Open Heart Surgery - Four Years Later

Just over four years ago, President Dennis' five-month-old daughter, Lilliana Joy Dennis, received open heart surgery to repair a large VSD (hole in the heart). Prayers were raised by many Christians, and after 17 days in PICU (child intensive care), Lilliana was allowed to return home

Through the continued prayers of friends, Lilliana has grown and developed. Although she displays some of the developmental delaysassociated with her Trisomy 18, she has gained strength and made much progress

On November 17th, Lilliana turned 4 and a half years old. We give God all the glory for her "Miracle Life." Who knows what the Lord has in store for this special little girl?

Fall Banquet a Great Blessing!

Dr. David Price, pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Coopertown, TN and a good friend of Heritage, brought the message at this year's Fall Fundraising Banquet. Dr. Price spoke on how God is able to do "much more than this." He encouraged those attending to trust God and follow His leading.

The gymnasium was filled for this year's banquet, and twenty-one preachers from five different states attended. The delicious food, fine singing by the Heritage Chorale, and great fellowship made for a very special evening. When the offering was received over $11,000 was given or pledged towards the offering goal of $15,000.

In the summer of 1935, Will Rogers flew to Alaska with his friend and aviation pioneer, Wiley Post. Rogers hoped to gain more interesting material for his writing.

The annual Fall Banquet begins the start for this year's Christmas offering. These monies will be used toward needed funding for the winter expenses.

Please mark your calendar for the next Heritage banquet. The annual Graduation Banquet is scheduled for Thursday evening, May 5, 2016.

Taking Chances

Americans reportedly eat over $700 million worth of bagels every year. Since the 1970's when grocery stores started selling packaged bagels, family breakfast tables have regularly enjoyed this on their menu.

One of the problems that has arisen, are the injuries that occur when a bagel is incorrectly sliced. Holding the bagel in one hand, and the knife in the other is a recipe for a trip to the ER. Some physicians have even given a name to the laceration that occurs during these accidents, the bagel cut

In fact, several years ago, the New York Times carried an article entitled "Attack of Killer Bagels." The article called the bagel the most dangerous food in America.

Some bagel producers now precut their bagels to avoid the chance of injury, yet yearly, in some cities "the bagel cut" is a very common injury treated in the ER.

You would think people would know better.

And what about sin for the Christian? You would think after seeing all the injury that sin causes, we would know better. Yet many a Christian will continue to rest that pet sin between their fingers.

What Might Have Been

The Reformation in Europe was just beginning, as Ferdinand Magellan hosted anchor on his five small ships and sailed out of the port of Seville, in Spain. The year was 1519 when the tiny fleet began their search for a western, water route to the Spice Islands. The continent of South America blocked their way, but this determined explorer believed that a waterway connected the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

For a year they sailed up the various large rivers of South America, only to find a dead end. Then in the fall of 1520, the group, now reduced to four ships, sailed into a large channel of water near the southern tip of South America. They explored it for a month sailing hundreds of miles. By November they finally realized that they had found the passage, later named the Strait of Magellan.

Magellan gathered his officers for a meeting to discuss the next step. The commander was for immediately sailing across the unknown Pacific Ocean to gain the Spice Islands and fame.The plan was risky with only three months supplies on board, added the great unknown distance across the Pacific Ocean. One of his pilots, unconvinced, argued that they must return home.

Shortly thereafter, the largest ship in the fleet, the San Antonio, was overpowered by that disgruntled pilot and the crew fled back to Spain.

Ferdinand Magellan doggedly sailed across the Pacific. Although he would die fighting natives, one of his ships, the Victoria, finished the voyage sailing completely around the world two years later.This was one of the greatest feats of that age, proving that the world was round. (Manchester, William. A World Lit Only By Fire. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co. 1992. p. 263)

The crew of the San Antonio chose to return, and lost their opportunity to take part in the most famous discovery of the time. They fell short because of fear and one bad decision.

Helpful Chapel Quotes