, stories and laughter.

Annual Celebration Scheduled for January 27th

2008-01-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

The Next Step

Have you ever been to an annual meeting that seemed to take all year? Well, we are intentional about making our annual meetings a true CELEBRATION! What's different about it?

First of all, everyone is invited. You don't need to be a member to attend and enjoy this Celebration. There is a business meeting included in the celebration with a members only vote, but we try to move it as quickly as possible, and the information and voting process is open to everyone.

Secondly, there is food involved. This year our Annual Celebration is a pot-luck lunch following the Sunday service. Bring a dish to share if you have time, and if you forget, enjoy the bounty that others will provide.

Thirdly, we are gathering together to Celebrate what God has done in our church body over the last year. We will celebrate salvations, baptisms, various ministries that have been going on throughout the year, and we will look ahead to what "The Next Step" for our church is. There will even be some discussion on the sanctuary remodel that will be taking place in the next few months. God is moving! Let's celebrate what He has done, and anticipate what He is going to do in this next year. We hope to see you there.

If you would like to look at copy of our annual reports and financial information before the meeting, stop by the office between 9 and 3 this week to pick up a copy. All of this information will also be available at the meeting on Sunday.

Harvest Dinner

2007-11-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

This coming Friday evening (November 30th) will be the annual Harvest Dinner. The Alliance Women continue the tradition of putting this event on. Everyone is invited to this delicious meal where everything is provided for you.

This year's speakers are Martin & Judy Johns. They are missionaries to the Vietnamese living in Cambodia. Look forward to great information and stories about what God is doing through these missionaries and others around the world. There will be an offering taken to support the work of the Johns.

All you have to do is show up. Sign ups were taken last weekend during the services, but if you were unable to sign up then, please send an e-mail to office@easthillsalliance.org. We will let the organizers know that you are planning on attending.

Hope to see you there!

Thumbs Up at All-Church Meeting

2007-11-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

After months of meetings, research, and discussion, and a preliminary meeting earlier in the month, we had our all-church meeting to discuss the proposed sanctuary remodel. The Sunday potluck was well attended (113 adults and kids). Adults feasted on casseroles, breads, salads, and a whole table full of desserts while kids had their own menu and activities in the youth room.

After lunch Pastor Nick brought the meeting to order and there was an overview presented by S.I.T. (Sanctuary Remodel Team) with boards and drawings showing design ideas to this point. We were also able to get a three dimensional view from cad drawings by Josh Brown. A question and answer time followed with particualr interest in the proposed glass doors and the stained glass options.

I was impressed by the wide range of projects that have been researched over the past eight months. Everything from roofing and electrical to lighting and sound have been considered. I see that this is much more complicated than a home remodel.

After discussion and understanding that the details would not be decided on for some time, Jim Hart suggested we take a vote. The vote was to decide on the scope of the project by agreeing to seek approval for a loan from Alliance Development Fund for up to $173,000. The vote was open to everyone. Of the 80 votes cast, 75 were in favor of moving ahead with the project. This seems to me to be a strong "thumbs up" for us to continue with this undertaking.

In closing Pastor Nick thanked the S.I.T. for their many hours of important work for the EHA family. I add my thanks as well. Leon, Bob, Tom, Kirk, Jean, Katrina, and Jeremy, thank you so much! You are the greatest!

All-Church Meeting Scheduled Sunday

2007-11-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

November 14, 2007

Dear Church Family,

Hi! Awhile back, I participated in a 10K run that included a post-race prize-giveaway as part of the event. A crowd of about 200 people had packed into a room to see who would win a variety of door-prizes and who would be awarded with ribbons for winning their age group. As I surveyed the size of the crowd and the volume of awards to be handed out, I quickly realized that this was going to be a long affair. I was tired, sweaty, and all I wanted to do was go home and shower. I very nearly left.

In the end, however, I chose to stay around. About 20 minutes into the presentation, my name was picked as the winner of a gift certificate to a local restaurant. On my way up to collect the prize, I remember thinking to myself, "I'm glad I didn't miss this!"

Some things in life are worth staying around for. Free latte samples at Starbucks, a batch of fresh baked bread at the store, a field goal attempt to win the game. Moments like these are worth the wait because of what they can add to life.

I believe with all my heart that we are approaching a moment in the life of East Hills that is worth staying around for. As you may know, we are considering significant plans to do a major remodel of our church sanctuary, foyer and balcony. The project that has been proposed is not mere surface treatment- it will transform the look of our worship center for many years to come.

On Sunday afternoon, we will hold an all-church potluck, and at this meeting, we will vote on the scope and cost of this project. If you consider East Hills to be home for you, then you need to be there to have a say in the future of our church. This is NOT a members-only meeting; this is for everyone.

I believe that this project has incredible potential to make our space more versatile, more functional, and perhaps most importantly, more welcoming to unchurched visitors who attend. First-impressions make a huge difference, and we want every visitor to quickly connect with our congregation because of the atmosphere the room creates.

I hope to see you on Sunday. You'll be glad you didn't miss it.

Blessings!

Pastor Nick

Tom Keen's Testimony

2007-11-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Pastor Nick baptized Tom Keen. As usual, Tom told the church a little about himself before making this show of faith in Christ, and his testimony is a powerful one.

Tom believed in God for most of his life, but his household was a spiritually confusing place, with his mother hosting both Baptist and Jehovah's Witnesses Bible studies in their home. As a teenager, he turned away from spiritual things, still believing in God, but not seeking His direction for his life.

Through his daughter, Anya, Tom came to be a part of East Hills. He gradually attended more and more regularly, then joined a Life Group. In that setting, he found Romans 10:9, 10: "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Tom studied what it means to give your life to the Lord, and about 10 months ago, he accepted Christ.

"I literally felt a load lifted off my shoulders," he said. "If you haven't made that decision, it's the most important thing that can happen in your life. I know that I'm right with God."

Soon after that, Tom encountered severe physical problems. He lost the use of one leg and needed oxygen just to stand up and give his testimony. Instead of turning him away from God once, these trials have shown the value of his faith.

"God is not going to give me anything I can't live with. And if I can't live with it, I'll be with Him."

Remodeling Town Hall Meeting: Tuesday, 11/6

2007-11-03T06:16:00.001-07:00

Be sure to pick up a hard-copy of the Headlight at this weekend's services. It contains the Sanctuary Improvement Team's recommendations for remodeling not only the sanctuary itself, but the foyer, its front stairways, and the balcony. For many of the structural improvements, such as the proposed new platform, the team has arrived at what they feel is a strong, well-thought-out proposal. Some of the finish options, such as color choices, are further from a final decision and are presented only as examples of what is possible.

The SIT is making the information available now so that we can think it over in advance of the town hall meeting at the church at 6:30 Tuesday. There will be no vote held and no decision made at that meeting, but it is an opportunity for us to offer questions, opinions, and concerns about the proposal. Pastor Nick will lead the town hall meeting, and Bob Shaw and other members of the team will be there.

The church leadership will consider the feedback from the town hall meeting before constructing an official proposal. At a full general meeting, tentatively scheduled for November 19, East Hills members and attenders will have a vote on that proposal.

This Tuesday town hall meeting is an important one. It is a chance to preview and even influence the proposal we will soon vote on. More importantly, no work can can go forward without good participation from church members. The leadership must approve any building project, and the Alliance Development Fund will loan us the money, but neither will try to remodel anything without a show of support form the congregation. My dad, Tom Hight, is on the SIT team, so I know firsthand the importance the team places on thoughtful questions and feedback of all kinds.

(See this archive page for an older Headlight entry listing some of the changes the SIT is considering.)

Update from Nathan Pharr

2007-10-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

Guten tag! I hope that all of you are doing well. My, how time flies when you’re having fun! I can’t believe that I have been here for over a month and almost two months already. There have been a lot of things that have taken place since I last wrote a newsletter.

Life at Liel:

Life at Liel goes by at a whirlwind pace, or so it seems. I don’t think a week has gone by that has been “slow.” Some days will go by slowly, depending on what needs to get done or how much sleep I have had or other factors, but for the most part, the weeks fly by. Soon after I wrote the last newsletter, the high school students at BFA had a “Fall Party.” The theme dealt with movies, so the students dressed up as different characters from different TV shows or movies. I had the privilege of being dressed up as a wolf from a Little Red Riding Hood spin-off movie. Sorry! No pictures! :P Soon after that, I had my first weekend off (Friday after noon until 8am, Tuesday morning). Since I did not know the area that well, I decided to explore some castles with a Resident Assistant from another dorm. We got some basic directions and managed to eventually find our way (after turning around a couple of times…and finding a palace instead of a castle). Overall, though, the weekend was very relaxing and restful, which was needed. The other weekend that I had off, I was able to go hiking in the Swiss Alps (see the picture at the top of the page). It was absolutely gorgeous up there.

Since the dorm has both middle school and high school students in it, sometimes the schedule can get crazy. It is almost as though we have to duplicate events for the students. Early in the year, the high school students had their “Fall Party.” Just recently, the middle school students had their “Fall Party” with the movie theme again. Sometimes the Korean kids have worship at the school. To do this, they have to stay in after school and eat supper with all the other Korean students. Afterwards, we have to go pick them up. Since two of the students at the dorm are involved in volleyball, we’ll have to drop them off at the school early in the morning on a Saturday if it is an “away” game. There are a million little scheduling items that need to be considered with all of the students at times. Little did I know growing up that this must have been how my parents felt!

One of the phrases that have been used frequently in the dorm by the staff is, “Middle school drama.” This could entail a couple of students getting upset because another student at the school likes one person more than the other. It could also involve students learning life lessons about what friends they can trust information with. Some students have come home crying…life isn’t always easy, but we try to give the students affection, grace, love, and discipline.

General Schedule of my week:

Mondays I have off, so I usually sleep in, then I’ll either meet up with some other RAs or I will spend time watching movies. In the evening, I’ll play basketball and volleyball with staff from BFA and Germans from the community. Tuesdays, my main job is to wash the vans we use and do some small maintenance on them. Wednesdays are staff meeting days, where we will either meet as a whole Residence Life staff or I will meet with all the other RAs. Thursdays are the dorm parents’ day off, so the other RA and I manage to do everything fairly smoothly. My main job that day is to do laundry for the 8th grade students. We have a couple of helpers who come in during the evening to help with study hours for the students, so that’s nice. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are the more relaxed days. I’ve made hot breakfasts twice already and I’ve also made cookies a couple times and no one has complained yet, so I think my mom taught me well!

Something to look for in the next newsletters:

In the next few newsletters, I will be introducing the students that I work with to you. They will be writing a short paragraph about themselves and I will also include a picture of them. J

Praises
The driving test went well and I can drive students around!
I am feeling much more comfortable in my job.

Prayer requests
That I would be steadfast in feeding myself from God’s word.
Pray for growth in student’s lives (emotional, physical, spiritual).
Physical healing for a girl who got kidney stones in our dorm.
That the rest of the support monies would come in.
That God would be glorified in everything that we do.

With love,

Nathan Pharr

Contact info:
E-mail address: nathan_pharr@yahoo.com
Address: Hauptstrasse 29
Schliengen Liel 79418
Germany

Rentz Germany Update

2007-10-31T12:12:00.000-07:00

BABY DANIEL IS BORN!
My beautiful wife Jenny gave birth to our 4th child on August 22 at 9:50am. Daniel weighed in at 10 lbs. 6½ oz. We praise the Lord that the last 3 months of constant travel did not result in any complications and that both Jenny and Daniel are doing well. Below is a picture of Erich, Emily and Thomas as they meet their brother for the first time.

TRANSITION BACK TO BERLIN
Our transition back to Berlin feels like a gift from God. Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us. The move into our new apartment on the other side of Berlin has gone better than we could have hoped. We have wonderful neighbors who also have kids including one who is 7 and likes to play with Erich and Emily. Our wonderful teammates moved our belongings from storage into our apartment a couple of days before we arrived in Berlin. What a blessing! You have been the hands and feet of Christ to us. After 8 weeks we finally have phone and internet service and, praise the Lord, we were able to purchase a used van less than 12 hours before Daniel’s birth! Erich and Emily were able to begin school Aug 27th and now I am preparing to take a short refresher class in German prior to full-time ministry. The culture shock and exhaustion from moving was greatly diminished this time and renewed contact with old friends here in Berlin added to our sense of belonging. We are Home! Thank You Jesus!

CHANGING MINISTRY ROLLS
We began our service in Berlin at Berlin International Church (BIC) in 2001. After 2 ½ years there, we joined Jerry & Shelly Kragt in planting Open Door Church on the other side of Berlin. Now that we have returned, our ministry assignment is once again with the BIC. As we complete our transition to Berlin we join Steve & Karen Mack in serving at BIC. Chuck will be preaching for the first time Sept 16 but our main responsibility at this moment is to build relationships, learn the vision, visit the different ministries to better understand what God is going at and through BIC, and to prepare for formal responsibilities by the end of fall.

PRAISES AND PRAYER REQUESTS
1) We praise God for the blessings He has showered down on us during this time of transition including an apartment, a vehicle, etc. Please pray for the completion of all the details necessary in our transition to Germany (i.e. finding Dr.s, getting the kids integrated into school, our new neighborhood and church ministries, completion of language refresher course, etc)
2) We praise God for our Missionary Teammates and how they have expressed Christ’s love in tangible ways. We are so glad to be part of a team!
3) Please pray for our integration into the ministry at BIC and our partnership with Steve & Karen Mack. It always takes time for us to grasp the vision and ministries of a new assignment and at the same time to build positive personal and ministry relationships with our co-workers.
4) Please Pray for our relationships with the people at BIC as well as with German non-believers outside the church. One such friend commented to Jenny several days ago that he is thankful and even drawn to the fact that, although we are Missionaries in his country, we have not tried to “missionize” him. It is the testimony of a living and active God at work in our lives that draws him to us!

Heart to Heart on the Front Porch

2007-09-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

After a summer off, Heart to Heart has reformed for the fall season. I have felt lately like something in my life is just missing, and after our first Thursday together I know what it is. My heart has missed Heart to Heart. Getting together with a group of women who nibble and chat comfortably together, but have a heart to seek God and get real is just the best. We have met just once and already it feels like coming home. Actually it feels like coming home to the front porch...a comfy friendly place to kick back. "Front Porch" is the title of our current series as we learn what the Bible has to say about work and rest. Each week we also have planned a special presentation on organizing, cooking, personal safety, and other practical topics. If you feel like you are just missing something, check out Heart to Heart on Thursday mornings and evenings. I hope to meet you on the front porch!

Fall Activities Planned for Women

2007-08-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

After a summer hiatus, East Hills women’s ministries are preparing for another season. The two main areas of activities expressly for women are Alliance Women and Heart to Heart.

Alliance Women is headed by a team that includes Chris Church as President. Their schedule and plans for the coming year have been put together; the key meeting time is the second Tuesday of each month. The first meeting is Tuesday, September 11th, at Chris Church’s home at 3028 Maple in Longview. Their focus is missions and prayer with lots of fun and meaningful activities added to the mix.

The second area is Heart to Heart, which will again be meeting in a revised format on Thursday mornings and evenings beginning September 20th. This ministry is led by me and features Bible studies, times of fellowship, and this year a few surprises thrown in.

The specific plans for both of these ministries, as well as other opportunities for women, will be unveiled at a special evening event in the Fellowship Hall on Thursday, Sept. 13, at 7:00. Called "Autumn a la Mode," it will feature presenters, handouts, prizes, free childcare, and of course pie a la mode. All women are invited to check out what is new for them this fall.