Hope Notes 11/10/16

Dear Friends of Hope ~

Thank heaven the election is over!  I am hoping that a huge collective hush comes over the world; I feel certain that most people are sick to death of hearing all the bashing that's been going on.  I have never felt more grateful to once again be watching ridiculous commercials about dog food and shampoo. No matter how you feel about who won, there should be a corporate sigh of relief that we can now move forward from the barrage of bad mouthing.  Romans 13:1 is a verse I'm quite familiar with and a standard verse to hold on to after an election - "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."  But the other day I came across a different verse: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding..." [Daniel 2:20-21]

How did I miss this gem?!  I love the simple statement that reminds us Who is ultimately in control.  Of course God has the power to remove and set up kings (presidents)!  If anyone is feeling uncertain or anxious about a new person in power, just let the words in these scriptures flow from your head to your heart.  When you have the confidence that God is in control and on the highest Throne of all, the things and people of this world will have little pull on you.

SUNDAY MESSAGE

11/13 – Vision 2017

Proverbs 30:24-28

With our year rapidly heading towards a close, we're going to take this Sunday morning and talk about what's next for Hope.  The past few years have been full of growth and victories which are nothing less than a testament to the power and goodness of God.  He is the One at work in our church, and so we look to our Lord for direction about where we should turn our energy next.

 

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

 

NOVEMBER CHALLENGE VERSE

Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY

7:00 – 8:15 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

 

TURKEY BOWL III

Friday, November 25^th @ 9:30

Black Friday used to be for digesting turkey and shopping. Now it's for showing off your athleticism and gaining personal pride by destroying your competition! In order to better utilize your lateral quickness, or at least to take advantage of your lack of lateral quickness, we will be playing at Woodbury High School. We will split into two teams the morning of and enjoy some friendly(ish) competition.

Join us for the third annual Hope Christian Fellowship Turkey Bowl Championship! Men of all ages are welcome!  See Dave Hallahan for any questions.

 

SMALL GROUPS

We want everyone to be a part of a small group! If you have a small group together, use a REGISTRATION FORM to list the when and where of your group as well as the people who are included.  Give that form to an elder or the pastor, or drop it in the offering slot. If your group needs some more members, post your partially filled group registration form on our 'Small Group" bulletin board so others can sign up for your group. If you don't have a group, you can sign up on one of the groups posted on our Small Group Bulletin Board or start your own! Study sheets are available online at our website under 'Small Groups" (www.hopechristianfellowship. org) and in the Resource Room.

 

GOD'S GIRLS WOMEN'S GROUP

1^st & 3^rd Mondays at 7:00

Contact Mary Lebeau for more information

856-316-6301 or marylebeau@verizon.net

 

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.

 

                                                           YOUTH NEWS

 

SUNDAY NIGHT ROOTED YOUTH GROUP

6:30 – 8:30

Our middle school and high school groups meet right here at church! Come out for another amazing year as we grow closer together and closer to God!

Please Note:  Youth Group will NOT be meeting on November 27^th

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT GROW GROUPS

7:00 – 8:15

Our middle school and high school groups meet here at church. We are doing a series called, 'Can I Really Ask That?' where we'll be looking at questions regarding doubt, hell, forgiveness, evil, sex, and more.

Please Note:  Grow Groups will NOT be meeting November 23^rd 

 

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

NEW PARKING FOR SUNDAYS

Beginning this coming Sunday (11/13), we are asking those who park on Warner to park on only ONE SIDE on Sunday mornings.  We will be putting out safety cones on our side of Warner in front of the church.  Parking on both sides causes a safety issue by creating such a narrow passageway for people as they leave the 9:00 service and others arrive for the 11:00 service.  Don't worry, there are almost always parking spaces available in the rear lot, even after the service begins, so you can just drive around back!

 

IMMEDIATE CLOTHING NEED

It has come to our attention that there is a 19 year old Nigerian girl who is in immediate need of some winter clothing, specifically a winter coat.  She is a size small, pants size zero, and shoe size nine.  Anything donated can be given directly to Jess St.Petery.  You many also contact Jess with any questions at j.st.petery@gmail.com.

 

'HOPE SHARE' LAUNCH

There's a new feature on our website!  It's called Hope Share.  Simply put, it's a place to share things we no longer use and look for things we need.  In a culture that feels like we're always trying to 'catch up' financially, Hope Share will allow us to be wise in both asking if someone has what we need and is ready to give it away - and also to share the stuff we're ready to get rid of without having to throw it away. It's a place where we can maximize our ability to help one another and also to avoid wasting things that others could use.  Go on and check it out to see how you can upload photos of things you'd like to give away and to search for that special item you just might need!

 

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

Wednesday, December 7^th @ 7:00 pm

We will be voting on our 2017 budget which is posted on the bulletin board by the Sound Booth, and reviewing this past year's story.  It won't be a long meeting (30 minutes or less).  All are welcome to attend but we especially need our partners there to conduct business and to be ready for the upcoming year.

 

OCTOBER GIVING REPORT

We averaged $7370 per week for the month of October which brings our annual average down to $7506.  We're still on track for our giving target of $7375 per week.  With all that God is doing at Hope, we know the investments we make are having an eternal impact and we want to keep growing in our ability to bring people into the kingdom of God!

 

MUSIC MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY

AUDITION TONIGHT – NOVEMBER 10^TH

Looking for an opportunity to 'sing and make music unto the Lord'? If so, we would love to explore the possibility of finding a fit for you in the music ministry here at Hope. There are lots of places to serve besides our Sunday morning worship team such as Wednesday night Bible Study, Kid's Ministry in the GoZone, and even with our teens in Youth Group! If you are a gifted singer and/or instrumentalist, we want to invite you to come out for an informational meeting and audition on Thursday, Nov.10th at 7:00pm. There is a sign-up sheet in the foyer so you'll need to start there, then contact Dana Ott (danaott@hopechristianfellowship.org) for more information or with any questions.

 

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 coming in January. 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.

 

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

 

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD – SHOEBOXES

Thanks to all who took home our 200 shoeboxes! By now you should all have your shoeboxes filled with gifts and ready to go.  Please remember that the $7 goes inside the box unless you paid online.

In order to make sure as many children as possible receive boxes, we are extending the deadline to Sunday, November 20^th.  So, if you haven't gotten a box or finished a box yet, now is your chance!

www.smaritanspurse.org/operation-chirstmas-child/follow-your-box

 

CHRISTMAS CHOIR

Calling ALL singers!! Christmas Choir is back!! It's time again to gather up and gauge the interest for our Adult Christmas Cantata (9th grade and up). The performance date will be Dec.11th for the both the 9 and 11 o'clock services and choir practice will be Wednesday nights starting at the end of October (definite date TBA). There is a sign-up sheet in the foyer and we need you to start signing up NOW!  The chorus books are here and in the front of the auditorium.  If you take a book, please be sure to sign your name and what part you will be singing.  See Dana Ott with questions.

 

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Christmas will soon be upon us, and come November, HopeKids will be gearing up for another great year of celebrating Jesus' birth, through a musical program!  We need volunteers who are willing to help with all of the preparation including teaching the songs and script, supervising practices and putting the program together.  Please contact Matt Russell if you are interested. 

 

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!

 

HOPEKIDS NEED YOUR HELP

If you have a heart to serve the 3-5 year olds, we are in need of a teacher for Wednesday nights.

We are also looking for volunteers to help with the 1st-5th graders, for HopeKids Hangout! We are looking forward to having a fantastic HopeKids fall semester! Come out and volunteer, so we can invest in our children's ministry and plant the seeds of Jesus' love in each child's heart! 

Please contact Matt Russell for information at matthewrussell@hopechristianfellowship.org.

         

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery 9:00        Paige Thomson, Lesley Russell

Nursery 11:00      Leah Hallahan, Lauren Czyzewski

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

Toddlers 11:00     Jeanne Wurst, Shelley Udinski, Leah Riddell
Pre K – K 9:00      Bill & Griffin McGinness

Pre K – K 11:00    Lauren DellaRova, Prisca Ogunkanmi
1^st & 2^nd – 9:00     Christmas Program Practice

1^st & 2^nd – 11:00   Christmas Program Practice

3rd - 5^th   9:00      Christmas Program Practice

3^rd – 5^th   11:00     Christmas Program Practice

Ushers 9:00          Bob Baumiester

Ushers 11:00        Bill Berry

Wed. Nursery       TBA

Counters              Michael & Lois Hartwell

Greeters               Rick Ayusa

                             Patty Bunnell

                             Paul Rochet

                             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.

 

 

God is on the Throne,

Lois

 

 

 

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