9/12/2018 OFFERING IDEA!
Our dear Pastor Pat Large shared this idea with all of us. Taking out a single dollar bill, we notice to the left of George Washington a capital letter in a ring. There are all kinds of letters in that ring-but if you find a capital G, C, or L, please prayerfully consider placing it in the offering plate next time you come to church. The G reminds us of God, the C reminds us of Christ, and the L reminds us of Lord. As stewards of God's good gifts, let's give back to our Lord Jesus Christ in an attitude of joy and thanksgiving!!! What a privilege and blessing it is!!!
9/1/2018 HOPE HOUSE RESPITE CARE AT HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH 14200 Hopewell Ave, Port Charlotte. FL 33981 941-697-2345
At Hope Lutheran Church, our God-given purpose is that we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all. One of the ways we seek to fulfill that purpose is to offer a safe place for socialization and stimulation for those experiencing memory loss. The care-givers of those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia often need a break---a chance to go to a doctor appointment, go shopping, walk on the beach, or just take a nap.
At Hope House, our trained volunteers will provide food, fun and fellowship for our guests. We will have hours available on Tuesdays from 10am-2pm and Saturdays from 1pm-5pm, with worship to follow at 5:30pm for those who wish to join us. Tuesday sessions will provide a simple lunch in addition to games, music and outdoor time, weather permitting. The Saturday session will provide a snack in addition to the games, music and outdoor time. Care, compassion and concern are priorities for us as we seek to provide a safe and enjoyable opportunity for our guests as well as a much-needed rest for those who provide care 24/7.
The suggested donations are the following:
Members of Hope- $10/hour with a minimum of two hours each session attended.
Non-members of Hope- $12.50/hour with a minimum of two hours each session attended.
A phone call to a number provided must be made the day before to ensure adequate volunteer numbers, or care-givers may register the guest at the previous session. The care-giver must provide a phone number where they may be reached at each session to ensure safety. A hold-no-harm form will be signed by all care-givers each session.
Please know that caring for family is an essential part of who we are at Hope Lutheran Church. With Hope House, we seek to provide hope, joy and a bit of rest for those caring for loved ones. We want to make a difference in the community and look forward to spending time laughing, living and loving with those who cannot easily be on their own.
For any questions, please call Pr. Jen Schaefer at 813-391-2027. We will begin offering the sessions on Tuesday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Find hope at Hope House!
8/11/2018 Pastor Jen's SPIRIT BLAST Dear Friends, Please read the following from our faithful treasurer, Alan Birtwhistle. This is an important message for every member of Hope. JUST A REMINDER - we know no one likes to talk about money, but if you pay attention to the stats each week, you will notice that the “amount needed” very rarely is reached. This number is not just an amount pulled out of the air, it is the weekly amount of what it takes to keep the lights and the A/C on. It includes the music you enjoy, the time and supplies for the weekly bulletin and our minister. We have a huge insurance bill, property and employment taxes, just like your home with the recurring monthly bills plus lots more. And just like your house, when we come up short, we need to transfer from our savings. We will not have sufficient reserve funds in our savings to carry us much longer. These reserve funds have helped us make it through the last 2 years. We are exploring other options for income. If you have a great suggestion, let us know. If you would like to see the Financials thru July, they will be posted on the Bulletin Board at Church or you may request a copy from our Church Secretary or me at moc.k1537866557ooltu1537866557o@tri1537866557bnala1537866557l1537866557.
Alan Birtwhistle, Treasurer
Friends and Family of Hope, I respectfully ask that your prayerfully consider your offerings to and through Hope Lutheran Church. We are an important part of this community and the ministry provided here makes a difference in Jesus' name. We want to be able to continue to do this important work as we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ's love with all-but we all need to work together to make it happen. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me or Alan or any of our council members. My love and prayers are with you! Pastor Jen+
8/4/2018 - Pastor Jen's Spirit Blast: Dearest Friends and Family of Hope, I hope and pray that these hot and hazy days of August find you well and getting some refreshing rest-Jesus took time off to recharge and reconnect with his heavenly Father-we need to do the same! Worship can be a brief time to do that, but extended time for pray, and praise, and thanksgiving are also in order to allow you to fill your Spirit and be renewed in energy and faith for the tasks ahead. In planning for the Fall, I just want to share a few upcoming dates so you might mark your calendars well in advance and plan to join us. These are just some brief blurbs-keep your eyes peeled for details as the dates approach!
Thursday October 4 is St. Francis of Assisi Day and in honor of this blessed saint, we are again sharing in a Blessing of the Animals at Hope. Please join us on that day at 6:30pm in the Memorial Garden for the blessing and an opportunity to give thanks to God for the pets and animals of creation who provide us with so much joy and companionship.
Sunday October 28 is Reformation Sunday and in addition to our festival worship, we will be holding an Oktoberfest following worship. Please plan to join us-friends are welcome!
Wednesday October 31 is Halloween and we would like to provide a Trunk and Treat event at Hope in our parking lot. We will have sign-ups in advance. We will also place ads in our community papers to let kids and their parents know they can come and Trick or Treat here. Trunk and Treat is an event where we park in the parking lot, decorate the trunks of our cars with Halloween decorations, and provide treats for the kids who join us. We plan to be here 5-6:30pm. Please plan to sign up and join us and enjoy seeing all the kids as they celebrate in a safe and fun way.
Saturday & Sunday November 3-4 we celebrate All Saints' Day. Special plans for worship are in the making. Please plan to join us!
Advent mid-week worship will take place Wednesdays Dec. 5, 12, and 19 at 6:30pm. Advent-ure 2018 will be Advent: A Journey in Prayer. As Mary pondered all God had done in her life and in the life of the world, we too will explore the gift of prayer including the "What's", "Where's", and "Who's" of prayer. Please plan to join us as we take a breath and pause in the midst of this hectic season to truly ponder and pray to the One who was, who is, and who is to come, the Savior of the world, Emmanuel, God-with-us.
Friday December 21 is Winter Solstice and is also the Longest Night. It is traditional to hold a Blue Christmas liturgy on this evening and we will offer it for the first time at Hope. A Blue Christmas worship is a time for prayer and a coming together for those for whom these days are not so merry and bright due to illness, loss, or any reason one doesn't feel much like celebrating. The holidays are particularly difficult for those feeling this way, and a Blue Christmas worship allows us to quietly and peacefully honor those feelings of sadness and loss as well as giving us a chance to focus on the One who, in the midst of our sadness, can bring us healing and hope. Worship will be at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary-all are welcome.
This is just a clue about upcoming events-there will also be Christmas Caroling at the Veterans' Home, Decorating (Greening) of the Sanctuary, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship, and so much more. Again, keep your eyes peeled for updates!
Please hold our ministry and mission at Hope in your prayers and remember that even if you are away, the bills still keeping coming, so please be regular in your offerings in order for us to continue to be active and working through Hope as the Spirit leads us to serve God and share Christ's love with all people-near and far!
Please know I hold you all in prayer-and ask humbly that you keep me in prayer as well! I love you and will see you in worship! Pastor Jen+
Pastor Jen's Spirit Blast from HOPE 7/10/18 - Dear Hope Lutheran Friends and Family-A blessed Monday to you all! If you are up north, please know that we miss you and love you. If you are travelling, enjoy your time away and as you attend worship, please, if you think of it, bring me back a bulletin-I love seeing how other congregations craft their worship! If you are here-I will see you in worship and greet you in person! You are all in my heart and my prayers! With love in Christ, Pastor Jen
Pastor Jen's Spirit Blast from HOPE 6/25/18 - Good Morning, Hope Lutheran Church Family! We pray all are well and enjoying these hot summer days as the gifts God intends them to be! *The pathway in our Memorial Garden has been paved in concrete in loving memory of our dear brother, Bill Outerbridge! Thanks so much to Roberta and Norm Balint for organizing this! Now EVERYONE can walk the path to the altar and not have to worry about stumbling on the path. It's simply beautiful! A request-if anyone has extra plants-especially Bromeliads-green and colorful leafy plants-or Crotons, etc, please bring them to the garden shed and they will be planted along the walkway sides. Thank you for enhancing the beauty of God's garden at Hope! Please know I love you all and pray for you daily! I will see you in worship! In Christ's love, Pastor Jen
