Q1 2017

HIG HP RA SE
JANUARY 2017
Quarterly

HIGHPRAISE / Q1

In This Issue
2 / Minister?s Corner
4 / Reaching the Lost for the King?s
Legacy
6/ Dynamic Senior Saints Making a
Difference in 2017
7/ Reaching the Lost for the King
8 / My Journey to Maturity Reviews
11 / Book Review: The Best Yes
13 / 2017 Q1 Calender
1

Since the beginning of my ministerial
journey, God has continually
confirmed His vision, gifts and calling
on my life. He has matured my faith,
strengthened my family and given me
a front row seat of His redemptive
grace. Our journey together as a
church family has been slow and
deliberate. In our
?fast-paced-get-it-now?culture,?there?s
nothing more frustrating than a slow
start. We can see the target, we know
where we want to go, but we can?t
seem to get traction.?It?s difficult in the
moment, but I wouldn?t want it any
other way. Fun, fast, and easy may be
tempting, but growing too quickly is
usually detrimental.
M INISTER'S CORNER
THE BLESSINGS
OF A SLOW START
Little by little I will drive them out f rom bef ore you,
until you have increased, and you inherit the land.
(Exodus 23:30)
Our slow start has offered us the time
and testing it takes to build the right
infrastructure for growth. Without it
our faith, resources, and character will
all come up short eventually, sooner
than expected and sometimes to
disastrous results.? Consider these
blessings from our slow start at Sugar
Creek:
We found weaknesses we otherwise
wouldn?t notice. Testing exposed fault
lines. Whether it?s our systems, our
service, our team, or our own
character, the challenge of a slow start
has helped us locate areas in need of
improvement. We all have them, but
we rarely go looking for them on our
own.
We discovered resources we didn?t
know we had. A slow start has put our
HIGHPRAISE / Q1

creativity, endurance, and courage to
work in ways fast times don?t. When
Heather Kampf fell down in the 600
meter dash and still caught up to win
the race, she said, ?I hit a gear I never
knew I had.? We?came?up with unique
solutions we wouldn?t otherwise have.
It?s been good for our teams. Since we
work in ministry teams, a slow start
has encouraged collaboration as we
formulated responses to needs and
problems. We?ve come to rely on each
other in ways fast times wouldn?t
require.
It?s been an opportunity to grow our
leadership. Everything I?ve listed so far
spoke of leadership. As we move past a
slow start, we developed our
leadership intuitions and skills, and
not just leadership of our teams, but
our self-leadership as well.? We
developed Rebound leaders with
resilience for the long haul.
Over the past few years, we witnessed
the awesomeness of God through the
lives He has touched and continues to
change. Ministries and those
responsible have been realigned for
relevance and effectiveness. In 2016,?
we focused on an intentional process
to Grow Deeper in Discipleship with
the launch of?My Journey to Maturity.
Members and guests increased their
awareness, expanded their knowledge,
applied their skills, and deepened
their discipleship, one class at a time.
God made another ripple effect for the
next generation, by reaching the 2016?
Debt Retirement goal. This victory
brought us a step closer to debt
freedom and serving without the
burden of a mortgage on God?s
ministry. The sacrifices and generosity
demonstrated have been testimonies
of God?s favor on His church.
The vision for the future has also led
us to the birth of a social change agent
with the creation of Communities
Doing Good Inc. This
para-organization was designed to
engage the community in ways never
imagined before. CDGI has fostered
partnerships with both the local
government agencies, businesses and
nonprofits in the region. We are
currently creating more relational
equity and leverage to shape and serve
the community for God?s glory. In
2017 we look forward to expanding
our community reach through the
Spring Festival, King?s Hand, and a
new grassroots initiative called My
One Dream. We anticipate hundreds
of souls coming to Christ through this
social engine for good. It?s only when
we do good that we generate goodwill
to spread the good news.
John Maxwell once said, ?everything
rises and falls on leadership.? We
witnessed this timeless truth in
biblical, business and political
leadership. We saw this leadership
principle in Abimelech from the book
of Judges, the departure of Apple?s
CEO Steve Jobs in the 80s, and the
election of Donald Trump in 2016.
When good leadership is absent, a
vacuum is created that is often filled
by poor leadership. When poor
leaders rise up, vision dies, resources
are depleted and everyone suffers.
Over the past three years, the
leadership development team at Sugar
Creek has worked intentionally
towards equipping themselves to serve
God?s people. We look forward to the
ordination of those who will serve as
Deacons at our 29th Anniversary in
October. It is our prayer that God will
send emerging leaders to embrace the
process, and join the service ranks of
Deacons and Shepherds in the coming
years.
Whenever we?re tempted to fume or
badmouth a slow start, it?s important
to remember that the very challenges
we face help us build the personal and
organizational foundation we need for
long-term growth. Without it, we?re all
tree and no roots. When a
straight-line wind hits us, we?ll
eventually topple.
Slow starts are to our character what
saving money can be to our finances.
But if we jump for the win without
developing the maturity to manage it,
we run the risk of losing it all in the
end. We thank God for the slow start
at Sugar Creek. Now it?s time to move
and get busy!
Serving at the King?s pleasure,
Leslie & Marie James
3

REACHING THE LOST
FOR THE KING?S LEGACY
A legacy isn?t only about leaving what you earned
but also what you learned.
Throughout history, we have been conditioned to look out
for ourselves, or no one else will. But if we?re consumed with
pursuing only our selfish interests, what are we? And more
important, what legacy will we leave? Webster?s dictionary
defines legacy as, ?anything handed down from the past, as
from an ancestor or predecessor.? Legacy is not bound by
age or time served. Legacy represents your body of work at
each stage of your career as you establish the foundational
building blocks and accumulate the required wisdom to
contribute to growth, innovation and opportunity both in
and outside of the workplace. Your legacy grows with each
new experience, with each previously untested idea and
bold ideal that you are courageous enough to deploy, and
each time you inspire others to see something through to
fruition.
What Type of Legacy Do You Want to Leave?
HIGHPRAISE / Q1

IMAGINE YOUR FUNERAL. Not the brightest topic, to be
sure, but one worth serious thought? no matter what your
age. Your family and friends have gathered to honor your
life. But what do you leave behind? Beyond the contents of
your last will and testament, what part of you remains on
earth even after you?ve passed away?
Your legacy. It?s something you create during your life solely
to benefit future generations, something you may never see
come to fruition. Just like a farmer who plants a tree
knowing he?ll never live to taste its fruits, a legacy is a gift
you leave behind without expecting anything in return.
Think of John F. Kennedy and the space program or Martin
Luther King Jr. and civil rights. They died before their
legacies were fulfilled, but they will be forever revered for
their efforts.
Just like that farmer?s sprouting tree, legacies don?t happen
overnight? and they don?t happen by accident. They?re
deliberately crafted over years of hard work and dedication.
But you don?t have to give up your worldly possessions and
become a Mother Teresa to start building your legacy now.
A?legacy isn?t only about leaving what you earned but also
what you learned, and we all have an opportunity to make a
difference. It doesn?t call for wealth, fame or even taking
giant steps? you don?t have to be a Gandhi or a Martin
Luther King to leave a positive mark right now, one that will
linger long after you?re gone.?So where can you start? Here
are some pointers to inspire you.
Identify what matters to you
It is not until you determine what is significant that you
discover the true meaning of legacy building. ?Ken
Dychtwald reached a similar conclusion in a recent survey
focusing on elder generations and their baby boomer
children. He and colleagues at his company, Age Wave,
discovered four ?pillars of legacy?: values and life lessons,
instructions and wishes to be fulfilled, possessions of
emotional value, and property and money. When asked
which pillar meant the most to them, both groups answered
resoundingly: values and life lessons.
What?s important to you? What are your values? How do
you want your life to touch others? What would make you
proud? If you had to do one thing to improve your world,
what would your contribution be? How can you increase
the well-being of those who depend on you? How can you
leave your mark on whatever you do?
By asking ourselves how we want to be remembered, we
plant the seeds for living our lives as if we matter.
Considering your legacy gives you a compass to help you
move with purpose and determination even in the most
uncertain times.?More than just how you will be
remembered, a legacy strategy helps you purposefully plan
and guide your own future as you think about what you?re
uniquely called and gifted to do.
Identify what matters to God
One of our deepest needs in life is to feel secure, to feel
valuable, to feel acceptance. Because of this we are
constantly doing two things, evaluating and comparing.
We do this all the time, consciously and unconsciously. We
judge ourselves by one of the world?s four standards that
don?t matter:
Appearance. How do I look? This mentality says that the
more beautiful you are, the more important and more
valuable you are.
Affluence. If I own a lot, then I must be worth a lot.
Achievement.?Do you base your value on your awards,
notoriety, and promotions?
Approval. How many people like me? How popular am I?
The problem with this value system is that it?s not stable.
Beauty fades with age; possessions wear out; someone else
will surpass your successes; and not everyone will like you.
So what should be your chief aim in life. Jesus said, Seek
first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In short,
what matters to God is God. His reputation, glory, and His
legacy.
5

Dynamic Senior Saints
Making A Difference in 2017
{2016 Seniors Fun Fest
w/ seniors from: Sunset
Blvd. Church of Christ
Columbia, SC, Sugaw Creek
Recreation Ctr.?s Young at
Heart Club, & SCCOC
Dynamic Senior Saints}
Sugar Creek?s active-older adults ministry is charging into
2017 with an understanding that our individual &
collective maturity will be an ongoing process (a journey).
More importantly, we realize that our intentions must be
deliberate in order for us to Grow in Discipleship, Grow
in Fellowship, and Grow in Relationships, such as depicted
in the picture above which highlights the joy, excitement,
and positive impact our interaction with other seniors have
upon our lives and upon the world in which we live!
W hat's Going on in Charlotte?!
JAN UARY FEBRUARY MARCH
1/ 20 ? 1/ 29 - Queen's Feast
Restaurant Week
1/ 27 ? 2/ 5 - The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz
1/ 28 - ASC CONNECT WITH
CULTURE DAY
2/ 1 ? 2/ 5 - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
Presents Out of This World
2/ 3 - Soul of the South Uptown Food Tour
2/ 11 - 13th Annual Cupid's Cup 5K & 1 Mile
Walk
2/ 25 - REFRESH 2017 Wellness Expo,
"Empowered Living"
3/ 3 ? 3/ 4 - Step Afrika! -
Children's Theatre of Charlotte
3/ 17 - Charlotte Checkers vs.
Ontario Reign
3/ 24 - Charlotte Hornets vs.
Cleveland Cavaliers
HIGHPRAISE / Q1

Reaching the Lost
for the King
By: Bro. Smith
This year has been a challenging year for our country. I don?t recall a time in my
life when there were so many tragedies and heartbreaking moments for families.
Whether it was our law enforcement agents being gunned down, or the loss of a
citizen?s life; these events have struck our consciousness and challenged our
human spirit, however they have also brought many of us closer together.
Charlotte hasn?t been exempt from tragedy and trials, but amidst the madness
there always seems to be a beacon of light and hope that God provides. Solomon
said there is nothing new under the sun; which means what happens today has
happened before. I know this doesn?t alleviate our pains or our struggles, but what
we must not forget is God?s arm is not too short that He cannot save. Nor is His
ear too heavy that He cannot hear. Yet it is our iniquities that separate us from
Him.
Where there is pain, God provides comfort. Where there is death, God provides
life. Where there is hopelessness, God provides hope. I believe the only way to
counter these evil and cruel sinful acts is to overcome it with the message of the
Great Messenger. Jesus, by the power given to Him by the Father, was able to
fulfill His divine mission as Savior of the world. What is most amazing about Him
is that He loved the sinner, the murderer, the adulterer and the liar so much, that
He died for them. His Love is the only solution to this world?s problems. He has
left us with the greatest responsibility one can have in this world which is to love
the lost like He loved them by sharing the message of the Gospel; that He died for
them in order that they may be saved. Reaching the lost is the gift that keeps on
giving.
As we make our New Year?s resolutions, I pray that at the top of our lists is to
reach out and win one lost soul for the one who gave His life for you. The only
way to make this world, America, and Charlotte great is to help put King Jesus
back on the throne in the hearts of this world.
7

MY JOURNEY TO MATURITY
?We never arrive;we are always arriving...?
THE
STAGES
OF
LEARNING
Getting Your Journey Started
Find a Navigator in the lobby wearing a ?Navigator Badge.?
Go to MyJourney.sugarcreekcoc.org
HIGHPRAISE / Q1

Sis. Faye Harvin:
It has been great to have a variety of classes to choose from in the My
Journey curriculum. I like how the classes are divided into four stages of
learning. Having choices gives members the opportunity to take personal
responsibility in charting their spiritual growth. I have enjoyed the topic
discussions in the classes that I have attended, as well as watching our
facilitators grow in their course delivery. My favorite classes have been
?Disciple Maker?s Academy,? ?Everyone Communicates, Few Connect,? and
?Life Stewardship.? Glenn Headen and James Morrison were excellent
facilitators in these classes. I am excited about my 2017 journey to maturity,
and I look forward to growing in spirit and in truth.
Bro. Jeremy Threatt:
My Journey is an awesome experience to help Christians such as myself gain a
deeper understanding of the Christian faith. One class in particular that stands
out is ?How to Study the Bible? which was instructed by brother Glenn Headen.
Prior to taking the class, I?ve tried numerous times to read through the Bible by
typically starting from the beginning (Genesis) and working my way through the
end; a task that I unfortunately never completed. From taking the class, I was able
to better understand not only ?how? to go about reading the bible; but was able to
learn about different resources to use (i.e. concordance) to gain a deeper
understanding of the ?what? I was reading. All in all, by having specified courses
to take instead of the traditional ?Sunday school? and ?Wednesday night bible
classes? has helped my spiritual growth tremendously!
Bro. Troy Coleman:
My Journey to Maturity is going GREAT for me as both a teacher and a student.
As a teacher, I?ve enjoyed the looks on students faces as they?ve learned things that
they had not clearly recognized or internalized. As a student, I love the diversity of
learning and awareness I?ve gained across several separate and distinct topics. It?s a
bit difficult to choose a favorite class but I?ll choose Jewish Manners & Customs
because of the historical context it provided related to the church from among The
Bible: Why & Who Cares, Defending the Faith, How to Study the Bible, A Closer
Look at Eternity, Healthy Christian Community, Everybody Communicates-Few
Connect, God?s Plan for Mankind, 4 Habit?s of Spiritual Maturity, Life
Stewardship, Church History 101 & Knowing the Will of God. I look forward to
being able to teach more classes along with completing all of the current classes
and any new ones developed in the future. On MY JOURNEY!
9

HIGHPRAISE / Q1

Book Review
By: Monica Leary
As women and Christians, we can sometimes have a
difficult time trying to balance our work, family, and
spiritual lives due to the many demands placed on us by
ourselves or others. It can often lead us to feeling
overwhelmed and guilty for not having enough time to
spend on the things we feel are most valuable to us. If that
sounds like you, then I have the book for you!
I recently read, The Best Yes, by Lysa Terkeurst which
speaks about the stresses of an overwhelmed schedule and
how it can affect our spiritual lives. The author discusses
the very common ?disease to please?, and how there is a big
difference between saying yes to everyone and saying yes to
God. She talks about how having an ?overwhelmed?
schedule can often lead to the sadness of an
?underwhelmed? soul. One of my favorite quotes from the
book is; ?The decisions you make determine the schedule
you keep. The schedule you keep determines the life you
live, and how you live your life determines how you spend
your soul.?
So, what is a ?best yes? according to the author? A best yes
is playing your part in which God has uniquely given each
of us. If each of us is making a best yes choice or decision,
just think of the impact it could make. So, as we go into the
New Year, I recommend that you put the ?Best Yes? on your
list of must reads for 2017! Be blessed!
11

HIGHPRAISE / Q1

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