Our family just returned from a wonderful vacation. I love that we are all under one roof and get to spend so much time together – eating, talking, and doing fun things. Honestly, there is no better sound than my grandson’s little five year old feet scampering down the stairs first thing in the morning to greet me and snuggle! No matter how glorious the vacation is, as the trip winds down, we find ourselves thinking about heading home and what that will mean. As much as we love the break from regular life and the time together, there is a tug that calls us back home. Home is where we feel grounded, surrounded by memories, familiar things and security. That same tug on our hearts needing to return home is a reflection of something much deeper. Scripture reminds us that our true home isn’t on this earth after all. “For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.” (Hebrews 13:14 TLB) Earth, even in its most beautiful moments, is like a vacation compared to the eternal home that God is preparing for us. “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal building made for us by God himself and not by human hands.” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT) This life on earth is fleeting. But the good news is that it’s not the end of the story. Our earthly bodies, our “tents”, will one day fade. But there is something lasting, beautiful, and holy waiting for us on the other side. It’s a home we can’t see yet, but we can trust it’s there because Jesus said so.
This world is ~ LoisSPIRITUAL CARE
Jesus Baptized (Luke 3:21-23, 31, 38)
At the start of any project, there is a key moment when the thing you are doing moves from something that COULD happen into something that IS happening. At lot of people get stuck in the dreaming phase and never really begin anything of substance because they cannot imagine going from the “anything is possible” part to the “this is what I’m going to actually do” part. Thankfully, Jesus’ ministry did not just stay in the design board. He has a specific place and time to start the mission that He came to fulfill. As Jesus begins His ministry, He gets baptized by His cousin, John the Baptist. Other Gospels include more detail on this event, but Luke mentions it to show how God made it clear that Jesus was about to get to work. In this event, there is a real symbol (one we still use today) for what it means to be saved. And of course, Luke makes sure to capture all the details that make it clear this Man is going to fulfill the salvation prophecies that the Jews had been reading all their lives.WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY: Final night in Colossians!
Join Pastor Mark for this final night of study in the book of Colossians and see how we can be filled with faith and hope, as Paul was, and as he taught the Colossians to be. This will be our last bible study of the summer. 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
For the month of May, we averaged $10,437 per week bringing our annual average to $10,274. This puts us above our target of $9700 and continues to move us forward towards addressing the needs of our growing church (like Assistant Pastor and a larger building). In addition, our building fund averaged $447 per week. As we enter the summer, we are praying that the Spirit moves in each one of us to be faithful in our support of the church we call home!JUNE COLLECTION: Kids AlleyHelp Kids Alley equip children for a successful school year by donating new backpacks and school supplies for their annual “Back to School Rally.” This event provides students from underserved families in Camden County with essential tools like notebooks, pencils, crayons, and more—each child receives a fully stocked backpack to start the year with confidence! We will be collecting donations throughout the month of June. You can find the full list of items needed here. Donation bins will be located in the front lobby and at the back doors of the church. Every contribution helps Kids Alley empower children with the resources they need to thrive academically and personally. Thank you for being a part of this effort to make a lasting impact!JOIN OUR PARKING TEAM:
We’re looking for friendly faces who want the chance to be the FIRST Hopers to say hello to folks on a Sunday morning. Our parking team greets everyone who comes out to church and helps direct people to available spaces. For those who are coming out to Hope for the very first time, this team is the first “line of defense” in welcoming them and helping ease their anxiety! It’s a special opportunity and makes a big impact for a small commitment. If you are available to join our crew, please contact team lead Mark Buzby.
WONDERMOMS: Park Tour!
All moms of preschoolers (and their kiddos!) are invited to join us for our third annual Summer Park & Playdate Tour! We’ll be meeting on the second Thursday of June, July, and August from 10:30-noon at different parks for a time of fellowship & fun. Our first meetup will be June 12th at Washington Lake Park. Be sure to join our Facebook Group so you don’t miss any information! Or you can contact Emily DiLorenzo with any questions.
ANNUAL CHURCH PICNIC: June 22nd
We’re having our annual church picnic earlier this year, so be sure to mark your calendars! Join us at 3:00 for yard games, an epic waterslide, bounce house, and more fun outdoor activities! Then we’ll have delicious FREE dinner at 5:00. 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 the activities by signing up to staff the inflatables or serve dinner. You don’t want to miss out on participating in this amazing tradition at Hope!
TENT SET-UP: June 21st
Many hands make light work, and we’d love your help setting up our big tents the church picnic! Join us on Saturday, June 21st at 9:00 for a quick set-up that will make a BIG impact on the guests and volunteers coming through Hope event on Sunday! Sign-up in the lobby or contact Drew DiLorenzo to help.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
JULY 21st-25th:
Our Preschool VBS for potty-trained 3-5 year olds takes place in the mornings (9:30am-12:00pm). Our Elementary VBS for K-5th graders runs in the evenings (6:00pm-8:30pm).
VBS CHILD REGISTRATION:
Can you believe that summer is almost here? VBS season is NOW, so get ready for an exciting adventure in the great outdoors! This year’s VBS theme is TRUE NORTH, and where you will discover how you can trust Jesus in a wild world! Your child will participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, and learn amazing lessons about how putting your trust in Jesus will help you navigate all that life throws at you. It will be an unforgettable week celebrating God with one-of-a-kind Bible Adventures, collecting Bible Memory Buddies, and exploring the wonders of God’s creation. Your family won’t want to miss it, so register now!
VBS VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION:
We’re looking for prep night helpers, registration team members, church decorating help, and an energetic group of crew leaders and station helpers who will connect with the kids every day one-on-one! To make this all happen, WE NEED YOU! Our Preschool VBS for our 3-5 year olds takes place in the mornings (9:30am-12:00pm) with volunteers needed each morning by 9:00am. Our Elementary VBS for our K-5th graders runs in the evenings (6:00pm-8:30pm) with volunteers needed each evening by 5:30pm. Come be a part of the fun – register now!
DONATION BOARD:
As we plan and prepare to make an eternal impact in the lives of all who attend, we need support from people like YOU who are willing to donate items for the various activities, games, and decorations that will help inspire and energize the VBS experience! We have various options for items you can donate on the wall by the GoZone, next to the HopeKids! bulletin board—just pick an item, tear off the slip (feel free to take more than one!), and leave your donations in the HopeKids! donation baskets in the kitchen. Thank you for your support!
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! And starting in May, all high school seniors are invited to join us!
JUNE 17th: How perfect do I need to be? + POPCORN BAR!
We all make mistakes all the time and for many young adults today, that reality is paralyzing. If we are not sure about decisions we make or if we have uncertainty about our lives, it feels like we need SOMEONE to step in and give us the answer. Mistakes are dangerous. We know this from experience. Some mistakes have huge fallout. Others don’t seem to have any impact at all. On top of all this, our culture uses the fear of making some hidden devastating mistake to get us to tune in, watch, and even pay for them to tell us how to avoid that mistake. So let’s talk about how perfect we need to be to be safe, happy, and confident. The Bible is full of stories of imperfect people who God used for big things. Is there some level they attained of perfection? Or is there something else we need to navigate our imperfect lives?
For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
POOL PARTY: July 11th
Summer is here and you know what that means; Hope Youth pool parties are back! Join us for the first of the season on Friday, July 11th from 3-6pm at 973 Johnson Road, Sicklerville for an afternoon of fun in the sun! We’ll have free grill food, plenty of snacks, a diving board, and of course a pool to jump into! The Hope Youth Pool Parties are a summer staple and you won’t want to miss out on the fun and fellowship that’s about to take place! Use the link to sign-up so we can get a head count for food and bring as many friends as possible!
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.
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org