Weekly News and Updates

July 2, 2026 | Volume 40, Issue 26

FROM YOUR PASTOR'S HEART ... GRATEFUL for 250 and 25

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here." ~Patrick Henry. This is one of my favorite quotes from our nation’s founders. It is Christians who have protected freedom of religion.

Our 250^th Birthday Celebration of the U.S.A. on June 28 was amazing. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make it a tremendous success and a time the kids will remember, maybe even when they are my age. I still remember our celebrations for the Bicentennial of the USA. I was just 10 years old!  Thank you, especially, to Joe Stewart and crew who cooked our burgers and hot dogs. Thank you to the security team who went all out to make sure we were safe. Thank you to the staff who made sure everything was ordered, purchased, set up, and cleaned up. Thank you to the growth groups and life groups who helped (see below for highlights from the day). I met up with two girls who have very powerful and accurate arms. They each dunked me twice in the dunk tank! 😊 Click here to see a video of one of the dunks!

And thank you for honoring and celebrating Allison’s and my 25 years at Heritage. It’s hard to imagine it has been that long. We arrived here with a 1^st and 5^th grader. They are both now married and one has three children. It was great to have them all here with us Sunday. And you were very sneaky. We did not know if anything was being done to even acknowledge the day, but you “blew us out of the water” with the gift of a cruise. We have still never taken one, but have scheduled one for our 40^th anniversary.

Saturday, our families and communities will celebrate the 250^th Birthday of our nation. I pray you will be safe, grateful for our past and present, and prayerful for our future and our leaders. Let the fireworks begin! We’ll look forward to seeing you Sunday as Jake Simmons preaches our next message in the book of James, and as I lead us in Holy Communion. It will be a great morning.

Grateful and celebrating …

Wes

P.S. Don’t forget the Healing Prayer and Communion Service on Wednesdays at noon and the Biblical Citizenship class on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm.

And thank you, Wes and Allison for 25 years!

In addition to celebrating USA 250 last Sunday, we also honored Wes and Allison for their 25 years at Heritage. If you weren't able to make it to the service, head over to YouTube and check out the video.

Comparison Kills

In James 3:13–18, James asks a simple but searching question: Who is wise and understanding? His answer may surprise us. True wisdom is not measured by knowledge alone, but by the way we live. It is seen in humility, good deeds, and a heart that seeks peace.

James warns against bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. These attitudes create conflict, division, and disorder because they place our own desires above God's purposes and the well-being of others. In contrast, the wisdom that comes from God is "pure, peace-loving, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

This passage invites us to examine our hearts. Are we competing with others, or celebrating their blessings? Are we seeking recognition, or looking for ways to serve? God's wisdom transforms not only what we believe but also how we treat the people around us.

As we walk with Christ, may our lives reflect the wisdom that comes from above—marked by humility, mercy, and peace, and producing a harvest of righteousness.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Jake

Venezuela Earthquake Response

A message from Trinity Conference

On June 24, 2026, two major earthquakes occurring less than a minute apart struck Morón, located on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast west of Caracas, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. Widespread damage has occurred and the death toll is over 1500.

Rev. Warren Lathem, Conference Superintendent of the Venezuela Conference, has asked those wishing to support the earthquake response effort to send donations to Venezuela Now.

Register for Family Camp

Pinecrest Family Camp is September 4-7 this year. Pinecrest is the camp that we use for our kid's summer camp every year, and that we just helped to renovate their Putt Putt course. Family Camp is a great opportunity for families to retreat and grow in the Lord together with some very fun and affordable options (options include: Indoor a/c private rooms with shower all the way to you bringing your own RV and/or pitching tents). It's a great time for our Heritage families to get to see and experience camp like our children do. Brian Seewald will be leading worship. Click the picture for more details, costs, and how to register! If you have any questions, contact Brian, bseewald@heritage.church.

Matthew 25 Project

We are providing 150 Kindergarten and 1^st Grade backpacks filled with supplies to local students at the Matthew 25 Project Giveaway. It is August 3 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Blakemore field. This year, we are focusing more on the quality of the supplies rather than the quantity. We want to make sure every student feels special and can see the love of Christ through the generosity and compassion of His church. As always, we need volunteers to pull this off.

There are 3 ways you can volunteer:

1. Donate money or a supply listed below in bulk. (If you purchase a supply below, email me at msimmons@heritage.church to let me know so I can update the list.)
2. Help hand out the backpacks/supplies at the event. (Also let me know if you will be there.)
3. We are responsible for managing traffic flow of the parking lot. This is a big task! Email Brian bseewald@heritage.church or Jake jsimmons@heritage.church to help.

Supplies needed are:

• 150 GREAT quality backpacks 
• 300 boxes of 24 Count Crayons
• 600 Elmer's Glue Sticks
• 150 School Boxes
• 300 Boxes of Tissues
• 300 Packages of #2 Pencils
• 600 Black Fine Tip Dry Erase Markers

Register for Timothy Team

It's time to register your children for Timothy Team! We will be studying the life of Moses this year. The deadline to sign up is July 29th! Click the blue button below to register.

Little Sprouts at the Backyard

Calling all moms with toddlers! We’d love you to join us for our first Toddler Play Date on July 23rd from 10:00-11:30 AM. We will meet in the Backyard at the end of the children’s hallway for a Bible story, snack, and indoor play with different centers. Cost is $5 per family. Our target age for this event is 1-3 year olds. Siblings are welcome to join and childcare will be available for ages kinder and up. If you plan to attend, please let Madison Simmons or Madie Green know so we can get an approximate head count!



Madison

msimmons@heritage.church.

Nursery Staff Needed

We are losing a few of our nursery and preschool staff that help on Sunday mornings because they will be going off to college in August. I'm looking for someone who is dependable, loves working with children, lives a life with high Christian values, and can work every Sunday. *This person does not have to attend Heritage, but will be required to have 3 references. There may be other opportunities to work as well. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please email Madison at msimmons@heritage.church.

Athletic Physicals Interest

We are exploring the possibility of offering athletic physicals for students in our church as part of a future outreach through the Heritage Church Medical Team. At this time, this is not a confirmed event. We are currently assessing interest to determine whether there is sufficient demand and appropriate volunteer coverage to move forward with planning.

Interest Sign-Up

If you would be interested in participating should this service become available, please click the button to register.

Purpose of This Sign-Up

This registration is only intended to:

• Gauge community interest
• Help determine feasibility
• Guide planning for staffing and scheduling

Submitting your information does not guarantee an appointment at this time.

Next Steps

If there is sufficient interest and we are able to secure the necessary medical staffing and resources, we will follow up with official dates, details, and formal registration instructions.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Minton at 661-972-7126.

Thank you for your time and for helping us determine how best to serve our students and families.

Heritage Church Medical Team

Heritage Travelers to EUREKA SPRINGS

• Date: September 15-16, 2026 
• Departure: 8:30 am Heritage 
• Cost : $220 
• Meals: 3 included   (1 meal not included)
• Guided Tours: Holy Land Tram Tour
• Eureka Springs Tram Tour 
• Event: The Great Passion Play 
• Attractions: Blue Springs Heritage Center, Christ of the Ozarks, Statue, Bible Museum, Scared Art Museum, a section of the Berlin Wall 
• Hotel: 1 night stay at the Best Western of the Ozarks, 2 Queen Beds, Double Occupancy 

Whether you’ve been to Eureka Springs dozens of times or haven’t visited in years, this trip is designed just for you! 2-day, 1-night autumn retreat that lets you experience the absolute best of the Ozarks. Even if you’ve seen The Great Passion Play before, there is nothing quite like experiencing this epic, live outdoor production under a crisp September mountain sky among friends. 



 👉 HOW TO SIGN UP: To reserve your seat, sign up and pay in full through the church’s Realm Connect app or in the church office Monday–Thursday. Please note that this trip is non-refundable. Space is limited to 22 passengers, so early registration is encouraged.

Clothes Closet Needs

Do you speak Spanish? The Clothes Closet needs you!

About 50% of our Clothes Closet customers only speak Spanish, so we are in need of someone to help, especially on Thursday afternoons from 4:00-6:00 pm. If you are interested, please contact the office at 479-474-6424.

The clothes closet is currently in need of several items:

• Teen girl clothing
• Women's summer shoes and tennis shoes
• Men's tennis shoes
• Men's jeans and shorts

Please bring donated items to the Clothes Closet bin in the Fellowship Hall.

This Week at Heritage and Prayer Concerns

HERITAGE CHURCH | 479.474.6424

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