February 2013 Newsletter

House-to-House
 Family of Hope House Church                         February 2013

Worship Services Should Never Be Boring

As a child I well remember being bored stiff in the insufferably long church services we attended every Sunday morning. My young mind traversed the globe thinking of ways to make the time go faster.
    As an adult I still experience an occasional lack of joyful and rapt attention in a service, with my mind wandering to the carry-in meal that’s always a part of our weekly gatherings!
     Yet I sincerely believe that all worship gatherings can be times we truly look forward to if we regularly experience the following:

1. Everyone is greeted with a warm, embracing welcome. This may or may not include the Biblical “holy kiss”, but certainly a greeting that is a genuine and loving equivalent.
2. We are free to “share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear.” None of us needs to ever leave our gatherings with the same weight of troubles we brought with us. We are extravagantly loved and fervently prayed for as needed.
3. We recognize that every scriptural passage, every Bible story, every hymn text, every responsive reading we use has had some kind of powerful impact on an individual or group at some point in time, so much so that it merited inclusion as worship and learning material to be preserved and passed on. So we savor each as having the power to truly inspire and bless. If we feel bored instead, it may be because we have not imaginatively immersed ourselves in the text.
4. Each of us regularly contributes encouragements, hymns, readings, and/or teachings to our weekly “carry-in” service, rather than just being passive consumers of professionally prepared services. 
5. We have good love feasts together on a regular basis, with every meal celebrated as a form of Eucharist.       
                                                                                    - Harvey Yoder

Notes, prayers and praises
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Trish Levesque 2/23, at17600 14th Avenue North, Apt. 127, Plymouth, MN 55447-2951.
THE CHRISTMAS HEIFER PROJECT OFFERING was $1000! Last year’s offering was $491.25.
CONTACT RACHEL STOLTZFUS at 6516 Lone Oak Ct., Bethesda, MD 20817,  301-493-4470, or accameds@gmail.com.
AT OUR FOH BUSINESS MEETING the congregation approved a 2013 budget of $18,000 for 2013.
HARVEY AND ALMA JEAN will be with daughter Joanna and family in Rochester, NY, February1-7.
PRAY FOR ALMA JEAN YODER, who is scheduled for a knee replacement February 25.
GET FOH UPDATES at http:/familyofhopehousechurch.blogpost.com.

February lectionary readings

3   Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 71:1-6 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Luke 4:21-30
10 Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99  2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2 Luke 9:28-43
17 Deut 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 Romans 10:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13
24 Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Psalm 27 Philippians 3:17–4:1 Luke 13:31-35

February services (worship at 4, meal at 6)

3 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                   Carry-in Meal  

10 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr., K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vasits
Bible Study: James Stauffer                               Carry-in Meal  

17 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas                               Carry-in Finger Food Meal     

24 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802       564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: Ellie Nelson                                          Carry-in Meal