House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church April 2012
Bread for the Journey - Harvey Yoder
At our March 11 church gathering Skip and Carol Tobin shared their vision for the church being less about trying to attract others to come to us, and more about preparing and sending us out to minister to others.
At the close of our service, as we prepared for our usual evening meal together, we shared the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper as a living sign of the poured out and broken life of Jesus. Since one of our members has a gluten allergy, we used rice crackers as our bread. It was brittle fare, nothing like the bland texture of leavened bread, and a fitting sign of a life broken for others.
As we poured grape juice into cups for everyone around the table, we invited members to share what they needed from God for the week ahead. Blood is a sign of life, we reminded ourselves, not just of death, so we expressed, by turn, our need for renewed life from a God who offers it abundance for all.
It was a moment of clarity for me, that in the partaking of this life-giving meal we were not only celebrating our coming together, broken and in need of renewal, but that in communion we were preparing for going out, ready and able to share with others what we received in the Eucharist.
In order to live in the world in the imitation of Christ, we need all the spiritual energy we can get--life giving bread, life enhancing drink.
...As this food gives up its life for us,
may we follow that pattern of
self surrender for each other.
May we be life for one another.
from “Prayers for the Domestic Church” by Edward Hays
Notes, prayers and praises
PRAY FOR RACHEL STOLTZFUS, who is recovering from gall stones and a heart condition, for JAMES STAUFFER, who has had a cancerous growth removed from the top of his right ear lobe, and for Gail Blackburn’s brother ALLEN, recovering from surgery for mouth cancer.
APRIL BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Bertha Swarr 4/13, Jack (Hong
Yan) Zhou 4/14, Cathy Atwell 4/19, Bo Hu 4/20 and Randy May 4/21!
OUR PRAYERS AND SYMPATHIES to Hong Yan Zhou on the death of his mother in China. Contact him at 5615 W. Wren Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291, or JACKHONGYAN@GMAIL.COM. His phone number is 559-713-6258.
ALMA JEAN AND HARVEY YODER are planning to be with their daughter Joanna and family April 21-29.
April lectionary readings
1 Psalm 31:9-16 Isaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11 Mark 14:1-15:47
8 Psalm 16 Isaiah 25:6-9 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Mark 16:1-8 Acts 10:34-43
15 Psalm 13 Acts 4:32-35 1John 1:1-2:2 John 20:19-31
22 Psalm 4 Acts 3:12-19 1John 3:1-7 Luke 24:36b-48
29 Psalm 23 Acts 4:5-12 1John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18
April services worship at 4 pm, meal at 6 (except April 8 and 15)
1 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Paul Swarr Carry-in Meal
8 Easter Sunrise Service: 8 am at 3448 Caverns Dr., K’town 908-0391
Easter meditation by Elly Nelson, followed by Easter singing and a breakfast provided by our own Margie Vlasits!
15 Easter Sunset Service: EMU Discipleship Center (5 pm!) 432-0531
(This is the day Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter)
Carry-in Picnic Meal
Worship, Sharing and Bible Study led by Harvey Yoder, followed by an anointing service for Rachel Stotzfus.
22 Location: Rachel Stoltzfus 1359 TwoPenny Drive 22802 433-3983
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Dick Dumas Carry-in Meal (Rachel is not to prepare food)
29 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study:: James Stauffer Carry-in Meal
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
March 2012 newsletter
House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church March 2012
Simple wisdom
In the introduction to Amish farmer David Kline’s latest book, “Letters From Larksong,” are these words by his friend, poet Wendell Berry:
.... my friend David Kline told me,
"It falls strangely on Amish ears,
This talk of how you find yourself.
We Amish, after all, don't try
To find ourselves. We try to lose
Ourselves"--and thus are lost within
The found world of sunlight and rain
Where fields are green and then are ripe,
And the people eat together by
The charity of God, who is kind
Even to those who give no thanks.
In my old age I’ve been thinking a lot about the Amish/Anabaptist focus on choosing to lose one’s life, as taught by Jesus, rather than spending our energies trying to preserve as much of it as we can. This means seeking to live a life of “Gelassenheit,” a German word describing a spirit of yieldedness that results in engaging in humble service to others rather than in a lifetime pursuit of domination and accumulation.
My Amish mother, known throughout our rural community as “Aunt Mary,” was a good example of such a life. It wasn’t uncommon for her to go help a sick neighbor, a new mother or a needy friend at a moment’s notice, or to provide hospitality around our dining room table for all kinds of guests, even from our meager means.
Maybe life really is meant to be a gift to be given away. In the end, we have to lose it all anyway, whether we choose to or not. So why not be intentional about it, experience joy in giving away our gifts and assets to make the world a happier and better place?
And then just die peaceful and well spent. - Harvey Yoder
Notes, prayers and praises
* FOR UPDATES ON FAMILY OF HOPE services and other information, log on to http://familyofhopehousechurch.blogspot.com.
* PRAY FOR MICHAEL RIVIERA-WENGER, who has been blessed with some improvement in his condition.
MARCH BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Ruth Stauffer 3/28, and Elianah Zhou 3/25, c/o Jack Zhou, 5615 W. Wren Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291.
* BE PREPARED FOR SOME CONGREGATIONAL GOAL SETTING at our March 11 service with Skip and Carol Tobin of Virginia Mennonite Missions.
March lectionary readings
4 Psalm 22:23-31 Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38
11 Psalm 19 Exodus 20:1-17 1Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22
18 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21
25 Psalm 51:1-12 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33
March services worship at 4 pm, meal at 6
4 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr., K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vlasits
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder Carry-in Meal
11 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave. 432-0531
Worship and Sharing: Skip and Carol Tobin
Bible Study and church goal-setting: Skip and Carol
Carry-in Finger Foods Meal
18 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr Carry-in Meal
25 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: Dick Dumas Carry-in Meal
Family of Hope House Church March 2012
Simple wisdom
In the introduction to Amish farmer David Kline’s latest book, “Letters From Larksong,” are these words by his friend, poet Wendell Berry:
.... my friend David Kline told me,
"It falls strangely on Amish ears,
This talk of how you find yourself.
We Amish, after all, don't try
To find ourselves. We try to lose
Ourselves"--and thus are lost within
The found world of sunlight and rain
Where fields are green and then are ripe,
And the people eat together by
The charity of God, who is kind
Even to those who give no thanks.
In my old age I’ve been thinking a lot about the Amish/Anabaptist focus on choosing to lose one’s life, as taught by Jesus, rather than spending our energies trying to preserve as much of it as we can. This means seeking to live a life of “Gelassenheit,” a German word describing a spirit of yieldedness that results in engaging in humble service to others rather than in a lifetime pursuit of domination and accumulation.
My Amish mother, known throughout our rural community as “Aunt Mary,” was a good example of such a life. It wasn’t uncommon for her to go help a sick neighbor, a new mother or a needy friend at a moment’s notice, or to provide hospitality around our dining room table for all kinds of guests, even from our meager means.
Maybe life really is meant to be a gift to be given away. In the end, we have to lose it all anyway, whether we choose to or not. So why not be intentional about it, experience joy in giving away our gifts and assets to make the world a happier and better place?
And then just die peaceful and well spent. - Harvey Yoder
Notes, prayers and praises
* FOR UPDATES ON FAMILY OF HOPE services and other information, log on to http://familyofhopehousechurch.blogspot.com.
* PRAY FOR MICHAEL RIVIERA-WENGER, who has been blessed with some improvement in his condition.
MARCH BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Ruth Stauffer 3/28, and Elianah Zhou 3/25, c/o Jack Zhou, 5615 W. Wren Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291.
* BE PREPARED FOR SOME CONGREGATIONAL GOAL SETTING at our March 11 service with Skip and Carol Tobin of Virginia Mennonite Missions.
March lectionary readings
4 Psalm 22:23-31 Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38
11 Psalm 19 Exodus 20:1-17 1Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22
18 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21
25 Psalm 51:1-12 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33
March services worship at 4 pm, meal at 6
4 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr., K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vlasits
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder Carry-in Meal
11 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave. 432-0531
Worship and Sharing: Skip and Carol Tobin
Bible Study and church goal-setting: Skip and Carol
Carry-in Finger Foods Meal
18 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr Carry-in Meal
25 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: Dick Dumas Carry-in Meal
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