House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church January 2011
Bright Hope in the Bronx
Jonathan Kozol, author of the book , “Amazing Grace,” writes about his experiences with children in the worst areas of the Bronx in New York City and records their stories and their dreams.
Thirteen year old Anthony Green wrote him this description of a future heaven as he envisioned it::
God will be there. He’ll be happy that we have arrived. People shall come in hand in hand. It will be bright, not dim and glooming like here on earth. All friendly animals will be there, but no mean ones. As for television, forget it! If you want vision, you can use your eyes to see the people that you love...
No one will look at you from the outside. People will see you from the inside. All the people from the street will be there. My uncle will be there and he will be healed. You won’t see him buying drugs, because there won’t be money. Mr. Mongo will be there too. You might see him happy for a change. The prophets will be there, and Adam and Eve, and all the disciples except Judas...
No violence will there be in heaven. There will be no guns or drugs or IRS. You won’t have to pay taxes. You’ll recognize all the children who have died when they were little. Jesus will be good to them and play with them. At night he’ll come and visit at your house. God will be fond of you..
How will you know that you are there? Something will tell you, ‘This is it! Eureka!’ If you still feel lonely in your heart, or bitterness, you’ll know that you’re not there.
Anthony Green was shot and killed three years later on Beekman Avenue, in the worst part of the Bronx.
There’s just got to be a city somewhere with safe streets of solid gold for people like him.
- Harvey Yoder
Notes/prayers/praises
* BECKY MORLAN AND TRISH LEVESQUE made a brief visit here just before Christmas, celebrated by a carry-in meal at the Lodge December 22.
* WE THANK GOD THAT KARLA MAY was spared in a December 15 crash that totaled her car!
* JANUARY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to James Stauffer 1/8, Susan Campbell 1/17, Becky Morlan 1/28 and Dick Dumas 1/30!
* FAMILY OF HOPE’S NEW BLOG SITE has updated newsletters and other info at <http://familyofhopehousechurch.blogpost.com>. HARVEY’s blog is at <http://harvyoder.blogspot.com> with a link to the FOH site.
JANUARY LECTIONARY READINGS:
1/2: Psalm 147:12-20, Jeremiah 31:7-14, John 1:1-18, Ephesians 1:3-14
1/9: Psalm 29, Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17
1/16: Psalm 40:1-11, Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42
1/23: Psalm 27:1, 4-9, Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23
1/30: Psalm 15, Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12
January services worship at 4 pm, meal at 6
2 Location: James and Ruth Stauffer 1255 Parkway Dr 22802 574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: “Blessing After Blessing” Paul Swarr
Carry-in Meal
9 Location: Rachel Stoltzfus 1359 TwoPenny Drive 22802 433-3983
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: “Called and Empowered” Harvey Yoder
Carry-in Meal
16 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Drive, K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Margie and Guy Vlasits
Annual Business Meeting
Bible Study: “On This Solid Rock”
Carry-in Meal
23 Location: Ulrich, Joyce 1029 Shenandoah St Apt 101 22802 246-1013
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: “The Lord is My Light” Dick Dumas
Carry-in Meal
30 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: “Act Justly and Love Mercy” James Stauffer
Carry-in Meal
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
December newsletter
House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church December 2010
Something Amazing at Macy’s
On November 6, 2010, a group of some 650 singers from the Philadelphia Opera Company joined together in an unusual conspiracy. They arranged to be at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia at high noon,to mix in with the crowd of shoppers there and then, on cue from their director on a second floor balcony, sing the Halleluiah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. All of this was accompanied by someone on Macy’s giant organ in the large foyer area of the store.
A video recording of the event became quite a hit on YouTube, as a rare musical feast that caught the startled shoppers completely off guard. Many were obviously amazed and moved by the unexpected performance, either because it brought back fond memories of it as a loved and familiar part if their past, or as a masterpiece they were hearing for the first time.
Some of the listeners looked up and raised their hands in awe or held them over their hearts. Others were using their cell phones to take pictures of the musicians all around them and/or were calling others to have them listen in. Still others were excitedly talking to each other as they listened with wonderment. And of course all joined in an extended and heartfelt round of applause after the last drawn out “Hal - le - lu - jah!” at the end of the piece.
As a person of faith, I was deeply moved by the performance on YouTube, and it was certainly an experience aptly described by a sign one of the organizers of the group held up at the end, “You have just experienced a random act of culture by the Opera Company of Philadelphia.”
Maybe we should all find ways of expressing some random, creative, and impactful kindnesses of our own this season, expressing our Hallelujahs and our confidence in who shall reign forever and ever.
This could be in the form of a surprise visit to someone at a nursing home, an offer of some child care for a frazzled parent in need of a break, a note of appreciation for a past teacher or pastor who has made a difference in our lives, or an invitation to dinner for a new immigrant family in the community.
May such Hallelujahs resound everywhere!
http://www.philly.com/philly/video/106492678.html
- Harvey Yoder
Notes/prayers/praises
* INVITE YOUR FRIENDS to our annual Family of Hope Christmas Celebration at 1 pm Sunday, December 19, at the Vlasits' Lodge Enjoy a carry-in meal, a meditation by Guy Fresen, lots of singing, a children's story and an offering of food for Patchwork Pantry and of money for Heifer, International.
* BERTHA SWARR is grateful to be able to move home again as of November 30!
* WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR RUTH STAUFFER’s good recovery from her recent surgery and that no malignancy was found.
* SOPHIE MAY suffered a broken foot from a fall November 22, and will have to be off work for the remainder of the year.
* DECEMBER LECTIONARY READINGS:
12/5: Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12
12/12: Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11:
12/19: Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
12/26: Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23
December services worship at 4 pm, meal at 6 (except 12/19)
5 Location: James and Ruth Stauffer 1255 Parkway Dr 22802 574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: “Preaching Peace” Paul Swarr
Carry-in Meal
12 Location: Joyce Ulrich 1029 Shenandoah Street Apt 101 246-1013
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: “Proclaiming Justice” Harvey Yoder
Carry-in Meal
19 Annual Christmas Celebration with other house churches at 1 pm
Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Drive, Keezletown.
Meditation: Guy Fresen
1 pm Carry-in Meal
26 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: “Celebrating Deliverance” James Stauffer
Carry-in Meal
Family of Hope House Church December 2010
Something Amazing at Macy’s
On November 6, 2010, a group of some 650 singers from the Philadelphia Opera Company joined together in an unusual conspiracy. They arranged to be at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia at high noon,to mix in with the crowd of shoppers there and then, on cue from their director on a second floor balcony, sing the Halleluiah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. All of this was accompanied by someone on Macy’s giant organ in the large foyer area of the store.
A video recording of the event became quite a hit on YouTube, as a rare musical feast that caught the startled shoppers completely off guard. Many were obviously amazed and moved by the unexpected performance, either because it brought back fond memories of it as a loved and familiar part if their past, or as a masterpiece they were hearing for the first time.
Some of the listeners looked up and raised their hands in awe or held them over their hearts. Others were using their cell phones to take pictures of the musicians all around them and/or were calling others to have them listen in. Still others were excitedly talking to each other as they listened with wonderment. And of course all joined in an extended and heartfelt round of applause after the last drawn out “Hal - le - lu - jah!” at the end of the piece.
As a person of faith, I was deeply moved by the performance on YouTube, and it was certainly an experience aptly described by a sign one of the organizers of the group held up at the end, “You have just experienced a random act of culture by the Opera Company of Philadelphia.”
Maybe we should all find ways of expressing some random, creative, and impactful kindnesses of our own this season, expressing our Hallelujahs and our confidence in who shall reign forever and ever.
This could be in the form of a surprise visit to someone at a nursing home, an offer of some child care for a frazzled parent in need of a break, a note of appreciation for a past teacher or pastor who has made a difference in our lives, or an invitation to dinner for a new immigrant family in the community.
May such Hallelujahs resound everywhere!
http://www.philly.com/philly/video/106492678.html
- Harvey Yoder
Notes/prayers/praises
* INVITE YOUR FRIENDS to our annual Family of Hope Christmas Celebration at 1 pm Sunday, December 19, at the Vlasits' Lodge Enjoy a carry-in meal, a meditation by Guy Fresen, lots of singing, a children's story and an offering of food for Patchwork Pantry and of money for Heifer, International.
* BERTHA SWARR is grateful to be able to move home again as of November 30!
* WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR RUTH STAUFFER’s good recovery from her recent surgery and that no malignancy was found.
* SOPHIE MAY suffered a broken foot from a fall November 22, and will have to be off work for the remainder of the year.
* DECEMBER LECTIONARY READINGS:
12/5: Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12
12/12: Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11:
12/19: Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
12/26: Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23
December services worship at 4 pm, meal at 6 (except 12/19)
5 Location: James and Ruth Stauffer 1255 Parkway Dr 22802 574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: “Preaching Peace” Paul Swarr
Carry-in Meal
12 Location: Joyce Ulrich 1029 Shenandoah Street Apt 101 246-1013
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: “Proclaiming Justice” Harvey Yoder
Carry-in Meal
19 Annual Christmas Celebration with other house churches at 1 pm
Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Drive, Keezletown.
Meditation: Guy Fresen
1 pm Carry-in Meal
26 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: “Celebrating Deliverance” James Stauffer
Carry-in Meal
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