December 2015 newsletter

House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church                      December 2015

We Each Carry Two Buckets          - Harvey Yoder                       

In the season from Thanksgiving through New Year we are reminded of the many gracious and unmerited gifts we’ve received, all to be treasured, celebrated and shared. 

Metaphorically speaking, each of us recipients carries not one, but two containers, one a gratitude bucket and the other a garbage bucket.

The gratitude bucket is one we need to keep filled to overflowing with abundant and amazing grace, representing all of the unearned blessings that make us truly rich. It represents the part of our life where we find our yoke easy and our burden light, and from which we have a surplus of God-given, grace-based assets to share.

In our garbage bucket we carry our grievances, griefs, grudges and losses. These are not inconsequential, and are not to be ignored, but we want to carry them only as long as necessary to deposit them to a safe place for disposal, for closure and healing. Our “garbage” is something that needs to be taken out regularly for composting, while we practice the hygiene of regularly keeping its container as clean and flushed out as possible.

When it comes to our relationships, we support each other in dealing with our distresses as well as blessing each other with our abundance.

"This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.”

II Corinthians 9:10 (the Message)

Notes, prayers and praises 

- DECEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Karen Campbell 12/26!.

- WE WILL NOT BE HOSTING OUR USUAL CHRISTMAS gathering with neighboring house churches this year.

- PRAY FOR LOIS RIVERA-WENGER who plans to spend most of  December and January with her daughter Lorna and family in Kentucky. 

- WE ARE STILL SHORT OF OUR TOTAL FOH GIVING GOAL OF $18,000 for 2015, but our treasurer reports being able to meet all of our budgeted disbursement amounts so far.  any updates on the church schedule. http://familyofhopehousechurch.blogspot.com.

December Lectionary readings

6    Malachi 3:1-4  Luke 1:68-79  Philippians 1:3-11  Luke 3:1-6

13  Zephaniah 3:14-20  Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7  Luke 3:7-18

20 Micah 5:2-5a  Psalm 80:1-7  Hebrews 10:5-10  Luke 1:39-55 

27 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26  Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17  Luke 2:41-52

December services worship at 4, meal at 6 

6 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                      Carry-in Meal   

13 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391

Advent and Christmas readings and candle lighting
Singing of Advent and Christmas carols                             Carry-in Meal

20 Location: Family Life Resource Center, 273 Newman Ave  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                             Finger foods meal          

27 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr, 22802    564-1524 

Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell

Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                                     Carry-in Meal