I recently learned the difference between worry and rumination. Worry focuses on future uncertainty. Rumination occurs when we obsess on negative thoughts directed at past and sometimes present events. I always thought rumination was simply thinking about something on a deeper level! I may have been wrong about that, but one thing I do know for certain – both of these practices cause us to sacrifice the present moment. Either by focusing on the future or becoming stuck in the past. Scripture is quite clear on both of these unhealthy patterns. In Matthew 6:34 we are told, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” We shouldn’t speculate on all the possible outcomes or what might happen. The future belongs to our God! “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) And all those past mistakes we’ve made or thoughtless words we’ve spoken? If we are constantly rehashing and reliving them, we are not following the direction given in Isaiah 43:18 – “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Paul gives us a glimmer of practical application in Philippians 3:13 – “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead….” Doesn’t that sound like a nice way to live? Let’s see if we can make an effort to leave the past where it belongs and look forward to the future, trusting that our Almighty God has us, our past and our future, firmly in His hands.
In His hands.. Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Witnesses | VBS Kickoff
(Acts 1:8; John 13:34-35)
We are embarking on our favorite week of the year. We love spending time with all of the precious children that join us. We love the music, the games, the laughter, the friendships, the energy and everything else that comes with being a part of VBS. But we don’t do all of this for the experience. We do it for a bigger and more enduring reason. What we’re doing this week reflects the very essence of who we are. We are witnesses. Jesus has done an amazing and powerful work in our lives and we want to share that with everyone we can. This morning, as we kick off the week, we’re going to remind ourselves about what we’ve witnessed, who we share it with, and what it does for others!
SUMMER BIBLE STUDY: Final Lesson Tonight
Join us tonight in the auditorium 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 excited to welcome the newest partners to our Hope family: Ashley-Taylor Ajayi, Denise Buzzelli, and Dustin Ott. 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. Learn more about this process here!
MISSIONARY UPDATE:
We love supporting our missionary family, the Tipazes, in Guatemala! Lauren and Alejandro have a new ministry video that gives us a glimpse into the work they are doing to share the gospel! Watch it here and to see their updates and find out how you can support them.
ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS:
Great news for supporting our church! We have expanded our payment methods to include Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, and PayPal! Give online at any time – you can even schedule a reoccurring payment. Thank you for your generosity!
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: Register Now!
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!
VOLUNTEER:
Thank you to everyone who signed-up to participate and make VBS possible! Our volunteer registration in closed, but if you are still interested in helping out, you can contact Kara May directly and she will find you a spot to serve!
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: 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!
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.
VIDEO GAME NIGHT:
Gamers unite at the Hope Youth game night! All students from incoming 6th graders to outgoing 12th graders are invited to join us on Friday, August 7th from 6-8pm right here at Hope for a night of video games and fellowship! With multiple tournaments, free-play stations, and plenty of games to choose from there’s something for everyone! Snacks, prizes, and good vibes included so bring a friend and we will 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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