December 2022 newsletter

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church               December 2022

Seven Were Together in One Place, and Four In Another                  
A total of some 30 people attended the untypical Family of Hope Sunday service held at VMRC’s Village Hall Sunday, November 27. Of these, only seven were FOH members (including Jim and Ruth, who arrived in their own vehicle!), with four participating online. Six attendees were members of our biological family. 

We owe Kent special gratitude for going to great lengths to make a livestream version of the service available, even though the Zoom platform isn’t known for delivering the quality of sound desirable for a satisfactory music program.

Alma Jean and I and others who are related to Brad by family and/or by friendship ties were certainly blessed by Sunday’s gathering, but at present the prospects don’t look good for even occasional in person Family of Hope meetings. We vote with our feet, as we have every right, and I can fully understand why many of our group are hesitant to meet in person due to the ever present concern about Covid and other infections. Of course I also understand why many of us see online gatherings as just not offering them the full experience of church that is possible when we can greet each with holy affection, sing together with full throated abandonment and share the bread and cup of he Lord’s supper together in the bond of “common-union.” 

So what do God’s people do when limitations of health, age and mobility prevent them from breaking bread from “house to house” and engaging in those aspects of church that can’t happen well virtually?

We invite your prayers,  insights and suggestions.
                                                                                           - Harvey Yoder

Notes, Prayers and Praises
DECEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Karen Campbell 12/26/69! She appreciated the church’s recent gift of a fall arrangement to brighten up her room. Her address is HHRC, 1225 Reservoir St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
OUR CONTRIBUTION to the Harrisonburg District’s Christmas Gift Kit Fund for prisoners at Coffeewood and Augusta Correctional Centers and for inmates at our local jail was $95.
THE ANNUAL WALKING ROOTS BENEFIT CONCERT at the EasternMennonite School auditorium at 7 pm Sunday, December 13 is a part of the Mennonite Relief Sale’s effort to raise money for Mennonite Central Committee. Last year’s concert raised $60,000.
OUR $500 MISSIONARY SUPPORT FUND for 2021 went to Jonathan Bylers with Wycliffe Translators and Gracie and Yugo with Servants to the Asian Poor. Is everyone OK with doing the same this year?

December Study Themes
4    Esther 4:1-17 For such a time as this (Matt 5:13-16, Salt and light)
11  Isaiah 42:1-9 A light to the nations. Bringing release to prisoners. (Matt 12:15-21, The ministry of Jesus)
18  Matthew 1:18-25 Announcement of Jesus’ birth to Joseph; Jesus as Immanuel (Psalm 23:1-4 )
25  Luke 2:1-20 Birth of Jesus (Psalm 96:10-13)

December Services, 3:30-5:00 pm 
4  Location: online
Worship and sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas
11 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder
18 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: Kent Palmer
Bible Study: Elly Nelson
25 Christmas Day 
We will not have a service today. 

 House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church              November 2022

They Were All Together In One Place  

We’ve had mixed reviews about our hybrid Zoom and in-person service Sunday October 23. On the one hand it was slightly dispiriting to have only five FOH members present for the opening part at 3:30, fewer than anticipated, but we sang, prayed. laughed and were blessed by having a devout guest with us from Bangladesh who had just moved in next to the Overholts. And with Jesus in our midst, as alway, we had more than a quorum present at the Village Hall patio, and by 4 pm we had a grand total of eight there in person and six online. Participation by everyone in our study (of Solomon’s wisdom and of what we can learn from his lack of it) was spirited and helpful.

     Yet we’re all aware of the limits of virtual church meetings. It’s hard to imagine the 120 gathered in that upstairs room at Pentecost having had quite the same experience of the Spirit’s hurricane force presence had they not been “all together in one place” for their time of waiting and praying together.

     The Acts 2 text doesn’t say whether they sang during that time, but I’m sure they did, and we all greatly miss that part of our worship experience, as much as we have enjoyed hearing some really great recorded music in our virtual services. Paul writes that we are to “Teach and admonish one another with all wisdom… singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

     Then there are the missing signs of our common life around the Lord’s table, as in the breaking of bread and partaking of the cup, which can’t happen virtually, nor can the washing of one another’s feet, the laying on of hands for prayer or the anointing of oil for healing. And of course we can only greet one another with a holy kiss, embrace or other warm greeting if we are physically in the same space, though we can of course welcome each other with heartfelt words in either case!

     May God help us as we find a way to again be “together in one place.” That is how it will be in heaven, thank God.

- Harvey Yoder

Notes, Prayers and Praises

KAREN CAMPBELL suffered a stroke October 22 and was taken to Sentara/RMH and then to Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville. Thankfully she recovered well and returned to HHRC four days later.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Neal Nelson 11/2 (in absentia), Paul Swarr 11/10 and Guy Vlasits 11/21. Neal and Elly Nelson’s anniversary is November 26.

BRAD YODER will be with us for a Thanksgiving/Advent music service at Village Hall Sunday, November 27. Following a half hour for our prayer and sharing, we will have an hour of music with Brad from 4-5, with folks from VMRC and elsewhere invited to join us. 

LOCAL CHURCHES ARE ORGANIZING A SPECIAL DRIVE to collect gifts for Virginia prisoners: chapstick, travel size/hotel size bars of soap, full size tubes of toothpaste, #2 unsharpened wooden pencils, and money for the purchase of notepads, thermal socks and toothbrushes. We will collect these at our November 27 meeting.

November Study Themes

6   II Kings 5:1-15a Elisha heals Naaman Matt 8:2-3, Jesus heals a leper,
13  Micah 1:3-5; 5:2-5a; 6:6-8 God desires justice, kindness, walking humbly with God Matt 9:13, God wants mercy, not sacrifice
20  Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20; 37:1-7; then 2:1-4 Assyria threatens Jerusalem Matt 5:14, light of the world, city on a hill
27 Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4; 3:17-19 The prophet awaits God’s reply. Matt 26:36-38; Jesus is grieved and asks disciples to watch with him

November Services, 3:30-5:00 pm 
6  Location: online
Worship and sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas
13 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study: Kent Palmer 

20 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: TBD
Bible Study: Elly Nelson
27 Location: VMRC’s Park Village
Worship and Sharing  Harvey Yoder
Music for Thanksgiving and Advent ℅ Brad Yoder