I know you’ve all heard the saying ‘The grass is always greener on the other side”. The meaning of it correlates with another old saying about being ‘green with envy’. I’m getting the feeling green isn’t the best color in the Crayola box! Scripture has some heavy hitting verses about envy. Proverbs 14:30 is particularly harsh: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”
If we’d like to have greener grass and less envy, here’s a few suggestions: Get rid of the weeds! Negativity is a weed. Comparison is a weed. Gossip is a weed. Want a few more? Mark 7:21-22 offers us quite a list! “For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.” Once we get rid of the weeds, we can plant new seeds. Seeds of love, compassion, humility, peace, joy, faithfulness, etc. Ahhh, sounds like the fruits of the Spirit! “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) We can fertilize these seeds with practicing showing our joy and support when good things happen to others, rather than feeling envious or left out. In time and with tender care, the weeds can be crowded out with beautiful vibrant green grass!
Eternally changed ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Jesus Rejected | Communion
(Luke 4:14-30)
The end of World War 2 was good news for the world. After all the battles and the lives lost, there would be an end to the fighting. No matter which side a person was on, this had to be good news in that respect. However, it is documented that one Japanese soldier kept fighting until 1974. He simply did not believe that the war was over. For almost 3 decades, he spent his life fighting a war that had long been over. It is baffling sometimes when people reject good news. For Christians, it is hard to imagine than anyone does not want the Good News of Jesus. But as Luke records the first parts of Jesus’ ministry, he notes that Jesus’ hometown rejected Him as the Christ from the very start. In fact, they tried to kill Him before He even really got going in His work and ministry. Why would they do that? Jesus explained it to them, and we can listen in as well. Let’s make sure we don’t fall into the same trap that kept them from putting their trust in Jesus.
NIGHT OF WORSHIP: Tonight!
Please join us on tonight at 7:00pm for a Night of Worship as we lift our voices and proclaim the power, peace, and freedom that is only found in the name of Jesus! This night will be filled with songs and scriptures that encourage us to look above the discouragements and burdens of this life and instead find answers, power, and hope in His mighty name. We’ll have coffee & donuts beginning at 6:30pm and WonderZone classes for our infants through preschoolers will be provided. Can’t wait to worship with you!
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
Help 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.
SUPPORT YOUNG LIVES: Sponsor Anne Jefferson
Our very own Hoper, Anne Jefferson, is partnering with Young Lives – a ministry that is dedicated to introducing teen moms and expecting adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. They do this by building authentic relationships with teen parents ages 13-21 with children. This summer, Anne will be leading a group of young moms & their babies to Young Lives Summer Camp at Lake Champion for a week. This week is designed to give them the best week of their lives while creating space to encounter Jesus in a fun, adventurous, and distraction-free environment. To make this happen, Anne needs to raise $750 to cover one mom’s camp costs. This amount will allow her to spend an entire week investing in teen parents, sharing God’s love, and helping them take steps toward starting a relationship with Jesus. Would you consider partnering with Anne by making a donation to help her reach this goal? To contribute, contact Anne – any amount, big or small, would be a huge blessing! Most importantly, she would love your prayers as she prepares to bring the gospel to a generation of teen moms from Gloucester County who need the love of Jesus.
SANDY COVE WOMEN’S RETREAT: Join our waitlist!
If you were hoping to join us on the Fall Women’s Retreat, but didn’t get registered before the rooms filled up, we may have an opportunity for you. We are currently working with Sandy Cove in the event they have any rooms that become available. We can’t make any promises, but if you’d like to join the wait list, we want to add you! Please contact Emily DiLorenzo with your name and contact info as soon as possible. If a room opens up, we will reach out with registration links/info based on the order in which we received your email. For a refresh of the details about the retreat, click here to find that information and more!
LADIES SIP N’ DIP:
Hey Ladies! Summer is around the corner and what’s more fun than a poolside picnic lunch with friends? We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, August 2nd from 11:00am–2:00pm. This will be at the Baumiester’s home (750 Fairview Ave. Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097). There are two sign up sheets in the front lobby – one is to let us know that you can attend and the other is if you’d like to bring a dish to share! We’ll supply the cold drinks but we’ll need a headcount for set up and supplies. Remember your bathing suit and towel if you’d like to swim – and by the way, the pool is amazing! This is an event for all our ladies post high school and up and feel free to invite a friend. Contact Dana at danaott@
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: Spots still available!
We still have opportunities to join our amazing team of VBS volunteers! For our preschool session (mornings), we are in need of crew leaders, registration team members, and nursery volunteers. For our elementary session (evening) we could use a few more crew leaders and volunteers for our nursery. Come be a part of the fun – register now! If you aren’t able to serve the week-of, you can join us on Tuesday evenings from 7:00-9:00 for our decorating nights. We’ll be prepping everything we need to transform the church!
DONATION BOARD: Don’t forget to bring items to the kitchen!
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!
JULY 1ST: Let’s Talk About Politics
We definitely live in a political world. And social media gets filled up with people who know what we should think. We can think that we know how everything should be and what everyone should think. At the same time, most people acknowledge that the political discussions in our country have not been helpful for quite some time. The polarization and conflict in the political realm has caused either gridlock or chaos. How should a believer interact with politics? And are there foundational ideas that help us navigate our role in the political sphere without sacrificing our hope, peace, or joy?
YOUNG ADULTS BBQ:
You’re invited to a Backyard BBQ & Swim Night at Pastor Mark and Dana’s house on Friday, July 18th at 5:00pm! We’ll grill burgers, hot dogs, and provide drinks and side dishes too. All you need to do is sign up and let us know you’re coming – if you can bring a dessert, there’s a spot to include that too. Be sure to throw in your bathing suit and towel and come ready for some backyard games, plenty of food, and the opportunity to hang out with each other! Ott home address is: 6 East Avenue, Clayton, NJ 08312. Contact Dana with any questions!
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