Hope Notes 9-22-2005

Hi Friends!  Mark here!

 

I thought I'd give Lois a break and fill in for her this week.  She's doing such a wonderful job, I don't want her to get "overworked"!  Besides, I really enjoy touching base with everyone from time to time.

 

It is hard to believe that this Sunday is the last of September!  With the busyness of the start of the fall season, it is sometimes difficult to set aside time for your spiritual family.  But let me encourage everyone not to miss out on all that God wants to do in you and through you as you gather with us for worship, Bible study, and fellowship.  Martin Luther would always say that on especially busy days, he would have to get up several hours earlier so that he could EXTEND his prayer time for that day.  Our mentality is to look for things to cut from our agenda, and unfortunately, the thing that often loses out is our time of spiritual focus or our time with our spiritual family.  I am so excited about what God is doing at Hope - but I know that many forces want to derail those plans.  So let us each do all we can to make sure that our family at Hope is a vital part of our lives!

 

This Sunday, I'll be continuing our discussion of the Core Values of Hope.  We've looked at Integrity and Sacrifice, and now we'll take a look at Teamwork.  This isn't a one man show!  God called us together so that we would combine our abilities, personalities, and passions and work together.  It feels easier at times to work alone, but we lose the blessing of seeing God work in us as a team.  We want to see teams for everything possible in our ministry.  We have a prayer team, a leadership team, a kids ministry team, a worship team, hospitality team, and the list goes on!  Working together exemplifies the community that we are!

 

Speaking of community, our care groups begin tomorrow night.  I would encourage everyone to join one.  The groups meet on either Friday, Sunday, or Monday nights.  If you haven't signed up and want to, or if you have any questions about the groups, let me know or contact one of our care group leaders!  This will be a fabulous experience for everyone - bringing a more intense and intimate connection with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  For the weary, lonely, and discouraged - you can't afford not to be a part!  All of us feel that way at times, and when we don't, we still have the chance to encourage and uplift one another!

 

Don't forget about October 9th - our special service we're calling "Paths of Hope".  We will have several people sharing their testimonies about their spiritual journey.  It will be a way for us to learn more about one another, and marvel together at what God has done.  If you would like to share that day, let me know right away (Oct 2 is the deadline).

 

We have lots of fellowship activities planned for the rest of this year, so get out those calendars and set these dates aside!

October 1st - 2-6 pm - PICNIC AT BRIGG's HOME.  We couldn't rent a park, so we're going to do something even better.  Damon and LaTosha have opened their backyard for a picnic.  There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, and sodas provided.  We need you to bring a salad and/or a dessert.  The pool will be open (and heated).  All children who can't swim well must have a lifejacket or similar flotation device and all children must be supervised in the pool!!  We will have games like horseshoes and badmiton.  There's a play set for the kids.  And we'll see what else we can cram in!  Don't miss this time of fellowship and fun!

 

October 28th - 7:30 - 10:00 pm   Adult Fellowship at Ott's Home (Sr High and up)  We'll have a great night of fellowship at Brian and Naidona's home on this Friday night. Stay tuned for more details!

 

November 18th - 7-9  Adult Volleyball (Sr High and up)  We're arranging to use the Five Points Volleyball center for a time of fun and games.  They may even have a basketball court open for us that night.  There will be a minimal charge (a few dollars), but the memories will be worth every penny!

 

December 16th - Adult Christmas Party (Sr High and up) - Just set the date aside, and we'll get more details to you as soon as we can!

 

Whew - we'll be busy this fall, huh?  I can't wait.  These times of togetherness are priceless!

 

And join us on Wednesday nights as we finish Galatians and begin to move into a new study.  As an added bonus, we'll have some "guest" speakers in the next few weeks, so you won't want to miss a week!

 

I hope to see all of you this Sunday!  If you have any special prayer needs or any questions about the information in this email, feel free to reply to this email.  I pray that God is blessing each of you and filling you for all that He wants to do in your lives.

 

In Him

Pastor Mark

 

PS - I REALLY need a few more kids workers - if you are not involved yet, and would be willing to help - let me know!