A New Pastor at HMC

Amos & Faith Shelley

We are very pleased to announce that Amos Shelley has accepted the position of Children and Family Pastor.  He will begin in this role on August 1.  Please pray for him and his family as they prepare to relocate and settle into their new life here in Hanover.

Amos comes to us after spending three years as the Children’s Pastor at U-Town Church/Point Grey Community Church in Vancouver, BC.  He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Religion – Major in Biblical Theology – in 2007 – received his Master in Christian Studies – Major in Christianity and the Arts – from Regent College in Vancouver this past spring.  His Thesis consisted of writing and illustrating an original children’s book, focusing on themes regarding abandonment, existential isolation and eternal hope.  He has a wide range of passions, including philosophy and theology, his wife and family, and, of course, hockey!

Amos grew up in Simcoe, five minutes north of Lake Erie, as the middle child of seven – stuck between four boys and two girls – all named for Biblical characters.  he and his wife, Faith, have recently welcomed their first child, newborn daughter Eden Anderson and they currently live in his childhood town.

Amos has an acute passion for the well being of children, specifically their spiritual growth, identity and imaginations.  He is creative and artistically minded while being theologically balanced and relationally driven.

Amos has had many creative ideas for Children’s Ministry.  Among his favorites was the creation of an interactice 8ft by 4ft 3-dimensional model of the Land of Israel, complete with tribal boundaries, individual cities, soldiers, agricultural systems, temple and Ark of the Covenant which proved to be a consistent and highly successful teaching tool.  He is currently in the process of developing a narrative/play based teaching and learning style, based on play therapy and theory, narrative and story.

His favorite Bible character is a toss up between the Apostles John or Paul.  He likes how they are both thoughtful and poetic, understanding the importance of the gospel and articulating it so beautifully.

Amos likes to spend lazy afternoons browsing through thrift stores or hanging out with family as a delicious meal is being prepared.  He has a weakness for both coffee and chocolate, the combination of which has proven to be lethal!  He loves to play, draw and create and looks forward to entering into the Biblical story as an active participant and becoming a mature disciple of Jesus Christ.

Missionary Thanks

The following notes are in response to gifts we gave our missionaries in the Spring of 2011…

I want to thank you and the church for the generous gift to Li Yien and I.  We are very blessed by it and appreciate it.  Thanks also for all your support to us to.  We are grateful for the support we get back home and the comfort it gives us to know that there are people back home praying and encouraging us.  Both Li Yien and I have a call to the Nations and want to do our best at fulfilling the call of God on our lives.  It is a privilege to serve God.  Many Thanks again.

Blessings
Mark & Li Yien Howling

Thank you, dear friends, for your faithful support of our ministry at Still Waters and for the generous gift we just received – may God return it to you pressed down and overflowing!  We always thank God for you and enjoy your fellowship immensely.

With love,
Peter and Leah Humphreys

Praise the Lord for HMC and their generosity to us. Michelle and I are overwhelmed. This gift is very unexpected. We want to thank you so much.

It is going well for us here in Romania. On June 11th we celebrated living here for 5 yrs. Wow how time flies!

Just last Sunday we held our first service in the new sanctuary level of our new church. It was an emotion filled time. Lots of tears praising God for His faithfulness.

Say hi to all, blessings and thank you,
Kevin & Michelle

Thank you for the time you gave us when we appeared in church unexpectedly last month and your announcement of the special “extra” gift from HMC (which took us quite by surprise).  We want to thank you for the blessing it is as we make plans to live in Calgary.  Thank you for your continuing support through finances and prayer – and for your generosity this past month!  

Dianne & Bill

Dear Friends at Hanover Missionary Church, Wow!  Thank you so much for the unexpected gift of money!  Thank you for loving and caring for us, and partnering with us to reach the Nivacle people.  We feel privileged to have such an awesome home church!  

With love and appreciation,
Shaun, Melanie, Michayle, Rylan and Seth Humphreys

Thank you to our Hanover Missionary Church family for your continued support and your recent extra generous gift.  God has overwhelmed us with the awareness of His Body, the Church worldwide, and His ability to meet our needs both materially and spiritually through His faithful servants.

You are a blessing to us!
Paul and Kathleen Humphreys

Dear HMC, Thanks so much for your recent extra gift.  Wow!  We sure do appreciate your support of our ministry.  We also appreciate the church community and we count it a privilege to serve together with you to reach our world with the Gospel.  Again, thanks so much!

Much love in Christ,
Vern & Holly Dyck

We really can’t thank the church enough for all the blessings, love and encouragement.  When we moved to Canada we wanted to find a church that needed help with ministry.  The first week we went to Hanover Missionary Church they made an announcement about needing Sunday School teachers.  We decided from the beginning that we would just be a help and not ask for their support in missions. It’s ironic that HMC is now faithfully supporting us and is always being an encouragement to us in our ministry.  We appreciate this gift and we can’t wait to see everyone later this year!

Andrew and Amberlynne Claussen

Dear Friends,
We just want to thank you for your continued support.  The extra gift you sent was also wonderful.  We enjoyed seeing many of you last May and really enjoyed the special service potluck you coordinated.  The energy was wonderful!  Again, thank you for all you do to support missionaries and inspire the congregation to engage in the great commission!

Chris, Tara, Ezekiel and Justice McPherson

To the Pastors and Congregation of Hanover Missionary Church,
Hi everyone!  This note is one of heartfelt thanks for your generous donation to The Light on Main Street Community Meal.  For other two years now we have been serving a weekly meal to guests who are mainly from the downtown core of Hanover.  Many are physically and/or mentally disabled, lonely, isolated and poor.  We have an informal church service before the meal where we welcome people who are uncomfortable in a more formal setting.  As was to be expected, we have become involved in the lives of many people who need our help in other ways.  The volunteers at Baby Blessings have been good enough to join us on Thursdays to serve vulnerable young families.  Many times we are able to connect people with other churches or services in the community…Our ultimate dream would be to see “The Light” evolved into a mission which would serve many more needs within the community.  Above all, lonely people need to experience the love and care of Jesus through the hands of believers.  We invite any believer in our community who shares that vision to come and join us, any Thursday, starting after Labour Day.

Again, our many thanks,
Ann Bruton, on behalf of “The Light” team

Pastor Jason & HMC Congregation,
Thanks so much for your encouraging letter and very generous gift…We are blessed to serve the Lord here on Saugeen and live on His mission each day!!  May you at HMC blessed as you live on His mission in your community!!!

Chi-Miigweleh! (Many Thanks!)
Love Always, Stan & Sally Bragg

Lord, Please Grant Me The Open Hands of a Child

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (New International Version, ©2011)

Generosity Encouraged

 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

He sits in a stench of non-apologetics, wild beard like unkept dread-locks, this misplaced Rastafarian, invisible and oblivious to the hustle and grind of the PATH – Toronto’s underground walkway.  Passed by like nothing more than a shadow – like nothing more than a speed bump on the ramp reaching up into sunshine.  Like nothing.  His sad little nickels jingle weakly in a dirty paper cup, a tired attempt to draw attention.  There’s no guessing his age, he appears ancient, wrapped up like a mummy in rolls and rumples of faded plaid.  Eyes, moist and glassy, peering through matted hair and pain, begging for a moment of human contact, slumping deeper into his bed of torn Toronto Stars with each hurried step that avoids and shuns.

We are a group of twelve, a jovial rainbow of chaos echoing off the tiles.  We see him from a long way off, a lump in the centre of the floor.  I am tightening my grip on my purse, plotting a path that will keep me as far from his pile as possible, already deciding that I won’t meet his eyes.

The twelve year old breaks away, rustling through her bag until she finds her wallet, kneels down right in front of him – fake cowboy boots on a corner of his paper – empties every coin she has into that dirty paper cup – *plink*, *plink* ,*plink* – looking him right in the face, eyes void of disgust and rich with compassion.

And then her brother, eleven years old, breaks away, digging in his jeans pocket, letting his treasure *plink* onto his sisters and with every *plink* that man sits a little straighter and with every *plink* my heart breaks a little bit more because I realize just how selfish I am.

Lord, please grant me the open hands of a child.  Give me a generous heart that will set aside my own selfishness in order to better someone else’s life.  Make me a joyful giver,  a willing giver, a generous giver.  Make me like a twelve year old girl who would give it all for nothing more than a smile.  Lord, make me more like You.

Alanna Rusnak shares her life with her husband, three children, and a cat she’s trying hard not to love.  She has attended HMC for her entire life and been on staff since 2003, currently fulfilling the role of Creative Communications.  You can find her over at her own blog, SelfBinding Retrospect.

Laying It Down

On Sunday, Pastor Paul challenged the congregation to lay something down as an act of sacrifice because “with less of you there is more of God…” Matthew 5:3b The Message.  Responses varied from the giving up of physical items to the commitment to set aside negative character traits.  Below is a list compiled from the responses.  Feel free to add your own sacrifice to the list or to let us know how God’s been working through your offering by using the comment link below.

Activities

  • blogging
  • decorating
  • drawing
  • eating out
  • extra sleep (if it takes away from devotions)
  • going out for coffee/tea
  • hockey
  • movies
  • unnecessary shopping

Character

  • always being “right”
  • anger
  • doubt
  • entitlement
  • fear
  • grumbling
  • judgmental thoughts
  • laziness
  • need to control others
  • negative thinking
  • procrastination
  • self indulgence
  • selfishness
  • unkind thoughts and words

 Food/Drink

  • bread 
  • candy
  • chips
  • chocolate
  • coffee
  • diet pop
  • dessert
  • doritos
  • foolish eating habits
  • hamburgers
  • overeating
  • pizza
  • sweets

Media

  • 1/2 hr television a day (to read God’s Word instead)
  • celebrity television shows
  • computer/video games
  • facebook
  • psp
  • television

Money

  • control of money
  • give more to those in need
  • new furniture

Time

  • 20-30 minutes every day (to write a note of encouragement for another)
  • busyness
  • making time for more Bible reading
  • my one hour after work to myself (give this hour to others (my kids, parents, etc)
  • wasted time

Other

  • live more simply
  • occupational privilege

[click here to listen to Pastor Paul’s sermon]

A History of Lent

14 Comments

Written by: Brian Austin
For me, Lent has always been more of a puzzle than a practice. Forty days of fasting sounded like a long time. A lover of good food who has always associated fasting with eating nothing, I had selfish reasons for not looking closer. I found it baffling as well, that the 40 days actually add up to 46. Is my math that bad, or is it someone else’s error?
The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning “Spring,” and lenctentid, which literally means “Springtide,” or “March.”
As early as 203 AD, confusion existed over how one should prepare for Easter. In a translation from Greek to Latin, a 40 hour fast came to be understood as a 40 day fast, a significant change that became firmly established at the council of Nicea in 325 AD.
This preparation time carries remnants of the Jewish celebration of the Passover – fittingly enough, for Jesus was crucified during Passover as “The Lamb of God.” The language has changed from the “unleavened bread” and “bitter herbs” of the Passover meal, yet a surprising number of parallels exist. Shrove Tuesday (Feast or Fat Tuesday March 8, 2011) is celebrated much like the preparation for Passover week, eating everything that will be abstained from in coming days. From that point on, some type of fast or abstinence is practiced in many Christian traditions. Most of these traditions predate Catholic or Protestant designations, although they are preserved predominantly within the Catholic church.
The 40 day fast at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry seems to be the strongest link to the duration of Lent. But Sundays, celebrated by the early Christian church as “Resurrection Day,” continued to be celebration days even through this somber period. In some traditions Sundays are feast days in the midst of the fast. In others, specific abstinence is still practiced, especially from any red meats. Almost all traditions permit fish.
The fast itself is but a small part of the tradition—perhaps not even the most important part. Confession to God and confession and restitution to others shows up repeatedly in ancient and modern writings about any authentic practice of Lent.
What would it do in my life if, as I anticipate the pivotal point in the Christian calendar each year, I intentionally gave 40+ days to preparing my heart, my mind, and even my body, for an intense focus on the sacrificial death of Christ, followed by the triumph of His resurrection? What would it do in the lives of those around me if for 40+ days I actively searched for ways I could bring healing and reconciliation?
Maybe – just maybe – Lent deserves more than a shrug. Just maybe, the early church and more traditional present day churches have it right in choosing to give up something for these 40+ days, while making an extra effort to focus on the One who made Easter a reason to celebrate and THE pivotal point in history.
For further reading, much of it scholarly but still fascinating, go to:

Something’s Happening…

Is there more to being a Christian than having my sins forgiven?  What does spiritual growth look like?  
How do I know if I’m growing  in Christ?

If you’ve pondered these questions and failed to find a good response, or you’ve been struggling to grow in relationship with Jesus, then our SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL COURSE is for you.

Join us, beginning on March 20th, for a 5-week, Sunday afternoon (1-2:30 pm) journey as we dig deeper into the morning message and learn how to practice the ancient disciplines.  Growing in Christ is our goal.

This family friendly course will include intergenerational worship, age specific learning times, opportunities for practical application and it will culminate with a weekend retreat at Stayner Conference Bible Grounds (May 6-7).

Because good things aren’t usually free, there is a small cost involved.  The whole series (5 afternoon sessions and the retreat, including travel, meals and accommodation) will cost an adult $52, a child (3-10) $26, or a family $130.

Sign your family up for this adventure by March 16.

More information will be available on the registration form (which you will receive in your bulletin this Sunday or download from the HMC home page).

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit



Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.  Matthew 5:3  (NIV)

You are blessed when you are at the end of your rope.  With less of you there is more of God and his rule.  (The Message)

In Matthew 13:44 Jesus tells this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”

I think it is by realizing that nothing we have on this earth is worth more than God’s Kingdom that we become the poor in spirit.  We are to live with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favour and salvation, regardless of our outward conditions and dwell in the knowledge that nothing we may have is worth more than the kingdom of God.

When we think of possessions, undoubtably we think of things like our homes and cars, or our televisions and computers.  But what about our families?  Our health?  Our careers and reputations?  Our possessions are anything and everything we hold valuable and it is only by faith that we can put that into the hands of God and trust him to manage our accounts.

We are selfish creatures.  Media and peers bombard us with messages contrary to the will of God: buy, expand, bigger is better.  But a preoccupation with hoarding up earthly treasures makes little practical sense.  Making eternal investments are much more profitable.  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) so, “do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal.”  (Matthew 6:19-20)

This is not to say that God doesn’t celebrate our good fortune along with us.  I believe He does.  I believe He wants us to succeed, to strive, and to be “good stewards” of our money without loving it.  And this may be the hardest thing he asks of us.



A rich man was near death, and was saddened because he had worked so hard for his money, and he wanted to take it with him to heaven. So, he began to pray that he might be able to take some of his wealth along. An angel heard his plea and appeared to him. “Sorry,” the angel said, “but you can’t take your wealth with you.”

The man implored the angel to speak to God to see if He might make an allowance. The man continued to pray that his wealth could follow him.

The angel reappeared and informed the man that God had decided to allow him to take one small case with him. Overjoyed, the man fetched his small executive attache case, filled it with pure gold bars, and placed it beside his bed. Soon afterward he died and showed up at the gates of heaven to be greeted by St. Peter.

But St. Peter, seeing the attache case, said, “Hold on, you can’t bring that in here!”

The man explained to St. Peter that he had permission, and asked him to verify his story with God.

St. Peter checked and came back saying, “You’re right. You are allowed one item of hand-luggage, but I’m supposed to check its contents before letting it through.”

He opened the attache case and stared at the amount of gold bars in shock. After a moment, St. Peter looked up and said,

“Of all the things you had to bring …why did you bring pavement?  (churchforchrist.com) 

I like my home.  I like my car.  I like my toys.  I like the job security both my husband and I have.  But what if it was taken?  Would I remain strong like Job or crumple in my own despair?  Would I blame God and shake my fist in anger or would I have a servants heart and pray, “Thy will be done”?  Would I scramble to rebuild my shattered life or would I dwell in God’s presence free from all those physical distractions, trusting Him to provide?  The truth is, I don’t know.  I’ve lived a comfortable, blessed, untested life and for that I’m incredibly thankful.  I hope, that if the time ever comes, I will be one who is blessed in poor spirit, and finds joy in the knowledge of God’s salvation for with less of me there is more of God.


Alanna Rusnak shares her life with her husband, three children, and a cat she’s trying hard not to love.  She has attended HMC for her entire life and been on staff since 2003, currently fulfilling the role of Creative Communications.  You can find her over at her own blog, SelfBinding Retrospect.