Hope Notes 3/2/17

Dear Friends of Hope ~

I was reading an article while waiting at the doctor's office and came across something that caused me to let out a derisive snort and make all heads turn my way.  I promptly slunk down in my chair and hid behind the magazine.  Now I'm sure you all want to know what precipitated this outburst, so let me tell you.  It was a new app for your phone called 'Freedom'.  You create a list of sites/apps you want temporarily restricted and you won't be able to access anything on that list for the amount of time you select.  Come on now people!  Are we that unable to control ourselves?  And never mind the fact that true freedom comes only from Jesus Christ.  I don't know why it disturbed me so much.  I know there are those who struggle with all forms of online addictions and perhaps this would be a useful tool for them.  But this article was directed towards those who feel compelled to constantly check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and emails. If we're going to use an outside source to help us resist temptations, why not go right to the Holy Authority, the ultimate source of strength?  No matter what the temptation, be it large or small, He is the One who provides us with the power to say no. Two basic principles: prayer and His Word.  If you google 'Bible verses on resisting temptation', you will find a profusion of them!  God provides us with His Word to give us direction. And Jesus Himself told us to pray in order to resist temptation. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38)  So there you have it!  My embarrassing eruption in the waiting room and the thought process that ensued because of it. 

 

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE

THE WORDS OF JESUS SERIES

(A Study from Luke)

Because we trust and follow Jesus, we thought it would be a great idea to take a walk through the gospel of Luke and dig into the words of Jesus Himself.  We'll find them challenging and full of insight.  And with open hearts, we'll allow the Spirit to instruct us on how we should walk as Christians in this world.

March 5^th – The Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4)

When we talk about prayer, we have to start by recognizing that people come from all different kinds of backgrounds and traditions. Some have been in very formal religious practices and others have barely ever walked into a church.  However, almost everyone prays at some point in their life.  Whether it is simple desperation or a daily choice, people pray.  One prayer has been repeated over and over again.  What should we do with the Lord's Prayer?  Are we supposed to pray it repeatedly?  Or is Jesus doing something bigger than just giving us some words to speak?

 

MESSAGES AVAILABLE 

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 in the Youth Room 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!  "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20)  Bob Baumiester leads this prayer time – feel free to contact him with any questions at rbaumiester@gmail.com.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

MARCH CHALLENGE VERSE

Psalm 16:8

"I keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY

A Study on 1Corinthians

7:00 – 8:15 pm

Please Note:  Our regular Bible Study is on hiatus until April 5^th.  See the Announcements section further down…….we have lots of great things planned for the month of March!

 

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

 

BAPTISM SERVICE – THIS WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, March 8th

Our Baptism Service is one of the most touching and encouraging experiences.  Not just for those who are being baptized, but also for all who attend.  It is such a privilege to witness the physical act of baptism that represents a deep spiritual commitment.  It tells the world we that Jesus has washed us clean – we are new creations.  Hearing the testimonies of those being baptized brings such joy!  This is an evening you do not want to miss out on.  Mark your calendars, come out and support your brothers & sisters in Christ, AND receive a big blessing as well!

 

WORSHIP NIGHT

Wednesday, March 15^th

Worship music speaks to the heart and soul in ways that mere words cannot.  There is something about the sound of voices lifted in praise to our Lord and the acoustics of the instruments that provide an added depth of feeling. Come and be treated to an hour of music and praise; it will renew your spirit and remind you how awesome and powerful our God is.

 

MOVIE NIGHT

March 22^nd

Movie Night is always such a fun time!  What's not to love about free movies, popcorn, candy, drinks, and snacks?! We've even got the Red Carpet!!  The adults will be watching Risen in the auditorium and the kids will be watching Trolls in the Youth Room. Don't miss out on this entertaining family night!

 

HOPE'S CO-ED SOFTBALL TEAM

It's that time of year again!  Softball season runs from April to June on weeknights.  You must be 15 before the end of the season to play.  Signup sheet is in the lobby.  See Lenny Little with any questions (littlemanlenny@yahoo.com).

 

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 (www.hopechristianfellowship. org) under 'Small Groups" 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!

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT GROW GROUPS

7:00 – 8:15

Grow Groups is an opportunity for our middle and high school students to dig deeper into Gods word and the issues that are relevant to their lives. 

We are on hiatus and will return April 5^th.  We will be going through The Gospel According to Pixar.

 

MISSION TRIP

We are excited to announce our 2017 mission trip to BOSTON! This is open to a limited number of high school students. See Dave Hallahan with any questions.

 

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

 

HopeKids! CHILDREN'S CONFERENCE – THIS SATURDAY

Saturday, March 4th

God is growing HopeKids ministry by leaps and bounds! We are working on ways to make things easier for parents, kids, and teachers by introducing a new registration/check-in system and group management software (including scheduling and contact lists)!  We will holding a conference for all of our children's ministry volunteers to go over these new and exciting changes on March 4th from 9:00 – 12:00. Let's take some time to fellowship and talk about what God is doing in this ministry!  Don't miss this important training session and reflection time as we follow God's lead into an exciting new year!

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

WORK DAY – THIS SATURDAY

Saturday, March 4^th

9:00 to Noon

The Landscaping Team is planning a work day to help freshen up Hope for spring! If anyone is interested in helping with some tree & bush removal and general yard clean-up, please contact Alberto Marquez (al_marquez60@yahoo.com)

 

GIVING REPORT FOR FEBRUARY

We averaged $8127 per week in February bringing our annual weekly giving average to $7794.  This is in line with our annual giving target of $7675 per week (actually putting us slightly ahead for the year so far). As we focus our energies on sharing Jesus and serving people in 2017, we know that every sacrifice and generous gift will be used for the Kingdom of God. We are thankful for every person who faithfully supports what God is doing at Hope!

 

THE DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL

Please note that there has been a slight delay and that these devotionals (kindly provided by Connie Matthews) will be arriving in mid-March.  You can check the Resource Room around that time and pick up a copy.

 

HOPE HAS A PHONE NUMBER!        

Many of you have been asking about this, and now we are happy to announce that we have a phone number connected directly with our church!  It will be displayed on our website, Google Maps, etc. and will make it easier for people to connect with us.  Our number is 856-537-1165.  Run and write it down in your directory, add it to your phone, and spread the news!

 

'HOPE SHARE' LAUNCH

DON'T THROW IT OUT – SHARE IT!

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!

 

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.  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. There truly IS 'something for everyone' and we want to make it easy for you to know all the different options!  You can check out our Ministry and Service Opportunities brochure (on the glass tables and in the Resource Room) and also keep your eye on this section as we post any pressing needs.

 

PANTRY NEEDS

Our Pantry Freezer is in need of some meats.  Good suggestions are the packaged frozen meatballs, hot dogs, hamburger meat or patties, chicken pieces, ham steaks, pork chops, etc.  We are looking to stock it with meat that can easily be broken down into smaller portions for individuals OR families.  Contact Kathy Cunningham with any questions at ktstackhouse@comcast.net.

 

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery 9:00        Paige Thomson, Lesley Russell

Nursery 11:00      Sherry Gaventa, Jeanne Wurst

Toddler 9:00        Karen Blythe, Jackie DeCrosta, Eva Owens

Toddler 11:00      Briana Abate, Madison Winstel, Julia Neff

Pre-K/K 9:00       Bill & Griffin McGinness

Pre-K /K 11:00    Lauren DellaRova, Prisca Ogunkanmi

1^st & 2^nd 9:00        TBA

1^st & 2^nd 11:00      TBA

3^rd – 5^th 9:00         Deb Caranci, Dana Farrell

3^rd – 5^th 11:00       Lauren Serebra, Need Helper

Ushers 9:00          Mike Hartwell

Ushers 11:00        Joe Sambucci

Wed. Nursery       N/A

Counters              Bill Berry, Matt Austen

Greeters               Irene Riddell

                             Pat Keith

                             Charlotte Zediker

                             Jeanne Wurst

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 Hap Cunningham at hapcunn01@gmail.com.

 

Free Indeed,

Lois

 

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