November 14, 2025

Hope South Campus Groundbreaking!

We are thrilled to announce the Groundbreaking Ceremony of Hope South Campus will be held on Wednesday, December 3 at 3:00pm on our southern property at 5330 Meggison Road, The Villages, FL 32163.

The Groundbreaking Ceremony will include worship, prayer, and special music - PLUS light refreshments. Please bring a lawn chair.

This is the moment we have all been waiting for - and we don't want anyone to miss the celebration! Please plan to join us on December 3 at 3:00pm on our southern property.

Last Chance to Register for Hope's Family Feud Evening

Friday, November 21, 2025 at 5:00pm – Hope Central Campus

Come out for an evening of fun with your friends and neighbors. Family Feud is one of the newest and hottest games around and in The Villages. Our presenter, Tom Gourlay, will have new questions and surprises for this evening.

The teams are made up of 4 to 6 people. On the screen the questions will be presented. On an answer sheet the teams list their answers. After 90 seconds the answers will be uncovered, the same way they do it on TV. If a team matches any of the answers they get corresponding points. After 16 rounds the team with the most total points is the winner.

This evening will be in support of ON OUR OWN. OOO’s major service project has been providing Snack Packs for Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School. This includes handling items donated, shopping for items needed and packing and delivering them to the school. Packs are distributed to take home for the weekend. One hundred twenty packs are assembled each month of the school year. Contact Ginny Wilson for further information at randy572@msn.com

Registration deadline is Tuesday, November 18 at 12:00pm Noon. The cost is $15.00 per person. Dinner will consist of subs, chips, with various soft drinks available and dessert. If you have questions or would like to reserve a table of 6, please contact Virginia Robertson at (612) 619-0220 by November 18. (The CIA -- Christians In Action Ministry).

Welcome New Members of Hope Lutheran Church

This weekend, we will receive 21 new members into the family of Hope:

• Al Blinke
• Martha Bryant
• Frank & Carol Cobia
• Pat DeRoeck
• Jack Farnandez
• Charlie & Sue Fischer
• Alan & Debbi Gibson
• Belinda Hernandez

• Jerry & Shirley Kulp
• Don & Kim Lewandowski
• Gini McDevitt
• Jeanette Serafine
• Stormy & Peggy Supiran
• Linda Williams
• Tom Zotos

New members will be received across all campuses at their preferred worship services.



If you see a new member, please say hello and welcome them to Hope!

It's Time to Decorate for the Season!

The Seasonal Decorating Team will be decorating for the Advent and Christmas Season soon!

We will decorate Hope Lake Weir Campus on Friday, November 28, starting at 9:00am and Hope Central Campus on Saturday, November 29, starting at 8:00am.

The team could use your help! The tasks are easy and anyone is welcome.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Shephard. Call or text at (269) 598-0445.

Don't Wait to Register for Hope's 2025 Christmas Cantata!

Come kick off the festive season on December 7, 8, and 9 at 5:30pm at Hope Central Campus.

Bring your joyous spirit and prepare to lift your voice to arrangements by Joseph Martin, Russel Mauldin, Marty Parks, Tom Fettke, and others. From “Angels We Have Heard on High” to “Welcome to Our World,” you won’t want to miss this annual tradition, or this special trip down memory lane as we bring glory to the newborn King. 

A drive for non-perishable food items will also be held to benefit the Hope Lake Weir Campus Food Pantry. We encourage you to bring a food item or a monetary donation to benefit the pantry.

Registration will be $10.00 per seat. Register now online!

Women of Hope Breakfast Meeting

Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 9:00am - Hope Central Campus

The Women of Hope welcome Larry Beckler, Volunteer Ambassador from the Tunnel to Towers (T2T) Foundation, who will be the featured speaker at the (WoH) breakfast meeting scheduled for November 20, 2025. This event will highlight the impactful work of one of the nation’s leading charities dedicated to supporting catastrophically injured veterans, homeless veterans, and the families of Fallen First Responders and Gold Star recipients.

The T2T Foundation was founded in honor of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who sacrificed his life on September 11, 2001, while rescuing others during the attack on America. For over two decades, the foundation has carried forward Stephen’s legacy by providing vital assistance to those who risk their lives in service to others, including members of the military and first responders.

Attendees of the November 20 breakfast will have the opportunity to learn more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s essential programs and how they make a difference in the lives of heroes and their families. The presentation will provide insights into the foundation’s ongoing commitment and the stories behind their mission.

Men and women are invited to attend and enjoy a delicious breakfast, fellowship and a very excellent presentation. Cost is $7.00. Reserve your spot by noon on Monday, November 17. If you have questions, contact June Cook at (352) 430-5025.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship with Pastor Bruce Dillman

Pastor Bruce invites you to join us for the third and final year of our study on Evangelical Lutheran Worship, based on the 3-volume publication that accompanies our prayerbook, "Evangelical Lutheran Worship," affectionately called the "red book." In the first year we studied Baptism; last year we studied Holy Communion; this year's volume is titled "Keeping Time" and will take us through the church's liturgical year and daily prayer.

The first part of this series will run for four weeks, beginning Wednesday, November 26 through Wednesday, December 17 at 10:00am in Room 203 at Hope Central Campus.

This portion of the series will examine the concept of God's time, the lectionary, Sundays of the church year as well as festivals and commemorations. The second part of this series will be offered during Lent in the Spring of 2026.

No registration is required; no homework is assigned and so come and learn about the worship that is at the center of our life together as Hope Lutheran Church.

The Dawn of Hope Advent Series 2025

This Advent season, the H.O.P.E. University educational team invites you to experience The Dawn of Hope, a new devotional series designed to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. 

Through a collection of daily devotional readings and original poems, The Dawn of Hope. offers moments of reflection, prayer, and inspiration as we journey toward Christmas. The devotional readings will be available in a printed format with the link below, while the poems will be shared on Hope Facebook page and H.O.P.E. University YouTube and may be found at the second link below. 

The Dawn of Hope is a gift from H.O.P.E. University, its educational team, and Pastor John LeCain, Director — offered with the prayer that each listener and reader will be renewed by the light of Christ and filled with the promise of His coming. 

Join our Advent Journey!

Important News from the Nominating Committee

Three Council positions will be open for election in 2026.

Interested persons should contact a member of the Nominating Committee:

• Committee Chair Sean Gormley - gorm110@hotmail.com
• Dorothy (Dot) Bragg - dottiesme@gmail.com
• Paul White - paulwhite819@yahoo.com

Individuals may also fill out a Nomination Form (see link below). Nominations will close on January 9, 2026. At that time pictures and biographies of the candidates will be published each week in News in the Pews until the election, which will take place at the Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, February 1, 2026. 

Open positions:

• President - Incumbent Kristina Giffin is seeking re-election to this position for a two-year term.
• Vice President - Incumbent Pam Bixler is seeking re-election to this position for a two-year term.
• Member-at-Large - Incumbent Patrick Sawler is seeking re-election to this position for a two-year term.

Worship Attendance for November 8-9, 2025

Hope Central Campus:

4:00pm - 177

6:00pm - 69

8:00am - 143

10:00am - 423

Online:

4:00pm - 106

10:00am - 200

10:00am (HLWC) - 17

Hope Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am - 111

Hope at the Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am - 123

10:00am - 129

Flowers on the Altar Given By...

• Sharon Keil, in memory of Jerry Keil

In Memoriam

Gerald (Eric) Erickson passed away on November 10, 2025. Eric was born on March 4, 1937. He and his wife, Barbara, were married on August 24, 1963. They joined Hope Lutheran Church on February 22, 2009.

Arrangements are incomplete at this time.

Please keep Barbara and their family in your hearts and prayers during their time of grief.

This Weekend's Worship Bulletin

Click the button to view this weekend's worship bulletin for traditional services.

Inform the Church of Visitation Needs

Do you know of someone who needs a visit from a Hope pastor? Please call the church office at (352) 750-2321 and let us know. Our Pastoral Care Team would love to visit with you or your loved one.

Submit a Prayer Request

Need Prayer? Submit a prayer request via our hope4all.church website.