Tory Farina

Great Grandpa Jake... AKA- Papaw

IMG_0186, originally uploaded by Tory Farina.

I love this picture... You can see such love in my grandfathers expression. It speaks to the power of a baby in the arms of a man. It melts the heart and brings a smile.

I could just look at this picture and smile for hours.

I love you Papaw.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Office Assistants are needed...

We are growing as a church. Like any other business there are a lot of office miscellaneous tasks that are needed. We have been wrestling with what to do in order to accomplish the tasks we need and position ourselves for growth. It is easy to accomplish what is necessary to stay where you are. We are going somewhere as a church. We are on a journey to see this region positively impacted by the Gospel of Jesus. We have big plans. We want to become like the emergency room... People when they are ready to get help with the things that cause them pain and discomfort know where to go. We want to be the place that people come running to when they are ready to let God take there pain and discomfort of life without Christ.

All that said we are looking for volunteers who like to be apart of an office environment and who can be regular or on call volunteers.

Kate... is our first volunteer for this new initiative.

It is fun to have a full office. It wasn't long ago that it was just E and I in the upstairs bedroom of our home oficing across from each other at a used kitchen table we had. Now we have a great office and people are coming at all hours of the day to utilize the space. I am amazed at where we have come from in such a short time.

Email: Elizabeth@myhighpointchurch.com if you would like to volunteer.

Weekend in Review... 11/25

Pastor Joe Anderson Gave me a much needed break this week. I am discovering that in order to be on the crest of creativity we need to be well rested. This is not easy with a new baby and the schedules that we are all under in this crazy world. I am also realizing that after about Eight weeks of communicating in a row my mind starts to turn to mush. I had just finished 12 weeks in a row of preaching. I hope those last couple messages were OK because it was truly the Lord working in me. The Holy Spirit will give grace but we are also responsible for taking care of our humanity. So Thank you Joe for giving my mind a break. and also for bringing to us a great word. I thought his stories were applicable and hilarious. I think everyone in the room wanted to crawl under the seat and die when he told the waiter story.

Worship- Flat out Fantastic! We have the best music in the city according to me.

Coming Up Next...

The Least of these...

Jesus told us that whatever we have done to the least you have done unto me... You feed the hungry cloth the naked and heal the sick and when you do that you are doing it like it is done to me.

I watched Micheal Moore's movie the other night. SICKO

Something inside me realized that we have got to figure out how to take care of the least in our nation who for whatever reason are not taken care off by the health industry. I think we all know someone who has been hit with a medical emergency and it has effected every area of there life. Financially they are hurting which causes there spirit to hurt and meanwhile there body is hurting.

All I know is that Jesus told us to take care of those who are hurting among us. I love our doctors and nurses and paramedics. I know that most of them are in this field for the right reason. I do have concerns with the making of money off of health care. Working in a non-profit setting I do what i do because I feel called and it fulfills me to no end. I know that getting into the non-profit sector is not the place to be for making money. But How can the health care sector be any different. We help people when they are at there lowest.

Doctors and Nurses should make lots of money. I want a well paid and happy person working on me when I am sick. But I wonder if our system works really well for those who can afford it and for those who are cant if it lets them down. I think we would all agree we pay a high price for health care in this country and something needs to be done so that we take care of the least of our society.

We are apart of a bigger Church Body...

High Point has several alliances that we proudly hold to. One that excites me on a regular basis is the ARC. This is an interdenominational group of church planters. They are all about helping churches get healthy and reach there world for Jesus. We give out of High Points general fund to support the work that they do and I am proud to say it has been a success. They helped us get started a few years ago financially and still help us with the network of relationships that inspires and challenges. Here are some great things that have happened.

ARC Launches: 2007

• Wayne & Kim Hanson-
  Castle Rock, CO 1-21-07
• Scott & Mary Turner- Irvine, CA 1-21-07
• Craig & Patti Wendel- Southaven, MS 1-21-07
• Scott & Caryl Helsel- Maricopa, AZ 2-11-07
• David & Alana Hartz- Tallahassee, FL 2-25-07
• Marcus & Brook Brown- Albuquerque, NM 3-25-07
• Keith & Julie Boyer- Commerce City, CO 4-1-07
• Charlie and Gina Weir- Spring Hill, TN 4-1-07
• Ben & Shannon Nockels- Oklahoma City, OK 6-24-07
• David & Taryn Stine- Washington, DC 9-9-07
• David & Stephanie Pursifull- Huntsville, AL 9-9-07
• Stephen & Bradford Phelan- San Diego, CA 9-9-07
• Kevin & Melissa Lloyd- Decatur, AL 9-9-07
• Jeremy & Jamie Harper- Gilbert, AZ 9-16-07
• Mark & Janet Furlong- St Peters, MO 9-23-07
• William & Laura Louise Perkinson- Franklin, TN 10-7-07

ARC STATS

• ARC began planting churches in 2001.
• Since inception, there have been 50 churches planted all around the USA!
• 16 churches launched in 2007!
• **For more information on ARC church plants, click on the "ARC Plants" tab at the top of the main page of www.relatedchurches.com 

Weekend in Review...

It was another really good week. I feel so excited abut our future.

Pastor Courtney and Kendell were on a much needed vacation. I miss them when they are not hear but we are a firm believer in taking breaks and that your best creativity comes when you are well rested and full of energy. Thinks went as one of our volunteers stated... "Smooth" without them in the mix. That is a huge complement to our volunteers and to the system that is in place. Great Job Everyone!

Our kids volunteers need a round of applause! We are making some changes because the theater is showing movies earlier and in more theaters. This means to we need to be more flexible with our setup and they have changed and adapted and re-changed many times the last few weeks. I appreciate there attitude and willingness to be flexible. We have a few more changes before this is settled but I am energized because I think that we are changing to accommodate more kids which is the goal.

Worship...Dave the lead did a great job this Sunday. I love that first song we did... "You turned my world upside down and now I am spinning round you now..." it is so Good... God is who we should orbit our lives around. How awesome is it that we can have such outstanding musicians and vocalists...I love it.

Rich is Poor... this series has been a challenge for me to work on because I have felt so challenged by it. I hope you are finding it as eye opening as I am. Next week... Die to Live.

Pray that we have wisdom this week... there are some things that we are working through with the long term plan of the church and we are making some decisions this week.

A few years ago E and I were living in an apartment that had a leak in the utility closet that caused mold to get into the walls. I had an amazing case of allergies. We thought we would need to move out in a week or two and so it was a catalyst for us to get looking at a house. we thought we would buy one that week but it turned out to be what God used for us to sign on the house we now own. I believe God used that mold to help us go to the next step. We stayed in the apartment a few more months and they cleaned up the mold. It all worked out like God had planned it.

I feel like we are in one of those seasons again. Some things behind the scenes are happening that are making the leadership of this church ask... Where is God directing us... I feel like the Israelites in the wilderness being lead by the fire at night and smoke by day. We are being lead into Gods better future.

I will keep you posted as we know more but for now... Pray for:

• Wisdom- that we would know what to do and when to do it and be willing to take those steps of faith god calls us to regularly
• Energy- this can be a stressful time when we are trying to figure out the best next step
• Favor- we need a lot of people to say Yes and a lot of people to make exceptions for us
• Blessing- God has positioned us in this city to play Offense. We are in need of resource, buildings, people and miracles in order to fully accomplish the mission that Jesus came to initiate and that we are weekly trying to continue. Ask God to supply what we as a church need.

I have known the Providence of God first hand and walk by faith... (the things unseen) because I know who sees what I can not.

Rich is poor...

I have been really chewing on this one this week. I have some thoughts that I am excited to un pack for Sunday but pray that it comes out right. This is a huge topic when we talk about the way we think about our resources.

some questions I am processing...

• What does it mean to be rich?
• What does it mean to be Poor?
• Can you have money and be poor?
• Can you have little or no money and be rich?

I am really focusing on what Jesus said about this topic to gain my message this week. I will let you know what I come up with.

Poor is Rich pt 1

http://www.globalrichlist.com/

Check this out... how amazing it is to live in the world we live in.

Week in Review 11/4

I can not believe it is November! Wow...

I feel like this last month was a lot of fun and a great series. I am so proud of all of you who volunteered to make this church so great. We had a lot of visitors come through and each of them was given our best. I am so excited about our future right now.

Let me celebrate some WINS:

• We are growing... Numbers represent people and people matter to God. 152 this week.
• We have more people volunteering now than ever before... We still have spots to fill but I love when people jump in get connected and build the church of Christ.
• There is Great Community... I stood back and watched on Sunday as we had good healthy church right there in the movie theatre Lobby. People were loving on one another and it was good.
• Our worship Keeps getting better and better... Nuff Said!
• Kids are coming... this has been a matter of prayer for the better half of this year. We are growing in our kids areas... That is awesome!
• Connection groups are going well... I love connection groups and am excited that we are growing them every season. We are nearing the halfway point and I am jazzed about what they are growing into.

This was a good week.

I tried something new with my notes and I liked part of it. I usually preach from a manuscript but I am trying to go more into a free form no or limited note season. I tried to put my abbreviated notes on the side of me. It felt awkward. I think I will try another way next week.

I feel bad calling attention to people and our band is awesome so they all deserve Gold Stars. I love Dustin the Acoustic players heart for worship. I see him worship and It makes me want to jump p right into the deep end of worship.

We are seeing a great response to the Turkey Give away! It is so cool to be apart of.