True confession: I don’t always go to God first. Sometimes I’m struggling through a situation or a decision and I suddenly realize, oh my word I totally forgot to pray about it and check in with God! Sometimes I assume something is fine because it looks good, sounds good, or feels right. But assumptions can lead us in the wrong direction. Why risk heading in the wrong direction when we have a heavenly Father ready and willing to lead us? “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, this is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21) And if we don’t seek God’s direction, we can end up in a royal mess. After all, He knows all things and can see the future. What if He sees something we don’t? A door we shouldn’t walk through. A situation that won’t end well. A path that looks good now, but will lead us somewhere we don’t want to go. Scripture reminds us to “Trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) I can know with full confidence that if I just stop and remember to ask God first, He will show me the way. Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” So the next time, before saying yes. Before making plans. Before assuming something is right. We should pause…..and ask. Then, whatever the answer is, we can trust Him enough to follow.
Rescued from darkness ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
The Sower and The Seed: Part 1 – The Choice
(Luke 8:1-21)
The story that Jesus tells about the Sower and the Seed is one of the most famous in the Gospels. It is found in three of the four of them. In Luke, it takes up a lot of space, so we’re going to take two weeks to try to digest the message of Jesus in this parable. This week, we’re going to focus on the invitation that is embedded in the story. Some people think that only certain people are eligible for salvation. Jesus certainly did not talk like that in this episode (along with many others). In fact, Jesus points to human choices as the key to whether the Word of God has an effect. And this is not just the initial truth of the Gospel and someone’s response to it. This is an illustration of the fact that we are constantly making choices about what we will do with truth. We all can receive it. Let’s take to heart Jesus’ word.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY: Psalms
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. 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.
CHICK-FIL-A SPIRIT NIGHT: Tonight!
Here’s an easy and delicious way to support our Mission Team heading to South Africa! Grab dinner at the Deptford Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday, May 13th between 4:00-8:00P and a portion of the the proceeds will be donated to our team! Make sure to mention Hope’s Mission Trip when ordering. Swing by for a convenient dinner en route to bible study!
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.
ADDICTIONS MINISTRY:
We are looking to start a Christian 12 step recovery meeting here at Hope. If you are interested in helping or being involved, we will be having an informational meeting on Sunday, May 31st following the second service. Please plan to attend. If you have questions, reach out to Bob Baumiester.
JOIN OUR NEWEST TEAM!
Do you love making food? Are you gifted in the kitchen? Then we’ve got a place for you to use those gifts! We’re looking for folks to join a new team that would provide meals for scheduled ministry meetings – think soups, salad, sandwiches, or other lunch-type foods. Your gifts would be a huge benefit and we’d love to include you. On June 7th following the 2nd service, please join us for a meeting where we’ll share more detailed information and next steps for getting involved. Please sign up at Connection Center and contact Dana Ott with any questions.
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!
MAY 19: Can A Gay or Trans Person Be A Christian?
Many people report tremendous suffering because they do not feel that their body represents their “true” gender. Similarly, it has become very normalized for a person to identify as someone attracted to the same sex (or both sexes). The loudest voices in society have advocated that we affirm this understanding as good and healthy, often packaging the argument by calling it “love” and “support.” What is a Christian response to this reality in the secular world? Does the Bible instruct us on these matters? If so, does it agree with or disagree with our culture? How do we take what we find in God’s Word and use it as we interact with people around us? We certainly are people of love (John 13:35). How does that come into play as we seek to love those who are navigating these challenging waters in life?
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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!
SENIOR SELECT SERIES:
It’s our final series of the school year and we asked our seniors what topics they wanted to cover most. Burning questions, insightful lessons, and messages they think are vital for the younger students to learn. Each lesson is a partnership with a different senior student and an investigation of a valuable and applicable lesson centered on Scripture. Don’t miss out on what the Class of 2026 wants to share!
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 as we take a look at a new psalm each week, unpacking its poetic elements, core message, and applying it to our personal lives.
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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