Bulletin 11.15.14

TYPE

November 15, 2014

@newhopefulton

Worship at New Hope Community at Worship 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. | Kingdom Kids Worship (Rm. 121) 10:30 a.m. | Middle School Worship (Rm. 206) 10:30 a.m.

connect. serve. grow.

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Welcome Pastor Dave Gemmell

Worship Through Praise Pastor Jason Decena

Message Pastor Mike Speegle

Community Life Nathan Krause (First Service)

Pastor Ann Roda (Second Service)

Closing Thought Pastor Mike Speegle

Today's MessageWe've all felt like we've wasted something: our time, that $20, our schooling, even that food that wasn't so good....We've felt shame and guilt over our wasted-ness. But there's a great story in which Jesus challenges our whole perspective on wasted-ness.

Community Life 2

Festival of Hope 3

Family Resources 4

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You Can Still Donate for Panama! If you haven't donated shoes for the collection ending today, it’s not too late to make a contribution!

Donate online by selecting the "Panama Thanksgiving 2014” field. The mission trip team will buy shoes in Panama for students at the school there.

community life Welcome to New Hope! We're here to help you grow in your spiritual journey. This page highlights some exciting ways for you and your family to make meaningful connections and grow your relationship with God. 

If there is anything we can do to support you on your journey, let us know.

Church Office Hours Mon-Thu 9a-5p, Fri 10a-2p

Phone/Text Message 410-541-6394

Email [email protected]

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15 TODAY is packing day for Operation Christmas Child! This ministry involves filling a shoe box with gifts for children in other countries. Prepare your shoe box for shipment at the packing tables in the hallway.

15 Do you enjoy meeting people? Do you want to serve in a ministry focused on guest relations and hospitality? Come to a special lunch meeting to find out how you can get involved today at 12:30 p.m. For details, pick up an info card at the Ask-Me Desk.

22 Young Adults Thanksgiving Potluck. Plan to join us for a meal in Room 206. For details, email [email protected] or visit www.facebook.com/newhopeyoungadults. 

15 Help serve a meal at Grassroots in Columbia, Md., today, 4:45-6:30 p.m. For more info, contact Lysa Shepard at 410-446-4728.

19 Ignite your prayer life and deepen your relationship with God, 7:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Our theme: Do you know God’s will for your life?

26 Thanksgiving dinner to residents of Morningside Park Apartments in Jessup, Md. at 3 p.m. If you are willing to help with food preparation, setup, serving dinner, cleanup or making/donating dessert, contact Angie Bernard at 301-254-0300 by Nov. 22. All are welcome!

CHURCH LIFE Welcome, guests! We’re glad to have you here today. You can find out more about New Hope in Seven Minutes or Less, a brief information session after today’s worship service by coming to the first two rows in the front left of the worship center. Our parents' room is on the second floor for you to hear and watch the service with your little one.

Watch the worship service rebroadcast Sundays (11 a.m.), Wednesdays and Fridays (7 p.m.) at lookingforachurch.org.

Are you interested in serving on the church executive committee? If you'd like to be considered, email your name to [email protected].

Chesapeake Conference Town Hall Meeting TODAY, 4:45 p.m. at Atholton Adventist Church in Columbia, Md.

Our social media ministry is growing! Text 410-541-6394 if you're interested in serving in this area.

Save the date for our year-end church business session, Dec. 6, 4:15-5:15 p.m. We'll look at the proposed 2015 church budget, the leadership placement report and a recommended organizational structure and governance revision. Email [email protected] for the reports.

FAMILY MINISTRIES www.newhopelovesfamilies.com

The Kingdom Kids lesson is from Genesis 18:1-19 and 29, “Abraham's Visitors and Sodom and Gomorrah.” Children will learn that God works in many amazing ways to help us.

The next family and child dedication is Dec. 6. Schedule yours by contacting Prithy at 301-854-1866. 

Fifth Sabbath Celebration, Nov. 29, 9-10:30 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Come enjoy breakfast, meet new families, participate in crafts and activities and join our special parent appreciation. Theme: "Thankfulness: Togetherness and FUN!"

Next Sabbath: Festival of HopeNext weekend is Festival of Hope! This annual event presents us with the opportunity to connect with our community and give to our neighbors during Thanksgiving.

We work with several area agencies to provide the necessary ingredients for a hearty Thanksgiving meal for a number of families in Howard and neighboring counties:

Grassroots, an emergency 24-hour walk-in crisis/resource center.

HopeWorks (formerly the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County), a local nonprofit that supports individuals who’ve experienced intimate partner violence.

Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, a nonprofit helping homeless and low-income individuals and families in the Laurel area.

Sarah’s House, an emergency and transitional housing program for homeless families in Anne Arundel County.

Our Pathfinders (co-ed scouting group) will join in this big effort next weekend, distributing empty grocery bags and a letter asking for donations in the surrounding community, then returning to pick up any filled bags, which we add to our contributions.

Bring a bag (or bags!) of food. You can drop them off at New Hope starting Nov. 17 or bring your bags to

church Nov. 22. Please be sure to check the expiration date on any donated food items before bringing them in.

Donate a turkey (Nov. 22 ONLY). We’re aiming for a whopping 140 this year. Consider adding your name to

the sign-up sheet in the lobby and helping us meet our goal!

Help decorate the church. The Festival of Hope decorating team is looking for a mix of interesting buttons and 4" x 6" flags from as many countries as we can find. And if you’ve got creative flair, lend your skills to dress up the worship center before the big day.

Plan to stick around after second service Nov. 22. Once we’ve got all the goods, we need folks to help us sort and bag them to get them to the agencies and the families they serve. The more bodies we have, the more robust and fast our assembly line from the church to the vehicles will be.

Festival of Hope could not happen without the generous contributions of the congregation and surrounding community. So…take a look at that shopping list. Grab a bag — or two — and fill it up, or pick up a turkey, and help area families experience the kind of Thanksgiving feast many of us enjoy at this time of year.

Interested in volunteering? Questions about Festival of Hope? Email Grace Brown at [email protected].

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SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

New Hope’s Season of Giving

My husband and I support missionaries serving hard-to-reach people in countries hostile to Christian outreach. We support a team in a Middle Eastern country considered closed to Christian work. There are no pictures of the mission work online, and the missionaries are identified by pseudonym. Their emails with their U.S. headquarters are written in code, and they have to carefully discern whom to trust.

We regularly receive stories about their work. These stories confirm that God still acts in the same miraculous way He did in Bible stories. Here is one example:

After living in a “closed” country for three years, Jacob and Anna* formed a small group interested in studying the Bible. Their gatherings had to be disguised as social dinner parties, complete with loud music, food and lots of laughter. The group met weekly, and members would carry in baskets and platters of food and chat noisily about the merriment to come. Sometimes the study would take place under the guise of watching a soccer match, the TV volume set as loudly as possible to cover their discussions.

The group had a plan in case someone came to the door. They created small pockets in the sofa lining to hide the Bibles and lesson guides. They laid out board games and made the apartment look like a party was in full swing, turning up the music. During one such study, the police knocked on the door. The group quickly hid the books and Bibles, assumed party stances and enthusiastically smiled.

But just as Jacob opened the door, they noticed a Bible and lesson guide on the floor by the sofa. In the rush, someone missed the pocket; the Bible had slid between the cushions. It was in plain sight. A Bible was against the law. Anyone caught with a Bible would be thrown in prison, perhaps even executed. 

The policemen came into the small apartment. Fervent, silent prayers were said as the policemen walked around, checking behind chairs and opening drawers. One officer walked around the sofa and even bent to look underneath. The group members held their breath.

Jacob and Anna were ordered to show their visas and asked why they were in the country. After walking around once more, the officers prepared to leave. As they were going out the door, one turned and walked toward the sofa. He scanned the entire sofa. His foot was inches from the Bible on the floor. He looked as if he knew he was missing something but could not figure out what it was. With a dissatisfied grunt, he abruptly turned around and walked out.

The group members fell on their knees, hands trembling uncontrollably and tears rolling down their faces. God had prevented the policemen from seeing the Bible that was so easy to see.

Throughout Bible history, God did amazing things for His people and continues to do so today. God is always working in our lives. Sometimes what He does is big and dramatic; sometimes it is small and routine. Whatever the case, God is always doing amazing things in our lives.

When was the last time you noticed God working in your life?

*Pseudonym

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The Back Page follows the Bible lessons that children and youth are studying and serves to help kids and adults continue the spiritual discussion at home and establish patterns of a devotional life.

Thought for the Week God’s Daily WordUse the following passages to explore biblical insights on God’s miraculous ways.

SUNDAY JOHN 14:12; MATT. 17:20

MONDAY PSALM 77:14; JOB 5:9

TUESDAY EXODUS 14:30-31

WEDNESDAY JOHN 14:13-14

THURSDAY MATTHEW 21:21-22

FRIDAY JOHN 11:40-42

Ann RodaPastor for Families

[email protected]

Weekly Challenge Slow down. Just as you paused to notice the amazing things in Bible stories, pause to notice the amazing, everyday things God does in your life. When you do, stop and thank God.

For the Family Start an “Amazing Things” list for your family. Before ending the day, have each member write one amazing thing God did. Remember, it does not have to be something big or dramatic. God does amazing things in the simple routines of our lives.

Find us: 12350 Hall Shop Road, Fulton, MD 20759 Call us/ send a text message: 410-541-NEWH (6394)

Email us: [email protected] Visit us online: www.lookingforachurch.org

MONTHLY GOAL RECEIVED RECEIVED

TO DATEGOAL TO

DATE

Tithe 73,189.12 737,592.93

Church Budget$38,851.25

32,182.30 303,879.52 349,661.25

Mortgage$13,623 5,741.07 74,693.36 122,607.00

September Giving Report

Online giving available at lookingforachurch.org

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Enjoyed today’s worship music? Scan to enjoy our Spotify playlist.