We're coming off a big Sunday where Pastor Carl preached part two of his "This is my confession" series. "The words that come out of your mouth shapes your life." So what is YOUR confession? About your marriage? About your job? About your singleness? Let your confessions be that (1) you'll come out of your shell because you've got a story to tell, and (2) that you'll declare that it is well with your soul because the gates of hell will not prevail.

We're gearing up for a big week, and if part of your confession is to get more plugged in at Hillsong, here is how you can do it this week:

Tonight: We are having Welcome to Church Night, which is a time to get to know what Hillsong NYC is all about and meet our leadership. We'll be meeting at IMOK in the Lower East Side at 7:30 p.m. Connect Groups will be meeting across the city. If you're interested in joining a group, e-mail nyc@hillsong.com for more information or stop by one of the information bars at the next service.

Wednesday: We have two Exchange services at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 6:30 & 8:30 PM. This is a time to get reconnected with your church family, bring a friend and worship. We hope to see you there! 

Thursday: We're having our Creative Night at 7:30 pm at 155 E 22nd St.. This is an opportunity to learn more about the team and how you can use your gifts to help build the church. Whether it's taking photos, making things, singing, playing an instrument, making singers and musicians sound and look better through audio engineering, lighting, TV etc - filming, producing and editing videos... the list goes on - Email NYCcreative@hillsong.com for more information. 

Friday: We have two ways for you to get plugged in. First, we have Friday Night Live, a time to get together and get to know others in the church family. Stay tuned for updates about where we're meeting onfacebook.com/hillsongnyc/events. Second, Hillsong NYC Youth will be meeting 7 PM. Contact your tribe leader or E-mail NYCYouth@hillsong.com for details. Also, check them out on Facebook: facebook.com/HillsongYouthNYC.

Our Sunday services are at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7 and 9 p.m....which means you really have every reason and opportunity imaginable to be with us on Sunday!

See you at Irving!

We've got a big week coming up with lots of ways for you to get plugged in. 

Tuesday: Connect Groups will be meeting across the city. If you're interested in joining a group, e-mail nyc@hillsong.com for more information or stop by one of the information bars at the next service.

Wednesday: We have two Exchange services at Gramercy Theatre (E 23th, btw Park & Lex) at 6:30 & 8:30 PM. This is a time to get reconnected with your church family, bring a friend and worship. We hope to see you there! 

Thursday: We're having our Creative Night at 7:30 pm at 155 E 22nd St.. This is an opportunity to learn more about the team and how you can use your gifts to help build the church. Whether it's taking photos, making things, singing, playing an instrument, making singers and musicians sound and look better through audio engineering, lighting, TV etc - filming, producing and editing videos... the list goes on - Email NYCcreative@hillsong.com for more information. 

 Friday: We have two ways for you to get plugged in. First, we have Friday Night Live at 8 p.m., a time to get together and get to know others in the church family. Stay tuned for updates about where we're meeting on facebook.com/hillsongnyc/events. Second, Hillsong NYC Youth will be meeting 7 PM. Contact your tribe leader or E-mail NYCYouth@hillsong.com for details. Also, check them out on Facebook: facebook.com/HillsongYouthNYC.

Can't wait to see you @ Irving Plaza (17 Irving place) tomorrow - so whether you come to the 10, 12, 2, 5, 7, or 9 - just remember our rules here @ HIllsong NYC.

1 + Only come to one service

2+ Break all the rules

See you tomorrow!

At Wednesday's Exchange, we heard a powerful message from Pastor Carl titled, "A Crossroad Called Communion." But that wasn't before Carl had the multi-talented Kevin Singleton break out into spontaneous song playing the keys and singing, "help them Lord, help them Lord." 

The text for Pastor Carl's message is found in John 6:55-59: "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum." 

"Communion is a decision reminder. Have you embraced the 'good idea' or the 'God identity'?" Pastor Carl said, while explaining that there are a lot of good ideas but in practices are really hard. People like the idea of doing good things and going to church, but following Jesus isn't just a good idea or a middle-of-the-road decision, Pastor Carl noted. "Jesus doesn't want 'some' of you, He wants ALL of you!"

Pastor Carl then outlined what the decision means and what it looks like if you have crossed over to be a follower of Jesus:

1. You give up the right to "GIVE SOME". Give all of what you have now and give as if you don't have later. The two curse words at Hillsong NYC are: "someday" and "almost." There is no middle ground at this church. And if you are in the middle, we still love you anyway. 
2. You give up the right ot give up. People give up when they get hit by something. But Jesus hasn't given up on you, so you can't give up on you. 
3. You do not give up on people. But you also have to remember that you're not the one saving people, Jesus is! It's all about Jesus, not you. 

We're looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, where we'll be meeting at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7 and 9 p.m. See you at church!

We are coming off a big week with incredible messages from Pastor Carl on relationships at Wednesday Exchange and 3 confessions for 2013. This week, our Sunday services are at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7 and 9 p.m. 

Wednesday, we have two Exchange services at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 6:30 & 8:30 PM. This is a time to get reconnected with your church family, bring a friend and worship. We hope to see you there! 

Thursday, we're having our Creative Collected Night at 7:30 pm at 155 E 22nd St.. This is an opportunity to learn more about the team and how you can use your gifts to help build the church. Whether it's taking photos, making things, singing, playing an instrument, making singers and musicians sound and look better through audio engineering, lighting, TV etc - filming, producing and editing videos... the list goes on - Email NYCcreative@hillsong.com for more information. 

Happy New Year! We're kicking the year off with a big week, which starts with tomorrow's two Exchange services and topping it off with six Sunday services at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7 and 9 p.m. Make it your resolution to participate in both!

Wednesday, we have two Exchange services at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 6:30 & 8:30 PM. This is a time to get reconnected with your church family, bring a friend and worship. We hope to see you there! 

As we continue to celebrate the birth of our Savior and bring in the New Year, we'll be gathering Sunday at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5 and 7. See you at church!

Everyone knows the words to this famous Christmas carol. During the holiday season you could hear this beautiful hymn sung over and over again in shopping malls, church services, park concerts – there is something so comforting, so beautifully seasonal about familiar Christmas songs.

Yet the words of this one carol have played repeatedly on my mind this particular year. SILENT night. HOLY night. All was CALM. It paints a picture, doesn’t it? A simple birth, in the most common of environments, under a starry sky….PEACEFUL. And I don’t know about you, but when I think of this holiday season for me and my family I would probably use words more like ‘busy’, ‘hectic’, ‘tiring’… to describe the schedule we keep during the month of December.

Think about it. When you bump into a friend at the shops, purchasing last minute Christmas gifts or a neighbour hurriedly backing out of their driveway to get to the school Christmas fair and you ask “How are you?”, I bet you’ve never received the response – “peaceful”. In the same way, in the midst of recent tragedy overseas, there will be hundreds of families in an otherwise sleepy town in Connecticut who will be experiencing everything but calm this Christmas. Dozens of children the world over in politically unstable and war torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan who’s night will be anything but silent. And even now, people are experiencing pain, not peace, in parts of Samoa and Fiji where violent storms have created chaos and ruin.

Christmas is a season of shared reality, when the empathy of God came to us in human form. It was on Christmas Day when God chose not to be separated from us, but to come down – Emmanuel - God WITH us. In the middle of busy-ness, in the middle of tragedy, or at the close of maybe your greatest year yet…Christmas is a poignant reminder that He ENTERS the middle of our circumstances. Christ chose to identify with us, come right into the middle of the broken things, the real issues of life and bring His sovereign peace, His unconditional love to a world in desperate need.

So this year, be reminded that God reached out to us, extends His peace to us and brings rest -His rest -to those searching for answers and even just to those of us who are running from one Christmas dinner to the next.

Don’t let the peace of God be elusive this year. Don’t allow the lights, the gifts, and the parties to mask the holiness of this season. I pray you know the fullness of what happened on that Silent Night and experience again this year, the reality that Christ the Saviour is born.

Merry Christmas,

Brian Houston 

Just in time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, this coming Sunday we'll be at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5 and 7. See you at church!

 For up to the minute info on the who what where when why and how of HIllsong NYC, make sure you're keeping up with us on facebook: facebook.com/hillsongNYC and following us on Instagram and twitter - @hillsongNYC. 

Tonight we are having our Exchange Christmas Party at Irving Plaza (17 Irving pl) at 7:30 p.m. To celebrate the season, wear a Christmas costume and we'll be celebrating with awards, communion and dancing. It's going to be awesome. Here's a sneak-peek at what's in store for tonight here. Dont judge their dancing cause the pastors have been practices all week. 

See you there!

Tonight, we have two eXchange services at Gramercy Theatre (E 23th, btw Park & Lex) at 6:30 & 8:30 PM. This is a time to get reconnected with your church family, bring a friend and worship. We hope to see you there!'

Toy Drive: Also, this coming Sunday we're doing a toy drive to collect new/unwrapped toys for boys and girls ages 2-15, which will be given to parents through a local school in the Rockaways that we have been working with. Please bring these to our Sunday Services, which will be at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7, and 9. 

Thursday, we're having our Creative Night at 7:30 pm at 155 E 22nd St.. This is an opportunity to learn more about the team and how you can use your gifts to help build the church. Whether it's taking photos, making things, singing, playing an instrument, making singers and musicians sound and look better through audio engineering, lighting, TV etc - filming, producing and editing videos... the list goes on - Email NYCcreative@hillsong.com for more information. 

Tonight, we will be having Hear & Soul Night at 7:30 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom at The Manhattan Center (311 West 34th St, between 8th & 9th). This is a time to learn about the heart of our church, and Pastor Carl will be making a big announcement. See you there!

We're coming off an incredible Sunday of preaching from Robert Madu and Pastor Carl and gearing up for a big week with Heart and Soul on Wednesday. This coming Sunday, we're at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7, and 9. 

Wednesday, we will be having Hear & Soul Night at 7:30 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom at The Manhattan Center (311 West 34th St, between 8th & 9th). This is a time to learn about the heart of our church, and Pastor Carl will be making a big announcement. 

Thursday, we're having our Creative Night at 7:30 pm at 155 E 22nd St.. This is an opportunity to learn more about the team and how you can use your gifts to help build the church. Whether it's taking photos, making things, singing, playing an instrument, making singers and musicians sound and look better through audio engineering, lighting, TV etc - filming, producing and editing videos... the list goes on - Email NYCcreative@hillsong.com for more information. 

 This coming Sunday, we're at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7, and 9. See you at church!

 For the first time ever, Hillsong Conference is coming to the U.S. at two locations in 2013. Agenda includes Brian and Bobbie Houston, Joel Houston + Hillsong UNITED, Hillsong LIVE, Christine Caine, Reuben Morgan and our very own Carl Lentz. 

• NYC: October 4-5 at Radio City Music Hall. Learn more here.
• Los Angeles: October 18-19 at Nokia Theatre LA LIVE. Learn more here. 

Tickets go on sale December 3rd at 10 a.m. Let's make a big showing and welcome those traveling to NYC for the conference! 

This coming Sunday, we're at Irving Plaza  (17 Irving pl) at 10, 12, 2, 5, 7, and 9. 

Wednesday: we have two eXchange services at Gramercy Theatre (E 23th, btw Park & Lex) at 6:30 & 8:30 PM. This is a time to get reconnected with your church family, bring a friend and worship. We hope to see you there!

Thursday, we're having our Creative Night at 7:30 pm at 155 E 22nd St.. This is an opportunity to learn more about the team and how you can use your gifts to help build the church. Whether it's taking photos, making things, singing, playing an instrument, making singers and musicians sound and look better through audio engineering, lighting, TV etc - filming, producing and editing videos... the list goes on - Email NYCcreative@hillsong.com for more information. 

Friday, we will have Sisterhood with Christine Caine speaking at 7:30 p.m. at St. George's Cathedral (E 16th and Rutherford). Ladies, get excited to attend. Gents, we can use your help, so plan on volunteering.

For up to the minute info on the who what where when why and how of HIllsong NYC, make sure you're keeping up with us on facebook: facebook.com/hillsongNYC and following us on Instagram and twitter - @hillsongNYC. 

This Sunday, all services will be at Gramercy Theatre (E 23th, btw Park & Lex) at 10am + 12pm + 2pm + 4pm + 6pm + 8pm + 9:45pm. See you at church!

 Happy Thanksgiving Day! "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in EVERYTHING give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18