“Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains…” (Joel 2:23) Wow – God sure sent us some autumn rain last week, didn’t He?! Just that one day of rain brightened up our lawn and revived the drooping leaves on our bushes. It washed away the dirt and dust and made things look fresh again. I might have been imagining it, but the next day, against a brilliant blue sky, I felt like all the autumnal colors were a little more vibrant. (It also gave me an overflowing septic tank, but that’s another story!) We welcomed the rain for our parched ground; it had been way too long since the earth had a drink! So it is with God’s Word. It can refresh us, revive us, and renew us. It is like a cleansing rain for our souls. We drink it in and it quenches our spiritual thirst. Jesus tells us, “…whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (John 4:14) If you feel like you’ve been in a spiritual drought, pick up your Bible (or open up your Bible App!) and let God’s Word rejuvenate your dry, thirsty soul.
Enjoying Autumn ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Serve: The Habit of Love
(Gal. 5:1, 13-15, 22-26; 6:2, 9-10)
People generally do not see serving as an upgrade to their lives. If anything, it carries a feel of being made lower than others. But Jesus said that He came to serve. If serving is a bad thing, why did Jesus choose to do it? The truth is that serving is central as a habit for those who are disciples of Jesus. If we are following Him, then we serve. It truly is that simple. In order for serving to become a habit, we have to do what we do with any part of our life that is a priority: we schedule it. If you want to follow Jesus in serving, our church can help. We schedule people to serve all the time. The reality is that we can say we will form a habit of serving others as the opportunity arises, but we won’t become habitual servers unless we choose to be devoted to regularly doing it. The best part about serving is that it actually expands our ability and tendency to love. Life doesn’t have much depth or meaning without love, and love is fostered when we serve. So let’s make Hope a place where we intentionally and habitually serve others.
BAPTISM SERVICE: Tonight!
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!
LET’S TALK POLITICS: November 12th
You may have noticed that there are a lot of strong opinions – even within Hope – about our American system of government. Some people are sure that everyone should vote for this person, and others are sure that a certain law will doom or save our country. How should a believer approach this area of life? Let’s take a night and have some open and honest conversation – not so much about all the different political issues, but about how Jesus gives guidance to His people in our political engagement. Join us at 6:30 for coffee, donuts, and fellowship before we dive into discussion at 7:00. We will have HopeKids! Programs for all children 0-5th grade.
LEADERSHIP AMA: November 19th
Have you ever wondered why a certain decision was made at Hope or had questions you wanted to ask about our direction? Whether you are an official partner or simply a Hoper, we’d love to invite you to join us for a conversation. Our entire Leadership Team is planning to be there to answer any questions you may have. We’ll do it in a public format, and we’ll answer what we can to the best of our knowledge and without breaking any confidences. We may have to have follow-up conversations afterwards to give more specifics, or to come back with answers after we research a little, but we’ll do our best to use that evening wisely for all who attend. There’s always an invitation to “ask us anything,” but we set this night aside to do that as a large group. Please be a part of this conversation as the Lord continues to lead Hope forward into the coming year. Join us at 6:30 for coffee, donuts, and fellowship before we dive into discussion at 7:00. We will have HopeKids! Programs for all children 0-5th grade.
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 October, we averaged $12,568 per week bringing our annual average up to $10,139. This is the kind of progress we need to see above our target of $9700. Looking at our proposed 2026 budget, it becomes obvious that we will need to continue to build on this progress in the new year in order to address our need for an Assistant Pastor. We are grateful for God’s provision in 2025 to this point and praying that we will see this kind of growth continue so we can reach more people for Jesus! In addition, our other major need is a future home for Hope. We will have more updates on God’s miraculous provision at our annual business meeting (details below), but for the month of October, our building fund averaged $2227 per week. Thank you to every Hoper who is faithful in giving generously to fuel God’s work at Hope.
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING:
Our proposed 2026 budget is now available at the Connection Center. Voting for the budget will take place at our Annual Business Meeting on Sunday, November 30th following the second service. All Hopers are welcome to attend, but only partners will be able to vote. Please join us as we discuss the proposed budget as well as our vision for 2026. (We will have ballot box out for those who are unable to stay for the meeting.) For questions about the budget, please contact our Leadership Team.
MEN’S BREAKFAST: This Saturday
All men post high school are invited to join us in the GoZone this Saturday morning from 8:00-9:30 for a delicious and FREE hot breakfast. Plus we’ll have time to fellowship, dig into God’s word, and pray for each other. It’s a great time to gather with your brothers in Christ. Bring a friend!
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: Due back November 16th!
Thank you to everyone who picked up a shoebox! We still have several boxes available in the lobby. Please remember that filled shoeboxes are due back by Sunday, November 16th. Need packing ideas? Consider adding small toys, dolls, stuffed animals, school supplies (notebooks, crayons, pencils), hygiene items (toothbrush, comb/brush, washcloth), and fun accessories (socks, hair ties, stickers). Don’t forget to include a personal note or photo to make your gift extra special! Let’s continue to share God’s love and bring joy to children around the world—one box at a time!
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.
ANNUAL LADIES CHRISTMAS PARTY:
Christmas is just around the corner, so mark your calendars now and save the date for Friday, December 12th at 6:30pm. All ladies (post high-school and up) are invited to our “Winter Wonderland” Party & Ornament Exchange! We’re so excited for this opportunity for our ladies to get together for some holiday games, fun, food, and an encouraging word for every season, even the winter blues! Please sign up at Connection Center and indicate if you’re able to bring a snack or dessert to share. Also, bring a wrapped Christmas tree ornament ($10 or less) for a fun exchange! This year we are collecting donations of winter scarves, hats, and gloves/mittens to take to Jeannette’s Closet (which is part of the GWCM) giving out clothes to those in need. If you want to donate, please bring any of the above for women, men, and children! Dana Ott with any questions. F
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 18TH: What Do We Do With Feelings?
Feelings don’t think… they feel. They are responders, not guides. Of course, sometimes they tell us important information about what’s happening in our lives. So we can’t entrust ourselves to our feelings, but we can’t ignore them either. As a believer, we know God created us to have emotions. Why? Or maybe why did He give us the ones that are unpleasant? On top of that, what should we do with them? Today’s experts have ideas about how to navigate our emotional health – but does the Bible have anything for us in this zone? Join us and lend us your thoughts and experiences!
Follow us on Instagram here!
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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