Abraham Lincoln said it: “We must plan for the future, because people who stay in the present will remain in the past.” These words of Lincoln have been in the forefront of my mind for some time now.
Many years ago—2001 to be exact—I drove overnight to the suburbs of Atlanta to visit my parents. Upon arriving, I walked into the house and was greeted by a strange sight. The kitchen table was filled with financial documents and spreadsheets of my parents’ assets. I had never seen them before. Such topics were never discussed in my parents’ home; they were taboo. But here was the data, out in the open.
My father said, “Doug, I’ve got something to show you,” and he sat me down. To say that I wanted him to cut to the chase was an understatement. After spending eleven hours in the car, my interest in my parents’ financials was tepid at best. However, as I was about to excuse myself, my father looked me in the eye and said, “There’s only one thing that remains a concern for me, and that’s your mother’s well-being. Suppose the Lord calls me home, what will happen to her here in this house? I’ve found a retirement community about an hour and a half from here and I’d like you to see it.” I said, “Let’s go.” And with that, the three of us were off, headed to Gainesville, Georgia, to the place they would live out the remaining years of their lives.
Over the past two years I’ve had similar questions about Hebron and its future. Perhaps it’s the frequency of questions like, “When are we going to hire an Assistant Pastor?” and “Are we ever going to improve the Barclay Building?” Or, maybe it’s the fact that some of the current ministry team at Hebron are getting a little long in the tooth, especially me! The truth is that all of these elements began to converge in the past two years, prompting me to act.
For the last eighteen months, the elders, staff, and I have been hard at work developing a multi-year plan of ministry for Hebron that we are now ready to discuss with you in some detail. This plan was mentioned at our congregational meeting in the Fall of last year; now we are ready to provide far more specifics. This plan sets out an eight and a half year timeline on which capital expansion, staffing, and new ministry initiatives are all undertaken.
In an attempt to reach more of you, this congregational gathering is scheduled for Friday, May 5, at 6:30 pm in the Barclay Building. An array of wonderful desserts from Oakmont Bakery and other fine kitchens will be provided for all. Children are welcome! To help us plan, please let us know that you are coming. Register online at hebrononline.org, email hebronchurch@yahoo.com, or call the church office.
Please make every effort to join us for an exciting presentation of where the Lord may take us in the coming years.
