SIX Things I Want to Share with Community of Hope

1.  Christmas Adam was wonderful:  I hope it was as meaningful to you as it was to me.  And how appropriate that we concluded our Christmas Series, “He Will Be Called,” with the name Prince of Peace. My prayer last weekend was that you would experience the kind of peace that only Jesus can provide as you celebrated the birth of our Savior Christmas morning with your family.  Were my prayers answered?

2.  IMPORTANT: Beginning January 1st (this Sunday), services will start at 10:00am.  The Leadership Team and I believe this time change will help us connect with more people in our community.  

3.  The Prison Break Series resumes this Sunday.  We will begin again with Ephesians 2:11-22.  Don’t miss this wonderful journey to discover freedom in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

4.  The next Dinner & A Movie will be on January 21st, 2012 at 6:30 and will feature Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda 2.  This continues to be a great way for Community of Hope to connect with our neighborhood.  Once again we are asking for your help to distribute door hangers at 10:00am the Saturday before the movie (January 14th).  Invite cards will be available beginning January 8th in the morning service.

5.  Join me on a great adventure.  Beginning January 9th, 2012, and ending on Easter Sunday, I will take a 90-day reading journey through the Bible. I WANT YOU TO JOIN ME!  Think about the impact the Word of God will have in your life if you spend the first 90-days of the new year reading it cover-to-cover.  Think about how prepared you will be to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday after spending the previous 90-days reading the Word of God from cover-to-cover.  If you are interested in joining me on this great adventure, please sign-up by following this link: http://eepurl.com/h9tJ6. 

When you decide to participate, I will provide you with a variety of resources to both encourage and help you stay on task during our journey together.  

6.  Remember: FOUND People FIND People!  Who do you know that needs to hear about the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love of Christ?  Why not make 2012 the year you help them discover true freedom by inviting them to Community of Hope?!

Until Next time...

Pastor David

FOUR Things I want to share with Community of Hope

1. Sunday we will continue our series He Will Be Called as we examine the name Everlasting Father.  This could be one of the most challenging messages you have ever heard, and at the same time, the most freeing one at the same time.  Do not miss this Sunday! 

2. PLEASE continue to PRAY for Baby Anna!  She is at a critical stage in her recovery processes.  You can read about her journey at http://babyannajoy.blogspot.com/.  Once you read about Baby Anna, you will want to pray for a miracle.

3. Christmas Adam Service: Don’t forget to bring someone with you to our Christmas Adam service on December  23rd, 2010 at 7:00pm.  We have planned a wonderful service of worship and God’s Word as we celebrate the birth of our savior.  There will be a casual time of fellowship following the service.  Please bring your favorite Christmas dessert to share.

4. IMPORTANT:  There will not be a service on December 25th.  We want you to worship with your family on Christmas Sunday.  Services will resume again on January 1st, 2012 at 10:00 AM.  PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE.  Starting in 2012, services will be held at 10:00 AM on Sunday mornings.  The Leadership Team and I believe this time change will help us reach even more people in our community.

5. Remember: FOUND people FIND people.  Who is God leading you to FIND.

Until Next Time,

Pastor David

Important News about Christmas Adam

If December 25th is Christmas Day, and December 24th is Christmas Eve, what do you call December 23rd?  Christmas Adam of course!  Why? Because Adam came before Eve (insert groan here).  

Because of the size of our congregation, and knowing that a number of people will be traveling during the Christmas weekend (Christmas is on Sunday this year), we are going to have a very special Christmas Adam service on December 23rd at 7pm.  This will allow families to celebrate and worship together in their homes around the Northwest, while at the same time, providing an opportunity for us to worship together as a congregation.  

Plans are currently being made for an awesome service filled with celebration and worship of our savior.  There will be a special time of fellowship in the foyer following the Christmas Adam service.On Sunday, December 11th, you will receive tickets to give people when you invite them to our Christmas Adam Service.   

Here are some important reminders from one of my “unofficial” mentors.

As far as inviting people to a service…

• Remember, this is NOT about church attendance, it’s about eternity!  (See Matthew 13:47-50, Matthew 25:31-46)
• People are either saved or lost…and it is IMPOSSIBLE to claim we love someone when we have not had a conversation with them about where they will spend eternity.
• The GOSPEL will be preached at our Christmas services…and bringing people to a place where they can meet Jesus IS a part of evangelism (see John 1:40-42)
• Every single relationship that you have on this planet is for the purpose of telling people about Christ!!!
• Eternity is already in the hearts of every person we meet…many times it takes a simple conversation to bring that out.  (See Ecclesiastes 3:11)
• I know, I know, I know that you’ve tried and “that person” keeps promising they will and then they don’t show…ask again, remember, God is patient (II Peter 3:9), we should be as well.
• “That Person” that God keeps bringing to your heart every time you hear a message like this…that is the person you need to make sure you bring to church with you at one of our Christmas services
• Evangelism is NOT a suggestion…it’s a command by Jesus, and, as He said in John 15:14 what it looks like if we love Him!
• Do you realize that if everyone who attends our church on a regular basis would bring at least three people with them to church for one of our Christmas Adam service that we would have over 100 people hear the GOSPEL!!!  That EXCITES ME!

Until Next Time...

David

A few quick thoughts I want to share with Community of Hope today...

#1 - I am very happy with the launch of the He Will Be Called series last Sunday.  I can’t wait to see how God impacts us as we study the four names of Jesus found in Isaiah 9:6.  Remember, these names were prophesied 700 years before Jesus’ birth.  Even more impressive is the impact these names have 2000+ years after his birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection!  Also, don’t forget to be brutally HONEST with the Wonderful Counselor this week.  As you do, take time to LISTEN to what he has to tell you; and then DO what he says!  If you do, I PROMISE, your life will be radically different!  This coming Sunday we are going to spend time talking about the name MIGHTY GOD.  You do not want to miss it!

#2 - We had a great start to the Bring Hope Challenge.  We received $1600 dollars towards our goal of $6000.  That’s a little more than 25%. Please continue to pray about your involvement in the Bring Hope Challenge. We will continue to receive gifts until the first part of January. Details about the Bring Hope Challenge are available on the church website – just follow the link on the home page. You can give three ways: 1) On Sunday’s during the morning offering. 2) Mail a gift using the postage paid offering envelopes. 3) Online at www.gothope365.com.  We use PayPal to process your online check or debit-card gift. You are NOT required to have a PayPal account.

#3 - We need your help distributing door-hangers on Saturday at 10am for December’s Dinner & A Movie.  This method of promotion has proven the most effective so far.  Remember, many hands make light work. E-mail me (david@gothope365.com) if you are planning on helping.

#4 - December’s calendar can be found on the church website.  Be sure to mark the following dates: December 17^th @ 6:30p for the Dinner & A Movie; December 23^rd @ 7:00pm for the Christmas Adam Service.  You won’t want to miss these.

#5 - REMEMBER – Found people FIND people.  Start inviting people to the Christmas Adam service right now.  I’ll share something later this week about the importance of your personal invitation to someone.

#6 - It is an incredible joy to serve the God of Creation at Community of Hope. Lisa and I pray for you and love you more than you know! We can’t wait to worship again with you on Sunday.

Pastor David

PS. If you are part of the Wednesday Life Group, you should look over the questions at the end of the sermon notes from last Sunday. If you’re not part of the Life Group, you should be.