Hope Notes 3/30/17

Dear Friends of Hope ~

Now that we've had some warmer weather, I've noticed all my little birdie friends returning.  I hear their chirps and cheeps coming through open windows, or as I walk through the yard.  One call in particular takes me straight back to my childhood, which is not necessarily a journey I care to take. I don't know why that particular bird is so strongly associated with my childhood; I heard many bird sounds in my yard.  But its mournful cry reflected my feelings as I listened.  Perhaps you've heard the distinctive 'cooooOOOOO-woo-woo-woo', which sounds almost like an owl.  It comes from the male mourning dove, and there is nothing sad about it other than its sound.  It is simply his – wait for it – wooing call to a female.  Now, for my entire life I thought this bird was called a morning dove, and wondered why I was hearing it in the evening!  I finally looked it up and, sure enough, I had the words confused. Somehow knowing it was a 'mourning' dove made the connection to my past more understandable.

But you know what you can count on with any kind of mourning?  God promises to turn our mourning into joy and we all know that He always keeps His promises!   "For I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow". (Jeremiah 31:13) I can testify that He definitely turned MY mourning into joy when I received Him as Lord and Savior. He gave me a new heart, a new beginning, a new family-in-Christ, a peace that passes understanding, and the promise of an eternal place in heaven with Him. 

There are many Scripture verses attesting to the fact that God does indeed turn our mourning into joy.  There are no wasted tears or sorrow; certainly none that He can't redeem. My little girl heart may not have known the Lord and may have identified with that woeful cry of the dove, but my big girl heart DOES know Him and can smile knowing that Mr. Mourning Dove is putting out his invitation to the lady birds to come a-courting!

 

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.

April 2 - The Surprising Kingdom (Luke 13:18-28)

Who doesn't like a surprise?  Maybe that's an unfair question.  Surprises come in all shapes and sizes.  The perfectly executed surprise party filled with laughter and fun is a great experience.  But surprise car repairs or illness or unemployment wind up on the other end of the spectrum. Jesus makes the point to His disciples that the Kingdom of God is a huge surprise.  It doesn't always look like what it is or what it will be.  And many will be surprised when they finally realize it is the only kingdom they want, because they refused to enter it again and again while there was still time.  What can we learn about God's Kingdom today?

 

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

Remember With Us

March 14^th @ 7:00 pm

We set Good Friday aside to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Join us for a memorable service 'in the round' as we read Scripture that tells of the journey of Christ to the cross and His sacrifice for us.  We also enjoy special music and celebrate communion together as a church family.

 

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

 

APRIL CHALLENGE VERSE

Romans 12:18, 21

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY

A Study on 1Corinthians

7:00 – 8:15 pm

Make sure to carve out time in the middle of the week for Bible study.  It keeps us grounded in God's Word and connected to each other.  It's a good spiritual boost to help get us through the week!  Childcare is provided.

 

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

 

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.

 

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! CONNECTION EVENT – A JOURNEY TO THE CROSS – THIS FRIDAY

Friday, March 31^st from 6:00 – 8:00 pm

All 1st-5th grade students and parents are invited to join us here at Hope for "A Journey To The Cross."  This event will kick off with an EGGcellent Family Easter egg hunt and Chick-fil-A dinner.  Following dinner, we will have a special time of worship and reflection, as we take a hands on journey through the crucifixion, using different interactive examples.  

 

This Sunday is your last chance to sign up for this event!  You can sign-up in the GoZone! Make sure you reserve your spot.  This is a great opportunity to invest in some quality time with your kids and show them the importance of Easter!  

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HAPPY TOGETHER

Married & Loving It!

April 28^th & 29^th

Friday Night 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Saturday Morning 9:00 am - 12:30 pm (Hot Breakfast included)

Cost: FREE 

Your marriage can be MORE - no matter how it is today. The power of Almighty God is available for any couple who turns to Him in faith and is willing to let Him lead their home.  We want to unleash that power and that hope in your marriage, so join us for this weekend as we start the journey to "Happy Together: Married and Loving It".  Pastor Mark and Dana will be sharing from their relationship as well as from the things they've learned through marriage training and study.  Join us for this event and build your marriage the way God designed it to work!

Doors open Friday at 6:45 pm, Saturday at 9:00 am.  Register online to be eligible for giveaways and prizes at the event (must be present to receive).  Please register by 4/23.

 

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

DON'T THROW IT OUT – SHARE IT!

Make sure to check out Hope Share on our website – it's a place to share things we no longer use and to look for things we need!  It's easy to upload photos of items 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.

 

TEXT TO GIVE

Given the sheer amount of cell phones users and text messages sent, we decided that offering text giving as another digital channel for giving made a lot of sense.  All you need to do is text an amount to Hope's designated number (609-251-4223).  For more details on how to give, simply go to our website (hopechristianfellowship.org), click on 'About' and then 'Online Giving'.  You'll find instructions at the bottom of that page.  Contact Damon Briggs with any questions at damon.briggs@mitchellandness.com.

 

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.

 

BABYSITTERS NEEDED

April 28^th & 29th 

We are looking for any baby sitters who are available Friday evening (4-28) and/or Saturday morning (4-29). Couples with kids may be looking for childcare in order to attend the Happy Together: Married & Loving It Conference. We'd like to supply a list of names and numbers to assist them in their search. All payments are between the parents and the baby sitters. If you are available for either of these times, please let one of our staff members know!

 

THIS WEEK'S WORKERS

Nursery 9:00        Sara Cartella, Anki Hill

Nursery 11:00      Mark & Brenda Hallahan

Toddler 9:00        Kim Haines, Leah Aureli, Katherine DellaRova

Toddler 11:00      Rebecca & John Jacob, Natalie Mariani

Pre-K/K 9:00       Linda Landis, Libby LeBeau

Pre-K /K 11:00    Karen & Amanda Merriell

1^st & 2^nd 9:00        TBA

1^st & 2^nd 11:00      TBA

3^rd – 5^th 9:00         TBA

3^rd – 5^th 11:00       TBA

Ushers 9:00          Bill Berry

Ushers 11:00        Dan Rozinski

Wed. Nursery       N/A

Counters              LaTosha Briggs, Melissa McGinness

Greeters               Lorraine Koch

                             Jacki DeCrosta

                             Lisa Minner

                             Patty Tomasetti

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.

He Hears My Cry,

Lois

 

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