Category: letter

Thank You HMC Congregation!

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.”  — Phil 1:3-4

Dear congregation of Hanover Missionary Church,

This month, we are in a month of thankfulness, where each week, we pick something different at HMC to be thankful for. I want to start the month by telling you how thankful I am for you as the congregation.

First of all, thank you for the way in which you have received my family and I just over 9 months ago. Your love, warmth, and acceptance has made this change a good one for us. We are thankful to be able to call you our church family.

Thank you also for supporting this church by attending, giving, praying for the church, and serving in it. There is are so many things that happens in this building from week to week that need your participation, and even with all the new things launching, you have risen to the challenge. Thanks for supporting the leadership as we lead, and being involved here. We can not do this without you.

Know that you are loved, you are prayed for, and you are appreciated. Thanks for being a great church to lead and be a part of!

Pastor Dave (and the team!)

 

#HMCMonthofThanks

HMC Christmas Letter 2017

December 2017

Let’s Put Saint Nicholas Back Into Christmas!

We have heard a lot about taking “Santa out of Christmas” and getting back to the “true meaning of Christmas.” I say, ‘Let’s put ‘Christ back into Christ-mas’ AND, ‘Let’s put ‘Santa’ back into ‘Santa Claus’! The fellow we know as a “jolly old elf” is historically a Christian leader known for his courage and generosity. (Saint) Nicholas was a 4th Century Bishop (regional leader) in Myra (what is now in SW Turkey). You can actually go to visit the church dedicated to his memory and it seems that the oldest part of the structure goes back to his time.

What was life like for Nick and the saints of his day? Tough! Dangerous! The church was a growing force in the Roman world – yes, the Roman Emperor still called the shots. And Diocletian authorized a crackdown on Christians (early 300s). Everybody had to do their “emperor worship” or else! This was before the breakthrough with Emperor Constantine that made the Christian faith legal. Followers of Jesus were being thrown into jail and were subject to beatings, persecution, and even execution. Nicholas was among the jailbirds. Yes, Virginia, there really is a Saint Nicholas and he’s was a jailbird!

Nicholas was known for his courage, for facing the local governor in defence of other Jesus followers. He was also known for his generosity and he cared for hundreds of widows in their need. Because of his generosity and his flare in ministry, many stories were told, retold, and embellished, turning him into something of a “superhero” or “supersaint.” Not all the stories were true but the real life Nicholas was a man who followed Jesus and who is worthy of honour and of our emulation.

Here was a man who stood against the power structures that oppressed the followers of Christ. Here was a man who made a positive impact on his society. He cared for the poor and destitute, the widow and the orphan. Nicholas made the love of Christ known to his time and people. He had a missionary vision, a martyr’s courage, and a shepherd’s heart.
‘glowed.’

He couldn’t circle the globe in a single night but he was compelling in delivering the message of Christ’s peace and light – Nicholas He didn’t know who was naughty or nice but he proclaimed forgiveness of sins and new life in God for the stigmatized naughty and the self-styled nice. He was willing to stand up for Jesus and pay the price. That’s the kind of Saint Nicholas we need in Christmas. That’s the spirit of Christmas that continues to light a candle in the dark and starts a fire in the hearts of those lost in the cold.

I am glad that in a time when it is easy to be swept along and to compromise there are those who, like the real Nicholas, are willing to make make a difference. We need a few ‘Nicks in our time!’

May God give you a great Christmas blessing! Merry Christmas to All and to All, Be God’s Light!

—Pastor Phil

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you!

Sharing is one of our congregational values.  That means that we give to those in need.  Here are some of the many recent examples:

    •    Our teens will hand deliver 9 baskets of gifts (paid for mostly of their own pockets) on Christmas Eve to children in the Owen Sound Hospital. 
    •    One of our women’s study groups packaged over 10 food hampers and distributed them to shut-ins. 
    •    Our congregation raised over $40,000 toward the resettlement of a refugee family in Hanover.  (And we are now eagerly awaiting the Nassar family’s imminent arrival!)

We are following Jesus into many places and we are doing it together.  But it takes courage and love to make sure we’re sharing with everyone and leaving no one out.
God knows loneliness.  God saw lonely humanity and send His son, Jesus.  He became man in the most generous and selfless act of all time that culminated on the cross.  Jesus moved into town and became a home, welcoming the whole world.

The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish. (John 1:14)


Jesus’ generosity extends to all people and His does it best through His people.  Let’s be extra generous this Christmas.  Let’s be generous with our homes and invite people to join us at our tables.  Let’s be generous with our words, saying ‘thank-you’ to helpers.  Let’s be generous with our time and lend a hand or take time to listen.  And let’s be generous with our money so we can see people set free in Jesus’ name.

A very Merry Christmas from our families to yours,

        Pastor Jason, Staff and Ministry Council

New Year Greetings from your HMC Staff!

January has become a time to slow down, rest and reflect for our staff and congregational ministries.  During this season we invite you to pray with us and for us as we pray with you and for you.  We are looking forward, with great anticipation, to this coming year.  Let’s pray that, like Peter, God will guide us into places we would rather not go (See John 21:17-18).  Let’s pray that, like Boaz, God will use us to display loyalty and kindness to one another and to the people around us (See Ruth 2:20).  Let’s pray that, like Paul, God wakes us in the night to call us to the places and people that need Him the most (See Acts 16:7-10).  And above all let’s pray, like John, “come, Lord Jesus” (See Rev. 22:20).

God’s grace be with us.  Amen.

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