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Happy Easter, New Horizons!

“...And Now He’s My Salvation.”- Psalm 118

2014 Spring Edition

2 Horizons

Pastor Eric Wiggins, Senior Pastor

7315 East 75th StreetIndianapolis, IN 46256

317-558-7660

Sunday Worship Service8:30am, 10:30am & 12:30pm

Victory in the WordTuesdays: 7:00pm

Radio BroadcastM-F 10:30am • AM 1310

Connect with us on the web:

TheNewHorizonsChurch.org

Fresh Fire Prayer CallEveryday @ 6:30am - 6:40am

Wednesday 12 noon and 8:00pmCall (559)726-1200, use code 240679#

By Cyndi A. Small

Pastor Wiggins’ and Lady Camille’s

During the month of May the ushers will collect gifts and cards for Pastor and Camille

On Sunday, May 25th during each one of the services, Pastor’s Aide will present the gifts to them at the end of each service and there will be a cake/fruit/punch reception in the fellowship hall after each service where people can greet Pastor and Camille after church.

At 7pm on Tuesday, May 13th Pastor Johnson and the Eastern Star Music Ministry will be here for a special service to celebrate Pastor’s birthday/wedding anniversary.

NHC members are encouraged to create video messages of appreciation to Pastor and Camille on their cell phones that will be shown after each service. (See Cyndi Small for more information)

Anniversary Celebration!

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From the Pastor’s Desk

Praise the Lord New Horizons Church Family!

2014 is our Year of Connection and The Lord has BIG plans for us! We are praying and preparing to launch our 12:30pm worship service on Resurrection Sunday, April 20th.

Spirit-filled worship each Sunday begins at 8:30am, 10:30am and 12:30pm. The Lord is leading the launch of the new 12:30pm worship for several reasons:

1. God wants more souls to come to Christ and the church through expanding our ministry.

2. Research of current 20-35 year olds and people in our neighborhood indicated there is a segment of people who want to attend worship early afternoon.

3. The growth in 10:30am worship suggests we need to move to an additional worship time.

4. Expanding ministry creates opportunities for servant leadership and discipleship growth.

What can you do to support this move of God at New Horizons Church?

Pray for God’s presence in all our worship times and especially the 12:30pm worship.

Consider serving in ministry at one of the early worship services and attending12:30pm worship consistently for the next 6 months. You will be planting a seed to ensure a healthy start to the 12:30pm worship.

Be encouraged!

Eric L. Wiggins, Senior Pastor

INSIdE THE ISSuE:

04 Growing in God... Pursuing the Vision

05 Tuesday Teen Lab: A Bible Study for Growing Faith!

06 Keys to a Successful Marriage

08 Pastor Wiggins Goes to Haiti

10 My Tithing Testimony

11 Raising Christian Children

12 College Planning

14 Women’s Fitness

15 New Horizons Church Ministry List

16 What Easter Means to Me

16 What’s Going On...At New Horizons Church

4 Horizons

On Easter 2013, we opened the doors of our newly acquired location to what became

a very welcomed edifice in this neighborhood. With great expectations of how having a new church in this location would be of great benefit to the surrounding neighborhood, Pastor Eric Wiggins welcomed parishioners with a heartfelt greeting. As a church family, we have certainly lived up to those expectations.

Pastor Wiggins states that we’ve experienced a tremendous amount of growth in a lot of areas. “We’ve experienced spiritual growth. We started with having to go to two services. The number of people who have joined our church have not only required us to go to two services, but we’re going to a third service starting this Easter. More people are attending and more kids are joining church. More adults are connecting with Christ in the church. Spiritually, our church has experienced and explosion of growth, which is great!”

Pastor Wiggins expressed that there’s also been discipleship and development growth. “As a result of us having our own building, we’ve been able to launch our own Growing disciples Institute. We’ve had a

number of classes which have taken place in our new classrooms in our building. We’ve also expanded our Power of 12. We’ve signed up over 50 people with four different classes and eight different teachers. Finally, our giving has gone up. We’re raising more money now than we did a year ago and the best is yet to come!”

The church has had a phenomenal impact on the surrounding neighborhood. We received a letter from one of our neighbors thanking us for adding to the economic and real estate value of the neighborhood. The new landscaping and parking lot renovations have made an impact on the properties surrounding the church. We’ve also made monetary contributions to the McKenzie Center, which is located across the street from NHC, as well as the assisted living located behind us.

Being here has not only blessed the members of NHC. It’s made a huge difference just being here in this community. We’ve also been able to develop some new partnerships with other churches within the community, one of those being the Castleton United

Growing In God… Pursuing The Vision

by Cyndi A Small

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T eenagers face tremendous challenges in today’s social climate. The pressures to succeed

academically, socially, and in various athletic and artistic endeavors is higher than ever before. In addition, challenges to their faith are all around them constantly. Teens desperately need to be equipped with solid faith to meet these challenges in high school and beyond.

To combat these challenges, each Tuesday during Victory in the Word, our teens meet for Tuesday Teen Lab. It is a “faith laboratory” where students can ask questions about what they are learning on Sunday and explore how Biblical principals apply to real life in the modern world. Often, teens are familiar with well-known passages of scripture but are at the point where they are questioning what they really mean. Allowing them to ask difficult questions and receive Biblically-based answers from trained teachers strengthens their confidence in the Bible as a source of truth and subsequently grows their faith. We want them to be able to face life’s challenges confidentially with a clear understanding of, and belief in the Word of God.

We invite all teens ages 13 - 17 and their friends or family to join us each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. during Victory in the Word for Tuesday Teen Lab!

By Robin F. Shaw, J.D., M.S.W.

Tuesday Teen Lab:

a bible study for Growing Faith! continued on page 10

Methodist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Frank Beard.

One of our vision points is to “Gather in Fellowship”. Therefore, we will be doing more social events in our new building. We’ll be doing things like more movie nights, the Women’s Summit, Men’s Connection, a health fair and a back-to-school event during the fall. The possibilities are endless! “We want to be a place where people can come and meet God and share in fellowship with each other. That’s what a church family is all about.”

With the church growing at the rate that it has been, Pastor Wiggins stated that we will eventually expand our staff to accommodate the needs of the parishioners. “One of our strategies has been to develop our ministry as the ministry grows and to develop servant leaders and staff to facilitate meeting the needs of our growing congregation. In our first seven years, we’ve tried to keep our staff lean so that we could grow effectively and be good stewards of the resources that we have. However, we do have a very strong need to add staff, certainly in the area of accounting and an office administrator/receptionist. We also have plans to add someone to help us expand the ministries, such as a ministry liaison to

6 Horizons

Christian marriages sadly experience a rate of divorce similar to non-Christian marriages. It hurts my heart to hear about those statistics. It would seem that as Christians we’d be able to have a marriage “til death do us part” like God intended. But according to statistics that only happens about 50% of the time. Why is that? Why do we, who say we are “in the world, but not of the world” experience the same “worldly” results?

SuccessfulMarriage!

KEyS TO A

I don’t claim to have the answer for all couples, but I know a few marriages who are experiencing

what God intends for them in their marriages. I‘ve also noticed some things they have in common. These are the keys to a successful marriages.

The wonderful thing is they aren’t super complex or unattainable things these couples practice. They are simple things they’ve embraced and put in practice as consistently as they can in their marriages. Here are four keys to a successful marriage:

by Jackie Bledsoe, Jr.

6 Horizons

5

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1 Love how Christ loves Christ loved the church so much that He gave his life. He died, and it wasn’t a “natural” death. He was beaten, whipped, and hung. Through His death, He showed us how to be unselfish in our marriages. To love like Christ loves in your marriages means to put your spouse’s needs above your needs, even when it hurts.

3 Accept wise counsel The book of Proverbs provides much counsel on wise counsel, and many warnings to those who ignore it. Successful marriages understand the importance of wise counsel.

Wise counsel isn’t always in the form of marriage counseling. It can be in couples small groups, marriage enrichment classes or retreats, or reading books and blogs from those who’ve had success in their marriage. I’ll paraphrase Proverbs 11:14, “Where there is no guidance, a marriage fails, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”2 Hate what God hates

Malachi 2:16 says, “I hate divorce.” My over-simplified thinking has been, if God hates something, then I hate it too. No explanation needed. However, if we look back to verse 15, He says “Has not the Lord made them one?”

He hates divorce because it is something He made himself, which mirrors the covenant relationship He has with the church. To have a successful marriage treat your marriage like God does -- “one” covenant, which is not to be broken.

4 Schedule your marriage No, your marriage is not a business or a project, but to make it successful you need to be intentional. Scheduling dates, scheduling prayer and fasting together, or scheduling time to just talk can be the difference in your marriage succeeding or failing. When you don’t block out time for your marriage, it is less likely it’ll happen.

Luke 14:28 encourages us to count the cost, to plan in advance, and Proverbs 14:22 says, “those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.” Time with your spouse is “what is good,” and will help you have a successful marriage.

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8 Horizons8 Horizons

❝

HaitiPastor Wiggins goes to

Pastor Wiggins, Pastor Jeffrey Johnson of Eastern Star Church and Pastor darryn

Scheske of Heartland Church, other pastors from the Midwest and East Coast, along with Convoy of Hope, went on a Mission trip to Port-Au-Prince Haiti earlier this year to check on the progress of some of the projects that were started a couple of years ago.

The trip was actually two-fold. One purpose was to check on a warehouse that would store hundreds of days worth of food for Haitian children in the school system that’s supported by the congregations of these respective pastors. Pastor Wiggins states that he is happy to report that the warehouse is fully functional and up and running. It’s a place that when food is sent to Haiti, it goes directly to that warehouse and is distributed from there.

Also, they’re looking to do several new projects with the villages in the future and several of the schools where they sponsor feeding programs.

Pastor Wiggins provided a verbal description of the Haitian culture. “The Haitian culture,

by Cyndi A Small

8 Horizons

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The Haitian culture, I’ve found, is very warm

and loving and they easily embrace us

when we come. The children and families

welcome us with open arms.

I’ve found, is very warm and loving and they easily embrace us when we come. The children and families welcome us with open arms. It’s a culture, that, despite the poverty and tragedy that has hit that country, it’s a culture that’s still full of celebration, full of joy and has a rich history of overcoming the worst conditions and still pressing and—moving forward.” Pastor stated that when they visit the schools the children are singing and praising God. He said the kids are trying to learn and get an education so they can make a better life for themselves and the people around them. “They are a very resilient, very strong, very joyful people.”

When asked about his fondest memory of his most recent trip to Haiti, Pastor Wiggins responded with great enthusiasm about a little boy named Charleston from a village called Turpin, a rural village in the mountains of Haiti. “I met Charleston and he was so full of life. He and I found a way to communicate, even though I didn’t speak very much French and he didn’t speak very much English. He was very funny, very humorous and we developed a bond. We had to go on a walk through some very difficult terrain and farmland up in Turpin.

I got to a place where I couldn’t finish the walk. I had a problem with my knee and I couldn’t finish the walk. Charleston came along aside me and helped me through the difficult terrain. I was about to slip and fall. I was stepping on rocks and here’s this young boy, who only eats probably one meal a day. I’m thinking I’m there to support him and he is literally holding me up and keeping me from falling in this very difficult terrain where my leg is not able to support me. He’s walking me hand-in-hand back to this place so I could get myself on solid footing. The connection that we had there was just a real bond of brotherhood. I was able to share with him my resources that I had in terms of food, but what he shared with me that day, helped remind me that we’re all in this together and even when God sends you to places where you’re going to be the one that gives, He always has a way of showing you that there’s always someone that’ll give back to you. “ Pastor says that he prays for Charleston and his brothers and sisters all the time .

Also, Pastor expressed that, as a church family, NHC is planning to adopt an entire village of about 800 – 1000 kids, along with Eastern Star and New Beginnings. He also stated

that off of $10/month, we can feed hundreds of children. Pastor noted that there’s an effort to make the Haitian residents more self-sufficient in terms of their farming and their education.

Pastor explained why he took this trip to Haiti, but started by reassuring that we do outreach programs here in Indy, such as partnering with “My Brother’s Keeper”, the homeless outreach and other things in the community. We’ve been a blessing to the retirement center behind the church and the school located across.

He expressed that, ironically, Haiti which is located only 90 miles south of the united States, the richest country in the world, is the poorest country in the world. “until you see the conditions that they live in, it’s hard to imagine what they face seven days a week, 24 hours a day. My heart goes out to them and what you love, you give to, so I want to give my time, my talent and my treasure to help God make Haiti a better place.

My TIThIng TesTIMOny

by Mark C. Small

I have not always been a faithful tither. As I look back now, I wish I had listened to my grandmother and the pastors that would talk

about the benefits of tithing. I remember as a child, my grandmother would give me money to put in church, and when they passed the offering basket, if she wasn’t looking I would keep the money. In Malachi 3:8-9 God asks “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.” But you ask, “How are we robbing you?” Jesus says that we rob Him “in tithes and offerings. You are under a curse, your whole nation, because you are robbing me.” It took me a very long time to grasp this concept.

I tithe now because the Bible tells us that we should. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this“, says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” I also tithe because Pastor Wiggins’ teachings on tithing hit home with me, as my wife and I were going through some financial struggles, due to her losing her job and dealing with health problems. It was then I decided that I was going to tithe faithfully no matter what financial hardships come along. Looking back, I know that it was God speaking to me about tithing because I know this was not my decision to tithe with all that was going on at that time. God has been so faithful to my family and has shown me that no matter how bad things are, if you give and continue to give what He will do for you.

During this time, we have still have endured some financial hardships, but God came through for us. He has given my wife a new set of lungs, which saved her life. We have become better stewards of what God is blessing us with, and we have been able to help others. I have learned now that I can’t afford not to tithe. I wish I would have obeyed God’s Word and responded to his instructions on tithing earlier in my life.

10 Horizons

Single Parents Raising Productive Children

assist with our operations staff as we continue to grow.”

Ephesians 2:12 instructs us “to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”. (NIV) Our staff works hard at living up to that command by keeping the cost of running our church low.

Pastor Wiggins would like to express his thanks to all of the church family that was with us at Northview for having confidence in him as a young pastor to lead us, even when we were in a temporary position and lead us to the place where we are now. That took a tremendous amount of faith and confidence in a young, inexperienced pastor. “Thank you to all of our church family who prayed for us, supported us, gave to the ministry so that we could get here. I just want to thank them from the bottom on my heart.”

Pastor Wiggins ends by saying, “I want us to continue to pursue the vision. Getting into the building was just one step in our process, but it was not the completion of our vision. I still see more and more souls saved. I don’t think this location is all that God has for us. I believe he has even broader borders for us to conquer for Him and I’m excited about that!”

Growing In God… Pursuing

The Visioncontinued from page 5

Horizons 11

Raising children to be good, productive, God-fearing youth

and young adults is quite a difficult task in this day and time. With negative influences like drugs, alcohol, gangs and pre-marital sex, we, as parents and grandparents have to be vigilant in encouraging and promoting a prayer life and being great role models in the lives of our children. This mentoring should start at an early age. In our home, we’ve already started with our granddaughters. Even at one and three years old, they are learning to pray before meals and at bedtime. It’s a blessing to see our one-year-old putting her hands up in position to pray before she eats ANYTHING and hearing the three-year-old say her prayers at night.

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, finding the time to spend teaching our children

about Jesus can be difficult. This is especially true for a lot of single-parent households. However, there are some single parents who have made it a priority in taking the time to study the bible with their children and doing a great job at it.

Chris davis and Reechelle Brooks are two of those dedicated parents. They spend time with their children reading, studying and discussing the

bible and talking openly about Jesus. Chris starts out by stating that,

“As a father of young kings, I find that the first (and most important) thing that I can do to instill Christ-like values is to model them. We pray together, serve, and read God’s word together. We regularly discuss the importance of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22,23), the Beatitudes (Matthew 5), the 10 commandments (Exodus 20/deuteronomy 5 [to include the greatest commandments - Matthew 22:37-40]). But, I try to make it fun and interactive...which for boys, is VERY important”.

“I am very intentional about helping them to see how the values I teach them apply to the various areas of their lives and relationships. Because I’m a father of a teen and toddlers, my method is age/development specific but the

message is the same.”Reechelle states that her boys,

Riley and Shaquille, are old enough to read the bible on their own. She says that she’s always instilled in her boys that, when they don’t understand their trials, God’s Word will help them understand them and God’s Word will help them make it through their trials.

Chris says that he certainly shares the bible with his children. “My sons all have vivid imaginations. So, for my youngest superstars, I am very animated. They really love it when I read bible stories to them and I change my voice as the characters change (so that the stories sound like a real conversation). They feed off of my excitement. If they see and sense that I love to read God’s Word, they will too!”

“Now, with my oldest superstar, I take a slightly different approach. I usually give him various passages of scripture to read (usually ones that fit a situation I know he’s working through or a topic relative to his stage of development and maturity). Once he has read it, we have philosophical/theological conversations about his “Ah Ha” moments. He has many of those these days!”

When asked about their prayer life, Reechelle says that as they’ve gotten older, her kids are in the routine of praying on their own. “There have been times that they’ve become discouraged and asked me to pray with them right then and there. That REALLY touches my heart. I’ve always instilled in them the importance of prayer.”

Chris said that his oldest son, Chris Jr., probably thinks he’s always continued on page 15

REECHELLE BROOKS, dEdICATEd PARENT WITH FAMILY

CHRIS dAVIS, dEdICATEd PARENT WITH FAMILY

Single Parents Raising Productive Childrenin a Christian Home

by Cyndi A Small

12 Horizons12 Horizons

Elementary/Middle School�Start discussing the importance of good grades and study habits

now. I can’t tell you how many high school students tell me they don’t know “how” to study or don’t study at all. Unfortunately their grades show it.

�Research different career options for the future. Students this age will change their mind several times, but it’s good to start the conversation.

�Get involved in community and school activities. Colleges will want to know that students have been involved in extracurricular activities.

High School�Know the type of diploma you are receiving and make sure you

are progressing towards that foundation each year. Some Indiana colleges have made the Core 40 with Academic Honors their minimum requirement for admission.

�Align your career goals with your plan for education. You can explore many free career interest tools that can help you focus.

�Do thorough research on at least 5 potential schools. Make sure you find the right fit for you….not your friends. Research location, majors, cost of tuition, room and board, books, parking fees, available scholarships, study abroad programs, etc.

�Go on as many college visits or attend as many college fairs as you can. Make sure to ask lots of questions…it may be your only time to get to talk to a representative face to face.

Two-year, four-year, college or university, in state, out of state,

public, private, HBCU, Ivy League, technical school, apprenticeship…there are so many choices for life after high school and it takes time and a good plan to put all the pieces into place.

High school is a time of exploration and discovery. Around every corner you find out more and more about yourself and opportunities that come ahead. It is critical that students set goals and objectives each year so when their senior year rolls around they will be prepared for the whirlwind, fast-paced, deadline driven process of applying for college. There are so many things students need to know to make the right decision. Many school districts are now starting to talk to middle and in some cases, elementary students about postsecondary plans. Think that’s too early? Think again.

If you have a school-aged child in your home, here is a list of things students and parents can do now to help make the decision making process easier later on:

College Planning…

by Karen Bush

Horizons 13

�Research all types of financial aid. Know the difference between merit or need based aid. Focus on grants and scholarships. There are many scholarship sites out there like Scholarships.com, Cappex.com, and Fastweb.com that will email scholarships directly to you. Make sure you check local clubs, community foundations, churches, sororities and fraternities for scholarships also. Apply for as many as you can. There are also some scholarships you can apply for in your junior year!

�Plan to take the SAT or ACT towards the end of your junior year and again at the beginning of your senior year and know the difference between the two tests. All Indiana schools will take either test score.

�YOUR GRADES REALLY DO MATTER! Students must make sure they are taking the right courses at the right time, taking Advance Placement classes that will prepare you for college, and checking your transcript each year to make sure their GPA is on track.

�Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions!!! Make your counselor your best friend.

Creating a graduation plan is vital to your success. Colleges make admission decisions on you based on your freshman, sophomore and junior years, so it is very important that you start making good grades early because one or two C’s and D’s will bring your GPA down…and

once it is down it is hard to get it back up. Make going to college your priority but remember…..the grades that get you out of high school may not get you into college so study hard!!

Karen Bush, MS Human Resource, MEd Higher Education/Administration Director, College & Career Resource Center & District Graduation Coach MSD Pike Twp. Adjunct Professor, IU School of Education, School of Counseling.

College Planning…

You’ve Got what it takes to Get

into colleGe!

loss. Remember this mantra: when you feel better, you do better.

This is my newest, biggest struggle – how do I change my lifestyle and habit to get more sleep regularly each night? Right now my days are very, very stretched out. I’m up at between 4:30-5:30 AM, home between 8-9 PM, but I want a few hours to myself before bed to eat, catch-up on Scandal or check in with a friend. Well this activity means I’m going to bed at 11 or 12. That’s too late. You have to get your proper rest.

Eating right is a major key to losing weight and getting into great physical condition. Eat more wholesome, lower-fat protein from various sources. For example, organic nonfat milk and yogurt, wild caught seafood, meats and poultry that hormone, antibiotic and preservative free.

The last thing to improve your fitness after weight training, water, sleep and protein… is H.I.I.T. it. do High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT when you do cardiovascular exercise. It’s the most effective and efficient way to burn the most calories in the least amount of time.

How can you get started? I love our church’s 2014 focus - CONNECTION, because I believe it’s in relationship (or connected) to someone that our personal best is achieved. The key is finding the right relationship (ie, support) for the situation you’re dealing with. This can be hard, because it may require courage, practice and cost you something.

It’s January first and you’re all gung-ho about losing that holiday weight and getting into shape. You cut

back on your eating by only going back for seconds and not a third plate and dessert. You get your exercise by window shopping at the mall and walking to the cafeteria at your job. Fast forward five months and you realize you haven’t lost a pound. You’ve actually gained a few. What do you do now? You have to lift things that are heavy!

Lifting heavy objects is the number one way of improving your physical fitness. You might ask, “is five pounds enough?” You need to lift things that are a little heavier than that. Well, actually a lot heavier than that! The number one thing we women can do to improve our physical fitness, health, confidence and bodies is weight train. A proper weight training program calls on you to lift heavy things like 10- and 15-pound dumbbells, a 20-pound kettlebell or your own body, for example when you do squats and push-ups.

After weight training in a reliable program that’s challenging, safe and integrated, women need to drink a lot more water and get more sleep. How much water? About 80-100oz each day. If you’re already doing that much, then drink more! Most women may get in 70oz per day, but that’s not enough. Water is the conduit for all things great that you want for your body – healthy skin, regular digestion, and especially fat loss.

The third thing we need to do is get more sleep. Six to eight hours per day of sleep isn’t just a good idea, it’s critical for your health, mental stability and weight

14 Horizons

Lift Things That Are

Heavyby Rosalyn “Coachroz” Harris

Women’s Fitness:

Horizons 15

neW HoriZons CHUrCH

MinistrY List

It is our prayer that all members join a ministry. Please contact the ministry facilitator or the church office

(317)558-7660 if you are interested in participating in one of the following ministries::

Clear Word Ministries (CD/tape) – This ministry is

responsible for the recording, production, distribution and sale of sermon Cds. Facilitator: Brian Shaw (902-4964) bshaw@shawbizgroup.com

education Ministry – This ministry is responsible for enhancing educational preparedness of all NHC congregants, though the focus is on our youth. Facilitator: Wonda Kimble (919-4018) (mwk2582@aol.com)

evangelism Ministry – This ministry is responsible for training and coordinating events where NHC members can share their faith with individuals who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and those without a church home. Administrative Contact: Da Mica O’Bryant (748-7611) (lavee1970@yahoo.com)

Hospitality Ministry – Facilitator: Robert Gray (496-9355) (rlgray12@yahoo.com)

greeters – Greeters warmly welcome members and visitors, lovingly provide direction to nursery/sanctuary etc, distribute necessary materials, and answer questions.

Ushers – This ministry graciously maintains order and direction as people are entering, exiting and moving about in the sanctuary.

intercessory Prayer – This ministry reaches out to God through prayer to meet the needs of the church and the pastor. Facilitator: Gary & Sharon Naylor (577-0642) (naylorsharon@sbcglobal.net)

in touch Ministry – This ministry reaches out to our church members during illness or death in their family. Facilitator: Lorraine Dodson-Gater (603-4525) (ldodsongater@comcast.net)

Media Ministry – There are three parts to the media ministry: Sound, Setup and Presentation. The media ministry is responsible for the setup, operation and breakdown of all sound/visual equipment for each service. They also assist with instrument setup as needed. In addition, they present the slides that are displayed at each Sunday service. Facilitator of Media: Kendale Adams (339-9391) (k_dadams@outlook.com)

Men’s Ministry – The men’s ministry is designed to support and encourage the men of the church in their walk with God. Facilitator: Lewis Rhone (938-5694) (lew_rho@yahoo.com)

Worship arts Ministry – Our Worship Arts ministry consists of our musicians, Praise Team, Choir, dance, drama and Interpretation ministries. For more information, please contact the church office and ask for Stephanie Leachman (913-3716) (sleachman@easternstarchurch.org)

andrew Ministry (new Member Follow-up team) – Provides biblical direction and personal connection to those who commit to Christ and New Horizons Church. They encourage new members to participate in classes and to grow

Horizons 15

trying to find away to talk about Jesus. “But, more seriously, we regularly dialog about Jesus...why He did what He did, who He did it for, and why we want to be like Him. With that said, I am very intentional about not being legalistic or overbearing with our discussions. I make sure they understand how important Jesus is in our lives but I also try to engineer balance. They know that as much as Daddy is concerned about their relationship with Christ, he is also concerned about their athletic events, their friends, their favorite toys and movies, and all other aspects of their lives. So, for instance, when we are watching the basketball or football game...we are enjoying watching the game!!”

Not only are Reechelle and Chris focused on grooming their children to be outstanding young Christian men, they’re also teaching them lessons in life. In addition to working in NHC’s Children’s Church, Reechelle and her sons also volunteer at the Crisis Center at her job. “I want my kids to know that just as Christ helps us when we’re in need, we are also to help those who are in need. As my kids have gotten older, they understand that we are God’s children and we’re to conduct ourselves as God’s children.” Her youngest son, Riley, plays basketball and her oldest, Shaquille, who’s a senior in high school also has a job. “They’re both learning the responsibilities of being young, Godly adults, learning that no matter how a person comes at you, always remember that you’re a child of God!”

Chris tries to make sure that his boys participate and experience a wide variety of things. “My oldest son is by far the busiest. Being an athlete, he utilizes that platform to positively influence and impact the lives of his friends and classmates. Along with that, he fellowships with a group of his peers as a part of Campus Crusade for Christ (CRu for short). He was also very instrumental in starting a CRu fellowship group at his high school! during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons, he serves needy Indianapolis families in various parts of the city. Most people who know him know that he is the type of young man that would do everything from hold the door, to carry boxes, to escort you to your car if it’s dark. My younger sons are usually tagging right along with Daddy and big brother begging for an opportunity to help!”

In an article by F. A. Sourie Johnson in the Aspire Women of Color Study Bible, she writes, “Listening to God, introducing children to Christ as babies, listening actively to our children and offering parental guidance will enable children to make good decisions throughout their lives. Consistent spiritual nurturing will provide a basis for a godly life and will help our children learn to lean on God for understanding.”

Kudos to both Reechelle and Chris for doing an awesome job with raising respectable, productive, Godly children!

continued on page 16

Single Parents Raising Productive Children in a Christian Home

continued from page 11

16 Horizons

through service in one of the church’s ministries. Facilitators: Glendella Lloyd (985-2031) (glenlloyd2@yahoo.com), Hank Mosley (847-1303) (hmosley@collegenetwork.com).

nursery & Children’s Church – The Nursery & Children’s Church ministries provide a worship and learning environment that inspires young people to pray, to praise, and to accept Christ at an early age. We prepare children for a life-long relationship with God. The Nursery cares for children from 6 weeks – 4 years old and the Children’s Church ministry cares for children from 5 -12 years old.

nursery/PreK—Kindergarten: Karen Bush (409-9115) (kbush4@yahoo.com) 1st—6th grade: Karen Bush (409-9115) (kbush4@yahoo.com) 7th—8th grade: darrell Nickolson (488-9372) (dnickols@iupui.edu)

High school Ministry – This ministry provides a worship and learning environment that inspires teenagers to accept Christ and to grow in Him. It is specifically designed to engage and encourage our teens. Our teens meet every Tuesday at 6:45pm for Teen Prayer and Bible Study. Facilitator: Robin Shaw [(314) 504-9561 ] (robinsfergusonshaw@yahoo.com)

Parking Lot Ministry – Provides help to all members and visitors as they arrive and depart from worship services. They provide directions on parking availability and entry into the building. Facilitator: John Crawford (313-8311) (kj3033@ameritech.net)

security – Provides a safe and secure environment for members and visitors at all worship services. Facilitator: Glenn Sandifer [(765) 621-1273] (sandifer.glenn1@comcast.net)

technology team – Responsible for the church website, and social media presence. Facilitator: Jackie Bledsoe (572-7580) (jbledsoejr@gmail.com)

Wellness Ministry – This ministry provides nutrition and fitness information to our church family. They encourage practices that lead to disease prevention and a healthier temple. Facilitator: Sharon Wade [(574) 276-1729] (wadekaysharon@hotmail.com)

Women’s Ministry – The women’s ministry is designed to support and encourage the women of the church in their walk with God. Facilitator: Charyl Byrd (748-5353) (c.davis13@sbcglobal.net)

neW HoriZons CHUrCH MinistrY Listcontinued from page 15

7315 East 75th StreetIndianapolis, IN 46256

317-558-7660TheNewHorizonsChurch.org

EVENT DATE/TIME LOCATION

Men’s Connection Every Thursday at 6:00am from April 24th - May 29th New Horizons

Women’s Bible Study Saturday, April 26th at 9:00am (light breakfast at 8:30am) New Horizons

Connection Point Fellowship Saturday, April 26th at 9:00am New Horizons

Baptism and Communion Sunday, May 4th at 5pm (Candidates for Baptism check-inat Welcome Center at 4pm)

Eastern Star Church 5805 Cooper Rd/46228

Pastor’s Birthday/Wedding Anniversary Service

Tuesday, May 13th at 7pm

New Horizons

Women’s Ministry Conference Saturday, May 17th 9:00am (light breakfast at 8:30am) New Horizons

Basic Needs Drive Sunday, May 18th New Horizons

Baptism & Communion Sunday, June 1st at 5pm (Candidates for Baptism check-in at Welcome Center at 4pm)

Eastern Star Church 5750 E. 30th St/46218

Connection Point Fellowship Saturday, April 26th at 9:00am New Horizons

Graduate Recognition Sunday, June 15th New Horizons

What’’s Going On... at New Horizons Church!

WHAT EASTER MEANS TO MEby Sis. Phyllis Cotton

Oh what a wonderful truth about the death, burial and the resurrection of our Christ! As an adult, the traditions that surround the Holiday can crowd out the meaning. When I fix my mind on this time of year, I think of Rebirth, making it my experience to Rejoice in the celebration of the King. He has risen, He is not dead, He is with us today. It’s a time of repentance, soul-searching and understanding the resurrection.

A reflection of Jesus being raised from the dead is the evidence I need that, not only was he redeemed from death, but that same power that resurrected my Lord, is the chance for me to have life through Christ. As a Christian believer, my focus is eternal life, to share the story with the unchurched, to tell others about Christ. So during the fellowship time of year, where Sunday dinners are filled with cheer, preparation of Easter baskets, bunnies, and colored eggs and a cute outfit that makes up the day, we teach the young ones to know the real meaning of who Christ is in every way.

This piece of exhortation to you I share is:

THE SUFFERING CHRIST WAS BRUISED, BEATEN AND NAILED TO THE CROSS

FOR ALL MANKIND AT SUCH A HUGE COSTPERSECUTED, CRUCIFIED THEN LAID TO REST

BUT THE STORY ENDS ALL AT ITS BESTA CROWN OF THORNS THAT PIERCED HIS HEAD

EXPRESSION OF SADNESS AS HE HUNG THERE AND BLEDTAKEN DOWN AND LAID IN THE GRAVE

DEATH DID NOT HOLD HIM DOWNHE GOT UP AND ROSE AGAIN

HE IS OUR REDEEMER, OUR SAVIOR, OUR KING, AND LORD ALMIGHTY