During our recent discipleship session, we were discussing how writing down your prayer requests and the ways in which God answered them is so beneficial in helping grow your faith and trust in the Lord. Another deeper component to this would be some kind of journal where you record the storms you have gone through and how God walked you through them. Both of these give you concrete examples of His faithfulness and mercy. Re-reading them in times of struggle brings us courage and assurance of His care. The trick is dwelling on His answers and His blessings rather than the struggle or the storm. I read something recently that stuck with me: What your mind dwells on can consume you. And it’s true. I’m not consumed by the storms because I’ve chosen to dwell on the blessings. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. King David knew this well. “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalm 118:5-7) Some of the storms I’ve walked through weren’t just light rain; they felt like full-on hurricanes. I got through them not because I was strong, but because God was with me. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 3:16) Remembering that God is always with you and looking back on those (written) examples will give you what you need to forge ahead when life is stormy. May we all strive to remember the blessing instead of the storm.
Bountiful blessings…..Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
The Aftermath of Easter (Luke 24:13-35)
Today, we know that the resurrection of Jesus is the most well-established fact in ancient history. But for those who lived through those days, His resurrection was unthinkable. Jesus’ followers were left crushed and confused by His crucifixion. Before they even had time to process that loss, there are reports that Jesus was alive again. Can you imagine what it felt like to live through that? Today, we’re going to skip to the end of the book of Luke and see an episode that only Luke records. Jesus is alive. What does that mean? Jesus Himself takes the opportunity to explain it to a couple of His followers and we get to listen in. Let’s see what comes in the aftermath of the Resurrection!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY: New study begins April 23rd
Have you ever wondered why God isn’t doing something about the evil in the world or in your own life? Why the wicked grow in wealth? Why the innocent are oppressed? Why your own life seems unfair or why injustice permeates the world? We aren’t the first to wonder these questions – and questioning, or even complaining, to God isn’t out of the ordinary. In fact, the prophet Habakkuk dedicated an entire book of the Bible to His complaint to God as well as the Almighty’s response. Join us on Wednesday nights starting April 23rd as we study the book of Habakkuk and see how this ancient gem remains valuable and applicable to believers today. Come out at 6:30 for coffee & donuts followed by our study at 7:00. We’ll have HopeKids! and Hope Youth programs for kids 0-12th grades!
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
This year we’ll be having three identical Easter Sunday services: 8:00a, 9:30a, and 11:00a. We’ll also be having a Good Friday service at 7:00P with special music, scripture reading, and communion. HopeKids! programs will be available for all ages! Spread the word on social media, or grab flyers from the lobby!
PARKING REMINDER:
With Easter being our busiest Sunday of the year, we want to be mindful of our neighbors! Help us be courteous to the houses around us by not blocking residents’ driveways. Our parking team is ready to help you find a spot in our lot!
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP: Easter Angel Tree
Our friends at Seeds of Hope Ministries are coming alongside Angel Tree families to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior for Easter! They are inviting Hopers to help by providing the children of our community and those with an incarcerated parent the gift of an Easter basket. Each basket should contain age-appropriate candy for each child, and an age-appropriate Easter booklet or coloring book sharing the reason we celebrate Easter. In addition to the basket, Easter flowers, plant, or bouquet would be great for the caregiver. There are still 6 families remaining that need a basket! To select a family to help, click here.
LADIES BOARD & BRUSH NIGHT: Deadline to register is April 27th!
Hey Ladies! It’s time to get crafty! We’re excited to have Board & Brush Studio owners guide us through a fun night of do-it-yourself wood projects right here at Hope on Friday, May 2nd at 6:30P! Using this link and access code “HCF25,” you’ll register for the event, choose your project from a gallery of options, and pay. Board & Brush will provide all the materials and instruct us step-by-step to create a beautiful piece for home, office, or for a gift. The cost for your project is $40 regardless of which size/style you choose. Please note that registration is required since we are working with an outside vendor and there is limited seating, so don’t delay in getting registered.* You will receive an email confirmation of your registration & payment which will act as your “ticket” when you show up, so please print it or have it accessible when you arrive! We’ll have snacks & sweets to munch on and cold drinks & coffee too. We hope you’ll join us for this fun Friday night – feel free to bring a friend! This event is for all ladies post-high school and up. *There is no sign-up for this event, your registration serves as your sign-up – all registrations/payment goes directly to Board & Brush, but if you have questions or need help, please see Dana Ott or contact her at danaott@hopechristianfellowship.org. Deadline to register is April 27th.
MEN’S WIFFLEBALL TOURNAMENT:
Hey men! Wiffleball is back for our 4th year, and we want YOU to be a part of it! All guys post high school are invited to join us on Saturday, May 17th from 10:00A-2:00P. Whether you’ve played before, or it’s your first time picking up a plastic bat, we know you’ll have a great time of fellowship, competition, and free lunch! Also, this year we’re looking for a couple guys to help out as rules officials! Officials won’t be asked to play if they don’t want to, just to help run the tournament and facilitate the games. Register to play here. If you have questions, see Dylan Ott or email him at dylan.ott.11@live.com. See you on the field!
BABY | CHILD DEDICATIONS:
We believe that children are some of the most incredible gifts that God gives to families and to our church. Many parents want to dedicate themselves and their children to the Lord. We are going to start doing this on specific dates throughout the year. The first one will be on Father’s Day, June 15th this year. If you would like to know more about this process or would like to dedicate your child that day, please sign up at the front of the auditorium. There will be a class after the 2nd service on May 25th for all parents participating. If you cannot make that class, please contact Pastor Mark to set up a time to go over the information before that class. We are excited to pray over these families and children and to witness the declaration of parents committed to raising their children as God directs.
YOUNG ADULTS
Meets the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 7:00P
Here at Hope, our Young Adult group provides a place to connect, serve, apply God’s Word to real life, and live in relationships with others. Hope’s Young Adults is a great way to grow your faith and find help to navigate the big decisions on the horizon. Open to anyone post high school through their 20s!
MAY 6TH: What Are You Worried About? + Ice Cream Bar
LIfe is stressful. For most of us, experience has taught us that we should keep an eye out for problems because they are easier to solve early. But that approach has a side-effect. We become people who are constantly on high alert. We worry and live under the weight of anxiety all the time. Is this healthy? Is it necessary? Does it actually help? Let’s talk about how a Christian can approach an uncertain and dangerous world without facing all the dramatically negative outcomes from constantly worrying.
For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
Sundays from 6:00-8:00P
Please note, we will not have Hope Youth on Easter Sunday
Through varied lessons, small group, worship, and fellowship we teach students 6th-12th to see how much God loves them, how valuable they are, and the peace that a relationship with Jesus can lead them to.
CURRENT SERIES: Flowing Through Scripture
Every year Hope Youth challenges the world’s tendency to turn Scripture into bite sized sayings by doing a survey of the entire Biblical narrative! This year we’ll be focusing on the theme of water. Whether it’s the parting of the Red Sea or the miracle of Jesus walking on Water, God has used this powerful element to communicate key truths about His character time and again. Join us on Sunday nights as we journey from Genesis to Revelation, explore key stories along the way, and apply God’s grand message to our own lives!
HOPE YOUTH ON WEDNESDAYS:
The book of Daniel follows a young man who was kidnapped from his home land and exiled to a foreign country. Far from home and surrounded by ungodly influences, Daniel had to find a way to remain true to his faith. Join Hope Youth on Wednesday nights as we study the book of Daniel and see how this young man not only held fast to his faith, but stood out and stood up for what he believed. Most teens struggle with that familiar desire to fit in, but in a world growing further away from God, He seems to be asking us “Are you willing to stand out?” Come find out how at Wednesday Night Bible Study from 6:30-8 and enjoy some complimentary coffee and donuts while you’re at it.
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
HOPEKIDS!
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.
GOOD FRIDAY IN GOZONE:
On Good Friday to celebrate the momentous sacrifice made, and to prepare our young ones for the true joy of the resurrection come Easter morning, Pastor Ryan will be leading a special communion lesson in the GoZone for our Elementary HopeKids! This service will include a distribution of the elements (bread and fruit of the vine). If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Ryan.
HOPEKIDS! HANGOUT: Sundays from 6:00-8:00P
Please note, we will not have HopeKids! Hangout on Easter Sunday
All K-5th graders are invited to join us for special snacks, games and activities that expand upon what we’re learning on Sunday mornings. We’ll continue studying “The Heart of God” to see how we can reflect God in our everyday lives, this year and every year!
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN WONDERZONE:
Our Nursery 1 team is excited to care for your infants (0-18m) while our Nursery 2 team loves on your toddlers (18m-2yr). Our Preschoolers (3-5yrs) are doing a “Growing with God” study designed to help them learn about the reality of God’s love through play and apply it in their daily lives! You won’t want to miss out on this awesome opportunity to prioritize and pour into the foundation of faith for your little ones — we hope to see you there!
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS IN GOZONE:
GoZone Remix is back for 2025! K-5th graders will love our fun and exciting midweek program, where we review Sunday morning’s Bible story with new video, new games, and new small group activities to remix the experience. Plus, a WEEKLY Scripture Memory Verse Challenge with prizes to reinforce the Bible story of the week! You don’t want your elementary kiddo to miss out on this opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the Bible and fellowship with other HopeKids!
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org