Tuesday, January 31, 2017

February 2017 newsletter

House-to-House
 Family of Hope House Church                              February 2017

Psalm 99: Judgment and Hope For An Uncertain Future

The Lord reigns; let the people tremble: he sits between the cherubim; let the earth be moved.

The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.

Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

The king loves judgment, establishes equity, executes judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at God’s footstool; for God is holy.

Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and God answered them.

God spoke to them in the cloudy pillar: they kept God’s testimonies, and the ordinance God gave them.

You answered them, O Lord our God: you were a God who forgave them, though God took vengeance on their misdeeds.

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at God’s holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.

(This is an adaptation of the King James version of Psalm 99, the alternate lectionary psalm listed for February 5)

Notes, prayers and praises 
  • PARK PLACE will be our tentative meeting site for the first Sunday of each month on a trial basis. Enter the main door, take the first hall to the right to the elevator, go to the second floor and look for the meeting room nearby with a piano. 
  • OUR CONDOLENCES TO LOIS RIVERA-WENGER, whose next older brother Donald passed away January 15 after a lingering illness. Lois attended the memorial service in Waterloo, Ontario, later that week with other family members.
  • CORRECTIONS TO FOH DIRECTORY: James and Ruth Stauffer’s phone is 564-3716. Josiah Dumas’s new address is  45134 Water-pointe Terrace, Apt. 202, Ashburn, VA 20147  (571-577-0144)
  • DARYL VAN DONK is now with Guy Vlasits at 1260 Parkway Drive.

February lectionary readings
5   Isaiah 58:1-12)  Psalm 112:1-10  1 Corinthians 2:1-16 
Matthew 5:13-20
12  Deuteronomy 30:15-20  Psalm 119:1-8  1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Matthew 5:21-37
19 Leviticus 19:1-18  Psalm 119:33-40  1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23  Matthew 5:38-48
26 Exodus 24:12-18  Psalm 2   2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9

February services, worship at 4, meal at 6
5 Location: Park Place, second floor meeting room                   564-3716
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                   Soup Only Meal (provided)                                         
12 Location: Guy Vlasits 1260 Parkway Drive, H’burg 22802  269-6706   
Worship and Sharing: Guy Vlasits
Bible Study: Dick Dumas   Carry-in Meal 

19 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave    432-0531
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                  Simple Finger Foods Meal  
                      
26 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22802  564-1524 
Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger
Bible Study: Art Stoltzfus (Faith in Action)                         Carry-in Meal

Friday, January 6, 2017

January 2017 newsletter

House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church        January 2017

If you want
the Virgin will come walking down the road
pregnant with the holy,and say,

“I need shelter for the night,
please take me inside your heart,
my time is so close.”

Then, under the roof of your soul
you will witness the sublime
intimacy, the divine, the Christ
taking birth forever,
as she grasps your hand for help,
for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us.

Yet there, under the dome of your being does creation
come into existence eternally,
through your womb, dear pilgrim—
the sacred womb in your soul,
as God grasps our arms for help;
for each of us is
His beloved servant
never far.

If you want, the Virgin will come walking
down the street pregnant
with Light and sing …

–St. John of the Cross, “If You Want” in Daniel Ladinsky Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West (New York: Penguin Group, 2002), 306-307.

Notes, prayers and praises 
  • JANUARY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to James Stauffer 1/8, Susan      Campbell 1/17,  Becky Morlan 1/28, Dick Dumas 1/30! 
  • JAMES AND RUTH STAUFFER are moving around the middle of January to Room 322 at VMRC’s Park Place 1285 Shank Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22802 (574-3716). We deeply appreciate the many years of hospitality they have provided for our church meetings.
  • GUY VLASITS has moved to 1260 Parkway Drive (formerly occupied by Paul and Bertha Swarr). HIs phone number is the same, 269-6706.
  • DARYL VAN DONK is planning to move in with Guy later this month.
January lectionary readings

1   Isaiah 63:7-9  Psalm 148  Hebrews 2:10-18  Matthew 2:13-23 
8   Isaiah 42:1-9  Psalm 29  Acts 10:34-43  Matthew 3:13-17
15 Isaiah 49:1-7  Psalm 40:1-11  1 Corinthians 1:1-9  John 1:29-42
22 Isaiah 9:1-4  Psalm 27:1, 4-9  1 Corinthians 1:10-18  Matthew 4:12-23
29 Micah 6:1-8  Psalm 15  1 Corinthians 1:18-31  Matthew 5:1-12

January services, worship at 4, meal at 6
1 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr. 22802    574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                        Carry-in Meal                                                          
8 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave      432-0531
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Roy Hange                                                Finger Foods Meal                         
15 Location: Guy Vlasits 1260 Parkway Drive, H’burg 22802  269-6706   
Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger
Bible Study: Elly Nelson   Carry-in Meal
22 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave    432-0531
Worship and Communion c/o Harvey Yoder
Annual Business Meeting    Bread, cheese and grape juice meal (provided)                                                                         
29 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22802  564-1524 
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell                                            

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                                   Carry-in Meal