Is anyone else out there directionally challenged? I think I truly must have some sort of directional dyslexia. Maps and diagrams are not my friends. I often point right yet say left. Please tell me I’m not alone in this! Needless to say, Google Maps GPS is my new BFF. Much to my husband’s dismay, I will blindly follow wherever it tells me to go. One of my favorite features is how it will automatically recalculate if I make a wrong turn (yes I still do that even when following Google!) or if a sudden detour pops up. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had this same technology to guide us in our daily lives? The truth is, we do! God’s guidance is a divine GPS that recalculates us each time we get off track, gently guiding us back towards Him. And, just as with any road trip, unfortunately there are times when we do go off course. The parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 reminds us of this all too well.
In Luke 15, Jesus shares the story of a wayward son who wanted to leave home and live life on his own terms. He took his inheritance from his father and squandered it on wild living. He made a series of choices that led him farther and farther off course. The Prodigal Son, at his lowest point, remembered how well even the servants were treated in his father’s house. He repented and returned home, not as a son, but as a servant, believing that his father would at least let him work for food. The wonderful thing about taking a wrong turn is that you always have the chance to recalculate and turn around. Repent literally means to turn around. To turn away from your wrongdoing. Just like a GPS that recalculates, God’s grace allows us to find our way back. Every wrong turn, every mistake, can lead us back to Him if we choose to turn around (repent). No matter where we are or how far off course we’ve wandered, God sees us and is always there, filled with compassion and ready to embrace us as His beloved child.
Lost (literally) Without Him…..Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
A Different Gospel | Communion
(2 Corinthians 11:1-4)
Have you ever met anyone who thinks everything is dangerous? They can find deadly peril at every turn. Usually, they have statistics and personal stories to back up their approach to life. If you don’t share the same level of panic, they think you are blind and dumb. It’s kind of annoying, isn’t it? Essentially, you internally think, “What’s the big deal?” That’s exactly the response the Corinthians have to Paul’s concern for them. Paul says that he is deeply concerned for these believers because they are listening to spiritual truths that are based in lies. The Corinthians seem to think they make sense even though they disagree with what they were taught by Paul. But Paul is writing to express his deep distress. The things they think are no problem are actually a big problem. The Gospel is not something to twist or change. For thousands of years, it has remained exactly the same. Today’s culture wants Christians to set aside some basics about what it means to follow Jesus, but when we do that, we don’t have the true Gospel anymore.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY: Final Night!
Join us at 6:30 for coffee & a sweet treat before we head into classes at 7:00. We’ll be wrapping up our two current studies before taking a hiatus for November & December. As always, there will also be HopeKids! and Hope Youth programs.
- RUTH Led by Pastor Dan Cagey foreign relations, a nation in turmoil, and a people wandering away from God may feel like an accurate description of life today however it perfectly describes the setting for the Old Testament book of Ruth. One of the most powerful love stories in all of Scripture Ruth serves as a beautiful example of both commitment and obedience in every day life. Through this 4 week study we will explore the book of Ruth, see what it reveals about how God works in the mundane, and apply the eternal truths found to our own lives.
- DISCIPLESHIP Led by Pastor Mark What do you think of when you hear the word disciple? Maybe you think about the Twelve Disciples that we read about in the Gospels. But did you know that it also applies to the followers of Jesus throughout the book of Acts? And that Jesus told the Twelve to go and make more disciples? That means that if you are a follower of Jesus, you are a disciple. So what does that mean for you? What is a disciple supposed to do? We’re going to take four short weeks to look at this idea. After this study is over, we’re going to create opportunities for you to be discipled and to disciple others.
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
Our proposed budget for 2025 is now available in the lobby. Please pick-up a copy to review, and direct any questions you have to Pastor Mark or our Leadership Team. Voting for the budget will take place at our Annual Business Meeting on Sunday, November 24th following the second service. All Hopers are welcome to attend, but only partners will be able to vote.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD:
It’s that time of year again! Join us in spreading joy and hope across the globe by participating in Operation Christmas Child. You can pick up your shoeboxes at the back of the auditorium. Get ready to fill them with gifts and essentials for children in need around the world. We will be collecting shoeboxes throughout November, with the final drop-off day on Sunday, November 17th. Let’s make a difference this Christmas—grab a shoebox and fill it with love!
WOMEN OF HOPE:
All ladies post high school are invited to join us for our women’s bible study on the 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month! Come out on November 4th at 6:30 for a time of fellowship, discussion, and prayer. Bring your bible and a friend! If you have any questions, contact Mary LeBeau.
IRON MEN:
All fathers of children up through high school age are invited to join this small group where we can challenge, explore, and sharpen each other. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17) We will be navigating through the book and study guide of “The Jesus Style”. We will challenge each other in biblical principles to become better leaders in our homes, here at Hope, at our work, and throughout all other aspects of our daily lives all while perusing growth in relationship with God. Join us Monday, November 4th from 7:00-8:30 and continue to meet on the 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month. No need to sign-up, just show up! If you have questions, please contact Bob Esser (856-889-7939) or Chris James (856-693-9061).
COFFEE HOUSE: Sign-Up Now!
We’re ready for this upcoming season of thanksgiving & celebration and we want to kick it off with our 2nd annual “Coffee House” right here at Hope! This evening will be filled with curated live musical performances on Wednesday, November 6th at 7:00pm. We’ll have a coffee bar with lattes, hot cocoa, and cold drinks along with some yummy treats for you to enjoy. You don’t need to bring anything, but it would be so helpful if you’d sign up in the front foyer so we can be sure to save you a seat. Feel free to bring the whole family, or leave the kids home and make it a date night! There will be no HopeKids! programs for this event, but nurseries will be open for parents who may need to use them. Please plan to join us for a fun night and feel free to reach out to Dana Ott with any questions.
BAPTISM SERVICE: November 13th
Join us for one of the most special services of the year! You will be moved and encouraged as you hear the testimonies of fellow Hopers. Come out and support your brothers & sisters in Christ as they make this public declaration of faith! HopeKids! will have programs for our infants through preschoolers; GoZone students can sit with their families for this service! We’ll have hot coffee & donuts ready at 6:30P, and the service will begin at 7:00P.
DIRECTORY DAY: November 17th
Did you know that Hope has an online directory where you can access the contact information of other Hopers? Our directory is password protected and available to Hopers only. This tool is a great way to stay connected to one another – there’s even a mobile app! To be a part, join us on Sunday, November 17th for Directory Day. We will be registering new folks in the kitchen after each service. You’ll even get your photo taken for the site! Any questions, contact Emily DiLorenzo.
LEADERSHIP AMA: November 20th
Have you ever wondered why a certain decision was made at Hope or had questions you wanted to ask about our direction? Whether you are an official partner or simply a Hoper, we’d love to invite you to join us for a conversation with our Leadership Team on Wednesday, November 20th at 7:00P. Our entire Leadership Team is planning to be there to answer any questions you may have. We’ll do it in a public format, and we’ll answer what we can to the best of our knowledge and without breaking any confidences. We may have to have follow-up conversations afterwards to give more specifics, or to come back with answers after we research a little, but we’ll do our best to use that evening wisely for all who attend. There’s always an invitation to “ask us anything,” but we set this night aside to do that as a large group. Please be a part of this conversation as the Lord continues to lead Hope forward into the coming year.
YOUNG ADULTS
FALL SCHEDULE: 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 7:00P
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. Join us as we start a new study in the book of James! And as always, we’ll have plenty of snacks and fun fellowship at each meeting!
For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Brian & Wendy Ball at: briwensean@aol.com
HOPE YOUTH
HOPE YOUTH: Sundays from 6:00-8:00P
All teens (6th-12th) are invited to join us every Sunday from 6-8PM for youth group! Tired, exhausted, stressed-out, afraid? Peace can be hard to come by in the lightning quick pace of teen life, but God has a plan that not only provides peace but also guides us in holding on to it when life gets tough. Join us in our new series, Quiet Waters, as we explore God’s plan for peace through the lens of Psalm 23 on Sunday evenings.
HOPE YOUTH ON WEDNESDAY:
If you’ve ever imagined that the Prophet Jonah sat and prayed on the tongue of giant whale, then this series is for you. At Hope Youth On Wednesday students will be taking an honest look at the famous Sunday School story and exploring what really happened, and crucially, how readers are meant to respond. Leave your picture bibles at home and get ready to get into the nitty-gritty of The Book of Jonah.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NERF WAR:
Duck, dodge, and blast your way to victory on Saturday, November 16th at our Middle School Hope Youth Nerf War! Invite a friend and join us for an afternoon of fun, pizza, and prizes! All students from 6-8th grade are invited, even if they’ve never been to a youth group before! Event starts at 12:45pm and ends at 2:30. Don’t miss out! The event is free but we still need you to Sign-up here so we can get an accurate head count for the event!
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.
GOZONE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM:
It’s time for Christmas in the GoZone! Our Christmas Program is Jingle Bell Beach, an exciting musical about a beach Christmas singing competition where the competitors end up learning the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus! The program is going to be here before you know it, so mark your calendar for December 22nd at both services! Program practices are officially getting started, so look out for the parent info letter and make sure your kiddos start listening to their songs. Click here to access the GoZone Christmas music! If you have any questions, reach out to Pastor Ryan.
WONDERZONE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM:
This year, our little ones will share the good news and celebrate by putting on an “Incredible, Gigantic, Humongous VeggieTales Christmas Show!” Practices will continue every Sunday morning through Dec. 1st. Be sure to have your little ones in their regular Sunday morning classroom on time and ready to go so they don’t miss out on practicing our songs and lines each week! Listen to the songs on Google Drive and watch Miss Kara’s Motion Videos on YouTube to practice at home today! Contact Kara May with any questions.
HOPEKIDS! HANGOUT: Sundays from 6:00-8:00P
All K-5th graders are invited to attend HopeKids! Hangout on Sunday nights from 6-8PM! This program is designed to give our elementary schoolers space for extra fellowship, Bible study, and exciting games/activities with other believers their age. We’ll be digging deep into the Bible by continuing through our series “The Heart of God” and discovering what Scripture teaches us about the character and nature of our Creator!
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN GOZONE:
1st-5th graders will love our fun and exciting midweek program, where we review Sunday morning’s Bible story with new videos, new games, new small group activities, and a WEEKLY Scripture Memory Verse Challenge! You don’t want your elementary schooler to miss out on this weekly opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the Bible and fellowship with other HopeKids!
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN WONDERZONE:
Our Nursery team is excited to love on your little ones (0-2), while our 3-5 year olds will be having a celebration on October 30th to commemorate the completion of their scripture sashes! Your kids will want to join us each Wednesday night to plant God’s Word in their hearts, earn all of their letters, build a foundation of faith, and even have a chance to connect with our Elementary kids every week!
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org