Author Micca Campbell once said, “I can’t, God can, and I’m going to let Him.” Ha!
How important that last part is, yet sometimes so difficult. It reminded me of the popular saying, “Let go and let God.” Letting go is a messy process; it isn’t once and done. We have to actively choose to trust over and over again. Letting go doesn’t mean sitting back and doing nothing. We must take at least one healthy, positive step forward. Rather like the Israelites taking that first, faith filled step onto the dry seabed of the Red Sea with walls of water all around them. “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” (Exodus 14:21-22)
So how do we begin relinquishing control and allowing our heavenly Father to help us? Psalm 121:1-2 is a good reminder: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” We must acknowledge that God is our helper, and be careful not to put the Creator of the universe in a box small enough for us to understand. I sometimes feel like this – I believe He can help me, but only in ways I can picture. I believe He can open doors, but only the ones I already see. But He has so much more for us! We need to believe that God’s power is bigger than anything we are facing. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) Focus on God’s truth and promises (even when we can’t quite believe them yet). Read those promises over and over in the Bible. Repeat them until we do believe them. This will help us to realize just how big and powerful our God is. Knowing this makes me see that He can certainly handle anything I throw at Him better than I ever could. And this brings me peace. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3)
He can and He will… Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Lose Your Life (Luke 9:23-26)
Many people today call themselves Christians. Basically, they are saying that they follow Jesus. But do we know what it means to follow Him? Jesus describes it in these verses, and it seems like most “Christians” would be shocked at what He says. Instead of talking about what someone gets, He talks about the price someone has to pay. He describes a seemingly impossible situation where a person loses their life to save it. What can that even mean? It seems like being a follow of Jesus demands that we give everything we have. Let’s reset our minds and hearts and respond to the call Jesus gives to come and follow Him.
SUMMER BIBLE STUDY:
Join us Wednesday nights at 7:00P in the GoZone (6:30P for coffee & a sweet treat!) We will not have HopeKids! Programs for this series. The Book of 1 John provides simple yet profound teaching on what it means to know God and to live in relationship with Him. Christians are challenged to hold tightly to the truth and live in a way that reflects the love of Jesus. Our world is full of ideas about spirituality and morality. But our culture encourages people to mix and match various religions and philosophies to create their own customized worldview. So, does it matter what you believe? Without question—yes. Come join us for this transformative bible study series.
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 June, we averaged $11,324 per week bringing our annual average to $10,940. Both of these numbers are above our budget target of $10,500. They also represent some progress towards our need to see significant increase in our weekly giving in order to find a new home for Hope. Please pray that the Lord will provide abundantly through Hopers giving faithfully, generously, and sacrificially.
WELCOME HOPE PARTNERS:
We’re excited to announce the addition of the following new partners: Pastor Gregg Buzzelli, Jessica & Jack Bell, and Griffin McGinness. 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. 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. You can read more about that process here!
MEN’S BREAKFAST: This Saturday!
All men post high school and up are invited to join us on the 2nd Saturday of each month for a great time of fellowship & study. We serve a FREE hot breakfast that is delicious! Our next meeting be July 11th at 8:00, where Hope Elder, Bob Baumiester, will be leading a special devotion. We’d encourage you to come out to hear what he has to share – whether you’ve been to Men’s Breakfast before, or are brand new to Hope!
IT SUPPORT TEAM: Meeting this Sunday!
Are you someone with experience in trouble shooting technology? Do you know how to easily set up & connect new devices? We want you to join our new IT Support Team! We are looking to build a team of Hopers to help assist staff & volunteers in the upkeep & management of computer software systems utilized among different ministries at Hope. If you have skills in trouble shooting computers or printers, connectivity issues, start up of new devices or any other useful IT abilities, we would love to have you be part of this team. An informational meeting will be held after second service on Sunday, July 12th to go over more specifics and to answer any questions. You can sign up here, and contact Kelli Rehm with any questions at Kelliarehm@gmail.com.
MEN’S RECOVERY GROUP:
We’re are so glad to now have a Men’s Addiction & Recovery meeting here at Hope! The first meeting will be Monday, July 13th at 7:00P and they will continue to meet on the 2nd & 4th Monday of the month. For any questions, contact Bob Baumiester.
WOMEN’S STRONGHOLDS MINISTRY:
We are looking to form a women’s only Christian Recovery & Support meeting here at Hope. If you are interested in helping, or being involved, we will be having an informational meeting on Sunday, July 19th following the second service. Please plan to attend. If you have questions, or will be away on July 19th but wish to be included, please reach out to Lisa Fiorile.
LADIES SIP ‘N DIP:
Hey ladies! Summer is here and what’s more fun than a pool-side picnic lunch with friends? We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, July 18th from 11:00am – 2:00pm for our Sip ‘n Dip Event at the Baumiester’s home (750 Fairview Ave. Woodbury Heights, NJ 08097). There are two sign up sheets at the Connection Center: one is to let us know that you can attend and the other is for listing any side dish or dessert you’d like to share. We’ll supply water and cold drinks but we’ll need a headcount for set up – so please add your name and join the fun! Remember your bathing suit and towel if you’d like to swim! This is an event for all our ladies post high school and up – hope to see you there! (Contact Dana Ott for more info!)
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
JULY 27th-31st: Our Preschool VBS for potty-trained 3-5 year olds takes place in the mornings (9:30am-12:00pm). Our Elementary VBS for K-5th graders runs in the evenings (6:00pm-8:30pm). All questions about VBS can be directed to our HopeKids! Director Kara May.
VBS CHILD REGISTRATION:
Can you believe that summer is almost here? VBS season is NOW, so get ready for an exciting adventure in the tropical rainforest! This year’s VBS theme is RAINFOREST FALLS, where you will explore the nature of God! Your child will participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, and learn amazing lessons about who God is. It will be an unforgettable week celebrating God with one-of-a-kind Bible Adventures, collecting Bible Memory Buddies, and exploring the wonders of God’s creation. Your family won’t want to miss it so register now!
VBS VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION:
We’re looking for prep night helpers, registration team members, church decorating help, and an energetic group of crew leaders and station helpers who will connect with the kids every day one-on-one! To make this all happen, WE NEED YOU! Our Preschool VBS for our 3-5 year olds takes place in the mornings (9:30am-12:00pm) with volunteers needed each morning by 9:00am. Our Elementary VBS for our K-5th graders runs in the evenings (6:00pm-8:30pm) with volunteers needed each evening by 5:30pm. Come be a part of the fun – sign-up now!
DONATION BOARD:
As we plan and prepare to make an eternal impact in the lives of all who attend, we need support from people like YOU who are willing to donate items for the various activities, games, and decorations that will help inspire and energize the VBS experience! We have various options for items you can donate on the wall by the GoZone, next to the HopeKids! bulletin board—just pick an item, tear off the slip (feel free to take more than one!), and leave your donations in the HopeKids! donation baskets in the kitchen. Thank you for your support!
PREP NIGHTS:
Join us on Tuesday nights from 7:00-9:00 as we prepare all of our VBS decorations! Many hands make light work. Come ready to craft — we’ll give you all the instructions you need to feel confident!
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.
BACKYARD BBQ: August 16th
Please join us on Sunday, August 16 from 4:00-8:00pm at Pastor Mark and Dana’s house (6 East Avenue, Clayton, NJ 08312) for dinner, lawn games, swimming, and lots of fun! We’ll grill burgers and hot dogs, and we’ll provide side dishes and drinks. Please sign up at Connection Center and let us know you’re coming – if you can bring a dessert, there’s a spot to include that too. Be sure to bring your bathing suit and towel if you’d like to swim (and throw in a lawn chair if you have one!) Contact Dana at danaott@hopechristianfellowship.org with any questions!
Follow us on Instagram here!
For any questions about Hope’s Young Adults contact Mark & Dana Ott.
HOPE YOUTH
Weekly Sunday night Youth Group is on hiatus for the summer.
POOL PARTY: This Sunday!
The sun is beaming, school is almost out, and summer is finally here! And with it comes Hope Youth’s annual pool party! Join us Sunday, July 12th from 3-6pm for an afternoon of fun in the sun! We’ll be diving into a pristine ground salt water pool, playing plenty of yard games, and chowing down on delicious summer favorites! It’s the perfect way to stay connected with friends and make new ones! Whether you’re leaving 12th grade this summer, going into 6th grade this fall, or anywhere in between you are invited! Bring a swimsuit, bring a towel, bring a friend and meet us at 973 Johnson Rd, Sicklerville. We’ll see you there!
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.
Check out our social media (and more) here!
For any questions about HopeKids! Ministry contact us at: kids@hopechristianfellowship.org
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