Recordings from yesterday

We had another great time of worship yesterday. Dewey is always a top-rate teacher, but I thought yesterday was especially challenging and inspiring! If you missed it, I hope you'll take time to hear it online. It was a great reminder to pursue right choices. Plus, we learned a special 16-word message on how to live the victorious Christian life, sixteen words to move us closer to God (how's that for a teaser?).

Steve Myers, our faithful sound man, also got a nice recording of My Soul Finds Rest, one of the new songs we've learned this month. You can find this recording and many others on our Sermons, Etc. downloads page. Enjoy!

Gets great mileage!

Of course, you'll want to make extra sure that the exhaust system is in good working order.

Work day update

We sent some pictures of our landscaping work to the Lees, our landlord, and they sent back the following reply:

Dear Tom,

Looks like you people did a good job!

Thanks!

Scott Lee

So we say "thanks" again to all who helped out the other day!

Blessed are those...

...who come to worship at New Hope on Sunday mornings!

This is just one man's opinion, but I think we've been on a roll these last few weeks in our worship services. Our worship times have been sweet and the teaching has been a feast for the mind! Some of you may be catching Dewey's great messages online, but I tell you, you're missing out if you're not here with us in person!

Speaking of online, I've got Dewey's sermon about "Blessed are the meek" up on the website already, so give it a listen if you missed it. We're hearing now about "the Beatitudes" from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, and Dewey always has a unique take on these familiar phrases.

Also on the Sermons, Etc. page are a couple new musical recordings. The Lord Reigns is a new song we've been singing, and I have Anne Muehleck's rendition of Blessed Are to go along with our beatitudes theme. Listen for free on our great website!

Avast!

I've just been made aware that September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day! Arrr!

So if you've been looking for an excuse to use terms like avast, grog, lubber and smartly me lass, this is it!

And here's a pirate joke for you to enjoy:

A seaman meets a pirate in a bar, and talk turns to their adventures on the sea. The seaman notes that the pirate has a peg-leg, a hook, and an eye patch.

The seaman asks, "So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?" The pirate replies, "We were in a storm at sea, and I was swept overboard into a school of sharks. Just as me men were pullin' me out, a shark bit me leg off."

"Wow!" said the seaman. "What about your hook"? "Well", replied the pirate, "We were boardin' an enemy ship and were battlin' the other sailors with swords. One of the scallywags cut off me hand."

"Incredible!" remarked the seaman. "How did you get the eye patch"? "A seagull droppin' fell into me eye," replied the pirate.

Puzzled, the sailor asked, "You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?"

"Well," said the pirate, "it was me first day with the hook."

Opening Night at Awana!

We had our opening night for Awana Club last night. I counted over 30 kids there, and they enjoyed games, big slices of watermelon, singing, and a lesson from Jesus' parable about the Sower and the Seeds.

Next week is Scavenger Hunt Night, and if you know any kids ages preschool through 5th grade, bring them along at 6:00 p.m. next Wednesday night!

Two worship services

We had two great worship services at New Hope this weekend!

The first was on Saturday, when about 20 people came and worked hard to serve Jesus' church by weeding and trimming up a storm all over our leased property. It's so good to see these servant hearts giving up some hours on a hot Saturday to help make our property beautiful and save us some rent money. It's a real act of worship, and I believe God was pleased by it!

Of course, our second worship service was this morning, and was also God-honoring. There are plenty of our folks still away travelling during the nice weather, and I'm really sorry they missed our worship gathering today. We shared in communion, rejoiced in our God who "reigns" and is "crowned Lord of all," and were challenged by God's Word. What a great morning! I'll be uploading some recordings this week if you missed it or you want to experience them again.

Here are some pictures from our Saturday service...

Repko fought the battle of Kirby Street

This week Repko Bruinsma (with help from Al Vossler) tackled our wall demolition job! So starting this Sunday we'll have more room for worshipers in our worship service. It's an exciting way to kick off the fall!

Landscaping for Jesus!

We'll be having an all-church work day on Saturday, September 13th.

In signing our new building lease, we worked out a deal to save several hundred dollars by cleaning up the landscaping for the whole property here. So we'll be cutting back lots of ivy, pulling weeds, trimming bushes, etc.

It's an opportunity to serve Christ and our local fellowship in a practical way! Stay tuned for more details on time and tools!

Linfield classes begin today

I suggested yesterday you could pray for our kids who were starting their new school year. Well, today Linfield students begin the fall term!

So, collegians, God bless you this semester in your studies and the other life lessons He has for you in the next few months. I pray that you'll learn lots and that you won't get behind (like I always did)!

And New Hope family, pray for our college students. I hope we'll be an encouragement to them in their studies and, more importantly, in their relationship to the One who gave us our minds and hearts.

New School Year Begins

Well, my daughter headed off on her first day of school today (2nd grade at Grandhaven Elementary) along with thousands of other area students! Why not say a quick prayer today for our New Hope kids who are embarking on a new school year?

Pray that our students will learn the academic, social and spiritual lessons they need. And pray for their parents, too, as they encourage and guide them through the academic year.

We also have several New Hope members who work in the local schools here, so you can pray for them as well!

(And hey, kids, only 283 left until summer vacation!)

Kids Camp Pictures

Yesterday in church we enjoyed a slide show of pictures from Kids Camp. If you missed them, we've got a number of photos up on the website now. Just go to the Photos page and find the two galleries labeled Children's Camp 2008.