October 8, 2021

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Town Hall Meeting on October 17^th

There will be a Town Hall Meeting on October 17^th at 12:30pm at Hope Central Campus.

Join your family of Hope for a chance to hear about important updates in church leaders. There will also be a time for dialogue. All are encouraged to attend!

The meeting will also be livestreamed for those who can't attend in person.

See you on October 17^th!

Disciples’ Faith Grows

In September, 69 members were recognized for being over 90 years old. Cards and cupcakes were delivered to those living locally and cards were sent to those out of the area. This simple act is just another example of our church at work.

The Disciples’ faith grew with each contact made. The thoughts and prayers that went into preparing the items for the individuals as well as the opportunity to deliver the items had a lasting effect on the team members. The recipients were thrilled to receive the items, and many took the opportunity to visit a while with the team member. Others wrote beautiful thank you notes. A simple act means so much and reminds them that their church family cares about them. Their faith continues to grow as did that of the team members.

Praising the Lord through song is another example of opportunity to grow our faith. Since we were children, hymns have been both an assurance of God’s love as well as directing us how to live as disciples. The music department has made it possible to have hymns during all services, whether video recordings or live. This summer they provided a choral reading at all 3 campuses, with an average of 65 participants. Along with several new Hope members, an additional 32 people from the community attended. One of the guests shared that they received comfort and assurance from the event, and it reinforced their faith. Another stated it stirred fond memories of worshiping with their family and living as a disciple.

These are examples of ways we are touched by God and our faith grows. Hope Lutheran Church gives us a platform from which we can do this. Your support of “Disciples’ Faith Grows” stewardship campaign provides this basic platform.

Men of Hope Monthly Breakfast Prayer Meeting

Thursday, October 14^th at 8:00am

Please reserve your place online before Monday, October 11^th.

Please also register a friend you are bringing.

Doors open at 7:45am. Breakfast is served at 8:00am. Donation is $7 at the door.

Menu: Belgian Waffles with syrup, choice of cinnamon apple or blueberry topping, Sausage links, Home fries, Eggs, Yogurt, and Assorted pastries.

Reserve the second Thursday of every month through November on your calendar for future Men of Hope Breakfast Meetings.

Women of Hope Monthly Breakfast

Thursday, October 21^st at 9:00am

The October Breakfast will highlight CAMP E-NINI-Hassee with Chief Jo Lynn Smith, Director as our guest speaker. Chief Jo will share with all of us information about this extraordinary alternative Camp for young girls.

All women are encouraged to attend and bring a friend. Please register by noon on Monday, October 18^th. $4.00 will be collected the morning of the breakfast.

The menu will be fresh fruit tray, muffins, cinnamon rolls, bagels, pastries, yogurt in varied flavors, quiche and egg dish, coffee, tea, water and OJ.

We also are asking and encouraging everyone to share the following with the girls at the Camp: shampoo (full size only), conditioner (full size only), body wash (full size only), body lotion (full size only), bug spray, sanitary pads and tampons, adult coloring books, toothbrushes and toothpaste, composition books (no rings) blank note cards (with animals/scenery).

Additional News regarding Camp E-Nini-Hassee: Over the months of October through December, we will have a raffle of a specially made quilt, with all proceeds donated to Camp E-Nini-Hassee in Floral City, FL. This camp was established by the Eckerd Family in 1969 for the purpose of helping troubled young girls, ages 12-18.

Tickets are available for both men and women to purchase. The quilt will be on display at future Women of Hope Breakfasts on October 21^st, November 18^th, and December 2^nd. Raffle tickets are $5 for one ticket or $10 for 3 tickets.

Questions: Please contact Barb Campo at bcampo84@gmail.com or (571) 389-2676, or Marianne Gillespie at mariannewgill@yahoo.com or (302) 438-4133.

The Lord’s Prayer

This is a prayer that we pray or sing with millions of others on Saturdays and Sundays in worship. We often pray it during funeral celebrations

Many of us pray this prayer frequently outside of church. We know it by heart. We memorized it decades ago.

But do we understand it?

Beginning October 14^th at 11:00am, we will be studying this teaching of Jesus. This

6-week course will dive into this prayer and give us a deeper understanding of what we are saying. We will meet either in R at Hope Central Campus or on Zoom at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84611820600?pwd=LzJGSk95TnBQVmRHT2dFRFkwTmVoUT09

You will need to contact Pastor John to register if you are not already a part of the year long prayer study now being conducted. Your contact information is needed so that Pastor John can forward the weekly study guide to you. 

Signing up for this portion of our journey into does not mean you have to continue on at the conclusion of this 6-week study, but you can! Join us!

Pastor John - Email PastorJohn@hope4all.church or call or text at (352) 425-2776.

An Update from The Rock at Lake Weir Middle School

This week, one of our volunteers was explaining to a young boy how easy it is to make Mac and Cheese in the microwave. He replied that his family does all their cooking over a campfire. Though this statement seemed shocking, it was not uncommon. Many of the children we serve do not even have the basic luxuries we often take for granted.

When you hear these stories and take the time to interact with these children, you realize how much of a difference we are making in their lives.

We give a big Thank You to Hope's members who have used their Thrivent Dollars to buy items for The Rock. We received a large supply of sweatshirts, hoodies, socks and leggings. If one of our young ladies wears a skirt, dress, or shorts that are too short or has too many holes, leggings underneath make the difference between staying in school for the day or being sent home. We have been giving away around 30 pair of leggings a week. We always put the items they wore to The Rock in a separate bag with the new clothes and have them wear new clothes when they leave.

While volunteers dress in summer-weight clothes and are still warm, many of the learners wear hoodies and sweatshirts because they say the class rooms are cold. We have been giving away about 20 hoodies and sweatshirts per week.

Councilors continue to bring us students who need clothes. Many are able to take a couple outfits home.

I wish you all could experience the joy and gratitude volunteers experience. It is like Christmas morning every week! Volunteers are still needed for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in November and December 11:00am to 1:00pm.

You can contact Fred O'Brien at fobrien@gate.net or (352) 2503814 if you would like to sign up for a day to check us out. Thank you for your support.

Sanctuary Flower Donations

Flowers this week were given by...

Fred & Karen O'Brien in honor of the 90+ year old members of Hope Lutheran Church and in memory of Fred's mother, Ruth Smith

Roger & Bev Sherman in honor of their 59^th wedding anniversary

In Memoriam...

We mourn the death of Sydney Gerrey on October 1. Sydney was born on January 7, 1950. She and her husband, Don Pindell, were married on October 15, 2011. They joined Hope Lutheran Church on November 18, 2018. There are no plans to have a service at Hope.

Please keep Sydney's family in your hearts and prayers during their time of grief.

We mourn the death of Stanley Schult on October 3. Stanley was born on July 27, 1936. He and his wife Nena were married on March 16, 1963. They joined Hope Lutheran Church on December 9, 2001. A service was held on October 7.

Please keep Stanley's family in your hearts and prayers during their time of grief.

We mourn the death of Joe Marino on October 7. Joe and his wife Suzie joined Hope Lutheran Church on November 17, 2013. A service will be held on October 15 at 10:30am at Hope Central Campus.

Please keep Joe's family in your hearts and prayers during their time of grief.

We mourn the death of Barbara Harju on October 8. Barbara was born on October 25, 1941. She and her husband George Allmann were married in 2004 and joined Hope in 2015. A service will be held on November 9 at 1:00pm at Hope Central Campus.

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

Worship Attendance for October 2-3, 2021

Central Campus:

4:00pm = 156

6:00pm = 69

8:00am = 126

10:00am = 250

Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am = 62

Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am = 61

10:00am = 80