December 17, 2021

Christmas & New Years Office Hours

Our Hope office hours will be adjusted for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The office will be closed at noon on Friday, December 24^th and Friday, December 31^st. The office will be closed all day on Monday, December 27^th and Monday, January 3^rd. Thank you!

Budget Meeting on January 9^th

We will be having our make-up Annual Budget Meeting on January 9^th at ALL THREE CAMPUSES following the 10:00am worship services, as close to 11:15am as possible.

It is very important that all voting members make an effort to attend. We failed to meet a quorum at our last meeting and must meet our quorum at this upcoming meeting.

Please make every effort to attend!

Hope's Annual Blue Christmas Service

Sunday, December 19^th at 4:00pm - Hope Central Campus

Missing someone special this holiday season? Christmas just isn't the same when those you love are absent, and it can be difficult to feel jolly during hard times.

Hope Lutheran Church will hold our annual Blue Christmas: A Service of Hope and Peace on the Sunday before Christmas, December 19^th  at 4:00pm. 

This is a dignified service without the giddiness of Christmas Eve. We will sing carols, pass the Christmas fire to the singing of “Silent Night”, and find a comforting message together. This service is open to everyone, especially those who have lost loved ones this year, or who are dealing with loss, loneliness, or grief.

Mark your calendar now and join us for this special event. You are also encouraged to invite a friend or neighbor who may be going through a difficult time this season. This event is intended to serve the entire Villages area, so invite anyone who may be in need of a special service. Glory to the newborn King!

Dine to Donate at Texas Roadhouse on December 19^th



Hope Lutheran Church is once again partnering with Texas Roadhouse for a Dine to Donate afternoon!

If you dine at Texas Roadhouse's Lady Lake location on December 19^th from 12:00pm to 4:00pm, they will donate 10% of your total food purchases to Hope Lutheran Church!

Invitations are available at each Hope campus. You can also print a copy by clicking here. You must have your invitation at the restaurant in order for your donation to count!

Come on out and enjoy some great food for a good cause!

Faith & Fellowship Now Meeting at All Hope Campuses

Faith & Fellowship South Group will be meeting on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 1:30pm. The group will meet on the second floor of the Magnolia Publix across from the Everglades Rec Center. 

Faith & Fellowship Lake Weir Group will meet on the first and third Monday of each month at 1:00pm at Hope Lake Weir Campus.

Faith & Fellowship Central Group will also continue to meet on Mondays at Hope Central Campus at 9:30am every week.

This is a perfect time to join Faith & Fellowship! All are welcome, including non-Hope members, so please invite your friends to join the fun.

Volunteers Needed at The Rock

On Wednesday, we had 52 learners at The Rock, and only a few of them were first timers. The counselor brought in a little girl who is staying by herself while her mom is in the hospital. In addition to loading her up with enough food for the week, we formed a prayer circle to pray for her mother’s speedy recovery and return. The school social worker will follow up with her if her mother is not out of the hospital by Friday as Christmas Break starts next week.

Many of the children were picking up a little something extra so they would have a gift for a parent or sibling. Please keep these children and their families in your prayers during the Christmas season.

We have a number of volunteers that are off with medical issues at this time and are in need of volunteers to keep the doors open at The Rock. If you are available from 11:00am to 1:00pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, please consider donating a couple hours a month to The Rock. You could change a life, maybe even your own.

For more information, please contact Fred O’Brien at (352) 250-3814.

Updates from the Hope Lake Weir Campus Food Pantry

The Hope Lake Weir Campus Food Pantry continues to serve 150 families per week - with more coming every week! The Christmas season is an especially difficult time for families who struggle to feed their children.

Please consider bringing a non-perishable food item when you attend Hope's special holiday events, worship services, or ministry meetings!

A Visit from Santa

Santa Claus visited the Food Pantry this week to encourage our volunteers and tour the special Gift Market.

He greeted people, passed out candy canes, and took photos with volunteers before he left.

Thank you, Santa, for your visit!

The Twelve Days of Christmas Donation Plan

Though Christmas is nearly upon us, the Food Pantry would like to share this thoughtful guide for giving throughout the holiday season. Based on the Twelves Day of Christmas, this guide spaces needed donations throughout the month to make giving a donation more manageable.

Global Mission Breakfast, Hosted by the Women of Hope

January 13^th, 2022 - 9:00am at Hope Central Campus

Hope Lutheran Church will welcome Pastor Katie Carroll, Chair of the Global Mission Table of the Florida-Bahamas Synod, for Global Mission Weekend on January 15^th and 16^th.

To celebrate her visit, the Women of Hope are hosting a breakfast in partnership with the Men of Hope and Mission Outreach Ministry on the Thursday before Global Mission Weekend. 

Enjoy breakfast with a special presentation from Pastor Katie on January 13^th at 9:00am at Hope Central Campus. The cost will be $7.00 per person.

Menu will include Herbalicious breakfast egg casserole, ham and cheese breakfast sliders, Applewood smoked bacon, roasted breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, assorted pastries, coffee, and juice.

This is an opportunity for all Hope members and friends to learn more about Global Missions. The 18-member Florida-Bahamas Synod Global Mission Table guides the Synod's five companion relationships in Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana, and Suriname. Join in learning more about God's mission throughout the world.

Help us welcome Pastor Katie and enjoy a delicious breakfast together. Everyone is invited, including both men and women, so bring your neighbors and friends. 

Questions? Please contact Margaret Furlong at [email protected] or (352) 430-5092, or Marion McClarin Blomberg at [email protected] or (352) 751-4338.

Join Us for H.O.P.E. University This Week

You're invited to attend

H.O.P.E. University!

Pastor Bruce is leading a 12-week series on the publication The Freedom of a Christian, written by Martin Luther in 1520.

The topic of the next class will be "The Power of Freedom." Our reading will be paragraphs 52-69 in The Freedom of a Christian.



This will be our last H.O.P.E. University class of the semester. Classes will resume on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

Heritage Series Course To Be Offered in January

Heritage Series Winter 2022

"Your Church: Where we came from and how do we do it."

This 6 class course provides background information for members to enable them to understand our heritage, beliefs, and how we are organized to fulfill our mission. The course will share current information about Hope Lutheran Church as well as provide a solid background of our church history including how the Bible was developed, our Jewish Heritage, and how Christianity evolved.

The attendees background may include other denominations and we do not assume a strong Lutheran knowledge.

The class will run on Wednesday nights from 6:15pm to 7:15pm starting beginning Wednesday, January 12^th and concluding Wednesday, February 16^th. You can confirm your intention to attend by calling Dave Withers at (352) 233-7533) or by email at [email protected].

Upcoming Hospitality Events

Many thanks to those who came to the Christmas/Ugly Sweater Dinner in Fellowship Hall last week! We had a full house with lots of food, fellowship and laughter. 

Here are some upcoming hospitality events to watch for:

• January 21^st, 2022 – Fish Fry at Hope Lake Weir Campus
• February (date to be determined) – First Annual Hope Chili Cook-off at Hope Central Campus. Winner will be our guest chef on chili night in February!

Worship Attendance for December 11-12, 2021

Central Campus:

4:00pm = 197

6:00pm = 65

8:00am = 156

10:00am = 331

Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am = 93

Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am = 76

10:00am = 105

Altar Flowers Given This Week By...

Jim & Bev Castanien in honor of their 63^rd wedding anniversary

Linda Seidl in memory of husband Jerry’s birthday

Peter & Lynda Johnson in honor of their 50^th wedding anniversary 

Given by Ann Ryberg in memory of her son, Bill Gilroy