This week at Hope 8/30/2021

Yesterday in worship we observed the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost and heard strong words from Jesus on how to attain true holiness before God. We strive for the appearance of holiness through religious rituals and outward observances, but those don’t clean us up on the inside. And as our Lord says, “It is from the inside, from the human heart, that evil thoughts come…and contaminate a person in God’s sight.” So we need the Holy Spirit to go to work on our hearts, to take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh turned to God. We need Jesus to take residence in our hearts, providing His holiness to us and presenting us to God without blemish or defect. Only Christ can free us from the demands and obligations that convict us. Only Christ can free us to live in true holiness that is the gift of God.

There are still a few seats left for our next Sunday Adult Discipleship class. The Epistle of James is calling us to action to put our faith to work.

Hope Book Club is undertaking Tolkien’s The Hobbit this Wednesday in Hope Harbor. You have two days to get reading and join in the discussion.

Put these events on your calendar—you won’t want to miss out! Fall Fellowship lunch—Wednesday, September 8; The return of BUMP—Wednesday, September 22.

New Opportunity—Hope is pursuing involvement with Education Connection for service at Blanton Elementary. Plans are still in development; the first opportunity open to you will be reading for 30 minutes a week with third graders. Be on the lookout for more details.

The Lord has supplied each of us generously with daily provision. I encourage you to make regular and faithful Offerings at Hope in faith and gratitude for God’s loving care. Here are three ways to do that:

•          In-person at the offering plate;

•          On the church website by the Give with Us button;

•          Through the Vanco mobile app GivePlus.

Scripture readings for next Sunday—Isaiah 35:4-7a; James 1:1-10, 14-18; Mark 7:31-37.

Birthdays—9/3 Katie Jo Galloway; 9/4 Jason Galloway

Anniversaries—

“Pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand.” Ephesians 6

Be Bold! 

Pastor Heckmann