Hope Notes 8/26/10

Dear Friends of Hope~

Having missed last week's Hope Notes and worship service due to being away, I can tell you firsthand that I am missing my church family contact!  Just missing one week of worship is enough to get you feeling slightly disengaged from the church body.  It just shows how much we really do need to "……not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another……." (Hebrews 10:25).  Don't kid yourself; it really does matter that we meet together each week to worship and study God's Word!

 

SUNDAY MESSAGE

8/29 – Charlie Brown's Teacher (Acts 28:23-29)

Maybe you remember those Peanuts specials on TV from when you were a kid.  Each character had their own personality – except for the teachers in Charlie Brown's school.  Whenever they spoke, it didn't sound like a person at all!  There were no words – just sounds!  It seems that the kids all understood the teacher, but we sure couldn't.  That teacher's voice is something like the effect that God's Word was having on the Jews in response to the gospel that Paul preached.  The prophet Isaiah described this response hundreds of years before this moment.  To them, the truth was nonsense.  It sounded to them like the sounds Charlie Brown's teacher made.  They heard the sounds, but it made no sense to them – it had no effect.  As amazing as that sounds, we can be hard hearted as well.  And we need to be sure that we don't reduce the truth to background noise in our lives.

CD'S AVAILABLE
Please remember that Sunday's worship service is available on CD immediately following the service for FREE! Pick up a copy for yourself or for anyone you would like to share Hope with. Pastor Mark's messages are also available on our website, www.hopechristianfellowship.org.

 SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER TIME

Our Sunday morning prayer time is open to everyone. We start at 9:15 am in one of the classrooms. We pray for the services that morning and for the needs in the church. If you would like to participate, just show up! Contact Jim Bradshaw at spaceheadjim@yahoo.com with any questions.

BIBLE READING FOR AUGUST – DEUTERONOMY

If it seems like a lot of the material in this book has appeared in the first three chapters of the Old Testament, it's because it has!  The name itself means "second law".  Remember, the previous generation of Israelites had all died in the desert because of their sin, and the new generation needed to hear the law before they could enter the Promised Land.  It was also important that these people be reminded of what had happened to their forefathers.  If this book has one key thought, it's REMEMBER!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY
7:00-8:15pm
Think the book of Genesis couldn't possibly relate to us and the world in which we live? Think again! Genesis means beginnings and that's just what this book is about. It describes a loving God who made all things perfectly, but also tells about the beginning of sin and how it ruined what had been a perfect relationship between God and man. Isn't that still happening today? Join us as we continue our study on the book of Genesis. Childcare is provided.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWSHIP

 

SENIOR HIGH – REVGEN – THIS SUNDAY

Sunday, Sept. 5^th

Sr. High will meet and the church and be LEAVING at 9:00 AM for Frenchtown, NJ to attend RevGen 2010. Gates open at 11:00 and concerts start at 1:00. Please bring money for lunch and dinner or pack food to leave in the car. For more info, please contact Steph Mulder at (856) 745-0932 or check out www.revgen.org.

 

JUNIOR HIGH – FUNPLEX TRIP

 Saturday, Sept. 25th

1:00 – 6:00 pm

Cost $12

Don't miss this!  We will meet at church at 1:00 and head out to FunPlex in Mt. Laurel for an afternoon of "Extreme Fun".  Cost includes unlimited Go-Karts, Laser Tag, Bumper Cars, Foam Frenzy & Motion Simulator, Free Fall, Mini Golf, Tilt A Whirl, Kiddie Go- Karts, Bumper Boats, and Outdoor Grand Prix Go-Karts.

For more info, contact Steph Mulder at (856) 745-0932 or check out http://www.funplexmountlaurel.com.

 

GET READY FOR SMALL GROUPS

It may seem far away, but fall really is just around the corner!  And that means it's time to start thinking about Small Groups. We'll be doing them the same way as last year, so you can start thinking of ideas for who to ask and reach out to!  September 12th will be our small group kickoff day.  You don't need to have anything "set" before then, but summer is a good time to reach out to new people, catch up with old friends, and determine who might be a good mix for a group.

MENS FALL RETREAT
September 19, 2010
Lake Champion, NY
Start planning for our fall Men's Retreat. We will have a great time of worship, seminars, and fellowship geared to having our lives Christ centered. We need to register under the same group name in order to lodge at the same building. Sign up online at www.priorityone.org and use Goeggel as the group name.

Cost: Early registration is $195 (postmarked by or registered on-line by June 30th). Middle price period is $215 (by July 31st). After that the cost will be $235. Saturday nights and all meals plus use of all facilities. Gift Shop and snack bar will be open periodically at extra cost.
A signup sheet will be located on the back table.

For more information contact Michael Goeggel and/or check online at www.prioityone.org.

YOUTH GROUP (ROOTED)
Wednesday evenings from 7:00 8:30

Please Note:  There will be no Youth Group on September 1st
Note that this coincides with Bible Study. This is a great mid-week touch point for our youth a spiritual shot in the arm to get them through the week. Please make every effort to get your kids here; you won't regret it!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

HELP NEEDED

We are in desperate need of three more people to be on the Greeter/Usher Schedule.  It's a very easy way to serve, plus you get to meet lots of interesting people! Please see Bill Berry or Lois Hartwell if you are able to help. 

 

URGENT REQUEST

Studio, small apartment, or room for rent in the nearby area needed by October.  Hoping to keep the monthly rental at no more than $500/mo.  Please contact Donnamarie Manall at 856-628-0511 if you know of anything available. 

 

IMMEDIATE NEED

We have a family here at Hope whose refrigerator has died and are obviously in need of another one as soon as possible. There is a financial concern as well and so we are asking if anyone knows of an available refrigerator or can help in any way. Contact Lorraine Otis at 856-686-1557. 

Needs Team:  Lorraine Otis, Bill Murray, Bill Berry, Ken & Karen Blythe

 

GREEN THUMBS/EYES NEEDED

Have an eye for landscape design?  We need some help in planning our front planting beds for next year.  We have to decide which plants should stay/go and what looks good where!  Here's your chance to be creative and help make the entrance to Hope look inviting as well.  Contact Glenn Johnson at liznglenn@verizon.net.

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT KIDS PROGRAM

Want to give your child an opportunity to grow spiritually and have some fun?  Our new Wednesday Night Kid's Program fills the bill!  We hope to have this program up and running from September to December.  In order to do this, we need to find one teacher and one helper for the 2 and 3 year old class.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Jennifer Winstel at 782-7798.

 

NOTICE TO PARTNERS

We will be presenting an amendment to our constitution to make the anticipated transition to elders as the leadership of our church.  Hopefully, we'll have that done and presented sometime in the fall.  So we are asking everyone to pray with us as we put down in words what we believe is God's direction for our ministry.  Also, we will be presenting some projects (and the associated costs) that we'd like to undertake in the building now that we own it.  Please pray for God's leading as we consider what to do and when to do it!

 

HOPES PANTRY DONATIONS REQUEST FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL

This month we are asking for any snack & non-perishable items to pack in lunch boxes.  Need some suggestions?  Peanut butter & jelly, individual packs of cookies, chips, pretzels, or crackers, juice boxes, sandwich bags, napkins, pudding or jello cups, fruit roll ups….you get the picture!

 We will be giving these out to a few families at Hope at the end of August!  Thank you for helping make packing lunch a little more affordable for these familes.

See anyone on the Needs Team (Lorraine Otis, Bill Murray, Ken Blythe or Bill Berry) for information. Please be sure to check expiration dates on all items. Thank you!

 

RIVER SHARKS TICKETS

Please help us to not have to "eat" the cost of these tickets!  How about purchasing some for a fun night with your family?

There are 18 River Sharks baseball ticket vouchers available, good for any game during their regular season (until mid-September), $13.00 each (includes ticket and food voucher).  First come, first served.  A great family evening to enjoy baseball – every seat is a good one!  See Liz Johnson to purchase.

HELP NEEDED FOR PRIMARY CLASS

We are in need of a teacher for the 1^st & 2^nd grade class and one helper for the 3^rd-5^th grade class.  Please see Anita Little if you can help.

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS
SIGN-IN TABLE:          Kylie Ott
LAMB'S MINISTRY:     Chris & Stephanie Mulder        (T)
                               Dwight & Becky Lein, Jackie Salayda   (I)
                               Franne & Pat Harkin              (C)
                               Jerry & Sheri Elliot                   (1st & 2nd)
                               Ray Gillin                                (3^rd- 5^th )
GREETERS:                   Lillian LaRue & Charlotte Zediker
COUNTERS:                  Carole Baumiester & Karen Jones
CLEANERS:                   Kathleen Toomin
TOY CLEANERS:         LaTosha & Damon Briggs
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
CHILD CARE:           TBA                   (Infant Kindergarten) 
                              TBA                   (1^st thru 5th Grade)

HOPES PRAYER TEAM
If you have a prayer request, just drop it in the box near the door on Sunday or email Jim Bradshaw during the week at spaceheadjim@yahoo.com. He will get your requests to the team. If you would like your request to appear in the Hope Notes, let Jim know. If you want to be a part of this ministry, send Jim your email address and he will add 9:15 on Sunday mornings whether they are on the team or not.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Dwight Lein – For God's provision and direction as Dwight begins a job search after being laid off.

 

Help us to remember to pray, Lord. Not just for these specific requests, but "in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Ph 4:6

Drawn to Redemption,
Lois
foolsforchrist7@yahoo.com

Note: If you do not wish to continue receiving Hope Notes, simply reply to this email and I will remove your name from the list. Any correspondence for Hope Notes goes to foolsforchrist7@yahoo.com.

 

 

IF FEAR COMES KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR, SEND FAITH TO ANSWER IT!