June 2013 House Church Newsletter

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

Practicing God’s Presence

"Brother Lawrence", born in France in 1611, experienced a powerful spiritual awakening at age 18. When he later joined the Order of “Barefooted” Carmelites in Paris he was assigned kitchen duty as a lay brother in this austere monastic community, an assignment he carried out cheerfully in spite of his aversion to any kind of food preparation work. His goal became to constantly "practice the presence of God," the spiritual discipline that became associated with his name.

I've often wondered if it’s really possible to live that way, a question we reflected on in a Family of Hope church service recently when veteran missionary and associate member Paul Swarr led our study of one of the lectionary texts in Lent.

I left that gathering with a new desire to have every part of my life, the "spiritual" and the "natural" alike, be lived in harmony with God, with a far less defined, clear dividing line between the "sacred" and the "ordinary" in everyday life. Since then I have been reminding myself of the need to listen deeply to the still, small voice of God--with the third ear of the heart--so that every moment becomes holy, every meal becomes a Eucharist, and every meeting with another an epiphany.
                               - Harvey Yoder

Notes, prayers and praises

JUNE BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Sophie May, 6/2, Josiah Dumas 6/9, Karla May 6/16, Isaiah May, 6/27 and Harvey Yoder 6/30!
PRAY FOR BERTHA SWARR who was admitted to VMRC Rm 102.
KAREN SOICH suffered a fall April 23 that has resulted in a lot of pain and her needing to use a wheel chair for now. Pray for her.
FLRC SPRING DINNER with speaker Jim Glanzer is June 8!
FOURTEEN FOH MEMBERS and friends enjoyed an Older Order Mennonite tour Saturday, May 25, which included a delicious noon meal at Ray and Rosemary Martin's west of Briery Branch.
THE PASTOR'S HARVSPOT BLOG IS LOCATED at http://harvyoder.blogspot.com.

June lectionary readings

2  Psalm 96 1Kings 18:20-39  Galatians 1:1-12  Luke 7:1-10
9  Psalm 146  1Kings 17:8-24  Galatians 1:11-24 Luke 7:11-17
16 Psalm 32  1Kings 21:1-21a  Galatians 2:15-21  Luke 7:36-8:3
23 Psalm 42-43 1Kings 19:1-18  Galatians 3:23-29  Luke 8:26-39
30 Psalm 77  2Kings 2:1-2, 6-14  Galatians 5:1, 13-25  Luke 9:51-62

June services (worship at 4, meal at )

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

9 Location: Harvey & Alma Jean Yoder 1135 Hamlet 22802    432-0531
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                 Carry-in Meal 

16 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                               Carry-in Meal 

23 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave   432-0531
Sharing in the Lord's Supper: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                       No meal this Sunday 

30 Location: (to be announced)
Worship and Sharing:
Bible Study: James Stauffer                                                     Carry-in Meal