“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23) We all most likely find some of these fruits more challenging than others. On the flip side, we may be more naturally predisposed to some and those we can execute a little more easily. Poor little self-control is last on the list, but I think it’s a very important one. Proverbs 25:28 tells us “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” Without self-control, we’re like an unprotected city, wide open to attacks. And let’s be honest, Satan loves when we’re vulnerable. It’s his favorite opportunity to slip in and cause chaos. I’ve had people tell me I must have lots of self-control and discipline because I will only eat a few m&m’s or maybe just one cookie, and only if I’m hungry. But I promise you, it’s not self-control, I just don’t like to feel full! I’m not a self-control All Star; there are plenty of other areas where I prove that point! Let’s look at all the ways in which we can face this challenge: The words we speak, our spending habits, the company we keep, the thoughts we entertain, our tempers… the list goes on. Because the word is self-control, it would be easy to assume that we need to be able to control ourselves on our own by sheer willpower. But that’s not how it works. We’re meant to be guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. “However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13) That comes as such a relief to me. Left to my own devices I will consistently fall short. No matter which fruit we may find ourselves struggling with at any given time, may it be a comfort to know that we are not meant to perfectly produce these fruits entirely in our own strength. We must remember they are not just goals to achieve, but gifts to grow through God’s power at work within us. May we surrender control and let the Spirit guide our choices.
Listening for the Spirit ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
WORSHIP: Who Is Worthy of Trust?
(Matt. 28:17; Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 4-5; Rom 12:1)
Those who follow Jesus worship Him. What does that mean? The Bible talks often about a physical response to Jesus like bowing down and worshipping or singing songs of praise to Him. Ultimately, it means living a life that brings glory to Him, testifying by our decisions and choices that He is right about what is good and that He is worthy of following and of our devotion. Too many believers think worship is just something we do with music during a service. In truth, that singing is a reflection of hearts that bow before our King and live for Him. We need to be sure that we are not living like something other than Jesus is worth following or trusting. Regularly worshipping tunes our hearts to the only One who is worthy of our worship!
FAMILY NIGHTS: Final Evening!
Join us tonight at 6:15 for FREE dinner for the whole family before we head into our classes at 7:00. Pastor Mark & Dana will be wrapping up our “Parenting – Raising Them Up” series. We’ll have programs for all our our little ones, starting from nursery up through 5th grade. Hope Youth will also have a class for our teens. See you then!
BAPTISM SERVICE: Next Wednesday
Baptism is an important symbolic opportunity to declare your testimony, and decision to follow Christ, in front of the church body! Join us to show support for our brothers and sisters in Christ as they take this next step in their faith journey. We’ll hear testimonies, and join together in worship. Our baptism night is always one of the most encouraging services of the year. Join us at 6:30 for coffee, donuts, and fellowship before we begin at 7:00. We will have HopeKids! Programs for our preschoolers (0-5). GoZone and Hope Youth students can sit in the auditorium with their families for this evening!
COMING SOON: Wednesdays in November
Doors will open at 6:30 for coffee and donuts before we move into our scheduled special service. Mark your calendars now and stay tuned for details!
- November 12th: Let’s Talk Politics
- November 19th: Leadership AMA
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
It’s that time of year again! Deacon & leadership team nomination ballots are available at Connection Center for all Hope Partners. We need every vote possible so make sure you pick one up and turn it in by November 2nd. Any questions about the voting process can be directed to Pastor Mark or one of our elders.
MISSIONS TRIP OPPORTUNITY:
In August 2026, our church will be sending a team on a 10–12 day mission trip to serve alongside the Frankeas family at Restoring Hope Village in Welkom, South Africa. This unique ministry is a community made up of orphans, foster children, and their host families, and it provides both physical care and the hope of the Gospel. We are still looking for 5–6 more team members who feel called to join us on this life-changing trip. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve, encourage, and be the hands and feet of Jesus to children and families in need. If you over 18 and are interested, please stop by Connection Center to pick up an application. Once filled out, please return to either Wendy Ball, Anne Jefferson or Jodi Jacoby.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: Shoeboxes out now!
We’re excited to kick off this year’s Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry! Empty boxes are available for pickup starting in the lobby. Help share God’s love by filling a shoebox with small gifts, school supplies, and hygiene items for children in need around the world. Let’s make a difference—one box at a time! Filled shoeboxes are due back November 16th. Any questions contact Jodi Jacoby.
GREETER TEAM OPPORTUNITY:
We’re looking for warm friendly faces to join our crew of Greeters! Come be a part of the Hope welcoming brigade! You’ll be one of first to meet new folks and their families, as well as greet familiar Hope faces. Being a part of our Sunday Morning Hospitality team is a simple, but meaningful way to serve our church. Our volunteers serve on a rotating basis. If you have one Sunday a month to give us your time, we’d love to have you join! Please contact Emily DiLorenzo if interested.
WOMEN OF HOPE:
Our women’s bible study meets the 1st & 3rd Mondays of the month at 6:30P in the GoZone. All ladies post high school are invited to join us for our current series, “Unstuck.” It’s easy for us to find ourselves caught up in the life of cluttered schedules, rhythms, and routines dictated by our culture. Many of us feel stuck in the routine of life—our jobs, relationships, and daily circumstances. Join us as we let God’s Word help us get unstuck and back on the path to a life of purpose that God intends for us! Come out on Monday, November 3rd as we discuss “Unstuck: Wrestling with Rejection.” Any questions, contact Mary LeBeau.
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!
NOVEMBER 4TH: David & Goliath
If you went to church as a kid, you probably heard this story at least once. Because of that, some people mistake this for a ‘children’s story.’ But it really is a case study in what it looks like to trust God in the face of overwhelming odds. Can real people actually live by faith when it seems like they are hopelessly overwhelmed? Or when they face life and death decisions? David is an example of someone who was thoroughly convinced that God was watching over what happened, that He was ready to intervene, and that those who put their trust in Him would always be proved right. Take some time to read 1 Samuel 17 if you can before our meeting, and let’s explore together how we are challenged in our own lives by what David did. Plus we’ll have a popcorn bar and time for fellowship!!!
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For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
HOPE YOUTH:
All 6th through 12th graders are invited to join us on Sundays from 6-8pm for games, bible study, worship, and more!
CURRENT SERIES: Fight Like Heaven
It is common practice in our current culture to win arguments at any cost. Whether that be by twisting facts to meet your message or hurting others with the truth even Christians can get dragged into the fray when emotions are high on heated topics. That’s why Hope Youth is diving into a series on Conflict Resolution and learning how the Bible teaches us to defend our faith with truth and love. Rather than diving into every controversial topic, we’ll be taking an in depth look at how we can disagree well, encourage others to see the truth of Scripture, and navigate arguments with grace and patience.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NERF WAR:
Back by popular demand, Hope Youth will be hosting another Nerf War just for Middle School students! All students from 6th-8th grade are invited for an afternoon of foam dart mayhem as we engage in tactical chaos, intense showdowns, and PIZZA! Got a friend who might be interested? Bring them along! This free and fun event is great ammunition for students to invite their friends and draw them to a place where they can encounter Jesus! It all happens Saturday, November 22nd from 1:00-3:00pm. Sign up here!
WINTER RETREAT:
Hope Youth is going on another retreat and we are inviting ALL STUDENTS! If you or someone you know is in 6th-12th grade they are invited to join us for our 2026 Winter Retreat at America’s Keswick happening January 23rd-25th! Their “Beyond the Weekend” retreat is a powerful weekend of worship, fellowship, and spiritual formation. With moving sessions, an environment of praise, tons of fun activities (like a volleyball tournament, an indoor swimming pool, video game competitions and so much MORE) it’s no wonder Beyond the Weekend is packed every year with youth groups from all over the tri-state area. Hope Youth is PUMPED to be a part of this awesome event and we want you to join us, so complete the permission slip and turn it in to Pastor Dan no later than December 14th! You can pay the $100 fee by cash, check, or PayPal. Spaces are filling up fast so don’t wait!
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!
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM PRACTICES: Happening Now!
This year, our WonderZone will celebrate TWO separate Christmas programs with our Toddlers program for all 2-3 year olds on December 7th and our Preschool program for all 4-5 year olds on December 14th! Our GoZone program for all K-6th graders will be on December 21st. Practices are taking place in each of these classrooms during regular Sunday morning services, so be sure to have your kids in class and on time each week! For more information, click here for the Toddler Parent Letter, Pre-K Parent Letter, and GoZone Parent Letter. Additionally, your children can practice at home with all songs and motion videos here! If you have any questions, please contact Kara May.
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:
Our WonderZone teams 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 on Wednesday nights! 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:
The GoZone team is booming on Wednesday nights with our K-5th graders! Each week, we 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!
Check out our social media (and more) here!
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org
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