In the book of John, chapter 1, two Of John’s disciples saw Jesus passing by and began to follow Him. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” (John 1:38) That question made me stop and think. Jesus could have asked them where they were going. He could have asked why they were following Him. Instead, He asked what they wanted. How would we answer? What do we want, or what are we seeking? “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Whatever we spend our days searching for is probably what we will notice. We can seek imperfections, and we’ll find plenty. We can seek reasons to worry, and those aren’t hard to find either. Or we can seek the Lord. He promises that when we seek Him wholeheartedly, we will find Him. ” You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) We can look for His hand our lives. We can look for things worthy of gratitude. What if tomorrow morning we intentionally started seeking evidence of God’s goodness? Maybe it’s the sun coming through the window. A prayer that was answered so quietly you almost missed it. The strength to get through something you weren’t sure you could handle. So today I’m asking the same question Jesus asked those disciples: What do you want? And then I’m adding one more. What are you seeking? Choose carefully. Because you just might find it.
Given new life…..Lois
SPIRITUAL CARE
Morning of Worship
Join us at either service for an hour of worship as we celebrate the faithfulness of our promise-keeping God. Throughout scripture, we see that God always keeps His promises and every promise finds its “yes” in Him! We’ll observe communion together, lift our voices in songs of hope and faith, and seek the Lord in prayer. Don’t miss this special morning at Hope!
FAMILY NIGHTS: Coming September!
We’re so excited to announce that starting Wednesday, September 9th we’ll be having fall Family Nights here at Hope! Join us at 6:15pm for FREE dinner for the whole family before we head into our classes at 7:00pm. We know weekdays can be hectic with school and work – so consider your Wednesdays taken care of! Come feed your stomach and your soul! We’ll have HopeKids! Programs for all our our little ones, starting from nursery up through 5th grade. Hope Youth will also have a class for our teens.
BIBLE STUDY: And When You Pray
Does prayer ever feel like a burden or an unfulfilling duty? Join us for a 4-week Bible study beginning September 9th at 7:00pm as Pastor Gregg digs into scripture and helps us rethink what it means to talk with God and discover the purpose, benefit, and joy behind our prayers.
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
Our Women’s Recovery & Support group will begin meeting tomorrow, Thursday, August 13th at 6:30pm. Meetings will continue on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. All ladies are welcome to attend as we break addictions and strongholds! Any questions contact Lisa Fiorile.
GRIEFSHARE GROUP: This Sunday
MEN’S FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE:
The HFFFL (Hope Fella-ship Fantasy Football League) is back for it’s 5th season! We can’t wait for another year of fellowship and connection through fantasy football. Whether it’s your first time playing Fantasy or you’re a football savant, we’d love to have you join us for this FREE league centered around community, camaraderie, and chasing that Championship Ring! The draft will be held on August 28th at 7:00pm in the auditorium! Register here by August 23rd – if you have any questions see Dylan Ott or Conor Ball!
MEN’S BOWLING LEAGUE:
All men 18 and older are invited to join our Hope Men’s Bowling Team. We bowl Monday nights starting September 14th at 6:20PM at Bowlero Deptford, for 32 weeks of fun and fellowship. Cost is $20 a night. Contact Bruce Clark at 609-820-4858 if interested!
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: This Sunday!
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!)
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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.
FINAL POOL PARTY:
Looking for one last hurrah this summer? Don’t miss out on Hope Youth’s final pool party of the year! All 6th-12th graders are invited to join us for an afternoon of swimming, yard games, and delicious grill food on Sunday, August 30th from 3:00-6:00pm. Whether you’re new to Hope Youth, a regular, or just visiting you can come down to 973 Johnson Rd., Sicklerville for an iconic summer send off! Bring a towel, bring your swimsuit, and bring a friend. 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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