New Hope Herald

“Hope Together, Grow in Faith”
February 2024

Minister’s Message

Dear Friends in Christ, 

    As the church begins this season of Lent, I turn to one of my favorite poets in the faith, Ann Weem, with what this season means to her in the faith.

LENT

Lent is the time to take the time
   to let the power of our faith story take hold of us,
a time to let the events 
   get up and walk around in us,
a time to intensify
   our living unto Christ,
a time to hover over 
   the thoughts of our hearts,
a time to place our feet in the streets of Jerusalem
   or walk along the sea and listen to his Word,
a time to touch his robe
   and feel the healing surge through us,
a time to ponder and a time to wonder…

Lent is a time to allow a fresh taste of God!

Blessings, Friends in the Faith, on this journey of faith that is like no other!

Dr. Laurey Harrell

What is LENT?

LENT is the Church season that goes from Ashes to Easter! It begins on a day known as Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter Sunday. Based on the biblical number of forty days and forty nights (the time for the Great Flood, for the days Moses spent on the mountain of God, the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness)—LENT is forty days and forty nights, not counting the Sundays as these are the “days of celebrating resurrection.”

The word LENT comes from a Saxon word that meant “length.” It originally referred to the lengthening of days and begins in Spring and signs of new life are appearing. The idea of LENT began during the third and fourth centuries as a time of preparation in order to experience the full meaning of Good Friday and Easter Sunday every year. 
Just as we prepare for major events in life—like a birth, a wedding, a graduation— LENT invites us to prepare our hearts to remember the sacrificial love of Jesus in his death and to celebrate his resurrection. Lent is a journey that ends with the deafening silence in hope of Easter morning!

Like Jesus in the wilderness in the desert of the Exodus, LENT is often described as a journey in the wilderness of our souls. It is a time of searching for God amidst the brokenness of life, to repent in our destructive ways and turn to the Way of Jesus Christ a, and to experience the redeeming power of God’s Love and forgiveness.

Christians choose to do something specifically during LENT that helps them refocus their relationship with God. Historically, it has been to give up or fast from specific things such as caffeine, alcohol, or sweets. Others give up or fast from specific activity like refraining from social media or watching TV. The idea is to abstain from these subtle but powerful influences in our lives in order to be less distracted and able to give full attention in the spiritual journey. Many Christians “take on” a spiritual practice other than fasting like reading scripture, doing yoga as meditation, praying fat a fixed time each day, participating in a mission project or doing one intentional act of kindness each day for somebody else.

Whatever you decide to do during this year’s season of LENT, may your faith be strengthened in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! May LENTEN blessing abound!

Children and youth news

PINE NEEDLE SALE!

 SATURDAY, MARCH 9 & 16
 PRICE: $5.00 PER BALE
$15.00 DELIVERY FEE (NO FEE FOR MEMBERS)
 MINIMUM ORDER OF 15 BALES FOR DELIVERY





A Note from the Finance Committee

God’s people faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. – 2 Chronicles 31:12 

Thank you for your continued support of our church through your financial giving, prayers and gifts of time and talent.

“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”  ~Max Lucado 

Thank you, 

Risa, Chair
Wanda
Harriett
Ray
Elaine George J Jimmy

Adult Education

We are in the process of reviewing and updating our Church Directory. This is no easy task and will take months to complete. There are members in the directory that have moved or no longer attend services. Once we compose a letter, with approval from the Session, those families will receive a letter requesting their status as related to New Hope Presbyterian Church. We value the membership of all members, and we are just trying to get an accurate listing of members, active and inactive, as well as those non-members that would like to remain in the directory. Once this is accomplished, and again this is a process, we want to have a pictorial directory. We may be reaching out to you to supply some current addresses of family members to help us complete this process.

The Adult Sunday School class has chosen another study from our Church Library. Please join us as we study “Think Act Believe Like Jesus”. We have several leaders who continue to make our study interesting and enjoyable as well as enriching our spiritual growth. No age limit on our class. All are Welcome!

The American Red Cross blood drive was Tuesday, January 30th from 2:30pm-7:00pm. We are off to an amazing start. Our goal, set by the Red Cross was 50 pints and we had 50 donors signed up. If everyone shows up and we have some walk-ins we will more than reach our goal. There is a CRITICAL need for blood right now and this is a chance for YOU to save lives. Thank you to all those who donated their time to help with this very worthy cause. We have two more scheduled blood drives in 2024, May 28th and October 8th. A BIG thank you to those who continue to volunteer their time and help at the blood drive by calling donors or working on the date of the blood drive: Carolyn Robbins, Tanya Awbrey, Rose Mary Smith, Carmen Walser, Wanda Adams, Harriet Keller and Martha Stowe. I appreciate you giving of your time for this worthy cause.     

In March we have confirmed a concert by The Sonrise Band. The concert will be a family event. Stay tuned for a definite date. We are working around other events already on the church calendar.             

Sunday School is going strong! As a reminder start time is 9:45 a.m. If you are not currently attending Sunday School please join in one of our classes! The parlor class or“Gen X” class would both welcome your company! A note from the adult education committee

“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:4 

A NOTE FROM THE SERVICE COMMITTEE

Crisis Assistance Ministries
Crisis Assistance Ministries Congratulations! We collected 32 bags of groceries for CAM 1/14. Great job!!         

Second Semester School Supplies

Sunday, January 28th , we took up an offering for second semester school supplies for New Hope Elementary. We received $389.53 from church and $375.00 from community donations for a total of $764.53 which will turn into many, many school supplies. Thank you for your generosity!


Back Pack Program
Thanks to Edwin Lewis, Amanda Cummings and Ashley Faulkner for their continued dedication to the Back Pack Program. This program insures that children at New Hope Elementary have food over the weekend. Christ himself spent much of his ministry on earth feeding the hungry. Edwin, Ashley and Amanda continue in the tradition of the Lord.                            

Transportation
Thanks to Barbara, Jean and Carmen. These ladies have provided transportation on seven different occasions. The recipient has been a widow with no living relatives, who can not drive.
This kind of help is the love of Christ in action.

NEWS FROM PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Dates to remember:

Circle # 3 will meet Monday, February 5th at 7:00 pm in the parlor.

Morning Circle will meet Tuesday, February 6th at 10:00 am

Preschool News

The NHPC preschool is moving right along. The Bible story for this month is David and Goliath. The Bible verse is “A friend loves at all times” Proverbs 17:17 The nursery rhyme is Jack and Jill, the color pink, and the shape is heart! Many special days to be celebrated such as Red, White, and Blue Day, Valentine’s, and wear pink day.