This Sunday is “Fan the Flame” Sunday! We are being called to make an eternal investment – not a temporary investment. We are all investing in something. We invest our time, energy, money, and other resources in what interests us – in our work, our families, our leisure activities, our sports teams, our business and educational achievements – but most of our investments are in things that will burn away. These other things have become a god to many people – even Christians.
Temporary investments only pay temporary dividends. The bottom-line – eternal investments always pay eternal dividends. This Sunday we will be asking you to choose to invest in the Kingdom of God – through our church. Start where you are and choose how you will invest.
The Session has identified seven ministry areas (See Below)! God the Holy Spirit has blessed each one of us with various gifts. May we use and exercise those gifts as we invest in the things of God . . . as we SERVE!!
The Apostle Paul suggests in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “ . . . the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” It is my prayer that we will be cheerful givers – choosing to invest in the things of God – choosing to serve God.
Think of the investment in our community, in our children and our grandchildren for the future. The bottom-line is what we give now and how we serve now will be multiplied again and again in the future. Think about the people in the past that made an investment, perhaps at great sacrifice, and made our ministry possible today.
After Elijah had prayed for the Lord to show up in 1 Kings 18, fire of the Lord fell and burned the sacrifice – the wood, the stones, the soil, and it licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God!” It is my prayer that we will all fall on our faces and acknowledge that the LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God. May we choose to serve the Lord! May we choose to be ETERNAL INVESTORS!
Fan the Flame Sunday
We are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)
It’s time to Fan the Flame! Your Session is hard at work creating a Master Plan for Hope Community Church. WE NEED YOU! This Sunday we are encouraging you to explore opportunities to serve
We have established 7 areas in which we need your help and participation!
- Worship – music ministry vision, communion preparation, sanctuary decorating, etc.
- Children’s Ministry – nursery, Sunday school teaching/support, family ministry, etc.
- Outreach Ministry – Pray & Go participation, Training2Send Class, Invite Your One Sunday, etc.
- Hospitality Ministry – Welcome Team; helping with snacks; gift bags, etc.
- Adult Discipleship Ministry – Life Groups; Sunday school classes, women’s ministry; men’s ministry
- Missions Ministry – Local missions; regional missions; global missions, prioritization
- Operations Ministry – administrative duties; custodial support, yard work, marketing, etc.
Sunday Worship
On this Fan the Flame Sunday, Pastor Glen will take a break from our Ephesians series to share about the importance of every follower of Jesus serving! His sermon is entitled, “What Will You Do?” based upon 1 Corinthians 12:4-7. Please read this text in preparation for worship!
Tithes and Offerings
An offering plate is available when you enter the sanctuary (This Sunday at the Lodge) Additionally, online giving opportunities are available on the website.
August Financial Report
Monthly Revenues: $13,423; Year-to-Date Revenues: $148,269.46
Monthly Expenses: $14,068.15; Year-to-Date Expenses: $132,723.63
Men’s Bible Study
Our Men’s Bible Study meets every Tuesday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 at Panera Bread in the Community Room (to the left of the main entrance). We encourage men to arrive early (although Panera Bread opens at 7:00 a.m.) to purchase breakfast or a drink. Panera Bread is so generous in allowing us to use the Community Room! We are continuing our study of the Letter to the Romans in chapter 15. ALL MEN ARE WELCOME!!
OUR VISION: To see Jesus Christ become the hub of every home in our community and beyond. It is a big vision, but we serve a BIG God. We believe that God will greatly use our efforts for His glory. And it all starts with prayer.
We don’t want to even attempt to see Jesus Christ become the hub of every home without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And that’s why we begin with prayer.
Pray & Go is an opportunity for members of our church to walk and pray for the people in the homes (at first) in the Pelham neighborhood, as that is the neighborhood where our church is located.
As we pray for the people in the homes, we will leave a door hanger with information about our church, including an opportunity for people to respond by an email if they would like for us to pray specifically about an issue in their life.
We will NOT knock on doors or ring doorbells. We will simply walk in pairs, PRAY and share the door hangers. The most important thing we can do to reach our community for Jesus Christ is to pray for the people in our community. JOIN US in participating in this exciting ministry!! If you have not done so already, please sign up to participate in this ministry! Bob Simmons is our coordinator! Let’s attempt GREAT things for God!
The Session launched a capital campaign to provide for both additional costs of renting our facility and saving to purchase our facility. We covet your prayers as we continue to provide needed ministry to our members, those in the Waynesboro community, and beyond. So far we have received pledges for $34,250 above and beyond regular tithes and offerings.
Join us in praying that God will guide us as we take next steps into the future with anticipation of the many ways He will use us to be an ongoing blessing in our community and beyond. God will pour out His blessings as we respond to His grace and goodness!
Senior Choir – An Invitation from Harold Coiner
As you know, COVID-19 has interrupted human activity, not just here but worldwide. Things seem to slowly be getting back to “normal”.
I have been toying with the idea of starting a senior choir. Senior choir does not mean silver hair or NO hair, just folks who enjoy singing. Rehearsals will be the second Sunday of each month, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The first rehearsal will be November 14th. The idea is to sing old songs not used much any more.
I will be glad to listen to suggestions, music selections, or personal requests, and the like. Please share with me your interest or suggestions at (540) 447-0434 or buckomh@aol.com. Thanks so much!
Contagious Disease Preparedness Plan
The Session recently adopted a Contagious Disease Preparedness Plan to support our church family, as well as our visitors. We want to be supportive of our entire church family, as well as our community in this season of increased cases of COVID-19, including the delta variant. The plan has been sent to our members for reflection and feedback and is available at the church.
Mission Corner
The Justines (YWAM) are finally back in Thailand. They shared today: “All our COVID tests came back negative! However, even though we’ve passed four COVID tests now, it is still protocol to keep us in quarantine for two more nights. Early Saturday morning we’ll be allowed to check out of quarantine and start the long 15-hour drive home. THE END IS IN SIGHT! THANKS FOR PRAYING US THROUGH!”
Dr. Stephanie Black shared her BIG news: She is MOVING TO PRAGUE in the Czech Republic! She is running out of visa eligibility in Ireland. With this in view, last year she and her mission agency, Serge, started thinking and praying about where she should shift once her first five-year term with Serge ends later this year. As you can imagine, the pandemic with all its lockdowns and travel restrictions complicated the search for a new team and made it impossible to visit possibilities in person. But after a year of prayer and consultation she feels great joy about connecting with Serge’s Faith Community Church team in Prague.
On another encouraging note, she will be with us in worship on December 12th, and we will have an all-church event, including a meal, after worship that day. So, mark your calendars now!
October Birthdays
Alicia O’Ram (10/8); Annie Jessee (10/10); George Wilson, Bob Simmons, Leana Wright (10/15); Tyler Bouthillier (10/29)