Hadley Community Church

The congregation of Hadley Community Church invites you to join us for a time of remembrance and celebration. HCC will host several events on RESURRECTION SUNDAY (Easter!) on April 9, 2023. Our SUNRISE SERVICE begins at 7:00 AM. This will be followed by: EASTER BREAKFAST at 8:00 AM; SUNDAY SCHOOL at 9:00 AM; and our WORSHIP SERVICE at 10:00 AM.

On February 6 HCC’s Annual Meeting was held with 46 members in attendance.  At the meeting there were a number of positions which were voted on and approved, including:

• Deacon:    Jay TenBrink, Glenn Walton

• Trustee:  Jeff Smith

• Sunday School Super:  Barb Hartwig

• Asst. Sunday School Super:  Sue Harrington

• Head Usher:  Bruce Katzmark

• Communion Stewards:  Diane Katzmark, Kim Lench

• Memorial Chairperson:  Brenda Reamer

We would like to thank everyone for their willingness to serve the Lord.  Please keep these folks in your prayers.

In 2021 Thomas Tatro was brought in to serve the Lord as HCC’s Youth Leader.  Since then he and Florence have worked tirelessly in ministering to both the youth and the young adults while also reaching out to the surrounding community to serve and spread the news of what HCC is doing.  In addition, Thomas recently completed his B.A. in Leadership Ministry and is now pursuing his Masters Degree (MDIV) at Liberty University.  In recognition of his achievement, a special congregational meeting was held on March 12 to vote on a motion to elevate Thomas to the position of Youth Pastor.   After prayerful consideration the motion was passed by an overwhelming majority.  Congratulations Thomas and thank you for your service!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.   2 Cor. 5:17

The chirping of the birds, the budding of the trees, the rising of shoots from the ground signal to us that Spring has arrived. Though we appreciate the beauty of the pure white snow, the promise of Spring fills our hearts and minds with images of new life and opportunities.   These are the same qualities we find in the second letter that the Apostle Paul was inspired to write to the church at Corinth. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…”  In this passage, the word “new” comes from the Greek word ”kainos”.  It carries with it the idea of newness in quality. This newness is seen as an innovation. It is a change and as believers, we realize the depth of truth in this aspect of the word.  When we accept Christ, we are changed in so many ways.  Our minds (way of thinking) are changed – we no longer think like the world. Instead, we embrace the mind of Christ – the way God thinks.  There is a change of relationship.  No longer are we enemies or strangers or foreigners to God. Instead, we are now embraced as friends and even as adopted heirs of God.  There is also a change in our eternal destiny. When we place our faith in Christ, we are given access to Paradise – eternity with God rather than separation in Hell, so the newness we experience is very real. 

However, there are also additional ideas connected with ”kainos”. The newness speaks of additional opportunity. When we accept Christ, God desires to use us to further His kingdom, to share His grace, to demonstrate His love and to declare His mercy. In this word, we see that our faith in Christ is not simply about what we receive. It also cries out what we now are able to give. We are meant to share this change with others in our lives.

As we approach Resurrection Sunday, let us recall the change that has been wrought in our lives. Let us realize the impact and the significance of what Christ has accomplished for us and let us take the opportunities that God has given us to be used by Him.

Fellowship is one of the pillars of church ministry that serves multiple purposes. First, it provides us with the opportunity to be “real” with each other. In a Sunday school class, a mid-week Bible study, or a worship service, there are natural limitations and “restrictions” that make it difficult for us to relate to each other. However, during a time of fellowship – either a shared meal, a movie night, or other events – we are able to relax and to enjoy one another’s company. This enjoyment is heightened by the shared faith that we have in Jesus Christ. As we fellowship, we realize that what is drawing us together is not the activity, program, or event. Instead, it is our trust in Christ as our Savior. Recently, HCC hosted a “Minute to Win It” event. Delicious refreshments were served. But the highlight of the evening was the numerous games that gave us opportunities to interact with each other – to cheer one another one – in a safe and fun competition. It truly built and strengthened relationships – which is a major goal of fellowship. Another purpose of fellowship is to provide opportunities to include visitors or individuals in the event. For those that have been part of a local church for years, it may be difficult to believe that people are often quite intimidated at the thought of participating in new events at new places with new people. But one of the best ways to build the local church is to offer numerous fellowship opportunities to which our family, friends, and neighbors can be invited. We are blessed at HCC to have people with a heart for fellowship and outreach. If you have not been able to participate in one of our fellowship events – challenge yourself to get involved. If you have been involved – challenge yourself to invite someone to join you!