Hope Notes 12/19/13

Dear Friends of Hope ~

I know I say this every year, but I am really excited for our children's Christmas program!  There is just nothing else like watching the little ones earnestly pour their spirits out into something they've worked so hard on.  It fills me with a dose of Christmas joy for sure!  Every year I somehow wind up getting teary eyed over something in the program.  (Yes I know I am a sentimental fool!)  It might be a funny moment or hearing precious words of God's Truth come from a sweet toddler.  Maybe it's remembering back when my own child was in those programs; whatever the source, you will find me sitting in the back with tissue in hand!  Which reminds me - for those of us who don't have a child participating in the program, let's be sure and take a seat in the back.  We want to make sure all those proud parents and grandparents can have a great view of their little ones! 

 

SATURDAY EVENING & SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE

December 22- Kids Christmas Program - Peace on Earth

Luke 2:13-16

We wait for this service all year long.  Our kids have prepared and worked hard.  And we've marked this day off on our calendars.  There is nothing that brings Christmas alive more than our kids Christmas program!  This year, our kids will be singing about the fun and joy we find at Christmas time, and about the light that came at Christmas.  And we'll take a few moments as we close to look at one of the most famous phrases connected to Christmas: 'peace on earth'.

 

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

 

DECEMBER CHALLENGE VERSE

Psalm 121:1-2

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

 

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY

7:00 – 8:15

1Corinthians

Make sure you set aside time to come and study God's Word mid-week.  This helps keep you rooted in Scripture and connected to each other.  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.

 

GOD'S GIRLS

Women's Bible Study – Bible Bus Stops

This study meets the 1^st and 3rd Monday of each month from 7:00 – 8:30pm.  There will be discussion and reflection on the Proverb of the Day taken from the One Year Bible. It's like riding the bus; jump on and off anytime you are available!

Please Note:  Next study date will be Monday January 6, 2014.

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWSHIP

YOUNG ADULTS PRE-NEW YEAR'S EVE COFFEE HOUSE

Monday, December 30^th @ 7:00 pm

Have any plans on Dec. 30^th?  Of course you don't – it's the day before New Year's Eve!  Well come on out to Hope's Young Adults Pre-New Year's Eve Coffee House. It's guaranteed to be the coolest night of the year. Live music, delicious food, hot and iced coffee – and, best of all, it's ALL FREE!! 

 

MEN'S BREAKFAST

Second Saturday of Every Month

8:00 – 9:30am

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. See Steve Jones with any questions.

 

MEN'S MORNING PRAYER GROUP

Every Friday at Church

6:00 am – 7:00 am

Join us for a time of prayer, intercession and lifting up our hearts together with our brothers.  "Call unto me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you know not of."

 

YOUTH NEWS

 

Stay tuned till after the holidays…………..

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

Sunday, December 29^th

We will be holding our annual business meeting immediately following our morning service. This is where Pastor Mark shares where God has taken us over the past year, and where He is leading us for the upcoming year. It's interesting to revisit our goals for 2013 and see all that has been achieved through God's provision and leading. Everyone is welcome to attend, but please remember that only partners of Hope can vote. 

PLEASE NOTE:

The budget for 2014 and the nominees for deacon / elder are posted on the bulletin board at the sound booth.  We're asking everyone to pray with us in preparation for the meeting so that our partners will be ready to vote on these issues at that time.  If you have any questions or concerns, please ask an elder before the meeting so we can keep our meeting as brief and simple as possible.

 

CHURCH DIRECTORY PHOTO SESSIONS

We have so many new families who are not represented in our current directory that we are going to make a new one!  A directory is a great way to get to put names and faces together.  You know that person you keep saying hi to but don't know their name?  Just run home and check your directory!  Every Sunday in the month of January, Kristy Straub will be taking family photos immediately following the service.  You do not need to be a partner of Hope to be in the directory.  Contact Lois Hartwell (foolsforchrist7@yahoo.com) with any questions.

 

ATTENTION 1^st & 2^nd GRADE TEACHERS

New Winter Teacher Guides are now available for pick-up in the classroom.  See Kathleen Toomin with any questions.

 

MARRIAGE CONFERENCE

February 14 – 16^th

We're getting a group together to go to the Family Life "Weekend to Remember" conference in Hershey, PA.  Family Life is offering a special promotion for this conference.  From January 6 to 27, the rate for each couple is only $149.99.  Hotel reservations & costs are separate.  Signup online at www.familylife.com and use the group name HopeWoodbury to get the discount.  Don't miss this chance to invest a weekend into your relationship - spend some time focused just on the two of you and get some powerful training from God's Word about God's design for marriage. See Pastor Mark with any questions.

 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Don't be shy!  Jump in and get engaged in some spiritual conversations via social media stuff like facebook and twitter.  We'd love for you to share your thoughts and your spiritual journeys so that we can walk through life a little more 'together'.  Share something you're thankful for, share what God is doing in your life through the challenge verse, share what you learned at our last service, etc.

 

*****CHRISTMAS ANNOUNCEMENTS*****

 

ELECTRONIC INVITATIONS FOR OUR CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Did you know you could invite your friends and family members to the Children's Christmas Program.......electronically? It couldn't be any easier!  Just visit the Hope Christian Fellowship page on Facebook and click on Events (far right). Then click on Children's Christmas Program and send your invites from there. And while you're there, let everyone know you're going! We can't wait to celebrate with all of you and the wonderfully talented children of Hope!

 

THE LIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS - CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Saturday, December 21^st @ 7:00

Sunday, December 22^nd @ 10:00 

Want to walk like a wise man this Christmas? Then head on over to this year's Children's Christmas Program! All family, friends and neighbors are welcome to share this Christmas event with us at Hope, so invite anyone who may need a little light this season.

 

Special Note: The program is free of charge. However, in the spirit of giving, the Children's Christmas Program has partnered with Choices of the Heart, a Christian pregnancy center which ministers to pregnant women and new moms. The kids at Hope will be shining some light on the mothers served by this ministry by collecting baby hygiene items before both performances. If you are able, please bring a donation of a baby hygiene item (lotions, baby washes, shampoos, diaper creams, etc) to the show. The kids will be collecting these items to donate to Choices of the Heart on Christmas Eve. Then sit back, relax and soak in "The Light Before Christmas."

 

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

Tuesday, December 24^th @ 6:00pm

We would love to have you join us for our traditional Christmas Eve service. We know this is a busy night for many families so we make sure to keep the service to one hour.  We realize that people may have family traditions or obligations and aren't able make it out, but we sure hope you can.  We have special readings, music, and the all important candle lighting ceremony to really get you in the Christmas spirit!

Please Note:  We will be taking an offering for our needy families at this service.

 

OPPORTUNITES TO SERVE

 

TEACHERS AND AIDES NEEDED

 We have a need for Sunday School teachers and aides for the 3-5th grade classroom beginning in January. Teachers work on rotation, with 2 weeks in the classroom and 6-8 weeks off. We could use one to two more teachers for this age group. We would also like to have an aide in the classroom at all times. High school teens, this is a great way to minister to the younger kids! We would like to make "teaching teams" of one teacher, one aide, so if an adult-teen team is interested in working together, let me know. Thanks so much for your willingness to serve our youngest family members.

Please contact Mary Lebeau (marylebeau@verizon.net; 856-316-6301) if you're interested or if you have any questions about the program.

 

FOOD PANTRY

Current pantry needs:  Hot and cold cereals, peanut butter & jelly, and freezer items such as burgers, hot dogs, entrees, etc.

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.

 

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery                          Don & Alicia Heverly

Toddlers                         Kara Ott, Sammy Swedo, Abbey Harkin
Pre K – Kindergarten     Craig & Tina Campana
1^st & 2nd                        Kathy Porch, Madison Toomin

3^rd - 5th                         Mary LeBeau, Dylan Ott
Counters                        Kathy Berry, Melissa McGinness
Greeters                        Tony Dariano

                                      Mickey Dariano
                                      John Brazelis
                                      Lisa Fiorile                      

Wed. Evening                Merry Christmas!

 

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

Saturday Night Service – Please lift these up as we move forward in offering a second service.

Kids Ministry Director – We are thankful that Matt Russell has stepped in to run our Children's Christmas Program!  Let's keep him in prayer as he takes the lead in 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

 

Kneeling at the Manger,
Lois

 

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 Hopenotes Email.