HERALD
OF HOPE
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
JANUARY
2010
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__________________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
LECTIONARY
FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY33
CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING SUNDAY, JANUARY 3134
OPEN
HOUSE AT THE BELLEVILLE CHRISTIAN CENTER38
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION UPCOMING EVENTS131
THE
TOCO SHOP - Resale/Recycle257
Hagiology
means a “study in holiness.” It is the word
used to describe significant persons and events that have blazed a trail toward
spiritual enlightenment. While we stand
in awe, our focus is not on them but on the God who works through their
transparency. We marvel at how God, when
God, and why God has made this choice and call it divine providence. Nonbelievers have a name for it as well. They call it luck, chance, or
coincidence. What a bland and colorless
world that must be. To not be captivated
and overwhelmed by sacred design is not a world I choose to inhabit.
The
biblical account is filled with persons who, in spite of themselves, were made
to be instruments of the divine vision.
Many were reluctant. All were
flawed. Sound familiar? That’s because they were regular people like
you and me. And when they said “yes”
they opened themselves to God’s possibilities.
William Sloane Coffin accurately portrayed it when he said that
spirituality means living the ordinary life extraordinarily well. It is a life of purpose with rich and wonderful
accents. It is a life that dares to go
in new directions unafraid.
As
we go forward in the new year, let us consider these things not only as
individuals, but as the church. Let’s do
something crazy and completely irrational--let God be Lord of our lives and see
where that takes us. Our hagiology may
just be beginning.
Grace
& Peace,
Pastor Jay
February 7
Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 138
1 Corinthians
15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
February 14
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12
- 4:2
Luke 9:28-36
February 21
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Romans 10:8b-13
Luke 4:1-13
February 28
Genesis 15:1-12,
17-18
Psalm 27
Philippians 3:17 -
4:1
Luke 13:31-35
Immediately
following 10:30A service
§ There will
be no 8:15AM service on this Sunday.
§ There will
be no lunch served.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6
104 SOUTH 17TH STREET
BRUNCH & FELLOWSHIP - 10AM
PRAYER - 11AM
JUST
WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT!
Our Lenten schedule begins on February 17, Ash
Wednesday, with a dinner at 6:00p.m. followed by the Service of Ashes at
7:00p.m. The following Wednesday
evenings will offer a worship service at 7:00p.m. They will concentrate on the biblical
expressions of worship.
February 24 Silence & Shouting
March 3 Testifying & Lifting Hands
March 10 Standing & Kneeling/Bowing
March 17 Dancing & Singing
March 24 Playing Instruments & Clapping
Holy Week will offer a Holy Thursday service (commonly
referred to as Maundy Thursday) as a joint effort with Union United Methodist
Church, 721 E. Main Street. Pastor Jay
will lead worship with Pastors Ed and Holly as we prepare for Easter.
We bid welcome to those individuals who join our ranks as new
members of Hope Church. They are:
Vernon and Sharon Huebner
Lynn Jarman
Nicole Kreiter
Adele Ohl
May we go together and grow together in the faith. We are excited to have you!
“Mug Ministry”
This month we want to honor and thank the members of
the Mug Ministry.
Each Sunday someone on this team stands in the Welcome
Center at the Information Booth. They greet
our visitors and distribute information about our church. They also present a small gift to each new
visitor. Those members are
§ Janet and Darwin Stephens
§ Debbie and Bruce Hicks
§ Sue Poole and Lisa Smallwood
§ Sandy Rhodes and Bonnie Jones
§ Carol & Bob Ripley
We appreciate your volunteer service on behalf of Hope
Church. Your friendly greetings make our
visitors feel at home.
Thank you, Mug Ministers!
The 10:30a.m. worship
service on January 31 will remember the lives of Hope Church members that
passed on during 2009. We will give
thanks for these saints of the church as we allow their memory to take us
forward.
Febuary 11, 2010
11:30AM
“A Valentine’s Day Party”
Prayer and Perspiration exercise
group will resume on February 3, 9AM - 10:15AM.
It’s time to stretch, flex, and get your body moving again. You are invited and encouraged to join us in
the gymnasium each Wednesday.
Registered nurse Nicole Portell will share health tips and
advice during worship as a way to inform us of a healthier lifestyle. Nicole presented recently about the H1N1
virus and was received so favorably that she has agreed to make it a
semi-regular part of the service. Thanks
to Nicole for educating us toward better living.
February 25, 2010
10:30AM
“Hotel on the Corner of
Bitter and Sweet”
By Jamie Ford
Pastor Jay will offer another
class between the 8:15 and 10:30a.m. services for those without any class
connection. The book that will be
studied is titled, The Kingdom of God Is a Party, by Tony Campolo. Campolo’s style of writing is both academic
and humorous as he presents his contention that Christians should be people who
create celebrations. The class will
begin on February 7 in the youth room.
“SPAGHETTI DINNER AND TRIVIA
NIGHT”
SATURDAY,
FEBRUARY 13
5:45PM
Miller
Fellowship Hall
Free Will
Offering
RSVP Debbie
Ebel - 234-8667
Joyce Patton - 910-8540
Hope Church - Miller Hall
Friday, February 12
We still have a few FREE screenings (valued at $35-45) available in the church
office. Call 234-2358 to reserve one or
for more information.
The Christian
Education committee has started planning this year’s Vacation Bible School
program. VBS will be held June 13-18,
2010 from 6-8PM. We are planning an
informational meeting on February 7th, 2010 after church to review
this year’s theme “SonRock Kid’s Camp”.
If you are interested in helping out this year, please plan to attend
the meeting or contact Amy Pannier and Carol Helle, VBS Directors. Volunteers are needed!
WESTMINSTER
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1419 N. 17TH
Street, Belleville
Sunday, January 24 at
3:00p.m.
Pastor Jay will be participating in this service and
an offering will be taken to benefit BEACON (Belleville Ecumenical Area Caring
for Our Neighbors).
January 24 - Bowling at St. Clair Bowl - 12:30PM
February 7 - VBS Informational Meeting
February and March - Children’s outings to be announced.
April 3 - Annual Easter Egg Hunt -
Volunteers needed!
Watch for further announcements and details!
A
study that researches the secrets to healthy living is being offered by Pastor
Holly at Union United Methodist Church, 721 E. Main Street from 6:30-7:30p.m.
on Thursday evenings. This class
addresses spirit, mind, emotions, and body.
If you are aware that eating is one area of your life that is out of
control, this class may be for you. Questions? Call Pastor Holly at 971-7382 or 233-6375.
Hope Church will receive
a special offering during worship on January 31 for the victims of the
earthquake that has devastated Haiti.
This is your opportunity to respond to the tragedy that has claimed
thousands of lives. As you make this
love offering, please be aware that 100% of your gift will be used for this
need. No portion of your gift will go
towards administrative costs.
Anja Sofia Maria Van Uffelen, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Van Uffelen
was baptized at Hope Church by Pastor Carol Wilkinson on Sunday, January 10, 2010.
Lilia Morgan Herman and Violet Elaine Herman, daughters of John and Jaime Herman
were baptized at Hope Church by Pastor Carol Wilkinson on Sunday, January 10, 2010.
We extend our sympathy to:
Gary Seibert, Sandy Bumann, Craig Coon and Kim
Coulson and all their family
in the loss of their mother, Norma Coon,
who passed away January 13, 2010.
Norma was a dear member of our Hope Church
family.
Pat Sams and her family in the loss of her brother Bob Dinga
on January 18, 2010.
During the past
month the following gifts were received:
In memory of Carter
Alexander Wilkinson
By Alexander
Wilkinson
In memory of Dolores
Neibaum
By Wilmer
& Janet Krausz
In memory of Carter
Wilkinson and David Wood
By Bill
& Joyce Webb
In honor of Violet
& Lilia Herman on their baptism day
By Brenda
& Gregg Williams
Dear Hope Church
Family,
Thank you for your
prayers, cards, phone calls, and the tasty food. A special thanks to Pastor Jay and Pastor
Carol for their visits and prayers. I’m
doing well and much better and on the road to recovery.
Sincerely,
Erv Mueller
---------------------------------
Our thanks to our
Hope Church family for your care during this difficult time. We have been touched and encouraged by your
cards, notes, visits and prayers.
Joe is improving
slowly and hopes to be back with you soon.
Sincerely,
Joe & Marilyn
Harrison
---------------------------------
I want to thank
the children at Hope Church for making Christmas cards to send to the Volunteer
Interfaith Caregiver CareReceivers. With
your help we were able to send cards to all 217 individuals that used our transportation
service in 2009. Thank you.
Jennifer Barbour
Community Outreach
Director
Christian HomeCare
Services, Inc.
---------------------------------
Dear Hope Family,
Joe Altman wants
to thank everyone who remembered him at Christmas. Pastor Carol and Maria Ortiz-Allen delivered
the bag of cards and gifts. Maria took
some good pictures of Joe and his brother.
We decorated his room with the cards.
Joe likes the brown and green afghan lap robe some lady at Hope made for
him. Thanks to the Thiens for the box of
candy. Joe especially appreciates the
visits to help pass the time when family isn’t there. God bless all of you for your thoughtfulness
to the shut-ins.
In Christian love,
Marcie Altman and
Family
--------------------------------
Dear Friends in
Christ,
Just a note to
thank you for the wonderful Christmas Basket of goodies you delivered to me
during the Christmas season, for the fellowship visits during Christmas and
throughout the year and for the many cards that were sent to me.
Your
thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
God ‘s blessings
to all of you and may you have a healthy and happy 2010.
Your Sister in
Christ,
Marianna Radden
-------------------------------
Dear Hope Church
Family,
I would like to
thank everyone for their cards, prayers, food, including prepared meals, phone
calls, and offers to help.
A special thank
you to Pastor Jay and Pastor Carol for their visits while in the hospital. Your prayers and visits were very much
appreciated. To all the members of the
Hope Family, all I can say is thanks a million for being so nice.
God bless,
Ginny Muskopf
-------------------------------
January 24 Membership Sunday, 10:30AM
Ecumenical Service,
3:00PM at Westminster Presbyterian
Church
January 26 MOPS, 6:30PM
Open Gym, 5:30PM
January 28 Book Club, 10:30AM
January 31 Memorial Sunday, 10:30AM
Congregational Meeting, 11:30AM
February 3 Prayer & Perspiration resumes, 9:00AM
every Wednesday
Blood Drive, 3:00-7:00PM
February 11 Singles Luncheon, 11:30AM
February 12 Life Line Screening, 8:30AM-5:00PM
February 13 Adult Fellowship, “Spaghetti Dinner/Trivia
Night” 5:45PM
Well, we have
another Bazaar under our belts. I again
want to thank everyone for all of their hard work and time they spent to make
this another success. Not only does this
event provide extra funds for the Church, but it also gives each of us a
wonderful opportunity to fellowship with each other and also allows us to get
to know each other better than just a few moments spent on a Sunday morning.
All of the bills
have been paid and we cleared $7,561.91.
The committee has decided that we will give $500 back to the Church to
cover the utilities, $100 toward the carpet cleaning in the Fellowship Hall and
the balance of $6,961.91 to be applied to update the restrooms off of the
Welcome Center and the two small restrooms near the kitchenette.
We have also set
the dates for our 2010 Bazaar; they will be Friday, November 12th
and Saturday, November 13th, 2010.
Several of the
committees are already busy planning for next year. The Basket Sales/Raffles are in need of
Christmas type baskets and containers.
We have depleted our stock pile and we really need medium to large size
baskets/containers with handles and a Christmas theme. As always the Jewelry Committee will accept
donations throughout the year. The
Crafters are also looking for ideas for new crafts and anyone that would like
to join their group.
In closing, if you have not had an
opportunity to join in the fun and fellowship of this wonderful event, please
give it some thought. Please let me know
if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Debbie Ebel, Bazaar
Co-Chair
www.tocoshop.com
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The
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Hours of operation will be Monday thru Saturday from 10AM to 4PM.
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