September 2021 newsletter

 House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church                   September 2021

Obstacles to Raising Millions for Relief

     The Sharing Our Surplus (SOS) giving tent at the October 1-2 Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale is again expected to raise from $30-50,000 this year. But a community like ours could easily raise multiple millions without it causing us any actual hardship. So why is that kind of beyond-the-tithe outpouring of generosity not likely to happen? Here are four possible reasons:

1) Our Sense of Personal Entitlement

     It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to persuade people like us to voluntarily give up our power and privilege.  That doesn't mean that we can't be motivated to give more generously, but only as long as it doesn't diminish our assets or reduce what we have saved for a rainy day or for our retirement. And that level of giving on the part of wealthy North American and European Christians will never make more than a dent in world problems like hunger, disease and homelessness..

2) Our Competing Wants and "Needs"

     Most of us are exceedingly generous givers, but the bulk of our giving is done at Walmart, at the local mall, on Amazon, at gourmet restaurants, at local car dealerships and at travel locations near and far. And most of us have dreams of other future investments we want to make as soon as we have the means, a lakeside cabin, new living room furniture, an expansive renovation project, a wished for business venture, an RV for a retirement travel, etc., adding to our ever expanding wish lists.

3) Competing Appeals From Other Good Causes

     It's hard to generate relief funds from congregations investing millions for building programs or who are trying to pay down their debts on past capital projects. Church-related institutions are likewise forever adding to or renovating their facilities at levels that require millions of dollars. Compared to the needs of refugees living in tents in the heat of summer and in the cold of winter, appeals for air conditioning and other renovation and expansion needs promoted by our church-related institutions always seem to deserve the greater priority. And many have development departments that are into full time fundraising, something refugee communities don't have.

4) Lack of First Hand Awareness of Needs

     I have no doubt that if homeless refugee families were fleeing here from surrounding states and setting up makeshift shelters in nearby fields, that we would be mobilizing all possible resources to help them. Seeing real people by the thousands having to live in tents and relying on food and water brought in by outside aid groups would move us to a far different level of response. Or one night spent in such circumstances ourselves due to displacement and the loss of all of our possessions by flood, fire, war or some other disaster would completely change our perspective.                                             -Harvey Yoder

Notes, Prayers and Praises

WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER IN-PERSON CHURCH SERVICE at the Vlasits home at 3399 Caverns Drive, Keezletown Sunday September 19. Otherwise we continue to meet online from 4-5:30. For a phone connection dial 646-876-9923. For video:  https://zoom.us/j/2849269967.

ALMA JEAN AND HARVEY’s auction sale raised over $3600 for MCC refugee relief, thanks to the help and support of many friends, neighbors and relatives. Their new address is 1540 Hawthorne Circle, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

KAREN CAMPBELL is at Harrisonburg Health and Rehabilitation Center, 1225 Reservoir Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, and her cell number is 540-209-2675. Please pray for her recovery and her safely in light of COVID cases there, KENT PALMER AND DONNA SACRA also appreciate our prayers for their continued healing.

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS Lewis Overholt (9/5) and David Weaver (9/23)!

LEWIS AND MARY ELLEN OVERHOLT are returning from their trip to Germany September 2.

September Lectionary Texts

5    A new heaven and earth Revelation 21 and 22

12  Creation by the Word Genesis 1:1—2:4a  (John 1:1-5)

19  Binding of Isaac Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 (John 1:29) 

26  Jacob’s Dream and God’s promise Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23; 28:10-17 (John 1:50-51) 

September Services, 4-5:30 pm 

5 Location: on line 

Worship and sharing: Lois Wenger

Bible Study: Kent Palmer

12 Location: on line

Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson 

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder

19 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3399 Caverns Drive, Keezletown 

Worship and Sharing: Lewis Overholt

Bible Study: Dick Dumas

26 Location: on line 

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Elly Nelson