HOPE REPORTER The Hope Reporter In this Month s Newsletter: New Schedule Outreach Dollars at Work for 2017 Knitting Ministry New Member Class Chili Cook-off Dinner for Six Pastor s Corner Great Expectations This past month, my oldest got a car. Finally at the ripe old age of 19! Do you remember when you got a car? How it seemed the whole world was opening up? That you had freedom and independence? Well, the kid was on cloud nine. Until we went to the DMV to get all the registration squared away. It was a Friday afternoon, roughly 2 p.m.. Around 4 p.m. we finally got our number called. However, in the DMV time is relative; it felt like years! In the waiting room we looked at each other similar to how hardened criminals in prisons do. How long have you been in? asked one wry older gentleman. I don t remember, I m here for registering a car I replied. The older man just shook his head, it was like he just heard that I was on death row. In retrospect, the waiting room was the best part of the DMV experience. When we went to the back, there waiting for us was a woman that seemed to be very unhappy with her career choice. She was no-nonsense and when I say she goes by the book, I mean she will not in any shape, way or form deviate from protocol. She was pleasant at first, but then things took a turn. And when I say they took a turn, she went from being Doris Day to the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz. The auto insurance policy wasn t good until the next day, so there was NO WAY in which she could issue the plates today. I asked if calling the insurance company and changing the effect date to today would help. She said that d be just fine (I almost fainted from disbelief). Then, upon showing the proof via a pdf in my phone, she said it wasn t good enough and I needed to sign an affidavit vouching for insurance. And she said this part slowly and dramatically: If *anything* was incorrect on the paper, they will suspend my license. I didn t break eye contact with her when I signed. We got out of there with the plates and a proper registration. Victory! It was then that I noticed the look upon my firstborn s face. I can t believe that was so hard. Indeed. His excitement and joy for the new life that a car gives was tempered with the reality of bureaucracy and adulthood. He is still recovering. Isn t that a great story to illustrate how we treat a new year, much less life? We are excited and hopeful and then something(s) don t go our way and we get soured. That is how it goes when God is absent (or more accurately, when we push God away). Our joy, our excitement, our meaning and our life is realized in Jesus Christ! As you start this new year, you are expecting 2018 to be a great year. There will be ups and downs, changes that you like and changes that you don t like. But God is faithful and He will see you through everyday, just like He always has. Rejoice in that truth! However, if you find yourself headed to the DMV in 2018, I recommend copious preparation, vigilant prayer and a cheerful disposition. In Christ, Pastor Moreno
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 14 21 Chili Cookoff 11:45 am 28 1 2 8 15 1:00pm Brennity Bible Study 7:00 pm Council Mtg 22 1:00pm Brennity Bible Study 6:30 pm New Member Class 9 16 23 SELC Mtg in Orlando 29 1:00pm Brennity Bible Study 6:30 pm New Member Class 3 10 Pastor @ Chaplain Training 30 17 Men Sm Grp Knitters 3:00 p.m. Wed in the Word 5:45pm Confirmation 6:45pm 24 SELC Board Meeting @ Hope Men Sm Grp Wed in the Word 5:45pm Confirmation 6:45pm 31 Men Sm Grp Wed in the Word 5:45pm 4 5 6 Jones 11 12 13 18 Christ on Campus 2:30pm 25 6:30 pm Financial Peace Class 9:00 am Men s Bible Breakfast Morrison 19 20 Moreno Pastor @ Navy Drill 26 27 Hope Women Minster
Page 3 New Year, New You It s the time of the year to make some resolutions! Here are just a few of the opportunities for you to get involved at Hope and grow in your faith: Three different Women s Groups: Wednesdays at 10 a.m.; Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m.; Last Saturdays of the Month at 10 a.m. Two Different Men s Group: Wednesdays at 10 a.m.; One Saturday a month at 9 a.m. Wednesdays in the Word: 5:45 p.m. dinner, 6:30 p.m. worship, 6:45-7:30 p.m. Bible study Saturdays & Sundays: Once a month worship team Sundays: 8:30 a.m., 9:40 a.m. Bible Study for ALL AGES, 10:30 a.m. Youth Group: Meets twice a month and we have two summer mission trips this year Once a Month: Dinner for Six, Food on the First, various church committees Special events and programs throughout the year Happy Birthday to Rich Sutter Jan 1 Kathleen Allison Jan 2 Ryan & Robbie Sass Jan 5 Hayley Decker Jan 6 David Roberts Jan 7 Carolyn Simmons Jan 7 David McLeran Jan 9 Ron Paul Jan 12 Mark Stewart Jan 14 Andrew Stewart Jan 14 Dave Heumann Jan 17 Joline Irvine Jan 19 Logan McLaughlin Jan 23 Linda Mueller Jan 23 Jenny Snyder Jan 24 Jared Sass Jan 27 Bev Quilitzsch Jan 31 Elise Moreno Jan 31 Happy Anniversary to Erik & Amanda Wolf Jan 5 Dave & Leslie Heumann Jan 8
Page 4 Celebrating Outreach! At Hope, we are serious about mission and outreach! We are blessed to use our time, talent and treasure to encourage ministry here in Brevard and all around the world! Here is a recap of 2017 outreach by the numbers! $1,660 Mission Week, Samaritan s Purse, Family Promise, Planning Retreat, Christ on Campus and miscellaneous advertising $1,576 Emerald City 5k, Movie Night for Community, Easter Road Signs, Butterflies for Easter $4,300 SELC District $9,500 Rob Ricard Seminary Expenses $1,000 Hope Planning Retreat $2,000 LCMS Disaster Relief (hurricanes) $1410 Pregnancy Resources, Family fire, and Family Promise $1000 Sherwood Elementary families $1,000 - St. Pauls Lutheran High School $2,000 - Donation to Hope youth for mission trip $1,000 - Issues Etc,. $3,000 - LCMS World Mission for Missionary Jacob Gaugert $2,000 - LCMS World Mission Operation Barnabas $2,000 - Meals on Wheels These are some of the ways in which our offering dollars were spent, but that doesn t include the generous donations you have made of special efforts like school supplies, food, hygiene items, angel tree gifts, meals for the hungry, and much more! In addition to all of that, we received an additional $8,000 from Thrivent action teams that we used on projects through 2017! Dear Hope Congregation, Happy New Year and many, many thanks for all your cards, kind words, and most generous gifts during the holiday season! May God richly bless each and every one of you in 2018! Kathy Burrier
Page 5 Hope Reporter Food on the First For January, the Genesis Food Pantry is especially in need of Hamburger/chicken/tuna helper, peanut butter, canned peas, and baked beans, and as always, they welcome any food or cash donations. New Member Class Starts January 22 Join us Mondays at 6:30 p.m. for a class that shares what the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod teaches, believes and confesses. This class is for people unfamiliar with the Lutheran Church as well as those well acquainted with Lutheranism. Sign up in the narthex and contact Pastor Moreno with any questions. Confirmation Class January 17 & 24 We meet January 17 & 24 during Wednesday in the Word and our class will go to 8:00 p.m. Our topic this month is New Testament survey and our memory work is the New Testament Books of the Bible. Knitting Ministry Continues The knitting ministry sent 36 sweaters and ponchos with hats and another 80 hats to the poor of Morrison County, Minnesota. Not bad for 4 months work! The crochet and knitters are resuming their work January 17th at 3 p.m. Annual Chili Cook-Off Join us Sunday, January 21 after the late service, for your fill of delicious chili and for great fellowship! You can participate by entering into the competition and cooking up your own special chili, or you can simply come and taste and vote on which on you think is best! All you can eat chili is $5 per person and voting tickets are $1 each. The youth group is also having a bake sale, so buy a treat for dessert! Dinner for Six is Back! Are you new to Hope (or not!)? Would you like to get to know members of Hope better? Do you like to go out to dinner? Do you like to entertain guests at your home? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then Dinner for Six is for you! Dinner for Six is a fellowship opportunity for adult members and friends of Hope who would like to get to know fellow members better. We all realize the limitations of before/after-church conversations, and it is hoped that this program will allow members more leisurely opportunities for fellowship. The plan is that three couples ("couples" may be married, single, friends, or simply assigned) will meet at least once a month at a time and place determined by the leader for that month after consulting with the other group members. The dinner can be anything the group agrees to as far as a restaurant, a host home/ potluck, or perhaps a dinner theatre, a new restaurant in town, or other dining adventure depending on group preferences; flexibility is a key component. Our first round will run during February, March, and April, and you are encouraged to sign up to try it out! Please indicate your interest by January 28; groups will be assigned on that day and notification made.
Hope Lutheran Church 4541 N Wickham Road Melbourne FL 32935 www.hopebrevard.org Phone: 321.622.6126 Fax: 321.636.2030 Email: pastor@hopebrevard.org A Church Committed to Reaching Out with the Gospel of Jesus. Important Dates: A Quick Look at Sundays Mondays Wednesdays Jan 13 Jan 18 Jan 21 Jan 22 Jan 25 Jan 27 8:30 a.m. with 9:40 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages 10:30 a.m. with 11:30 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 1:00 p.m. Bible Study at Brennity 10:00 a.m. Men s Small Group Women s Small Group 5:45 p.m. Wednesday in the Word 9:00 a.m. Men s Breakfast 2:30 p.m. Christ on Campus at Longleaf Elementary 11:30 a.m. Chili Cook-off 6:30 p.m. New Member Class 6:30 p.m. Financial Peace Class 10:00 a.m. Hope Women