Hope Notes 4/11/13

Dear Friends of Hope~

This is the time of year when the trees have that soft hazy look they get when their branches are full of buds.  Every year I stare at the branches outside my kitchen sink window, determined to see the moment when those buds go from tightly closed to fully open.  I never catch it. They must do it under cover of darkness!  Honestly, it's not like each day I see them getting larger and larger until one day they can't contain themselves and they burst open.  One day they are closed and the next they are open.  That's how it is when Jesus comes into our hearts.  One moment they are closed; they may be hardened and bitter.  We ask Him to enter in and in that one moment He pierces the darkness, softens our hearts, and fills us with His love.  Our hearts become vessels for His Spirit to give us the ability to love, to forgive, to offer grace and mercy.  No longer tightly closed like those early spring buds, our hearts are transformed into fully opened blooms!

 

SUNDAY MESSAGE

April 14 – Keep Moving Forward (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Almost everyone understands that step one to any building project is the foundation.  What gets built above ground is dependent on what is beneath it.  Skyscrapers are possible in Manhattan largely because of the bedrock below ground that allows for a solid foundation.  And of course, you can't build a second floor before you build the first, and the stability of each level depends on the level beneath it.  As Peter goes forward in his second letter, he talks about how to build on our spiritual life.  In these short verses, he challenges us to add on character trait on top of another.  Let's find out what we need to be adding to our faith next!

 

SATURDAY NIGHT SERVICE

We will be previewing our Saturday night service in April and May.  We're trying this out to see if it works for us and we'd love for anyone interested to come out and be a part!  We will start the service at 7:00pm on Saturday evening April 20^th and May 18^th.   It will be the same music and message as Sunday morning (an identical service) but there will be no other programs happening on Saturday night (no nursery or children's classes).  After we try it out a few times, we'll have a better idea if this is a way for us to reach more people and see if we can handle the challenge!

 

MESSAGES AVAILABLE
Did you know 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.

 

PRAYER HUDDLE

9:30 – 9:35

The prayer huddle is open to anyone who would like to come pray - but it is specifically intended for those who are serving on that Sunday.  So if you're scheduled to be in kids' ministry, greeting, in the tech booth, on worship team, or any other ministry role for a given Sunday, join us at 9:30 sharp to pray together for God's power in each of us.  We can do all things through Christ, and nothing of worth without Him, so let's come together each Sunday to ask for God's Spirit to fill us and use us!

 

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 Pat Harkin at Prayer Team with any questions.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

 

APRIL CHALLENGE VERSE

Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

 

 APRIL PRAYER PROJECT 

For those who are struggling with addiction

 Many of us know the struggle personally, either from our own experience or from someone we love.  Please pray that God will use us in bringing freedom and healing to those who have faced the powerful force of addiction.  We want to be a church where the power of God is setting free those who are enslaved and bringing life to those who are spiritually dying!

 

WORKSHOP WEDNESDAYS

Workshop Wednesday classes are coming up soon!  We are excited to be able to offer this again.  Signup sheets will be out in April for the various groups.  More information to follow……

 

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

7:00 – 8:15

Be sure to come out and join us for our Bible study on I Corinthians.  Don't miss this mid-week spiritual boost; there's nothing like diving into the Word of God to keep you grounded in His Truths.  Childcare is provided.

 

WEDNESDAY EVENING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

7:00 – 8:15

Keep Jesus fresh in your child's mind and heart!  We have classes for children ages 3 – 5 and for those in 1^st – 5^th grades.  Nursery is provided for infants thru age 2.

 

YOUNG ADULTS

7:30 in Youth Room

First and Third Monday of every month

Anyone who has graduated high school up to their early thirties is welcome. See Pastor Mark or Dana for more information. Childcare is provided.

WOMEN'S PRAYER GROUP

7:00 in Prayer Room

First and Third Monday of every month

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWSHIP

HCF SOFTBALL TEAM

Softball Season is here again. The Hope softball team will join forces with our brothers, Pitman Methodist, in the Gloucester County Christian League, for the 2013 season.

We are looking for men and ladies, age 15 or older, to come out and join our team. This is an excellent opportunity for fellowship, fun and exercise. Season starts April 8^th. Sign Up sheet is in the back. See Lenny Little if you have any questions.

 

MEN'S BREAKFAST

Second Saturday of Every Month

8:30 am

Come and join us for a delicious breakfast and a good time of fellowship/sharing with the men of Hope.  Feel free to bring a friend!  Open to men 18 and older.  If anyone would like to help set-up and/or prepare, we meet in the kitchen at 7:00 am. See Bob Rice with any questions.

 

SMALL GROUPS

Hard to believe, but our Small Groups will be winding down in April! Start planning now with your group to find a way to stay connected over the summer.  You might want to have a Game Night or a backyard BBQ here and there just to stay in touch.  Meanwhile, make sure to keep picking up your Study Sheets and attending all your meetings so that you can enjoy every last bit of fellowship!

 

SMALL GROUP SAMPLER

If you didn't get to be a part of our Small Groups this term, don't despair! We will be doing a Small Group Sampler for 3 weeks in August.  It will be open to anyone who wants to participate, and all you'll have to do is sign up for the weeks you're available.  We will schedule the Small Groups and assign everyone to a different group each week.  So if you sign up for all three weeks, you'll get to mix with three completely different groups.  Then, as we set out to form groups in September, you'll be one step ahead in the process because you'll have met lots of other people in a small group setting!

YOUTH NEWS

 

YOUTH GROUP
Wednesdays from 7:00 – 8:30
This is a great mid-week boost for our teens to stay connected, grow in the Lord, and have a fun time with each other!  See Dave Hallahan with any questions.

 

This Week at Youth Group (4/17) - We will have a Q & A w/ our youth leaders. Ever wondered what your youth leader's most embarrassing moment was? Or maybe you'd like their advice on how they'd deal with some of the things you are going through. Come out this week w/ a question in mind and one of our leaders will do their best to answer it for you!

 

GROW GROUPS SR. HIGH STUDY

2^nd and 4^th Monday Evenings

If you are between 9^th – 12^th grades, this is an awesome opportunity to grow closer to each other and closer to God.

 

Next Grow Group (4/22) - Why do bad things happen to good people? This is a question humans have been struggling with for all of history. If God is good and God is all powerful why does he allow evil to exist? Do some thinking and maybe some research and see if you can find any reasons you agree with.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

FREE GAS STOVE

We are getting rid of the gas stove in Hope's kitchen.  It is available for free to anyone who can come and pick it up.  Contact Brad Hopkins (609-502-0510) if you are interested.

 

IMMEDIATE HOUSING NEED

There is a family at Hope who has someone close to them in need of a room (cheap) to rent.  He is a student in Philadelphia who has been left homeless due to unusual circumstances.  This should be a short term situation – either through May or perhaps the summer.  This is an excellent opportunity to show this young man the tangible love of Christ.  If you are interested, please contact Ken Blythe (Needs Team Captain) at kblythe99@gmail.com or 856-237-5373.

 

 

OPPORTUNITES TO SERVE

 

VOLUNTEERS FOR CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEEDED

We are in need of a few volunteers to help us with our Elementary Class (1st-5th grades) and our Pre-school Class (3-5 year olds) on Wednesday nights for the months of May and June.  We will provide curriculum and any resources needed.  If interested in this opportunity, see Pastor Mark right away! 

 

FOOD PANTRY

We've been busy cleaning out the pantry and have come up with a good list of what is needed:

          Canned fruit, canned puddings, jello, cake & brownie mix, packaged cookies, crackers,

          pretzels. 

          Non-refrigerated beverages such as juices, Snapple, or water.  No soda please.

          Ground beef, hot dogs, meat and poultry for our freezer.

See Karen Jones with any questions regarding the pantry.

Please remember to check the expiration dates and leave all donations in the basket located outside the kitchen door.

 

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
Want to help us with one of the most effective and powerful ministries at Hope?  Join in as part of our Kid's Ministry!  Here's what to do:

          Nursery
                   Contact Don or Alicia Heverly at Lilfeet21@hotmail.com 
          Toddlers & Preschool
                   Contact Franne Harkin at fhark7@gmail.com
          Elementary Grades 1-2
                   Contact Kathleen Toomin at jktoomin.98@comcast.net
          Elementary Grades 3-5

                    Contact Anne Jefferson at annemarie523@juno.com

          Wednesday Night Program
                   Contact Jen Winstel at jenwinrn@comcast.net

 

SOUND AND MEDIA TEAM
Our Sound and Media Team can always use more helpers.  Don't be scared; they will train you!  Contact Brian Ott for sound at Brian Ott at ottbriant@aim.com or Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw3@gmail.com for media.

 

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery                          Don & Alicia Heverly

Toddlers                         Rebecca & John Jacob, Natalie & Abbey
Pre K – Kindergarten     Tina & Greg Campana
1^st – 3rd                         Kathleen & Cheyenne Toomin

4^th & 5^th                            Kimmie Rice
Counters                        LaTosha Briggs, Lois Hartwell
Greeters                         Matt Austen
                                       Emily Hartwell
                                       Lisa Minner

                                       Connie Matthews
                                     
Wed. Evening                 Linda Landis, Lisa Minner

 

HOPES PRAYER TEAM
If you have a prayer request, please fill out a prayer request card and drop it in the offering slot at the back of the church on Sunday or use the "Prayer Request Form" on our website. If you have any questions or would like to join the Prayer Team, please contact Pat Harkin directly at Prayer@hopechristianfellowship.org.

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

Kids Ministry Director - Please pray for God to connect us with the right people at the right time and let Him have His work in all of this!

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." Ephesians 6:18

 

Made New in Him,
Lois

 

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