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The Hillcrest Bruce Mission is an outreach of the United Methodist Church serving the Pollard Community of Ashland KY. Our mission is to embrace, encourage, empower and equip the neighbors we serve through the love and healing grace of Jesus Christ.  We assist with their well-being by meeting their needs and add value to their lives by ministering peace and demonstrating God’s love. We serve our neighbors, 70% of which reside in single-parent households, from the Hillcrest and Bruce Apartments.    Listen to our Community Matters interview with Executive Director, Mike Maynard: Assistance they offer: Food Housing, Utility, Daycare Clothing, Hygiene, Acquiring Glasses and Dentures Transportation Classes on Financial Planning, Cooking, and Other Independent Living Skills “Adopt a Child/Senior” Christmas Program AND MORE To find out more about Hillcrest Bruce Mission and ways you can get involved, go to their webpage.   ____________________________________________________

Rest is one of those things we know we need but never get enough. No matter how much I sleep or how long I “unwind,” I still feel exhausted.  But, if you’re like me, you think rest is just downtime or sleep, but apparently, sleep is just one part of the rest requirement.  I’ve been reading the book Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, and she says that there are seven types of rest that we need: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, sensory, creative.  When we are missing or even just not properly utilizing any one of these areas of rest, it can cause us to feel off or exhausted.    Here are some snippets from her book: We’ve conditioned ourselves to disregard the signs our bodies give us and push through to the point of exhaustion or damage. Healing occurs when we

The question asked was, “What’s missing from today’s Christian culture?” No one answered. I’m not sure if it’s because none of us had an answer, or we were just afraid to say it. How would you answer this question? Me? I would say that we’re missing some, “Do unto others” and “love thy neighbor,” and “least of these” kinda sacrificial love in our Christian Culture. I know I am. I struggle to want to show Christ-honoring love — often. It takes time and effort. It’s inconvenient and messy. It’s uncomfortable… But true sacrificial love is essential to the body of Christ and for our personal spiritual health. Without love, our identity is in ourselves instead of Christ. Our good deeds are noise. Our efforts are vanity. If we want to change the culture around us, we must love others sacrificially — like Jesus. Not for a social statement or to

River Cities Community Church offers two opportunities for people in the community to take part in prayer. “We want to show our community that we care about them by praying for their needs.” Tri-State Prayer Line A 24/7 anonymous prayer line where volunteers are ready to answer calls and pray with those in need.     Drive-Thru Prayer This unique outreach offers prayer with those who “drive-thru” our main parking lot on Thursday, May 6, from 4-7 PM. This is a great way to spend the National Day of Prayer! Masks or face shields will be worn by those offering prayer.   Listen to our community matters interview with Pastor Larry Greene:  To learn more about what River Cities Community Church has to offer, visit their website: https://www.roundchurch.net Location 4385 US Route 60 East Huntington, WV 25705 (304) 736-8197

We have so many methods for music and news that we don’t rely on radios anymore. At least not the “boombox” type we used to carry around in the ’80s. Yes, I am boombox old, lol. But God… God used a well-placed boombox to call a man named Ronnie out of the darkness of addiction and remind him that he is still valued, he is still loved, and He is not forgotten.   Here’s Ronnie’s story: In October of last year, I found myself in treatment to try and get back on my feet and bring God back into my life. He never left me; I left Him. By November, I was in a treatment facility in Ashland, Ky. I was seeking Christ back in my life. Sometimes it’s hard to do that in those settings, but I knew God heard my prayers and would see me through my addiction.

“You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:5-6   It is my opinion that one of the worst smells ever is the stagnant stench of a dirty, moist, on the verge of mold dish rag. This stench radiates from the rag like a dead animal.   It’s hard to imagine that all of our good deeds, our righteous acts, could be like that stinky dish towel. But that’s exactly what Isaiah is saying.   What could cause such a thing to happen?  Sin.   Sin spoils, rots, decays- taints