This week at Hope 9/20/2021

Yesterday in worship we observed the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost and focused on the passage from James 3-4 that highlights the contrast between pride and humility. Here is a review of the key insights on the perils of pride:

• Pride destroys; Humility builds
• Pride is concerned with who is right; Humility is concerned with what is right
• Pride makes us artificial; Humility makes us real 
• Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less
• Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all

Our Lord Jesus is the most humble person who ever lived. He demonstrated the utmost humility in giving up His heavenly status to come to earth and submit to death for us. In every way, Jesus was always directed to the other, seeking to build and foster and develop and empower and direct us to the higher and greater good. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

The Altar Flowers yesterday were provided by John Pace and family in loving memory of wife Dee, who would have turned 91 on September 18. Glory to God for the resurrection to come!

Sunday Discipleship class with the study of Galatians is proving to be quite stimulating. Come join the discussion this Sunday at 10:30 in Friendship Hall.

Hope Men’s Group—Come join your amigos at Tres Amigos this Tuesday. Some start showing up at 5:00 pm. We usually finish up between 6:30 and 7:00. This monthly meeting is sure to provide good encouragement to you!

The Ladies of LWML are gathering This Tuesday at 5:30 pm at the church. A new season is beginning—a great time to join this lovely group for vital mission work.

Wednesday evening BUMP re-starts this week. We will meet in Hope Harbor at 6:00 pm for fellowship meal, then go on to study at 6:30, and conclude with prayer by 7:30. A couple more companion books—Fearless–are still available. Let me know if you want to participate.

Hope is partnering with Education Connection to build relationships with our neighbors at Blanton Elementary. To start, this will involve volunteers reading for 30 minutes a week with third graders. Can you spare a half-hour to help transform the lives of two children? A half-dozen members have already signed up to do it, and you can join them. Fill out a response card at church and give it to Carl Repp so that your participation can happen.

Hey Ladies—you are invited to join the Celebration of August and September Birthdays next Wednesday, Sept. 29, 11:30 am at LUBY’s. This is always a good time!

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—Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29; James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50.

Birthdays—9/21 Lee Roy Schilling, Mark Martin; 9/22 Sherry Wende

Anniversaries—9/22 Gene & Amy Swanks

“Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.” Mark 9

Be Bold! 

Pastor Heckmann