ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PASTORS 2009

Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it:
except the LORD keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.
Psalm 127:1 NKJV

There is a very real awareness in our hearts as pastors that what we do every day in ministry matters very little in the long run. What really matters and what really lasts is what God does. That does not mean we should not plan, work and pray with all our might. However, it does mean that in all of our work and planning, if the Lord is not a part and in fact leading in the ministry, we are just spinning our wheels. To purpose to accomplish anything in the Kingdom in our own ability and strength is a futile thing, but to be used of Him and empowered by Him leads to blessings that matters for eternity.

We can’t help but appreciate the wisdom of Solomon as he reminds us that what is built is not dependent upon us, but rather is determined and directed by God, the architect and framer of all things. As it relates to our role as pastors, Jesus did not say, “You will build the Church”, but rather, “I will build my Church.” Ministry is not about us. This congregation and its future is wholly dependent up the Masterbuilder.

At the same time, we marvel at how the Lord still includes us in the building process. While the Lord builds the house, He still calls to His side human craftsmen who undertake in a myriad of projects to lead people to faith in Christ and disciple them toward spiritual maturity. God is the carpenter and we are the hammer in His hands that brings to bear the wonderful blows of the Gospel on this community and this world. But again, it is not what we do that matters, it is what He does as He holds us as an instrument in His hands.

Looking back over 2009, we are humbled to see how God used us and all of you in the building of this house…Hamlet Union Church. Today is a time where we report on the ministries and activities of the past year, ever mindful that if anything good was accomplished, it was of Him. To be sure, there was a lot of good achieved to which our Lord receives all the credit as well as our thanks for allowing us the privilege of participating in His work.

While there is no way we could ever recount every ministry undertaken, here are some of the notable highlights of what our Lord did through us.

The Barnabas Cupboard assisted dozens of families in need. MOPS encouraged several mothers and grew in attendance. Men sharpened one another’s faith in weekly NSQ gatherings, TriCord Warriors and a Praise & Prayer Steak Fry. Nearly 100 women celebrated their worth as God’s creation in an HUC sponsored Born2Win Conference. The message of God’s love and our love for one another was clearly spoken to over 100 people at a Valentine’s Banquet and the showing of “Fireproof”. Marriages were subsequently transformed through Dynamic Marriage. Four individuals boldly declared their Savior through baptism. Four sets of parents offered their children to the Lord in a service of dedication. Numerous children learned the truths of God’s Word through AWANA, Sunday School, Children’s Church and a VBS Australian safari into the Outback. Area teens came to faith in Christ through the ministry of the Todd Becker Foundation in the Hayes Center and Trenton High Schools while others committed their lives to Him at Acquire the Fire. Friendships were spurred to deeper levels at the Hunting Shack, the Gridiron Picnic and the Barnabas Partner Pizza Night. The faith of many was shored up through multiple Bible studies, adult Sunday School and the Faith Search Discovery classes.

Perhaps you were privileged to participate in one or more of these ministries. Perhaps you even were responsible to lead or give oversight to a ministry. If you recognize the successes achieved in any of these things and the lives that were challenged and changed, take a moment to give God the credit for building the house. Then, give Him thanks that He granted you the opportunity to be used by Him in the work He was already performing. Let us also thank you for making yourself available to be used by the Builder of this house. Great things He has done in us and through us!

When we think of the ways God has ministered through the people of HUC, we can’t help but applaud your generosity in giving not only to HUC, but especially to other works that exist to advance the Kingdom around the world. Such consistent and continued generosity is not naturally born from one’s heart, but can only be inspired from above. For example, from January to December of 2009, a total of $24,449 was given to the Great Commission Fund to support our C&MA missionaries around the world. Thousands more were given to send forth another team to build houses in Tijuana with Mexico Caravan Ministries in June. Boxes were packed with toys to be given to underprivileged children around the world with Operation Christmas Child. Our own children followed our example and collected $948.01 during VBS to support an African pastor in training at a seminary in Kenya. A couple months later those same children gave $529.57 for COMPASS, the inner-city ministry in Omaha. To top things off, as missionaries paraded through our gatherings, your willingness to share was witnessed through love offerings for Scott Brookins (missionary musician to Eastern Europe), Ron & Faith Klaassen (World Impact, New Jersey), Mujahid el Masih (VOM, Colorado), Ila Foley (e3 Partners), Stephen Marshal & Pam Thum (musicians & Christian conference speakers), Linda Doeden (ELI, Laos), Dr. Ed Putnam (Christian counselor, Nebraska), Carolyn Thorson (C&MA, Gabon), Tim Wright (C&MA, Mali), and Sterling & Gwen Ottun (TWR, Guam). Add to that your faithfulness in remembering Doyl Flaming (OM, Nepal) and Royce Flaming (SIL, China). The thought crosses our minds that such steady and unfailing giving just isn’t humanly possible! That is why we give God the credit, for He not only inspired you towards generosity, but blessed and enabled you that your charity might be realized.

We would be remiss if we did not in some way speak to the most visible manifestation of God’s work in this past year…The Way Station. No one who drives into Hamlet can ignore the transformation of the once dilapidated and abandoned building on the railroad tracks. The decision to pursue the purchase and subsequent renovation of the old Hamlet Coop Weigh Station was easy as we watched the Sr. High youth group grow to beyond the capacity of the North House. New space was desperately needed not only to house a flourishing and expanding youth ministry, but other ministries as well. While we could not fully envision how we could pull off such a project, we were reminded that the project was really not ours to begin with. This was God’s plan. He would see that it would be accomplished and He would call laborers to His side to help in the building. Are you not amazed at what has been achieved so far? Nearly 2,000 labor hours have been donated by almost 90 individuals including a team of Christian brothers from New Life Assembly in Kearney. We are 65% toward our giving goal to pay for the project. We are on track to dedicate and begin using The Way Station this Spring. We can not wait to see what the Builder of the house will do with this house in the days ahead to bring people to Himself through Jesus Christ, The Way, The Truth and the Life!

While we celebrate the works of God’s hands in our midst over the past year, it really is the “days ahead” with which He is most concerned. What does God have in mind for the continued building of this house? What additions or renovations are shown upon His eternal blueprint? What kinds of tools will he look for…who will He be calling in 2010 to work at His side? To answer the last question first, He is calling each and every believer in Christ to offer himself and herself to the ministry. You may think that you have little to offer, but remember, it is not what you can or can’t do that really matters. It is what He can do and what He can equip, gift and empower you to accomplish as you are placed in His hand. Don’t be content to sit back and watch, but accept the honorable and privileged calling of building the house alongside the Masterbuilder. What has God especially designed you and gifted you to be…to do? Teachers. Musicians. Disciplers. Givers. Prayers. Goers. MOPS Grandmas. Awana Scripture Listeners. Audio & Video Technicians. The opportunities to be used by Him at HUC are countless. God’s toolbox requires all kinds of tools, and the toolbox is not complete if you are missing and cannot be used.

As we specifically consider the “days ahead”, we believe the Lord has shown us a plan for new outreach and discipleship. To be sure, there is a confirmation that what is already being done will continue and be built upon. Yet, it is our conviction that God is directing us to areas of the house we have not considered or have neglected.

As we consider outreach and discipleship this coming year, we ask ourselves, “Where was God working in 2009?” It is our observation that fruit seems to be in developing interpersonal relationships and encouraging the congregation in practical matters of faith and practice. The people of HUC and the larger community seem to react positively when we focus on real issues that affect them on a daily basis. For instance, personal mentorship, coaching and counseling marriages, families, finances and personal spiritual development. In other words it seems that this congregation reacts well to a very intentional shepherd model of ministry. In 2009 we were encouraged at the depth of relationships we were able to develop with some of you. The people of HUC seem to react to simple time spent with them on a personal level.

This in mind, we want to continue and expand upon ministries that are marriage and family based. We have seen couples grow in intimacy and faith through Dynamic Marriage and so in 2010 we will not only continue with this on Sunday evenings, but will also add its sister study, Becoming One, on Sunday mornings. Furthermore, during the summer we will offer another study called Fantastic Families. In the fall of 2010 yet one more opportunity will be offered to families to learn the Biblical principles of stewardship with a seminar from Crown Financial Ministries. In addition, we want to develop a Father Son Discipleship ministry that is already taking place. What started out as just a couple of dads being burdened to disciple their boys has grown into an opportunity for larger ministry with the addition of more fathers and sons. Consider yourself invited to join us every other Saturday morning at 9 a.m. for grades 4-8. We are very pleased with how God has blessed these ministries of building the Christian home, and we, your pastoral team, believe that a strong church is only as strong as the families that are a part of the church. We are committed to building families up in the Lord.

While we will endeavor with God’s empowering to build families in 2010, we also have a passion to see our HUC family grow with new additions. What a delight is has been to see visitors throughout the past year, and even more, seeing some of them come to know Christ as Savior and join His forever family! We have a passion to see that kind of growth continue. Already, much of what we do has as its focus connecting with the unchurched in our community. However, over this next year we feel God’s prompting to expand our ministry reach. We at HUC have done well with our focus on our Jerusalem (communities in which we presently live) and our focus on the ends of the earth (world missions involvement). Yet we sometimes tend to overlook the Judea and Samaria that is beyond our community but still within arm’s reach. We are considering and are excited about the possibility of expansion to the north and are currently seeking ministry ideas for weekly outreach that has a launching point in Hayes Center and reaches into the Wallace area. Pray for God’s wisdom as we search out His heart and His plan for His house. We do not want to attempt anything in our own ability, for to even try would be to labor in vain. We are aware that what we do will matter very little in the long run. What really matters and what really lasts is what God does. Pray with us that the Lord would do much in 2010!

Blessings on you as we serve together with you in the coming year!

Pastor Marshall Erickson, Sr. Pastor
Pastor Kevin McGraw, Associate Pastor
Hamlet Union Church