Have you ever stopped to think about where an owner’s manual comes from? The maker of that specific product creates it. You won’t get an owner’s manual for a smartphone from a toaster company. I wouldn’t trust an owner’s manual for my brand-new car if a carpet manufacturer made it. I want specific instructions on how to use the product I bought from the creator because they know the product best. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had an owner’s manual? Something we could read and research so that we don’t miss out on all the best stuff and most helpful details? OH WAIT; we do have an owner’s manual! We were created, and our Creator gave us an owner’s manual to navigate life. It’s called the Bible and it comes straight from our Creator’s hands. Take a look:
If you are scared: Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” If you are worried: Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” If you don’t know how to pray: Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” If you are worried about finances: Deuteronomy 28:12, “The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands…”
Make sure you take out your owner’s manual today and see what helpful instructions you may have been missing!
Kneeling Before the Cross ~ Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Jesus Calms The Storm | Communion
(Luke 8:22-25)
We often call trials and struggles in our lives “storms.” It is a word that seems to fit because it describes the feeling of danger and chaos. It also sums up our powerlessness in the face of the circumstances. Since this is such an easy-to-understand picture, it is not a mistake that several stories of Jesus’ time on earth have to do with storms. In this one, Jesus give direction right into a storm and then promptly falls asleep. We can all probably identify with the panic of the disciples, but will we hear the words of Jesus and embrace what He shows us in this episode?
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 this Sunday, June 1st. For additional items, see our Amazon wishlist. Questions? Please reach out to Wendy Ball or Jodi Jacoby.
PARTNER CLASSES: Tonight!
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!
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: Ministry Support Meals
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.
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 June 21st. There will be a class after the 2nd service on June 14th 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.
ANNUAL CHURCH PICNIC: June 28th
Mark your calendars for one of our biggest events of the year! Join us on Sunday, June 28th from 3:00-7:00 for yard games, an epic waterslide, bounce house, and more fun outdoor activities! Then we’ll have delicious FREE dinner at 5:00. But we need your help to make this tremendous event possible! Make sure to sign-up at Connection Center to bring a dish to share, or to help with the activities by signing up to staff the inflatables or serve dinner. You don’t want to miss out on participating in this amazing tradition at Hope!
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!
JUNE 2ND: Making Friends
There’s a TV show from the 90s that makes friendship look amazing and easy. As kids, it seems like we find our way to friendships with people pretty simply. Friendships often don’t need to carry any weight or stand the test of time. But when we become adults, it gets more challenging to make and keep new friendships. It isn’t that we don’t meet new people. But connecting and bonding seems somehow more difficult and rare. What is the secret to making friends? How does a being a believer play into the ongoing struggle with loneliness and isolation? The good news is that there are simple steps you can take that open your heart up to relationships. Ultimately, it is about finding a way to give relationships what they need to flourish and grow, even if it’s a bit of effort and risk.
Follow us on Instagram here!
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.
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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