T o K n o w J e s u s & M a k e H i m K n o w n

CHRIS’ COLUMN p. 2 CHRIS’ COLUMN

The New Year has begun! Oh, you thought New Year’s wasn’t for another month? Don’t feel rushed to make your resolutions, you still have time. The new church year actually begins this week with Ad-vent which means “arrival” and proclaims the com-ing of Jesus’ birth we celebrate as Christmas. We must think anew each year about what we can do to continue to set Christmas apart, so it does not become mundane. Every year we hear about consumerism and how it diminishes Christmas, and it does, but what are some steps we can take now on this first Sunday of this wonderful season to really emphasize the incarnation of Jesus? After all, this is when we celebrate the moment in time when Jesus moved into our neighborhood, became like us, lived among us and showed us how to live among others with a gos-pel purpose. This is the most wonderful moment in history because He started a great work and brought it to completion. Let’s highlight the 4 weeks of advent and its themes and see what we can do each week to reclaim Christ-mas. Hope. There is more reason to hope than just because we know how the big story ends and Jesus wins. Hope is not meant to be some far off abstract thing it is meant to provide some real comfort now. Hope provides this for us and should be seen in us. Victorious living is now not just future. Those with hope live differently because they are convinced of more than they can see or even articulate. Hope is a valuable commodity in our world today because there is so much hopelessness. Fitting that hope is the first week because hope coincides with waiting, but not waiting in the “I’m bored I am going to play on my phone to kill the time kind of waiting”, but a hope which says with eager expectation I know God is ac-tive and moving and I am going to put myself in po-sitions to be used by Him and when He calls I am going to be obedient to Him. We can hope in the Scriptures, Romans 15.4, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” We have hope in the promises of God and in His strength, Dt. 31.6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” And Isaiah 40.31, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” We also have hope because of what God has provided, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.”

And because of hope we praise God and wor-ship Him, Psalm 71.14, “But I will hope contin-ually and will praise you yet more and more.” It is hope in Christ which gives us the desire and ability to provide hope for others, 1 Peter 3.15, “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” And it is rejoicing in this hope provid-ed for mankind which allows us to “be patient in tribulation and constant in prayer” (Romans 12.12). Hope is a powerful weapon; one we need in our lives. I encourage you this season to get your hopes up and set your hopes high on the things of Christ. He wants us to be thrilled with hope for His coming, His power and His presence. He can do more than we hope or imagine. Hope centered in Christ will never disappoint. May today and this season be a new and thrilling time for you as you hope in the future Christ has for you, may the words of the song O Holy Night be sung in your heart, "A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." May these nights be divine and may you fall on your knees in hope in Christ. Romans 15.13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Ephesians 3.20-21, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his pow-er that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Happening Today WORSHIP GUIDE

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2017

Morning Worship Service

# 76 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Scripture Reading - Matthew 1:18-25

My Soul Magnifies The Lord

# 86 O Little Town of Bethlehem

Emmanuel

(Hallowed Manger Ground)

Unabandoned

Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:23 # 82 Emmanuel

Evening Worship Service

UnabandonedImmanuel

“God With Us”

Isaiah 7 & Matthew 1

If you would like to place a poinsettia

in the sanctuary in honor or memory

of a loved one, please see the order form

in your Worship Guide. All proceeds

will go to Youth Missions & Camp.

1999 State Road 64 East - Wauchula, Florida 33873

(863) 773-2101 - www.newhopewauchula.com

Rev. Christopher M. Bishop - Senior Pastor - 781-5572 (Cell)

Rev. Marc Pollard - Student Pastor - (318) 286-5032 (Cell)

Rev. David E. Radford - Minister of Music - 781-9675 (Cell)

Giving Record

Tithes & Offerings ............................................ $3603.00

Designated ......................................................... $50.00

Budget Needs Each Week ..................................... $7056

Sunday Services

SS Enrollment .................

Children’s Church ............

Nursery ..........................

Morning Worship ....... 128

Evening Worship ......... 35

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

4 5 6 7 8 9

11 12 13 14 15 16

18 19 20 21 22 23

18 26 27 28 29 30

31 1 2 3 4 5 6

December 2017

WEEKLY CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

Sundays

9:30 A.M. Media Center Open

9:45 A.M. Sunday School - Education Building

11:00 A.M. Morning Worship Service - Sanctuary

Kids’ Church K-5

6:30 P.M. Evening Worship - Sanctuary

Wednesday

5:00 P.M. Women’s Bible Study

6:30 P.M. Wednesday Night Live (TUPOS)

G.A.’s, R.A.’s, Mission Friends - Kids Bldg.

Women’s Bible Study

Prayer Meeting/ Bible Study - Ed. Bldg.

Counting Committee - NOVEMBER 2017 Vernon Benbow, Kay Crews, Meg Moore USHERS of the WEEK DEACON of the WEEK

December 3-December 9

Bobby Calves 381-6921

December 10-December 16

Adam Bunch 673-0206

Wednesday Services

Adult Bible Study…………….....

Students…………………………....

GA/RA (elementary)..............

Mission Friends (pre-s)..........

Nursery..................................

Women’s Study……………….....

Leaders……………………….…….

Total………………...…...……...

House & Grounds

Meeting 7PM

Meal Delivery:

Sue Mannery

Meal Delivery:

Helga Shackelford

Advent: :HOPE

7pm Deacon’s

Meeting

12pm Youth Fundraiser

4pm Christmas Tea

6:30pm Hanging of

the Green

Meal Delivery:

Pauline

Hendrickson

If you’re visiting us

for the first time, we

invite you to fill out

a visitor packet in

the pew in front of

you and drop it in

the offering plate.

We’re so glad you’re

here!

Meal Delivery:

MaryAnn Wilson

Advent:

Stewardship

Meeting 6p Business

Meeting 7p

Advent: :JOY

11am Christmas Musical

6:30pm Old-Fashioned

Christmas

Pageant

Happy Anniversary to Tommy & Marty Taylor

on December 9th

:Peace

New Hope’s Goal:

$6500

Advent: :LOVE

Bud Wilson Johnny Trammell Jonathan Benbow

Bobby Calves

Sanctuary flowers given in Loving memory of our grandchildren

Karee Layton, Audie Whaley, and Addison Bridges

By Dewey and Margaret Bennett

Happy Birthday! Dec 4-Johnny Trammell

Bobby Calves

Dec 7-Joan Radford

Dec 9-Hugh Bradley

Meal Delivery:

Linda Smith

Senior Adult

Luncheon

5th Sunday House & Grounds

Meeting 7PM