Weekly News and Updates

November 12, 2026 | Volume 40, Issue 45

FROM YOUR PASTOR'S HEART...THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT

It has been a wonderful week as we have celebrated Veterans Day. Thank you again to our Heritage Quilters and their great labor of love in making the Quilts of Valor for our Heritage veterans. I think they presented 15 quilts this week. See the pictures below. Each of these quilts are unique works of art and will be heirlooms to pass down from generation to generation. If you are a veteran or know a veteran at Heritage that has not received a Quilt of Valor, please nominate him/her or nominate yourself by turning in the Quilt of Valor request form. We have copies at the reception desk in the office. We will either present the quilt in a private ceremony or in front of the congregation … whatever the veteran desires. I am so blessed by the one I received Sunday. 

Wednesday morning, Heritage member, Colonel (retired) Allen Hargis, and I got to be the speakers for the Veteran’s Assembly at Northridge Middle School. What a joy to get to share our experience with them and to encourage the students to be courageous, caring, servant leaders and to honor our flag and national anthem. 

Chapter 4 of Philippians is a treasure trove of gems for abundant life in Jesus! Last week we learned how to overcome worry and anxiety and enjoy “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.”  This Sunday, we are going to learn the true secret of contentment. Discontentment is a disease in our culture and a true stain in our witness for Jesus if we don’t have it. Contentment is not being lackadaisical. It is being satisfied in Jesus. It is living out the 23rd Psalm: “The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want!”   

Come worship Jesus with us Sunday as we discover and take the steps to experience the secret of contentment that the Apostle Paul teaches us. 

I rejoice in the LORD over you!   

Wes 

Chaffee Crossing: A Simple Invitation Can Make a Difference

Know someone who lives near Chaffee Crossing or is looking for a church home? Help them connect with Heritage’s new campus by inviting them to an upcoming interest gathering! Click here for ready-to-send text invitations you can copy, personalize, and share with a friend.

Join Pastor Zach for a relaxed time to meet others, hear about the new campus, and enjoy free coffee from Olive. Gatherings are November 21 and December 5 at 10:30 am at Village 2 Village, 10301 US-45, Fort Smith. Invite a friend—and consider going together!

Heritage Women's Homestead Day - November 14

Join us this Saturday, November 14, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm for a day experiencing life skills handed down from one generation to the next. “Back to the Basics” introductory classes will be offered on canning, needlework, gardening, and the art of homesteading. Most importantly, we will discuss time-proven traditions for being a faithful steward of the blessings the Lord has provided. Sign up on Church Center!

Want to stay informed about what's happening in Women's Ministry? Sign up for our Monthly Women's Newsletter! It's called Sisters by Grace and has devotionals, recipes, study tips, and information about upcoming classes and events.

Lunch with Missionary Jake Hawthorne

Join us after the second service on Sunday, November 29, for lunch with Jake Hawthorne, our missionary serving in Canada! Jake will share highlights from this past year and offer an in-person update on how God is working.

Come hear his stories, encourage him, and learn more about the ministry we support together. Registration is required to attend. Please sign up through Church Center using the button below.

Guatemala Support

In January, we are headed back to Guatemala. We’re still in need of $2800 to build a much-needed room that will serve as a safe space for families and ministry work in the local community. In addition, we’re collecting funds for essential medical supplies to care for those with limited access to healthcare.

Every gift—big or small—helps us bring hope, healing, and the love of Christ to those in need.

If you’d like to give, please mark your donation “Guatemala Build or Medical Supplies” or give online.

These trips are always so impactful. I look forward to partnering with you in this journey to Guatemala. 

Jake

P.S. We still have a spot or two available for the Guatemala trip. Interested? Contact me! 

Christmas Care Package for Missionaries Johnson and Cierra Tran

We are preparing a care package for Johnson and Cierra Tran, our missionaries in Osaka, Japan. If you would like to include a small note of encouragement or a small item, please bring it to the fellowship hall in November. We will mail the package in early December. If you have any questions about what to include, talk to Wayne Westbrook.

Help Us Decorate for Advent!

Join us Sunday, November 22, at 2 pm to help prepare our church for Advent! We need 15–20 volunteers to set up and fluff trees and decorate.

Come lend a hand and enjoy some fellowship as we get ready for this special season. We'll have hot chocolate for all the helpers!

Giving Tree

This Christmas, our Giving Tree ministry may look a little different, but the heart behind it remains the same: sharing the love of Jesus by meeting needs in our community. Another local church is hosting a toy giveaway for the elementary schools throughout Van Buren, so this year we are shifting our focus to the 100 children at the Van Buren Alternative School.

After connecting with Principal Roger Goins, we feel this is a great opportunity to support a school that can sometimes be overlooked and make sure these students know they are loved and cared for by their community. Through your generosity, we hope to provide each child with a warm hoodie, a Christmas stocking, and a pizza party to celebrate the season. These are more than just Christmas gifts. A warm hoodie meets a tangible need, a stocking brings a little Christmas joy, and a pizza party gives these children an opportunity to feel celebrated and cared for. 

We invite you to give to "The Giving Tree" this Christmas and be a blessing to children right here in our community. Thank you for helping us make sure the love of Christ is not just something we talk about, but something we put into action! You can give online, leave a check, or cash for "The Giving Tree."

For questions, contact Debbie Thomas or Madison Simmons, msimmons@heritage.church.

Thank you to the Boy Scout Troop for food and cash donations to support our food pantry for Thanksgiving!

Clothes Closet Needs

Shoes: all sizes for men, women, and children

Men's winter clothes

Women's winter coats (XL and larger), dresses and skirts

Housewares and linens

Praying for Our Pastor

Last weekend, the Heritage Prayer Team participated in a Trinity Conference virtual event, Praying for Your Pastor. It is based on a simple acronym: PRAYERS (see image).

We see this as more than a prayer initiative; it is a prayer movement. It is an invitation for us to stand together in prayer for our pastor, whom God has called to shepherd His church. So we are introducing a weekly article here in our newsletter to provide resources and reminders. Next week we will start walking through the PRAYERS model one step at a time.

Will you commit to praying for our pastor and staff daily? Let’s cover Pastor Wes in prayer and watch what God will do!

Veteran's Day

Sunday we honored 12 veterans with Quilts of Valor, with 3 additional honorees throughout the week. Thank you to the Heritage Quilters. And thank you to all of our veterans for your service.

Bob Freeman

U.S. Army, 1977-1997

Harry Sher

U.S. Air Force, 1968-1989

Eric Whittington

U.S. Marines, 1994-2013

Lance Griffith

U.S. Air Force, 1984-2018

Powell Sanders

U.S. Navy Reserves, 1956-1963

Wayne Ames

U.S. Air Force, 1968-1990

Buddy Hawkins

U.S. Air Force, 1976-1981

Gary Harwell

U.S. Army, 1983-2004

Caleb Sparks

U.S. Marines, 2002-2006

Peyton Miller

U.S. Air Force, 1981-1988

Philip Moore

U.S. Marines, 2006-2010

Normand Nolin

U.S. Army, 1994-2022

Roger Goins (R)

U.S. Army, 1989-2004

Jonathan Goins (L)

U.S. Army, 2021-present

Pastor Wes Hilliard

U.S. Army, Army National Guard, 1988-2015

The quilt presented to Pastor Wes says, "Pro Deo et Patria" (For God and Country), the Army Chaplain Corps motto.

This Week at Heritage and Prayer Concerns

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