Author: Tolaver

Christ Presbyterian Church in the Hill

May 25th, 2011

Windows into the Hill

A Story of Transformation

Following a Hill bible study in January 2010, I was making a grocery run for my wife to get some last minute items. As usual, I was lost and going from aisle –to-aisle. During my search, I received a call from a man named Steve, whose family had attended our church on Whitney Ave. about 3 years previous. As I was stumbling to remember them, by God’s grace, their faces came to my mind. (Wish I could say the same for the items my wife sent me to get)
After a few pleasantries, Steve got right to the point: “Tolivar, I don’t know what is going on in my life, but I am freaking out; I feel as though God is stalking me down; calling me to Himself and I am fighting like crazy. My family is hanging together by a thread, I am living with my mother, and I miss my wife and kids like crazy. You were the only one I could think of to call to help me with this mess.” Sensing God was doing something spectacular, I asked Steve if he could get together; he said sure, and with it being around 9:00pm, I said ‘how about right now?’ After getting direction and finally finding my wife’s stuff, I took off back to the inner city.
Arriving at his mother’s, Steve and I began to discuss his circumstances. Barely able to speak, with all the emotions boiling to the top, Steve began to describe the last tragic several months of his family’s life. On top of these events, God’s Spirit was working mightily on Steve’s will; calling him to surrender his life to the gospel. (crazy dreams, memories, coincidental conversations with Christians, prayers of his mother & father, etc.) Steve explained the sordid and crazy life he had led in the streets of New Haven; stating over-and-over again that he should be dead.
As we came to a moment of silence, I felt like an observer at fantastic battle of the Will’s.; looking at Steve contemplating his state, it was obvious that the Lord was graciously, yet powerfully, winning the battle for his heart. In many ways, I felt like the Lord had invited me to this event to simply be a witness to His amazing mercy and tenderness; with tears in our eyes, Steve and I both knew it was time to fall into the loving arms of Jesus’ forgiveness and discipleship.
After reviewing the gospel, praying together, and making plans for Sunday morning worship in the Hill, we said good night, while agreeing that we would take things one day at a time.
Following his first visit at church, Steve stated he wanted to attend our Theology I class, which was half way through our curriculum. Saying he was hungry for the Word of God is an understatement; Steve simply wanted to know Truth. This very attitude has characterized his journey from then, until now. It was not much longer, that Steve’s wife and kids began to join him for worship.
His lovely wife, Ivette, was also encountering the goodness of the gospel in her life. As a result, she began to attend our women’s bible study in the Hill and growing in her walk with Jesus. However, being extremely quiet, it was hard to know what impact Jesus was having upon her heart. It was not until about 6 months later that Steve shared a story about Ivette with our men’s group, where he described

A situation, in which she very boldly shared the gospel with a family member. We all sat their with our mouths open; we did not know that the Lord had been working so powerfully in her life. Among other things, however, this attitude was brought further into the light at the funeral of her sister. While the gravesite crowd dispersed, following the service, Ivette called me over to her and began to introduce me to many of her family members. Friends, I tell you the truth, I have never seen such confidence and love in a person’s eyes as she shared the spiritual dimension of her life with those closest to her. She did not flinch! As Paul stated, she was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She knows in whom she has believed!
As the Hernandez family has given our church the privilege of journeying with them, we have also seen the Lord work through all of their family, vocational, and legal issues. So in addition to standing on solid ground with the Lord Jesus, their family stands together in all dimensions of their lives. Thus, as you can imagine, it was a great privilege to baptize their children and welcome the as members into our church on April 10th, 2011. That ceremony served as an example for them, and for us, that there is nothing or no one whom the Lord can not redeem, and put on a path to Kingdom living. In many ways, their story typifies what we are trusting God to do in the lives of the people of the Hill community; nothing short of ’Spiritual Resurrection!’
Friends, words can not express the gratitude we have for your faithful prayers and financial support. It would be easy to think that investing in ’the hood’ is a bad investment, but as you see, your faith in our work is making the glory of God shine that much brighter!!! We Love You!!!!

158 Davenport Ave. * New Haven, CT. * 06519 * 203-787-9457 * www.cpcinthehill.weebly.com * twills02@gmail.com