Finding Focus

Greetings friends!
This is your "Transitional Navigator" Jared Heaton coming to you one last time over the friendly "web-waves" as I write my last installment in the NHA blog. This Sunday will be my last with NHA as I've taken a position with a Converge church in Minnesota as their senior high youth pastor. The church is called First Baptist Church and its in the small town of Cambridge. I know, the name is kind of generic, not nearly as hip and fresh as New Hope Ashland, but they've actually got a daughter church in town named New Hope so that name is already taken. And I'm rambling...
So, because this is my last Sunday, I wanted to leave you all with something that's very special to me, a sermon that truly comes from my heart. When I was in Haiti a few months ago, I allowed myself to get so consumed by the work of the ministry that I failed to nurture the relationship that begets the ministry. With my personal relationship with God weakened, I returned from the trip exhausted and without the focus required to lead others in spiritual growth. Luckily, I had prepared thoughts and notes for the upcoming Sunday sermons before the trip and by the following Sunday, I was encouraged and ready to bring the Word. It was a close call though and a real wake up call to keep my eyes where they need to be first and foremost. In order for any of us to be effective witnesses of Christ in this life, we have to train our eyes on Christ alone. Hebrews 12:2 speaks to this in that, the reason we look only on Jesus is because he is the creator and sustainer of our faith. Without our eyes on Christ, all our service lacks meaning and true motivation. I can point to multiple times in my life where I have taken my focus off of Jesus and all of a sudden I'm feeling exhausted and unproductive. Have you ever felt like this? Join us this Sunday to hear the rest of what Christ has to tell us about his life-giving power and to hear some examples of people who learned this lesson the hard way.
Also this Sunday, Dan Peterson from Converge will be back with us to worship with us and to lead the second Town Hall meeting of all NHA members/attendees. Last month, Dan collected input from all of you and this Sunday he's going to deliver the information gleaned from that input and help us map a future for NHA. Your participation is vital to the future of NHA. This is YOUR church. God has brought you here to work through you. We'll meet following the worship service and we'll provide pizza and pop for lunch. See you then, my brothers and sisters!

Heaton, out.

He Has Risen!

This Sunday marks a very special day in the life of any Christian. Easter Sunday represents the truth that Jesus Christ was more then just a good man, a moral teacher, and a motivating leader. His resurrection proves that he was in fact, the Son of God just like he said he was and that the kingdom he spoke of is not measured in castles and military victories. Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection are evidence that love is the building blocks of lasting community, not physical domination. Physical domination begets subjects but love begets friends, brothers and sisters, and faithfulness. This Sunday is about so much more then a man coming back to life, it's about all of us being brought back from the deadly sting of sin. This is why we celebrate and this is why Christianity has survived over the millennium!

This Sunday, we'll be remembering the resurrection of Jesus and recounting our own resurrection from death in our sinfulness. Worship will start at it's regular time, 11 AM, but I'd also like to invite you out at 10:30 AM to join us in prayer before the worship. Prayer brings people together, both physically in the local church and spiritually in the global church, and I hope that a desire for community runs deep in NHA. Our prayer time is without agenda, but we do hope to have opportunity to lift up individuals from our church needing prayer, NHA, our church denomination leaders, and ask God to fill us up again with his love and understanding. I would love to see you there. Hope you can make it!

Also on the bubble, April 11th is my last Sunday at NHA! It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your "Transitional Navigator" for the last few months and I hope to have the chance to thank each of you over the next couple of weeks. Converge is hard at work finding the permanent pastor for NHA and will be working closely with NHA after I leave. These are exciting times, for NHA and for me, and it's our faithfulness which will guide both of us to what the Lord wills.

See you Sunday!

"Lost and Found" Wrap-up and Looking Ahead

Bonjour NHA! (Bonjour is Creole/Haitian for "good morning")

While Haiti was amazing, and we saw so much of God's presence there, it feels good to be back in the U.S. with all of you. I hope you were all blessed by Dan Peterson sharing with you at the beginning of the month and that this last Sunday's message about the Lost Son was a nice return to our series on "Lost and Found."

Speaking of "Lost and Found," we finish up that series this Sunday with a second look at the Parable of the Lost Son. We'll be considering the attitude of the older son, the one who stayed home all along, and what his attitude says about welcoming new believers into the Body of Christ. As I prepared for this weekend's sermon, I was confronted with issues with my own attitude towards new believers in Christ and so I'll be sharing out of my own heart a lot this weekend.

Looking ahead, here's what's on the horizon for Sundays at NHA:

+April 4: Easter Sunday! Come celebrate the risen Christ with us at NHA. We'll be meeting at 11 AM for worship as usual, but we'll also be having a special time of prayer before service at 10:30 AM. NHA is going through some serious times of transition and we need to be faithful to humbling ourselves to God's divine providence. Join us at 10:30 AM as we remember that the power which raised Jesus from the grave is available to us as we look to the future of NHA.

+April 11: This will be my (Jared's) last Sunday at NHA. As I write this, I'm visiting a church in Minnesota that has asked me to be their Senior High Youth Pastor. Join us Sunday, April 11, after the service for a group lunch as we just encourage one another and laugh about the last three months. Remember the time I forgot to tell everyone to sit down for announcements? Remember the time we met in the library and there were cheerleaders everywhere? Haha, good times!

Blessings NHA! Enjoy your weekend!

Jared

I'm leaving, on a jet plane...

Hey NHA!
I hope you're all having a great week and that you were able to get out an enjoy those few hours of sunshine yesterday, hopefully we'll see more of that and less of the white stuff here in March. I read in the newspaper today that Mansfield had the most snow out of any Ohio city in the month of February. A whopping 49.1 inches! That is just amazing.
As many of you already know, I leave for Haiti this Thursday. I'll be down there for 11 days helping a church put the roof on their new building. This is the same church that I and a team of young adults from my church in Mansfield visited last summer and helped pour the foundation for the building. I can't wait! I love working with my hands and helping to share the love of Christ through tangible, hands-and-feet ministry. I can't speak Creole, the native language, but everyone understands hard work and the gift of a building to gather in to give praise and honor to God. If you think to pray for me in the next weeks, pray for strength, a good attitude, and for the health of myself and the other 13 guys going down. Haiti is a rough country and I know the devil is going to try and discourage us and I pray that we might have the resolve to lean upon God and not ourselves to make it though.
In my absence (no, I won't be flying back for Sunday mornings!) Dan Peterson from the district Converge office will be sharing with you on Sunday mornings. Dan has a deep passion for up-and-coming churches such as NHA and I know what he brings from God's Word will bless you. So, come and join us this Sunday once again at 11 AM in the Little Theater of Ashland High School. The coffee will be hot, the fellowship will be warm and inviting, and the Holy Spirit will no doubt enter in like a gentle breeze.
Bon voyage, auf wiedersen, ciao, and see you later, alligator!

This weekend at New Hope Ashland!

Isn't Ohio weather a great example of how insignificant we are and how great God is? I pray, I shout, I plead with the heavens and yet, only God knows what the morning is going to bring! Will it snow? Will it rain? Will the sun come out and warm this place up? Who knows! But lucky for us, God is good and has everything under control.

Thanks to everyone who came out to worship with us in the library this last weekend. It was cozy, the Word was brought, and the coffee was still hot, so I'd count it a success! This weekend we'll be back in the Little Theater at 11 AM and looking at what God has for us in Luke 15:8-10. "The Parable of the Lost Coin" is relatively short, but is packed full of instruction for us who claim to follow Christ. Do we value the lost like God values the lost? Do we value them like the woman in the parable values her lost coin? If we don't, we need to! Christ's gives us practical steps to finding the lost in these few verses and that's what we'll be looking at this weekend. See you there!

Now that small groups are underway, I'd like to hear how they're going. If you have a story that you can share from your small group that you think would encourage others in their journey with God, send them to me at jared@newhopeashland.com. Stay tuned for details on the next KIA event for NHA coming up in March! And finally, the baptism service for this Sunday has been postponed. Instead of moving from the high school to the Ashland University Rec Center this Sunday, we'll just stay at the high school for regular Sunday worship. Continue praying about being baptised if haven't already and just let me know when you're ready to take that next step!

May the Lord bless you and keep you this week, NHA!

Having a heart for the lost

This week starts our new series, "Lost and Found," based on Luke 15. Luke 14 ends with Jesus telling the crowds that following him will not be easy. They'll have to give up their families, their jobs, even their lives, if they really want to follow him. What are you giving up to follow Jesus? Consider the shepherd from the parable in Luke 15:4-6. Do you think he wants to leave home after a long day of work to go find the one missing sheep? He could get by with 99 sheep couldn't he? As Christians, it's easy for us to get stuck in our "Christian bubble" where we only associate with those who we feel comfortable with. What the shepherd does though is leaves his comfortable life behind and starts scouring the countryside looking for that one sheep. Jesus wants us to feel a measure of discomfort in life. If you can live life day in and day out and never feel out of place, you've missed the point! This Sunday, we'll be exploring this idea of abandoning our lives of comfort to find those who are truly missing.
I hope you all had a chance to hand out your "kisses" this last Sunday as part of our KIA event. Keep your eyes open for the next KIA opportunity coming up! Thanks again to Jamey Ragle for sharing with us this last weekend, I don't know about you, but I'm making a concentrated effort to be more compassionate now. Our world is desperate for some compassion, just think of the difference we could make if we lived compassionately! Small groups are underway but if you still want to get involved, we have room! Contact Jared at jared@newhopeashland.com to find out what groups are available and when. And don't forget our baptism service on Feb. 28th! Let Jared know if you're interested in taking this next step in your faith.
Have a blessed week, NHA!

The Lo-o-o-ove Issue

"I told my wife that a husband is like a fine wine; he gets better with age. The next day, she locked me in the cellar."

"Love is like a booger. You keep picking at it until you get it, and then you wonder what to do with it."

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."

"If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?"

"I recently read that love is entirely a matter of chemistry. That must be why my wife treats me like toxic waste."

"Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves. After marriage, the "y" becomes silent."

"Marriage is like pi. Natural, irrational, and very important."

"The four most important words in any marriage...'I'll do the dishes!'"

And one final thought..."Forget love. I'd rather fall in chocolate!"

Hey gang! With Valentine's Day just around the corner (it's Sunday...as in this Sunday) I figured we could all use a good laugh at the expense of love. Have a good laugh at the above quotes, but be sure to express your love to someone special this Sunday. The words, "I love you," are loaded with nuturing and healing potential. Tell a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend, tell somebody that you love them every chance you get.

This Sunday, Jamey Ragle will be back at NHA and will be speaking into our "Vintage Church" series on the importance of love in the Church and also about the mission of the Church. Small groups start this week and next, be on the look out for details concerning our women's small group, couples/mixed small group, and youth small group. And don't forget about the NHA baptism on February 28th! If you would like to be baptized, contact me (Jared) at jared@newhopeashland.com ASAP.

Have a great week!

"God bless me!"

Growing up, I had a friend who everytime he sneezed, if you didn't immediately say, "God bless you," he'd say real loud, "God bless me!" I was reminded of this over the weekend when Dan Peterson preached on being a blessing to others out of our blessed-ness. I have so much to be thankful for that I should be walking around yelling, "God has blessed me!" I could go without Starbucks or Jake's for a week and donate that money to a food shelter. I could take some time on a Sunday afternoon and volunteer to lead a ministry outreach at a nursing home. There's a lot I could do. I love that NHA has a ministry dedicated to blessing others out of our own blessed-ness. KIA exists to share some of what God has given to us with others who aren't as blessed. I can't wait to hear about this month's KIA event and be a part of this hands and feet ministry!
This Sunday, we'll be looking at discipline and unity in the church. These are deep, multi-faceted concepts in our world today and we need to know how we use them in the church. When we accept the challenge to be like Christ, we accept the challenge to be a part of Christian discipline and unity.
Don't forget that small groups start this coming week! We'll have all the details on those this Sunday. If you still haven't signed up for a group, it's not too late!
Baptism service on February 28th at the AU Rec Center! If you would like to get baptized, see Jared for more information.
Jamey Ragle returns February 14th to wrap up our "Vintage Church" series! He'll be sharing about love (it is Valentine's Day after all...) and the mission of the church.
And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, here's some advice men: "Girls are like phones. We love to be held, talked to, but if you press the wrong button you'll be disconnected!"-Anonymous

See you Sunday!

On the Bubble for New Hope Ashland

Hey NHA! Thanks to everyone who made it out to the cafeteria at the high school for worship this last Sunday! If you showed up in the Little Theater and were wondering why it was so dark and quite for worship, it's because we weren't there. We'll be in the cafeteria again this Sunday, so make the short trek across the courtyard and join us there! This Sunday, Dan Peterson of Converge MidAtlantic will be sharing with us from "Vintage Church" on the use of technology in the church and how the local church can become involved in the global church. Come hear how NHA is, and can continue to be, impacting people around the world through our support of the Converge missionaries.

In other news...KIA meeting tonight at Tiki Peterson's house at 6:30 PM! Help plan the February KIA event and future events, for directions call 419.566.4790. Small group sign ups have begun for the next round, set to begin the week of February 7. We have 2 co-ed groups, a women's group, a men's group, and a youth group. Indicate your interest in being a part of a small group on a Connection Card or email us at traci@newhopeashland.com. Lastly, we mentioned this past Sunday that NHA is having a baptism service on February 28 and if you're interested in exploring baptism, contact Jared at jared@newhopeashland.com.

Have a great week NHA, and remember: Don't just go to church, be the church!

Change of venue this weekend!

There is an event going on at Ashland High School this weekend so that the Little Theater isn't available for our worship service on Sunday morning. Instead, we will be meeting in the cafeteria at the high school, across the courtyard from the Little Theater. We'll have signs and greeters out to direct foot traffic from the parking lot and assist you as you make your way in. We're still meeting at 11 AM, the children's ministries won't be affected, and there will still be coffee (I know some of you were worried!). See you Sunday!

Vintage Church Returns This Sunday!

Happy Tuesday, New Hope Ashland!
I hope you were all as blessed as I was by Jamey Ragle this last Sunday in worship. I think I may read the newspaper a little too much and follow the news shows too closely because my spirits were way down until Jamey came along and gave me someone to laugh at...me! I loved what Jamey said about our happiness resting in our own attitudes and it got me thinking that I spend too much time dwelling on all that is depressing in our world without giving equal attention to all the great things going on. We had people make a first time commitment to Jesus as their Savior this last Sunday! Praise God! We had about 40 people, plenty of food, and great fellowship at our potluck breakfast before service! Hallelujah! We have all of our small group leaders and hosts for the next round of small groups! Thank you Jesus! And all around the world, people are rising up to come to the aid of our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Amen! There's lots of work to do in our world as we try to bring the message of God's love to every person, but let's not allow that to take away our joy of a life spent in relationship with a loving God.
This Sunday, we'll get back into our "Vintage Church" series as we take a look at some of the practices of the church, those of preaching, communion, and baptism. Are these dusty old traditions we do because "that's what we've always done"? I hope not! These are supposed to be joyful celebrations between us, a sinful creation, and our perfect Creator! Let's examine the Scriptures and shake off any dust that may be hindering our relationship with God as we participate in these activities. We'll also continue taking small group sign ups this Sunday on the Connection Cards. We have groups for men, women, couples, and youth and I think we all fall into at least one of those categories!
Have a blessed week, NHA, and we'll see you on Sunday!

In Response to the Devastation in Haiti

With the earthquake in Haiti earlier this week, many from our fellowship have been contacting NHA seeking advice in how we can get involved in the relief effort going on there. While there are many worthy organizations available to donate to, and we would encourage you to do some research and work through the organization you trust most, I (Jared) would like to tell you about one that is close to my heart. Last summer, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Pignon, Haiti in the northeast region of Haiti. We worked with a brilliant and passionate Haitian pastor named Jephthah Lucien. He comes from a family of pastors who are spread out around the country of Haiti bringing the gospel message to many who don't have the means to travel to one of the many churches their family and disciples have planted. Jephthah's brother, Henoc, has an organization called Vision of Hope Ministries that is based in Haiti and ministers to the Haitian people through church plants, orphanages, schools, and missions trips for foreigners to Haiti. I would like to submit Vision of Hope Ministries as a choice for your earthquake relief support. To find out more, visit www.vohmhaiti.com and click on the earthquake support button on the homepage. There are many ways to donate money, from credit/debit card to PayPal. As we hear about other opportunities, such as donating items (hygiene products, batteries, non-perishable food items, etc.) rather then money, we will let you know.

Jamey Ragle- LIVE this Sunday!

Hey NHA-ers (or is it NHA-ians?)

Thank you for the warm welcome this last Sunday as it was my first as your Transitional Navigator! I had a blessed time and I look forward to the coming months as we continue to walk through this season of life together. And I promise, next week I'll remember to let you guys sit when I get up to do announcements! :)
Couple of things to remember: This Sunday at 10 AM we will be doing another Breakfast Potluck. Few things in this world are more Baptist in nature then the potluck, so bring your favorite breakfast dish to share and celebrate NHA's theological roots with us! I'll be bringing the Captain Crunch and I'd be happy to save you a seat. Also, this Sunday, Jamey Ragle will be sharing with us during the service. Jamey is a nationally known speaker and preacher who has shared the stage with people such as Chris Tomlin and Todd Agnew (Christian recording artists) and Jeff Foxworthy (the "You might be a redneck if..." guy). Jamey has a unique way of communicating with audiences and we're sure you'll be blessed by what he has to share.
On the bubble: January 24th we'll get back into our Vintage Church series on Sunday mornings. From this last week, remember that church is about people and about purpose. Christ came that we might be more like him and lead others to him. Also, be praying about the upcoming small group ministry. If you're willing to host a small group this time around, contact Howard Walters or the church and let us know!
Have a great week, NHA, and remember: You might be a redneck if you see a sign that says, "Just say no to crack" and it reminds you to pull up your pants!

Hello and Vintage Church!

Hey New Hope Ashland,
This is Jared, your friendly TSA-approved "Transitional Navigator" with a short introduction and a word about the series we'll be starting next week at NHA called "Vintage Church." You already know a little about me from yesterday's bulletin and the announcement/intro that Kevin gave, so I'll skip the "where I'm from" and get right to the "what I'm excited about for the future." I'm coming to NHA with a great excitement for sharing God's word with you on Sunday mornings and the opportunity to encourage and coach the various leaders you've got at NHA. I've had the privilege of meeting with many of them and I have a great respect for the work of Kevin and the leadership team to already encourage and equip them during this transition. My only goal is to come alongside and join in the work that is already taking place. I haven't had a chance to meet everyone involved though, so please seek me out on a Sunday morning and say "hi" or drop me a line at jared@newhopeashland.com. I'm also a big fan of lunch and coffee, so don't hesitate to ask to meet up somewhere else. Being a temporary resident of Ashland during my seminary days, I'm a big fan of Aroma's, Belly Busters, and Jake's "Half-price burger Tuesdays." :)
Looking forward to the sermon series starting this Sunday, "Vintage Church" comes from the book of the same name written by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. It speaks to what the church is, what it does, and what it's supposed to be in our world. Many of you have probably heard that "church" isn't supposed to be something or someplace you go to, but rather "the church" is something you are a part of, it's you. Christ established the church to continue his ministry and the major agent in bringing people to Christ isn't a building, it's people like you and me! This fits perfectly with where NHA is right now. Some may be tempted to think that since Kevin is leaving the church will suffer, or since I (Jared) am only here temporarily the church will suffer, but the health of the church depends only on those who make up the church and that's you! Are you going anywhere? 'Cause if you are, then yes, the church will be affected, but you as a Body of Christ at NHA are so much bigger then Kevin, or Jared, or anyone else who shares from the stage on Sunday morning. Come out this Sunday and be a part of the "Vintage Church" series.
Grace,
Jared

Happy New Year Ashland!

It's been a crazy year of ups and downs, but through it all God is at work in our lives and our community. Here are some of my favorite blog posts from 2009...

•  Old School Pot Luck Celebration
•  40 Days of Love Word on the Street
•  40 Days of Love Service Projects
•  NH Block Party
•  NH Paint Party
•  Serve | Kristi's Story
•  Easter Sunday

If you want a spiritual New Year's Resolution I encourage you to adopt a bible reading plan.  YouVersion is an online bible tool than can help you.

At New Hope Ashland the Good News has been shared to hundreds of people, lives have been drastically changed for eternity, the church has grown in maturity, and the city has been loved in Jesus' name.

I'm so excited to see what God has for our future. Many blessings in 2010!