Hope Notes 4/17/14

 

Dear Friends of Hope ~

"See!  The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come……" (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)

Isn't this verse a beautiful depiction of Spring?  I feel like we can all heave a sigh of relief now that the dreary, cold winter is over!  It really does make you want to sing! Everything is softer in Spring -  the air is milder, the new grass is tender, and the outline of the trees are hazy with their growth of leaves not quite in full bloom.  Spring is such a season of promise – new growth and new life.  If you are a believer, you have new life in Christ, but do you have new growth?  As we celebrate Easter and the new 'season of singing', let's make it a point to have some new growth ourselves – more prayer time, more time spent in His Word, and a willingness to embrace the trials God allows in order to help us grow.

 

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE

April 20 – EASTER – The Unfairness of Easter (1 Peter 2:21-24)

Easter can be lots of fun – kids can live on the sugar rush from baskets filled with candy for days!  It would be a stretch to say these kids 'earn' their candy by looking for eggs and baskets in a hunt.  They are just gifts that some parents give because they want their children to enjoy the day.  But Christians celebrate this day for much deeper reasons – the death and resurrection of the Savior of the world.  You may not have ever considered how Easter is the largest example of unfairness in all of history.  But it is.  And if we are to follow Jesus, we are called to live embracing this reality.  Could our obsession with "fair" be what has been holding us back all along?

 

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

Friday, April 18^th @ 7:00 pm

We're doing our Good Friday service in the round this year!  There will be music, Scripture reading, and communion to help us reflect on the amazing gift that God gave in His Son Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Childcare will be provided for Nursery (newborn – 2 yrs) and Preschool (3-5 yrs).

 

EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES

9:00 and 11:00 am

Have you noticed how full our auditorium is on Sunday mornings?  Can you imagine Easter Sunday?!  We have decided to hold two services on Easter – both will have fully staffed childcare and our regular children's classes will be running.  Our prayer huddle will move to 8:40am (instead of 9:30).  All workers for both services are invited to join us at this time.  We are so excited that God has given us the opportunity to reach so many people on Easter Sunday!  Obviously, there will be challenges for us as a church family in doing something like this for the first time on Easter, but we're confident that our church family will rise to meet the occasion and take full advantage of the moment for the kingdom of God.

 

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

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 

APRIL DAILY PRAYER CHALLENGE

Pastor Mark has CHANGED OUR CHALLENGE for the month of April.  He is challenging everyone to deliberately take some time each day to pray for Hope – for God's work in our church and for the people from Hope that God puts on your heart.

 

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.

 

SMALL GROUPS

The last study sheet for our Small Groups will be out this Sunday, April 20^th. We will resume the study sheets again in September as always!

 

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!

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWSHIP

 

HCF SOFTBALL LEAGUE

Root, root, root for our ball team!  Games are played on week nights.  Fields are in Sewell and Pitman.  Come on out and support our players!  Look for the schedule in the Salt & Light or contact Lenny Little for details at littlemanlenny@yahoo.com.  

 

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 MEETING

Every Friday at Church

6:00 am – 7:00 am

A fellowship of praying men contending for His will done on earth as in heaven.

 

YOUTH NEWS

 

ROOTED WEDNESDAYS

Wednesday evenings at the church.

 

GROW GROUPS

Meets at the Hallahan's house at 7:00 pm thru May.

 

MISSION TRIP MEETING

Wednesday April 30^th

We will be having an informational meeting regarding this summer's mission trip to upstate New York. All interested teens and their parents are encouraged to attend the meeting that will take place at 7:00 pm in the 1st-2nd grade room.

 

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEWS

 

SAVE THE DATE for VBS!

Vacation Bible School will be July 28-August 1 for children 3 years old and up to 5th grade! We'll meet each night 6-8:30pm. The theme this year is Weird Animals. God filled the world with a lot of crazy creatures...including you! When kids feel weird, different, or even lost in a crowd -- nothing compares to the extraordinary love of Jesus!  So mark your calendars! We'll need plenty of volunteers to help out, so if you're interested in being a part of this amazing ministry contact Matt Russell: mattrussell@hopechristianfellowship.org.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

CHURCH PARKING LOT

I don't know if you all have noticed……..but our parking lot is a disaster!  We put a Band-Aid on it with some black gravel, but we truly need to pave the entire lot.  We've been putting it off due to financial constraints.  We have about $20,000 but need closer to $40,000 to get the job done.  We are asking for you to join us in prayer as we put this situation before the Lord.  We are looking for God to lead us to reputable contractors to do the job and, of course, the funds to do so when it's time. Our God is mighty and able to do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20)

 

HOPE'S COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

Have you noticed our bulletin board lately?  It's to the left when you walk in the back doors.  The bulletin board fairy has been decorating it monthly to reflect the season and to hopefully catch your eye as you walk past.  We want to remind everyone to make use of the board – post items for sale, job opportunities, community events, or services rendered.  Make it a habit to take a quick look as you go by; you never know what helpful info you might find!

 

ADDICTIONS RECOVERY MEETING

This group will be meeting weekly on Tuesdays with a start time of 7:00 pm.  Contact Liz McCool with any questions at irelandjim@netscape.com.

 

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'.  Find us on facebook at Hope Christian Fellowship or on twitter at @HCF_Woodbury, @HCF_YoungAdults, or @HCF_Rooted.

 

OPPORTUNITES TO SERVE

 

HELPERS NEEDED – IMMEDIATE NEED

Does your child enjoy coming to our 1^st & 2^nd grade class?  If so, please consider lending a helping hand every now and then.  No teaching involved, just an extra set of hands! Rotation is you are on for 2 weeks and then off for 8 weeks. Contact Kathleen Toomin if you are willing to serve! jktoomin.98@comcast.net

 

SAINTS PRISON MINISTRY

We have two missionaries right here in the body at Hope!  Jim Jefferson and Bill McGinness travel with the prison ministry's softball team to bring the gospel to those in prison.  They sacrifice their family time and finances to do this.  We can help ease their burden and support them by praying for them and giving as we feel God leading.  Each man needs to raise $1000 in order to cover their own expenses.  If you are able to give, simply write a check made payable to Jim or Bill and offer it to them.

 

FOOD PANTRY

Hello There Hope People!   My name is Freddy Freezer……….I can be found back in Hope's Food Pantry. I'm searching for my friends; you may know them……..Benny Bread, Papa Pizza, Michael Meats, Isabella Ice Cream, Vera Veggie and all my other Frozen Friends. If you have any of them, please tell them I'm lonely and there is plenty room for them to visit me!

Please check the expiration dates of any donations and place in the basket located outside the kitchen door. Contact Karen Blythe with any questions or if you are interested in helping with our pantry.

 

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery                          Karla Hopkins, Jeanne Wurst, Katherine DellaRova 9:00am

                                      Lucy & Art Muhlbaier 11:00 am

Toddlers                        John & Dawn Brazelis, Tori Shute
Pre K – Kindergarten    Bill McGinness, Isaiah Owens, Angel Nolan
1st & 2nd                      Lisa Fiorile

3rd - 5th                        Anne Jefferson
Counters                       LaTosha Briggs, Carole Baumiester
Greeters                        Matt Austen

                                      Emily Hartwell
                                      Lisa Minner
                                      Connie Matthews            

Wed. Evening                Charlie & Michelle Schmidt

 

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

Easter Sunday Services – Please pray for God to go ahead of us and smooth the way as we prepare to hold two services for the first time.

Sunday Morning Children's Opening – Let's keep Matt Russell in prayer as he leads in this venture for our children.

"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

 

The Tomb is Empty,
Lois

 

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