Dear Hope,
What an amazing all-church journey we are on through 2023, discovering (and rediscovering) the great stories of the Bible! This Sunday we will turn the page into a new phase in Biblical history. We began on January 1 in Genesis 1 by looking at “The Beginnings.” Then, we considered “Israel’s Formation” from God’s call to Abraham & Sarah through the mostly-dark era of the Judges. Beginning this coming Sunday 3/5, we will enter a tumultuous phase in God’s story as Rob Cupp introduces us to Saul. In future weeks, we will hear stories that occurred during the reigns of famous monarchs like David, Solomon, Rehoboam and Ahab. Children, youth and adults – join us for the next several weeks to discover what our Great King has made known about Himself during this turbulent phase in history known as “Israel’s Kings!” Side note: Our image for this 8-week series is Saul and David – a painting by Rembrandt created during the 1650’s.
Enjoy the study of these Old Testament Kings! I’m grateful to be learning with you!
Dean
Dean Wertz | Lead Pastor
SUNDAY WORSHIP | MARCH 5 | 9 AM. Be careful what you wish for. Many of us look at the world around us and desire to have a different life in some way, and the Israelites were no different. They wanted to be like the other nations around them and have a human king rule over them. They asked, and God graciously gave them what they wanted – even though it wasn’t the best for them. Over the history of Israel there were good kings, but none of them were as good as God was. In our lives, we must be careful what we demand and ask for from God…we might just get what we want. One of Hope’s Elders, Rob Cupp, brings us this week’s message entitled Rejecting God and Asking for Another King from 1 Samuel 8:4-22. Can’t join us in person this week? Worship via livestream or view the recording here!
HOPE GROUPS. This Sunday’s Service will be hosted by the Harvard Gulch Hope Group – thank you! If you’ve been thinking about joining a Hope group, we’d love to connect with you! Click here for more information.
KNOWING GOD | SERIES STUDY GUIDE. To purchase a copy of The Story (to accompany our Knowing God church-wide Series), click here: Printed Version | Ebook Version.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY.
Children’s Church – Kids ages 2 – 5th grade are invited to join us for Children’s Church this week! John, Cecille, and Kylie will be leading an interactive lesson on the stories of Hannah & Samuel in the book of 1 Samuel. We will experience how God listens when we pray and also speaks when we tune our ears to His voice. “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9).
Choir Practice – Rehearsal for the Easter Celebration begins this Sunday following Children’s Church from 10-10:30 a.m. in the elementary classroom. Anyone who is still interested in joining choir, please contact Kelsey!
Children’s Ministry Park Hang Out – This Sunday March 5 10:45 a.m. to Noon. Families with preschool and elementary kids are invited to gather for play and fellowship at Grant Frontier Park (2300 S Platte River Dr). Bring a picnic lunch or take advantage of the great coffee and light bites from the Table Public House adjacent to the park. Please let Becky know if you are planning to join so we can look out for you!
YOUTH. This Friday, March 3, we will be meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hope Church for Laser Tag! We’ll provide pizza, snacks, and laser tag equipment to turn the entire church building into an exciting glow-in-the-dark battleground. Invite your friends, and reach out to Tara with any questions.
NEW MUSIC, LISTEN HERE! We will be singing a new song called “Goodness of God” this week. As we have gone through the biblical story, many different aspects of God’s character have been revealed. One of the most central elements of His character is His goodness. Let’s take some time and contemplate on what it means to have “lived in the goodness of God.” Please listen to the song below. I look forward to singing this with you all! -Ben
MARCH FOOD BANK DONATIONS. Our Food Bank is always in need of non-perishable food items and some non-food items, but following are the current needs for the month of March: Cereal • Tomato products • Diapers—Size 6. Thanks so much for your donations to the Food Bank. It’s a great way for Hope Church to serve those in need! Please bring items to the collection basket in the Foyer.
HAVE A NEED? Your Hope family is here for you. If you need prayer, financial assistance, or help in any other way, please reach out to Pastor Jay here.
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