Along with this week’s bulletin, I’m sharing an excerpt from my journal (yikes!) from earlier this week. Feel free to eavesdrop on your way to the important information below.
“Good morning Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
… This Friday I will join a webinar called, Considering When & How to Reopen Your Church. Please give me wisdom because some great questions are being asked.
“Dean, Hope is enduringly faithful and beautifully agile. My people are abiding while growing in unique ways, gathering creatively, giving sacrificially and going as I prompt them, gently. In My timing, I will provide wisdom through your civic leaders whom I have put in place as well as your wise counselors from outside and inside of Hope. Don’t strive. As always, come with the others into My presence to seek My guidance and I will make each step clear to you and all of Hope as you remain in my peace.”
Lead Pastor | Hope Community Church
BULLETIN | May 7, 2020
MOTHER’S DAY. This Sunday, we celebrate mother’s and all special women in our lives. In a most unique time of history, we are reminded of how important relationships truly are. God has given us remarkable and special influencers in our lives through the gift of women. Hope recognizes your value to God and to those you love. We appreciate and honor you. Happy Mother’s Day!
HOPE AT HOME. Click here for the Hope at Home service from last week. Join us this Sunday for a message from Lead Pastor Dean Wertz entitled Breakfast with Jesus.
WORSHIP LEADER TRANSITION. As many of you know, Seth Slay is transitioning away from being Hope’s Worship Leader to focus 100% on his ministry at Bloom. After a long search for who God would provide to fill this important role, we are happy to announce that Morgan McCullough will be joining our staff as Hope’s New Worship Leader! In last week’s Hope Moment video, Pastor Dean gave a detailed update on the worship leader search, God’s provision of Morgan and the transition plan. Watch the video here.
HOPE GROUPS. Group leaders and members are connecting and caring for one another in various creative ways. If you are not in a Hope Group and would like to be, click here.
HOPE AT HOME KIDS.
— Print ahead: Mother’s Day card templates. Kids can pick one to color and use for a cute card for mom this weekend! Click here or here for additional coloring options. Enjoy!
— Eagle Lake Camp at Platt Park is cancelled for this summer but we are already praying and seeking the Lord’s guidance for an amazing summer camp in 2021!
— Kids Online Gatherings: Elementary- Thursdays at 4pm. Contact Meg Benedik for details. Preschool- Fridays (every other) at 10 a.m. Contact Carole Ann Risser
— Parenting Safe Children Online Workshop. We encourage all of our parents and volunteers to participate in this excellent training. Scholarships available. Contact Anna McMichael
YOUTH. We will continue to meet the 2nd through 5th Wednesdays of the month at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom! Questions? Contact Arik Stewart.
MISSIONARIES. Please pray for our ministry partners around the world who are facing unique challenges in this difficult time.
GIVING. Thank you for continuing to support Hope as we adjust and expand in new and creative ways through our ministries in Denver and our missionary partnerships around the world. If you typically give via our offering boxes and would like to continue giving via mail, please contact Arik Stewart who can send you stamped return envelopes. Alternatively, click here to connect with our online giving option and click here to view our March financial snapshot. Due to several recent extra gifts to our “benevolence” fund we have been able to care for and help several households during this difficult season.
COMMUNICATIONS. All current communications will be available on our homepage.
HAVE A NEED? Your Hope family is here for you with a variety of resources available in your time of need! If you need prayer, submit your request here. If you have had an income disruption, submit a request for transitional financial assistance here. If you have any other need that Hope may be able to assist with, click here to set up a phone or video meeting with one of our staff.
SHARING HOPE
Hope Community Church is dedicated to the service of Jesus through caring and loving others. We would like to share encouraging stories of happenings within the church and in the lives of our church family. Please consider contributing to Sharing Hope by emailing us news that we may include below. Thank you!
A NOTE TO HOPE. We recently received an encouraging note and asked for permission to share (anonymously) so you may also be encouraged by the role our church is having during this unusual season…
“Good afternoon Hope Leadership,
I’ve been reflecting A LOT the last several weeks on how thankful I am for the many ways Hope has walked with and led with the body of Christ through this challenging season. I wanted to share with you a few of things that have meant a lot to our family. I know I won’t capture it all.
Hope at Home: The simple, on-point Hope at Home recordings have been really good for us. It is a highlight of our week that all 3 of us look forward to. The last 3 weeks, we have gotten dressed up for church as a way to prepare our hearts for an hour with Jesus that looks different that the other hours of the week that all seem to blend together. The children’s music choices and art activities have been excellent.
The Easter egg and Communion delivery: Wow, this meant more to us than you would probably expect. Just imagining you all driving all over town to delivery these bags to every Hope family moves me to tears. The extended offer to the rest of the Platt Park community was a great opportunity to bless our neighbors who also went to pick up a bag for their kids Friday afternoon.
Age appropriate teaching ideas from Anna: Early childhood spiritual development is not an area of great understanding or gifting for me. Anna provided us with some excellent suggestions and approaches for beginning to plant seeds about the Gospel message and sharing about the Easter story with our pre-preschooler. Seeds are definitely taking root, which gives us something to really celebrate right now.
Indeed, there are more…like regular Hope Group zoom check-ins and prayer, receiving texts, fun deliveries, “pen-pals” between Hope kids, phone calls and emails from Hope friends, etc. We find ourselves increasingly grateful for our Hope Family. We love you and pray God’s blessings of hope and encouragement for you and your families this week.”
SHARING HOPE CREATIVELY. As you know each weekend Hope at Home can now be viewed from all over the world. Consider sharing the service link address with friends and family who may be encouraged during this isolated time. If someone you know would like to be added to our email communication list, please let us know! It’s even possible to share the service through a phone call. Two households are currently doing this so that others without wifi access are able to listen to the church service!
PHONE MINISTRY. This time is tough for everyone, but connecting with others may be especially difficult for those without internet access. We are encouraging our Hope family to reach out to seniors by phone. If you would like to make phone calls or if you would like to have someone reach out to you, please contact Pastor Jay.