FEBRUARY-MARCH 2012

What We’re Studying:

February:

Christ the Center

19th—Center of My Belief

26th—Center of My Life

March-May:

Foundations For Life

What’s Happening

at the Heights

Sundays at 9:30AM- Connection Group!

Sundays at 10:50AM- Morning Worship Book of Mark w/Pastor Miller Sundays at 6:00PM- Embracing our Christian Foundation Mondays at 6:30PM- Beth Moore Bible Study: Book of James Wednesdays at 6:00PM- Prayer and Bible Study

The Heights Adult 2 Connection Group

NEWSLETTER

What wouldn’t you be willing to do for someone who loved you enough to die for you? Wow! Think about that for a minute. First of all, who in your circle of family and friends would truly be willing to die for you? I would like to believe that if it came down to it, I would die to save the life of a member of my family and even a very few dear friends. But I’m not sure…. be-cause, thankfully, I have not been faced with that deci-sion. I think about those who have so unselfishly donated their kidneys, livers, etc. or have donated the organs of loved ones who have died, so that others may live.

I still remember a news story from 2010. It stuck with me in such a way that I have followed it through the months following. Chad Arnold, 38, married father of two, had a liver that was failing quickly. Chad had something called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), cause unknown. There is no cure.

A transplant became his only chance for survival. Chad hoped to wait for a cadaver transplant. But at any given time, close to 16,000 patients nationwide await a liver transplant, while only about 4,500 cadaver livers be-come available each year.

His best option was a living-donor transplant, a rare pro-cedure in which a segment of the liver is taken from a healthy donor and transplanted into the ailing recipient. In just weeks, both the old liver and the transplanted liver regenerate and grow back to a normal size, providing long-term, regular function for both donor and patient. Doctors found that Chad’s 34 year old brother, Ryan, also married and a father of 3, was a perfect match and Ryan was determined to donate 2/3’s of his healthy liver to his brother Chad. The surgery was successful for both broth-ers and the entire family was elated, expressing their gratitude to God. But then something went terribly wrong, and 4 days later, Ryan died. He had quite literally given his life for his brother. Continued on next page

ADULT 2 LEADERSHIP TEAM: Kathy Kellar (Director & Prayer Coordinator) Cynthia Hickey (Teacher) Brenda Morris (Care Group Leader & Records) Bob Kellar (Outreach Coordinator)

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 FEBRUARY 16, 2012

Continued from page 1

Chad faced some very diffi-cult days, weeks and months, and still does. However, his faith in God and his personal relation-ship with Jesus Christ en-ables him to continue on. When he was told that his brother was brain dead, he got up from his hospital bed and went to say goodbye. He promised Ryan he would go on, that he would live fully, that he would “live for both of us.” I encourage you to read some of the entries in his blog “Come Too Far” at http://cometoofar.com/#. The following is a quote from his February 2011 en-try—”Sometimes, when I feel most guilty, I picture Ryan watching me. I can almost hear him saying, ‘Enough Chad. Get up. You can do this.” It’s time to honor him. You can argue that I already have, but I disagree. I’ve been wallowing, and that’s no life.

Yes, good has come from this blog. But there has to be more redemption to this story, and I know that this gift came at too high a price for too many for this to be it.

So if a high price has been paid, then I have to assume a high expectation is placed on my gift. You might think that’s audacious for me to say. Eh.

I’m off to a pretty good start, but there’s much more that I need to do. I don’t know what that means. I know pieces of it, but The Thing still eludes me.

God, don’t let me miss it. You’ve brought me through much. You’ve refined a coarse soul and honed my sensitivity to what matters to You most. I know You’ll continue to shape this life of clay, but show me what now. Surely You didn’t bring me through this to sim-ply exist. No one was created simply to subsist. Now that I’m looking forward, help me see what It is.”

Now I ask you again, what wouldn’t you be willing to do for Someone who loved you enough to die for you? It’s not enough for us to simply subsist. God has a purpose and a plan for each of us.

If you have never been to our Connection Group or if it has been a while, I encour-age you to make the effort to get up an hour early and join us as we look at:

Christ: The Center of My Belief (Colossians 2:8-23)

In Christ’s Love,

Cynthia Hickey The Heights Adult 2 Connection Group.

HeightsAdult2@gmail.com Cynthia Hickey

camellady@hotmail.com

Save the Date! Sunday, Feb. 19th— Class Breakfast begins at 9:15AM Join us!

Sunday, Mar. 11th— Daylight Savings Time Breakfast Spring FORWARD, don’t be late!

Friday, Mar. 16th— Super Spud Supper at 6:30PM Everybody bring your favorite baked potato toppings to share and enjoy a “St. Paddy Day” Themed Party at 6002 Sheffield Dr (home of Cynthia Hickey)

Sunday, April 8th— Easter Breakfast begins at 9:15AM

Friday, April 20th— Celebrate Creation Party at 6:30PM Location : to be announced

Sunday, May 13th— Mother’s Day Breakfast

Friday, May 17th— Fiesta Party at 6:30PM (with the Adult 3 & 4 Connection groups) Location: Our Classroom

Set your clocks AHEAD one hour before going to bed on March 10th!