April 2016 newsletter

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church                       April 2016

There is only one truth

I once heard Bishop Martin Lehman say he believed there was only one ultimate truth, but that none of us has the ability to fully perceive it, define it, to see it all as it truly is. He compares it to our inability to accurately describe the make-up of a mountain in the far distance toward which we are moving. The closer we get to this "mountain" the more details we may comprehend, but we will never see it as it really is until we finally arrive. And even then, it would require an eternity of exploration to truly know all there is to know about something so majestic and vast as God's ultimate truth.

Our human tendency is to think that as soon as we receive some new revelation of God we tend to halt our journey, codify the insight we've gained and build institutions and write creeds to perpetrate it. Like the disciples who had an epiphany of a transfigured Jesus, we want to build three tabernacles to celebrate our latest insight.

How much better to be humble and realistic about how little we fully know, and to recognize that in this life we can only "know in part and prophesy in part" and "see through a glass darkly"? How much better to acknowledge that it will not be until the next life that we will finally see "face to face" and "know as we are known"?

Interestingly, these phrases come from the so-called "love chapter" in the New Testament, one that that tells us that greatest "truth" of all is the knowledge and practice of a love that is never boastful or proud, but is always about being forbearing and patiently persevering in all of our relationships with others. The chapter ends with the words, "Now abide faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love."

That's the kind of truth I most want to remember.

Notes, prayers and praises 

“MY SISTER LOVINA YODER, 89, passed away on March 4 at her home near Rustburg after having suffered a series of strokes. I was blessed to spend some time with her the evening before she died and before going to Costa Rica to see my brother and family. Thanks for your prayers and expressions of concern.”  Harvey and Alma Jean

APRIL BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Bertha Swarr 4/13, Cathy Atwell 4/19, and Randy May 4/21!

THE TABLE FELLOWSHIP is inviting us to meet with them on the third Sunday of every other month beginning in May, which would be May 15, July 17, Sept 18 and Nov 20 for the rest of 2016. 

PRAY FOR LOIS WENGER’s daughter Lorna, husband Greg and their four children as they begin their new mission venture in Uganda. Lois is moving back to her more spacious apartment this month at her son Scott’s at 204 Holmes Lane, Staunton, VA 24401.

April Lectionary readings

3    Acts 5:27-32  Psalm 118:14-29  Revelation 1:4-8  John 20:19-31

10  Acts 9:1-20)  Psalm 30  Revelation 5:11-14  John 21:1-19

17  Acts 9:36-43  Psalm 23  Revelation 7:9-17  John 10:22-30

24  Acts 11:1-18  Psalm 148  Revelation 21:1-6  John 13:31-35

April services worship at 4, meal at 6 

3 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: James Stauffer                                                      Carry-in Meal  

10 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: Guy Vlasits

Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                           Finger Foods Meal

17 Location:  Joyce Ulrich 1029 Shenandoah St Apt 1              246-1013           

Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                                  Carry-in Meal                 

24 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive, 22802 564-1524 

Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell                                            

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                               Carry-in Meal

March 2016 newsletter

House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church                     March 2016

Easter means God lives in and through us        

“This bread is my body.” 

“This cup is the blood of my everlasting covenant with you.”

In the quiet solemnity of receiving the living body and life blood of Christ together several weeks ago with the Table fellowship I experienced an epiphany. It was one in which I gained a sense of the living Christ having just reproduced and multiplied himself in the lives of each of the believers in the room. 

By faith we were not only recalling the death of Jesus in partaking in the Lord’s Supper, but we were also celebrating his resurrection. We were claiming the reality that Jesus lives on in his followers, continues his mission of announcing good news to the poor, of liberating captives and bringing healing and shalom into the world through his empowered people. 

Clarence Jordan, co-founder of Koinonia Farm, writes in his book,The Substance of Faith”:

“The resurrection of Jesus was simply God's unwillingness to take our 'no' for an answer. He raised Jesus, not just as an invitation to us to come to heaven when we die, but as a declaration that he himself has now established permanent, eternal residence here on earth. He is standing beside us, strengthening us in this life. The good news of the resurrection of Jesus is not that we shall die and go home to be with him, but that he has risen and comes home with us, bringing all his hungry, naked, thirsty, sick prisoner brothers with him.”

    

Notes, prayers and praises 

HARVEY YODER plans to be in Costa Rica to spend some time with his aging brother Sanford and wife Martha Yoder from March 3-9, and being a part of their family reunion with all of their children and grandchildren.

MARCH BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Ruth Stauffer 3/28!

WE WILL CELEBRATE AN “EASTER SUNSET SERVICE” at Susan Campbell’s March 29. The Discipleship Center was not available on that Sunday.

LOIS WENGER is moving back to her more spacious apartment at her son Scott’s later this month at 204 Holmes Lane, Staunton, VA 24401.

March Lectionary readings

6    Joshua 5:9-12  Psalm 32  2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

13  Isaiah 43:16-21  Psalm 126  Philippians 3:4b-14  John 12:1-8

20  Isaiah 50:4-9a  Psalm 31:9-16  Philippians 2:5-11  Luke 22:14-23:56

27  Isaiah 65:17-25  Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24  1 Corinthians 15:19-26

John 20:1-18

March services worship at 4, meal at 6 

6 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                      Carry-in Meal  

13 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                             Finger Foods Meal

20 Location: Joyce Ulrich 1029 Shenandoah St Apt 1              246-1013

Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                                  Carry-in Meal                 

27 Location: Easter Sunset Service Susan Campbell 

1361 Lincolnshire Drive, 22802             564-1524                     Carry-in Meal

February 2016 newsletter

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church                          February 2016

Some Choice Words From Menno Simons            

    True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant. It clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry, it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute, it returns good for evil, it seeks that which is lost, it binds up the wounded, it becomes all things to all people.

    Love compels us to respectfully and humbly show all high officials what the Word of God commands them, how they should rightfully execute their office to the glory and praise of God... to punish the transgressors and protect the good; to judge rightly between a man and his fellows; to do justice to the widows and orphans and to the poor, to rule cities and countries justly by a good policy and administration, not contrary to God’s Word but to the benefit of the common people.

    We who were formerly no people at all, and who knew no peace, are now called to be a church of peace. True Christians do not know vengeance... Their hearts overflow with peace. Their mouths speak peace, and they walk in the way of peace.

    The regenerated do not go to war, or engage in strife. They are the children of peace, who have beaten their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and they know no war. Since we are conformed to the image of Christ, how then can we kill our enemies with the sword? Spears and swords made of iron we leave to those, alas, who consider human blood and swine’s blood as having well nigh equal value.

    Therefore, my precious brothers and sisters in the Lord, take the crucified Christ as your example, and the apostles and prophets of God. They were so endowed and trained by God that they knew nothing, sought nothing, loved and desired nothing but the eternal treasure--God--and eternal life.                 - from the Complete Works of Menno Simons

Notes, prayers and praises 

“THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT during our time of grieving and during Alma Jean’s recovery from her hand injury. You have indeed been a ‘family of hope’ for us.” - Harvey & Alma Jean                                                                                                                                

THE TABLE has invited us to meet with them for their 4 pm service at the Dean House Sunday, February 21. 

GUY VLASITS plans to be in Austin, Texas, with grandchildren and family February 19-March 1.

WE WILL HAVE A BRIEF FOLLOW-UP BUSINESS MEETING at our February 28 service.

ANNUAL MEAT CANNING FOR MCC will be February 22-26 at the Hinton Mennonite Relief Center, Hinton, Va. Virginia Mennonite Conference is responsible to provide help on Tuesday, February 23.

February Lectionary readings

7    Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99  2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2  Luke 9:28-43a

14  Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-16 Romans 10:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13

21  Genesis 15:1-18  Psalm 27  Philippians 3:17-4:1  Luke 13:31-35

28  Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8  1 Corinthians 10:1-13  Luke 13:1-9

February services worship at 4, meal at 6 

7 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                      Carry-in Meal   

14 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: Lois Wenger

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                            Finger Food Meal

21 Location: We will be meeting with the Table congregation at the Dean House, on the corner of Water Street and Old South High Street. On this third Sunday they will have their monthly service of liturgical readings and hymns, followed by communion.                    Carry-in Meal                           

28 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr, 22802             564-1524

Worship, sharing, and brief business meeting

Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                                      Carry-in Meal

January 2016 newsletter

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church                            January 2016

Notes, prayers and praises 

JANUARY BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to James Stauffer 1/8, Susan Campbell 1/17,  Becky Morlan 1/28, Dick Dumas 1/30! 

MARY BETH, 69, AND HARVEN SHIFFLETT, 77, Harvey’s sister and brother-in-law, perished in a mobile home fire on the night of December 11. A memorial service with a carry-in meal will be held at 1 pm at the Dyke Fire House on 9144 Dyke Road (Rt. 810) on January 3. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

OUR ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING is set for Sunday, January 24.

January Lectionary readings

3    Isaiah 60:1-6  Psalm 72:1-14  Ephesians 3:1-12  Matthew 2:1-12

10  Isaiah 43:1-7  Psalm 29  Acts 8:14-17  Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

17  Isaiah 62:1-5  Psalm 36:5-10  1 Corinthians 12:1-11  John 2:1-11

24  Nehemiah 8:1-10  Psalm 19  1 Corinthians 12:12-31a  Luke 4:14-21

31 Jeremiah 1:4-10  Psalm 71:1-6  1 Corinthians 13 Luke 4:21-30

January services worship at 4, meal at 6 

3 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: 

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                      Carry-in Meal   

10 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: 

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                           Finger Food Meal

17 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr., K’town 908-0391

Worship and Sharing: 

Bible Study: Roy Hange, overseer                                        Carry-in Meal

24 Location: Family Life Resource Center 273 Newman Ave.  432-0531

Annual Church Business Meeting                               Finger Food Meal

31 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr, 22802       564-1524

Worship and Sharing: 

Bible Study: James Stauffer                                                   Carry-in Meal

December 2015 newsletter

House-to-House

 Family of Hope House Church                      December 2015

We Each Carry Two Buckets          - Harvey Yoder                       

In the season from Thanksgiving through New Year we are reminded of the many gracious and unmerited gifts we’ve received, all to be treasured, celebrated and shared. 

Metaphorically speaking, each of us recipients carries not one, but two containers, one a gratitude bucket and the other a garbage bucket.

The gratitude bucket is one we need to keep filled to overflowing with abundant and amazing grace, representing all of the unearned blessings that make us truly rich. It represents the part of our life where we find our yoke easy and our burden light, and from which we have a surplus of God-given, grace-based assets to share.

In our garbage bucket we carry our grievances, griefs, grudges and losses. These are not inconsequential, and are not to be ignored, but we want to carry them only as long as necessary to deposit them to a safe place for disposal, for closure and healing. Our “garbage” is something that needs to be taken out regularly for composting, while we practice the hygiene of regularly keeping its container as clean and flushed out as possible.

When it comes to our relationships, we support each other in dealing with our distresses as well as blessing each other with our abundance.

"This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.”

II Corinthians 9:10 (the Message)

Notes, prayers and praises 

- DECEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Karen Campbell 12/26!.

- WE WILL NOT BE HOSTING OUR USUAL CHRISTMAS gathering with neighboring house churches this year.

- PRAY FOR LOIS RIVERA-WENGER who plans to spend most of  December and January with her daughter Lorna and family in Kentucky. 

- WE ARE STILL SHORT OF OUR TOTAL FOH GIVING GOAL OF $18,000 for 2015, but our treasurer reports being able to meet all of our budgeted disbursement amounts so far.  any updates on the church schedule. http://familyofhopehousechurch.blogspot.com.

December Lectionary readings

6    Malachi 3:1-4  Luke 1:68-79  Philippians 1:3-11  Luke 3:1-6

13  Zephaniah 3:14-20  Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7  Luke 3:7-18

20 Micah 5:2-5a  Psalm 80:1-7  Hebrews 10:5-10  Luke 1:39-55 

27 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26  Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17  Luke 2:41-52

December services worship at 4, meal at 6 

6 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                      Carry-in Meal   

13 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391

Advent and Christmas readings and candle lighting
Singing of Advent and Christmas carols                             Carry-in Meal

20 Location: Family Life Resource Center, 273 Newman Ave  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: James Stauffer

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                             Finger foods meal          

27 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr, 22802    564-1524 

Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell

Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                                     Carry-in Meal  

November 2015 newsletter

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church                    November 2015

My First Official Sermon—Fifty Years Ago    

On September 12, 1965, I delivered my first sermon as a newly licensed minister at Zion Mennonite near Broadway, where I served for over twenty years. 

     I’m not always comfortable with the messages I gave back in those days, but this one I would gladly repeat, on the theme “Every Believer is Called to Ministry”, based on Mark 10:35-45, one of our lectionary texts just a few Sundays ago. In this passage Jesus is reproving his disciples for arguing over who should be considered the greatest in the God-movement Jesus was establishing. Jesus' answer is that in his upside-down kingdom we become great only by becoming servants of all. 

     Fifty years ago I stressed that the God's "calling" is not just for a select few, but is essentially that all believers follow Jesus together and continue the work he began while here on earth. The location and manner in which we carry out that calling--that of bringing healing and blessing to a broken world--are unique to each of us, based on our gifts and opportunities, but the calling is the same, that of each person becoming an active part of a community of faith that lives, loves and serves others together.

     This means one never stops being a part of the "laity" (from "laos", the people) when one is appointed a pastoral leader or a teaching elder in the congregation. In other words, there should be no lay-clergy distinctions, no individuals with special titles or status in this community, but all are fellow-servants under one master, the servant Jesus.

     But through the ordinance of ordination we have created an elevated and specialized system of leadership. And I became a part of that paradigm, in spite of my initial sermon. Even our church architecture promoted this kind of elevation, with pews arranged to focus everyone's attention on the pulpit set in the center of a platform above the level of ordinary lay people, rather than our gathering together in some form of circle, such as in our Family of Hope gatherings.            - Harvey Yoder

Notes, prayers and praises 

• NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS 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!
• WE ARE INVITED to worship with The Table Fellowship at 4 pm on Sunday, November 8, at the corner of Water Street and Old South High Street, across from the Community Mennonite Church. Bring food! 
• OUR MY COINS COUNT total for this year’s Relief Sale was $267!

November Lectionary readings

1  Isaiah 25:6-9  Psalm 24  Revelation 21:1-6  John 11:32-44

8  Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17  Psalm 127  1 Kings 17:8-16  Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44

15 1 Samuel 1:4-20  1 Samuel 2:1-10  Daniel 12:1-3  Psalm 16 Hebrews 10:11-25  Mark 13:1-8

22 2 Samuel 23:1-7  Daniel 7:9-14  Psalm 93  Revelation 1:4b-8  John 18:33-37

29 Jeremiah 33:14-16   Psalm 25:1-10  1 Thessalonians 3:9-13  Luke 21:25-36

November services worship at 4, meal at 6 

1 Location: Annual Festival of Praise at EMHS at 4 pm, followed by a meal and sharing at James & Ruth Stauffers, 1250 Parkway Dr at 6 pm.

8 Location: We will be meeting with the Table congregation at 4 (see above announcement) in the house across Water Street from the Community Mennonite Church.                             Carry-in Meal

15 Location: Guy & Margie Vlasits 3448 Caverns Dr. K’town 908-0391

Worship and Sharing: Guy and Margie Vlasits

Bible Study: David Gullman, Pleasant View Home chaplain and author of a new book, Teachers of the Soul.                                     Carry-in Meal 

22 Location: Family Life Resource Center, 273 Newman Ave  432-0531

Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson

Bible Study: James Stauffer                                           Finger foods meal

29 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Drive 22801   564-1524

Worship and Sharing:

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                             Thanksgiving Meal  

October 2015 newsletter

House-to-House

Family of Hope House Church                                      October 2015

A Description Of Early Christians           

     …Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of the human race by country or language or customs. They do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an eccentric manner of life. This doctrine of theirs has not been discovered by the ingenuity or deep thought of inquisitive men, nor do they put forward a merely human teaching, as some people do. Yet, although they live in Greek and barbarian cities alike, as each man's lot has been cast, and follow the customs of the country in clothing and food and other matters of daily living, at the same time they give proof of the remarkable and admittedly extraordinary constitution of their own commonwealth.  

     They live in their own countries, but only as aliens. They have a share in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and yet for them every fatherland is a foreign land. They marry, like everyone else, and they beget children, but they do not cast out their offspring. They share their board with each other, but not their marriage bed. It is true that they are "in the flesh," but they do not live "according to the flesh." They busy themselves on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws, but in their own lives they go far beyond what the laws require. They love all men, and by all men are persecuted. 

     They are unknown, and still they are condemned; they are put to death, and yet they are brought to life. They are poor, and yet they make many rich; they are completely destitute, and yet they enjoy complete abundance. They are dishonored, and in their very dishonor are glorified; they are defamed, and are vindicated. They are reviled, and yet they bless; when they are affronted, they still pay due respect. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; undergoing punishment, they rejoice because they are brought to life.”

                                   -  from the second century “Letter to Diognetus”

Notes, prayers and praises 

 OCTOBER BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Joyce Ulrich 10/14, and Elly Nelson 10/28!

WE ARE INVITED to hear former attorney general Mark Earley speak at EMU’s Martin Chapel at 7 pm Tuesday, October 20, on the theme “Why America Incarcerates So Many People, And What We Can Do About It”.

THE ANNUAL MCC RELIEF SALE is being held at the Rockingham Fairgrounds October 3 and 4.

CHECK THE FAMILY OF HOPE BLOG for any updates on the church schedule. http://familyofhope.blogspot.com

October Lectionary readings

4  Job 1:1, 2:1-10  Genesis 2:18-24  Psalm 8 Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12  Mark 10:2-16

11  Job 23:1-9, 16-17  Amos 5:6-7, 10-15  Psalm 90:12-17  Hebrews 4:12-16  Mark 10:17-31 

18 Job 38:1-7, (34-41)  Isaiah 53:4-12  Psalm 91:9-16  Hebrews 5:1-10  Mark 10:35-45

25 Job 42:1-6, 10-17  Jeremiah 31:7-9  Psalm 126  Hebrews 7:23-28  Mark 10:46-52

October services worship at 4, meal at 6 

4 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing:

Bible Study: Elly Nelson                                                  Carry-in Meal    

11 Location: James & Ruth Stauffer 1250 Parkway Dr 22802   574-6141

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Paul Swarr                                                     Carry-in Meal  
18 Location: Joyce Ulrich 1029 Shenandoah St Apt 1              246-1013

Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder

Bible Study: Dick Dumas                                                   Carry-in Meal 
25 Location: Susan Campbell 1361 Lincolnshire Dr, 22802     564-1524

Worship and Sharing: Susan Campbell 

Bible Study: Harvey Yoder                                                  Carry-in Meal