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THE CONNECTION (USPS579-240) Is published monthly by Highland Baptist Church, 808 W. Hickory St. Tullahoma, TN 37388. Periodical Postage Paid at Tullahoma, TN. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Connection, P.O. Box 1195. Tullahoma, TN. 37388.

HighlandBaptistChurch.com

Celebrating 50

YEARS

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

6:45 AM - 5:30 PM Monday - Friday

PRESCHOOL AGES 3-5 ANN SMITH, Director 455-8642

Worry seems to be more prevalent in our lives and society in general today because of Covid-19 and its effects on the economy, our finances, schools, the church, our health physically and mentally, as well as a host of other things. The New York Post reported that a recent poll found “nearly 9 in 10 Americans are fearful that the US economy will collapse amid the coronavirus pandemic.” That same poll found that at least 7 in 10 Americans are worried about their communities reopening from coronavirus lockdowns too soon. On the other hand, there are some public health experts who are beginning to worry about “quarantine fatigue.” Business are worried whether they will be able to even reopen when the time comes, and employees are worried about whether they will have a job or not when things begin to reopen. Churches are worried about whether their church will survive, about their finances, and the health of the church. The Christian Post recently reported that “a survey of pastors found 42% of pastors said donations to their respective churches was “significantly” down and 28% said it was “slightly” down.” So how do we as believers need to respond without “worry” when there are legitimate “concerns” we should have about these issues? Have you ever taken a walk outside, down a trail or through a garden when everything is in bloom? It’s very hard to be weighed down by worry and anxiety when you’re surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us what our response should be towards worry by taking us on a walk through the garden and looking at some lilies as he contrasts them with the worries of life. The New Testament word for worry comes from a Greek word which means to have a divided mind. So, to be a worrier is to have your mind divided between legitimate thoughts and thoughts that are not legitimate, thoughts which you shouldn’t be thinking. Worry is, most of the time, future focused. But understand this, the future is not here yet. According to the Bible, worry is concern over the unknown and worrying can’t change the future nor can it control the future. The issue is not the future; it’s how we approach the future. There are only two ways we can approach the future: with faith or with fear. If we approach the future with faith, we walk under God’s umbrella, under the protection of His provision and plan. If we approach the future with fear, we step out from under that umbrella and we invite the enemy to begin taunting and tempting us, warning us about the disasters just around the bend.

Highland’s Child Development Center

Although the CDC has been closed for several weeks due to COVID-19, we continue to connect to our children and

families in various ways. Plans are to reopen the CDC on Monday, May 4th. CDC graduation has been rescheduled for

Wednesday, May 27th. Please join us in praying for the needs of our community.

Continued next page

HIGHLAND BAPTIST CHURCH WEBSITE: HighlandBaptistChurch.com 808 W. HICKORY STREET EMAIL: highlandbaptist@cafes.net TULLAHOMA, TN 37388 Church Phone (931) 455-0645 FAX: 393-0440

JIM NORMAN SENIOR PASTOR MATT KOEHLER MINISTER OF YOUTH AND EDUCATION MIKE STRINGFIELD VOLUNTEER MUSIC DIRECTOR TODD NICHOLS VOLUNTEER CHOIR DIRECTOR KATHY HASTY NURSERY DIRECTOR ANN SMITH CDC DIRECTOR AMY JACKSON OFFICE MANAGER CHARLES CANNON CUSTODIAN JIMMY GADDIS FACILITIES MANAGER ROGER WILLIAMS FACILITIES MANAGER

Deacon of the Week

April 25– May 1 Bobby Ferrell May 2-8 Ken Tatum May 9-15 Mark Smith May 16-22 Jimmy Gaddis May 23-29 Johnathan Sipe May 30– June 5 Marc Lee

Vacation Bible School has been

cancelled for the week of June 1-5, 2020. Church leadership is looking

into alternatives at this time.

HBC Deacon Family Assignments 2019-2020

Group Deacon

A– BOU Jonathan Sipe

BOW-DAN Mike Stringfield

DAO-F Roger Williams

G-HAR Bobby Ferrell

HAS-JA Marc Lee

JO-MA Steve Stone

MC-NI Jimmy Gaddis

NO-RI Ken Tatum

RO-SM Steve Conner

SN-TH Mark Smith

W Jason Robison

DEACONS Johnny McBride

The difference between worrying in fear and walking by faith is the difference between living and just being alive. When Jesus tells us in these verses not to worry there are a couple of things that He doesn’t mean. First, it doesn’t mean, “Don’t plan.” Second, Jesus is not saying, “Don’t ever be concerned.” We’re not to coast through life with indifference, ignoring the realities around us. Not worrying is not the same thing as not being concerned. So, when Jesus says, “Don’t worry,” He doesn’t mean “Don’t plan” and He doesn’t mean “Don’t be concerned.” To overcome worry we need to do two things- realign our priorities by refocusing on God. (v. 33) and we need to focus on today (v. 34) We must remember that it doesn’t make sense to say that God has already done the biggest job (creating our body, our life and saving our soul) but then would fail to do the smaller job (providing what we need to live the life He has given us). When we worry about our future provision of food, clothing, and shelter, we are actually putting down the character of our God. We are saying that God isn’t able to provide! Don’t dwell on tomorrow because it hasn’t even come yet and don’t dwell on yesterday because you can’t change it anyway. Surrender your past failures and guilt to the Lord and He will forgive and cleanse you. No one ever sank under the burdens of today; but when you add yesterday and tomorrow to today, it can be enough to sink your ship. The key is to take a momentary worry and use it as a springboard to a mature, spiritual response. That means you have to give all your worries and cares to God, because he cares about what happens to you. Cast them all permanently on God, once and for all, and then, don’t take them back. Having worry is okay; letting it move in and take over is not. Don’t deny your worry, but don’t let it control today. I hope this helps you to overcome your worries! Pastor Jim

No one pictured that 2020 would be like this. Now in the month of May there are still many uncertainties about how the rest of the year may go. For our high school and college seniors this was not how they imagined their last year to be. Usually this is a time for families to gather around their graduate and celebrate the graduation of their child or children. Perhaps for some graduation wasn’t that big of a deal. For them it’s just something else canceled because of this pandemic. It’s hard in times like this to be thankful when so much seems to have been taken away. I want to encourage us all to remember Psalm 100.

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. – Psalm 100 (NASB)

In this Psalm we are given many reasons to be thankful. I believe that when we respond in times like this with thankfulness in God it points those who don’t know or believe in God to the hope, peace, comfort, and salvation we have in Him. It also gives us instructions on how we are to live in times like this as well as when there is not a pandemic. Pandemics shouldn’t change our response to how we serve or live for the Lord. We should continue to serve with gladness, sing with joy, worship with thanksgiving, praise, and remember He is faithful to us no matter the situation we may be in. When this pandemic is over, we should continue to live with thankful attitudes that God is always with us. His lovingkindness is everlasting! As Christians let us do our best to turn our complaining, hurt, and fears to a spirit of thanksgiving because the LORD is God and He is good to us all the time.

HighlandBaptistChurch.com– Find the Sunday Bulletin along with Children’s Bulletins and Wednesday Prayer Lists with a prayer request form under the “Info” Tab. Online giving can also be found on the church website under the “Give Online” Tab Facebook.com/HbcTullahoma– Join Pastor Jim on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. for worship and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. for Prayer Meeting and Bible Study. Make sure to “Like” our Facebook Page so you get notifications when services go live. Devotional activities and Bible study helps are also posted on the Facebook page daily. Instagram.com/highlandbaptisttullahoma Twitter.com/HbcTullahoma

You can drop them by the Church Office, M&W 11 a.m.– 1 p.m.

Mail them to P. O. Box 1195, Tullahoma TN 37388

Online Giving is also available on the church website, HighlandBaptistChurch.com

Highlands Highlights

The tentative date for Sunday Morning Worship Services to begin again is

Sunday, May 17th. Please remember that the guidelines of separation of

approximately 6 feet and avoiding physical contact will still be in place when

in the building.

Counters For May Kathy Hasty, Donna Jackson

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 Mike Williams

4 5 Judy Stockdale

6

Wendy Fruehauf

Jere Ledsinger

7

Dwayne Thames

8 9

10 Mother’s Day Christopher Norman Al Pender Jennifer Williams

11

Julie Rogers

12 13

Ryan Purdom

14

Isaac Raymond

15

Belle Ruyten

16

17 Tentative date to resume services at church Josh Hice Titus Koehler

18 19

Carolyn Stone

20

Taylor Dauscha

21

Sherry Scott

22

Daley Sergeant

23

24 Kim Whittemore No 5th Sunday Dinner & Sing Ron Jackson 31

25

Memorial Day

26

Keith Hasty

27 28 29

Marlon Bates

30

Please do not forget ALL EVENTS (AWANA, PrimeTimers, Use of the

Facilities for Parties, Etc.) and SERVICES (Sunday AM & PM & Wednesday Evenings) have been

cancelled until further notice! (Only Sunday Morning and Wednesday Evening

services will be online) We will update you as soon as we are cleared to start meeting together again at the church

building. Until then please help us make sure that others who don’t have internet

know about these cancellations!

Mailing Address for Christopher Norman

Norman, Christopher J 7141 527 I Avenue Unit 1399

Sheppard AFB, TX 76311

*Care packages are allowed, but please do not include food*

Congratulations to the New Parents!

Ben and Lauren Fults on the birth of their son, Case Ray Fults. He was born April 25, 2020. Proud Grandparents and Great-Grandparents are Keith and Kathy Hasty and Ron and Donna Jackson.

Brandon and Jessica Bell on the birth of their son, Hudson Walker Bell. He was born om Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Proud Grandparents are Bethel and Rema Bell.

Sunday Schedule

*Coffee before Sunday School, everyone welcome *

Bible Study – 9:15 AM

Morning Worship – 10:30 AM *Children’s Church is available during the Service for chil-

dren 3 years old– 1st Grade*

Discipleship Classes – 5:00 PM

Youth Discipleship Youth Department

Adult Discipleship Training Conference Room

Team Kid (4 Years– 5th Grade)– 6:00 PM

Evening Worship – 6:00 PM

Wednesday Night Schedule

Wednesday Night Supper 5:00 PM* (Begins August 28)

AWANA (Begins August 28)

Babies—5th Grade Supper & Check-In– 5:00-5:35 PM

Opening Council Time/ Rotations-5:45 –7:15 Parent Sign Out in the Fellowship Hall– 7:15 PM

Youth and Adult Classes All Classes Meet at 6:15 PM

Youth Group Youth Dept.

Sunday School on Wednesday Conference Room

Prayer Meeting/ Bible Study Sanctuary

Adult Choir Practice 7:05 PM

*There is no charge for Wednesday Night Supper, but a

sign-up sheet is outside of the Fellowship Hall so we can

know how many to expect for supper*