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Christmas Decorating at Hope Central Campus
November 30th at 9:00am at Hope Central Campus
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The Chosen Series Begins
November 30th from 3:00pm to 4:00pm at Hope Central Campus
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Annual Christmas Breakfast
December 2nd at 9:00am at Hope Central Campus
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Christmas Decorating at Hope Lake Weir Campus
December 2nd at 12:30pm at Hope Lake Weir Campus
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2022 Budget Informational Meeting
December 5th at 12:00pm at Hope Central Campus
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Effective Communication with Persons with Dementia
December 10th at 9:00am at Hope Central Campus
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Annual Blue Christmas Worship
December 19th at 4:30pm at Hope Central Campus
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Explore The Chosen with Pastor Jon-Marc MacLean | |
Join Pastor Jon-Marc for a viewing and discussion of The Chosen series. The group begins November 30th and runs Tuesdays until December 21st from 3:00pm to 4:00pm.
All are invited! Fans of the show and those who have never watched are all welcome to attend. Click the video above to watch the trailer for the first season, or use the button below.
| Senior Angels Still Available for Adoption | |
We still have many senior Angel Tree angels unclaimed for this year. If you would like to help bless some seniors in need this Christmas, please pick up a Senior Angel at the front desk at Hope Central Campus.
For many of the seniors we bless with Christmas gifts, this is the only present they receive this year. Please consider bringing some Christmas joy to these folks.
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It's Time to Decorate for Christmas
'Tis the season! We will be decorating Hope Central Campus on Tuesday, November 30th at 9:00am and Hope Lake Weir Campus on Thursday, December 2nd at 12:30pm.
The Seasonal Decorating team needs volunteers to help make our church buildings look their best this season! Please consider helping at one or both locations.
If you're interested in helping, contact team leader Nancy Shephard at kpandnan@comcast.net or call (352) 750-9642. Be sure to tell her which site(s) you plan to help decorate.
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Hope's Annual Blue Christmas Service
Sunday, December 19th at 4:00pm - Hope Central Campus
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Hope Lutheran Church will hold our annual Blue Christmas: A Service of Hope and Peace on the Sunday before Christmas, December 19th 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.
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New Hymn for Our Congregation | | |
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There's a new hymn for us to learn and enjoy together! Our Director of Music Ministries, Ken Wood, would like to introduce 'He Came Down', a congregational hymn.
Click the video to the left to watch, or use the button below to visit our YouTube channel.
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Attention Team Leaders: Ministry Information for Annual Report | |
We are now collecting information from our Ministry Teams to be included in the 2021 Annual Report.
Ministry team leaders should submit a short article regarding their team.
The article should include:
- Your team's mission and purpose
- Your recent accomplishments
- Notable stories or highlights from this year
Submissions should be between 200 and 300 words. Pictures are also encouraged.
Please submit ministry reports via email to Loretta Franceski at loretta@hope4all.church or Marina Ernst at marina@hope4all.church. Reports are due by January 14th, 2022.
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Christmastime is here again, and it is our custom during the holiday season to show appreciation to our pastors and staff for all their fine work throughout the year.
If you would like to thank our staff, you can do so in one of the following ways: your gift can be included in your offering envelope, identified as a "Staff Gift" on the "Other" line, or you can place your gift in a plain envelope marked as "Staff Gift".
You can also give online via our website www.hope4all.church. Select "Other Offerings" and indicate "Staff Gift". Thank you!
Please give your gift by Sunday, December 19th.
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Reservations Still On Sale for Hope's Christmas Cantata | |
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It's not too late to claim your reservations for Hope's annual Christmas Cantata! Celebrate the Christmas season by reserving your spot at this joyous event.
This year, discover “Christmas All Year Long”, a celebration of the hope and promise found in the story of our savior’s birth.
Cantata reservations can be made via our church website by clicking on the link below.
Each seat is $5.00, with no household limit. If you need assistance with reservations, the church office would be happy to help! Stop in during office hours for assistance.
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Join Us for H.O.P.E. University This Week | |
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You're invited to attend H.O.P.E. University on Wednesday, December 1st.
Currently, 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 December 1st class will be "The Power of the Word of God."
Our reading will be paragraphs 18-30 in The Freedom of a Christian.
The ELCA provided the webpage elca500.org, a 12-week study guide, and a link to a free PDF of the document. You may access a link to the document here. If you choose, you can also purchase the book from Augsburg Fortress for $14.99.
As always, classes will be livestreamed and archived for those unable to attend. We will begin the series in November and December, take a break over the holidays, and continue in January and February 2022.
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Consider Christmas Donations for the Food Pantry | |
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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! Your donations will be a Christmas blessing to those in need this season.
Most needed donation items include: Canned fruit, canned vegetables, pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned soup, toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, cooking oil, and coffee.
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Council Connections
Greetings and Blessings from your Council. There are many exciting things happening at Hope this month – so this report is kept short on purpose. Feel free to contact any Council Member if you have questions or concerns. We are representing YOU!
Click on the attached link to check out a summary of the November 16 Council meeting minutes.
Remember full Council minutes are on file in the church office (after they are approved). November minutes will be approved on December 21, 2021.
Pam Fenn, Council Secretary
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2022 Budget Info Meeting
There will be a 2022 Budget Informational Meeting on December 5th, 2021 at 12:00pm at Hope Central Campus.
This meeting is an opportunity to ask questions and give input on the 2022 church budget. If you have a question or suggestion, this is the perfect time to voice it!
All church members are invited and encouraged to attend.
This information will also be vital as we prepare for our Annual Meeting on January 6th.
Click the button below to view the proposed budget.
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Annual Christmas Breakfast
December 2nd at 9:00am at Hope Central Campus
It's once again time for the Women & Men of Hope Combination Christmas Breakfast! All men and women are invited to join the festivities on December 2nd at 9:00am. Invite your friends and neighbors to join you!
This year's program will be A Choral Blessing led by Bonnie Andrus, Chris Colegrove, and Susan Blomenburg-Neiman. Paul Hoffmann will accompany them on the piano. Their show will include a variety of Christmas hymns and songs to kick off the Christmas season!
This will also be the final opportunity to purchase tickets for the handmade quilt. The drawing will take place at this breakfast. Proceeds will be given to Camp E-Nini-Hassee.
The cost is $7.00 per person for breakfast. The menu will include French toast casserole with syrup, sausage links, baked ham, scrambled eggs (plain and veggie choices), biscuits, fresh fruit, assorted pastries & muffins, coffee, water, and juice.
Questions? Contact Margaret Furlong at mjf.furlong@gmail.com or (352) 430-5092, or Marion McClarin Blomberg at dmmcclarin@live.com or (352) 751-4338.
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Effective Communication, Holiday Edition | |
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Hope’s Stephen Ministries, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, invites you to a program on effective communication strategies with persons having dementia.
The program will be held on Friday, December 10th beginning at 9:00am in room 203 at Hope Central Campus. Learn how communication takes place when someone has dementia. Learn to decode their verbal and behavioral messages and identify strategies to help you connect.
This hour-long event is free, but registration is appreciated to smithkath@aol.com.
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Upcoming Hospitality Events | |
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Many thanks to those who came to the Thanksgiving 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:
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December 15th, 2021– Hope Christmas Dinner in Fellowship Hall at Hope Central Campus, including the Second Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest. Winner to receive 8 social supper tickets to use at their discretion
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January 21st, 2022 – Fish Fry at Hope Lake Weir Campus
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January (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!
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Have You Changed Your Online Giving?
If you donate online and have recently changed your pledge amount, you will need to update your online giving account.
The system does not automatically update and our church office does not update your private giving information. You will need to make changes manually.
If you need help updating your online giving, or if you have any questions about online giving, please contact Bob Franceski at bob@hope4all.church.
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Hope WIFI Change
In an effort to better protect our church's internet privacy, we have updated our WIFI password at both Hope Central Campus and Hope Lake Weir Campus.
WIFI is now password protected at both locations. In order to use the church WIFI, you will need the password. The WIFI password is available on signs at both Hope campuses. Look for the signs around the church offices. Hope at Everglades will not be affected.
If you need help connecting to the internet, please ask a Hope employee for assistance.
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Important Newsletter Updates and Guidelines
Hope is pleased to announce that we will begin offering a limited number of physical copies of The News in the Pews for those individuals who do not own a computer or smartphone, beginning December 4th and 5th. These physical copies will be available at the church office during the week on a first come, first served basis.
In order to accommodate this change, we have updated our newsletter article submission guidelines. All team leaders and ministry communicators are responsible for reading and understanding the guidelines.
- All newsletter articles must be submitted at least one week in advance of your preferred publication date. The Digital News in the Pews is published on Fridays; therefore, all newsletter submissions are due by the end of the day on the Friday before publication.
- All newsletter articles may run up to two consecutive weeks.
- Newsletter articles may be no more than 200 words. We would be pleased to help you edit your article if you need assistance.
- Please submit all newsletter articles through our newsletter submission form on our website. You can find it by clicking the button below.
Additionally, as the holiday season begins, we know our ministry teams have lots of requests for printed materials. To help us serve you efficiently, here are some updated guidelines for having materials printed in the office:
- Please submit any copy requests at least 7 days in advance.
- Please submit all work requests through our work request form on our website. You can find it by clicking the button below.
If you have any questions or need help navigating these new guidelines, please contact Loretta Franceski at loretta@hope4all.church or Marina Ernst at marina@hope4all.church.
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
Thank you to all who participated in the Prayer Shawl Ministry throughout the past difficult 18 months. You produced a large number of prayer shawls, especially for the upcoming Blue Christmas service, as well as hundreds of the pocket prayer patches for the Angel Tree project! You are a blessing to many! Our next meeting is not until the first Monday in February, so there is time to replenish our supply of gifts.
Prayer Shawls and Lap Robes are available at all Hope campuses; you can find them in the Information Hallway at Hope Central Campus, in the Narthex at hope Lake Weir Campus, and at Hope at the Everglades Rec Center.
If you have a family member, friend, or neighbor who is in need of comfort and assurance they are not alone, please take one for them. You will find it to be a very gratifying experience as you share love and hope with those in need.
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Nominating Committee
2022
Members of the committee:
Cathy Daley, Chairperson
John Ruff
Susan Ninstil
2022 Council Elections Positions Available:
Treasurer - 3 year term
Secretary - 2 year term
Council Member-At-Large - 3 years (2 positions available)
All nominees must turn in a completed Council Nomination Bio Form no later than December 6th, 2021 to the church office. Forms are available at the church office or by clicking here.
If a petition from the congregation is forthcoming after publication of the nominees, it must be signed by at least one hundred (100) voting members of the congregation and submitted to the Council Secretary no later than January 16th, 2022 (21 days prior to the Annual Meeting).
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Walk to Emmaus Dates for 2022 | |
Do you seek...
Spiritual Renewal; New understanding of God's grace and love; Worship and community with other believers?
THE WALK TO EMMAUS IS FOR YOU!
It has been way too long since our last Emmaus Walk. We are happy to announce the Walk dates for 2022.
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Men's Walk #157
January 27-30
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Men's Walk #158
March 3-6
Women's Walk #158
March 10-13
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Men's Walk #159
October 6-9
Women's Walk #159 October 13-16
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For Information about this life-changing opportunity, please contact Kathy Langley at (352-753-8557) or cklanglely97@embarqmail.com. | |
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Faith & Fellowship
Faith & Fellowship has returned to in-person gathering every Monday at 9:30am at Hope Central Campus. The Zoom link is also active, so those who cannot attend in person can use the link below to join the conversations online.
Meeting ID: 952 5901 4615. Join by phone: (929) 205-6099. ID: 95259014615#
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Sanctuary Flower Donations
Flowers this week were given by...
Cathy & Scott Daley in honor of their 15th wedding anniversary
Sue & Archie Robertson in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary
Lydia & Karl Weiss in honor of their 65th wedding anniversary
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Worship Attendance for November 20-21, 2021 | |
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Central Campus:
4:00pm = 195
6:00pm = 77
8:00am = 147
10:00am = 328
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Lake Weir Campus:
10:00am = 78
Everglades Rec Center:
8:00am = 72
10:00am = 98
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Scripture Reading for
November 27-28
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14
John 14:25-27
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Scripture Reading for
December 4-5
Ezekiel 37:1-14
John 11:25-26
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