Hope Notes 8/25/16

 

Dear Friends of Hope ~

I'm reading a book set on the coast down south.  It mentioned a plant called a resurrection fern.  This immediately caught my attention.  Now by nature I am the curious type, so I did some research on it.  Basically, it's a fern that attaches itself to a host and gets it's nutrients from the air and water that collects on the other plant.  It can survive droughts of up to 100 years by curling itself up and appearing brown and dead.  However, when just a few drops of water are present, it will uncurl and reopen, appearing to resurrect and restoring itself to a vivid green within 24 hours.  Isn't that amazing?!

Of course, that little fern has nothing on our Lord Jesus Christ.  He really DID die and was resurrected from the dead so that we could live eternally with Him in heaven.  That seems to be one of the toughest things for non-believers to swallow. Which, personally, I don't understand.  The world has no problem believing in reincarnation, aliens, mediums, and fortune tellers.  It's not that far of a stretch to believe that the Son of God could be resurrected. The fact that Jesus died and rose again is the most fundamental and important element of our faith.  It's what sets Christianity apart from all other religions.  We are the only one that serves a living God.  A God who pursues US; we don't have to run after Him.  He comes looking for us. We do not bow down before a marble statue, a lifeless image that cannot see, hear, feel or think. Nor do we worship nature or man. We worship the one true God; the living God who created us, who watches over us, who loves us, who hears our prayers, and who intervenes in our lives. That tenacious little fern may be able to survive 100 years without water, but our Lord God reigns FOREVER!  He is eternally alive! "But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King." (Jeremiah 10:10)

 

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE

8/28 – A Fortified Tower (Proverbs 18)

COMMUNION

In the first century, there is a legend about a group of Jews who held out in a fortified city against a vast Roman army.  The city was Masada (which in Hebrew literally means fortress) and about 1000 Jews withstood the advances of the Roman army for months.  While the city eventually fell, the fortress proved to be a source of strength and security, even though those in the city were hopelessly overmatched against those attacking them.  This is the reason that the Bible uses the picture of a fortress when it describes how those who trust in the Lord find refuge and protection from Him.  There are many who choose to trust in other things, like wealth.  Let's take a look at what Proverbs says about the place we can run to for safety.

 

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 in Pastor Mark's Office
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

 

AUGUST CHALLENGE VERSE

Genesis 50:20

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

 

WORKSHOP WEDNESDAYS

Once again we are offering our Workshops during the month of September.  Signup sheets are in the lobby. Our HopeKids Program begins again in October; for the month of September there will be no childcare. A brief description of each workshop is listed below.

 

Excellence, Run with the Horses (by Eugene Peterson)

Led by Chick Dougherty

Life is difficult.  Daily we must choose whether to live cautiously or courageously.  God calls us to live at our best, to pursue righteousness, to sustain a drive toward excellence.  This guide helps us discover our destiny -- and shows us [through the life of Jeremiah] the resources God has given us to fulfill it.

More Than Just 'The Talk'

Becoming Your Kids' Go-To Person About Sex

Led by Dave Hallahan

The old ways of having 'the talk' just won't cut it anymore. Sadly, the number one place today's young people go to for answers about sex is Google. Meanwhile, kids view nearly 14,000 sexual references a year on television, and 70 percent of teenagers have encountered pornography online. If we want our children to know the truth about healthy sexuality, we need to create a comfortable climate of continual conversations.

How to Be Rich (by Andy Stanley)

Led by Damon Briggs

You probably don't feel rich. Rich is the other guy. Rich is having more than you currently have. But you can be rich and not feel it. And that's the problem. Andy Stanley is convinced that most of us are richer than we think. We just aren't very good at it. It's one thing to BE rich, but it is another thing to be GOOD at it!

I'm New to Hope

Led by Steve Jones

Have you recently started attending Hope?  We'd love the opportunity to introduce our church to you and fill you in on what God has been doing over the past 12 years.  We'll take your questions and get you up to speed on all the important info like core values and what we believe.  And we'll get to know one another as well.  If God is going to take us forward together as a family, it makes sense that we spend some time in conversations like this.  Don't miss out on this opportunity to discover what you should know about our church family. 

High Anxiety

Led by Pastor Mark

Does panic stalk you every day?  Are you under siege by anxiety?  Does life seem overwhelming with danger and expectation?  We'll take a look at what the Bible ha to say on this topic and discover some very practical help for facing this battle.     Some of these steps may surprise you, and others you many already know, but let's spend a few weeks really digging God's prescription for anxiety.

 

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.

Please Note:  We are taking a break from our regular Bible Study during the month of August. In September, we begin our Workshop Wednesdays in place of Bible Study.  Regular Bible Study begins again in October.

 

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

 

MEN'S BOWLING LEAGUE

Hope's first church bowling league!  Begins in September on Monday nights.  Open to men ages 16 and up.  Signup sheet is on the table in the lobby.  See Bruce Clark for more info.

 

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!

 

ROOTED

We are taking a break over the summer but will resume again in September.  See you then!

 

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 SUPPORT

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.

 

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 TO SUPPORT HOPE

It's easy and convenient!  Simply go to our website at www.hopechristianfellowship.org  and click Online Giving.  Text to Give is coming soon!  More information will follow.  Contact Damon (damon.briggs@mitchellandness.com) or LaTosha (usafinancial2000@hotmail.com) Briggs with 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!

 

BUILDING PRE-SERVICE CHECK TEAM

Looking for volunteers to do a basic check of our building before each service.  This includes checking the auditorium for trash, looking for lights that may be out, making sure restrooms are clean and stocked, etc.  After each service trash needs to be removed from the building.  This is done on a rotating schedule; each person only needs to be available one or two Sundays per quarter.  See Ken Blythe if you are interested or email him at kblythe99@gmail.com.

 

FIRST RESPONDERS SECURITY TEAM

We are in the beginning stages of establishing a Security Team here at Hope in the (unlikely) event of an emergency situation taking place during the service.  We want to be proactive and have people and a system set in place so that we are prepared to handle whatever circumstance may arise.  If you are a 'First Responder' (police, security, EMT, doctor, nurse, etc.) and are interested in being a part of this team, please sign up on the sheet in the lobby.  See Steve Jones if you have questions. Informational meeting coming in September.

 

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.

                                             

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery 9:00        Lorraine Koch, Lynn Shute

Nursery 11:00      Don & Alicia Heverly

Toddlers 9:00       Elizabeth Staley, Yesenia Marquez, Julia Schmidt

Toddlers 11:00     Jeanne Wurst, Shelley Udinski, Leah Riddell
Pre K – K 9:00      Pat & Elisabeth DellaRova

Pre K – K 11:00    Kim Lawlor, Prisca Ogunkanmi
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      TBA

3^rd – 5^th   11:00    TBA

Ushers 9:00          Bruce Clark

Ushers 11:00        Bill Berry

Wed. Nursery       N/A

Counters              LaTosha Briggs, Barb Frazeur

Greeters               Ken Blythe

                             Dolores, Baade

                             Irene Riddell

                             Lorraine Koch

                                    

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.

 

 

Living for the King,

Lois

 

 

 

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