Think back to your school days. What kind of a test taker were you? Some of us studied over the course of time and simply refreshed right before a test. Others would wait until the last possible moment and then stay up all night cramming. There were all kinds of tests to study for! But here’s the thing – you can’t cram for a test from God. Life doesn’t come with a list of multiple-choice answers for you to choose from, and the tests aren’t timed so that you know how long you are being tested. We never know when a test will come our way, if it will be big or small, or how long it will go on. All we know is that tests WILL come. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12) They can be as small (and short) as what you do when the cashier doesn’t charge you for an item, or when you find a wallet with a large amount of cash in it. Do you do the right thing? Other times the testing can go on for what seems like an eternity and involve major life situations. I usually consider those more of a ‘trial’. And sometimes I feel like the longer it takes me to realize what I should be doing, the long the trial goes on! I will say that those are often the times that bring me closest to God and strengthen my faith. One of my favorite sayings to remember is ‘A faith that hasn’t been tested can’t be trusted’. James 1:2 adds another layer. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” We could all do with a little more perseverance! James 1:12 sweetens the deal even more. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” A crown of life. Now that is worth everything, including all the struggles a test can bring!
Waiting for that crown …..Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Jesus Is the Answer | VBS Closing
(John 14:1-6; 3:16: 1:12)
We’ve had an amazing week together as a church during this year’s Vacation Bible School. This morning, we celebrate together all of the fun, the people, and the lessons. Our kids will take the stage to share their songs and the truth they’ve learned. Then, we’ll talk about how what seems so simple can be so life-giving and powerful. No matter what our age is, we all are looking for answers in this life. Some of us think we’ve found them in places like talent, accomplishment, or some other philosophy of life. We’re going to take the last moments of the service to talk about Jesus’ claim to be THE answer for our lives. Then, we’ll all come back for an amazing afternoon and evening at out totally free and over-the-top church picnic!
PRAYER HUDDLE:
If you’re volunteering on a Sunday morning, whether its greeting, HopeKids!, in the sound booth, etc., please join us for a team prayer huddle! We want to gather together everyone who is serving to pray for the services. Meet at 8:40 in the GoZone!
SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER:
Anyone can join us Sunday mornings at 8:30 in Pastor Mark’s office to pray for that morning’s services. Contact Bob Baumiester for more information (rbaumiester@gmail.com).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We’ll be closing out VBS week with a bang! We’ll have games, waterslides and more – plus dinner at 5:00 for the whole family! But we need your help to make this tremendous event possible! Make sure to sign-up in the lobby to bring a dish to share, or to help with set-up. You don’t want to miss out on participating in this amazing tradition at Hope!
KIDS ALLEY OPPORTUNITY:
Thank you so much to every Hoper that donated to our Kids Alley school supply collection! We’d love if you would go one step further and actually stuff those backpacks full of all the school essentials! Kids Alley will be organizing all of the supplies on Saturday, August 24th from 9:00-1:00. If you are interested in volunteering, or have any questions, please reach out to Jodi Jacoby via text 856-371-7227.
WONDERMOMS PARK TOUR:
If you’re a mom to a preschooler (0-5) we’d love for you and your kiddos to join us on the last leg of our summer Park Tour! Meet us at Fasola Park splash pad on Thursday, August 8th from 10:30-noon, and be ready to get splashed! We’re going to have so much fun and you won’t want to miss – this is our last meeting before we take a hiatus for the fall! For more info, join our Facebook Group here.
MEN’S BREAKFAST:
All men post high school and up are encouraged to join us on the second Saturday of every month for an amazing time of fellowship, prayer, and of course FREE hot breakfast! We’d love for you to come out on August 10th from 8:00-9:30. Feel free to bring a friend!
LADIES LUAU:
“Aloha”, Ladies of Hope! You’re invited for a backyard luau with some yummy island appetizers & sweets, fun games, and lots of great fellowship with friends – old& new! The date is Friday night, August 16th from 7:00-9:00pm at the Ott’s house (6 East Ave. Clayton, NJ, 08312). Feel free to don some fun Hawaiian attire and we’ll do our best to help you feel like you’ve stepped out of New Jersey onto the islands! All you need to do is sign-up in the front foyer so we can get a headcount for set-up and snacks. Feel free to invite a guest, just be sure to sign them up as well! If you have questions or need more information, see Dana Ott. “Mahalo!”
SUMMER SCHEDULE & SERIES:
The Young Adults ministry at Hope is a group of post-high school through their twenties adults truly seeking to explore life, engage culture, and empower change while remaining ground in the Word of God. We’ll be diving into “10 Questions Jesus Asked” on the 3rd Tuesday of August at 7:00pm. Plus we are going to have a fun event:
- S’mores & More, Friday 8/9 at 6:00p
For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Brian & Wendy Ball at: briwensean@aol.com
HOPE YOUTH
VBS VOLUNTEER EVENT:
We know many of our teens are working hard this summer to help make VBS special for all the little ones who come through our doors. That’s why we want to celebrate you with a special event! Any student who serves on 5 or more days in the Hope Scuba VBS will be invited to a free night of pizza, party, and bowling on August 8th! I know many of you have already started serving, but if for whatever reason you haven’t jumped in yet, what are you waiting for?! VBS is always a blast and students find their time spent to be valuable and rewarding. Not only do we get to serve God in a powerful way, there is really no replacement for the energy, camaraderie, and fellowship that comes from a big team effort like VBS. If you haven’t signed up I encourage you to find a spot to plug in here! And don’t forget to clear your calendar for bowling on August 8th! Any Hope Youth students who sign-up will receive a special punch card which will help them track their progress for the bowling party!
HOPE YOUTH CALENDAR:
Parents, stay up to date with everything happening on our calendar here!
JOIN OUR TEXT THREAD:
Stay in the loop for all of the most important notifications! Text “”hopeyouth” to (856) 420-6078 to start receiving updates this week!
For any questions about Hope Youth contact Pastor Dan at: danlein@hopechristianfellowship.org
HOPE KIDS
SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAMS:
We offer childcare and classes from our littlest Hopers to our 5th graders every Sunday morning at both services. Each classroom is staffed with friendly, enthusiastic, background-checked team members to ensure your child’s safety. Our WonderZone! serves our youngest children from infants through Pre-K, who are full of wonder about who God is! K-5th graders gather in the GoZone! where we GO for God, GO for growth and GO forever.
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org