Pastor’s Pen

I have a few miscellaneous things to write about in this week’s Pastor’s Pen.   So here goes…   My family and I enjoyed a great time in Chattanooga this past weekend. My oldest son, Andrew, proposed to his girlfriend Christina…

This morning I read from one of my favorite Psalms- Psalm 103. It begins with these familiar words, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul,…

“Blowing a gasket.” “Lost his cool.” “She freaked out.” These are all euphemisms for getting angry. What is it that causes you to get angry? I find our 7 month old beagle puppy, Sophie, to be a great resource for…

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1 (ESV)   Jesus wants us to pray and not give up. The parable of the persistent widow that is…

David Murray, professor at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, authors one of my favorite blogs.  The following article was really helpful and I wanted to share it.  You can read the original post HERE if you like. Re-ignite Bible Reading That’s…

If you’ve been attending HLPC for any length of time you have been exposed to a catechism. For many Protestant evangelicals, the catechism strikes them as a Roman Catholic practice. This is unfortunate, as dismissing the catechism is to dismiss…

After literally years of off and on discussion, the Session of HLPC has decided to move to weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper. This was announced during this past week’s School of Discipleship as we concluded our three week study…

  I want to express my sincere thanks for those of you who prayed for the Elders’ retreat that took place this past weekend. It was a time of reflection on who we are, where we are, and where we…

We must be careful to thank God when He responds to our needs! One such response from His gracious hand is financial blessing. Early in the year we had a giving downturn. The elders and deacons made the congregation aware…

  We value our children. That’s an understatement. I hope you gather that we value children at HLPC. We often refer to them as “covenant children.” Why do we do that? We understand that God has always related to His…

Coming This Fall: Kids’ Quest! Paul Bankson   As has been mentioned here before our plans for Wednesday nights this fall are to provide a fun way to encourage the kids of HLPC to grow stronger roots in the gospel.…

One thing I enjoy using the Pastor’s Pen for is to pass on recommended resources. I have enjoyed reading and studying Tim Keller’s Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God in preparation for the Wednesday night study. It’s been very…