RH Life Fall 2013 by Steve Horton

ROLLING HILLS COMMUNITY CHURCH P.O. Box 681147 • Franklin, TN 37068-1147 • www.rollinghillscommunity.org Return Service Requested.

RH LIFE ROLLING

HILLS

COMMUNITY

CHURCH

FALL 2013

FRANKLIN

FEST P. 3

SMALL

GROUPS P. 8-9

WAYS TO

SERVE P. 12

JMI

UPDATE

P. 14 AND 15

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Contents

Letter from Jeff

Sara Ezell Benefit Concert............3 Franklin Fest...................................3 Welcome Nate Ragan ................3 Family Ministry...............................4 Preschool Ministry..........................5 Kids Ministry...................................6 Student Ministry.............................7 Adult Ministry.................................8 Worship One Serve One...............9 Ways to Serve................................9 Local Missions.............................10 National Missions........................11 JMI welcomes Mary Katharine Hunt..................12 JMI Missions Updates..................13 Mom to Mom..............................14 dot.Mom Conference................14 Luminous.....................................14 Celebrate Recovery....................15 Communitas...............................15

This is such a great time of the year to get involved and connected in what God is doing here at Rolling Hills. We are launching a brand new sermon series on Sunday Mornings as well as all new Small Groups, there is a place for everyone to be learning and growing in your personal relationship with God. This is the time of year to make spiritual growth a priority. Preschool, Children, Student and Adult Ministry provide places for us to connect with one another and to grow deeper in our own walk with Christ. In addition, to this weekly commitment to spiritual growth, I encourage you to seize opportunities like Franklin Fest and Grace Based Parenting Conference to invite family members, neighbors and coworkers to be a part of what God is doing here at Rolling Hills. This is such a great season of ministry! So many lives are being impacted for Christ both here as well as throughout this world. I recently returned from being with our mission team in Moldova, and wow, God is truly using His church here to impact hundreds of precious orphans half-way around the world. This takes all of us working together - people going, people praying, people giving and God moving. Our call as Christ-followers is to make a difference for Christ here and around the world. In fact, Ephesians 2:10 says, "We are God's workmanship (masterpiece) created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." From Moldova, Brazil, South Africa to needs in our own community with Saturday Serve and Franklin Estates to serving with children and students at our own church every Sunday Morning, God desires to use each of us as a part of His greater story. We are called to make a difference for the Kingdom of God, and this takes all of us giving, praying, going and God blessing! As we begin a new church year, let's make a commitment to re-order our lives around His plans and purposes. Let's make Christ the priority of our life and watch God do in us as well as through us for His glory. Let's pray for God to do what only He can do! You see, we only have one shot at life. - one chance, one opportunity. Let's invest in what matters. As disciples of Christ, let's make the most of our time. Let's continue to "reach out, grow up, and give all" for the glory of our great God! Friends, I love and appreciate each of you. We are truly on an amazing journey together. May our God find us faithful in giving our best for His glory! Blessings on you and your family today!

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Celebrate Recovery By Mark S. I’ve been a believer in Jesus Christ for 30 years, but there are parts of my CR MEETS EVERY MONDAY NIGHT IN THE life I didn’t know how to turn over to Him until I began attending Celebrate BACKSTAGE 7-9 Recovery 4 years ago. In my youth I was sexually molested three times before age 17. I thought it had to be my fault. For me, toxic shame and unhealthy BBQ DINNER STARTS AT 6 thinking took root. I grew up in a home setting where everything appeared perfect and so this wasn’t something I thought could ever be discussed. I FREE CHILDCARE AVAILABLE carried my secret and the baggage that accumulated for years. My focus became projecting an image of perfection - instead of dealing with issues For more information email in my life. My toxic shame meant that I believed I was 100% flawed and cr@rollinghillscommunity.org therefore must be 100% responsible for everything that wasn’t perfect in Follow @rhccCR on Twitter! my life, work and marriage. That led me to addictive behaviors – a sort of self medication that was far from the healing I needed. The first time I saw Celebrate Recovery’s list of 30 to 40 issues, addictions and habits, that were common to the group I knew that I had finally found a place I where could be real. One of the great benefits I’ve received from working this program is seeing that we are all unique in our challenges …it’s amazing how God speaks to my issues by hearing other believers work through theirs – talk about the power of authenticity! God is replacing my defects of character and conforming me to the likeness of Jesus. Toxic shame used to rule my thoughts - so I kept them hidden within me. The real freedom I’ve found is that things really aren’t so scary after you step into the light with them. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to step into the light with your secrets.

By Matt Huitt “Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the destitute. Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and the needy.” Those words are in Proverbs 31. It isn’t often a person gets to so directly take up this call to action, but on May 18, the Rolling Hills Communitas class got to do just that. For Communitas, the poor and needy we are to defend are the Roma people in the Czech Republic. The history of the Roma is long and varied, they have been moved from place to place, country to country and they are a people who have maintained their identity through all their fierce trials and obstacles. In many ways it makes me think of our journey as believers, how this world is not our home and how we long for a home, for Christ to bring all things to completion. Until then, like the Roma, we are sojourners, in the world but not of it. While there, our team acted as support staff for two full time missionaries living in Prague. Our work focused on church planting, leadership development, discipleship, and cross cultural ministry. But much more than that, we answered a call to bring hope to a people that have forgotten what hope is. Hope is not found in political systems or other people, but in Christ alone. And hope is not reserved for the oppressed halfway around the world in the Czech Republic, but for each of us who have lost our way right here in middle Tennessee. Our prayer for the friends we made in the Czech Republic and those here at home is the same as Paul’s was when he wrote to the Romans, “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

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SARA EZELL Benefit Concert

Have a new baby? A preschooler or schoolage child? Or perhaps a middle schooler or teen who is causing you to question your ability to parent? Or maybe the most important, you just want to connect with other moms. Then Mom to Mom is for you! Mom to Mom is a safe place for moms to share the joys and frustrations of motherhood and explore the purposes and promises God gives us as parents.

MOM TO MOM BEGINS SEPTEMBER 10 and meets Tuesday Mornings (9:30-11:30) or Tuesday evenings (6:30 - 8 pm) at the church. For more information contact Saundria Keck at skeck@comcast.net

Worship Arts Luminous “Spirit of God, breathe. Breathe on me now. Open your mouth and speak the word that heals this broken ground.” -The Brilliance Although the accents were varied and the backgrounds diverse, all who gathered to partake in Eucharist at Luminous this May felt the unity that can be experienced when a group comes together in gratefulness for Jesus. There was a time for confession, followed by silence and reflection. People came to the table individually, but left strengthened by unity in Christ. There was a comforting awareness that we were not alone. There were people who had become fast friends over the course of a week as well as people who joined last minute from a twitter invitation, and the community was rich, deeply moving, and beautiful. Luminous is an annual retreat that, although only three days long, leaves impressions that continue to be felt long afterwards. There are workshops for creatives and panels for philosophers, but there is also a good word for the curious and liberation for the meditative. Community and friendship is initiated with table discussions and social media, but they find their depth through shared musical experiences and speakers. This year many found solace and encouragement in the implication of these words spoken by Ian Cron, “The way to honor beauty (or beautiful moments) is not to talk about it, but to offer silence (to reflect fully)”. Just as in the Eucharist so much beauty was found in many different and diverse elements joining together, many times our lives are full of innumerable diverse circumstances and components, yet we fail to reflect fully on the beauty they present to us. We often feel as though we need to explain everything until it fits in a neat, tidy, and linear outline; we fail to embrace the mystery that our bigger-than-we-can-comprehend God invites us to experience on a daily basis. We want to explain when sometimes we only need to say “thank you”. We are aware of the spiritual journey we are on, but we often do not know how to respond to the beauty around us and within our situations. Luminous not only prompts people to explore this (among other things), but it also provides the space we both physically and mentally need to do so. As followers of Christ, we have many shared experiences, and since it is important that we examine our spiritual formation in order to continue growing, why not grow and advance together? We may all have different people, places, and things, but they are all still just people, places, and things. We’ve all been given unique opportunities to grow and glorify. As we pondered at Luminous, we’ve all been given certain terms—a unique life with unique experiences and unique challenges—so then what invitation is God giving us to leverage those lives for his glory? Hold your spot for Luminous 2014 (May 6-8, 2014) by visiting lumonousproject.com. 14 rh Newsletter Fall 2013 spreads.indd 3

On April 18, many from Rolling Hills gathered to show love and support for Sara Ezell. As Jeff said, sometimes we find it easier to travel the world to help others, but this night was an awesome opportunity to help someone right here in our church family. Many attended the concert and demonstrated their love for Sara, but the emphasis that Sara has on those around her extends far beyond one night of music and fun. Xavier Jarnagin, who celebrated his third birthday could not attend Sarah’s concert. Consequently he (and his parents of course) asked all his friends who came to his birthday party to make donations to Sara in lieu of bringing Xavier a toy. Even though toys are exciting for most three-year-olds, Sara’s loving heart and sweet spirit has permeated so deeply into her surroundings, even the littlest of her friends want to return some of the love she’s shown them. “There are moments in life we have encounters with God that we just can’t explain in words. We just don’t have the right vocabulary. The concert for Sara was one of those times for me and Jason. It was beautiful, moving, exciting, wonderful...that still doesn’t quite describe it. To see the hand of God moving among all of you that were there (and the prayers of you that couldn’t be there), THAT was amazing! You gave so generously, so incredibly generously. Sara won’t have to worry about a mortgage payment in the future. Thank you just seems shallow, but it’s all I can say. Thanks to Sara’s community of brothers and sisters in Christ that have walked faithfully with her and responded to a calling to do something for her. That’s about as Christ-like as you can get. From all of us Ezell’s, we are a grateful family for all of you!” - Chase and Jason Ezell

Welcome Aboard NATE

RAGAN

Rolling Hills is excited to welcome Nate Ragan (officially) to our staff as Worship Arts Programming Director. We say “officially” because Nate has played such a huge role behind the scenes as a volunteer and part-time assistant since the days when we were gathering in the Marriott nearly nine years ago. Nate is among the top visual worship leaders in the country and has been shaping worship experiences using visual media for the past decade; both locally, as a volunteer at RHCC, and internationally, as a production director and teacher at conferences. We truly are blessed to have Nate, his wife Audrey, and their daughter Dagny Elise as part of our church family here at Rolling Hills.

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FAMILY MINISTRY

Promotion Sunday It’s time once again for Promotion Sunday, where school age children graduate to brand new classes and small groups at Rolling Hills. This is one of our biggest, most exciting Sundays of the year. Here are a few things you should know…

• P arents of preschoolers: check the RH Preschool Blog starting August 1 for updates about new Studio assignments for children birth through pre-K.

• P arents of elementary kiddos: check the RH Kids Blog starting August 1 for info about kids ministry worship and grade based small groups.

• P arents of middle and high school students: check the Student Ministry Blog starting August 1 for up-to-date info about Sunday mornings for 6th-12th graders beginning August 11.

Here’s a Family Ministry Challenge for the new school year. Treat August 11 like January 1. Make a school year resolution. The pattern of consistent involvement you set for your preschoolers will follow them through high school into adulthood. The environments created here for grade school kids target boys and girls and their spiritual development in a way that the adult gathering does not. Regular involvement in student ministry has proven results for kids leaving home and entering adulthood. The purpose of the Family Ministry is to partner with parents at each stage of childhood, birth through senior year, to see kids come to know and follow Jesus, and by driving them here and driving them to be part of the discipleship programs for their age group, you are taking a very active step in the growth of your children. You’re making an investment that will yield for generations. If there is any way that we can partner with you and your family, contact us. We are happy to serve you and work with you at this most important calling in your life. Anna Townsend, Interim Preschool Minister anna@rollinghillscommunity.org Nic Allen, Family/Children’s Pastor nic@rollinghillscommunity.org Chase Baker, Student Pastor chase@rollinghillscommunity.org

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RHCC Young

Families Social @ Fieldstone Farms August 18

JOIN US SUNDAY AUGUST 18 FROM 3:30 - 5:00PM at the Fieldstone Farms pavilion/

playground. Since we are all in the busy season of life with kids come enjoy some time making new friends, seeing old friends, and connecting further! Bring your kids, bring yourself, and we will see you there!

BUT WHAT IS A YOUNG FAMILY? Well if you yourself are still young or you have younger kids, or are pregnant/ in the process of adopting then you are a young family, and even if you aren’t we would still love to have you! Invite your friends too!

AMAZON TRIP June 2013

JMI has been involved in ministry along the Amazon River for several years now. In 2013 God threw open the door to an even deeper commitment to the Amazon region when JMI inherited the John Paculabo Center and a large hammock boat named The Discovery. Now we are in the process of forming a Brazilian nonprofit organization called Justice & Mercy Amazon. Our work in Brazil centers on educating, equipping, encouraging and caring for the river people (ribeirinhos) in the Amazonas region. Our trip in June consisted of visiting 10 villages located within reasonable traveling distance from our Center on the Rio Negro, a tributary of the mighty Amazon. The team did a thorough needs assessment in each village, shared the Gospel and did VBS style activities with the children we met along the way. God is at work in this area of the world and is calling JMI and RHCC to join Him there. Pray for JMI as we seek to discern all the specific programs and work God is leading us to do in this region in the upcoming year.

MOLDOVA July 2013

In July, Rolling Hills took two mission teams back to Moldova, this country that we love. Moldova is the poorest and smallest country in the former Soviet Union. This year marked our 10th anniversary of work in the state-run orphanages. Now, through JMI (Justice & Mercy International), the non-profit we started five years ago in order to expand our work in Moldova and other places around the world, we now have work in 11 different orphanages, two Transitional Living Homes, a full-time Staff of seven Moldovan nationals (including a social worker, psychologist and national director) and more than 300 orphans being sponsored by people in our church and beyond. God has truly blessed and lives are being transformed for His glory on a daily basis. We are seeing vulnerable children susceptible to human trafficking and organized crime, now having a hope and a future. Being involved for 10 years, we have seen God do an incredible work! Orphan children who we met some of those first years are now going back into the orphanages with us as our translators as well as sharing their testimonies of God's goodness and grace. Thank you to all who have invested in the lives of these children. You are truly raising up a new generation in this country. Praise be to our great God for allowing us to see so many lives changed!

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PRESCHOOL MINISTRY

Anna Townsend

Named new Preschool Minister

Join us in welcoming

Mary Katharine Hunt to JMI’s Team as Executive Director of Operations! On January 21st of 2013, JMI’s ministry effectively doubled in a single day! That was the day that John Paculabo, the founder of Kingsway Records and the principle fundraiser for much of the ministry along the Amazon in Brazil, conveyed a riverboat, a community center, staff members he was funding and the annual proceeds of Kingsway Trust in the U.K. to Justice and Mercy International. Along with those assets, some significant church partners will also begin to work directly through our organization. The effect of this change could be likened to taking all we have accomplished in Moldova in six years and multiplying it by two overnight. With almost no notice due to John’s fatal bout with cancer, that kind of sudden growth can be overwhelming. In order to absorb this unprecedented development, God led us immediately to one person with impeccable credentials, proven leadership and mission experience in both Moldova and Brazil: Mary Katharine Hunt of Nashville, Tennessee. Mary Katharine, or “MK” as her friends refer to her, comes to us with 20 years invested in the ministry of LifeWay Christian Resources. Most recently she served as the Vice President of Marketing for B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay. Mary Katharine has a heart for missions and a passion for advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. Over the years, MK has volunteered for and led many mission trips to Mexico, Moldova and Brazil. She was one of the first partners at the beginning of Rolling Hills Community Church, and she served on the inaugural Board of Directors for Justice and Mercy International in 2008. Hunt, a native of Tennessee, is a graduate of The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She also attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Mary Katharine will join Steve Davis on JMI’s executive team, assuming the position of Executive Director of Operations for JMI. She will serve the primary leadership role for missions in Brazil, though her responsibilities and skill sets will span the entire scope of JMI’s international activities. “I am thrilled beyond words to have Mary Katharine join me in taking JMI to the next level of service,” says Davis, whose role now becomes more specialized as Executive Director of Program Development. “I have known and served with Mary Katharine for 10 years in Moldova and never imagined we would be so fortunate as to have someone with her considerable expertise and experience in both our primary service countries on our leadership team.” The addition of Mary Katharine Hunt is only one of several amazing things that God is orchestrating around his Kingdom in Brazil. We will be excited to share many more with you in the coming days. Mary Katharine assumes her role with JMI on a full-time basis beginning June 1st and can be contacted at mkhunt@justiceandmercy.org.

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Rolling Hills is excited to welcome Anna as our new Preschool Minister! Having served as the Preschool Ministry intern for more than a year, Anna is the perfect fit to join our Family Ministry team. Anna will join Nic and Chase on our Family Ministry team and looks forward to working closely with parents and volunteers as we continue growing our preschool ministry. “The past year has been amazing getting to know the staff team, volunteers and parents of our preschoolers,” said Anna. “I can’t wait to see how God will continue growing this ministry and am humbled at this opportunity to be part of something so special.”

Upcoming Preschool Events FAMILY DEDICATION • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 AT 3PM

If you are interested in being part of our next Family Dedication or would like more information, please attend the Family Dedication Class on Sunday, September 8 from 9:30-10:45am or contact Anna Townsend (anna@rollinghillscommunity.org)

Tea Party With Friends By Anna Townsend Saturday, May 4th was nothing shy of a really fun tea party complete with tea party hats made of bowls and tissue paper flowers along with picture frames for our Moms! Yummy breakfast food made by wonderful moms who volunteered their time and princess music playing in the background were some of the highlights! As I surveyed the crowd and had a moment to take in the smiling faces of the precious preschool girls all dressed in their tea party best, I saw girls from the student ministry loving on them and making the preschoolers feel like they were princesses! It is such an incredible joy and responsibility to teach others how to serve one another! The student girls, moms and preschoolers all created a beautiful picture of discipleship and serving one another! So sweet! Jenn Schaedel, student ministry intern, summed up our morning, “It was such a perfect opportunity for some of our students to get a chance to live out and be the role models the preschoolers see them as! They really do have a chance to make an impact on the people around them, and this was a great way for them to experience and live it.”

ROLLING HILLS

Learning Center @ the WareHouse

Where Kids

Giggle,

Wiggle and Grow REGISTER TODAY FOR FALL 2013 SCHOOL YEAR. Find out more at www.rollinghillscommunity.org or contact Nic Allen at nic@rollinghillscommunity.org.

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KIDS MINISTRY

Sunday Morning

Kids Ministry Buddies:

A Great Way to Serve When school starts back in August, Rolling Hills will debut a brand new kids ministry team: Sunday Morning Kids Ministry Buddies. If you haven’t noticed, we are growing! All of our preschool studios and elementary classes have continued to grow exponentially since we moved to the WareHouse nearly four years ago. We are always so excited when a new family chooses to call RHCC home, giving us the chance to partner with them in the spiritual formation of their children. We have a growing number of children with special needs and learning differences. We are so excited that these families have entrusted us with the care and discipleship of their kids too. Our team believes in complete integration. In order to help children with special needs and learning differences gain the most from our ministry environments, we want them to be fully integrated into their age and stage of kid’s ministry. We are recruiting buddies to participate in their Sunday morning experiences with them. If you are interested in being a Sunday Morning Kids Ministry Buddy, here is some helpful information you need to know:

• Buddies will serve each Sunday at either the 9:30am or 11am service (what a great way to worship an hour and serve an hour!

• Buddies will be assigned one specific child or classroom in either the preschool ministry (Studio 6-9; ages 2 through Pre-K) or the elementary ministry (grades K-5)

• Buddies don’t have to prepare the lesson, just participate in all aspects of the Sunday morning ministry environment with their buddy. • Buddies will engage in ministry training exercises hosted by the Rolling Hills Family Ministry Team and Child Life Specialists. They will also build a relationship with the child’s parents to ensure the best ministry environment for the child. • Buddies will serve a one year commitment from August 11, 2013 through August of 2014 but can renew each year for a legacy of special needs ministry.

If you are not serving or are serving but would like to explore this new opportunity, please contact Family/Children’s Pastor Nic Allen or Connections Minister Laura Chapman today. 6 rh Newsletter Fall 2013 spreads.indd 6

NATIONAL MISSIONS

Upcoming

Kids Ministry Events KINDERGARTEN "STEP-UP" PARTY – Sunday, August 18 from 4-7pm FORK KICK-OFF NIGHT - Wednesday, August 21 from 6-7:30pm KIDS MOVIE NIGHT – Friday, September 6 from 6-8pm (movie TBD) FAMILY WORSHIP NIGHT – Wednesday, October 23 from 6-7:30pm HOUSETACULAR – Thursday, October 31 from 5:30-7:30pm (be on the lookout for more details coming soon!)

CentriKid Recap

New Orleans Mission Trip Participation Brings Perspective WHAT WAS YOUR EXPECTATION GOING INTO THE NEW ORLEANS TRIP? MARK: My expectation was to do missions work with my family. I wanted to serve side-by-side and have my boys see there is a world outside of Franklin, TN. JULIE: I wanted to see environments we had not been in before. LUKE: I expected to get along better as a family, and I think it worked.

WHAT MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU WHILE YOU WERE ON THE TRIP? MARK: For me, doing the seemingly little things that were such a blessing to others and so greatly appreciated.

If a picture really is worth a thousand words, that still isn’t a drop in the bucket of everything camp is and was this year. Here are a few highlights: • K ids learned what it means for God’s presence to be with us. • H ow the God of this vast universe sent his powerful presence to lead people out of Egypt through cloud and fire. • H ow God’s only Son Jesus came into the world to save it. • H ow the Holy Spirit of God dwells within the life of every believer to comfort, convict, and guide us on God’s right path. It was a fantastic week of great growth, messy fun, and awesome stories. Several of our kids mentioned that they would like to begin having daily devotions and reading their Bible on their own at home. How awesome is that! Several have recognized the need to become a Christ follower and several others mentioned baptism as their next step of faith. Could I be any more excited? No way. This was a great week. I’ll call it full. I can’t wait to see how God continues to grow these great kids of His!

JULIE: When I think back over the NOLA trip I can’t help but smile at the “big prayers” Pastor James Welch from Harbor church requested of our group. The most memorable thing I did was praying over an apartment building in the part of town Pastor James wanted to “add to the flock” and even weeks later right back here at Rolling Hills church I found myself led to pray again over those apartments. Those unseen faces are the people of NOLA getting sent love letters from God. LUKE: Serving homeless people. It made me realize how good I have it.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES TO GET INVOLVED IN TRIPS LIKE THIS ONE? MARK: It’s important because it sparks conversations and gives you a shared experience. It lets you see how others, like the homeless people we met, made a wrong turn or bad choice or two that led them to where they are. For us it was important because it helped us to discuss the importance of right choices with our boys, but it is also important to serve because it makes it nearly impossible to judge other people if you are ministering to them. This trip not only strengthened us a family, but even the small things we did, like prayer walking, really deepened my spiritual walk. Every year during Spring Break, RHCC takes a trip down to New Orleans to work alongside Harbor Community Church, a church faithfully reaching out into an extremely diverse and unique city. People on this trip cooked dinner for families at the Ronald McDonald house, made friends in nursing homes, served at a homeless shelter, and loved on a city that looked very different from the one they came from. If you want to introduce your family to a trip that encourages growth, email Jason@rollinghillscommunity.com or check the website for information about the Fall Break trip to Kentucky.

Motorcycles for Missions Earlier this year JMI hosted its first F.A.I.T.H. Rider Rally at the WareHouse. This unique collaboration began when Buddy Newsome, the founder of F.A.I.T.H. Riders, accepted our invitation to visit Moldova a little over a year ago. God blessed us with the first truly beautiful day of spring and 97 Riders were treated to lunch and an extensive presentation of our work in Moldova, including musical entertainment by Hapour (a Youth band featuring our very own Tori Steunbrink) and Jennifer Akers’ beautiful rendition of “The Prayer”, videos testifying to God’s saving work among Moldova’s orphans, and testimonies from Jason Cruise, Buddy and myself. After lunch, the Riders went on a three hour tour of the Natchez Trace. Since the Rally, we have received several promises to sponsor children and Buddy Newsome’s request to make this an annual event. Buddy is also advocating for us to reprise the program for his groups in Oklahoma this fall! One rider, a grandmother who was not a F.A.I.T.H. Rider but participated nonetheless, was so moved by the experience she is encouraging her 15 grandchildren and children to all collaborate to sponsor a child. In addition, she shared the orphans’ story with a friend who wrote her a $2,000 check on the spot to support our work! This rally was truly a community collaboration, and thanks to many volunteers, JMI was able to advocate and share about our work among orphaned and acutely vulnerable children. If your business would like to team with JMI to make a difference in our world, please contact Steve Davis (steve@justiceandmercy.org) for partnership opportunities.

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STUDENT MINISTRY

LOCAL MISSIONS

The Church

left the building Sunday, May 26 was oddly quiet around the WareHouse as the church literally left the building. More than 500 volunteers traveled to 20 different locations throughout the community as we put into practice the simple act of serving our neighbors. From house and yard work to litter pickup, painting a school, doing crafts with the elderly, and everything in between, our church made a genuine impact in the community. If there was one theme that ran through the morning it was this: today is about showing others the love of Christ, not about us. When you make this your focus, others notice. A Fox 17 news team was even on site to do a story about the day and our unique approach to loving out the Gospel. This is evidence to the power of loving others through serving. When a church stops talking and acts, great things happen, and we certainly saw God move in amazing ways this day. We would like to extend gratitude to all of the amazing volunteers who made our first The Church Has Left The Building such an great day. It was hot and a step outside the norm, but you made an impact and it was noticed by those you served and by many others. Be on the lookout in the summer of 2014 as plans are already underway to build on the momentum from this incredible event. Another way Rolling Hills gets out into the community is through Saturday Serve. There are always a variety of service opportunities and all ages are welcome. Keep an eye out in the worship guide or on the Web site for the next Saturday Serve opportunity and contact Jason Hale for more information.

Franklin Estates

Path Project

by Molly, Lucy, and Lily Britto “A few months ago, on a Sunday morning at church, I read about the Path Project, a ministry that provides tutoring to children in the Franklin Estates neighborhood. Our family had been talking about helping in the community, but had been too “busy” to find something. After reading about the Path Project, we realized it would be the perfect ministry for our girls (Lucy, 13 and Lily, 10). They were excited and wanted to go check it out. Honestly, we were nervous at first, and thought it would be intimidating, but wow, we were so surprised to find sweet, amazing kids that just needed extra homework help. Now, the Path Project is one of our favorite things to do during the week. We simply show up on Tuesday at 4, sit at a table, and wait for the kids to arrive with their backpacks, ready to work. We have built some great relationships with the kids and are always greeted with hugs and big smiles. In my heart, I know that we are helping these kids, but I also know that my own girls are getting so much, too. They are learning responsibility, compassion, and how to simply love a stranger in need.” Ministry at Path Project has some exciting news on the horizon as we work to solidify our footprint in Franklin Estates by refurbishing an abandoned building on the property and making it our Path Project hub. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of this project and in the meantime, sign up to serve weekly during the after school programming, Tuesday’s from 4-6pm.

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FUGE On June 25 nearly 100 students and adult leaders boarded a charter bus for Panama City Beach and Fuge Camp 2013. This five-day experience was full of worship, service, fellowship and fun as our Students grew deeper in their relationships with God and others. This was a special time where students reflected on how each of them were made in the unique image of Christ and how their individual skills and talents were gifts from God to be used for His glory. Our students connected with one another and our amazing leaders, gaining momentum throughout the trip that we will build on as we enter the fall semester of school and exciting ministry!

Students on Mission in

ATLANTA By Lucy Britto - 7th grader

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15. This means we must go out in the world to spread God’s word and be his hands and feet. On the 2013 mission trip to Atlanta, a group of us helped in a mobile home park. We helped with the program “Path Project”. This program helps kids educationally and also builds relationships. We got to do many cool things like helping kids with school work, helping around the neighborhood, Easter egg hunts, and even throwing a block party! I learned so much throughout this whole experience by pushing myself to do new things. We also got to share God’s love to other people. It was an amazing experience and I can’t wait for my next mission trip! In addition to this amazing middle school mission trip, our high school students had a great experience in D.C. from June 1-8 as well. For stories and photos from their trip, visit the RHCC Students Facebook page. Also, be sure to follow @rhccstudents on Twitter and check the blog on our Web site for updates.

Programming Changes this Fall Student Leads Out in Serving

We have some changes coming our way this fall in the Student Ministry. Beginning in August we will lead the charge on Worship One / Serve One as high school students receive training during the 11am service to begin serving in late August - early September. This is a shift that we believe will help our high school students activate their faith, preparing them for college and understanding they play a significant role as part of the local church body and the universal body of believers. We will host high school small groups at the warehouse starting with a banquet style dinner at 5pm. These series-based groups will happen every Sunday night beginning September 8. Middle school students (6-8th grade) will meet for small groups during the 11am hour in the backstage. This programming is geared specifically for middle school students as we look to build on their time in Kids Ministry and prepare them for high school. Our hope is that our students will continue to understand core Biblical truths, so that they can begin to own their faith and live it out in their daily lives.

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ADULT MINISTRY

Fall Small

Groups

WORSHIP

You don’t want to miss Connection Point: Small Groups on Sunday, August 18. This is your chance to sign up for one of the more than 50 groups already formed over Middle TN, with more coming together weekly! As God continues bringing people to Rolling Hills, Small Groups are an essential tool we use for creating close-knit community amongst our people. Fall Small Groups will run Sept. 8 - Nov. 30 (12 Weeks)

Wednesday Nights

This fall we’re offering classes on Wednesday night at The WareHouse. These classes will run for 12 weeks and be held at RHCC from 6:30pm 8pm. Confirmed topics are:

• T he Narrative of Scripture (Chronological Journey Through the Scriptures…The Pentateuch) Taught by William Guice

• Financial Freedom

• Missional Living

• More options coming soon!

Financial

Peace

Coming this Fall, Rolling Hills Community Church will be hosting Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU)! If you're interested in paying off debt, saving money, and meeting some great accountability partners along the way, this is the class for you. FPU is a nine week course that will give you a plan for your money. It teaches God's ways of handling money. Through video teaching, class discussions and interactive small group activities, FPU presents biblical, practical steps to get from where you are to where you've dreamed you could be. This plan will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more! Over the last year the two Rolling Hills hosted classes, comprised of 21 families, managed to pay off over $43,000 debt while also saving over $58,000 in only 9 weeks! The fall class start date will be released soon, but if you have any questions in the mean time, please feel free to contact Kyle Hunter at kylestevenhunter@gmail.com.

Small Group Testimony By Brian and Emily Kirk We moved to Franklin about two years ago, and when we were looking for a church, we were looking for community. We also sought to be a part of a “small group” within a church with whom we could grow and “live life.” Rolling Hills’ model fit that surprisingly well, so, shortly after joining the church, we joined a group based primarily on geographic location. It was important to us that our “small group” actually be part of our community, but this group has truly become key supporters of our lives (physically, mentally, and spiritually). Within our group, we have learned about Biblical principals at a deeper level than we’re able to do in large-group worship. It is a beautiful picture to see the body of Christ within our group: teachers (sharing history and demonstrating leadership), servants (bringing food or offering tangible or intangible support), and encouragers (offering laughter or challenging others to pray), to name a few. We learn together each week and have served together at church activities, but we also get together to eat and play games, help each other move to new homes, and celebrate weddings and births. Within our group, we certainly have different personalities, but we know that when we come together once a week (as well as other occasions), we can 8 rh Newsletter Fall 2013 spreads.indd 8

Since the beginning of Rolling Hills, we have had a mantra of Worship One, Serve One – worshiping one hour and serving the other. RHCC could not run without our volunteers. It’s due to the everyday efforts of people like you being the church that we’re able to operate. Serving others can provide some of the richest and most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. Christ provides us with the ultimate example of living life in service to others. Below you’ll read about a few of our incredible volunteers! If you’re ready to jump in and serve, contact Connections Minister Laura Chapman – there is a place for you!

depend on each other as we focus more on knowing our God. We would certainly recommend to anyone who is considering on joining a small group to put aside any excuses and go ahead and join a group! It is so essential as a Christian (and is also an encouragement!) to have others who are seeking, learning, and growing along with you! Brian’s small group Haiku Christ within laughter tasty community growth real motley mensches

ONE SERVE

WORSH SERV

Servant Spotlights BEN MIDGETTE AND CHARLOTTE KEENEY have been at Rolling Hills since 2005.

They are parents to Camron, McKenzie, and Callum and through the years they have been involved in almost everything – including being summer camp counselors and going on mission trips. Wherever you see them, there is no doubt they will be serving. Ben is currently on the A6 Team and teaches 7th grade guys on Sunday mornings. The preschoolers in Studio 8 love Miss Charlotte, and she also leads our Grace Team ministry. And, you might see the whole family after the 11 am service making their rounds to take out our Sunday trash together.

PATRICIA EGGERS has been at Rolling Hills for nine years. She has served in a variety of ways through the years from set-up at the theater in years past, hosting several Small Groups in her home, to being on the Here and Nearly Here Team. You’ll find her serving each week at 9 am in Studio 1 loving on our infants. MARK AHLBERG

I started working with the preschool on Sunday mornings 8 years ago, and also started working in student ministry in 2011. Growing up a pastor’s kid, I’m not sure I know how to be part of a church without serving in some capacity; to me they go hand in hand. There are so many opportunities to serve, maybe even in ways that aren’t official ministries at RHCC at this point! Start serving where you see need and others will come alongside you when they see your passion. All you need to do is take that first step and watch God work; I am confident you’ll be glad you did!

Ways to Serve! For additional information on any of the opportunities below, please contact Laura Chapman, Connections Minister. Preschool Ministry Teacher When: Sundays, 9:15-10:40am or 10:40am-12:15pm Camera Operators When: Sundays, 9am-12:15pm *We will train Lighting/Projection When: Sundays, 8am-12:15pm Greeter / Host Team Sundays: 9-9:45am, 10:30-11:15am or 12:30-12:45pm Band Musicians Keyboards/Synth, Cello, Vocalists & other instruments Assessment/Audition required When: Sundays, 7am-12:15pm Parking Team When: Sundays, 8:30-9:45am or 10:30-11am & 12-12:30pm 9 7/18/13 11:01 PM