This past Sunday our (fantastic) worship team led us in the song, “Bless God.” My morning devotion was on God’s blessings. I think the Lord had something for me to learn, and If you know anything about me by now, it’s that I am always curious. I know that God’s blessings upon us are wholly undeserved and given by His mercy and grace. We see them in our circumstances, favor, family, etc. But what does it mean for us to ‘bless God’? Of course I had to Google it! Maybe this is Bible 101 but I needed to know. Let’s take a quick look at both.
The Hebrew word translated ‘bless’ or ‘praise’ means literally ‘to kneel’, the implication being to kneel in worship. For example: A simple direction in Deuteronomy 8:10 – “And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.” Or Psalm 96:2 – “Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.” We offer Him our praise, worship and blessings because He (unlike us) deserves them. Now, I am deeply thankful to be on the receiving end of the Lord’s blessings. However, God does not bless us simply so we can collect His goodness and keep it all to ourselves. He often blesses us so that His goodness can flow through us to someone else. We are blessed to BE a blessing. Listen to what He says to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 – “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
My takeaway from all this is that we are to bless God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us, and then use those blessings to bless others. That’s a whole lotta blessing!
Undone by His grace… LoisSPIRITUAL CARE
See the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:27-36)
Today’s world is filled with power struggles. They think that the way to win is have and use more human strength than the next person. Wars are fought with this understanding. Political campaigns often run in this mindset as well. Most people generally accept that the person with the most power wins. Then the God of the Universe shows up in human flesh and sets His power aside. How do we make sense of that? Maybe He wasn’t telling the truth about who He was? Today, we’ll look at a moment when God made it clear who Jesus was and what He was here to do. This episode had a huge impact on those who witnessed it. And its message still matters for us today. God still chooses something different than overpowering others. His way still works!SUMMER BIBLE STUDY:
Join us for the next two Wednesday nights at 7:00P in the GoZone as Pastor Gregg closes out his series in 1 John. (Come at 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
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 this 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.VBS DONATIONS: Please Return!
We are so thankful for the many Hopers who have grabbed items from our bulletin board for donation to VBS! With VBS being less than two weeks away, it’s essential that we have supplies returned to the church this Sunday so we can complete our preparation! HopeKids! Donation Baskets are in the kitchen, please place your items there. Thank you for your support!
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: Last Call!
We are less than two weeks away from VBS and still in need of Crew Leaders for our evening sessions! 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!
VBS DECORATING:
As we enter the homestretch of preparation for VBS, we have a few opportunities left for you to jump in and help us transform the church into Rainforest Falls! Please join us for any/all of the following dates: Tuesday, July 21st at 7:00P, Thursday, July 23rd at 2:00P, Saturday, July, 25th at 9:00A, and Sunday, July 26th following the second service!
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!
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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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