Who do you turn to when you’re in need of some help? As children, if we were fortunate enough to have loving, stable parents, they would be the first ones to turn to when things go wrong. But what about when we’re adults, when life gets messy, overwhelming, or completely out of our control? Who do we call on then? The answer is simple: We call our Heavenly Father. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?” (Matthew 7:9-11) Our Father in heaven hears our prayers. And guess what? He doesn’t just give us enough. He gives us immeasurably more. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” (Ephesians 3:20) We have a Father in heaven who gives all of Himself; He is just waiting for us to ask. No matter how good our earthly parents may have been, they are still only human. Our Heavenly Father? He’s infinite. He gives us all of Himself, every time we call on Him. “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” – A. W. Tozer. He knows our needs before we even ask, and delights in showing up for us in ways that exceed our expectations. He is a God who rescues, a God who gives more than we deserve, and a God who never grows weary of hearing from us. Let us strive to live our lives as a reflection of His goodness, so that through our words and actions, others may come to know Him and His wonderful care.
He is my source of strength ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Morning of Worship
You don’t want to miss our Morning of Worship this coming Sunday, August 3rd! This life can make us feel hopeless and overwhelmed, but we have a strong God who is more than able to do the impossible in our lives and for His kingdom. We’re taking the whole morning to lift our voices in song as we remind each other and ourselves that our hope is in Him alone. Please plan to be with us and let’s watch His wonder-working power transform us and restore our hope as we worship! “…Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6b)
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
Hope is partnering with Rowan’s Chi Alpha Campus Ministries for their 3rd annual “Mug Shots Outreach” on September 5th. Each year, this event welcomes 250–300 college students with a fun, relaxed environment where they receive a mug, enjoy a root beer float, and connect with the Chi Alpha community and share Jesus with them. We’re helping by collecting gently used or new mugs for the students. Fun, colorful, or unique mugs are especially encouraged—they’re a great conversation starter! While we’d love to avoid overly business-branded mugs, we’ll gladly take whatever you’re willing to donate. Please drop off your mug donations in the collection bin located in the front and back of the church by Sunday, August 24th.
LADIES SIP N’ DIP: This Saturday!
Hey Ladies! 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). 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@hopechristianfellowship.org for more info and plan to join us!
NEW TO HOPE RECEPTION: This Sunday!
If you’re new to Hope within the past 6 months, our leadership team and staff would love to get to know you and your family! Meet us in the kitchen in-between services for a sweet treat and cup of coffee on Sunday, August 3rd. Can’t wait to see you there!
WONDERMOMS PARK TOUR:
Our WonderMoms have come to the final leg of our park & playdate tour! If you’re a mom of preschoolers (0-5), join us on Thursday, August 14th at Red Bank park from 10:30-noon. This will be our last meeting before fall hiatus. We always have so much fun at Red Bank – visiting the playground, walking down to the river, and checking out the butterflies. Join us for fun and fellowship before the summer is over! Contact Emily DiLorenzo with any questions.
FELLA-SHIP FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE:
We’re having our 4th annual Hope fantasy football league! All guys post high school are invited to join us – whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pro. Our draft will take place August 28th at 7:00p and it’s FREE. Sign-up at the Connection Center and see Dylan Ott with any questions.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
Pastor Mark is looking to establish a CLEANING TEAM here at Hope. This team would handle doing light spot cleaning at church, simple maintenance like lightbulbs and vacuums, cleaning the kitchen, Christmas decorating, and would help us put together semi-annual cleaning days. Volunteers would serve on rotation, and can serve in one or multiple areas. If you are interested in joining, please sign-up at the Connection Center. There will be a meeting on Sunday, September 14th following the second service to plan and discuss.
YOUNG ADULTS
REGULAR MEETINGS ON HIATUS FOR JULY & AUGUST
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. Check back soon for information about our fall plans!
For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
MIDDLE SCHOOLER MADNESS: August 15th
We planned a party made just for our middle schoolers! We’ll have pizza, prizes, and so much more on this chaotic night! We’ll be competing against each other and growing closer together, so don’t miss out on this wild night of fun! It all starts Friday, August 15th from 6-8pm in the GoZone. We are inviting ALL 6-8th graders so come hungry, bring a friend, and be ready to hang. Sign-up here so we can plan for you!
POOL PARTY: August 24th
Join us Sunday, August 24th from 3-6pm for our last pool party of the summer! We’ll be closing out the season right with great grill food, fun yard games, and a pool to dive into. Bring a friend, bring a towel, and come hungry for our final pool party of 2025! It’s all going down at 973 Johnson Rd, Sicklerville, NJ. This party is open to all 6th-12th graders. See you there!
SENIOR SUMMIT: August 29th
Senior year is a big step for many students. Hope Youth wants to celebrate our senior class, as well as invite them to look ahead at their last year and join together in making it the best ever! We want to invite each of them to start thinking now about what their last year will be like, what events or activities they want to do, and how they’ll lead and leave a legacy for the classes to come. We hope that all of our seniors will join us on Friday, August 29th from 6-8pm for this free dinner!
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