Hope Notes 5/26/16

 

Dear Friends of Hope ~

Way 'back in the day' I had to have a heart catheterization done.  This was years ago when they actually admitted you the day before, did the procedure the next day, and then let you go the following day. That would never happen with today's insurance!  Anyway, the hospital chaplain paid me a visit upon admission and asked me what religion I wanted put on my id bracelet.  I took a look at his list and none of them applied!  I told him this and he said I could simply put 'other'.  No way!  I am a child of God, a born again believer, God's masterpiece……and that's what I wanted on my bracelet. He was genuinely puzzled by my response, which I found troubling since he was the hospital chaplain.  I tried explaining to him the difference between a religion and a relationship with the one true God. He kept insisting to just check 'other'.  Well 'other' could mean anything!  For heaven's sake, it could mean I'm a devil worshipper, lol!  He finally realized I wasn't giving in and so, with a great sigh, he laboriously hand wrote 'born again Christian' on my bracelet.  Victory!!  From that moment, every nurse or doctor who checked my id knew my identity in Christ.  It compelled me to not only share the gospel, but to be on my best behavior as a representative of Jesus on earth.  We need to think about that every time we wear a Christian tee shirt or get in our cars with the Hope bumper sticker.  We are proclaiming to the world that we are believers; now we'd better make sure we are acting like one!  

 

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE

The Proverbs Path – Exploring the Everyday Wisdom of Proverbs

5/29 – What Are You Saying? (Proverbs 10)

Memorial Day Weekend

"Sticks and stones…."  If you've ever heard the playground rhyme, you know the rest.  The message behind it is that words cannot hurt us.  In some sense that is true; we decide to a large degree how much the words of others impact us.  But Proverbs teach us that words have a power of their own.  It isn't the same as the power of physical action, but that does not mean they are powerless.  When was the last time you considered the power of what you are saying?  Do you know whether you are speaking wisely or foolishly?  Let's take a look at what comes out of our mouths.

 

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

8:40 – 8:45 for Both Services

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 8:40 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

8:30 – Prayer Room
Do you have a heart for prayer? Our Sunday morning prayer time is open to everyone. We pray for the services that morning and for the needs in the church. If you would like to participate, just show up!  Questions?  See Bob Baumiester.  "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

 

MAY CHALLENGE VERSE

Ephesians 4:15

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."

                                                                                   

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY

7:00 pm

Join us as we dig into 1Corinthians and gain a deeper understanding of God's Word and its application to our daily lives.  Childcare is available.

 

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.  Contact Dave or Leah Hallahan at dmhallahan5@gmail.com.  Childcare is provided.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOWSHIP

 

HCF COED SOFTBALL TEAM

HCF teams with our brothers of Pitman Methodist.  You must be 15 years old before the close of the season (mid-July) in order to play.  Our season runs from April through July.  Games are played on week nights (except Wednesdays) at 6:30, 8:00, or 9:00. See Lenny Little with any questions.

 

GOD'S GIRLS WOMEN'S GROUP

Mondays at 7:00

The Bible tells us we are wonderfully made - but why do our emotions seem so complicated? That's what we'll be talking about as we resume meeting this Monday.  We will begin studying Patsy Clairmont's book, "I Second That Emotion." Join us as we learn what makes us tick, and how God would like us to respond to the crazy emotions we all share. Signup sheets are in the lobby, or contact Mary Lebeau (316-6301/marylebeau@verizon.com) for information.

 

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.

 

YOUTH NEWS 

YOUTH GROUP

Our middle school and high school groups meet at the church on Sundays from 6:30-8:30 all year long! Come out for another amazing year as we grow closer together and closer to God!

 

UPCOMING YOUTH GROUP SCHEDULE

May 29 -  No Youth Group

May 30 -   Lunch @ Mantua Chick-Fil-A @ 12:30 pm.  See Dave Hallahan if a ride is needed.

June 5 -   Youth Group

June 12 - No Youth Group    

June 17 - Summer Kick-Off Party @ Hallahan's 7:00 – 9:00 pm

 

UGANDA MISSION TRIP

July 8^th thru 22^nd

We (Dave, Jess, Patty) want to thank you all for your prayers and financial support of our upcoming trip to Uganda! Through your donations, God has graciously provided above and beyond what was needed for our trip. We will not only be able to go, but we will be using the extra money to gift to our missionaries, Josh & Kelly Hallahan.  As God has blessed us, we would like to bless them! Thank for your continued prayer for our trip!

 

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEWS

 

GO ZONE

Go Zone is our Sunday Morning kid's service, planned especially for 1^st - 5^th graders.  Our goal is to encourage the kids to live with their focus on "GOing for GOD, GOing for GROWTH, and GOing FOREVER!" This service includes worship, games, and exploring important biblical truths in fun and creative ways before heading off to Sunday school.

Follow HopeKids! Ministries on Facebook at:  facebook.com/HCFHopeKids

                                                                               ANNOUNCEMENTS 

 

PRISON MINISTRY

Once again, we have two of our very own (Jim Jefferson & Bill McGinness) participating in this unique prison ministry that reaches inmates with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through athletics. Statistics show that the vast majority of prisoners will not attend a traditional religious program such as a chapel service or Bible study. However, inmates will gladly attend sporting events at which a gospel message is shared.

The commitment to serve in this ministry requires many sacrifices on their part, not just the personal time spent away from their families, but a financial sacrifice as well.  We can help them through prayer and through giving donations as we feel the Lord's leading.  If you would like to contribute, please see Bill or Jim and they will give you the details on how best to give.

 

CAVE QUEST VBS

July 25^th – 29^th

We are so excited for VBS!  Get ready for an over-the-top underground adventure with CAVE QUEST VBS!  Your children will come away grounded in the rock solid foundation of God's love.  This year, we are having two sessions – our 3-5 year olds will meet from 9:30 – 12:00, and our elementary kids will meet from 6:00 – 8:30pm.  This means we have more of a need than ever for volunteers!  There are Volunteer Forms lots of places at church; just fill one out and return to Matt Russell by May 31^st.  What a fun and easy way to invest in our children's spiritual lives!

HELP WANTED

Elderly woman in Deptford, NJ looking for someone to help with her paperwork.  She is willing to pay for this help.  Contact Lorraine Otis (856-686-1557) if interested.

 

ENVELOPES FOR DESIGNATED GIVING

If God has laid it on your heart to give a little something extra for His kingdom, we have provided envelopes for you to do so!  These are not for your usual Sunday offering; they are for you to use if you'd like to give to a special project or ministry.  The envelopes are in a wall mounted bin next to our regular offering slot.

 

ONLINE GIVING OPTION

It's easy and convenient!  Simply go to our website and click 'Online Giving'.  You have the options to set up recurring donations (like automatic bill pay), or give one time donations as well.  The amount and frequency are up to you.  This will allow many of us to be intentional and faithful in our support of Hope.  Contact Damon or LaTosha Briggs with any questions.

 

HAVE OUR ELDERS PRAY WITH YOU

The New Testament has this wonderful ministry for the elders of a church - PRAYER.  And we'd like to offer it to anyone who is in need of healing (physical or otherwise) or who needs the power of God to be at work in their lives in a special way.  If you or anyone you know would like to take advantage of this ministry, contact Pastor Mark to set up a time after one of our Sunday services for the elders to pray over you.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

 

CONNECTING AND SERVING AT HOPE

There are so many places to connect and serve here at Hope.  Keep your eyes on this section to be aware of all the different opportunities for you to effectively serve at Hope. There truly IS 'something for everyone' and we want to make it easy for you to know all the different options!

 

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY NEEDS

Our elementary age Sunday School classes are looking for both teachers and helpers to serve. Please contact Matt Russell for more information.

 

FAMILY PROMISE MINISTRIES MEETING

Sunday, June 5^th

We are gathering a team to serve in Family Promise Ministries, which helps homeless families in Gloucester County get back on their feet.  We would be working in conjunction with other churches to help these families by providing meals, shelter, and transportation.  If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please sign up on the signup sheet in the lobby.  Pastor Mark is holding a brief informational meeting on Sunday, June 5^th at 10:30 in the 3^rd-5^th grade classroom.  The purpose of this meeting is to give everyone an idea of what is involved in this ministry and set up a time to talk further for those who are ready to serve.

                                             

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery 9:00        Leah Hallahan, Lauren Czyzewski

Nursery 11:00      Melissa McGinness, Bethany Pineda       

Toddlers 9:00       Karen Blythe, Yesinia Marquez, Julia Schmidt

Toddlers 11:00     Jason & Kristy Straub, Leah Aureli
Pre K – K 9:00      Pat & Elisabeth DellaRova

Pre K – K 11:00    Karen & Amanda Merriell
1^st & 2^nd – 9:00     Kathy Porch, DJ Briggs

1^st & 2^nd – 11:00   Kelly Louis, Lucy Muhlbaier

3rd - 5^th   9:00      Faith DeWalt, Mary Kearney

3^rd – 5^th   11:00     Mary LeBeau, Christy Tomasello

Ushers 9:00          Bob Baumiester

Ushers 11:00        Dan Rozinski

Wed. Nursery       Jim Gardiner, Pat Keith

Counters              Lois Hartwell, Wendy Devereaux

Greeters               Rick Ayusa

                             Patty Bunnell

                             Paul Rochat

                             Helen Mastalski

                                    

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 Contact Us Form on our website.  http://www.hopechristianfellowship.org/contact/.  If you have any questions or would like to join the Prayer Team, please contact Bill Berry directly at billandkathyberry@comcast.net.

 

 

Child of the One True King,

Lois

 

 

 

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