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Upcoming Events… Sat. (8/26) – Community Garage Sale 9a

Sun. (8/27) - 10:00a – Worship & Café

Symphony 2p

Looking Ahead

Sun. (9/10) – Lunch for Evan Goranson

Fri. (9/15) – Personal Care Pantry 4p-6p

Women of Hope 6:30p

Sat. (9/16) – Men’s Breakfast 8a OP Denny’s

One Lord, One Savior

This Sunday we will return to our series on

Colossians. We will focus on Colossians 2:6-

15.

August 24, 2017

Garage Sale

You know you have some things that could be

sold at our garage sale. Take a look around the

house or garage, price your items, and bring

them to church by Friday, priced. Not only

will you be freeing up some space around

your home, you will also be helping our HS

students attend CHIC next summer. Less

clutter plus an investment in the lives of our

students. Win, win.

Colossians

Through September will be studying the book

of Colossians. Consider reading ahead each

week in preparation for Sunday.

August 27th Colossians 2:6-15 "One Lord,

One Savior"

September 3rd Colossians 2: 16-23, "We are

Free"

September 10th, Colossians 3:1-4 "Resurrection

Power"

September 17th, Colossians 3: 12-17, "The New

You"

Sunday October 24th, Colossians 3:18-4:16

"A Transformed Community"

Get to know our school

supply recipients:

This year our school supply collection will

meet the needs of up to 15 young ladies

(7th/8th graders) who voluntarily participate

in a girls "After-school Mentoring Program"

designed to enhance the scope of possible

career choices for girls at-risk through

mentoring and educational activities. These

young ladies meet monthly with mentors and

participate in a Career Conference hosted at

Hope Covenant Church every spring. If you

are interested in working with the group as a

guest speaker or have career/life skills advice

to share, contact Heather at

swede726@gmail.com.

Our goal is to provide 15 backpacks/bags with

general school supplies and a personal care kit

(hygiene items). Any middle school type

supplies are welcome, but use the list below as

a guide.

Earbud headphones (they are required for

school)

1” binder notebook paper

graph paper pencils/pens

highlighters index cards

pencil sharpener colored pencils

spiral or composition notebooks

Women of Hope We will be meeting at 6:30 - 8:00 pm on

September 15th for prayer and Bible study.

Check the bookshelf Ministry Board for full

details.

Serving This Week

Nursery: Karen Bergstrom

Preschool Table: Parent Led

Café: Marilyn Cokely, Lisa Dailey, Kelly

Ipema & Heather Johnson

Men’s Breakfast

The men will meet for breakfast, Saturday,

September 16th at 8:00 a.m. at Denny's Orland

Park.

Women’s Fall Fellowship Registration forms are in for the annual

WMCC Women's Fall Fellowship Retreat at

Covenant Harbor. Stop by the WOH ministry

board or see Kenya for materials.

Vacationing?

First of all, be safe; second, you are missed.

Even while you are away we want you to be

able to hear the message from the pulpit. Go to

www.orlandhope.org and find “sermons.”

Listen from your desktop, laptop, ipad, or

your smart phone.

Prayers Please continue to pray for our members

hospitalized and/or struggling with health

issues. Notably, Bob Paxton and Chuck

McMillan.

Also keep our college students in your

thoughts and prayers.

Personal Care Pantry

The pantry will be open to pre-screened clients

of Love, INC Friday, September 15th from 4-6

p.m.

We are in great need of laundry detergent and

toilet paper. Toilet paper in 4 packs are the

best for distribution purposes.

Time to Celebrate

Sunday, September 10th following worship we

will celebrate Evan’s service with us. Chicken

will be provided. We ask that you bring the

following items based on your last name.

A-D Salads

E-K Side dish

M-N Drinks

R-S Sides

T-W Bread

Words from Evan

A tree of ours blew down in a wicked thunderstorm a few weeks ago; an American Redbud. We planted

this particular tree when we purchased our home, little more than a stick that arrived in the mail with a few

other varieties. The first two or three years it died back to the roots every winter. I had little hope.

Eventually, it strengthened, and began to grow. I did not trim it properly and it developed several trunks

instead of one strong one. It was beautiful anyway in the way it expanded in every direction, reaching I

suppose twenty feet or so.

After the storm, one trunk remained, tilted at a twenty degree angle. I thought about cutting it down and

getting it over with, after all, it has many scars and wounds from the trauma of the storm. I did not. Instead

I filled a gaping hole with river stones, dumped a bag of miracle grow on top of that, and finished it off

with a bag of mulch. The first few days it looked kind of sick, but then perked up. I believe this tree will

live.

The will to live, and the tendency of all things toward self preservation is strong. Most of us know

someone who has experienced some disaster in their lives and managed to live to tell about it. Other times,

when we are dealing with difficulties in our lives, or challenges in the lives of people we care about, it is

tempting to just give up. In such times it is important to remember the significance of our roots.

experiencing christ growing in community serving compassionately

Words from Evan (cont.)

For people of faith our roots include our grounding in God’s Word, our inclusion in a sacred community

and the influence and availability of family and friends who share our beliefs and values. We learn the

importance of such things usually in the worst of times, when life is at its darkest. The Psalmist writes: “I

sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (34:4) It is easy to see the

progression in this verse: “sought…heard…delivered.”

If life is difficult for you today, turn again to the Lord, and open your heart to him. Ask him for help, seek

his forgiveness, and receive his grace. It is truly astonishing that the Lord of all Creation hears even our

weakest attempts at prayer. He does not shun us because we have been disconnected, or have followed our

own path. Instead, like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, he runs down the path to meet us as

soon as we take those first steps toward home. He hears the cry of our hearts. Be assured that he can deliver

us, transform us, in ways we can barely imagine. The strong presence of his Spirit inhabits every believer,

setting the course of our lives straight again, tuning us to his perfect purpose and will.

Today, no matter what you have been through or are facing in this moment, He is, right now, your

Savior. Let the roots of your broken life be nourished again by his presence. A new season in your life can

bring new growth, and the scars of today will become only another chapter in the amazing story of you.