5220 S. 159th Ave
Omaha, NE 68135
402-895-4044
www.hopepresbyterianchurch.org
Sunday, August 27, 2017, following the Sunday Morning Service.Sunday, August 27, 2017, following the Sunday Morning Service.Sunday, August 27, 2017, following the Sunday Morning Service.
The Fellowship Committee will be providing Fried Chicken.The Fellowship Committee will be providing Fried Chicken.The Fellowship Committee will be providing Fried Chicken.
Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. See you There!! Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. See you There!! Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. See you There!!
AUGUST 2017-VOLUME 8
A Message of Hope
Loving God, Loving Others, Living in Grace
Pantry of Hope Submitted by Mike Molacek Sermon Topics
Did you know that in Douglas County alone, an es!mated 13.8% of all individuals
have food insecurity. Because of your generosity, we are figh!ng hunger in
Omaha.
Foods that you enjoy at your house are perfect to donate. We make good use of
all non-perishable items. Currently we could use granola bars, cereal, canned
chicken, and juice boxes.
Thanks to everyone who donates to the Pantry
From June 21 – July 18, 2017, 7 families totaling 19 people came in for food.
There were 247 items distributed. Thanks to all of you for your support in
helping keep the Pantry stocked.
¨ August 6, 2017
“The Test Of Appe!te”
Daniel 1: 1-21
Pastor Dave
¨ August 13, 2017
“Faith By Fire”
Daniel 3: 1-30
Sarah Mar!n
¨ August 20, 2017
“Tough Love”
Daniel 4: 10-28
Pastor Dave
¨ August 27, 2017
“When Egos Soar”
Daniel 6: 1-23
Pastor Dave
Mission Submitted by JB Turner, Mission Elder
Siena Francis House Meal Serving
Every first Saturday of the month, Hope Church is blessed serve at the Siena-Francis House. We serve
the nigh#me meals. Time invested is only a few hours (4 pm-7 pm) and the signup sheet is located in
the Narthex on the side table. Not much is easier than that – and the rewards are immense! Please
sign up to help serve….it is a worthwhile project that Hope Church has embraced wholeheartedly! IF
you are interested in you and your family, friends or small group taking over a month (all by
yourselves), please contact Mark Canady [email protected] for more details. Thank you to those who served
the meals in July - Ron and Judy and Bruening, Judy Klostermeyer, Dave and Lillian Fehr, Mark Turner, Mark, Theresa,
Madison, and Isabel Canady.
Our next meal to be served will be Saturday August 5th, please sign up to help out!
We are always looking for volunteers for this very rewarding mission!!!
Thank you to all who donated items and those who volunteered many long hours working at the
mission garage sale. Because of your efforts Hope raised $3956.23! 100% of these funds will be
used to show Hope’s love towards others by suppor!ng local Omaha mission projects.
Salva!on Army Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen Thank You
A sincere thanks to everyone who par!cipated this summer with Salva!on Army’s Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen program. Your
efforts helped children in Omaha who typically receive reduced rate meals during the school year to con!nue to receive
hot nutri!ous lunches. Most of these children would go hungry during the summer if it weren’t for the efforts of this
amazing program.
ABIDE Hope-Abide Lighthouse Opportuni!es (HALO) - 29 July Block Party
A huge thank you to the Hope congrega!on and friends who visited our new friends in our partner
Abide Lighthouse neighborhood at 24th and Evans St. We had a great !me ge#ng to know new
friends, grilling out, and playing games. We hope to con!nue building this rela!onship with our
partners in north Omaha. Look for more opportuni!es to par!cipate in events with the Abide Lighthouse
neighborhood. If you would like to volunteer for those opportuni!es please contact Kathy Anderson, Brian Claus, or JB
Turner.
Date Communion Servers
August 6, 2017 Thelma Symanietz,
Sandra Kay, Diane Huerta,
Tracy Comba, Darci Davis
Greeters Coordinator Diane Huerta
August 6, 2017 Sandra Kay
August 13, 2017 John Klopp
August 20, 2017 Chery Swalberg
August 27, 2017 Crawford Family
Ushers Coordinator Diane Huerta
August 6, 2017 Suzie Karnik & Diane Huerta
August 13, 2017 Thelma Symanietz
Nancy Mittelbrun
August 20, 2017 Donelle Thomas
Diane Huerta
August 27, 2017 Judy & Ron Bruening
Liturgist Coordinator Thelma
Symanietz
August 6, 2017 Matt VanHook
August 13, 2017 Todd Woitzel
August 20, 2017 Michael Davis
August 27, 2017 Troy Kaup
Audio Coordinator Niki Frerichs
August 6, 2017 Wayne Fry
August 13, 2017 Tyler Thraen
August 20, 2017 Dale Brewer
August 27, 2017 Tyler Thraen
Visual Coordinator Niki Frerichs
August 6, 2017 Paula Washka
August 13, 2017 Kelsey Thraen
August 20, 2017 Traci Chatten
August 27, 2017 Kelsey Thraen
“ We would like to express our
sincere apprecia!on and thanks for
your calls, cards, gi*s, meals and
prayers during Mary-Ellen’s knee
replacement surgery and
recovery. The many acts of kindness
which were extended to us touched
our hearts and made for an easier
recovery". God Bless you.
Mary-Ellen And Terry Gumbert
Tracy Cha-en 8/1
Sue Klopp 8/4
Donelle Thomas 8/4
Emery Golliday 8/5
Alyssa Gunning 8/8
Avis Kelley 8/9
Mary Ferguson 8/9
Diane Huerta 8/13
Janet Williams 8/13
Dorothy Hi- 8/14
Deanna Shiller 8/15
Diane Thomas 8/16
Lorin Toman 8/19
Dominic Zohlen 8/19
Jaden Walls 8/21
Bob Pennington 8/23
Ellison Royers 8/25
T. J. Mar!n 8/26
Michael Dierking 8/27
Ione Sandene 8/27
Lois Moraine 8/28
Thelma Symanietz 8/28
Rebecca Brown 8/30
Ch
urc
h L
ea
de
rsh
ip
Ch
urc
h S
taff
STAFF POSITION EMAIL
Dave Matsumura Pastor [email protected]
Rus Kosits Associate Pastor [email protected]
Luke Furman Music Director [email protected]
Deb Miller Office Administrator [email protected]
Jayne Molacek Treasurer [email protected]
Mike Huerta Custodian [email protected]
SESSION COMMITTEE EMAIL
Paula Washka Caregiving Ministry [email protected]
Chris Ahrenholtz Youth Ministry [email protected]
Tracy Comba Fellowship Ministry [email protected]
J.B. Turner Mission Ministry [email protected]
Tyler Thraen Communications [email protected]
Darci Davis Children’s Ministry [email protected]
Scott Gunderson Personnel Ministry [email protected]
Dave Fehr Finance Ministry [email protected]
Arlene Thietje Music & Worship [email protected]
Mike Molacek Building & Grounds [email protected]
Judy Johnson Adult Ministry [email protected]
Matt Van Hook Outreach Ministry [email protected]
Dave Matsumura Moderator [email protected]
Jayne Molacek Clerk of Session [email protected]
Rus Kosits Associate Pastor [email protected]
Average A-endance for June 143
SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR LOW-INCOME ELEMENTARY OMAHA STUDENTS
Schools will reopen in mid-August and we will be collec!ng school supplies for Cody Elementary School in Millard and
Franklin Elementary School in Omaha on August 6th & August 13th in the front Narthex. Both of these schools have
very large popula!ons of children who qualify for free and reduced price lunches and in the most need of our support
for school supplies. Here are some items the schools need for the school year:
Thank you to everyone who donated the gi* of life during the June 24th Blood Drive. The
Hope Blood Drive collected 16 units which has the poten!al to save 48 lives. For many
years, Dave McKenna has been coordina!ng the Hope blood drives. He will be handing
over the reins of organizing the Hope blood drives to Tracy Comba. We would like to thank Dave for his many years of
dedicated service coordina!ng this highly successful mission. We also want to express great apprecia!on to Tracy for
volunteering to lead this life saving effort Hope has supported for years.
The next blood drive at Hope is scheduled for Sat September 23 (7am – noon). The Blood Mobile will be in the parking
lot in front of the church. Please sign up in the Narthex, online via the Red Cross website or contact Tracy Comba, if
you would like to donate the gi* of life to others.
à Large Zipper Back Pack
à Large Box of Kleenex
à Hand Sani!zer Bo-le w/pump
à An!-Bacterial Wipes
à Lysol Wipes
à Box of Ziploc Gallon Bags
à Box of Ziploc Quart Bags
à Plas!c Box 5” x 8”
à Package of Cheap Paper Plates
à Box of 24 Crayola Crayons
à Box of 48 Crayola Crayons
à Package of 12 Crayola Colored
Pencils
à Box of Crayola Thin Markers
à Box of Crayola Thick Markers
à Box of #2 Yellow Pencils
à Red Checking Pen
à Pencil Bag with 3-hole Punch
à Scotch Tape
à 4oz Elmer’s White Glue
à 8oz Elmer’s White Glue
à Glue S!cks
à Mul!-colored Highlighters
à Dry Erase Markers
à Crayola 8 count Watercolor Paint Set
à Pair of Fiskar Scissors
à 1” 3-Ring Binder
à 7 Pocket Accordion File
à 2-Pocket Folder 2/metal brads
à 2-Pocket Folder with horizontal
pockets
à Mead Primary Journal
à Spiral Notebook – 70 page wide rule
à Package of wide ruled loose leaf
paper
à Package of page dividers
à Pink Erasers
à Small Pencil Sharpener
à Book bag
Pastor’s Pen Pastor Dave Matsumura
Dear Friends,
There are events in our lives that alter our
understanding of reality; that first kiss, the day you
say 'I do,' the birth of your firstborn, the death of a
loved one, the realiza!on that everyone has aged
around you and the day you realize that the dreams
and goals you had when you were young have long
past or have been altered so much as to be
unrecognizable. There are numerous events far
beyond what I just listed.
In the life of our church we've also had events that
changed our understanding of reality. There was the
day we chartered and that first Christmas service,
moving around un!l finally ge#ng planted at 14015
Q street, conflict, confusion, and finally dissolu!on of
pastoral rela!onship, There were interims and new
pastors and hopes and dreams and broken dreams
and hearts as well. There were !mes of shock and
sadness all rolled into one then resolve and gump!on
and grace. There came a !me of joy once more and
crowded happy noises and new dreams, dreams of
new buildings and new loca!ons and accessible
bathrooms and more room for more friends to join in
on the excitement.
And once these dreams were realized reality set in.
We would need to adjust and change along with our
new building. We've reached a point in our life as
Hope Church that many doubted we would reach.
We've accomplished a lot over the years and we've
made adjustments to fit our new reali!es all along
the way.
We will con!nue to look at our percep!ons of reality
and test theories, make plans, adjust as we learn
more and work together for the cause of Christ. Like
our individual lives our church is on a journey and in
process and we will con!nue to learn and grow
together.
I'm looking forward to the adventure as we take
stock, reflect on Christ's call on our lives, begin to
dream new dreams and chart new direc!ons. The
sign in my office reads, "If you want to go fast, go
alone, but if you want to go far, go with
friends." Friends let's journey onward together.
Blessings abound!
Dave
Pastor Dave
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
B & G 6:30PM
Fellowship 6:30PM
Tai Chi 6:30PM
Children’s Ed 7:00PM
Mission Commi-ee
7:00 PM
Youth Group
Bible Study 10:00 AM
Youth Group End of
Summer Event
5:30 PM
Men of Hope 6:30 AM
Tai Chi 9:00 AM
Communion Sunday
Sunday Worship 9:00 AM
Rental Birthday Party
Adult Ed Mtg 6:30PM
Youth Commi-ee
6:30PM
Tai Chi 6:30PM
Youth Group
Bible Study 10:00 AM
Card Group 1:00 PM
Men of Hope 6:30 AM
Brush Up Nebraska
Paint-a-Thon 8:00 AM
Tai Chi 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship 9:00 AM
MW Lady Cats 6PM
Session Mtg 6:30 PM
Tai Chi 6:30PM
Youth Group
Bible Study 10:00 AM
Millard South Football
Pasta Feed
Men of Hope 6:30 AM
Tai Chi 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship 9:00 AM
MW Lady Cats 6PM
Tai Chi 6:30PM
Youth Group
Bible Study 10:00 AM
Millard South Football
Past Feed
Men of Hope 6:30 AM
Tai Chi 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship 9:00 AM
Hope Church Annual
Picnic 10:00 AM
Tai Chi 6:30PM
Youth Group
Bible Study 10:00 AM
Millard South Football
Pasta Feed
Building & Grounds Submitted by Mike Molacek
THANKS TO:
· Corn Weeders: Ron S!gge, Kurt Briley, Brian Claus, Ron Bruening, Dave Matsumura, Mike Dierking,
Jared Dierking, and Judy Johnson.
· Ron S!gge for tree trimming on July 1.
· Mike Dierking for brass repair work.
· Milt Schreiner for landscape dona!on.
PUNCH LIST DISCUSSION:
· Sanctuary pain!ng – Michelle presented color choices which were approved. Seeking bids.
· Classroom visibility – Mike has a concave mirror and will be installing
· Mee!ng Room 1 carpet installed on June 29
· Deck sidewalk Pat Madden Concrete approved
· Sanctuary ramp electrical plugs
· Art Room
· Room numbers – Dick addressing
· Storm shelter door locks replaced
· VBS – July 16 – 20 – check thermostats daily
· AED ba-eries and supplies – Dick will replace
· Playground – need a quote for a fence to match the Q Street fence and ma#ng
· Sanctuary Sound System – discussed - $500.00 in fund
· Q Street sidewalk informa!on, city will do the work.
ITEMS FOR SESSION APPROVAL: Mo!on to approve the deck sidewalk with Madden Enterprises for $1,489.00. Other
bid received was from JV Concrete for $1,600.00.
Finance Submitted by Dave Fehr , Finance Elder
Easter is over. Christmas is several months away. So where does that leave us? Ordinary Time, that’s where.
Ordinary Time is the longest period on the church calendar. The period of Ordinary Time that we are currently in
began on the Monday a*er Pentecost and con!nues now un!l Advent. It is generally considered to be a !me for
experiencing the mystery of Christ, for deepening our faith, for personal growth and reflec!on as well as a period for
growth of the church and church outreach.
The color for the season is green so you will see the green paraments on the communion table and lectern.
Commonly used symbols for Ordinary Time are things like growing vines or trees. Trees may show the tree leaves
and branches as well as the root system represen!ng both the growth of our faith and the corresponding deepening
of our faith. Swirls of greens and whites and blues are common represen!ng the influence of the Holy Spirit in our
faith development.
As we worship during this season of Ordinary Time we encourage you to pray with us that the Holy Spirit will increase
our fervor for knowledge, understanding and direc!on in our personal lives and in the life of our church. We
encourage you to take advantage of the Chris!an Educa!on opportuni!es for faith development and come listen to
Pastor Dave’s sermon series on the book of Daniel and his emphasis on “From Faithfulness to Frui\ulness”. It sounds
to me like the perfect topic for celebra!ng Ordinary Time.
Music & Worship Submitted by Arlene Theitje, Music & Worship Elder
Thank you to everyone that took the !me to come to church to interview with the Steier group or filled out
the survey. The Steier group will be repor!ng back the results from the surveys and interviews to the
Session on August 2nd. You will be hearing about the results of the four week study later in August. Session
will be reviewing all the info about what people like the most about Hope and what sugges!ons were made
to help us become be-er Chris!ans.
Session will also be reviewing the level of support the congrega!on has for a capital reduc!on campaign and
will be probably be making a decision later in August in regards to hiring the Steier group to run the
campaign if results from the congrega!on indicate enough support.
I would like to try and answer two reoccurring ques!ons I have heard recently.
Are we in dire straits financially? No, we are not; we are on track to bring in more money this year than we are
spending. This did come at a cost such as not paying 100% of the per capita to the presbytery, cu#ng back on the
office hours and having volunteers staff the nursery. However, we can’t con!nue to operate as we are for very long
and remain healthy. We need to be able to pay the things above, and we need to be able to spend more money on
things such as staff, mission work, music and worship, etc. We also need to build up more money in reserves to pay
for unforeseen building repairs, etc. We can do this by reducing our expenses such as reducing the mortgage payment
with a capital reduc!on campaign. I honestly feel this would put us in good shape !ll the end of the mortgage, which is
currently nine years away.
Secondly, how can we afford to pay $13,000 for this four week feasibility study the Steier group is doing? This is a
good ques!on; at first glance it is a large number. However if you break it down at a per member level it breaks down
to about $33 per member. This is less than what the church pays most years in per capita. This is a one!me
investment in all of us that the church is making to make be-er Chris!ans out of all of us. Please ask if you have any
ques!ons.
Adult Education Submitted by Judy Johnson, Adult Education Elder
Next Adult Educa!on mee!ng Monday August 7, 6:30pm
Missed worship? S!ll keep engaged with your faith forma!on!
Listen to Pastor Dave’s and Pastors Rus’ sermons on the Hope Presbyterian's website h-ps://
www.hopepresbyterianchurch.org/ under Watch & Listen.
~SUMMER HIATUS~
The Monday’s evening monthly group, Tuesday’s weekly Book Club, Wednesday’s Weekly Bible Study, and Chuck
Bulger’s Sunday morning Bible Class are taking breaks this summer.
*Keep reading the bulle!n and inserts for updates with these groups *
SUNDAYS: SERMON DISCUSSIONS WITH PASTOR DAVE
Each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. room 1
Pastor Dave will discuss the sermon and other topics.
What was meaningful for you? Addi!onal ques!ons? What else is going on in your life or the world that
you may wish to discuss? Come whenever you can!
THURSDAYS: JOIN PASTOR DAVE THURSDAY MORNINGS 10:00 a.m.
The Hope library is a great place to gather with Pastor Dave and a small group of people. Get to know
others in the group as together you slowly explore the book of ACTS. No prior Bible knowledge is
required. For more informa!on contact Pastor Dave at [email protected] or 402-895-4044.
SATURDAY: MEN’S BREAKFAST EVERY SATURDAY AT 6:30 A.M
This is a group for guys with limited !me who can get up early, and who are interested in learning more
about what the Bible says! They are studying “Life Lessons from Jesus” by Bill Hybels and John Ortberg. Join
them each Saturday at 6:30am at the Summer Kitchen Café in La Vista. Contact Josh Widman at
[email protected] or 402-651-4366 for more informa!on."
2 NEW Fall Adult Faith Forma!on Classes at Hope on Sunday mornings Sep. 10 - Oct. 15 (6 weeks):
*Prayer Does It Make Any Difference by Philip Yancey. “Prayer is not a spiritual discipline, but a privilege. It is
something that’s good for us in every way.”
Choose various ways par!cipate- from a small group DVD discussion to reading an accompanying book for home study.
Prayer class will also meet on Wednesdays from 1:15-2:30 Sep. 13-Oct. 18.
Watch for more informa!on and materials!
*Meaningful one topic DVD class from Rob Bell and NOOMA DVD’S.
This series explores different topics each week and explores a fresh and compelling look at the teachings of Jesus. It is
an invita!on to search, ques!on and join the discussion
What’s NOOMA? The name NOOMA comes from a phone!c spelling of the Greek word πνευμα, meaning "wind",
"spirit", or "breath"
Joyfully con!nue on a journey with your faith forma!on~
Join the Adult Educa!on commi-ee, please contact Judy Johnson- [email protected]; call/text 402-660-4331
Hope Mission Spotlight of the Month – Brush Up Nebraska – Paint-A-Thon
Calling Painters of All Ages!!! August is the !me of year when we pull the Hope Presbyterian team together for Brush
Up Nebraska.
BRUSH UP NEBRASKA Paint-A-Thon is a community based volunteer program that
paints homes of qualified low-income elderly and low-income permanently
disabled homeowners, in the Omaha Metropolitan Area, so that they may
maintain their property, increase energy efficiency and beau!fy the community.
Paint-A-Thon is like an old fashion “Barn Raising”, it is people helping people in the
best spirit of giving to others. The phrase “many hands make light work” applies to
this project. Historically, Paint-A- Thon has been going on in this country since
neighbors worked together for a common cause. Officially, the first organized
Paint-A-Thon started in Denver, Colorado in 1979 through the help of Brother’s
Development Corpora!on. That program con!nues to this day. The second longest
program was started in the Twin Ci!es as a Chore Program run through the Minneapolis Council of Churches.
BRUSH UP NEBRASKA Paint-A-Thon was started in 1989 by Norwest Bank, U S West, ConAgra, and Diamond Vogel
Paints. A total of 50 homes were painted in September of 1989, mostly through teams from the sponsoring
corpora!ons. In 1990 Union Pacific Railroad, ENRON Northern Natural Gas and Northern Border Partners and Mutual
of Omaha joined as partners and added many new teams. Total number of homes painted in 1990 was 120. In 1991
First Data Resources, Barnhart Press, Lozier Corp, Lincoln Financial Group and Rigel Corpora!on (KFC and Krispy Kreme
Donuts), joined as partners and the total number of homes swelled to 137. Convergys was added as a sponsor in the
year 2000, Tenaska and the Gary and Mary West Founda!on were both added in 2009. The Gavilon Group, U.S. Bank
and Pay Pal were added in 2012; Dunkin Donuts joined in 2014 as a contributor with strong support from TD
Ameritrade.
Execu!ve Directors of the programs are Tom & Sheila Pe#grew who started the program in 1989, and con!nue as
execu!ve directors to this day. BRUSH UP NEBRASKA Paint-A-Thon has helped launch 13 programs in Iowa, one in
Montana, one in Wyoming, and several small programs in communi!es throughout Nebraska. These programs have no
affilia!on with the corpora!on and were simply mentored by Tom and Sheila.
By the year 2013, the 25th year of opera!on, the project reached a new milestone in homes painted totaling 2,578
homes of elderly and disabled homeowners in the Omaha Metro Area.
The financial impact to the community is immeasurable as is the posi!ve benefit to both families and volunteers.
Hope is pu#ng together a team again this year to paint a low-income Omaha resident’s one-story home on Saturday
August 12th and 19th from 8am to 4pm. We will be pain!ng Shirley Jack’s home at 6008 North 47th Street in Omaha.
Shirley is a wonderful woman whose husband passed away a few years ago and could use our assistance sprucing up
the outside of her home. Please join Hope’s team to help serve God by giving back to our community. See Chuck
Lundquist 402-321-1026 or JB Turner 402-669-3753 to sign up.
Mission Spotlight of the Month Submitted by JB Turner, Mission Elder
From the Desk of Pastor Rus Kosits When I had a chance to look at the VBS curriculum a few months back, I really liked the feel of the music, I knew the kids would
have fun, but felt that the theme song for “Maker Fun Factory” was missing something. I re-wrote a bit of the song, and added this
simple verse “There is a God who loves us, everything we are. God knows our joy and sorrow, God is never far.” Knowing God is
near is crucial to surviving intense ministry opportuni!es like VBS and Mission trips, and PHEW, WE DID IT! Cheers and thanks to
those who made it happen. So now, we can…
Rest? Sure, but not for too long, there is plenty to be done, especially when it comes to planning our Fall and Winter children’s and
youth ministries. Some plans have already been made and we are at the stage where ge#ng input from parents and par!cipants
will help us perfect our plans.
Changes are being made to our Sunday morning Children’s ministry (Sunday School) to reflect what we like best about VBS as well
as what our volunteer teachers have to offer from their !me, talent and passion for the spiritual forma!on of our children. Please
stay on alert for announcement of when and where our informa!on mee!ngs are being held, and prayerfully consider if you would
like to be a part of our Sunday school for children.
As a pilot program, we are going to start off the fall seeking help from adults, not to teach a class for a specific age or grade level,
but by filling one of these 3 roles each Sunday: Shepherd, Story Teller ( I might change the name of this role to Sage) or Spelunker.
By making this shi* we will be relying on the group of teachers that have always been involved, but also open up par!cipa!on to
those who iden!fy more with a par!cular skill set, and can see more easily how they can make a contribu!on from day one without
being overwhelmed. Volunteers can specialize in just one of these areas, or offer to help across all areas.
- Shepherds will focus on the children, helping to remind them of basic behavior, assist them with tasks or ac!vi!es they might be
struggling with, and encourage and support them to get the most out of our !me together on Sunday. There is no set up or
prepara!on for the Shepherd. We will be looking for about 3 such volunteers each week (more as our ministry grows)
- Story Teller/Sages will teach the lesson, which starts with taking !me read and understand the Bible story being presented that
week. Story Tellers will be co-presenters with Rus (Me), and we will work together on how we want to tell the story, in skit form,
with props, in costume, ect. This is a great opportunity to take on as li-le or as much responsibility as you like, and get a chance to
go deeper into the Bible for your own spiritual forma!on.
-Spelunkers are our explora!on specialists. In real life, a spelunker is an expert in cave explora!on. In our Sunday school, the
spelunkers will set up and teach our reflec!on ac!vi!es. These will vary from week to week and may be cra*s, puzzles, projects,
games, etc. Spelunkers work best in teams, and our program will be enhanced with the broadest variety of people willing to share
their own passions and interests in helping our children to have a fun, hands on experience each week that reinforces the lessons
they learn.
Please prayerfully consider how you might serve, and don’t hesitate to contact me with ideas, ques!ons and comments about how
we can make our Sunday experience outstanding for our young people. I look forward to seeing you at our organiza!onal and
informa!onal mee!ngs in August.
ALSO: if Sunday morning is not your thing, there is a need and opportunity to have adults par!cipate on Wednesday nights in our
youth ministry. We are looking for commi-ed adults willing to par!cipate with, learn from, and listen to our youth. Adult
par!cipa!on, from people who demonstrate the love of Jesus and the church, is the only way to have effec!ve youth ministry. No
experience or skill or coolness necessary. No age limits. Contact Rus if this interests you.
ALSO (ALSO): Thank you for your warm and gracious thanks marking my first year of service to this congrega!on. I do indeed look
forward to work here everyday, and for the opportuni!es to learn and grow as a part of the Hope family for the years to come.
Blessings,
Rus
Associate Pastor for Chris!an Educa!on.
YOUTH Submi!ed by Chris Ahrenholtz, Youth Ministry Elder
Hope is holding a Middle School/High School end-of-summer/back-to-school campfire and movie night
August 4, 2017.
Middle School and High School students, are invited, along with their parents and siblings, to spend the
evening at Hope.
Details are below. Please RSVP ([email protected]) by Wednesday, August 2nd, le#ng us know how
many will a-end.
Plan to gather between 5:30 and 6:00 pm West of the church, and we will begin cooking hot dogs
over the campfires at 6:15. We also plan to have baked beans, chips, fruit and sodas - it will be
just like camping out.
A*er ea!ng (around 7:00) we will have a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Pastor Rus may have
a California twist to make this even more exci!ng.
Plan on some exci!ng yard games a*er the scavenger hunt. There will be badminton, ladders, and maybe
even a bean bag toss.
As it begins to get dark, around 9:00, the popcorn machine will be making hot & fresh
popcorn. Remember the campfires? They logs should be a nice embers at this point perfect
for roas!ng marshmallows and making s'mores.
Once everyone has their snacks, there will be an outside movie. Make sure to bring your blankets and lawn
chairs to get comfortable.
Please respond back, and vote on your movie pick -
* Fantas!c Beasts and where to find them
* Doctor Strange
* Arrival
* Rogue One
* Guardians of the Galaxy
* Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
We are looking forward to seeing you!
Session Highlights Submitted by Jayne Molacek, Clerk of Session
Mo!on from Fellowship Commi-ee to put Sunday, August 27, 2017 on the calendar for the Annual Church
Picnic. Seconded and carried.
Mo!on from Building and Grounds to have Madden Enterprises, Inc. do the sidewalk to the deck. Cost:
$1,489.00. The sidewalk needs to be 5 feet wide per ADA requirements. It also has to be 3500 psi. Anoth-
er bid was received from JV Concrete came in at $1,600.00. Seconded and carried.
Mo!on from Outreach Commi-ee to start the September 19, 2017 session mee!ng at 6:00 p.m. in the sanc-
tuary to receive new members. Seconded and carried.
Mo!on from Adult Educa!on to put on the calendar Sunday morning classes from September 17 - October
29, 2017 (7 weeks) with Philip Yancey - "Prayer Does It Make Any Difference and Rob Bel Nooma - one topic
videos." Seconded and carried.
Mo!on to allow New Life Presbyterian Church to borrow 5 racks and hangers for their nickel sale. Pick-up of
racks would be on Friday, July 14 and returning a*er July 24. We have done this in the past for Peace Presby-
terian Church when Dwight Williams was their pastor. He is now the pastor at New Life. (Apparently we
have also lent the racks to New Life in the past so this is a repeat, not a new thing.) Seconded and carried.
Mo!on from Elder Dave Fehr and Moderator Dave Matsumura to call a Special Session Mee!ng on
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at6:30 p.m. to hear the results of the feasibility study. The plan is to discuss and
have !me to reflect and pray on this and vote at the August 15, 2017 Session mee!ng. A light dinner will be
provided. Seconded and carried.
Fellowship Submi!ed by Tracy Comba, Fellowship Elder
Sunday, August 27, is the Annual Church Picnic! This year’s picnic will again be in the gym immediately
following service. The Fellowship Commi-ee will provide fried chicken. We ask each family a-ending bring a
side dish or dessert to share. A sign-up sheet will be in the Narthex.
There will be ac!vi!es for the kids, as well as the ever-popular Bounce House and Kona-Ice truck!
Please watch the bulle!n and Sunday slide show for more details as they become available.
We are always looking for volunteers to provide fellowship a*er Sunday morning service. If you’d like to
provide drinks and snacks on any Sunday, please check the sign-up sheet in the Narthex or on the fridge in
the kitchen. We are thankful for anyone who wants to provide fellowship on any Sunday.
The Outreach team seeks to welcome the guests God brings to Hope and facilitate the membership process
by running periodic new member classes. Our next class is scheduled for Tuesday, September 12 from 6-9
pm in Mee!ng Room #1. Dinner will be provided. During the class, We'll get to know one another, take care
of some paper work, talk about the history and future of the Hope congrega!on, and some of our beliefs
and theology. We think that membership in the local church is both a privilege and a responsibility and one
of the ways you can connect with a faith community to live out God's restora!ve vision for the world.
Please get in touch with Outreach Elder Ma- Van Hook ([email protected] or 401-368-1233...yes, it's a
401 area code!) to sign up or for more info.
Outreach Submitted by Matt Van Hook, Outreach Elder