RED ALERT!

Five years ago we launched the concept of Hallelujah Night (a Christian alternative to Halloween) at HPC. I remember being ecstatic that 8 to 10 cars showed up to participate. So much so, that I decided it was a horrible idea and we should not ever attempt to schedule it again! Thankfully, Junior Holmes (R.I.P.) persuaded me to give it another try because he believed it had the potential to someday effectively reach our community.

Now in its fifth year the crowds at Hallulejah Night have become staggering! During this year's October 31st weekend we actually saw overflow crowds show up for trunks full of treats, hayrides, hot dog and marshmallow roasts and fellowship! I must admit, however, that I struggled to enjoy the night because I was perplexed by a barage of concerns. My biggest concern--for those of you who saw me literally running from one side of the property to the other while handling our traffic jam--was where are we going to put all of these people?

I remember, during one of my laps around the building to communicate to our parking staff new directions, literally thinking to myself, "This is a RED ALERT situation!" Later that night the Holy Spirit solidified that thought with a resounding confirmation that it was time to finally launch the vision the Leadership Team had been holding for several weeks. As a result, with butterflies in my stomach I walked to the pulpit Sunday AM and tearfully shared with you a God-inspired vision to stick a shovel in the ground and prepare a threshing floor with RED ALERT fervancy.

A threshing floor is a place where the harvest is processed. In spiritual terms it is a place where converts are made into disciples. Every week hundreds of people come to 3515 West Hwy. 80 and gather on a hillside (nestled between a cow pasture and a hay field, I might add) to engage in vibrant worship and be discipled by uncompromised preaching from a real-life perspective. The end result of this supernatural phenomenon is that our current facilities are maxed out!

We are currently offering 3 Sunday services. Each of these gatherings is above 80% attendance in regards to sanctuary capacity. (KidLaunch is actually well beyond 80% as children are literally overflowing out of their seats and into the floor!) We are considering the possibility of offering a fourth weekend service either on Sundays @ 12:30pm or Saturdays @ 5pm but this will not effectively or efficiently serve as a long-term fix.

We have a RED ALERT! situation in regards to processing the harvest! Therefore a new threshing floor is required. The vision God has given us is to break ground on Easter Sunday 2009 for a sanctuary about three times the size of the one we presently have.

We are currently waiting on the architects, contractors, engineers and state building inspectors to give us final approval regarding what we can and can not do on our property and budget. This process will take about six months to work through, so in the interim we are inviting all who would like to join themselves to this RED ALERT! vision to financially give as the Holy Spirit leads.

We have currently received $60,000 in pledges to be received between now and Easter. The HPC family needs to raise $100,000 (above regular tithes and offerings) in this time-period so we are well on our way and I sincerely appreciate your sacrificial faithfulness. I ask you to keep in mind as we move forward that we are not asking anyone to give everything but we are presenting the opportunity for everyone to give something...


Ex 25:1-2, 8
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. 8 And let them make me a sanctuary... KJV