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Operation Christmas Child (2021)

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In 2020, even during a pandemic, Haven Baptist Church donated 130 Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts. That’s 130 children who had the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

Even more, it is estimated that for each box that is distributed, up to 10 people will learn of Christ through the witness of children who hear the gospel at a distribution as well as the through the booklet, The Greatest Gift, that each child receives in their own language. Imagine that - up to 1,300 people have heard of Jesus’ love because of the boxes donated by Haven last year!

Our church’s goal for 2021 is 150 shoeboxes. There are several ways you can help.

First, pack a shoebox. Preprinted boxes are available in the foyer. Take one - or several- after deciding to pack for a boy or girl and their age range, prayerfully shop for that child. The brochure in each box indicates what cannot be included in a shoebox gift.

If you desire to know the country where your box is going, log on to Shoebox Label Options (samaritanspurse.org) , provide the $9 per box donation for shipping and print a label to attach to your box.

As in years past, the “Give an Item/Get an Item” chest in the foyer near the fellowship hall is available for your extra items or to pick up items to complete your boxes.

All packed shoeboxes are due back at Haven by November 14, when we will celebrate what God has done.

Another option is to Build a Shoe Box Online (BASBO). For $25 (which includes $9 for shipping) you can log on directly to Haven’s Shoebox Builder and customize items you wish to include in your box. Shoeboxes donated through this site will be counted toward the total raised by Haven.

While we can’t all go to the mission field, we can all be missionaries through Operation Christmas Child. The message of the shoebox is, “God loves you and Jesus died for you.” Won’t you be a part of sharing God’s love all over the world?

Letter From Pastor Andrew (September 2021)

Hello Haven family,

It’s hard to believe we’re already heading into the fall season. So much has happened over the summer. I’d like to begin by saying, thank you. Thank you for serving, thank you for praying, thank you for your patience and understanding as we’ve been navigating another very different year. 

It has been an emotional and spiritual roller coaster with Covid seeming to dissipate, then its return with the Delta Variant. It has been a roller coaster and we’ve all been on it, grieving it, praying through it, and praying for the many affected by it. It has been challenging, but may we take heart and not seek to walk through these days on our own. God is still God. Jesus is still King. The gospel has not been shaken nor will we cease to proclaim it. 

Take heart and remember Christ’s words from the Gospel of John, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Let’s keep trusting our Lord and keep pressing on with the good news of the gospel. 

And that we have! This past summer, we were able to join together in a number of ways for discipleship, worship, and mission for the sake of His kingdom. In June, we were able to go to Nashville, TN to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. Later in June and in the beginning of July, we had a children’s and youth night of worship, where we had a great time worshipping together and learning about how God alone is to be worshipped. 

Also in July, we had a family game night, we were able to go to Crossings Camp in Baghdad, KY, and set aside a day to clean and provide some much-needed TLC at Haven. In August, our Montana Mission Team went out to share the gospel and encourage those at Pablo Baptist Church and the surrounding community. To add to all of this, on August 15th, we fully reopened Haven and began new times for Sunday school and the worship service.  

All this to say, these last few months have been a whirlwind of service. Thank you for serving and for all of your hard work. You have been amazing! Why did we do all of this? We didn’t do it to fill our church calendar, we did it because we love Christ, gladly desire to serve Him, and want to see many become disciples of our Lord. That’s our heart. 

I know these days have been trying and confusing, but press on church. Let’s keep trusting Him, let’s keep praying, let’s keep aiming at community, let’s keep seeking to share Christ. Let’s keep aiming at glorifying our great God! 

From Meagan and I both, we also want to say thank you to everyone who helped us as we moved. You are such a blessing! Know this, we love and appreciate you church. 

So, as we go into these fall months, may the Lord work in our hearts, work in our lives, and work in our church for the sake of His great name. 

In Christ, 

Pastor Andrew

Letter From Pastor Andrew (December 2020)

Hello Haven family,

In light of this past year, I think it’s fitting to begin this letter with the words of the psalmist, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!” (Ps 103:1). These words are so counter-intuitive to 2020, yet how appropriate they are for the saints to embrace, even for us to preach to ourselves. 

It’s amazing that we’re already coming to the end of 2020. I could relay to you all of the challenges we’ve faced this year with the pandemic and everything else, but I’m not going to do that. We have had a good, albeit challenging year. 

Just consider all the ways God has worked in you and at Haven since this year began. I have personally seen member after member shine the love of Christ again and again to one another. It has been wonderful to see week-after-week people so selflessly serve. The worship team (Dennis, Faith, Jared, Kalifa, Ryan, and Yohance) has done an incredible job even as they have had to adjust to virtual services, COVID, and everything else. Moreover, Faith put together an outstanding Christmas Program with Dennis, Francie, Jared, Kalifa, Kristie, and Ryan pointing us towards Christ this Christmas.

Also, Jared Meyer and Jared Reeves (Red) tirelessly worked to develop our livestream services, with Red designing and building a sound booth so we can better our in-person and online services. Every month, the deacons have met, served our members, and helped me consider a number of challenging questions on wise ways to proceed through this difficult time. Every other week since June, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee (David, Kristie, Morris, and Tim) carefully and thoughtfully worked through your thoughts and suggestions in order to update this important document. 

I could go on. You have given to members in need, prayed and prayed some more, Francie organized Operation Christmas Child such that more boxes were made and sent off than the previous year, and Ellen took it upon herself to make nearly 3000 masks for the community at-large. 

All this and still I haven’t mentioned how the Lord has been working in your life and mine, growing us, changing us, and conforming us in all these things to be more like Christ. I’m sure if you were to write how the Lord has impacted you over this past year, you also would be able to tell all that the Lord has done in you.  

Saints, let’s bless the Lord together for what He has done. Let’s resolve, even in the midst of a difficult year, not to give Satan a foothold, not to look away from Christ, but to set our minds on things above ever still. 

On a personal note, I know Meagan and I both are deeply grateful for each of you. When we were knocked down with Meagan in the hospital, you so kindly came beside us and helped us, encouraged us, and showed us the love of Christ. Thank you. 

So, I know it has been a tough year, I’ve felt that too, but let’s continue on into the new year together for the sake of the gospel. Let’s fight the good fight of the faith, shine the light of Christ, show the world our unrelenting love for one another in the Lord, and be peacemakers and peace-proclaimers. 

I love each of you and I hope you have a happy New Year.

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew

Letter from Pastor Andrew (August 2020)

Dear brothers and sisters at Haven,

I know I’ve said this many times, but I am so grateful to be your pastor. It is such a privilege to serve you. It has been so good over these last few months talking with many of you, hearing how you’re doing, and being able to pray with and for you. I know this year hasn’t gone as any of us would have planned, but it has gone exactly as God has planned. 

In the midst of all of the challenges of this year, we know that we have a God who cares for and loves His children deeply. Have we not seen this again and again as we’ve been studying the Gospel of John? It has truly been a delight for me to be able to preach through the Gospel of John this year. It has challenged me, corrected me, and has caused my heart to overflow with delight in my Savior. I hope it has blessed you as much as it has me.

Even though this year has been strange, there are many reasons we have to praise God for all He has done. This past month (July) our deacons diligently helped a regular attender at our church with food, moving, and cleaning their apartment. This month, upon agreeing to our facility use and cleaning agreement, Lifeline Screening used our facilities and provided a number of screenings for people in the area. As of a few weeks ago, one of our members has made more than 1700 masks (and counting!) for people to use in the area.

Along with this, Haven did something it has never done before. Church-wide, we had our first electronic and mail-in secret ballot voting, which many of you participated in wonderfully. First, you approved Tim Quaife as a new deacon for the upcoming year. Second, you approved the sound booth and camera construction and installation to better our in-person and online services. I just want to say, I commend you for your flexibility during this time and for your willingness to adjust to doing things a bit differently than we normally would. 

Let us praise God together for the good things He is doing at Haven! All this makes me overjoyed and thankful all the more for each of you. The year isn’t over yet, so let me urge you, contrary to what you may be hearing from the world, don’t waste the rest of this year. Use the remainder of 2020 to making much of and to glorify our great God. You now have 18 weeks left until this year is over. What will you do with it? How will you share Christ? How will you seek to reach your one with the good news? 

Haven, let’s keep loving and exalting our great God and let us continue to do so together for the sake of the gospel. I love each of you and I’m praying the Lord will uphold you and keep you. 

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew

Letter From Pastor Andrew (June 2020)

Dear brothers and sisters at Haven,

We are now two weeks into the initial phase of reopening Haven. I want to personally thank you for graciously and kindly following the guidelines we’ve put in place at Haven for this initial reopening. I’ve enjoyed these past two weeks, seeing more of you join us during our Sunday services and I am so appreciative of everyone who has stepped up to serve during this time. 

What a whirlwind these last few months have been. As I write, I have a mixture of emotions, from a deep gratefulness and thankfulness at being your pastor to a heart full of brokenness and grief over the condition of our nation and world. Like you, I’ve watched the confusion and the turmoil and unrest and sheer lostness of our nation grow greater week by week.

I am truly thankful that our hope is not in the fading hopes and transitory efforts of our world to fix the sin and brokenness that we see all around us. For those who know Christ, we are part of a kingdom that truly cannot be shaken. As we grieve, pray, seek justice, correct oppression, and unabashedly proclaim Christ, may we not lose heart or hope. 

I want to ask all of you to continue to pray for one another, for our nation, and that many may be reached for Christ this year. We began the year asking the question, “Who is your one?” I want to set this question before us again. The year isn’t over yet and there is still much gospel work to be done. The fields are still white for harvest and may Christ’s church arise to the task.  

Also, as we seek to walk wisely through this time of social distancing, I want to say, our home groups have been such a blessing to me personally. From what I’ve heard from others, they have been a blessing to all who have been able to attend as well.

If you haven’t availed yourself of this opportunity, I want to encourage you to consider making home group a regular part of your week. It has been such a sweet time of fellowship, an opportunity to pray for one another, and to consider how to get God’s word into our lives. Along with this, I don’t think it would be too far to say, God has forged some strong bonds between those who have attended during these especially difficult times.  

If you’re interested in attending, please feel free to contact me, I’d love to help you find one that works for you. Currently, we have three groups and I know whatever group you attend would be delighted to have you. 

So, as we press on into a year that has certainly challenged every one of us, let us press on as disciples of Christ making disciples for Christ as a body united in Christ. I love each of you and am praying for you as we together seek His face.

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew

Reopening Haven - Sunday, June 14

Hello everyone,

I’m glad to say that this Sunday, June 14th we will be having the initial reopening of Haven. I am sincerely looking forward to it. I hope many of you were able to watch the video from this last Wednesday (June 3). If not, you can here. Yesterday (June 10), we made another video to provide for you a walkthrough of what Sunday will look like as well. You can watch that here.

Also, here are the guidelines in written form for our reopening Sunday, along with some additional points:

  • We ask that everyone wear a mask. If you don’t have a mask, we will have some at the church to give you.

  • We ask that you use the restroom before coming. However, if you need to use the restroom while attending, you are certainly welcome to (one person in a restroom at a time please). 

  • No contact greetings.

  • Ensure 6 ft between individuals or family units of the same household during the service (the ushers will assist with this).

  • Keep three seats between you and those of a family unit.

  • Those who are high risk are encouraged to live stream.

  • No loitering before or after the service.

  • Worship leaders will not be wearing a mask while leading the service, but while they're not leading they will be wearing their masks (including me).

  • There will be no childcare or Sunday School classes available meeting on campus for this initial reopening.

  • There will be no in-person Wednesday night service for this initial reopening (we will still be doing the livestream at 6:30pm).

  • If you wish to have the sermon notes for Sunday, you’re welcome to print them out or view them from our website here (we will not be handing out anything for the service aside from a mask if you need one). 

One last thing. This Sunday we will be moving our Zoom Sunday School meetings to 9:20-10:20am in order to allow those who plan on attending time to drive to the church. 

If you have questions about any of this, please feel free to contact me. I’d be glad to talk with you.

I praise God that we can at last begin the process of reopening Haven. If you plan on attending Haven Sunday, Lord willing, I’ll see you then. 

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew

 

Letter From Pastor Andrew (April 2020)

Dear brothers and sisters at Haven,

In the midst of these odd and challenging days, I can’t help but begin by saying just how much I miss each of you. Each Sunday I drive to church and prepare for the service knowing that most of you won’t be there.

It is certainly appropriate for us not to gather for a time as we are doing now, but Sunday by Sunday reiterates just how grateful I am for the regular, physical gathering of believers. What a joy it will be to be able to gather together again to worship Christ through the fellowship, the singing, the giving, the public reading of God’s word, and the proclamation of God’s word.

Yet, even in the midst of this brief momentary challenge, each week I’m delighted to hear how many of you are serving one another during this time with your calls, texts, emails, prayers, and meeting one another’s needs. Just this past week, I heard how one of our members has been making masks and giving them away to others. What a great way to minister to one another during this time!

Along with this, over this past month Jared Meyer has led the livestreaming efforts at Haven. He and Jared Reeves have made them better with each week. Wyn also has helped ensure the sermon audio has been recorded. The worship team – Dennis, Jared, Faith, Kalifa, and Yohance – have done an incredible job. They come early to practice and sing and play to the Lord even in the midst of an empty sanctuary. Tim has faithfully ensured the church finances are in order and the bills have been paid. The list goes on.

Even in these times, you did not fail to think of others, giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and I am confident we will or have already met our goal for this year. Again, I can’t say how thankful I am to be your pastor and I am overflowing with gratefulness for each of you. In all this, I thank and praise God.

As our virtual gatherings and meetings continue for the time being, let me encourage you to avail yourself of the opportunities to use Zoom for our Sunday School and Home Group meetings and not to miss out on our study through the Sermon on the Mount on Wednesday nights.

I love you all and I am praying for you during this time. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew

Haven's Schedule In Response to COVID-19

For the common good, until further notice Haven’s schedule will be as follows:

  • Sundays

    • Worship Service begins at 11:00am through Facebook Live. Sermon fill in the blanks may be accessed here. You can listen to or watch past sermons under “Sermons” on our website.

    • Home Group meetings will be held virtually in the evenings. If you would like more information about home groups and how to get involved in one, please feel free to contact Pastor Andrew. The Home Group questions are accessible here.

  • Wednesdays

    • Bible Study and Prayer begins at 6:30pm through Facebook Live. You can watch past Wednesday Bible studies by clicking here.

A Haven Update Regarding Church Services

Hello Haven family,

As you all know, COVID-19 has caused many schools, employers, and churches to consider and even reconsider how to respond in light of this virus. In my previous email, I said that we at Haven were going to be doing a number of things in order to ensure we could gather together this Sunday. However, over these past few days, things have changed. President Trump has declared this virus a national emergency. Alabama has had its first case of coronavirus and now has 6 confirmed cases, including one in Limestone County. As Christians, we certainly don’t and must not look at all this and panic. We know God is still in control and He is still working out all of His good plans for His glory. 

Yet, at the same time, like Nehemiah in Nehemiah 4:9, we must trust God and act, we must look to Him by faith and walk in Spirit-led wisdom and discretion. In view of this we will be doing a few things over these next few weeks:

  1. First, after much thought and prayer, we will cancel all of our services and actives at our church Sunday and for the rest of the week as well. We do this out of deep concern and love for you and for our neighbor. We certainly do not want to see anyone get sick from this virus or worse. 

  2. Second, each Thursday, we will revisit whether or not to hold our services for the next week as we assess new information and updates regarding the virus.

  3. Third, I will still preach on Sunday mornings and my sermon will be streamed live (a link on this website under “Resources” will be provided soon). Along with this, we will have the audio of the sermon available as per usual on our website.

  4. Fourth, I will be sending out an email to Haven members on some ways you can maximize your time of family worship with a time of prayer, songs, and hearing the word preached. Along with this, I will make the home group questions available on our website under the tab “Resources."

In all this, I want you all to know I’ve been praying for you and will continue to. I am deeply thankful for and love each of you. I would encourage you also, be praying for your fellow brothers and sisters at Haven. Pray for the lost around us. Pray for those affected by this virus. Pray that this virus would be halted and would soon be squelched. 

Also, if any of you need anything, if you get sick, or anything else, please let me know. I, along with the deacons, want to serve you and minister to you in any way we can. Again, I love each of you and let us resolve together to trust Him and act. May we keep sharing Christ and keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Andrew

Letter from Pastor Andrew (February 2020)

Dear brothers and sisters at Haven,

Can you believe it, we’re already a month into 2020? As I look back over 2019, I stand in awe at how the Lord worked, encouraged my own family, and has joined us with you at Haven. I can say with all sincerity, I am deeply grateful for each of you. You have made it a joy to be your pastor.

As this year is already fully under way, there is much to be excited about. So far, the home groups are back into full swing, we celebrated one of our dear member John Cooley’s 90th birthday, we had two baby showers, Dennis Rumbley headed up organizing a safety initiative for Haven, and I set forth my vision for 2020.

Along with all of this, we have many good things to look forward to in the coming months. Two sweet couples will be having their first child in March, we’ll be joining Buck Run Baptist Church in Pigeon Forge, TN for their annual marriage retreat, and we’ll be having numerous opportunities to share the gospel.

At the heart of our aim for 2020 is this question: who will be one person you will seek to reach for Christ this year? As a church, let’s make the great commission our mission in 2020. In view of all of this and more, will you join me in praying for Haven? Will you join me in praying that the Lord will work in each of our hearts, in Madison and Huntsville, and beyond? I’m looking forward to this year and seeing what the Lord will do. Let us press on into this year together for the sake of His name.

In Christ,
Pastor Andrew