August 2013 newsletter

House-to-House 
Family of Hope House Church                          August 2013

A Harvest of Over Ripe Fruit
The ancient prophet Amos, a Judean shepherd and vinedresser, marches into neighboring Israel with bad, bad news.

His timing couldn’t be more awkward. The economy of that nation is booming, stock prices are soaring, housing starts are at a record high, and consumer confidence is rising. But so is the gap between rich and poor. 

Which is why Amos wades right into the Israeli commodities market and announces that it's all over. God is fed up, he says. All of your bins of freshly harvested grain will mold, and your lush harvest of ripe summer fruit will rot, he declares. Your greedy profit-taking is over.

According to the prophets, whenever the poor aren't getting a fair share and a fair shake, the Almighty is outraged. So God thunders out as if to say, "Enough already! My bounty is meant to be shared, not hoarded.”

Jewish scholar Abraham Heschel describes men like Amos as "some of the most disturbing people who have ever lived," and adds, "Instead of dealing with the timeless issues of being and becoming, of matter and form, of definitions and demonstrations," he (the prophet) is thrown into orations about widows and orphans, about the corruption of judges and the affairs of the market place. The world is a proud place, full of beauty, but the prophets are scandalized, and rave as if the whole world were a slum... What if somewhere in ancient Palestine poor people have not been treated properly by the rich? ...Why such inordinate excitement? Why such indignation?"

Heschel then notes, "The things that horrified the prophets are daily occurrences all over the world."


Notes, prayers and praises
AUGUST BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Gail Blackburn 8/30! Alma Jean and Harvey’s anniversary is 8/8 and James and Ruth Stauffer’s is 8/30.
WONSHE has moved to 1086 Smith Avenue. Her phone number is 303-309-0868.
LOIS RIVERA-WENGER’s address through most of October will be 1317 Lake Access Road, Smithfield, KY 40068, and her new email is loisriverawenger@yahoo.com.
BILLY MAY had been scheduled to have a suspicious growth in his mouth removed, but it completely disappeared, an answer to prayer!
GET FOH UPDATES at http:/familyofhopehousechurch.blogspot.com.
HARVEY’S BLOG is at http://harvyoder.blogspot.com.

August lectionary readings
4   Psalm 49:1-12 Hosea 11:1-11 Colossians 3:1-11 Luke 12:13-21
11 Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23 Isaiah 1:1-20 Hebrews 11:1-16 Luke 12:32-40
18 Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19 Isaiah 5:1-7 Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Luke 12:49-56
25 Psalm 71:1-12 Isaiah 58:9b-14 Hebrews 12:18-29 Luke 13:10-17

August services (worship at 4, meal at 6)
4 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.    432-0531
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                                        Carry-in Meal

11 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                          Carry-in Meal 

18 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vlasits
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                                      Carry-in Meal 

25 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802        564-1524                 
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                                             Carry-in Meal

July 2013 newsletter

House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church                           July 2013

Virginia Conference Assembly at EMHS
Thursday, July 25
7 pm Worship – “Imagine God’s power at work in us!”
Speaker: Loren Horst
8:45 pm
Concert by The Walking Roots Band and homemade ice cream

Friday, July 26
8:15-9:00 am Bible Study – “God’s Intention for the Church”
Teacher: Carmen Schrock-Hurst

7:00-8:30 pm Worship – “Participating in the Vision of God”
Speaker: Nelson Okanya, president of Eastern Mennonite Missions
8:45-9:45
Taste of Missions

Saturday, July 27
7:00-8:00 am
Mennonite Women’s Breakfast with Grace Prasetyo
Mennonite Men’s Breakfast with Chris Riddle

10:00-10:45 am
Bible Study – “God’s Provision”  Teacher: Phil Kniss

Directions to Lois Rivera-Wenger’s home (7/7/13):
Take 42 south about 15.0 miles, turn left on to Mt Solon Road, (which becomes Spring Hill Road). Go 6.2 miles, turn slight right on to Shutterlee Mill Rd. Go 1.3 miles, turn slight right on to Homes Lane. Go 0.5 mi, then turn left at 204 Homes Lane. Bring lawn chairs, and allow about 45 minutes to get there!  

Notes, prayers and praises
JULY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Lois Rivera-Wenger 7/30 and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Guy and Margie Vlasits 7/27!
PRAY FOR KARLA MAY as she recovers from her knee surgery, and for BERTHA SWARR, who is now recuperating at home.
DAVID WEAVER’S correct phone number is 421-4504.
LOIS RIVERA-WENGER’s address through most of October will be 1317 Lake Access Road, Smithfield, KY 40068, and her new email is loisriverawenger@yahoo.com.
EVERYONE IS WECOME to attend sessions at this summer’s Virginia Conference Assembly as outlined on page one.
HARVEY’S BLOG is at http://harvyoder.blogspot.com.

July lectionary readings
7   Psalm 66:1-9 Isaiah 66:10-14 Galatians 6:1-16 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
14 Psalm 82 Amos 7:7-17 Colossians 1:1-14 Luke 10:25-37
21 Psalm 15 Amos 8:1-12 Colossians 1:15-28 Luke 10:38-42
28 Psalm 138 Hosea 1:2-10 Colossians 2:6-19 Luke 11:1-13

July services (worship at 4, meal at 6)
7 Location: Lois Rivera-Wenger, 204 Homes Ln., Staunton 502-525-8650
Worship, Sharing and Bible Study led by Lois  Rivera-Wenger
Bring Lawn Chairs and Food for a Carry-in Picnic Meal 

14 Location: Paul and Bertha Swarr 1260 Parkway Dr 22802   434-2607
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                           Pizza Meal 

21 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802        564-1524                 
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                                       Carry-in Meal 

28 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vlasits
Bible Study: Dick Dumas                           Carry-in Meal

Bring Your Empty Cup

We invite everyone to join us in prayer and/or in person as we celebrate the Lord's Supper at the Family Life Resource Center meeting room this Sunday, June 23. Each participant is to bring their own cup, one they use regularly at home, for the 4 pm service, where the theme will be "Fill My Cup, Lord". Each may have as much grape juice in their cup as they wish, along with a full slice from a loaf of gluten-free bread to be eaten at leisure during this first hour of the service, the bread reminding us not only of Christ's broken body, but also that in Christ we have become "one loaf" (I Corinthians 10:16-17). There will be no other meal this Sunday.

In the second hour of Bible study, one of the texts is Psalm 42, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." The cup we use and take home with us will be a reminder of God's daily provision for satisfying that thirst.

Here's the text of the song:

Like the woman at the well
I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from My well
that never shall run dry."

Chorus:
Fill my cup, Lord,
I lift it up Lord!
Come and quench
this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven,
feed me till I want no more --
Fill my cup, fill it up
and make me whole!

So, my brother, if the things
this world gave you
Leave hunger that won't pass away, My blessed Lord
will come and save you,
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

Chorus:

Thanks to all who will join us in prayerful communion.

June 2013 House Church Newsletter

House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church              June 2013

Practicing God’s Presence

"Brother Lawrence", born in France in 1611, experienced a powerful spiritual awakening at age 18. When he later joined the Order of “Barefooted” Carmelites in Paris he was assigned kitchen duty as a lay brother in this austere monastic community, an assignment he carried out cheerfully in spite of his aversion to any kind of food preparation work. His goal became to constantly "practice the presence of God," the spiritual discipline that became associated with his name.

I've often wondered if it’s really possible to live that way, a question we reflected on in a Family of Hope church service recently when veteran missionary and associate member Paul Swarr led our study of one of the lectionary texts in Lent.

I left that gathering with a new desire to have every part of my life, the "spiritual" and the "natural" alike, be lived in harmony with God, with a far less defined, clear dividing line between the "sacred" and the "ordinary" in everyday life. Since then I have been reminding myself of the need to listen deeply to the still, small voice of God--with the third ear of the heart--so that every moment becomes holy, every meal becomes a Eucharist, and every meeting with another an epiphany.
                               - Harvey Yoder

Notes, prayers and praises

JUNE BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Sophie May, 6/2, Josiah Dumas 6/9, Karla May 6/16, Isaiah May, 6/27 and Harvey Yoder 6/30!
PRAY FOR BERTHA SWARR who was admitted to VMRC Rm 102.
KAREN SOICH suffered a fall April 23 that has resulted in a lot of pain and her needing to use a wheel chair for now. Pray for her.
FLRC SPRING DINNER with speaker Jim Glanzer is June 8!
FOURTEEN FOH MEMBERS and friends enjoyed an Older Order Mennonite tour Saturday, May 25, which included a delicious noon meal at Ray and Rosemary Martin's west of Briery Branch.
THE PASTOR'S HARVSPOT BLOG IS LOCATED at http://harvyoder.blogspot.com.

June lectionary readings

2  Psalm 96 1Kings 18:20-39  Galatians 1:1-12  Luke 7:1-10
9  Psalm 146  1Kings 17:8-24  Galatians 1:11-24 Luke 7:11-17
16 Psalm 32  1Kings 21:1-21a  Galatians 2:15-21  Luke 7:36-8:3
23 Psalm 42-43 1Kings 19:1-18  Galatians 3:23-29  Luke 8:26-39
30 Psalm 77  2Kings 2:1-2, 6-14  Galatians 5:1, 13-25  Luke 9:51-62

June services (worship at 4, meal at )

2 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                           Carry-in Meal  

9 Location: Harvey & Alma Jean Yoder 1135 Hamlet 22802    432-0531
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                 Carry-in Meal 

16 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                               Carry-in Meal 

23 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave   432-0531
Sharing in the Lord's Supper: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                       No meal this Sunday 

30 Location: (to be announced)
Worship and Sharing:
Bible Study: James Stauffer                                                     Carry-in Meal

May 2013 FOH Newsletter

House-to-House
 Family of Hope House Church             May 2013

One Flock, One Shepherd

Jesus: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  -from John 17

Paul: I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought... 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ...For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. - from I Corinthians 1-3       
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. - I Corinthians 10:16-17            

I urge you then to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with each other in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all..  Eph.4                                                                                                                                                                       

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. -Romans 15:5-7

Notes, prayers and praises
* MAY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Margie Vlastis 5/1, Alma Jean Yoder 5/15 and Karen Soich 5/20!
* CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BIRTH OF JOSHUA ALLEN to Sophie May on April 14, weighing in at 7 lb., 11 oz.!
* “HEARTFELT THANKS to all of you who have supported me with your prayers, cards, visits, food and other acts of kindness during my recovery from knee surgery. You’re such a blessing!  - Alma Jean Yoder
* Follow the pastor's blog at http://harvyoder.blogspot.com

May lectionary readings
3   Acts 16:9-15  Psalm 67 Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 John 14:23-29
10 Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 97 Revelation 22:12-21 John 17:20-26
17 Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-35b Romans 8:14-17 John 14:8-27)
24 Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Psalm 8 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15

May services (worship at 4, meal at 6)
5 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                           Carry-in Meal  

12 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave   432-0531
Mimi Copp Johnson, representing MCC East Coast, will lead us in study
and reflection on our mandate to serve. Carry-in Finger Food Meal 

19 Pentecost! Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing:
Bible Study: James Stauffer                                          Carry-in Meal 

26 Location: David Weaver 1032 Smith Avenue 22802      421-4504
Worship and Sharing:
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                           Carry-in Meal

 I support the goals, vision and faith of Family of Hope, will attend weekly services as regularly as able, and will use my gifts and offer my help and encouragement to this church family to the best of my ability. I invite other members to support me--and to confront me as needed--in remaining faithful to this commitment.

Another Special Easter Service

Gathering for breakfast at the Vlasists' Lodge after Sunday's sunrise service

Our Family of Hope House Church celebrated its annual Easter sunrise service yesterday at the securely locked entrance of the once public Massanutten Caverns.

This was followed by celebrative singing together and an Easter brunch in the former Caverns Lodge, with the meal prepared by hosts Guy and Margie Vlasits, members of our church who operate the Old Massanutten Lodge Bed and Breakfast. 

A great time! 

(photo by Margie Vlasits)

April 2013 Newsletter

House-to-House
Family of Hope House Church                                      April 2013
 
Notes, prayers and praises

APRIL BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Bertha Swarr 4/13, Jack (Hong
Yan) Zhou 4/14, Cathy Atwell 4/19, Bo Hu 4/20 and Randy May 4/21!  
WE THANK GOD FOR MARGIE VALSITS’s great doctor’s report!
ALMA JEAN YODER is recovering from her March 22 knee surgery and was moved to the Shenandoah unit atVMRC for rehab.
RACHEL STOLTZFUS has sold her place and remains at 6516 Lone Oak Ct., Bethesda, MD 20817,  301-493-4470.
GET FOH UPDATES at http:/familyofhopehousechurch.blogpost.com.

April lectionary readings

7   Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 118:14-29 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31
14 Acts 9:1-20  Psalm 30 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19

21 Acts 9:36-43 Psalm 23 Revelation 7:9-17 John 10:22-30
28 Acts 11:1-18 Psalm 148 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35

April services (worship at 4, meal at 6)

7 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr., K’town 908-0391
Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vasits
Bible Study: Lois Rivera-Wenger                            Carry-in Meal  
14 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141
Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer
Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                  Carry-in Meal  
21 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave   432-0531
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas                               Carry-in Finger Food Meal     
28 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr 22802       564-1524
Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                          Carry-in Meal

Family of Hope Directory (birthdays and addresses not included here)

Atwell, Cathy
Blackburn, Gail
Campbell, Susan
Campbell, Karen
Dumas, Dick
Levesque, Trish     
May, Karla
Morlan, Becky
Nelson, Neal & Elly 
Rivera-Wenger, Lois
Soich, Karen  
Stauffer, James & Ruth
Stoltzfus, Rachel
Swarr, Paul & Bertha
Vlasits, Guy & Margie          
Weaver, David  
Wonshe 10/27
Yoder, Alma Jean & Harvey
(covenanted members names in bold)