I thought this would be an appropriate verse to jump into this week. “He (God) sends the snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes. (Psalm 147:16) His fingerprints are on every single snowflake! A fresh blanket of snow both hides things and reveals. When snow is covering the ground, you can see all the tracks of every animal who made its way across the yard. All the nests that are normally hidden in the trees become visible. On the other hand, snow covers up the ugly and messy things, giving the illusions that everything is beautiful and fine. However, once the sun comes out and the snow melts, everything hidden underneath reappears. Isn’t that a little too much like us? We all have ways of covering things up. Doubts behind smiles. Fears with busyness. Mistakes smoothed over. But when life turns up the heat, those coverings melt. The things we hoped to hide are right there in plain sight. The Bible reminds us of this truth: “Whatever is covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known.” (Luke 12:2 GNT) Friends, here’s the comforting part – God already knows what’s under the snow. God sees what’s underneath long before the snow even falls. He knows our fears, our regrets, the parts of our story we’d rather keep hidden. And yet, He still calls us His. Still loves us. Still invites us closer. Scripture tells us, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) I don’t think the snow will be melting enough to reveal much this week, but let’s take comfort in remembering that what’s underneath both the snow and our own hearts is of no surprise to God.
Made beautiful in Him ~ LoisSPIRITUAL CARE
Radical Responses | Communion
(Luke 6:27-36)
When people don’t like you, it is normal to not like them back. When someone makes you their enemy, the natural response is to defend yourself and to fight back. Somehow, Jesus has an entirely different take on all of this. For those of us who choose to follow Him, we will need to pay attention to the instructions He gives. But we need to pay even more attention to the reasons He gives because we will not be able to embrace His mindset unless we understand where it comes from. Ultimately, we are the children of Almighty God. That has implications that spill over into our reactions to those who are against us.WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY:
Pastor Mark will be continuing in the series, “Find Rest.” We all know the frustration of misplacing something and not being able to find it. We try to remember the last time we saw it, but it seems like every time we look somewhere new, it just isn’t there. Most of us live our lives chasing a thing that our soul needs, but that seems impossibly lost. We all need rest. In fact, Jesus tells us that we are called to it and that He gives it to us when we come to Him. So why do so many of us struggle to find it? Let’s see what may be stopping us from the kind of renewing rest that Jesus gives. Join us at 6:30P for coffee & donuts, and 7:00P for study. (HopeKids! Programs will be provided for infants through 5th grade, and Hope Youth will meet for 6th-12th grades.)
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 January we averaged $9913 per week in our general giving. In addition, we averaged $400 per week to our building fund. Our general giving is well below our target of $10,500 per week, but this average was significantly impacted by the cancellation of services on the last Sunday of January. We believe that God has all the provision we need as a church and are committed to moving forward in 2026. We need to meet and exceed our target as we look to add an Assistant Pastor and address our future building needs. Thank you to all who remain devoted to investing in the eternal work God is doing at Hope. We pray that every Hoper will respond to God’s call to give generously, sacrificially, and faithfully.FEBRUARY COLLECTION:
This month we are partnering with Greater Woodbury Cooperative Ministries to collect items for our neighbors in need. The food pantry specifically is in need of: laundry detergent, canned meats, cold cereal, jelly, canned hearty soups, spaghetti sauce, and pancake mix & syrup. All donations can be placed in the collection bins at either entrance of the church. Thanks so much!
NEW TO HOPE CLASS: Tonight!
If you’re new to Hope within the past year, you’ll want to join us for a special evening just for you! Come learn how we do things (and why we do them!) here at Hope. This class will be taught on Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00 by one of our Elders. Sign-up at the Connection Center to attend!
MEN’S BREAKFAST: This Saturday
Men 18 years of age and older are invited to our monthly Men’s Breakfast. We feature prayer, full participation study—all enjoyed with a free hot breakfast and terrific fellowship. Join us on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 8:00-9:30 in the GoZone.
MEN’S SOFTBALL LEAGUE:
Hope is joining a church softball league! Men, if you’re looking for a great way to get active and connect with your brothers here at Hope, this is it! The season will start after Easter, but we’ll need you to register and attend a meeting on February 15th following the second service so we can get a headcount and order jerseys (cost is $20.) Sign-up and find more information using this link. Open to all men 18 and up. For questions contact Dylan Ott.
PARTNER CLASSES:
If God has brought you to Hope and convinced you over time that this is the church for you, we’d love for you to become a partner. This is our way of doing ‘membership’, but we use the word ‘partner’ instead because it connects us to the Biblical idea that we are called to partner together in ministry (Philippians 1:3-6). As partners, we share the burdens and work of the ministry together, and we serve our Lord as a team. Our Partner Classes will cover the way our church functions as well as what we believe. Join us on Wednesdays at 7:00 on February 11th, 18th, and 25th. Sign-up at Connection Center!
BABY | CHILD DEDICATIONS:
We believe that children are some of the most incredible gifts that God gives to families and to our church. Many parents want to dedicate themselves and their children to the Lord. Our next Child Dedication Service will be on February 22nd. There will be a class after the 2nd service on February 15th for all parents participating. Please sign-up at Connection Center and grab a book to participate! If you cannot make that class, please contact Pastor Mark to set up a time to go over the information before that class. We are excited to pray over these families and children and to witness the declaration of parents committed to raising their children as God directs.
GALA FOR GALS:
Get ready to walk the red carpet at our first ever Gala for Gals on Friday, March 13th at 7:00pm! We’ll have lots of fancy treats & desserts, a red-carpet, a photobooth for pics with friends, and of course some fun games and prizes! In a world that elevates the glitz and glamour of the finished product, we often miss what is happening “Behind the Scenes.” So, we’ll take some time to reflect on the many ways God is at work in our lives even when we don’t see it. Feel free to get a little fancy but there’s no required dress code – just come ready for a great night! Please sign-up at Connection Center so we can make sure to save you a spot! Our women’s events are for all women post-high school and up – see Dana Ott with any questions or for more information.
HOPE’S SPOTIFY:
Did you know we have a Spotify account where you can listen to our current worship set lists? We have weekly playlists that coordinate with what we’re singing on Sundays, as well as a playlists for the whole month! Be sure to check them out on our page: hcfmusic.
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!
SAMSON: Feb 17th
There is a story in the Old Testament about a man with supernatural strength and long hair. Many people have a vague idea of the judge named Samson, but you may be surprised at all that’s included in his story. He was a man used by God in spite of the many choices he made to turn away from the Lord. That reality stirs up the question of why this story is included in Scripture. What are we supposed to learn from it? What should we do with it? Let’s put our heads together and see what the Lord shows us!
SKI TRIP:
Our Young Adults are hitting the slopes at Bear Creek Mountain on Sunday, February 22nd from 4:00-9:00P and we’d love to have you join us! Whether you’re a regular part of YA or not, if you’re in your 20’s, you’re invited to come skiing, snowboarding, or even to just hang out in the ski lodge! The lift ticket is between $40-60 depending on a group rate (does not include rental of equipment). Please sign up at Connection Center and you’ll be contacted with more details and information! Feel free to email Dana Ott or Dustin Ott with any questions – hope you can join us!
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For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
All 6th through 12th graders are invited to join us on Sundays from 6-8pm for games, bible study, worship, and more!
Do you KNOW Jesus?: New Series
We believe that Christianity, while having some elements of devotion, routine, and sacrifice, is defined by its relationship to Jesus rather than any religiosity. But how do you have a relationship with Jesus? In an increasingly disconnected world it can be hard enough to maintain relationships with people we see on a weekly basis, so how are we supposed to have a flourishing relationship with someone we can’t see? While our relationship with Jesus begins with salvation this series will focus on what comes next. How do we connect with God? How do we speak to him? Hear him speak to us? How do we get to know Jesus better? All students from 6th-12th grade are invited to join us on Sunday nights from 6-8pm as we explore all this and more!
BIG GAME BASH: February 8th
The playoffs are upon us and you know what that means, time for Hope Youth’s annual Big Game Bash! This year all students from 6th-12th grade are invited to join us from1-3pm on Sunday, February 8th in the auditorium for an afternoon of football fun! There will be outdoor flag football, prizes galore, and did I mention free lunch? All happening before the Big Game so you won’t have to miss a minute! Bring a friend and bring your appetite, we will see you there! (Please note: this will be in place of our regular Sunday evening youth group!)
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: Exodus, Our God Saves
Exodus begins with a genocide and only ramps up from there. The parting of the Red Sea, the 10 Plagues of Egypt, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Exodus and in our Hope Youth Wednesday Night Bible Study we will be diving so much deeper. As we read through the classic Exodus narrative we will be looking at what the story says about God, how we can apply it to our own lives, and see how the whole Exodus story points to a baby boy who would be born in Bethlehem. Join us on Wednesday nights from 6:30-8pm for our new series “Exodus, Our God Saves.”
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.
WEDNESDAY EVENING PROGRAMS:
Our WonderZone and GoZone teams are excited to continue sharing Jesus with all of our infants-5th graders alongside of our adult Bible Study on Wednesday nights! Classes open at 6:45pm for all of our HopeKids! Our team can’t wait to continue cultivating relationships, diving into Scripture, and establishing a foundation of faith with all of our little ones!
Check out our social media (and more) here!
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org
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