New Hope Bulletin 09.28.13

September 28, 2013

newhopefulton

Praise and WorshipSean Charles

MessageStaying in Love (Happily Ever After, Pt. 4)

Pastor Dave & Eileen Gemmell

Community LifePastor Ann Roda

Closing ThoughtPastor Dave & Eileen Gemmell

Worship at New HopeCommunity at Worship 10:30 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. | Kingdom Kids Worship (Rooms 121/122) -10:30 a.m | Middle School Worship (Room 206) -10:30 a.m.

Community Life 2

New Sermon Series 3

Why Happily Ever After? 4

Marriage Resources 4

New Hope For Marriage 5

New Hope Loves Families 6 - 7

Family Tools 8

connect. serve. grow.

Tomorrow, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Get Up and Move! Don't miss this fun physical fitness day at New Hope! Check out the activities planned for all ages and sign up at the Ask-Me Desk.

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communitylife 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 OfficeMon-Thu 9a-5p, Fri 10a-2p

Phone/Text Message410-541-6394

[email protected]

september october octobercommunitylife 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 OfficeMon-Thu 9a-5p, Fri 10a-2p

Phone/Text Message410-541-6394

[email protected]

28Middle School Worship for youth in grades 6-8 (which meets the second and fourth Sabbaths of each month), 10:30-11:45 a.m., in Room 206.

2Ignite your prayer life and deepen your relationship with God, 7:30-8:30 p.m., in the multipurpose room. September theme: persistent prayer.

12Mark your calendars for Communion taking place during both services.

communitylife 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 OfficeMon-Thu 9a-5p, Fri 10a-2p

Phone/Text Message410-541-6394

[email protected]

28TODAY New Hope Young Adults will be going GLOBAL with their first-ever international food potluck at the church! Bring your favorite international cuisine to share after second service.

5Highland Day! We still needvolunteers for face painting (10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 12-1 p.m.); and blow-up games  (12-2 p.m. and 2-4:30 p.m.). Help support our outreachat this annual communityfestival! For more info, visitthe table in the lobby or callLaura Krause at607-425-7743.

26Join the New Hope Church community! Come to the Entrance to New Hope class, 1:30 p.m. Lunch and child care provided. To register, text MEMBERSHIP and your email address to 410-541-6394, at lookingforachurch.org or call Lynne at 301-854-1866.

CHURCH LIFEWelcome guests! We’re glad you’re here today. You can find out more about New Hope in Seven Minutes or Less, a brief information session after today’s worship service at the front left of the worship center.

SAVE THE DATE (and your place!) at church camp, Oct. 18-20, Mt. Aetna Camp and Retreat Center near Hagerstown, Md. Nice cabins with facilities and hotel-style rooms available. Great activities for all ages. Food served Friday night through Sunday morning. Only 150 spaces, so sign up TODAY at lookingforachurch.org/camp!

Pray with people from all over the world! New Hope is partnering with the Let’s Pray TV program to answer the prayer line, Oct. 15, 7-9 p.m., at the Hope Channel (at Adventist Church World Headquarters). To get involved, email [email protected].

Chadash, a small group for women, meets Oct. 5, 9:30 am, in Room 208.

YOUNG ADULTSwww.youngadultsconnect.com

Connect, a Bible study group just for young adults, meets Sabbaths from 11 a.m. to noon in the trailer. Let’s explore the life-changing teachings of God’s Word together!

FAMILY MINISTRIESwww.newhopelovesfamilies.com

In today’s lesson, children will learn that we honor God by putting Him first. The Bible story is found in 2 Samuel 15, 17 and 18, “Absolom rebels and is defeated.”

The new Parents/Mothers Room, located upstairs overlooking the worship center, is the perfect place to feed or change your little ones — or just let them crawl — without missing the sermon.

Serve in Kids Church! Kids Church is an amazing ministry that creates a worship experience for children that is geared toward their age. Stop by the table in the hallway for more info and to meet Kids Church staff.

The next family dedication is Nov. 2. To schedule, contact Prithy at 301-854-1866.

9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the church

Come support this fundraiser for the 2014 International Pathfinder Camporee!

Donations welcome — and appreciated.

Pathfinder Car Wash Tomorrow

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A New Sermon Series Starting Oct. 5Some of the most powerful and hopeful words in the Bible simply begin with two letters: re. The addition of these two letters to numerous words gives them new power and possibility:

Thanks for Your Ministry!

reconcile, restore, reborn, renew, recommit, rewrite, redeem...

Join us over the next six weeks as we rediscover the power of these two simple letters of hope — re — in this new sermon series.

Saturdays10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.www.lookingforachurch.org

Besides deftly organizing and conducting our worship services behind the scenes each and every week, Steve has put on spectacular Easter and Christmas programs, beautifully capturing the story of Jesus and His gift to us through song and dramatic performances.

Steve, we cannot thank you enough for all you've done. We'll miss seeing you in the sound booth each Sabbath sporting those headphones!

The good news is that while Steve has chosen to step down from being our worship coordinator, he is staying involved in ministry because this is his church community. The Worship Board and pastoral staff are committed to continuing the value of meaningful and well-done worship each week.

A big New Hope THANK YOU to Steve Hudgins for his service as worship coordinator over the past year.

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Why Happily Ever After?

By Mike Speegle, Senior PastorOne of the big values here at New Hope is families. While we sometimes think of that as activities and opportunities for our kids, it’s actually a lot more than that.

Families range in size from one person to two people to three people to four to…(you get the idea), and our goal over the course of each year is to provide something that will help people in each family unit.

So this fall, our big emphasis is on couples and strengthening our marriages. In the future, we’ll do some stuff on parenting, some stuff on dating, some stuff on living life as a single person.

Our goal in all this is to be honest about the challenges as well as the blessings that are ours as we invite Jesus into our life situation — and provide some hope for those who are struggling and some tips to those who are doing well.

We’re convinced that the family is an area that is under pressure and assault in our culture. Raising kids, having time for “everything” and keeping it together is harder today than ever before. And there are so many voices pulling us in so many differing directions that sometimes we need to rediscover and believe.

We want to create an environment where people experience healthy relationships with others, with our kids, with our spouses; where we’re supportive of others, whatever their life situation, because that’s what people like us do.

BOOKSYour Time-Starved Marriage by Les and Leslie ParrottThe 7 Love Agreements by Douglas WeissThe Meaning of Marriage by Timothy KellerThe Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura SchlessingerThe Bead Method by Evans and GungorMen Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti by Bill and Pam Farrel

Marriage Resources

The marriage series may be drawing to a close, but resources on strengthening your marriage abound for those seeking more: A new small group studying “The Art of Marriage” will be starting up — stay tuned for details!

WEBSITES/BLOGSmarkgungor.comlaughyourway.commadaboutmarriage.comlesandleslie.comfamilylife.comadventistfamilyministries.com

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New Hope For MarriageBy Eileen Gemmell, Family Life Leader

When I was asked to lead Family Life at New Hope, I started thinking about what the greatest need is at our church.

We’re a young church, with many people in the thick of raising small children. That’s the time of life that marriages are the most vulnerable to the ravages of stress, temptation and even disillusionment. But ironically, it’s the season of life that can make the biggest impact on our children — our future. 

I started seeing the potential. What if we could create a culture here at New Hope where we value and nourish marriages? Where children can grow up with parents who love each other, work together as a team and demonstrate God’s plan for families? 

We have some exciting events planned with the hopes that they will nourish families. Beyond the sermon series this month (including today’s sermon, which my husband Dave and I are presenting together) we’re starting small groups specifically focused on marriage next month. We’ll be doing a six-week study called “The Art of Marriage.” I’ve looked at over, and it’s fresh, interesting and relevant. In January, we’ll continue with a new study called “Homebuilders.”

In November (22-24), we’ve got a big event — “Weekend to Remember” — a weekend marriage retreat in Virginia. There are scholarships and discounts available. Dave and I are planning on going because so many others who’ve gone before have really enjoyed it. 

Although we’ve been focused on marriages this month, New Hope has other resources to support and strengthen individuals and families. For those who are trying to rebuild their lives after a breakup, for example, there’s Rebuilding (www.lookingforachurch.org/rebuild). 

One of the biggest reasons for stress in marriage is financial concerns. That’s one reason we offer Financial Peace University (lookingforachurch.org/fpu) at New Hope, which helps people achieve their financial goals by showing them how to eliminate debt, save for the future and give like never before. And those are just two examples; check out Pastor Ann’s article on Family Ministries for more.

What happens at home affects our work, our children, our future. I’m excited to see how God will work in the marriages of New Hope in the coming months.

Sign Up for a Weekend to RememberLife has a way of overwhelming a marriage. Jobs, kids, activities, errands.

Before you know it, checking your email is more important than carving out a date night.

FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember marriage getaway is a chance to make a change. It’s a time to rediscover each other and find more intimacy in your life together.

The DetailsWhen: Nov. 22-24

Where: Lansdowne, Va.

Learn more: familylife.com

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It’s not too late to sign up for the Art of Marriage small groups! Swing by the information table in the lobby for details and info on Weekend to Remember and other marriage-oriented events.

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New Hope Loves Families By Ann Roda, Pastor for Families

Family Ministry @ New Hope’s vision is to glorify God by supporting families in growing lifelong followers of Jesus Christ for current and future generations.

Family Ministries includes ministry to children and youth from birth to age 18; ministry to parents and grandparents; premarital and marriage ministries:

newhopelovesfamilies.com

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NewHope4Marriages======================================

NH4M exists to support and strengthen the marriage relationship so every marriage is healthy and thriving. Ministry activities include small groups, weekend retreats, prayer support, counseling referrals and access to resources.

Led by Eileen Gemmell, 301-318-1815.

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Premarital and Marital Counseling (PREPARE/ENRICH)==============================================================

PREPARE/ENRICH is a customized couple assessment that identifies a couple's strength and growth areas.

It is one of the most widely used programs for premarital counseling and education. It is also used for marriage counseling and enrichment, and for dating couples considering engagement.

All New Hope pastors are certified PREPARE/ENRICH facilitators. For more information, visit www.prepare-enrich.com. Led by Pastor Ann Roda, 301-741-1926.

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New Hope Middle School (a ministry for youth in grades 6-8)=========================================================================================================Middle school is a critical time in a child’s life when the foundations of faith and belief are established. New Hope Middle School provides Bible classes and small group studies where youth can ask the hard and relevant questions about God and their faith. This ministry seeks to help youth understand and live their faith.

• Middle School Hang Out, Bible Class, 9:30 a.m. Saturdays. Come on time! Donuts available until 9:40 am. Led by Caryn and Dave Wooster, 443-694-7573.

• Middle School Worship, 10:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. A worship service geared toward middle school students that brings the Bible alive and makes learning about God fun and relevant. Led by Geoff Hyde, 302-377-3135.

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Kingdom Kids Children’s Ministry (a ministry for children from birth to age 10)==========================================================================================================

Children’s ministry is committed to helping every child grow to love God and be a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ. At New Hope, every child is a Kingdom Kid.

Kingdom Kids includes various programs for children, including:

• Kids Bible classes: 9:30 a.m. every Saturday. All children learn the same Bible lesson every week and memorize the same verse. This way, all the kids in a family can talk about what they learned. Resources are given to parents to help continue the lesson discussions at home. Led by Tina Pillai, 301-332-2835.

• Kids Church: 10:30 a.m. every Saturday, for children ages 4-10. In this special worship service just for kids, Bible lessons learned during Bible classes are reinforced though song, games, activities and creative storytelling. Led by Pastor Ann Roda, 301-741-1926.

• Kids Care: 10:30 a.m. Saturdays. Dedicated volunteers provide free child care for kids from birth to age 4 so parents can focus on worship. Led by Gretchen Malcolm, 410-294-9209.

• Adventurer Club: This co-ed scouting group, for children in pre-K through fourth grade and their parents, is designed to support parents in helping children develop as fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ in today’s world. Club activities involve monthly club meetings, field trips, nature activities, crafts and games, family events and service opportunities. Led by Yeka Unnikumaran, 301-346-1056.

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New Hope High School (a ministry for youth in grades 9-12)==============================================================High school is a difficult and exciting time. Youth are leaving childhood and entering young adulthood. They are becoming independent and striving to understand their faith and purpose in relation to the world around them.

The High School Ministry offers small-group time Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., gender-specific small groups, social activities, spiritual retreats and mission trips. Led by Keith Blair, 443-629-3686.

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Pathfinder Club===================================

The Pathfinder Club is co-ed scouting group for youth in grades 5-12 that provides opportunities for youth to learn discipline and leadership.

Activities include camping, drilling, honors, outdoor activities, mission and community service and leadership training. Led by Cesar Tejeda, 443-250-0703.

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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

2012 @newhopefulton

God’s Daily WordUse the following passages to explore more biblical perspectives on selfishness.

SUNDAY Philippians 2:3-4; 1 John 3:17

MONDAY 1 Corinthians 10:24; Acts 20:35

TUESDAY 2 Timothy 3:2-4; Galatians 5:24

WEDNESDAY 1 Timothy 6:17-19

THURSDAY James 4:1-2; Galatians 6:2

FRIDAY James 1:13-15; Hebrews 13:16

During the Christmas season, it is common for Wal-Mart to remain open 24 hours. The opportunity to shop with fewer crowds is something I fully embrace. It was past midnight, and I was in one of the stores buying some Christmas items. It was a quiet night, and shoppers were taking their time moving up and down the aisles. Christmas music played from the overhead speakers, creating a joyful atmosphere. Suddenly, there seemed to be a commotion around the toy department. People were shouting, “They’ve got a shipment in,” and running toward the back of the store. Filled with curiosity, I also began running and found myself in the middle of a mob. People were pushing and shouting curses at each other. Items were strewn on the floor, but people were stepping all over them. Carts were overturned, and a store employee with a bullhorn was trying to get the crowd under control. The cause of the commotion? Tickle Me Elmo.

In 1996, the most sought-after Christmas toy was Tickle Me Elmo, based on the character from Sesame Street. Tickle Me Elmo was no ordinary toy: When squeezed, Elmo would chuckle. But when squeezed multiple times, he would laugh hysterically. By early December of that year, many stores had sold out of the popular toy, resulting in a wave of consumer frenzy to find it.

In the store that night, a woman and her three companions had monopolized the aisle where the Elmos had just been restocked, literally clearing off the shelf. They stacked boxes into their carts and ran a rope through them so no one could take one. The crowd

exploded in anger, and the store employee tried to reason with the woman. The woman shrieked, “I don’t care about no people. That is their tough luck. I can take as much as I want.” With that, she spat on the floor. Then she and her companions used their carts to ram their way through the crowd to check out. The atmosphere was volatile.

I got scared and decided to back away. I realized that an older woman was hanging tightly to my arm as we moved past the unpredictable crowd. We clung to each other until we reached a place far from the situation. She turned to me, shaking her head, and said, “We just witnessed selfishness at its ultimate worst. Don’t let the seed of selfishness grow. It will destroy you.” We walked out of Wal-Mart together. I have never forgotten those words.

We all have the seed of selfishness within us. And if we allow it to grow, it will destroy us and our relationships. How can we keep the seed of selfishness from growing? By looking at Christ all the time. Jesus’ selfless life made a world of difference for us. He is our example and guide. We can keep our attitude Christ-centered by looking only at Him.

Thought for the Week

Ann Roda

Pastor for Families

[email protected]

Today, if you aren’t sure where MYNEWHOPECHURCH.COM/GIVE

Monthly Goal

Receivedin July

Received to Date

Goal to Date

Tithe 80,199.91 587,976.98 -

Church Budget ($41,855.41)

40,014.17 289,596.82 334,843.28

Mortgage ($13,623)

11,013.52 57,275.84 108,984.00

AUGUST GIVING REPORT ($)

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.

Weekly ChallengeSpend some time this week identifying ways you behave selfishly. Write them down on the left side of a sheet of paper. Then, on the right side, think of ways you could instead act selflessly in each of those situations. Pray over your list, asking God to help you become more like Jesus. 

For the FamilyMake a list of day-to-day ways your family members can demonstrate loving attitudes rather than self-centered ones.