October 2014 newsletter

House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church             October 2014

Bombings And Beheadings Are Equally Reprehensible     
- Harvey Yoder

"Do not repay evil with evil."- Jesus 

All of us have been sickened to learn about videos of enemies so evil as to decapitate people in an act of revenge for our nation’s bombings in Iraq.

One U.S. response has been to launch yet more air attacks against ISIS  in return for these and other acts of murder and genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shiah Muslims in Iraq. Violence, as always, keeps on engendering more and ever worse violence.

Take aerial bombing, for example.

Victims taking a direct hit are instantly obliterated into unrecognizable bits of bone, blood, brains and other dismembered body parts. Others experience unimaginably agonizing deaths from untreatable burns and other wounds. Still others may survive but be left with injuries from which they will never recover, suffering severe impairments and loss of limbs and enduring lifelong psychological traumas.

Which act of terrorism should we consider worse, when each is unthinkably despicable?

Sadly, drone and aerial strikes have become accepted as antiseptic and routine, the equivalent of just another hit in a video game, although nothing could be further from reality.

One reality being that one day all perpetrators of any of the above acts of barbaric brutality will surely have to give an account.         
                                                                                             
Notes, prayers and praises
* A SPECIAL OCTOBER BLESSING to Elly Nelson 10/28!
* DON’T MISS THE ANNUAL MENNONITE RELIEF SALE at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds October 3-4.
* JOSIAH DUMAS’s new phone number is 571-246-0848. He is finishing a job in northern Virginia and will be looking for other work.
* LOIS RIVERA-WENGER will be returning to the area at the end of the month. Welcome back!

October Lectionary readings
5  Exodus 20:1–4, 7–9, 12–20  Psalm 19  Philippians 3:4b-14  Matthew 21:33–46
12  Exodus 32:1–14  Psalm 106:1–6, 19–23  Philippians 4:1–9  Matthew 22:1–14
19  Exodus 33:12–23  Psalm 99  1 Thessalonians 1:1–10  Matthew 22:15–22
26  Deuteronomy 34:1–12  Psalm 90:1–6, 13–17  1 Thessalonians 2:1–8
Matthew 22:34–46

October services worship at 4, meal at 6
5 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802     574-6141
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                      Carry-in Meal

12 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Drive, K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vlasits             
Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                                 Carry-in Meal                                                                                                                   

19 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.  432-0531
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                          Finger Foods Meal

26 Location: Susan Campbell  1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802       564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                                   Carry-in Meal