Happy Valentine's Day

"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

Jeremiah 31:3

I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations...

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Psalm 108:3-4

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.

Psalm 145:8

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4-5

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

Anybody up for a work day?

I was just looking at the weather forecast, and the next several days look dry and (relatively) warm! That includes Saturday, so I've decided to have my own little work day at the church to clean up our shabby "back yard" on 4th Street.

If you'd like to join me, I plan to be there 10:00-12:00 on Saturday morning. I have a few garden tools, but I don't have a pick-up truck or any place to take yard debris, so if you have access to these that would be helpful!

There are weeds to pull, bushes to trim, leaves to rake, and sidewalks to scrub/power wash. Dewey's been talking about God's gifts to us to serve His church, so here's a practical way put that into action! Hope to see you there!

Just one of the reasons I don't go ice fishing

Easter Choir!

While we met at the Senior Center, it just wasn't logistically possible to do any choir things, but now that we're in our new place we've got the space on Sunday morning and a place to rehearse during the week! So, we'll be having our first ever Easter Choir at New Hope, and I hope lots of you will participate!

There are just four rehearsals on Wednesday evenings right after Awana, 7:35-8:30 p.m., on February 27, March 5, 12 and 19. (We may have an additional sound check/rehearsal after our Good Friday Service on March 21st, but we'll see how the month goes).

There are no auditions, so if you can carry a tune jump on in. The choir is for anyone High School age and above (mature middle schoolers may audition with me).

I've got a couple really good songs to work on, and I know we have a lot of singers in our fellowship. We'll be up front for three Sundays, March 9, 16, 23.

If you have any questions, give me a call at (503) 472-1144 or email me. Hope to see you there!

Aaaaah!!!

Just say no!

Sunday Morning Gathering

We enjoyed another great Sunday together yesterday (some might even describe it as "super")! Dewey's introduction to spiritual gifts encouraged us that God has given each of us a special way to serve His church. Our corporate worship was sweet as we praised God for His greatness, pledged to honor Him in good times and bad, and sought to be his servants. And the ladies who went on the retreat this weekend formed an ad hoc women's choir and blessed us with one of the rounds they learned.

I counted 178 people in church yesterday, and we have visitors every week! I hope and pray that everyone who comes on Sunday, whether they have been with us since October 2006 or they've just joined us for the first time, will connect with God and with each other in a meaningful way. I look forward to meeting again next week!

Women's Retreat

The ladies had a fun retreat this weekend at Aldersgate Conference Center in Turner. They enjoyed games, skits, teaching, a make-over, manicures, good food and lots of fellowship! There are lots more pictures on our web site. Just go the Photos menu button, and then click on the two gallery links titled Women's Retreat - February 2008.