Eight years ago I uttered three simple words to a brother I hadn’t seen in over thirty years and rarely spoke to. We weren’t estranged, just 13 years and many miles apart. And he needed some help. Those words were, “I’ll do it.” I had no idea that those words would set off a chain of events that entirely changed the course of our whole family’s lives. I had no idea of the sacrifices involved, or the blessings to come. But God did. He placed an opportunity for obedience in front of me and I took it without even realizing that’s what it was. I said those words casually and without any thought, so it was an easy act of obedience. Not all opportunities for obedience are. But I will tell you one thing: obedience always leads to blessing. Often, God’s greatest blessings come as a result of our willingness to do something that appears insignificant. It soon became clear that this was anything but! It was His open door, and His divine plan beginning to unfold.
It’s only in the last few years that we have truly seen the scope and magnitude of how the fruits from those three little words have impacted our family. God is always at work behind the scenes, even when we are totally unaware. “Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” (John 5:27 NLT) I am blown away at the undeserved grace and bountiful blessings from our God. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT) I certainly wasn’t thinking that my decision to help my brother was an act of obedience or if would bring any advantage to my family. And yet God opened the storehouse and poured out His blessings on us regardless. What may God be asking us to do or where may he be asking us to go….. Even when we don’t realize it? May we respond with words like the prophet Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
Blessed beyond measure ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
FOLLOW: Deny Yourself (Mark 8:34-38)
Following Jesus is not a light or easy thing. It is quite simple, but it is completely against our human way of living. We always think of ourselves as being in the center of the story. But when we follow Jesus, the story isn’t about us anymore. Instead, we are living for things that last forever. This allows us to follow Jesus into a life of faith that may look a little crazy or ridiculous to others. Embedded in Jesus’ words about what it means to follow Him is a call to see our lives and this world from an entirely different point of view. We cannot follow Jesus without being asked to radical trust in His goodness and faithfulness.
FAMILY NIGHTS: Starts tonight!
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 programs at 7:00.
BIBLE STUDY: Starts tonight!
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
This September, we’re collecting toiletries for the Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries to bless our neighbors in need this Christmas. Items needed include: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, disposable razors, deodorant, and dental floss. Please make sure donations can fit into a gallon-size ziplock bag (no travel-size items). Last year, Hope packed and distributed 102 hygiene bags, and with your help, we’d love to meet – or even exceed – that number this year! Donations can be placed in the bins at either entrance at church.
HOPE MEN’S BOWLING LEAGUE:
Our league bowls on Monday nights at 6:20 at the Deptford Bowlero. If you are post high school and looking for a fun way to connect with other men at Hope, consider joining the team! Contact Bruce Clark ASAP.
HOPE YOUTH DONATIONS NEEDED:
Ocean City Weekend is one of Hope Youth’s biggest and most time honored traditions. Every year our students 9th-12th grade bond together for a weekend over fun games, powerful lessons, and good food! While we have some excellent chefs ready and willing to serve, we need your help in supplying the ingredients to make it happen! If you are interested in supporting God’s mission on the Ocean City Weekend retreat then consider donating one of the available items! If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Dan. Thanks again for partnering with us!
CLEANING TEAM:
Pastor Mark is still building a cleaning team here at Hope, so it’s not too late to join! 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.
DIRECTORY DAY:
Now is your chance to be a part of one of the most valuable resources for community here at Hope! We have an online directory that is private to Hopers only. Register for the directory, and we’ll send you instructions to download the app and customize your profile. You’ll be able to see other Hoper’s contact info and even reach out to them directly! Swing by the kitchen after either service on September 21st and we’ll take your photo and get you set-up! You can make the process even easier by PRE-REGISTERING HERE! If you have any questions, contact Emily DiLorenzo.
SMALL GROUP INFO & TRAINING MEETING:
Community is an essential part of our spiritual walk with Christ. Small Groups are an important way we fight the battle isolation and build an everlasting community here at Hope! In order to have Small Groups we need Small Group Coordinators, (formerly known as Leaders/Hosts), who are open to coordinating a group for the next season (Fall through Spring). Coordinators must be believers in Christ, attending Hope on a regular basis, and be willing to be the point of contact for a single Group. If you meet the above criteria and you want to plug-in to the church in a simple, but impactful way, the Small Group Leadership Team will be holding a Coordinator Information & Training Session lunch on Sunday, September 21st following the second service. The goal of this session will be to answer questions about Small Group Coordination and to equip those qualified to kick off their first group. Lunch is free, we just need you to register so we know you are coming! Sign-up here no later than September 14th.
NEW TO HOPE CLASS:
If you’re new to Hope within the past year, you’ll want to join us for a special evening just for you on September 24th at 7:00! Come learn how we do things (and why we do them!) here at Hope. This class will be taught by one of our Elders. Sign-up at the Connection Center to attend!
SEEDS OF HOPE: A Night of Celebration
We love partnering with Seeds of Hope all year long, and they would like to extend an invite to Hopers to join them for their annual “Night of Celebration” on Thursday, October 2nd from 6:00-8:00. There will be a time of fellowship, great appetizers and desserts in the lobby of Sovereign Grace Church. Live worship music will be playing in the lobby as we all have an opportunity to meet, talk with one another and deepen relationships. Right after that everyone will head into the sanctuary and the evening’s celebration will begin. Our hearts’ desire each year is that God will be glorified during the entire evening. We can’t wait to tell you about how the Lord has worked in each of the three branches of the ministry and share what we believe to be God’s heart going forward. To attend, purchase your ticket here.
YOUNG ADULTS
If you are post high school through your 20s, our Young Adult group provides a place to connect, 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. We meet the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00P in the GoZone!
THIS SEEMS FISHY: September 16th
There’s a story in the Bible that often brings big questions. It is a story about a prophet named Jonah who initially refused to go where God told him to go. Instead, he winds up inside of a “great fish” until he repents and decides to go. It actually goes downhill from there. The idea of a man living inside a fish stirs up debate about whether or not this is even a real story. Are there clues in Scripture that help us answer this? And, more importantly, what is the story about? You may have heard the tale, but have you ever been challenged with the truth of the whole episode? In a time when evil seems to be flourishing and God’s people seem to be losing, Jonah’s story resonates more than ever! If you can, read the four short chapters of this book before you come out!
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For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
HOPE YOUTH KICKOFF: This Sunday!
It’s heartbreaking to see summer wind down, but you know what that means… HOPE YOUTH IS BACK! All 6th through 12th graders are invited to join us on Sundays beginning September 7th from 6-8pm for a brand new year full of adventure and the unexpected! Our kickoff night will be especially exciting with a massive outdoor game, plenty of prizes to win, and snow cones to close out the night! We’ll also be starting off the school year with a new series called Into the Unknown. Maybe you’ve just moved to a new town, are looking ahead to life after school, or are joining youth group for the first time! Or maybe you’re going through a tough transition in life and you just don’t know what the future holds. Whatever the case, growing up is about stepping out into the unknown. New relationships, responsibilities, and risks. Thankfully you don’t have to alone. In this series we’ll be exploring how we can step into the unknown with confidence, and how Jesus walks right beside us as we do. So whether it’s your first year at youth group or your last, we hope you’ll join us!
HOPE YOUTH ON WEDNESDAYS: Starts tonight!
Family nights are returning and Hope Youth’s Bible Study is BACK! Join us on Wednesday nights from 6:15-8:00P starting September 3rd! We’ll have food for your body and your soul as we enjoy a meal together and dive into God’s Word as a Youth Group. Our teens will be exploring the narrative of Joseph in the Old Testament and seeing how his journey of slavery, imprisonment, and rejection is a reflection of Jesus Christ and how we can reflect Jesus in our own lives! You won’t want to miss one or morsel or one moment! See you then!
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@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.
WONDERZONE ON WEDNESDAYS: Starts tonight!
Wednesday nights at Hope are BACK, and we are so excited to have our WonderZone programs up and running again, kicking off on September 3rd! We can’t wait to snuggle and care for your infants (0-18m) in our Nursery 1 class, while our Nursery 2 team builds connections with your toddlers (18m-2yr) through lots of playtime! As we jump back into our normal midweek programs, our Preschoolers (3-5yrs) will continue our “Growing with God” study, designed to help preschoolers 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!
GOZONE ON WEDNESDAYS: Starts tonight!
The GoZone team is excited and ready to launch into Wednesday nights with your 1st-5th graders! We’ll have a chance to review Sunday morning’s Bible lesson in a new way — new lesson videos, new games, and new small group activities will help to reinforce these important Bible truths! You don’t want your elementary kiddos to miss out on this opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the Bible and fellowship with other HopeKids!
HOPEKIDS HANGOUT:
Our Sunday evening program for elementary aged children is taking a hiatus in for fall, with updates to come in January. However, our GoZone kiddos will still GO for God, GO for growth and GO forever during our Sunday morning and Wednesday evening programs made just for them! See you there!
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For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org
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