Family of Hope House Church __ January 2023
Re-Visioning Family of Hope - Harvey Yoder
Some of us have been part of our now aging house church congregation in this community for many years. We stayed because we found it to be a great (though certainly not perfect) way of being nurtured through all of the basic elements of church--Bible teaching, prayer, mutual care, worship and fellowship, including regular meals together--all without the need for maintaining any real estate or supporting any paid staff.
Having gifted people taking turns leading the worship and sharing hour, as well as leading our Bible study time, has done as much for those leading as those led. And being home based and lay-focused (though I’m named as the “pastor") frees our giving for meeting outreach needs we all care about as well as for mutual aid when necessary.
As members of Family of Hope we have all been “pastors” for each other and at the same time also the “laos” (Greek word for the body of people made up of God’s ‘laikos”) together, all of us being called together for the ongoing work of Jesus in the world.
What we haven’t done well is having our individual households become magnets of hospitality that warmly welcomed neighbors and strangers into our dining and living rooms, and then in turn drawing these friends into our larger house fellowship. That kind of friendship-based, disciple making, mission-focused evangelizing is key to the health and growth of any congregation, but like many other believers, we weren’t very good at it. Nor were we effective in attracting younger members into our church family and preparing them to become future house church leaders.
One direction some of us have considered is having each of us transfer our official membership to a nearby congregation, but continue as an informal kind of cell group for mutual care and support. Please pray about that as we discern further direction at our January 23 business meeting.
Notes, Prayers and Praises
JANUARY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to James Stauffer 1/8, Susan Campbell 1/17, Becky Morlan 1/28, and Dick Dumas 1/30!
OUR CONTRIBUTION for Christmas gifts for prisoners was $95, and helped Kingsway Outreach provide gift kits for 6000 inmates in 7 prisons, 2 CCAP facilities and 2 Regional Jails. Each got a notepad, pencil, toothpaste, chapstick and a Christmas card.
LEWIS AND MARY ELLEN'S anniversary is January 13. Congratulations!
THE ANNUAL WALKING ROOTS BENEFIT CONCERT at the Eastern Mennonite School raised nearly $28,000 for MCC.
OUR $500 MISSIONARY SUPPORT FUND for 2022 is being divided between Jonathan and Alethea with Wycliffe Translators and Gracie and Yugo with Servants to the Asian Poor.
WE WILL DISCUSS WHETHER FOH will continue as an official congregation or as simply a spiritual fellowship and support group in our 1/22 business meeting (see “Revisioning Family of Hope”).
January Study Themes
1 Genealogy of Jesus Matthew 1:1-17 (Psalm 132:11-12)
8 Jesus' Baptism: Matthew 3:1-17 (Psalm 2:7-8)
15 Tempted in the Wilderness Matthew 4:1-17 (Psalm 91:9-12)
22 Beatitudes Matthew 5:1-20 salt of the earth, light of the world (Psalm 1:1-3)
29 Lord’s Prayer, treasure in heaven Matthew 6:7-34 (Psalm 20:7)
January Services, 3:30-5:00 pm
1 Location: online
Worship and sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas
8 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger
Bible Study: Kent Palmer
15 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: Kent Palmer
Bible Study: Elly Nelson
22 Location: online
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder
29 Location: online
Worship and Sharing: Lois Rivera-Wenger
Annual Business Meeting, ℅ Roy Hange and Harvey Yoder
