House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church November 2016
An Election Reflection - Harvey Yoder
We’ve heard a lot about how all-important the US presidential race is this year, as though the very survival of civilization depended on it. I agree that the stakes are high, and that the question of how or whether we cast the one vote each of has deserves prayerful thought (even though it will not likely, by itself, determine the outcome!). But let’s put the election in perspective.
First, it’s good to remember that the United States is only one of 230 nations in the world, and that it represents a mere 5% of the world's people. In the Bible national governments are of minor consequence in God’s worldwide, eternal kingdom.
Second, we need to remind ourselves that a US president is the chief presider of only one of three branches of a federal government, and that the judicial and legislative branches are equally deserving of prayer and concern. This three-part federal system, in turn, shares power with 50 states and commonwealths, each made up of county and municipal governments, and each responsible to the people. In other words, we are electing a presider of one branch of one part of a democratic republic, not choosing a monarch or dictator over a kingdom of mere subjects.
Third, each president's four-year term is only 1.7% of this nation's relatively brief 240-year history (which in turn represents only 5% of the total history of the world since the time of Abraham and Sarah).
So we would do well to gain a humbler opinion of our importance, while respecting others' ways of thinking and living elsewhere in God’s world. Nationalistic pride would have us imagine ourselves, our culture, and our political contests to be the most important on the planet.
Notes, prayers and praises
- NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Neal Nelson 11/2, Rachel Stoltzfus 11/5, Paul Swarr 11/10, Emily Zhou 11/11, and Guy Vlasits 11/21. Neal and Elly Nelson’s 25th anniversary is November 26!
- KAREN CAMPBELL is home from the hospital and is staying at her sister Susan’s. Welcome home!
- PRAY FOR JOSIAH AND ISAIAH MAY, who are currently in foster care, and for their grieving grandparents, Billy and Karla May, who have significant health problems.
- RACHEL STOLTZFUS suffered a bad fall recently and is in a rehab facility at Room 132, Carriage Hill Bethesda, 5215 West Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301-841-3441). She thanks for our prayers.
- KARLA MAY is in Rm. 60 at the Grant Memorial Hospital, 117 Hospital Drive, Petersburg, WV 26847, and may have to be there for some time due to an infection in her leg.
- PRAY FOR MARGIE VLASITS as she has procedures done to remove a spot on her lung and to treat or remove another on her spine. Her doctors are cautiously optimistic about her prognosis, for which we are grateful!
- FOH will be attending the Festival of Praise service at EMHS November 6 at 4, followed by food and fellowship at the Stauffers. On the following Sunday, November 13, we will be joining the Table Fellowship at 4:30 at the Dean House, 110 Old South High Street.
November Lectionary readings
6 Haggai 1:15b-2:9 Psalm 98 Job 19:23-27a 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 Luke 20:27-38
13 Isaiah 65:17-25 Isaiah 12 Malachi 4:1-2a 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19
20 Jeremiah 23:1-6 Luke 1:68-79 Psalm 46 Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
27 Advent Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44
November services worship at 4, meal at 6
6 Location: Festival of Praise at EMHS at 4, followed by fellowship and meal James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802 574-6141
13 Location: meeting with the Table Fellowship at 4:30, followed by a carry-in meal
20 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave 432-0531
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Elly Nelson Finger Foods Meal
27 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22802 564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas Carry-in Thanksgiving Meal
Bible Study: Dick Dumas Carry-in Thanksgiving Meal
