Pastor's Pen

Dear HLPC family, At our recent Sunday evening prayer gathering for Ukraine, we looked at Jesus’ healing of the blind beggar recorded in Luke 18:35-43.  As I mentioned that night, I was struck that Jesus would ask the beggar what…

“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7 The Soul 2 Soul service project is…

Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue…

Dear HLPC family, As I mentioned in an earlier Pastor’s Pen, Holly Kirkpatrick was our most recent Nursery Coordinator.  She served graciously and willingly in a time of need for our church, and we thank her for her ministry.  I…

Dear HLPC family, There are so many things that we should be praying about right now.  The situation in Ukraine is before us.  Our missionaries, Bob and Andrea Burnham, are there and they are concerned, not only for their own…

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night. (Psalm 92:1-2) (ESV) Dear HLPC family, I wanted to…

Dear HLPC, Sadly, in a fallen world, there will always be various forms of hardship and suffering.  Physical, relational, financial, emotional—every kind of trial is a sad reality.  HLPC is not immune to a wide range of suffering and pain. …

Dear HLPC family, This Friday and Saturday the Central Georgia Presbytery, of which we are a member church, will meet at First Presbyterian Church of Macon.  I thought I’d review, again, what this meeting is and keep you all up…

Dear HLPC family, Three important notes I’d like to make this morning: I have very much enjoyed having Clif & Julie Wilcox come alongside us here at HLPC the past year.  Clif as been involved in ministry, preaching, and assisting…

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 Dear HLPC family, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a…

Dear HLPC family, For a number of years HLPC musicians have come together at Christmas to provide for us a night of celebration through music. These evenings have always been a tremendous blessing to the whole church.  This past Sunday…

Dear HLPC family, We are well underway into the Advent season here at HLPC.  I hope you are making plans to join us this Sunday night at 6:30PM as our Sanctuary and Bell choirs present “God So Loved the World.” …

Dear HLPC family,             Connie and I have a copy of Sinclair Ferguson’s recently released book entitled The Dawn of Redeeming Grace: A Daily Advent Devotional.  In the introduction Ferguson writes: “Today’s children are not the first to think that…

Hello HLPC! My name is Zach Hood, I am the new Pastoral Intern for Student Ministries, and I am very excited to be serving alongside you all here at Houston Lake Presbyterian Church. We have only been here for a…

Dear HLPC family, Once again you have encouraged Connie and me tremendously by remembering Pastor Appreciation Month.  The words “thank you” don’t seem to be enough to express how we felt about this past Sunday.  We are very grateful for…

Dear HLPC family, John Newton is perhaps best known as the author of the great hymn, “Amazing Grace.”  Fortunately, Newton gifted the Church with many more hymns.  In fact, Newton, along with William Cowper, who also wrote some great hymns,…

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every…

Dear HLPC family, The past two weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind for Connie and me.  We spent a week of vacation followed by a weekend away for a family wedding in Ft. Lauderdale, in which I had…

Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not!”  (Isaiah 35:3-4a) Dear HLPC family, I read these words this morning. They encouraged me so I pass them…

Dear HLPC family, I was born in 1963 so I have very little recollection of the 60’s outside of typical childhood memories.  Those were difficult days as our nation came to grips with civil rights, the Cold War with its…

Dear HLPC family, I’m thrilled to announce that we can officially welcome to our church staff, Zach and Olivia Hood, along with their son, Coleman.  Zach’s official position will be as Pastoral Intern for Student Ministry.  He will be working…

Dear HLPC family, If you were unable to attend the seminar taught this past Sunday night by Brett Barbee of Strong Tower Fellowship, I urge you to take the time to watch the video you can find HERE.  The title…

I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things. Isaiah 45:7 Dear HLPC family, With Connie out of town this past weekend I indulged in watching a movie…

Dear HLPC family, Some thoughts on youth and youth ministry this Wednesday: Please keep praying for our youth and youth leaders who are at the Reformed Youth Movement (RYM) Conference in Panama City Beach, FL.   HLPC is well represented not…

Dear HLPC Family, As I mentioned on Sunday, Pastor Paul and I returned after attending the forty-eighth meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America.  It was the largest gathering of commissioners in our church’s history—partly attributed…

Dear HLPC family, Next week, June 28 through July 2, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) General Assembly will meet in St. Louis, Missouri.  The General Assembly is our annual denominational gathering.  Last year due to COVID the General Assembly…

Dear HLPC family, I want to offer one last word of thanks to all who worked at our Vacation Bible School last week.  I believe God answered our prayers for a great week.  We saw great participation from every age…

Dear HLPC family, The past year was hard on so many–especially our children–as they faced isolation and confusion in the light of COVID.  I’m so glad we were able to put together VBS for 2021.  No, it’s not quite the…

Dear HLPC family, One of my favorite verses to encourage my own prayer life is Psalm 62:8, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (ESV).   We are…

Dear HLPC family, This past Sunday, during our Adult School of Discipleship, many of us watched and discussed a video produced by the ministry, Christianity Explored.  If you were unable to join us, I highly encourage you to watch the…

Dear HLPC family, Yesterday I attended a meeting of Central Georgia Presbytery at Northgate Presbyterian Church in Albany.  What’s a Presbytery?  Presbyterians believe in being connectional.  We believe that as a church we are connected to other churches and even…

Dear HLPC family, This Lord’s Day we will continue our sermon series in the book of Hebrews and will be considering chapter 13, verse 4 which reads: Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be…

Dear HLPC family, I have really enjoyed my daily readings in Jewels from John Newton: Daily Readings from the Works of John Newton.  Connie gave it to me for Christmas.  Newton, as you know, is the author of the hymn…

Dear HLPC family, Last Sunday we heard from missionaries Russell & Amanda Jeffares who were here along with their two boys sharing about their call to assist in church planting in Ireland.  Along with many of you, I was struck…

Dear HLPC family, For weeks we have been asking the church family to pray for our Easter worship and weather, and God abundantly supplied!  We had a great day with near perfect weather and joyful worship.  I want to thank…

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain  and your faith is in vain. I Corinthians 15:14 (ESV) Dear HLPC family, Whenever we consider the resurrection at Easter this is perhaps the first verse that…

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 (ESV) Dear HLPC family,             On Friday mornings at 7:30AM a gr0up…

Dear HLPC family, I’ve heard great things from this past Sunday.  Kirby Moore, our chairman of the Deacons, shared some encouraging words and the HLPC bell choir served us well. In addition, Clif Wilcox preached an excellent sermon from Lamentations. …

Dear HLPC family, Last night the officers of HLPC met for the monthly meeting that occurs the first Tuesday of every month.  As is our custom, the Elders and Deacons met jointly and, after a brief devotional and prayer, heard…

This Sunday we will have the joy and privilege of ordaining and installing our newest Deacon, Jed Jessup, during morning worship.  These are special times in the life of a church and remind us of the blessing of being a…

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. Psalm 107:43 Dear HLPC family, Wisdom, we learn from Psalm 107, is found in considering the “steadfast love of the Lord.”  This means…

Pastor’s Pen from Clif Wilcox HLPC Family, Julie and I count it a privilege to worship and serve among you.  We have actually felt very much a part of HLPC for well over a decade!  Aside from the fact Julie…

Dear HLPC family, Tonight, we will wrap up our study on the doctrine of salvation–what we call “Soteriology.”  In particular, we have looked at the Ordo Saludis which is Latin for “the Order of Salvation.”  This has been a study…

Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble, I call upon you, for you answer me. Psalm 86:6-7 Dear HLPC family, What I continually love about the Psalms is…

Dear HLPC family, This morning I was encouraged yet again by Matthew 14:22-33.  It’s the story of Jesus walking on the storm-raged waters of the Sea of Galilee as He made his way out to His disciples.  They had been…

Dear HLPC family, Last night the officers of HLPC, the Elders and the Deacons, met via Zoom.  I wanted to share two highlights of that meeting: The Lord has sustained our church financially during the pandemic and we give HIM…

Dear HLPC family, This morning I woke up very early and couldn’t get back to sleep.  I’m sure it was the combined stress and concern with COVID in our community and at home, along with the direction of our country…

Dear HLPC family, For many of us 2020 has been one of the most challenging years in a long time.  We have faced COVID-19, lockdowns, racial tension, economic downturn, a contentious election followed by even more controversy that lingers today. …

For their sake He remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. Psalm 106:45 (ESV) Dear HLPC family, Psalm 106 recounts for us the ways in which God has blessed and provided for His people.  …