The Confession of Hope ConnectionFather, this is your child, ______________, and the congregation of Hope Connection.You have called us out of darkness into this spot of marvelous light.We adore You and Your heart of love and Your power for right living.You are God.We are humans. We are flesh and blood. We fail and fall. Forgive us our sins.Strengthen us so we may live right. Empower us that we fulfill Your word and see greater works. Pour out Your Holy Spirit on us. Give us peace.

Grant us the sensible wisdom to engage our future with tenacity and compassion. Instill in us a zeal for Your honor and a love of righteousness.Cover us with longsuffering for our mistakes and merciful tolerance for others.Give us peace and prosperity.Let no word of accusation or slander or gossip be spoken in our midst.Cause us to do and believe in those things that lead to the building up of others.As good stewards, let us be found faithful to the truths entrusted and the people engaged.Give us wisdom over all resources that they be used prudently for kingdom growth.

We are a people of power. You answer us when we call for daily living and miracles.We are a people of respect. You teach us to honor Your way and acknowledge our frailty.We are a people of opportunity. You open our hearts to give fresh opportunity for others.We are a people of balance. You grace us with fellowship, friendship, family, and faith.We are a people of expression. You pour love into us for You above all others and for our neighbors.We are a people of sacrifice. You grow us to give sacrificially in time, talent, and treasure.

Create in us a clean heart.Renew a right Spirit in us every morning.Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in Your sight. You are our Strength and our Redeemer.Your kingdom come. Your will be done.Here in our lives 24/7 and everyplace we live and love and laugh.Let all of this be done in the mighty name of Jesus, the Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. May we abide in Him and He abide in us. May His name be honored above all names that the people around us will know there is no other name in heaven or in earth whereby men and women and children must be saved.Let it be so. Amen.

Unity and Diversity in the BodyI Corinthians 12: 12 Just as a body, though one, has many

parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

…. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” … but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Love is the answer to the question. 1 Cor 13: 4 Love suffers long and is

kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.

Consequences of failingMatthew 7:21-23I Never Knew You21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Rev 2,3

Benefits of Succeeding

Matthew 7:24-27Build on the Rock24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does

them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,

What will I do this week with this message?

Pray –Vision – Listen -Plan

The Just Live by FaithHabbukuk 2:2 Then the LORD answered me and said:“Write the visionAnd make it plain on tablets,That he may run who reads it.3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.Though it tarries, wait for it;Because it will surely come,It will not tarry.4 “Behold the proud,His soul is not upright in him;But the just shall live by his faith.

Next Saturday (May 3rd) we are hosting a full day of prayer, vision, listening, and planning. As we prepare for launching the congregation to the public on Father’s Day weekend, this is an exciting moment. Each of us will need to do our part with excellence. Make sure I have your email to keep you updated on the calendar of the day in case of changes. The calendar will allow you to be here during discussions that are important to you.

7am Prepatory Prayer8am Service Experience 9am Helps – ushers, greeters, facility, grounds10am Children and Youth11am to 1pm Break1pm Outreach, missions2pm Fathering, family, men, women3pm Online outreach4pm Administration and budget