Do these words bring back memories? ‘Because I said so’ was often the response when we children questioned our parents as to why we needed to do (or stop doing) something. Maybe you’ve even used that phrase on your own children! That phrase doesn’t imply a need for understanding, just blind obedience. And you know what? God doesn’t require our understanding either. He simply asks for our obedience. Even when we don’t see the full picture. Even when it’s inconvenient. Even when it goes against what we want. The truth is, we don’t always need to know why. Sometimes, the blessing is found simply in the obedience itself. Look what happened to the disciples when they followed Jesus’ instructions, even though it made no sense to them. “Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5) Next thing you know, their nets were filled to overflowing! The Bible reminds us that God doesn’t ever leave us guessing. Once we say yes to Him, He promises to guide us along the way. “The Lord will guide you always….” (Isaiah 58:11) We don’t always get the explanation of why He is asking us for obedience in a certain matter, but we can trust the One asking it of us. Charles Stanley said that ‘obedience in the smallest of matters gives way to divinely ordained opportunities and blessings. That falls right in line with Luke 11:28. “He replied, blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Truth be told, I didn’t always want to blindly obey my parents. But I’ve learned that obedience to God isn’t truly blind; it’s a measure of my faith and trust in Him. And if blessings and divinely appointed opportunities are in store for those who trustingly obey…….count me in!
Obedience and blessings go hand in hand… Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Diagnosing Idolatry: Knowing God in a Distracting World
(Hosea 1:2-3, 5:4, 6:6, 7:11, 2:14-20, 3:1-3)
Golden calves, statues of giant bulls, some guy named Baal: it can be all too easy to laugh and belittle the idol worship of the Old Testament. How could anyone bow down or devote themselves to a man made thing? Meanwhile we nervously check our bank accounts, meditate in front of endlessly scrolling social media feeds, and evangelize our politics online. Idol worship hasn’t just changed, it’s evolved, taking on devious forms designed to distract us, misdirect us, and put our hope into hopeless things. If we aren’t careful we can sleepwalk into idolatry, idly worshipping our bank account, our reputation, our political sphere, or anything other than God. Today we are going to look at the book of Hosea and how he confronts an idolatrous Israel. While we may not be exhibiting the exact same sins as Israel, we can learn a lot from how Hosea depicts idolatry and how God seeks to remedy the issue in his people, and in us.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDIES:
Join us Wednesday nights at 6:30P for coffee & donuts, followed by bible study at 7:00P. HopeKids! Programs are provided for ages 0-5th Grade.
- Interpreting Scripture: If you’ve struggled to understand what the Bible says or if you’ve notice that people make it say all kinds of different things, this class will be an overview of the principles that guide faithful understanding of God’s Word. (Meeting in the GoZone.)
- Psalms: The Psalms have been a powerful tool for believers for thousands of years. Acting as the worship hymn book for the Israelites, the Psalter remains a powerful book of reflection, devotion, encouragement, and theology for believers today. Join us as we unpack its poetic elements, learn its core message, and apply that message to our personal lives. (Meeting in the auditorium.)
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 May we will be collecting items for our upcoming Mission Trip to donate to Restoring Hope Village. We are collecting requested items for children of all ages: Boys & Mens Sweatpants (S–L), Socks (6–12), Boys Boxer Briefs (8–10, 12–16); Girls & Ladies Pajamas & Sweatpants (S-M), Girls Socks (10–4), Ladies Socks (5–9), Cotton Washcloths (no microfiber), Chapstick, Small Gifts (Barbies, fun socks & craft supplies). Please place donations in bins at the front or back of the church by May 31st. For additional items, see our Amazon wishlist. Questions? Please reach out to Wendy Ball or Jodi Jacoby.
PRAYER PARTNERS FOR HOPE’S MISSION TEAM:
Hope has a Mission Team of 9 people who will be traveling to Restoring Hope Village in Welkom, South Africa to work with missionaries Josh & Jackie Frankeas. We are excited to support our them as they make this trip in August. We are looking for Hopers to become Prayer Partners for our team! What does a prayer partner do? You will be assigned to one of the 9 folks going and commit to praying for them over the next few months and through the trip. If you would like to do this, please contact Bunny Dougherty at bunny.dougherty@gmail for more information.
WOMEN OF HOPE: May 4th
All ladies post high school are invited to join us on Monday, May 4th from 6:30-8:00pm for a “Fellowship, Devos & Game Night” as we wrap up this season. Whether or not you’ve attended before, you are more than welcome to come! After May 4th, we’ll break for the summer and resume in September. For any questions, reach out to Mary LeBeau – hope to see you there!
LADIES CRAFTING EVENT: Sign-Up by Friday!
Hey Ladies! You’re invited to come out and get your craft on! Please join us on Saturday morning, May 16th from 10:00-noon, where we’ll be creating a wood craft & painting project led by our own Kristina Mulcahy and her family-owned company, “Rooted in Crafts”. The cost for this event is $25 and you’ll need to sign up by May 1st to save your seat. In order for Kristina to plan for supplies and set up, our deadline date is firm and space is limited so don’t delay in filling out the form to register! We’ll have donuts, bagels, coffee, and breakfast snacks to munch on while we craft. You don’t need to bring a thing – just join us for the fun and fellowship! Remember our Women’s Events are open to anyone post-high school and up. Contact Dana Ott with any questions or for more information.
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! Join us on Wednesday, May 20th at 7:00P. 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!
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 May 27th, June 3rd, and June 10th. Sign-up at Connection Center!
MEN’S WIFFLEBALL TOURNAMENT:
Hey men! Our 5th Annual Wiffleball Tournament is happening on May 30th! You won’t want to miss this awesome time of fellowship, competition, and free food! Whether you’re a pro or a rookie, we’d love for you to join us. We’re hoping to have our biggest year yet – with additional awards and prizes, alongside the champion’s trophy! Sign up by May 24th as a team (3-5 guys), or as a free agent and we’ll find you a team! Open to all men, high school and older. If you have any questions, see Dylan Ott or email him at dylan.ott.11@live.com.
MEN’S SOFTBALL LEAGUE: Come Support!
We have a team of Hopers in the local church league and we’d love if you’d come cheer them on! All games are played at Atkinson Park, Field A2. All games are double headers, with the first starting at 6:30P and the second game at 8:00P: May 1, May 4, May 15, May 18, June 5. Show your support and wear our team colors – white and blue!
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!
CONTENTMENT: May 5th
It has been said, “The key to life is not getting what you want, but wanting what you already have.” But what if what you have doesn’t seem like enough? Or doesn’t seem very good? What if every day you are reminded of how far away you are from what seems like an enjoyable life? A believer is called to something radical by faith: contentment. If you’ve discovered the secret to being content, come and share your thoughts with us because we’d love to learn. And if you’re still working out how to be content with your life, come and share your struggle because it’s highly likely that we all share it.
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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!
COLOR NIGHTS:
We’ve noticed the flowers blooming, the trees beginning to explode with the colors of spring, and we want in on the action! Join Hope Youth as we celebrate this explosion of color with our first ever Color Nights series! For the next three weeks we’ll be theming each night around a different color: blue for May 3rd! Come decked out in the right color and you’ll earn a shot to win a prize, bring a friend and you’ll earn a second chance! We’ll also be chowing down on color coded snacks and competing in games to match! All this while diving into a literary analysis of each color and how it’s used in Scripture! It all kicks off April 19th, you won’t want to miss a minute of the action!
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: Psalms
Hope Youth will be diving into something new on Wednesday nights as we join the adult Bible study for deep look into the Psalms. Ancient and powerful, the psalms have been a source of reflection, devotion, encouragement, and truth for believers for thousands of years. Join us Wednesdays at 7:00pm beginning April 8th as we take a look at a new psalm each week, unpacking its poetic elements, core message, and applying it to our personal lives.
LAUNCH TRAMPOLINE EVENT: This Friday!
Jump into Spring at our annual Hope Youth Launch event! We’ll be heading over to the Deptford Launch Trampoline park for a night of frantic fun! Trampoline basketball, foam pit, arcade, and so much more! Fill out the sign-up and meet us at the park on Friday night, May 1st from 6:00-8:00pm! Open to all 6th-12th graders.
GIRLS & GUYS NIGHTS: Friday, May 22nd 6:00-8:00P
Hope Youth’s annual Girls & Guys night is fast approaching and here’s all you need to know! Brothers can bond with brothers through fierce competition in our Bounce Championship! All male students from 6th-12th grade are invited to hang out, enjoy free pizza, and compete to have their name engraved on the coveted Championship Paddle. Last year was an epic turnout and an intense showdown, so bring a friend and don’t miss out on this free time of fellowship! It all goes down here at the church! Meanwhile, our girls will also get an awesome night out as they join Mackenzie and our female leaders for special crafts and ice cream! All the youth group girls from 6th-12th grade are invited to Pastor Dan and Mackenzie’s house (309 West Ave, Pitman NJ) for a night of fun and fellowship as Mack leads meaningful conversation, fun crafts, and a pleasant stroll through downtown Pitman for some ice cream! All students please register here, and feel free to bring a friend!
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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