SINGLES MINISTRY (written by Janelle Porter)

     The Singles Ministry began around the summer of 1998.  Bud Porter was actually one of the first and only members to attend the Sunday school class taught by Jim and Darla Moore.  As summer rolled into fall, the class began to grow and friendships were made.  We all had a common bond...that of being alone.  We laughed and cried together and grew stronger with each other.  We met outside of church one night each week.  We called it "Monday Night Meals" and always had a wonderful time.

A few of us at our New Year's Eve Party
	Beth, Sharon, Bob, Connie, Janelle, Eddie, Gwendolyn, and Mark

Bud talks with Brother Doug and Barbara as they visit one of our Monday Night meals.

Mark, Bud, Bob and Connie sitting around after a Monday Night meal.

MUSIC MINISTRY (written by Ronnie Nelson)

Music Ministry of NHBC      

In December of 1998, the church contacted me while I was serving as Minster of Music at Riverside Baptist Church in Helena to come to North Highlands as Minister of Music and Worship Leader.  After much prayer and guidance, I accepted the call to become the Minister of Music at NHBC.  I would begin the first Sunday in January.  Bro. Doug was directing the Christmas Music in the absence of a music director and he asked me if I would come and direct the choir in the Sunday night service.  I met with the choir one rehearsal and then directed the Christmas music that year. 

I actually began in January of 1999.  The church was also without a pianist at that time.  Sylvia McCary was the pianist at Riverside but was led to come and join us at NHBC in January of 1999.  Joyce Cox was the organist at the time and was glad to have Sylvia come and join the staff.

One of the things that Bro. Doug wanted to do was to move to a blended worship service using choruses as well as hymns. It was a challenge at first but the people were very supportive and learned to like it.  The evening service was more geared toward the youth so we used more of the choruses.  Randy Norris was the youth minister and he worked with the youth choir and had more that 50 sing regularly.  The choir often sang on Sunday night to lead in worship.  They also went on a choir tour and presented a musical. 

I was responsible for the Adult choir and planning the worship services each week.  NHBC is blessed with more talent than most churches.  We have ministers that sing solos and even have a minister’s quartet.  We have a ladies quintet called Sweet Assurance, and more than 30 soloists in the church.  We have youth, children and adults that lead in worship by singing solos, playing instruments and performing special musical dramas.  Each year the choir does two musicals, one at Christmas and one at Easter.  The Choir has grown over the last few years and has 48 regular choir members at the present time.

We have had different contemporary artists come in and do concerts and we have had fund raisers using talents of North Highlands members.  Some of the best worship services have been led by our own church family.  We have raised money for children with cancer,  for mission trips, to buy equipment...

In 2004 we began a new music ministry through a donation of one of our families at NHBC.  We  started two handbell choirs...a beginning group and a more advanced group.  Handbells are tuned bells of different sizes that ring each of the 40 notes in a three-octave range. It takes 11 people to ring three octaves. Playing Handbells requires complete dedication to rehearsal time.  One person missing in rehearsal means those notes will not be played leaving a hole in the music. 

We also have a graded children’s choir program.  Mrs. Karen Jansen is the director of the children’s choir and we are very excited about this part of the music ministry.

During the remodeling of our Worship center, we met in the small auditorium and had to have two worship services.  One worship service was held before Sunday school and the other was after Sunday school for the remainder of the congregation.  We started using a video projector to project announcements and words of the songs so that no books were needed during worship.  Once we moved back in the worship center we continued using the projection method during worship.  God has blessed the worship services and the music ministry at North Highlands.

MISSIONS MINISTRY (written by Frank Nelson)

We came on staff at NHBC in February of 1999 as Minister of Missions.  I am thankful for a church that is faithful in supporting every aspect of missions.  Not only do the people of North Highlands give, but also they GO.  Each trip we take we go as families. You are not too young to go or too old.  Some of the group go as carpenters, some as teachers, some as cooks, but no matter what the job, we go as Laborers for the Lord.

Our first trip was in June of 1999 to Skyview Baptist Church, Memphis TN. We helped with constructing a new facility and held backyard Bible clubs during the week.

We have been fortunate to go on two trips each year.  The second trip in June of 1999 was to Steubenville Baptist Church, Monticello, KY.  Here we helped with installation of electrical, insulation, and drywall.

In June of 2000 we took a two-week trip to Mt. Alto Baptist Church in Rome, GA.  When we arrived the first week there were two concrete slabs 120 x 60.  By the end of the second week we were able to have both buildings framed with windows, exterior doors, and roofing.

In March of 2001 we went to Northside Bible Church in Mobile, AL. We did some demolition and remodeling of their sanctuary.

In June of 2001 we went to Northwest Baptist Church in Marietta, GA.  We did some roofing, some electrical work, some framing, and some plumbing and of course some cooking.

In June 2002 we went to Swan Creek Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant TN where we helped in the construction of a new sanctuary.

In July of 2002 we went on our first international mission trip to Cyprus. This was truly a blessing to all that were able to go.  There were 14 that went to provide a Vacation Bible School for the English-speaking children of a local fellowship.

In June of 2003 our first trip was to Pine Grove Baptist Church, Chesterfield SC. Our plans were to be the framing team for their new Sanctuary but due to bad weather, they were not ready for framers. We instead ran plumbing and electrical for the campsite that would house other teams that came in after us.  Some of our group hung drywall in the youth building that had already been framed.  A unique twist to this trip was that our shower was a makeshift shower in the baptistery.

Our second trip in June of 2003 was to Buena Vista Baptist Church, Lancaster, KY.  There teams broke up into groups doing framing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, and drywall in a new sanctuary with fellowship and educational space in the basement area.

In June of 2004 we went on one trip to Allen Baptist Church, Allen KY. We went expecting to be the first framing team of their new sanctuary but due to  bad weather it was not ready.  Instead we spent the week working on 6 homes that had been flooded by the storm two weeks before we arrived.  It’s amazing how God places his children at the right place at the right time with the right opportunities to minister in His name.  God is Good!

Where next?  Our response:  wherever He leads I’ll go.

YOUTH MINISTRY (written by Michael Wallace)