Have you ever responded to a situation instantaneously? There is built into each of us the capacity to respond instantaneously. Now, sometimes we make good choices and sometimes we make bad choices. One time I made an instantaneous decision to swerve and miss a large object in the road, and I went into another lane of traffic. It could have been fatal. Thankfully, no one else was in the lane into which I swerved.
Generosity is the secret of life; it is the reason we are here – to enrich other lives. We are richer for being generous – for practicing generosity.
How many opportunities do you think you pass by (each day) to be generous in a situation? If you are like me, you go by an opportunity and you think afterward, I could have responded differently. But my instantaneous response was to walk by.
Jesus was asked by a scribe in Mark 12 about which commandment is the most important of all, and he responds: “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
We are to love God with ALL our heart. In essence, our hearts are to beat with this incredible love for God! But, how are we to love God with heart? I would suggest that we are to have a heart of generosity. So, what does a generous heart look like?
When you hear the word “heart” what comes to your mind? Some of us think of “emotion” or “love.” But the Bible has a much grander perspective of the heart. When Jesus declared in Mark 12:30, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart”; he was referring to our inner self – our personality.
Each of us can be life-takers or life-givers. And it is my prayer that we at Hope Community Church will be life-givers. It is my prayer that our instantaneous reactions will be to give life and to be generous with all that God has given us. How is God using you to be a life-giver – in all your relationships?
Adult Bible Study Class
Our Adult Bible Study class will meet this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the large Sunday school room. Please join Harold Cook and others for a wonderful time around God’s Word!! We will focus on 1 Corinthians 2: “Relying on the Power of God.” Please bring your Bible.
Pastor Search Committee Update & Prayer
Your Pastor Search Committee is in the process of searching for our next lead pastor. They are currently reviewing some initial inquiries about the position.
We invite you to covenant to pray for the next pastor and specifically for the Pastor Search Committee, as they seek the Lord! You may even wish to fast for a meal or a day or more as the Lord directs. Corporate prayer is so needed! Join with other sisters and brothers if you can.
Tithes & Offerings
An offering box is available when you enter or exit the sanctuary. Additionally, Online Giving
Session Highlights
Our Session met on September 16th at 5:00 p.m. The following are some of the highlights:
- Pastor Glen led in a study of James 1:2-4, focusing on the importance of rejoicing even in times of trials and challenges.
- We welcomed our new ruling elders, Richard Ammons and Don Coffey.
- We elected Richard Ammons as our Clerk of Session.
- We approved the Session minutes of August 16th and the Called Session Meeting of September 8th.
- Pastor Glen reported on various items, including celebrating the ordination and installation of new elders and deacons on September 8th.
- We met with members of the Outreach Team, as they shared plans for future outreach opportunities.
- Review of the budget by Elder Tim Stewart, including the st
- We reviewed plans for welcome center upgrades, as well as purchasing additional chairs for the sanctuary and updating the lighted sign in front of our building.
- We reviewed the responsibilities of the Board of Deacons.
- Please pray for the Session, as they will meet next on Monday, October 21st.
Budget Update
Total Tithes/Offerings for August: $22,014.54 YTD: $208,595.54
Total Expenses for August: $12,526.66 YTD: $136,732.00
Golden Oldies
We are grateful for Bill Watkin’s very informative message regarding navigating legal paperwork, which he shared with us on September 11th!!
We will next meet on October 9th at 10:30 in the Waynesboro Panera Bread Community Room with Lori Showalter as our guest speaker. Lori is the Director of Volunteer Services for Augusta Health and Hospice of the Shenandoah (of Augusta Health). She will give an informative overview of Hospice.
We will meet on November 13th for a lunch out at the Wood Grill in Harrisonburg. Please see Harold or Janet Coiner if you will attend i order that reservations can be made.
There will be NO meeting in December. Celebrate with church services and family gatherings!!
FALL FEST 2024
Mark your calendars for our Fall Fest on October 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fun, food, music, and games! This will be a craft fair with BBQ chicken, giveaways, a cake walk, and games for all!
We need your help by donating craft or art items, setting up, and volunteering during the event. We will also need cakes, and if a corn hole game could be borrowed for the event, it would be appreciated. Sign-up sheets are available in the welcome center at the church. If you are interested in volunteering to help, please contact Candi Brown (540.241.2021) or Nina Gross (540.480.3441). More information to come!
Driver Assistance
If you or someone in our congregation needs a ride to a doctor’s appointment or other appointments, please call Tom Reider (540.649.5162). He has agreed to coordinate rides. He has a list of those who have volunteered to give those rides. We are grateful for this important ministry!!
Mission Corner
ComfortCare Women’s Health Annual Fall Fundraising Banquet, featuring guest speaker, Rebekah Hagan at Cornerstone Church of Augusta. We will host a table on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about ComfortCare Ministry.
Love INC Support: From July through September, we will be collecting paper products (Paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex, etc.). May we be a blessing to those desiring to improve their lives.
The Prayer Room is an outreach ministry in downtown Waynesboro, caring for people practically, as well as sharing the good news of Jesus Christ! We are collecting personal hygiene items and wrapped food items to support this ministry. Any donations can be brought to the church, and they will be given to the Prayer Room.
The Missions Team is active keeping in touch with our missionaries and other ministries. Please keep updated! You can visit our website and go to the Mission Page
October Birthdays
Joyce Gordon (10/10); George Wilson & Bob Simmons (10/15); Tyler Bouthillier & Terry Coffey (10/29)