MAY 2015
Being a Faithful Follower
Children‟s Ministry ........................5 Adult Ministry..................................3 Music Ministry.................................6 Administration ................................2
Rev. Steve Norden · norden@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445 “Where is God leading me? How can I know what God wants me to do? Can I be sure of God‟s call in my life?” These are some of the questions that I have
Fellowship .........................................7
heard others ask recently as they seek to listen to and faithfully follow God.
Outreach............................................8
These are also the questions that I have asked throughout my life of following
Preschool ..........................................6
Jesus. I remember asking these questions in a very focused and immediate way some 30 plus years ago. My life had gone from relative homeostasis to disequilibrium when I was asked by the Reformed Church in America to be the pastor of a new congregation, what today is New Hope Church. As soon as I received that call, other opportunities arose that led me to probe deeply what God was asking me to do. I had a very comfortable and exciting position on the staff of a large church in Kalamazoo, MI. Several members of that congregation wrote me advising that I was too “good” to be the pastor of a church that did not exist. If I would just hang on, I would get a prestigious pastorate in one of the “plum” churches of the Reformed Church in America. My Dad wrote, “Don‟t expect a hand engraved invitation from God.”
I didn‟t and God didn‟t extend one.
Dr. Robert H. Schuller, pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, wrote, “I‟m convinced that some of America‟s greatest churches have yet to be built! „Without faith it is
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impossible to please God.‟ ” (Hebrews 11:6) Those were not easy days and the answers to my questions did not come easily. In this perplexing life of faith, how do we know what God is calling us to do and where God is leading us? While there are no easy answers to these questions, I offer some guidelines that I‟ve found helpful. First, consider how God has worked in your past. Experience has taught me that very rarely will God lead us in ways that are inconsistent with where God has led in our prior experience. See page 5
God shapes us over a lifetime, step by step. I also encourage us to search the scriptures. By this I do not mean that we will
4739 W. Powell Rd.
find in the Bible the answers to every question that we ask. Nevertheless, as we
Powell, Ohio 43065
read God‟s word we will discover principles that will guide us and lead us. If you
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conclude that God is leading you in a way that seems contrary to what God has
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revealed in scripture, I would encourage you to search more deeply.
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(continued on next page) MISSION OF NEW HOPE CHURCH:
To Reach People for Christ · To Root People in Christ · To Release People to Serve Christ
Being a Faithful Follower (continued) Rev. Steve Norden · norden@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445
Occasionally I will hear someone say, “God told me” or “God gave me a sign.” At the risk of upsetting the apple cart of faith, I take a rather dim view of private revelations. Instead, I‟m of the opinion that God guides us through the counsel of spiritually mature, trusted friends. These are people who are people of prayer and who are immersed in the scriptures. They have walked with God for years and have paid attention to the way God has worked in their lives. Most important, they have the spiritual courage to tell us, not what we want to hear but what we need to hear. I believe without equivocation that God guides and leads us today even as He has led the saints of old. Paul‟s words to his friends in Ephesus still speak today: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
Administration and Finance Phil Thompson, Church Administrator · thompson@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445 x37
Hello everyone! I‟m Phil Thompson, the new Church Administrator. I am excited about my opportunity to serve the Lord here at New Hope. My wife Cindy and I have been married 47 years and have three sons who live in the area. God has also blessed us with eight wonderful grandchildren. I have reviewed the Generosity Audit performed several weeks ago and look forward to implementing some of those recommendations. We are looking at providing alternative means of giving to the congregation as well. March 2015
Year to Date
Budget
Actual
%
Budget
Actual
%
Income
$73,988
$89,107
121%
$221,964
$237,651
108%
Expenses
$82,480
$92,893
113%
$247,439
$239,111
97%
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Adult Ministry Rev. Sarah Palsma · palsma@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445 x15 · NewHopeWorship.com/Adults
The Journey Have you ever wondered, “Who am I? Who is God? What is God desiring to do through me?” Are you looking for a way to grow in your spiritual walk with Jesus Christ? Whether you have walked with Jesus for many years or you are just taking the first steps on your faith journey, I want to invite you to come on this journey of discipleship. The Journey is a life-changing set of experiences and relationships that will invite you to explore questions of intimacy with God, identity as God‟s loved children, and unique kingdom responsibility in the world. This is no ordinary Bible study. This is a transformational journey. The Journey will involve a commitment of:
A weekly two hour gathering (September through March)
Regular study, reflection, Bible reading, and prayer
Monthly meetings with a spiritual friend (mentor) who is willing to walk with you during this journey
A financial commitment of $235 (Scholarships are available)
On Sunday, May 3, Harriet Miller, Wen-Shing Liaw, and Terry Geist will share how this program has deepened their walk with God. They will also encourage you to prayerfully consider taking The Journey as well. You will be able to watch their testimonials online. A new Journey group will begin this fall and will meet on Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM led by Terry Geist and Becky Fontanarosa. If you would like to know more about the program or have any questions please contact Pastor Sarah.
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Adult Ministry Rev. Sarah Palsma · palsma@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445 x15 · NewHopeWorship.com/Adults
Women’s Bible Studies JEREMIAH: DARING TO HOPE IN AN UNSTABLE WORLD Mondays at 7:00PM, April 6 through May 11 Facilitated by Denise Loftus and Terry Geist Thursdays at 9:30AM, April 9 through May 14 (Nursery Care available) Facilitated by Bonnie Fussner, Cheryl Vornbrock, and Michele Worthington In many ways we live in an unstable world where marriages fail, bank accounts run low, friendships end, and the everyday demands of a fast-paced life get us down. In the Book of Jeremiah, we find God calling out to His people with a message of hope – a message that intentional living is possible even in an unstable world. Jeremiah offers women hope for living in an uncertain world by learning to navigate the challenges and circumstances of their lives. This study inspires all women to dare to hope, remembering that God is rich in mercy and love and has good plans for us. TRANSFORMED WOMEN IN THE BIBLE Wednesdays at 12:30PM, April 8 through May 13 Facilitated by Pastor Sarah In a culture where women were despised at worst and ignored at best, Jesus valued women. Come meet some amazing women in the New Testament who spent time with Jesus. We‟ll meet women who faced tragic and trying circumstances, women who made questionable decisions, and women who found God faithful and true to his word. In short, we‟ll meet sisters in faith who faced the same struggles we face. As we hear their stories we will experience the transforming touch of God‟s love.
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Children’s Ministry Josh Barna, Director · barna@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445 x13 · NewHopeWorship.com/Children
Sunday School In April most of our classes learned how Jesus is with them always! We studied how the resurrected Jesus gives us hope and how, since he has gone to heaven, we have been given the Holy Spirit. Sunday School ends on May 10, as we switch to our Summer Schedule. Please take the time to thank your children‟s teachers and shepherds for their time and effort in relating the truth of God‟s Word to the Sunday School students this year.
Club 45 In April, Club 45 met at the church to prepare care packages for trafficked individuals. This was part of the church‟s overall efforts during the All Church Outreach Event. In May, Club 45 will be planting the Garden of Hope, which provides produce for a local food bank.
Sports Camp This year‟s Sports Camp will take place Monday, June 8 through Friday, June 12 from 6:30PM to 8:00PM each night. We will have local athletes come and tell us how their relationship with God has influenced or made a difference in their careers.
The Sports
Campers will play golf, football/cheerleading, track and field, and basketball, and conclude their week by celebrating with the medal ceremony and a tailgate with their whole family on Friday. You can sign up online at NewHopeWorship.com/SportsCamp. Cost is $30 per child. Sign up before May 31 to guarantee your child gets a t-shirt, and to avoid late registration fees!
New Summer Program This summer during the Sunday morning worship service, 3 year olds through rising 5th graders will have the opportunity to participate in a new program. After the children's sermon, the preschoolers will have their own program designed to encourage them to learn about God in an age appropriate and exciting fashion, while the Kindergartners through rising 5th graders will go to the Fellowship Hall to participate in the new Orange program. Orange curriculum incorporates both large group and small group components in interesting and relevant ways that teach kids lessons about who God is, and based on that, how they should act. Each week includes skits, experiments, and small group questions that will help your child understand his or her place in this world and how they can glorify God in that place. 5
New Hope Preschool Lynn Riley, Director · preschool@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.2446 · NewHopePreschool.com
We have been having so much fun at New Hope Preschool! Easter is always exciting for the children at New Hope. Many of the preschool students attend the Easter Egg Hunt; thanks to Josh Barna and all the volunteers who made it so successful! During the month of April we had Spring Break, Parent Teacher Conferences, and a fun trip to Highbanks Metro Park. May is an exciting month for all of us as our year comes to an end. It is hard to believe the year is almost over. We are all sorry to see it come to an end, but have enjoyed watching the children grow and learn. I am thrilled to announce that we will have over 200 children again next year. I am so blessed to be able to reach out to so many children in the community and provide them with a Christian based preschool program. The last day of preschool for this year is May 15 and we will begin next year on September 2. Thank you for your continued support of the preschool.
Music Ministry Christine Loy, Director · loy@NewHopeWorship.com · 614.766.5445 x14 · NewHopeWorship.com/Music
Join Larry, Ellen, Calvin, and Emma Griffin as they perform music from all genres, from Broadway to Jazz to Opera on Saturday, May 16 at 4:00PM at New Hope Church. This year's special guest choir will be an alumni chorale comprised of Larry's former students from Washington Court House High School (1983-1991) and Worthington Kilbourne High School (1991-2013). Admission is free...no ticket required! A freewill offering will benefit Capriccio Columbus, The Jane Griffin Fund of the Columbus Foundation, and A Special Wish Foundation. 6
Fellowship Mindy Stanton, Team Leader · NewHopeWorship.com/Fellowship
Progressive Dinner Don‟t miss our Progressive Dinner on Saturday, July 11! If you haven‟t experienced a progressive dinner before, it‟s a fun evening where you get together with friends and enjoy appetizers at one home, dinner at another, and dessert at a third. Hosts are needed! Please contact Mindy Stanton at mstanton@meadenmoore.com or 614.848.8494 if you‟d like to be a host or if you have questions. 7
Outreach Walt Buss, Team Leader ¡ NewHopeWorship.com/Outreach
Kairos Prison Ministry Retreat Update By Deborah Davidson The Kairos Prison Ministry is an international program that seeks to transform the lives of prison inmates and their communities for Christ, beginning with an intense weekend retreat experience for a group of inmates. The weekend event is supported by a very large team of volunteers who provide meals, prayers, encouragement, leadership, and love. A few of our church members had the opportunity to be part of the most recent Kairos retreat closing ceremony along with 42 inmates (selected from over 500 applicants) at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. We were really blessed to be present with these sisters in Christ as they shared their experiences in coming to know the love of Christ. Nearly every one of the participants stood up to share her own experiences from the weekend, as each came to know Christ in a deeply personal way. Some had accepted Christ as Lord for the first time, and a few spoke of finally knowing freedom. Martha Whittington commented, “It was inspiring to hear how many of the women felt they had gained freedom in Christ, in spite of remaining physically incarcerated.� The boldness and enthusiasm the women demonstrated as they spoke of their life in Christ was really inspiring for us. The women expressed appreciation for the many cookies baked for them by church members, and they enjoyed the placemats made for them by the 4th and 5th Grade Sunday School class. These women have come to faith and realize their need for the Savior, yet they also realize that it will not be easy to stay on the path to everlasting life, especially given the place where they reside. Their testimonies of coming to faith and desires for the future are the same as ours. This type of recognition paints a great picture of what is possible in our relationship with God and with our neighbor. The weekend retreat is only the start of the program for these women. We think of them now and wonder how they are doing, settling back into their lives within the prison, and we pray that they will continue to be bold in sharing the love of God to those around them. And we pray for the entire Kairos community that lives in Christ's freedom, even behind the razor wire. For more information on the Kairos Prison Ministry, including Kairos Outside for women who have a loved one in prison, and Kairos Torch for incarcerated young men under the age of 21, contact Deborah Davidson or visit KairosOhio.org.
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Outreach Walt Buss, Team Leader 路 NewHopeWorship.com/Outreach
Habitat for Humanity Golf Outing Golfers, would you like to golf and have fun while helping others in need? As a proud partner of Habitat for Humanity, New Hope will host its Annual Habitat for Humanity Golf Outing on Saturday, June 20 at the Timberview Golf Club in Marysville, Ohio.
The four
person scramble will begin with a shotgun start at 2:30PM. Cost per player is $75, which includes greens fees, a riding cart, food, a skins game, a 50/50 raffle, on-course contests, and a prize drawing. Everyone will get a prize! To sign up, or to sponsor a hole, please contact Dave Summers at dsummers@perlmortgage.com or 614.595.5598.
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New Hope Church Calendar NewHopeWorship.com/Calendar
Saturday, May 2
Thursday, May 14
11:00AM Ladies Tea
9:30AM Women‟s Bible Study
Sunday, May 3
6:15PM Band Rehearsal
9:30AM Contemporary Worship
7:30PM Choir Rehearsal
9:30AM Children‟s Sunday School
7:30PM AA 12 step meeting
9:30AM Middle School Sunday School
Saturday, May 16
9:30AM Adult Sunday School 10:45AM Adult Sunday School
4:00PM Griffin Family Concert Sunday, May 17
11:00AM Traditional Worship 11:00AM High School Sunday School
10:00AM Combined Worship Monday, May 18
5:15PM Middle School Youth Group
7:00PM Women‟s Bible Study
7:00PM High School Youth Group
7:00PM Outreach Team Meeting
Monday, May 4
Thursday, May 21
7:00PM Women‟s Bible Study
9:30AM Women‟s Bible Study
Wednesday, May 6
6:15PM Band Rehearsal
12:30PM Women‟s Bible Study
7:30PM Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, May 7 9:30AM Women‟s Bible Study
7:30PM AA 12 step meeting Sunday, May 24
7:30PM AA 12 step meeting Sunday, May 10
10:00AM Combined Worship Tuesday, May 26
9:30AM Contemporary Worship 9:30AM Children‟s Sunday School
7:00PM Adult Ministry Team Meeting Thursday, May 28
9:30AM Middle School Sunday School 9:30AM Adult Sunday School
7:30PM AA 12 step meeting Sunday, May 31
10:45AM Adult Sunday School
10:00AM Combined Worship
11:00AM Traditional Worship
11:00AM Pancake Breakfast
11:00AM High School Sunday School 5:15PM Middle School Youth Group 7:00PM High School Youth Group Monday, May 11 7:00PM Women‟s Bible Study 7:00PM Endowment Fund Meeting 7:15PM Preschool Board Meeting Tuesday, May 12 12:00PM Senior Sages Luncheon 6:00PM Deacon and Elder Meetings 7:30PM Consistory Meeting Wednesday, May 13 12:30PM Women‟s Bible Study
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Contact Us
4739 W. Powell Rd. Powell, OH 43065 614.766.5445 NewHopeWorship.com Facebook.com/NewHopePowell Twitter.com/NewHopePowell
Summer Worship Schedule Combined Worship Service 10:00AM May 17 through September 6 Rev. Stephen M. Norden, Senior Pastor
Holly McDonald, Accompanist
614.766.5445 · norden@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.5445 · mcdonald@NewHopeWorship.com
Rev. Sarah Palsma, Associate Pastor
Christine Loy, Director of Music
614.766.5445 x15 · palsma@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.5445 x14 · loy@NewHopeWorship.com
Joshua Barna, Director of Children’s Ministry
Becky Pinney, Staff Accountant
614.766.5445 x13 · barna@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.5445 · accountant@NewHopeWorship.com
Bob Cline, Director of Youth Ministry
Lynn Riley, New Hope Preschool Director
614.766.5445 · cline@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.2446 · preschool@NewHopeWorship.com
Connor Curfman, Tech Coordinator
Phil Thompson, Church Administrator
614.766.5445 · tech@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.5445 x37 · thompson@NewHopeWorship.com
Nancy Green, Office Administrator
Lara Valentine, Children’s Choir Director
614.766.5445 x10 · office@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.5445 · valentine@NewHopeWorship.com
Gail Headlee, Communications Coordinator
Stephanie Vermeer, Children’s Program Associate
614.766.5445 · webmaster@NewHopeWorship.com
614.766.5445 · vermeer@NewHopeWorship.com
Do You Have Information To Share With New Hope? Contributions to the Sharing the Faith Newsletter are welcomed! Please submit articles to newsletter@NewHopeWorship.com. Deadline for the June newsletter is May 20.
Keep Your Subscription Up To Date! Change of address? Call 614.766.5445 or email office@NewHopeWorship.com. Switch to email delivery? Visit NewHopeWorship.com/Newsletter and click on Subscribe. 11