Sunday December 23, 2012

We are there, the week of Christmas! What are you celebrating this year?

This Sunday is Christmas Sunday and we are continuing our Advent series focused on Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We have heard about Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor and Everlasting Father...this week we study the Prince of Peace! Come and Celebrate Christ the Lord, the new born King, Emmanuel! We have reason to celebrate this Christmas. 

If you have missed a week you can listen to the sermons here.  I hope that you will join us this Christmas to celebrate.  You are loved!

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday December 16, 2012

On Sunday we are continuing our Advent series from Isaiah. This is a wonderful time of year where we celebrate the coming of our Lord! This year I am focusing on Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Last week we heard about the Wonderful Counselor, this week we will focus on the Everlasting Father. Come and hear about the different aspects of our Lord! If you missed a week you can listen to the sermon here.

I hope that you will join us sometime this Advent season. 

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday December 9, 2012

Last Wednesday the Elders and Next Step Team met with our consultant, Charles, and had some good discussion about moving forward.  We are so excited for where God is leading us!  Continue to pray for wisdom and open doors. 

This week we are continuing our Advent series. This is a wonderful time of year where we celebrate the coming of our Lord! This year I am focusing on Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Last week we talked about Mighty God, this week we will focus on Wonderful Counselor.  Come and hear about the different aspects of our Lord!

I hope that you will join us during the Advent season this year.  Know that you are loved.

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday December 2, 2012

Hello! I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, I know that I did. 

On November 25th I read from several different Psalms and talked about the importance of praising and giving thanks to God.  We heard testimonies from lots of the church about how God has been working or how they have seen God this past year.  It was an uplifting service, listen here. 

On December 2 we will start our Advent series.  This is a wonderful time of year where we celebrate the coming of our Lord! This year I will be focusing on Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

I hope that you will join us as we celebrate the Advent season this year.  I am praying for each one of you.

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday November 18, 2012

Hello! Well this week is Thanksgiving Sunday.  For Christians Thanksgiving is so much bigger than just saying what you are thankful for.  Our God is good and our God has given us many blessings.  This week remember what God has done for you and give thanks!

On Sunday I will preach from Joshua 4.  Read it so that you can be prepared as we talk about Stones of Remembrance.  We will also celebrate what God has done in the life of our church and our own dear Sarah.

I look forward to seeing you and celebrating together.  Remember that you are loved!

~Pastor Shannon 

Sunday November 11, 2012

Greetings to you! With Halloween over we move into the wonderful holiday season.  Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away.  I love this time of year!

On Sunday I will be concluding our study of "Signals at the Crossroads."  I will be preaching about vision - moving forward from the crossroads into the ministry and plan God has for Harvest Point Church.  What an exiting time for our church!

Just as a reminder, this week is the election, so get informed and go vote.  Also, remember that we are Christians and citizens of God's Kingdom above any worldly grouping.  Keep that at the forefront of your minds and check out this article, 7 Things Christians Need to Remember About Politics:  http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/politics/7-things-christians-need-remember-about-politics

I am praying for you~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday November 4, 2012

Hello! Well it sure has been a rainy and windy few days.  I can see God's power in nature this week, can you?

This Sunday we will be continuing our conversation from "Signals at the Crossroads."  It has been such a good conversation so far! On Sunday I will be talking about guidelines for moving forward with all the information we have been given so far.  We need to move to the center of God's activity as a church.  How can we develop believers, enrich our own experience with God and share what we have with others? I am going to be preaching about being Kingdom people - people who are active in the work of God. 

I hope to see you Sunday!
Pastor Shannon

Sunday October 28, 2012

Greetings! How is your day going? I hope that it is good and that you are enjoying the beautiful fall God has given us. 

This weekend the Elders will be going on their annual retreat.  We are going to White Hall camp in Pennsylvania and would appreciate your prayers.  We will be discussing leadership, our Next Step as a church and setting goals for the vision that has been laid out for us.  Please pray for us as we go. 

Gary Koch will be joining us this Sunday and sharing with us a wonderful presentation about Father Viktor Koch, an American priest stationed behind enemy lines during WWII who shared the Church of God's passion for tolerance and peace.

I am praying for you and for our church. 

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday October 21, 2012

Hello! I hope that you are having a wonderful day today.  I am glad to be back in the office and doing normal things.  I had such a wonderful retreat and got a lot of personal/spiritual work done as well as things for the church and our leadership.  It was a needed and wonderful week. 

Sunday we continued our conversation through "Signals at the Crossroads" by Gil Stafford and talked about membership (in the Church of God this is all of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior) and the need for all Christ-followers to have a deep soul pain for those who are not part of the family. 

As we continue in our discussion, this Sunday we will be talking about the church that is pleasing to God.  What are the qualities/characteristics of a church who are pleasing to God? It is a "good news" church, a Bible based church, a church connected to Christ, a church who lives out the love of God, a church where God reigns and people who are making disciples.  How can we be pleasing to God, Harvest Point Church?

Let's join together and see how we can be a church that is pleasing to God and making a difference in the world around us. 

I love each one of you and am so blessed to be a part of this ministry.
Pastor Shannon

Sunday October 14, 2012

Greetings! I hope that you are well this week, when you read this I will be in the midst of my pastoral retreat.  Please continue to pray for me at this time as I renew my relationship with God, read some books on leadership and transition, and as I refresh to lead the congregation well. 

This Sunday I will be preaching on the openness of the Church of God.  Why do we say that we "welcome every blood-washed one"? In continuing to explore the question "who are we?" we will look at one of the key characteristics of the church of God in welcoming all and saying that any person who claims Jesus as their Lord and Savior is our brother or sister. 

I hope that you are well, I am praying for you and for our church this week. 
Pastor Shannon

Sunday October 7, 2012

Hello! This Sunday Brian Smith will be with us and will be preaching on some of the challenges that face the church and on the importance of connectivity, togetherness and community. 

I will be gone from October 5th to October 12th on a pastoral retreat.  I am taking some personal time, some time for prayer and some time for study.  This week is meant to renew and refresh me as we move through this exciting time as a church.  Please be in prayer for me as I am gone.

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday September 30, 2012

Here we are at the end of September already! What an exciting year 2012 has been so far - and we still have three more months to get the most out of. 

This past Sunday we heard our vision laid out for us once again - we talked about the questions: who are we? where have we been? and where are we going? This next few months I will be giving clarity to each one of these pieces.  This Sunday we will talk more about our identity.  Who are we? What do we believe? What is the understanding of our faith? Come as we discuss these questions and more!

If you are part of an IOU group these questions coincide with pages 211-219 of your book (the information you will discuss this week in group). 

I hope you are enjoying the start of fall, I am praying for you!

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday September 23, 2012

Greetings! I am loving this beautiful fall weather, how about you? Celebrate the changing of the seasons, a gift from God.

This coming week we start our IOU group studies (focused on Inward, Outward and Upward ministries).  This season we are studying a book by Theologian Dr. Gil Stafford which will help us and guide us in Church of God knowledge, moving forward and vision.  This is a crucial time for Harvest Point Church as we pray and work towards how God is leading us in Lordstown. 

I will be preaching along with the group study and I'd love for you to read the book even if you aren't in a group.  Either way, the messages will be important for us all.  This week I am starting with some Church of God basics, what do we believe and why?

I hope to see you there, I am praying for you all and I love you!
Pastor Shannon

Christ is Risen

Come awake, church! What a wonderful song, take a five minute break to worship:

http://youtu.be/IExdrZGQVeI

Sunday September 16, 2012

Good morning! I hope that you are doing well this week. 

This past few weeks we have been searching for messages from God in all parts of life. I have used secular songs as foundation for this time.  This week I am using the song "Signs" by Five Man electric Band.

We all wear signs that the world sees, what signs does Harvest Point have up? Do they keep people from from us? Do they draw people to us? What are we telling the world about God and about Harvest Point Church with how we act, live and speak?

This week we have our outreach event at the Apple Cider Festival - I hope that you can come and help in this fun event!
~Pastor Shannon

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Greetings! Well it is certainly starting to act and feel like fall...the rain is steady and pumpkin spice lattes are back. What are you looking forward to this fall?

This Sunday I am going to be preaching about a very common problem we have a Christians - through hard times in our life, through trials and darkness - often God is our last resort for help rather than our first choice.  Why is that? Come as we discuss this and read Hebrews 4: 14-16 in preparation. 

This week and next week the Elders and the Next Step team are meeting to discuss land and to discuss our future, please be in prayer for them as they meet together and discuss. 

We have a lot of exciting things coming this fall, how can you help?
~Pastor Shannon

Sunday September 2, 2012

Hello! How are you enjoying the beauty of this rainy Monday? This week we move into September, I am excited because fall is my favorite season! 

If you read the blog yesterday, there is a change in plans: for the next few weeks I am going to talk about looking for messages from God in all parts of life. I will be preaching and using songs. This week I am using the song “Arms” by Christina Perri.  Listen to the song (below) and think about God as your “home.” 

See you there!
Pastor Shannon


http://youtu.be/FvbErM6ZTBA

Sunday August 26, 2012

Greetings! I hope that this finds you enjoying the last of summer.  We are moving into fall very soon and will be looking forward to all things fall.  I personally love the fall, the changing leaves, the pumpkin spice candles and jeans weather. 

This Sunday we have a special treat.  Western Pennsylvania State Pastor Rebecca New-Edson will be preaching for us on Jonah.  Read the story (the whole book is only 4 chapters!) and get ready to hear a word from the Lord. 

Although I am not preaching, I will be at church Sunday.  I hope to see you there!
~Pastor Shannon

Sunday August 19, 2012

I apologize for the lateness of this post! But you still have time to read the scripture before Sunday, I will be preaching from Matthew 14:22-33.  I am going to talk about learning to walk on water. 

Looking forward to seeing you!
~Pastor Shannon

Sunday August 12, 2012

This week we come with heavy hearts at the loss of our own dear Sam Moss and SueAnn's brother, David.  It has been a hard week for the church and I want you all to know that I am praying for you. 

This Sunday I will be preaching from Mark 4:35-41 - Jesus calms the storm.  What an appropriate topic for the week, God is always at work.  Read through the text and I will see you Sunday.

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday August 5, 2012

Greetings!  What a lovely day it was today.  I hope that you are well and enjoying the summer.  This week we are focused on our major outreach event of the year: the Luau! I'm so excited for what's coming this Saturday.  Are you ready?

On Sunday we will have a special time of celebration and testimony.  It will not be like a normal service and there will not be a normal sermon.  Come ready to talk about what the Lord has done and is doing! 

Please be in prayer this week for the Luau, the people giving their time to serve at the Luau, and the people that will come to receive our love. 

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday July 29, 2012

Hello! I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful week.  The sun is great, the breeze is nice.  There is so much for which to be thankful. 

This Sunday in preparation for our Luau event, I will be preaching on Evangelism...but more specifically on listening for the Spirit's voice as we witness to those around us.  Are you in tune with the Holy Spirit? 

This week you also have a great opportunity to hear Jeanette Flynn up at Berlin Center camp meeting.  She is a straightforward preacher and will be preaching every night at 7pm.  I hope to see you there!

Remember that I am praying for you!
~Pastor Shannon

Sunday July 22, 2012

Good morning! I hope you are enjoying this sunny Monday morning.  I apologize for not posting last week.  The sermon for July 15th was from Romans 12:1-2.  I preached about Next Step Stewardship: Holistic Stewardship.  Stewardship isn't just about our time, talents or tithe...stewardship is about everything we have, everything we are.  I encouraged the congregation "do not withhold anything from God." You can check it on here on our website.

This week I will be concluding our Next Step Stewardship series.  This Sunday will be a celebration, it is All-Tithe-Sunday.  If all of Harvest Point Church brings their tithe into the storehouse, what can we do for God? I want to challenge you to bring your full tithe in this week, and we will see the potential Harvest Point Church has for kingdom work.

Remember: The Luau is coming soon - how can you help?

Sermon July 8, 2012

Hello! What are you doing to celebrate the 4th this year?

On Sunday I will continue the Next Step Stewardship series.  I will be preaching on our time and talents.  What has God given us? What are we giving God? Is it enough? Stewardship means a lot more than money, come Sunday as we talk about it. 

I am praying for you
~Pastor Shannon

NAC Wednesday June 27

Wednesday started like Tuesday in General Assembly meetings.  In the final session of the GA this year we voted on some bylaws, heard from a lot of affiliated agencies (including the four Church of God schools of higher education).  It's exciting to see what the church is doing across the country. 

After GA, I went straight over to the Church of God ministries and was involved in a meeting that lasted until dinner. 

I had dinner with three of my seminary friends who are now in ministry (a great time of conversation) and then we went to the evening service. 

The evening service on Wednesday night was wonderful - it was a heritage service that moved through the history of the Church of God.  There were several speakers who talked about how they got where they are, and the people along their path (we all have someone, or some people, who have helped us to get where we are in our faith).

There was also a short sermon by D.S. Warner (well someone playing D.S Warner),  some videos about the Chog heritage, we sang heritage hymns, contemporary hymns, the choir did an awesome gospel song and we even heard a Christian rap. The service was a very cool mixture of old and new, heritage and contemporary, young leaders and old leaders.  I was so glad to be a part. You can check it out here: Heritage Service

This week has been so great, so tiring, so refreshing, a little emotionally overwhelming but overall fantastic.  It's so important to be connected to the church at large, what a great week it has been. 

I look forward to being back at Harvest Point, however, and this Sunday we will start our Next Step Stewardship series as we move towards what God is doing at our church. 

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

NAC Monday June 25 and Tuesday June 26

Monday and Tuesday at NAC:

As you can tell, I did not have time to write yesterday and here I am at midnight writing for two days when GA starts at 8 in the morning!  Though NAC is fantastic it is also so busy and tiring! 

Monday was a day filled with excitement. 

Monday morning Brett led a conference called “You can’t be a Christian and vote for…” He had two people (on very different sides of the political table) come and present on Health Care, Foreign Policy and Economics from their side.  Brett then gave a short lecture about the dangers of Civil Religion – the key point being that we are Christians first and Americans (or whatever country we are from) second.  Our allegiance has to always first be to God!  There was some good discussion and we ended with an even clearer picture that there are good, Godly people on both sides of the political spectrum. 

We went straight from Brett’s conference to the Anderson University School of Theology luncheon.  My family was there to support me (12 of us total!) as I was awarded the 2012 Distinguished Young Alumni Award.  I feel very blessed to receive such an honor.

We left the luncheon and went directly into my conference “The Christian Response to Immigration.”  At that conference we dealt with two case studies about illegal immigrants and had some discussion about the Christian’s response to immigration, immigration law, and the closing of the US borders.  The discussion (with many of the 50+ people contributing) was a little more feisty than Brett’s, but very good. 

The point of our conferences is to foster understanding and have healthy dialogue as the church about potentially polarizing issues.  We enjoy being a part of Christian dialogue at the national level. 

Last night’s sermon was preached by Diana Swoope from the Arlington Church of God in Akron.  She is a powerful and dynamic preacher and called the church to allow the Holy Spirit to move us and guide us. 

Today, I spent most of the day in the General Assembly (GA) of the Church of God where we conduct business.  When I return I will be giving the church a report about what is going on in the Church of God, for now I will simply say what a blessing it is to get to spend time with others leaders from around the country…and the world.  It reminds me that we at Harvest Point are part of something so much larger than ourselves. 

 

Tonight, Bill Neece preached a very Billy Graham style sermon on the Great Commandment – go into all the world.  He called the church to actively participate in the work of God for the sake of the lost.  Tonight was also the service where the Chog commissions its new missionaries.  I am pleased to say that two of the couples being commissioned tonight were in school with us at Anderson.  The tithe/support we send to the Chog National offices helps with these ministries and more. 

I have had many opportunities to connect with other leaders in the church at large, what a wonderful opportunity! I hope that you are all well, I am praying for you.  It’s not too late – join us tomorrow night at 7pm for the service: http://www.chog.org/node/171

NAC Sunday June 24

Sunday at NAC:

I heard two wonderful sermons today. 

This morning Ann Smith (a mighty woman of God), preached about hope.  It was a lovely sermon that touched me deeply even in the simplicity of the message.  We all have this hope deep within us, but it has been dirtied by the world and our hurts and just life, but God can come and clean it with his grace.  “In Christ alone, my hope is found…”

This evening, Hector Gonzalez preached about our relationship with God – “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” It is time to refresh our relationship with God, to make it vigorous again, to receive power to be bold! It was an empowering sermon about the importance of our relationship with God. 

What a blessing to be able to hear the Word of God!  Please be in prayer for Brett and I, our conferences are tomorrow!

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday July 1, 2012

Dear friends,

Hello! I come to you today from the North American Convention of the Church of God.  So far the time has been wonderful (services, conferences and connecting with other pastors).  I hope that you are well! If you would like to get involved go here: Church of God NAC.  Also, please be in prayer for Brett and I as we lead conferences tomorrow (Monday June 25). 

In light of our new direction as a church, in looking for a permanent place, this July I will be focusing on the stewardship of our resources (Next Step Stewardship!).  This Sunday, I will introduce the series and talk about out tithes and offerings.  This is an exciting time in the life of our church and it is important to know how God can lead us in our giving. 

You are loved!
Pastor Shannon

NAC Saturday June 23

I am blogging from the Church of God's North American Convention this week.  Today was a good day! I went to a conference by Church Builders Plus (taught by Charles Shumate) and learned about Capital Fund Campaign's and the importance of vision for the church in forward movement.  It was very helpful information.  Hopefully in the next few months we will be working with Church Builders Plus as we move forward!

The service tonight was a great service of worship.  Sam and Vera’s granddaughter, Erin (Moss) Taylor, preached a beautiful sermon about the breath of God.  Breathe deep the breath of God for renewal, for strength, for comfort...

I am meeting up with a lot of other pastor’s, with colleagues from seminary, and of course many friends here. 

Pray for Brett and I as we lead conferences Monday.  I am praying for all of you and remember that you can watch the services online! CHOG NAC

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday June 24, 2012

Greetings! I hope that you are well.  This Sunday Pastor Ray Cowie will be bringing the message.  I am praying for you as I head to the Church of God North American Convention!

~Pastor Shannon

If you would like to watch the services go here: Church of God NAC. Also, please be in prayer for Brett and I as we lead conferences this week (Monday June 25). 

Sunday June 17, 2012

We have voted and it is official - we are going to be looking at options to move out of the plaza! Be in prayer about the location God has in mind for us. How can we best serve Lordstown? You can listen to the Visioning sermon from June 10, 2012 on our website.

This Sunday is Father's Day - a special time where we can celebrate the men in our lives.  

I hope that you are having a great week! See you Sunday~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday June 10, 2012

By the time you are reading this, I will be relaxing with my family.  Vacations are important - even God rested!  Have you taken some time for yourself and your family recently?

This Sunday is a very exciting day!  I will be preaching about vision and how to fulfill the vision that God gives us.  Where is Harvest Point Church going? How are we going to get there? What has God called us to? 

With our space increasingly limited (an exciting challenge!!!) this Sunday we will take a very important vote, a vote that will determine the direction we are headed as a church.  Please be praying for God's will, wisdom and direction as we come together. 

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday June 3, 2012

It is the last week of May! Whew, can you believe it? 

This week I will be on vacation and Brian Smith will be preaching.  He will share with you about the mission of the church.  What are we called to as the people of God? The mission of the church has been the same through the ages (though it may be played out a little differently).  Read Matthew 28:16-20 in preparation. 

Praying for you~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday May 27, 2012

Hello, friends! We are coming up on the last part of May! What a year we have had already.  How has God blessed your 2012 so far?

On Sunday, I will be preaching on Civilized Christianity and the Way of the Barbarian.  This sermon was inspired by Erwin McManus' small book "The Barbarian Way."  Our faith is not to be tame.  Christians are to be bold...courageous...risk takers! Be ready to be challenged!

~ Pastor Shannon

Sunday May 20, 2012

Greetings! I hope that this finds you well on this beautiful spring day.  Take a moment to breathe in God and remember that God has given us life for today - use it well. 

This Sunday I will be preaching from Luke 15 and I will be talking about the many ways we slip away from God and how to return to God as fully functioning members of the body.  Human beings do not drift towards God - we always drift away.  We must keep this in check. 

Stay after church today to discuss our Luau committee's.  The planning stage is under way!

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday May 13, 2012

This week is Mother's Day and whether it is a mother or someone else, we all have women in our lives who are supportive, loving and deserve our thanks.  Thank you mother's, aunt's, grandma's, sister's, and other women!  We appreciate you!

This Sunday will be a special day as we have a baby dedication and will hear about mother's after the heart of God in the sermon.  Come as we honor the women in our lives and hear a word from God. 

Blessings to you~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday May 6, 2012

Today we celebrated the life of a dear and Godly woman, Ruth Sipka.  I feel blessed to have been a part of her life.  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." John 11:25-26.

This Sunday, I will be preaching on the Kingdom of God, read Chapter 13 of Matthew in preparation.  Which one of the parables means the most to you? Come Sunday as we discuss God's Kingdom and what part we have in it. 

You are loved!
Pastor Shannon

Sunday April 29, 2012

Well here we are, already facing the last Sunday of April!  Are you ready for May? 

On Sunday I will be preaching about how we can experience God in the people around us.  Do you know that fellow Christians can help us, change us and show us God? Not only that, we work together with them for the Kingdom of God.  We are not isolated in our God experience!  Check out Romans 12:5 - we are members of one body who belong to each other!

Know that you are loved!
~ Pastor Shannon

Sunday April 22, 2012

Greetings! Well today was a beautiful, yet windy, day!  I hope that you are doing well as we move swiftly through April. 

This Sunday I will be preaching about obedience.  Closely tied with last weeks sermon about how joining God requires making adjustments, this week we will talk about how joining God in Kingdom work requires our obedience.  This week read John 14:15-31 is preparation for the sermon. 

Following church this Sunday we are going to have a plaza clean up day - we are part of the Lordstown community to serve them and show them love and this is a tangible way that we can get this accomplished.  I hope that you will stay and plan to help. 

Blessings~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday April 15, 2012

With Easter over we are moving quickly through spring! I hope that you are enjoying the beauty of God's nature this week. 

On Sunday, my brother David is preaching!  David will be preaching on the idea that joining God in Kingdom work requires making adjustments in our lives.  Are you willing to adjust your life to God? It's not an easy task. 

Know that you are loved and prayed for~
Pastor Shannon

Sunday April 8, 2012

Greetings for Holy Week! This week is both a somber and victorious reminder of what has been done for us through Jesus Christ. 

On Sunday I will preach the Easter message - a message of victory, hope and grace for all of us.  I'm amazed at what was done for me when Jesus went to the cross...are you amazed? This Sunday we celebrate the Risen Savior, Christ's victory over death and our reason for life.  Come and celebrate with us!

~ Pastor Shannon

Sunday April 1, 2012

Greetings! I hope that you are doing well on this beautiful day.  This week we celebrate Palm Sunday, and the beginning of Holy Week.  This is the most important week in the life of the church and I hope that you will come to the services that are provided to follow Jesus through Holy Week. 

This Sunday, I will be preaching on the promise that God shows up.  It is what the believers saw in Jesus on Palm Sunday and what we see throughout our lives - if we are willing to look for it. 

Go to our website for more information about Holy Week services: here

Know that you are loved!
Pastor Shannon

Sunday March 25, 2012

Hello! I hope that you are enjoying the beauty of this week.  Go outside and soak up some vitamin D!

On Sunday I will be preaching about how God speaks to us through prayer.  During this time called Focus 40 -  we are spending the days before Easter focusing on the things of God.  In order to do this we must listen for God speaking to us.  Sit down, quite yourself and listen for God's voice - God is speaking!

God doesn't speak to each of us the same way, but in ways that are unique to us and the relationship that we have with our Creator!

I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we explore our prayer life and begin to understand the reality of God speaking to His people. 

Remember that you are loved!
~ Pastor Shannon

Sunday March 18, 2012

Hello! I hope that this day finds you well.  This week I am meeting with other women clergy from holiness denominations.  Please be in prayer for us as we meet. 

On Sunday, Phil from Pennsylvania will be coming to preach for us.  He will be preaching from John 8:47 and preaching about how God speaks to us.  I hope that you will be praying for him as he comes to share the Word.

Enjoy the sunshine this week!
~ Pastor Shannon

Sunday March 11, 2012

Hello! I hope that you are doing well today. 

This week I will be preaching from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 on being Ambassadors for Christ.  As we truly start experiencing God and we recognize the pursuit of the One who loves us most - we also begin to see in ourselves the potential for God working in us and through us.  We can be a part of the Kingdom mission! 

I hope that you have a wonderful week and I will see you Sunday~
Pastor Shannon

The Hound of Heaven

In my sermon on March 4, 2012, I referenced a poem by Francis Thompson called "The Hound of Heaven."  You can check it out here:

The Hound of Heaven - poem

The Hound of Heaven - read by Richard Burton

Sunday March 4, 2012

Well, hello! I hope that you are doing well this week - it's a fun week, we have a day (February 29) that comes around only once every four years!  If you want to read more about it, check it our here.

Sunday, I will be preaching about the fact that God pursues us! What a fantastic notion, that a divine being would seek us out...that God would love us so much, that we are pursued! I will be preaching from John 3:16-17. 

You are loved!
Pastor Shannon

Sunday February 26, 2012

Greetings! What a gorgeous day it is today! The sun is shining and although it's only in the 30's, the sky is blue. 

This week I will be preaching about God's will and a God-centered life - and learning to walk with God.  I will be preaching about taking up our cross and following Jesus (found in Matt. 16:24-28, Mark 8:34-38 and Luke 9:23-27). 

Please know that I am praying for each one of you, I hope that you have a wonderful week and I will see you Sunday!

~Pastor Shannon

Sunday February 19, 2012

Hello! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, everyone needs love - tell someone you love them! Also know that YOU are loved!

This past week we started our IOU group study "Experiencing God."  One of the main ideas is that we must experience God in order to know God. 

This week I will be preaching about knowing God by being connected to God.  The scripture for this week is John 15:1-8, read through it to start your engine's thinking about it. 

I look forward to seeing you!
Pastor Shannon

Sunday February 12, 2012

Hello! I hope that you are well today. 

This Sunday, Susan Tatarka will be preaching about Love.  A week from today is Valentine's Day and no matter who you are or what kind of relationships you have, you are loved by someone! Come and hear about God's love for you. 

~ Pastor Shannon

Sunday February 5, 2012

Hello! Wow, what a beautiful day it is today.  It's the last day of January and I went outside with no coat on...the sun is delightful!

This Sunday I will be talking about unity.  Unity is one of the Church of God's basic beliefs.  Not just unity within our church; but unity as "people of God"; unity across church, state, country and denominational lines...unity across racial, socio-economic and gender lines.  What does true Biblical unity mean, and what brings us together?

Remember that this Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday...we'll watch the game at the Pandrea's home.  See you Sunday!

~ Pastor Shannon

Spiritual Gifts Resources

The tests are long, but they are definitely worth the time investment. Take one or two tests and then explore your results. 

Be sure to answer the questions honestly, in taking the spiritual gifts inventory you are not trying to please anyone and there are no right or wrong answers. Just think about yourself and answer honestly for the most accurate results.  All spiritual gifts are important and necessary in the life of the church!

Online Spiritual gifts inventory: http://www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift/
or http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
or http://buildingchurch.net/g2s-i.htm
or http://elmertowns.com/spiritual_gifts_test/

Spiritual Gifts definitions: http://buildingchurch.net/g2s-d.htm

Once you have discovered your Spiritual Gifts, please feel free to come and have a visit with Pastor Shannon to ask questions, talk over your results and/or get you plugged in to a ministry at Harvest Point Church. 



 

Sunday January 29, 2012

Hello! I hope that you are well this beautiful January day.

For Sunday read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.  Do you know that every single one of you is special? Do you know that God has given each one of us gifts and abilities to help in ministry? We may not always feel like it, but each one of us is just as important as the other in God's eyes! What do you have that can be used to serve God?

Looking forward to being back!
Pastor Shannon

Sunday January 22, 2012

Hello! When this post shows up I will be safely in California.  Brett and I are visiting Los Angeles for a short vacation before he begins the Winter/Spring PBA tour. 

This week Paul Holm, from the Tallmadge Church of God, will be taking a look at part of the Sermon on the Mount and preaching from Matthew 6:25-34.

Remember that Wednesday January 25 at 7pm is our Annual Business Meeting.  Please plan to be there to discuss this year and to vote on the annual budget and a new Elder. 

Sunday January 15, 2012

Hello! Well it is finally winter here in Ohio, we have had snow that is sticking on the ground.  Everything looks so pretty covered in snow, I hope you are finding some way to enjoy this winter. 

Sunday, I will be preaching from Matthew 22:36-40, the Great Commandment. It deals with loving God and loving neighbor.  I believe that this is the foundation of ministry.  If we get this, ministry will flow from it.

If you enjoy reading different places in the Bible where the same idea comes out, check out: Deut. 6:4-5, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-37 and Leviticus 19:18. 

See you Sunday!

Pastor Shannon

Sunday January 8, 2012

Greetings! I hope that you are well. The sun is out again and has melted the snow - what a strange winter we are having, but I will not complain about nice weather. 

For this Sunday I want you to consider what it is that motivates you to share God with those around you? Are you timid or bold?

In this New Year - we have a chance at a new beginning, a chance to be set on fire. As a church we need to be revitalized to share the good news we have with those around us. In Matthew 28:16-20 Jesus calls the disciples (and us!) to action. 

I'll see you Sunday!
~Pastor Shannon