“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues”. (1 Corinthians 12:7-10) I was reading this passage of Scripture and thinking about those nine gifts. Two stood out to me in how they are similar but different. Yep, I’m talking about wisdom and knowledge. To me, they go hand in hand. I can have knowledge about a situation, but without wisdom, I might not know what to do with it. Seriously, what good is knowing something if I don’t have the sense to apply it the right way? As Miles Kington said: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” Knowledge is everywhere: Google, schools, books, podcasts, sermons. We’re drowning in it. Wisdom? That’s a rarer gem. How do we acquire it? It comes from God. Proverbs 2:6 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” And guess what? He wants to give it to us, if we just ask. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5) I am thankful for the Spirit, for our God, who generously gives us the gift of knowledge that we may understand His Truth. And for the wisdom He gives to live it out with grace, courage, and love.
Saved by grace~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Good Friends | Communion
(Luke 5:17-26)
Have you had someone in your life as a friend who was actually a bad influence on you? Maybe they were the reason you made choices that you still regret. Or maybe they just offered some moments of fun that turned into a distraction from the life you actually wanted. We see the impact of friendships in our own lives and in the lives of those we love. On the flip side, some relationships are grounded in Jesus and serve to open up our lives to His power. That’s exactly the story Luke tells in this passage. A nameless man has some nameless friends, but the story of their friendship and faith have a lasting impact thousands of years later. Let’s see what Luke wants us to know about how Jesus included those who would have normally been on the outside looking in and honored their simple faith.
FAMILY NIGHTS: Coming September!
We’re so excited to announce that starting Wednesday, September 3rd we’ll be having fall Family Nights here at Hope! Join us at 6:15 for FREE dinner for the whole family before we head into our classes at 7:00. We know weekdays can be hectic with school and work – so consider your Wednesdays taken care of! Come feed your stomach and your soul! We’ll have HopeKids! Programs for all our our little ones, starting from nursery up through 5th grade. Hope Youth will also have a class for our teens. Even if you can’t make it to dinner, join us for bible study for adults at 7:00.
BIBLE STUDY: New September Series!
Forgiveness: Finding Freedom From Hurt
As Christians, we are forgiven. It is a fundamental truth that defines our relationship with God. But we also are called to forgive. When faced with the unforgivable, this can feel like a duty that we aren’t sure we want to fulfill. In fact, it can feel like it minimizes the damage done to us and makes us vulnerable again to the same kind of pain we faced before. But what if it isn’t really any of those things? What if forgiveness is freedom? We’re going to take four weeks and look at some of the main passages on forgiveness to see what we can learn. If you are struggling with knowing how to let go of wounds and the fear it brings (or if you just want to learn more about this vital truth), join us as we learn together what it means to forgive and how we can do it.
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 July, we averaged $8554 per week bringing our annual average down to $9939. We remain above our annual target of $9700, but we are losing some ground on our ability to fund our future home and Assistant Pastor. We know that there are many plans during the summer that take folks away, but we are praying for God’s faithfulness and provision through the sacrificial giving of our Hope family! Please pray with us and let’s see how the Lord answers.
AUGUST COLLECTION:
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.
MEN’S BREAKFAST: This Saturday
All men post high school are invited to join us on the second Saturday morning of each month from 8:00-9:30 for a delicious (and free!) hot breakfast. We have time for fellowship, bible study, and prayer. It’s a great start to your weekend and a way to connect with brothers in Christ. Bring a friend and we’ll see you in the GoZone!
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 high school and up 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. Even if you can’t make the draft in person, you can still participate! Just let Dylan Ott know. Sign-up at the Connection Center!
FUNERAL TEAM:
Do you have a heart for those who are grieving? We are looking to bolster our Funeral Team. Be a part of our volunteers who help set-up and host memorial services here at Hope. If you are interested, or have questions, contact Pat Keith!
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!
OCEAN CITY RETREAT:
Join us for one of the biggest events of the year as we spend the weekend at Ocean City for our Senior High retreat! If you or a friend are in 9th-12th grade, you’re invited to be a part of this fun and uplifting retreat being held from September 26-28th! Aside from plenty of games and fun on the boards we will be worshipping together, diving into God’s Word, and growing closer as a group. Fill out our OC Retreat Permission Slip and turn it in to Pastor Dan NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 12TH. The cost for the trip is $100 and can be paid via cash, a check made out to “Hope Christian Fellowship”, or through our Paypal link. If you have questions about payment or are in need of a retreat sponsorship, please contact Pastor Dan ASAP.
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@
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.