New Hope Insider

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

2009-08-12T13:56:00.001-07:00

On August 8, Kevin Fryatt joined God's family when he was baptized. Read more about Kevin.

When did you first start attending New Hope ?

I heard about New Hope through a mutual friend of Chris Howell that I’ve known for a very long time. Moving into the Baltimore area, and to the East Coast for the very first time, I was very nervous and praying that God would lead me to a church and surround me with strong people and He did just that. I began attending New Hope in the middle of April 2009 and knew that I found a group of believers that valued the journey more than the destination.

What kept you here?

I knew from my first time attending New Hope that there was something different about this church than other churches I’ve been a part of. People at New Hope accept you the way Christ accepts us, just the way we are – dirty old sinners in need of a Savior. It is evident to me that the people I’ve interacted with at New Hope , be it members, visitors, or leadership have a passion for discovering the truth and questioning what we already believe. During the Reformation of the 16th and 17th centuries, individuals like Martin Luther didn’t change the course of Christianity because he believed what was taught to be true. He valued the ability to question and reinterpret what was always considered to be true – and through this process discovered valuable Biblical truths because of it. The willingness to admit that we’re on a journey and the boldness to follow in the footsteps of the Reformers by re-examining what we’ve always thought to be true has kept me, and will keep me, at New Hope for a long time.

How have you grown spiritually while attending New Hope ?

While attending New Hope I’ve grown in the understanding of acceptance. Through the living examples of many individuals I’ve come into contact with I have come to know just a little more of a glimpse of what it truly means to be accepted by Christ. As Christians, we often say that its not about what you wear, the people you hang out with, or the amount of jewelry you wear but at New Hope it’s the way people act that speak louder than words. I constantly struggle with trying to fathom how much God really does love us despite everything we’ve done to deserve the opposite but my experience at New Hope has shown me just a glimpse into the heart of God by experiencing what true acceptance really means in a practical sense.

Why did you decide to get baptized?

My decision to follow Christ was made a number of years ago but I delayed getting baptized because of every excuse I could come up with and because of fear of what the act of getting baptized would mean and scared of the change and unreal expectations that would be placed on me because of it. I think secretly I was led to believe that after you got baptized you didn’t sin – something my new found understanding of acceptance smashed to pieces. I got baptized because I was fed up with the nagging sensation that I was letting God down on a decision that I had made years earlier. I couldn’t live in fear anymore and had to trust that He would take care of me along the way.

Describe your spiritual journey...

I grew up in a family dynamic where my mom was an Adventist and my father was not. I grew up in the church and learned all the Bible stories but never understood or knew the ‘why’ behind what I knew as the Christian faith. This lead me to a very academic understanding of the Gospel but I had, and still have, a very difficult time understanding the most important part of Christianity, the relational aspect of our faith. I stopped going to church as soon as became old enough to stand up against my mom and tell her I didn’t want to go – so around the age of 13. At the age of 14 I started doing drugs and hanging around with the wrong crowd of friends. I kept using drugs until, at the age of 22, I had an encounter with God. This encounter was proof to me that God approaches people where they are at in life because I was far from perfect and very far from God at that time. I remember being at a party one night and I had had a few drinks and held another one in my hand and as I was sitting on a picnic table waiting for a friend to come back from getting another drink I heard a loud audible voice, which I believe to be God, say to me, “Kevin, this isn’t for you.” I took that to mean that God had something bigger in store for my life. Sometimes we hear voices in our head and have to discern over a period of time whether or not it was really God speaking but in this case I had no doubt at all. I put down my drink and did the ‘smart’ thing – I drove home. God must have protected me! A few months later I gave up drug use and have been clean since. That encounter was the beginning of my spiritual journey, where it would lead next only God knew.

In the next couple years I was soon to be graduating from university and it wasn’t until my final semester of studying Accounting that I came to the realization that God had something more that just Accounting in mind for me. One morning in my final semester I woke up with the strong feeling that I needed to drop my remaining Accounting courses and just finish my degree as soon as I could. I knew I had to get away and try and discern what God was trying to tell me so after I graduated I travelled down to Central America for four months on a sort of spiritual reconnaissance mission in which my heart was broken for the poor. I volunteered at a local SDA high school and radio station in Belize and God grew within me a fond appreciation for the poor and a started to develop within me a servants heart. After that experience I knew that there was no way that I could go back home to Canada and work a ‘normal job’ and that I needed to find work that would incorporate these newfound passions – so I began to pray. On my way back to Canada from Belize I stopped at a friend’s place in Portland to visit and checked my email just to find an email from a friend from university offering me a job working in the war-torn West African country of Liberia . Without knowing much about the country and less about the job itself I accepted the job without any idea of what it would lead to – or if I would even come back alive! Since then my life has been an incredible (and often damaging) spiritual, personal, and professional rollercoaster ride that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. What doesn’t kill you indeed does make you stronger!

I ended up spending three challenging and rewarding years which have forced me, one way or another, to trust God more and more. Furthermore, my time there catapulted me into a career that I only dreamed of as a child – working with the poor in Africa . I believe the last three years taught me a lot of things but the thing two things that stand out the most are: 1) What it means to be the hands and feet of Christ, and 2) my faith is so minuscule in comparison to the Christians who lived through the Liberian Civil War. Despite the atrocities, they continued to trust in God and be content with the provision they had.

What does Jesus mean to you?

What does Jesus mean to me? To be blatantly honest, Jesus still puzzles me and I think He always will, but to put it in a few sentences I would say that Jesus:

1. Is the father I never had
2. Is my answer to the fact that I’ll never be good enough and never live up to God’s standard.
3. He’s my answer in those times when I don’t one
4. His example shows me how to love, and be loved.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting baptized?

If someone is thinking of getting baptized I would say ‘do it’. Don’t be afraid of what people might think of you or what might lay ahead. God has a better plan for us, we just have to be willing to accept the offer.

Any other thoughts?

The Christian walk is a journey, continue with it.

“Once you start believing you’ve reached your destination, the journey has ended.”

BECOMING THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF YOUR HOME

2009-08-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

There is no better way to demonstrate your love for Jesus than getting baptized. Camilia Howell decided to take the plunge. What is even more exciting is her dad, Chris Howell officiated her baptism.

At New Hope, we believe that parents are the spiritual leaders of their household. Therefore, it is their responsibility to prepare their child through baptismal studies. This creates a spiritual bond between both parent and child. Further, it establishes the parent as the spiritual leader of the home. Coached and mentored by Pastor Ann Roda, the parent is empowered to serve as the family pastor.

Chris Howell, Camilia's dad was given the spiritual authority to baptize his daughter. As her mother, Debbie, as church elder looked upon the baptism, she read read scripture and exhorted her daughter to keep the faith as she began her journey with God.

If you would like to be baptized, please don't hesitate. It is the single best decision you will ever make. Contact the church office at 301.854.1866.

Congratulations to Caroline Cruz

2009-05-18T17:44:00.001-07:00

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

2009-04-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

National Day of Prayer is on May 7, 2006. Here is some information on how to participate in Howard County.

IN HOWARD COUNTY

Local observances of the National Day of Prayer include:

SAVAGE
First Baptist Church, 8901 Washington Street
Sterlind S. Burke, Principal of Hammond High, speaking
7 p.m. with coffee and dessert reception to follow

COLUMBIA
Mt. Pisgah AME, 5901 Cedar Fern Court, 21044
6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. with special times:
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

To participate through song or prayer at noon or in the evening, contact Estelle O'Connor by May 4 at mtpisgahame2@gmail.com

LIVING WITH HOPE CONTINUES

2009-04-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

When Will Jesus Return?
Saturday May 2

Use your orange felt tip pen and underline your Bible with Participant Handout (5) The Blessed Hope.

Twenty Two Small Groups

If you haven't signed up it's still not too late. Look for the Small Group schedule at church this week to find a Small Group that fits your lifestyle. Several new groups have been added to provide you with even more options to choose from including an online group.

Pick up Your Supplies

As you come into church this Saturday be sure you pick up:

Small Group Supplies:
Hope for Your Driving (6) Commandments
Brown Felt Tip Pen

Big Group Supplies:
Racing With Hope(7) Baptism
Powder Blue Felt Tip Pen

And a complete Bible Gift Bag if you haven't yet attended "Living With Hope."

Blessings!

New Hope Pastoral Staff

2009-04-24T06:16:00.001-07:00

LIVING WITH HOPE UPDATE

2009-04-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

Big Group continues on Saturday April 25

Use your red felt tip pen and underline your Bible with Participant Handout (3) Salvation in advance of the presentation.

Twenty Two Small Groups

If you haven't signed up its still not too late. Registration will be available this Saturday during the Big Group worship services. Several new groups have been added to provide you with even more options to choose from.

Not Too Late to Extend Invitations

Pray that God will lead you to a spiritually receptive person this week. Invite your friends, neighbors, acquaintances. Give them a large handbill or mini invitation and give them a verbal invitation. Offer to give them a ride to the event.

Pick up Your Supplies

As you come into church this Saturday be sure you pick up:

Small Group Supplies:

* Just Desserts (4) Great Controversy
* Gray Felt Tip Pen

Big Group Supplies:

* The Blessed Hope (5) Second Coming
* Orange Felt Tip Pen

And a complete Bible Gift Bag if you haven't yet attended "Living With Hope."

Blessings!

New Hope Pastoral Staff

PRAYER WARRIORS NEEDED

2009-04-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

While the church is built on the rock Christ Jesus it cannot grow without prayer. Everything must be bathed in prayer. So what do prayer warriors do?

They pray at home and at church for the growth of the body of Christ in both size and character.

Our prayer leader, Lael Savoy, emails prayer requests to the prayer warriors for them to pray over. At church they pray for people after the worship service (you will be part of a roster that lets you know which week you are on). The prayer warriors for that Sabbath pray for the leadership in person. For example, the prayer warrior seeks me out and prays for me before I preach.

On Sunday nights at 7:00 PM the prayer warriors gather over the telephone to pray together. You are supplied with a special number to call. This takes from twenty to thirty minutes of your time.

Prayer Warriors assist with our Prayer Room and special prayer events.

We are looking for Prayer Warriors for Second Service especially. Right now we have NONE. I am praying that the Lord of the Harvest will send more Prayer Warriors into the harvest field.

If you want to join this wonderful group of people call Lael Savoy 410-799-5657 or ace17b@comncast.net

It is not a hard ministry but it is a vital ministry. If you are a man or woman of prayer please ask God where He wants you to serve in this very special ministry.

LIVING WITH HOPE PLANNING MEETING

2009-03-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last week a large group of New Hope members met to plan the upcoming Living With Hope series. This series will be an interactive Bible Marking Experience designed especially for seekers and people new to Christianity.

The series is designed so that New Hope members will invite their unchurched friends and family to the Easter service, and the special post Easter series, Living With Hope.

During the meeting, Pastor Dave Gemmell casted the vision on how the series will go, and the great need for more small groups. So far we are short by a few small groups that will study corresponding support material, based on the series.

CAN SOMEBODY SAY YUMMY!

2009-03-18T07:09:00.000-07:00

Are you in a Sabbath School class or small group sitting around in a circle about to fall asleep? Perhaps you should try teaching the 4th-5th grade Sabbath School who spend once a month learning to cook and experiment in the kitchen.

This group has been learning some bibical recipes, and trying out some of their own, with Monte and Gigi Jacobs. If you are lucky, sometimes you can get a small sample of their delicious creations.

Go Pathfinders Go!

2009-03-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

The New Hope Pathfinder team has been working very hard for the upcoming Bible Bowl. The youth have been on a winning streak, and will be competing at the Union level this Saturday.

"We are so proud of these youth people," Pastor Ann Roda commmented, "They have been working and studying together for a long time...New Hope is known for alot of things, but I can't wait for people to discover that our kids are also known for their bible knowlege."

LOOKING FOR A NEW MINISTER OF MUSIC

2009-03-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

The church board voted to establish a search committee for a new Minister of Music. "We are very indebted to Lauri Preston for her service as the interim minister of music...but she is ready to hand over the reigns and we don't want to take advantage of her," Pastor Rajkumar Dixit said.

The search committee is due to convene within a couple weeks. If you have a suggestion for the position, please contact Pastor Dixit kumardixit@yahoo.com

Click here to read the Job Description

UPDATE ON THE AUDITORIUM MAKEOVER

2009-03-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

The auditorium makeover planning committee has been meeting with several companies to work out the details for the makeover. This week Little Mountain Production sent a preliminary drawing of the specs that the construction manager will need. After looking at the drawings, we noticed a few changes to recommend, such as widening a few back entrances that will make loading of equipment much easier in the future. Additionally, there the baptismal tank was missing from the drawing!

We also recieved a full proposoal from the technical company that will be working on the installation audio, lighting, and other technical equipment. Next week we will work on combining both proposals and develop a time line.

INTERVIEW WITH THE BOARD CHAIR

2009-03-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

Krista Mainess was recently elected as the chairperson of the church board of New Hope Church. Read a short interview about her plan and vision for our church.

How long have you been attending New Hope?
Since 2005

What made you join New Hope?
We liked the seeker-friendly atmosphere. People are accepted the way they are at New Hope, the way God accepts each of us. Then, people are encouraged to grow and develop spiritually through various avenues, bible study, worship service, volunteering, special events (Easter Drama), small group, and the list goes on. There is something for everyone!

What is your dream for New Hope?
My dream is to see more members inspired to serve God through witnessing and volunteerism. The great commission says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you alway.... even unto the end of the world. Amen” Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV).

Volunteering means giving of ourselves, time, money, spiritual gifts, etc. the way Christ gave Himself for us.

What would you say to somebody who is thinking about becoming more involved in the church? I think everyone should become more involved in the church. God's church functions by His grace and through the members of the church. I believe God blesses those that are willing to be used by Him to bless others. When you become involved, you have the privilege of serving others and working with other like-minded people who have the same goal and desire to be caught up in the air with Christ! At one time I believed I was too busy with life to add one more thing to my plate but then I realized that Satan didn't want me to serve because blessings were involved. Then, it became a priority. I asked God, how can I serve you? Slowly but surely, my priorities changed and my energy went from serving everyone and thing around me (my agenda) to serving God!

What do you hope to accomplish as the board chair? I must say I am very humbled by this experience. Because of my own baggage and my sinful nature, I realize that I have to rely totally on Him. I don't have a personal agenda but I would like to see the church develop a strategic plan for the next five years, improve communications among church members and leaders, and increase the size of members willing to volunteer their time. If God blesses me to be part of any or all of these efforts, I will count it all joy!

Podcast with the Head Elder

2009-03-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

Timothy Atolagbe is the head lay pastor at New Hope Church. Listen to his interview on how the church leaders are planning their ministry at New Hope.

Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half!

2009-03-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Calvary Community Church is participating with Angel Food to help residents in the community stretch their grocery bill:

We are very excited to announce that you can now order Angel Food online atwww.calvarycommunitychurch.com just click "cut your food bills in half" under the Links section, and follow the instructions.

Angel Food is an organization that offers quality food monthly, at a much reduced cost to consumers. This is for anyone, you do not have to be a member of our church to participate. Angel Food does such a high volume, they get really great prices.

You may pay by debit or credit MC/VISA and do not have to have a paypal account.

We are now accepting orders for March. There is a monthly "menu" and a monthly delivery to Calvary Community Church.

You may still order and pay by cash, check and we now accept food stamps, in the lobby of Calvary Community Church on Sundays from 10-1pm. (We can not accept debit or credit cards in the lobby.)

The deadline for online ordering is this Sunday, March 15, by 6pm

The deadline for lobby ordering is this Sunday, March 15, by 1pm

Anyone can order Angel Food and there are no limits or restrictions to the quantity or type of boxes you can purchase. Please feel free to forward this information to friends and family to help them save money too!

The food will not be delivered to you, you must pick up at Calvary Community Church, 9180 Rumsey Rd, Columbia, MD 21045, 410-381-5200, on Saturday, March 28th, 2009 from 12:30-1:30pm.

New Hope Member (Almost) Lost At Sea

2009-03-16T08:47:00.001-07:00

A Message from Chris Howell

Well today was one of the most exciting days of my life... certainly a day I will NEVER forget!!! I went out sailing today in a small (13.5 ft.) sailboat on the large lagoon in Majuro Atoll (Marshall Islands). I was a couple of miles out to sea and was having an absolute blast! But all of a sudden a large gust of wind came up and blew my boat over. This in and of itself was not such a big deal, but it did cause a problem as I lost my sunglasses, suntan lotion, my only bottle of water on the boat, and my favorite t-shirt! But I knew how to go about righting a sailboat that's tipped over. I swam under the boat and retrieved the main sheet (main rope that is used for controlling the boom) and the wooden centerboard (the centerboard is the device that's used to prevent the boat from drifting sideways when moving through the water). I inserted the centerboard in its slot and then used the main sheet to pull myself up on the hull of the upside down boat. I then put my body weight against the centerboard to cause the hull to twist toward me, thus "prying it" out of the water. Once the hull began to right itself, I shifted one foot onto the centerboard while I stood on the hull with my other foot and pulled on the mainsheet. This managed to right to the boat, but since it was flooded with water it promptly flipped back over again. Now this wouldn't be such a big deal except that I was a couple of miles out at sea with no one around to help me out! And to make matters worse, I knew that I was in shark waters.

I continued my attempts to right the boat, and could tell that I was utilizing the correct tactics, because the boat was attempting to right itself. I once again repeated my maneuvers and managed to right the boat once again. This time I remained in the water and attempted to bail out the water that had flooded the cockpit using my hands (since my bailing device had also floated away when the boat capsized). Once I got enough water out of the boat to help raise the waterline I held onto the main sheet and hauled myself back in to the cockpit. Now I was back in the boat and once again in control, but the boat was now in irons.

A sailboat that's in "irons" is a situation where you are facing directly into the wind, and the sails are unable to catch the wind to propel the boat. This situation is usually corrected by giving the tiller (rudder) a swift turn with your hand to cause the boat to shift position, thus enabling the sails to catch the wind. I had done this a couple of times earlier in the day with good success. But this time when I tried to use the tiller to shift the position of the boat, the tiller broke in half back at the rudder mount. Now I was in real trouble with no way to steer or control the boat!

My first thought was that I needed t o remain calm, because panicking would only make the situation worse and prevent me from being able to think clearly and rationally.

I focused on keeping my breathing and my heart rate under control so that I could remain calm and collected (at least as much as possible).

I was now drifting alone at sea with no rudder to control the boat. I attempted to lash the tiller handle to the top of the rudder mount, but there wasn't enough exposed area on the tiller to be to affix it to the rudder assembly. I was left with no choice but to drift.

I could still see land, but I was definitely too far to be able to attempt to swim to shore, and I wasn't real comfortable with the idea of being in the water with the sharks around. I'm really not one to be afraid of sharks, but I prefer being able to see them rather than having them come up from down in the deep toward me.

I decided to reef the sail to cut down on the speed of the boat. I also cleated the main sheet as my hands were getting sore from trying to hold it. I was able to guide the boat somewhat by using the centerboard as a makeshift rudder, but fatigue would soon set in and I was forced to bring the centerboard in to rest my arms. I was making slight progress at getting back to the island, but was also being driven downwind toward the open sea. I saw a boat passing in the distance, but it was too far to be able to see me or hear me whistling or shouting. So I focused on just keeping the boat on a steady course and bailing out the water that was quickly accumulating in the cockpit from the ever-increasing waves. My biggest concern was just to be able to keep the boat right sided since I was now in deeper waters with much bigger waves. If I capsized again, I could likely right the boat, but this required great effort and I didn't want to exhaust myself. Plus the extra energy would increase my need for water to drink which I no longer had. Interestingly enough, the words of one of my favorite songs "Man In The Wilderness" (the source of my email address) contains the lyrics, "I'm dying of thirst in the middle of the ocean". Now I was not dying of thirst. Not even close. Nor was I in the middle of the ocean. But the song kept going through my head...

I was doing fairly well at keeping the boat steady and in an upright position. Again, this was my biggest challenge since I really had no way to control the boat. I drifted in the lagoon for about two hours, focusing on keeping the boat upright and dry.

Finally, after about 2 hours of drifting in this condition, I saw a small boat approaching me in the distance. I dropped the sails and stood up waving the centerboard in my arms to attract the attention of the captain. The boat had about 5 Marshallese men in it who were returning from a dive trip, and one of them spotted me. They steered their boat over to me and quickly identified my dilemma when they saw the broken tiller in my hand.

They pulled along side of me and I climbed into their boat and we hooked a rope onto the sailboat and towed it back to the area that I had set sail from.

I was safe, but it certainly made for an interesting adventure!

I'm glad that I was able to keep a level head through this situation. If I had panicked I might not have been so fortunate!

Life's definitely an adventure! So what's next???

Chris

Living With Hope Lunch Meeting

2009-03-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Luncheon and Training on March 14

You're invited to a Living With Hope luncheon and training event this Sabbath, March 14. The lunch table will be open from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. so there will be food for both first and second service attendees. Not only will you get a free lunch but you will receive an advance copy of the Bible, felt tip pens, and Bible study guides. You'll have everything you need to be a Living With Hope small group leader or support staff. If you haven't RSVPd yet shoot me an email reply so we know how to plan.

Who should attend?

* Adult and Youth Sabbath School Teachers
* Small Group Leaders and Assistants
* Anyone interested in learning how to be a small group leader
* Helpers for Registration Table
* Helpers for Recruitment booth
* Anyone who enjoys Bible Study
* Anyone who wants to know how to share their journey of faith

About Living With Hope
...Stock Market has tanked...
Foreclosures everywhere...
Life savings wiped out...
Unemployment rate highest since the depression...
Is there any hope?

On April 18 New Hope will open the doors to the community to join with us in our search for hope. For eight weeks our worship services and small groups will passionately pursue God in a systematic study of the Bible.

What Can I do right now?
Jesus says that the harvest is ripe.
1) Pray for more workers.
2) Pray that God will lead you to people who are looking for hope.

Forgive to Live Seminar

2009-03-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Forgive to Live Seminar
Begins Wednesday March 18 at 7:00 pm.
Concludes May 13 (9 weeks)
Taught by Pastor J. David Newman

Many have tried forgiveness before and failed. This is typically due to a lack of understanding and practical tools on how to forgive. This seminar will teach you to:

* Come to a new understanding of what has happened to you
* Discover what forgiveness does and doesn't mean
* Take steps to reframe your grievance story
* Stop giving control to the people and pains of the past
* Get your life - and maybe even your health - back
* Find freedom, peace…and strength you've never had
* Learn the 7 strategies for dealing with anger that DON'T work
* Understand the physiological mechanisms which can cause high blood pressure and
other stress related diseases
* Benefit from forgiveness no matter what the other person's response
* Learn to overcome the 4 barriers to forgiveness
* Find a new way of dealing with anger so it doesn't come out in unhealthy ways
like road rage, yelling at loved ones, or losing one's temper with coworkers
* Discover 5 healthy expressions of anger

YOU WILL MUST BUY THE BOOK AND WORKBOOK.
Forgive to Live textbook $22.99 and the Forgive to Live workbook $13.99. You can buy them at the Potomac ABC or from Amazon.com.

PODCAST WITH PASTOR ANN

2009-02-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Take a deep breath before you listen to this podcast with Pastor Ann Roda. There are a million and one things happening in the children and youth ministries at New Hope. In this interview, she will share her passion and vision for ministry at the church.

WANNA SERVE GOD

2009-02-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

Want to be involved in ministry but pressed for time?

Here are some ways you can be involved that will take no more than 1 hour a month.

-Create Power Point slides of Kids Church songs. Involves cut/paste from Word to Power Point. Can work from home. 1 hour/month

-Write cards to kids. Need 4 people total. Can work from home. 30 mins-1 hour/month

-Serve as Kingdom Kids registration staff. Must like to smile. 1 hour/month

-Organize and maintain the Quiet Bags. Need 2 people to alternate weeks. 10 mins/week

-Like to talk on the phone? Help making reminder calls. Can work from home. 15 mins/week

-Love to clean and organize? Help keep Kids Church room clean and organized. Need 2 people total. 1 hour/month

If you are interested, please contact Pastor Ann, 301-741-1926 or Lynne, 301-854-1866 x11.

UNWANTED BOOKS?

2009-02-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

Turn your unwanted books into scholarships. GC Women’s Ministries is collecting books, videos, CDs, DVDs, and puzzles for the department’s next “Scholarshipping Our Sisters” (SOS) book sale in early April. SOS scholarships help Adventist women around the world complete their college educations and secure a stable future for themselves and their families. Call Karen Banner at 301.680.6020 to donate books.

WHAT DO OTHERS THINK OF US?

2009-01-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

A student at Columbia Union College wrote an interesting blog about her experience visiting New Hope. Click here to read what she wrote.

NEW HOPE SCHOOL IN MOZAMBIQUE

2009-01-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

Americans consider education to be a right that all children are entitled to, but in other countries around the world such as Mozambique, education comes at a cost that countless families are unable to afford. During New Hope’s S.o.S. mission trip to Mozambique in July 2008, we saw what happens to a country whose citizens are uneducated. About 20 years of civil war has left an entire generation illiterate, uneducated and unable to pull themselves out of the extreme poverty and difficulty in which they and their children are now living.

The school that New Hope’s team helped build during the mission trip to Mozambique in July 2008 is now completed and scheduled to open in February 2009! On our last day in Mozambique, we paid one last visit to the school that we helped build. We were disturbed to learn that most of the children in the surrounding neighborhood would not be able to afford the tuition to attend the school that they faithfully watched us build for 2½ weeks. We decided that this could not be! New Hope’s S.o.S. missions board has formed a student scholarship program that will enable us to sponsor students to attend the school.

Click here to read the full story at the New Hope SOS blog.

MORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

2009-01-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM PASTOR KUMAR

I just got back from the first night of Winterhaven. There are 28 guests and a ton of things that we still need. Here are the most pressing:

1. Need 2 night time monitors on Saturday from 10:30pm - 7:30am. Requires males.

2. Breakfast set up around 5am.

3. Extra hands to help for a couple hours during the meals, etc. any night this week from 6:30-9pm.

Please personally call me on my cell phone 301.502.8566 or reply on this message, if you can help in any way. Thanks!

Pastor Kumar

PODCAST WITH JASMINE HOWELL

2008-12-26T11:22:00.001-08:00

Pastor Dixit interviewed New Hope Youth, Jasmine Howell. Listen to her story of how God is working through the youth ministry at New Hope.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

2008-12-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

This first picture was taken during our first week at New Hope, three years ago. The second photo is an artist concept of what our worship room could look like.

HOLIDAY LOVE OFFERING

2008-12-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

courtesy of Kidica

How to Understand the Bible

2008-12-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

Take this quick Bible quiz and ask: Which commands do I follow and which ones do I reject?

 Do not murder (Exodus 20:13).
 Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it (Lev. 19:26).
 Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard (Lev. 19:27).
 Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute (Lev. 19:29).
 When you fast put oil on your head and wash your face (Matt. 6:17).

How do you pick and choose what to obey when you read the Bible?

You will learn the following:

❑ How did we get our Bible?
❑ Why are some books in the Bible and some books left out? Who decided?
❑ How was the Bible written and copied?
❑ How do we know if there are any mistakes or not?
❑ What is the difference between principle and application?
❑ Just as a game has rules to play it so does the Bible to understand it. What are these rules?
❑ Who decides what the rules are?
❑ How do we understand difficult Bible texts?

Pastor J. David Newman will be leading this new bible study during prayer meeting beginning, Wednesday, January 7 at 7:00 pm. You will receive a notebook and syllabus. There is a $10 charge to cover the materials. Please register at jdavidnewman@gmail.com. (Checks made out to New Hope Adventist Church with notation-Prayer Meeting.)

WINTERHAVEN DETAILS

2008-12-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

In 4 weeks, New Hope Church will be hosting 30 homeless men by providing food, shelter, fellowship and support. Each of you have expressed an interest in being a part of this exciting service opportunity which will take place from Sun Jan 4 - Sat Jan 10, 2009.

Thank you so much for volunteering your time and resources! Below is listed some key information:

Volunteer Training
We will host two training opportunities for Winterhaven volunteers:

Sat Dec 20: 2:00-4:00 pm (Lunch will be provided)
Sun Jan 4 : 3:30-5:00 pm (Light refreshments will be provided)

Please RSVP to Paulette at paulette.baldwin@gmail.com or (240) 388-2793

INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD BARRONS

2008-12-09T19:36:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, December 13, Richard Barrons was baptized into the family of God. Earlier in the morning, Pastor Rajkumar Dixit interviewed Richard for this podcast. Listen to his very inspirational story on how God has changed his life.

ATTNETION: MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS

2008-12-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Parents,

Beginning December 6, 2008 we begin a very special (and critical) event in the life of your Middle School Child.

We start a gender-based small group Bible Study called Becoming a Young Woman of God and Becoming a Young Man of God.

Sabbath mornings, 9:30 - 10:20 AM
Girls meet in Room 111
Boy meet in Room 218

Our team has been praying and preparing for this Bible Study for quite some time. We have been praying and fasting for you (parents) and for your Middle School children.

We are praying and are expecting Holy Spirit change in the lives of your children.
The Team that will be leading this study will be more than teachers. They will be coaches and mentors. The team is:

Krista Mainess Ron Mainess
Angie Bernard Sherman Bernard
Eunice De Jesus Manny Cruz
Ann Roda Jose St. Phard

Parents, your role is going to be mission critical to the success of this study. How you can help will be explained in detail below.

Parent's Role and Responsibility

1. We need you to get your kids here on time every Saturday morning. The program begins 9:30 AM sharp!! Please don't have your Middle Schooler miss out on very important lessons and discussions.

2. We need you to give us permission to talk with your kids on important matters such as virginity, sex, homosexuality, bisexuality, suicide, self-mutilation, drugs and alcohol. We may address some ethical and moral issues such as infidelity, co-habitation, having children outside of marriage, rape, abortion, gay marriage, mercy killing, and racial matters.

Here's the bottom line, these are issues that are prevalent in the news, radio, popular songs, movies, and tv. They are already talking to their friends about these issues. If we do not create a place for kids to talk they will establish their ethical and moral values from the prevailing culture.

3. We need you actively involved. We will be happy to provide you a copy of the curriculum so you can follow along.
We will even share with you (via email) some of the issues that were brought up and discussed by the kids so you can further prompt discussion at home.
We are going to assure the kids that we will keep their comments in confidence unless we have their permission. However, if we are aware of a
situation that is life-threatening or dangerous to the youth or to others, we will be sharing it with the parent/s of that youth.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If you have any questions, please, please contact me, Pastor Ann, at 301-854-1866 (office) or 301-741-1926 (cell).

We (our team) want to be open and transparent with you and will never usurp your authority as parents. Our goal is to support you in helping your middle schooler become a thriving young woman or young man of God.

If you have a daughter, please read the details of this lesson study below.
If you have a son please scroll down to the section that will explain what your son will be studying.

MIDDLE SCHOOL DAUGHTER
An 8-week curriculum for Middle School gals (grades 6-8)

Goal: Helping middle school girls learn to become the women God has created them to be.
Our middle school girls are told a lot about who they’re supposed to be. Media and culture have a great influence over how they behave, dress, and think, and more often than not, it’s not a very becoming image. Becoming a woman is about more than clothes, makeup, and boyfriends – it is something more. It is about becoming the young women God has created them to be.

Becoming is a study that will help young girls discover who they truly are, and help them see who they can become. Using games, activities, quizzes, projects and crafts, movie clips, music, and stories, girls will be involved in a study that will help them
find their true value. In this study, middle school girls will:

• know their true value and develop self-respect
• gain a godly perspective on body image and modesty
• learn to set goals and boundaries
• begin to understand their feelings
• accept who they are

MIDDLE SCHOOL SON
An 8-week curriculum for Middle School guys (grades 6-8)
Goal: Helping middle school guys become the young men God created them to be.
From the time they’re born, boys are given a “code” to live by: don’t cry, don’t play with dolls, don’t be a wimp…you get the picture. For a middle school guy, it’s tough enough to figure out what it means to just be yourself—let alone how to become a man.
Becoming is an eight-week study that will help young guys discover what it really means to be a man. With fun, interactive activities and age-appropriate discussion questions, this study will help middle school guys learn how they can become the men God created them to be.

In this study, the guys will:
• critically examine what they’ve been taught about what it means to be a man
• explore the rich heritage of men in the Bible
• discover their identity in God
• find new ways to feel confident

FAST FACTS FOR PARENTS

2008-12-03T11:43:00.001-08:00

90% of kids surveys who said it's important to help others; 21% said they'd buy products that donate a portion of sales to a good cause. (KidScreen magazine)

78% of children who had at least one parent working year round, full time. (National Institute of Health)

73.9 million of number of children 17 and under living in the U.S. (childstats.gov)

24.7 million number of children who live without their father. (National Fatherhood Initiative)

71% of children's ministry volunteers who report that their "understanding of faith was fundamentally shaped by childhood religious experiences." (Christian News Wire)

34% of preteens who say prayer is important in their life. (The Christian Post)

Father's who had higher levels of religious participation tended to be more engaged with their 1-year-old children than fathers with lower levels. (familyfacts.org)

SOURCE: Children's Ministry Magazine

NEW HOPE INSIDER PODCAST

2008-11-24T07:13:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Pastor Rajkumar Dixit started a New Hope podcast called, New Hope Insider. He interviewed Geoff Crowley, new intern who is a theology major at Columbia Union College.

Take a listen and let us know your thoughts.

PODCAST EXPERIMENT

2008-11-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

Last Friday a group of Pastor Kumar's friends got together via phone and created a podcast, based on some of the conversations they have been having recently. While this was an experiment, they hope it will provide a glimpse into what some Pastors and leaders have been thinking about and talking about (often times at the margins of the church).

Here are some of the players:

* Ryan Bell, Pastor of Hollywood Seventh-day Adventist Church in Los Angeles, and author of Intersections blog.
* Lisa Clark Diller, Associate Professor of History at Southern Adventist University
* Julius Nam, Associate Professor of Religion and Theological Studies at Loma Linda University and author of Progressive Adventism blog.
* Rajkumar Dixit, Associate Pastor of New Hope Church in Fulton, Maryland, and author of Wondering About God blog.

Click here to listen

YOUNG ADULTS

2008-11-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

The Newman’s used to host a young adult meeting the second Friday night of each month which was cancelled while building took place on the Newman property. It is finished and we were scheduled to begin again on November 14 but Pastor Newman is not available that night so the next meeting is on Friday, Nov. 21 at 7:00 pm.

We serve a light supper and the discussion is open ended. You determine the agenda.
This is a great time for fellowship and sharing about God and anything else on your heart.

VEGETARIAN COOKING CLASS

2008-11-13T18:02:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the results of the China Study? Key results include proteins in animal food are triggers for cancer. Protein in plant foods are inhibitors for cancer.

Sign up for a vegetarian cooking class taught by Phyllis Newman (gourmet cook and wife of senior pastor J. David Newman). In this class you will leanr how to save money on feeding your family and how to save their health.

It will take place in the Newman's home in Silver Spring on Sunday, November 16 from 2-5 pm. Cost is only $5 but you must register ahead of time.

There are still some openings. Place $5 in a tithe envelope (or any envelope) with your name and contact information and hand in at church (Ask-Me-Desk) or mail to Phyllis Newman, 1717 Priscilla Dr., Silver Spring, MD. 20904. For further information call her at 301-922-5166 or email at phyllisnewman@realtor.com

OPERATION CHRISTMAS

2008-11-13T18:00:00.000-08:00

Operation Christmas Child

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD has been chosen as this year's Christmas missions project for the S.O.S. Kingdom Kids at New Hope. Click here, SOS Kids for all the details and information about how to get involved with Operation Christmas Child. Also lots of info at the SOS Kids table in the lobby this weekend.

Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. This ministry is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse an international Christian relief agency.

For more information contact Caryn Wooster at newhopesos@comcast.net

HOMELESS MINISTRY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

2008-11-13T17:57:00.000-08:00

"WINTERHAVEN" Needs Volunteers

New Hope will once again be hosting area homeless men in our church through the WINTERHAVEN program. Our week for hosting will be Sunday, Jan 4 - Saturday Jan 10, 2009 and the program will be from approximately 6 pm - 7 am each day.

We are looking for people to serve in the following areas: Transportation, Sign-in/Registration, Meal helpers/servers, Laundry/Linen, Cooks, Night monitors and Overnight monitors.

For more info or to offer your help, please contact: Paulette Baldwin at paulette.baldwin@gmail.com.

THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR SENIORS

2008-11-13T17:56:00.000-08:00

Imagine being all alone on Thanksgiving Day and not having a big family dinner like most of us are accustomed to. Sadly, for many, this is what Thanksgiving Day will be like.

We are asking for food and help in providing Thanksgiving dinner for a group of about 75 seniors at the Morningside Park Apartments.This is the group that New Hope has been providing food for through the "Sharing our Pantry" program coordinated by Angie Bernard.

If you would like to contribute to the meal or if your family would like to help serve and visit with the seniors on Thanksgiving day, please see Angie in the lobby after church. There are lots of ways we all can help.

MIRACLE AND HEALING NIGHT

2008-11-13T17:37:00.000-08:00

Miracle and Healing Night was held on November 7. There were over 100 people who attended the service and God's presence was intense. Pastor Ann Roda led a small group of prayer warrior who gathered on stage to pray over the entire crowd for protection and breakthroughs.

Click here to see more pics

24.7 PRAYER EXPERIENCE

2008-11-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

This week the 24/7 prayer rooms are open to the public and the New Hope community. As we conclude the 40 Days of Love series, the congregation has been invited to take an hour and pray for the church and community. The 24/7 prayer room experience was designed by Grace Brown and Kimi Novak. Ron Mainess is the organizer of 24/7. Click here to see more pics.

NEED COMPUTER FOR LARS

2008-10-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know someone who can donate a good working computer to a LARS Transitional Housing client? She is a single mother who is taking college courses towards her degree, and the majority of her classes are online. Her computer went up the other day, and it will cost more to repair than it is worth. She really needs the computer soon so she does not fall behind in her course work. If you can help, please email: ltimlin@laureladvocacy.org or call (301) 776-9170 for Lori’s direct line.

CONGRATULATIONS PASTOR ANN!

2008-10-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Pastor Ann has earned her first pathfinder honor! New Hope has the largest Pathfinder club in the Chesapeake Conference with over 45 young people. The club is very exited about their upcoming camporee this summer in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin. Hopefully Pastor Ann will earn a few more honors by then!

How many Pathfinders have registered this year?
We have close to 50 Pathfinders. We are extending the registration deadline until October 15th. We believe that God is continuing to raise up kids to be a part of this club.

What are the major initiatives being planned this year?
The International Pathfinder Camporee (affectionately called OshKosh) in August 09 is the major initiative for the 08-09 year. It is a once in a lifetime experience for young people - to be able to meet 40,000 other Pathfinders from 100 countries. During this week, young people will worship, learn, do mission projects, and interact together. Between now and then, the Pathfinders will be learning and developing leadership, camping, and outdoor skills that will enable them to fully experience OshKosh. We are also going to be developing a precision drill team and enter our team into both the Conference level and International Level competitions.
Fundraising for OshKosh is also another initiative that will occupy much of the next 11 months. It will cost $800.00 per person to attend OshKosh. Each young person will be raising $500 on their own and the remaining $300 will be raised as a club. The fundraising intitative will allow each young person to learn about personal finances and stewardship.

What changes have you seen in our kids?
New Hope Pathfinder kids are learning 2 major things: 1. Love God; 2. Love each other.
They are learning basic life skills based on Christian values and Biblical principles.
Everytime we travel, I have received numerous comments from observers that the kids are "the most well behaved group of young people I've ever seen." During a recent trip to the Pathfinder Camporee, at a Wawa rest stop, all 45 kids went into the store to buy snacks and junk food. After they returned to the van, I went to the counter with my purchase. The cashiers commented to me that the New Hope Pathfinders exhibited exemplary behavior. Said the manager, "I have had more trouble with 2-3 young people in the store than I had with your 45 kids. Is this a Christian youth group?"

Is it true that young people in the community have joined?
We have a number of unchurched young people in the club. One of the greatest values of this Pathfinder club is "inclusiveness." We want to be the community that Jesus called us to be where people are belonged and accepted and loved.

What is your greatest need?
We have great needs for counselors, especially women counselors. These counselors must have a love for God, a passion for young people, and a commitment to be Godly role models. We are praying for God to raise up such individuals.

The second greatest need is for transportation vehicles to transport 50+ kids not including staff. On our recent Camporee trip, we had to rent three 12-passenger vans plus 3 additional personal vans. It was quite a convoy.

Adventist Risk Management (our insurance carrier) policy will not allow us to transport kids in private cars. Therefore, we will need either a bus or an entire fleet of 12-passenger vans. These vehicles will be used for other youth ministry events also (as our youth ministry is growing by leaps and bounds).

However, at least 2 times a month, we will need to transport the Pathfinder club either to a community mission project, conference event, or outing.

Anything else we should know?
The New Hope Night Hawks are the largest and most ethnically diverse club in the Chesapeake Conference. It is the ONLY club whose Pastor has an official Pathfinder uniform. Every winter, the club distributes food and blankets for the homeless on the streets of Baltimore

SOS NEWS

2008-09-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

HAITI HURRICANE DEVASTATION
You have probably heard about the two hurricanes that have recently devastated Haiti. Charles LeMorzellec and his wife, Gigi, operate Eden Garden Orphanage which New Hope has supported. A bridge linking their town to the nearest town for food was swept away in the floods.
This Saturday, Sept 20, a special offering will be taken up at New Hope which will be used to help in providing rice, beans and oil that Eden Garden will distribute for the town.

WINTERHAVEN January '09
New Hope will once again be hosting area homeless men in our church through the WINTERHAVEN program. Our week for hosting will be Sunday, Jan 4 - Saturday Jan 10, 2009 and the program will be from approximately 6 p.m. - 7 a.m. each day. We are looking for people to serve in the following areas: Transportation, Sign-in/Registration, Meal helpers/servers, Laundry/Linen, Cooks, Night monitors and Overnight monitors. To sign up to serve, please contact:

A. Colin Jeffers at acjeffers@gmail.com or (301) 806-1624 and
Paulette Baldwin at
paulette.baldwin@gmail.com
or (240) 388-2793.

MAHOTAS, MOZAMBIQUE SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Thank you to all of you who have expressed an interest in sponsoring a child to attend the school that our group helped build during our stay in Mozambique.

After learning that most families in the community surrounding the school cannot afford the approximately $20/month to send their children to our school, we knew something had to be done.

We are currently working with Maranatha Volunteers
International to create a sponsorship program at our request. Thank you for your patience while the details are being worked out - as soon as we have a program in place, we will let you know!

MOZAMBIQUE MISSION TRIP
July '08
We're back, and what a time we had in Mozambique! It forever changed the lives
of all who went.
If you missed our presentation at New Hope or would like to see pictures, videos and stories from our trip, you can check out our trip blog at: newhopesos.blogspot.com

YOUTH CHOIR ADDS TO WORSHIP

2008-09-17T07:18:00.001-07:00

What do you get when the Washington Brazilian Youth Choir leads worship with the New Hope praise and worship team? A close match to what heaven will be like.

God's powerful presence was clearly felt on Sabbath.

Click here to see more pics

CHURCH BOARD RETREAT

2008-09-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

The church board of New Hope met on Sunday, September 14. The purpose of the retreat was to begin the discussion on developing future initiatives for the church. During the morning worship, Pastor Newman emphasized the greatest contribution a church board could make is to focus on evangelism.

The full day session was facilitated by Pastor's Ann Roda and Jose Hernandez. They led the group through an intensive process called, Connections, to help the leaders of church discover their spiritual gifts.

The day was filled with prayer and affirmation as the leaders worked together as a team.

Click here to see more pics

HAITI NEEDS NEW HOPE'S HELP

2008-09-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Haiti Needs Our Help after tropical storms Fay and Hanna, then hurricanes Gustav and Ike (all within 30 days). A team from New Hope will travel with Charles Lemorzellec (Eden Garden Orphanage) to distribute food to the village near the orphanage. The village is cut off from food supplies. We are taking a special collection in Kingdom Kids (SS and Kids Church) to buy rice and beans for the people. Visit the SOS-Haiti table on September 20 for more information or www.http://www.edenchildren.info

ARE WE EVANGELISTS?

2008-09-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Thom S. Rainer in his book, The Unchurched Next Door (2003), asked the formerly unchurched what person was the greatest influence in your becoming a Christian (pp. 204-205).

Family Members 42%
No One 25%
Other 17%
Coworker 08%
Neighbor 06%
Merchant 02%

Then they asked which family member was the most influential in you becoming a Christian.

Wife 35%
Child 18%
Parents 16%
Siblings 05%
Parent's in Law 02%

Husbands reaching wives was virtually a nonfactor.

SEMINARS YOU CAN USE

2008-09-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

DEADLINE EXTENDED for the ACS Supervision Series!

A few spaces are still available in the Management Skills: Supervision , a four-part series of skill-building workshops for new and experienced managers. Experts in management and life-coaching will address: The Impact of Generational Differences; Managing Conflict; Supervising the Difficult Employee; and The Role of Coaching. Sessions will run consecutive Thursdays, September 18 – October 9 from 8:30 – 11:30 am. To register or for more information, visit our website at www.acshoco.org, or contact Joan Driessen at joan.driessen@acshoco.org or 410-715-9545.

EMERGENCY! How Volunteers Can Help Your Organization Weather the Storm On September 8 at 1:00 pm, Pamela Simonson of The Volunteer Center Serving Howard County will discuss steps that your organization can take to ensure that you can function during an emergency, and how volunteers can be recruited and incorporated into your plan. This informal discussion is informative and free but does require registration.

The State of Public Health in Howard County will be presented by Dr. Peter Beilenson, Howard County Health Officer. Dr Beilenson will provide an update on the current state of health, the challenges we face in the next year, and the services and initiatives designed to address them. This meeting will be on Wednesday, September 17 from 12:00 noon-1:30 pm at The Meeting House in Oakland Mills.

The Gavel Group, a forum for Board Presidents, will hold their quarterly meeting on October 10^th from 7:45 am – 9:15 am at the ACS office. The focus of this meeting will be on the board’s role in fundraising.

For more information on any of these programs, please call us at 410-715-9545, or visit our website at www.acshoco.org.

FAMILY SABBATH SCHOOL

2008-08-27T06:23:00.001-07:00

Most parents are used to dropping their children off for Sabbath School and then picking them back up for Kids Church. On August 30, things are going to be a little different. A special Family Sabbath School will held for moms and dads, and their kids. “Every parent is the spiritual leader of their home, and we want to give our families and opportunity to model this,” explained Pastor Ann Roda.

The program will start at its usual time of 9:30am. Each family will be given a special worship activity bag to use. They will be encouraged to find a special place on campus, such as the lawn or under a tree and participate in family worship together. “I really hope families will catch the vision and experience a valuable time together,” said Rajinie Dixit, director of Sabbath Schools.

SUPERVISION IN SERVICE

2008-08-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel that you could use a little help with…..

…setting the stage for staff success?

…communicating with staff of a different generation?

…an employee with whom you seem to “butt heads”?

…inspiring an unmotivated staff person?

…maximizing the creative problem-solving of staff?

…managing conflict within your organization?

If so, then the ACS Supervision Series is for you!

ACS is pleased to offer a series of four workshops that will explore the many facets of effective supervision. Facilitated by experts in human service management consulting and life coaching, this series has something to offer both the very new, and the highly-experienced supervisor.

September 18 The Impact of Generational Differences

September 25 Managing Conflict

October 2 Supervising the Difficult Employee

October 9 The Role of Coaching

All sessions will be held at: Bridgeway Community Church, 9189 Red Branch Road, Columbia, MD

Sessions will run from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Resources for Missions

2008-08-21T13:26:00.001-07:00

Resources for Missions

Books:

Wess Stafford, “Too Small to Ignore,” Waterbrook Press, 2007.

Ronald J. Sider, “Rich Christians in the Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity,” Thomas Nelson, 2005.

David May, “A Call to Arms: Out of the Pews and into the Streets,” Outskirts Press, 2007.

Organizations:

Sharing Our Strength - New Hope Church Mission Arm

www.sharingourstrength.blogspot.com

Adventist Missions

www.adventistmission.com

Maranatha International

www.maranatha.org

SPECIAL CONFERENCE EVENT

2008-08-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

Chesapeake’s Thy Kingdom Come! Mission Conference, September 20—This one-day gathering in Hagerstown, MD features speakers Ron Halvorsen, Sr., well known evangelist and author; and Gary Krause, director of the Office of Adventist Mission for the General Conference; the music of Ponder, Harp and Jennings, award-winning gospel group; and a palette of practical seminars and children’s programs. Morning services will be held at Hagerstown Community College and the Hagerstown Church. Afternoon and evening services follow a church potluck picnic at Highland View Academy. Check your bulletin on Sept. 13 for the complete schedule and directions or contact your church office.

INTERNATIONAL COOK OFF WINNER

2008-08-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

New Hope's first annual international cook off was held last week. A crowd of over 250 people gathered in the church auditorium to sample food dishes from twelve different countries.

Despite Pastor Dixit's prediction that the Indian delegation would win the contest, a very small contingency from Venezuela was able to claim the top prize.

New Hope Church is one of the few churches in America that is completely diverse. Only 5% of US churches are considered diverse. With over 40 nationalities, no specific racial majority, the church is in a unique position to celebrate this unique quality.

Click here to see more pictures from the event.

MISSION TRIP RETURNS

2008-08-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

S.o.S.: New Hope Church members and friends "Sharing our Strength" in Mozambique, Africa this summer

What started as a personal invitation to go to Africa from Monty Jacobs, long-time Maranatha Volunteers International (MVI) board member, to friend Dave Wooster, head of "S.o.S." missions at New Hope, somehow blossomed into a group of 39 people on a mission trip to Mozambique. On Sunday, July 13, the group of members and friends of New Hope in Fulton, Md headed to Africa for a 2 1/2 week mission trip. After a 17 hour plane ride to Johannesburg, S. Africa, the group boarded a bus for a 9 hour ride to Maputo (the capital city of Mozambique) where they stayed in tents at the MVI volunteer camp which was their home for the next 12 nights.

Mozambique, among the poorest nations in the world, was chosen by MVI to receive 1001 churches, 8 schools and a water well for each of those structures. MVI moved into Mozambique in February, 2007 and has currently completed around 50 churches (with more under construction) and is working on their 2nd school, with the assistance of the New Hope group on this trip.

The New Hope group divided into 4 crews for the specific missions that were planned for this trip:

1) A BUILDING crew helped to construct a 400-capacity school in the area of Mahotas. The crew consisted of anywhere from 20-24 people of all ages, with only one person in the group having laid brick before. Approximately 40% of the school was completed while they were there.

2) A WATER WELL DRILLING crew assisted Garry Berndt, who is heading up the water well project in Mozambique. The New Hope group helped drill 4 water wells, 2 of which were at the school property. The first well they drilled at the Mahotas school was designated as a community well, providing water at no charge to the local community, who were there daily, anxiously watching the whole process.

3) A MEDICAL MISSION team went out into remote villages and treated over 900 people in 8 working days. Most everyone they saw suffered from illnesses as a result of poor nutrition, dehydration, and parasites in their drinking water, in addition to AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, etc.

4) A VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL team shared the simple and pure gospel message of God's love with a group of kids that grew from 80 the first day, to over 500/day by the end of the trip. The kids were also taught about simple hygiene and given bars of soap that New Hope sent over after learning how precious this item is in Mozambique.

What struck the New Hope group most about Mozambique was the overwhelming amount of poverty that they saw: people living in little more than shacks, children taking care of children (often scarcely dressed with no shoes), and rampant hunger and disease. The medical team drove 1-2 hours one-way, everyday, to remote villages to offer medical care to those who have no money or means to get it on their own. "The poverty was so overwhelming that we didn't even realize until our third day on the same route that there was an ocean laying just beyond - "The poverty was just so devastating, it's all we could see. It was like watching a bad movie." commented one team member.

The primary goal for this trip was to follow the Matthew 25:35 principle, which states "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Being the "hands and feet of Jesus" and meeting basic needs in this tangible way was the most powerful evangelism tool we could ever use.

Click here to visit the SOS blog.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PILLAI FAMILY

2008-08-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Raj and Tina Pillai are proud parent's of their third child, Gemma.

Both mother and baby are doing well.

PANTRY NEEDS FOR LARS

2008-07-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

A message from the executive director, Nancy Graham.

As always, we are giving out tons of food (and are happy to do so). We have a shortage right now of the “pop top” style food for the street homeless. Pop tops are anything you do not need a can opener to open, and can easily access to eat. Would you put the word out for us? WE ALWAYS NEED FOOD! We were well prepared for the summer due to the tremendous help of all of you and the community, but supplies are dwindling (but not at a crisis point by any means). Some people mentioned maybe coordinating a food drive with their Help the Homeless mini-walk? Whatever you can do is appreciated.

NEW PICS FROM MOZAMBIQUE

2008-07-24T20:00:00.001-07:00

ANSWER KEY TO THE TEXT MESSAGE KEY

2008-07-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

In the July 19 bulletin, there was a text messaging quiz. Here are the answers below.

NOVICE
Mix and Match

A. 1 One, won, want
B. 4VR Forever
C. AFO Adult fan of
D. ATM At the moment
E. B Bye
F. B4 Before
G. BBL (I will) be back later
H. CU See you

ADVANCE LEVEL
Fill in the Blank

I. I12CU I want to see you
J. CUL8RK? See you later, ok?
K. 10S NE1? Tennis anyone?
L. WYSIWYG What you see is what you get
M. ROTFLOL Rolling on the floor laughing out loud

PRAYING FOR THE MISSION TRIP

2008-07-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

Click here to download a daily prayer calendar for the mission trip.

UPCOMING SEMINAR FOR PARENTS

2008-07-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Whether you are a new parent or its just been a while since you’ve held a newborn, we’ve put together a series of interactive lectures that will interest the families of little ones.

All Seminars will be held at New Hope Adventist Church from 7-8pm.

BABY SIGN LANGUAGE August 5, 2008
Baby sign language has been shown to help children with spoken language development, increase overall communication skills, and decrease tantrums and negative behaviors due to miscommunication. Instructor Louise Sattler is a nationally certified school psychologist with specializations in linguistics and multi-cultural education. She has been teaching American Sign Language for more than 20 years to families with hearing and non-hearing children, college students, staff at public and private school systems and businesses. Click here to register

INFANT MASSAGE August 6, 2008
Learn techniques to enhance the relationship between parent and child through the nurturing touch of infant massage. Instructor Christ Ruane holds State and National certifications in Massage, Weight Training, Pilates and Yoga. As well as being CPR and First Aid trained and certified. her practice serves those with specific chronic pain and illnesses, women before, during and after pregnancy as well as children. Click here to register

WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES August 7, 2008
Discuss women’s health issues before, during and after childbirth. If you are pregnant, just delivered or just thinking about having a baby, this seminar is for you. Dr. Sandra Abraham-Hebert is a practicing OBGYN who has been serving the Silver Spring and surrounding communities in the area of Women’s Health for over 10 years. She and her husband have been members of New Hope Church for 10 years and have two young daughters.
Click here to register

For more details visit lookingforachurch.org or email rajinedixit@yahoo.com.

MISSION MOZAMBIQUE HAS LANDED

2008-07-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt taken from the SOS blog:

After leaving Dulles on Sunday, we spent 17 grueling hours on the plane (and even longer for some who didn't fly with us), stopping once for fuel in Dakar, Senegal. Everyone held up pretty well, although we found ourselves asking "Are we there YET?" a few times! We (and a ton of luggage) arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa Monday evening. The hotel "Doves Nets" shuttle picked us up, we had a nice meal, warm showers and headed to bed. Today, Tuesday, we leave for the area of Maputo, Mozambique which is about 6 hours due East from here, on a bus. We'll catch up more when we get settled in Mozambique! I tried uploading pictures, but kept running into errors which may be due to bandwidth issues. Will try again in Mozambique!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE SOS BLOG

INTERVIEW WITH DEBBIE HOWELL

2008-07-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

What are the kids learning in Kid's church?
In Kid's Church the kids learn who God is. We use fun and creative ways to help them apply the God of the Bible to their God of today. We also teach them the various ways to worship their God.

What is the most exciting thing about Kid's church ministry?
The most exciting thing about Kid's Church is that every week for an hour and fifteen minutes God has their full attention. I love to see the many ways God reaches them through our team.

How can parents become more involved with their kids spiritual health?
Every week we give the parents a take home sheet, that ties into what we've learned in Kid's Church, for them to read together during their family worship times. We wouldn't think of feeding our kids "physically" just once a week, so why should it be good enough to feed them "spiritually" just once a week?

What is your goal for kid's church?
It's so hard to sum up all of our goals for Kid's Church because we are so passionate about their walk with God! If I had to focus on one goal that we have it would be to grow them into kids who are so radically in love with Jesus that the worship we experience together on Sabbath would continue for them the rest of the week wherever they go.

How can parents support this ministry?
As Kid's Church continues to grow we are looking for more volunteers. Our needs are very diverse, from leading out in the program, to being a program coordinator, to sitting with the kids and helping them stay focused on the program. Gifts and talents are always important, but what we are looking for in our volunteers more then anything else is people who love kids and whose lives are so full from their relationship with God, that when they come to Kid's Church that love and passion would automatically flow out to the kids.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY HORN

2008-07-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Mary Horn joined the body on Christ when she was baptized at New Hope Church. Congratulations to Mary.

Click here to view Horn's Baptismal photos.

CONGRATULATIONS KELLY FOSTER

2008-07-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

New Hope welcomes Kelly Foster into the body of Christ!

Click here to see more photo's of Foster's baptism.

MAJOR BLOOD SHORTAGE!

2008-07-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

AMERICAN RED CROSS ISSUES URGENT APPEAL FOR BLOOD DONATIONS

Community Blood Supply at Crisis Level, Donors Needed Immediately

BALTIMORE, MD – July 14, 2008: Low donation rates throughout the summer have caused the community blood supply for all blood types to drop to a crisis level this week. The Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Region (GC&P) of the American Red Cross is reporting just a few hours supply for types O negative, and less than one day supply for type A, B, and O positive. The current blood supply is inadequate to meet the needs of hospitals in the area, and in some cases procedures may be delayed until the blood supply is replenished. All eligible donors are encouraged to call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) to schedule a blood donation appointment immediately. Platelet donors may call 1-800-272-2123. In response to the appeal, the American Red Cross is expanding hours at local donor centers. Please visit www.my-redcross.org for the current hours and blood drive schedule.

“We have seen a steady decline in the blood supply throughout the summer, and despite efforts to increase blood donations, collections have not been able to keep pace with utilization in the Region,” says Gary J. Ouellette, C.E.O for the Region, referring to the causes of the current blood shortage. “Although we typically see a decline in blood donations over the summer, patient need remains the same and can often increase. We have been working diligently with our community partners to communicate the increasing urgency of the situation, but so far the response has been inadequate. We are truly in a very critical situation at this point, and need the public to understand the urgent need for blood donations today.”

“We have been unable to keep any blood on our shelves, as soon as it is processed we are sending it out to hospitals,” says Page Gambill, Director of Hospital Services for the GC&P Region. “This makes it very difficult for us to prepare for the types of emergencies that happen every day, such as a transplant or a trauma patient that can use significant amounts of blood.” It takes three days to process a donated unit of blood, and the Red Cross needs to have blood available on the shelves in advance to meet sudden patient needs.

Low appointment schedules and no shows, most likely due to sunny weather and family vacations has resulted in declined blood collection throughout the Region. Each day, countless trauma victims, cancer patients, premature babies and surgical candidates rely on the availability of blood for transfusion. Eligible donors are asked to call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543) to schedule a donation appointment.

WHO CAN GIVE BLOOD?
Donors must:

-Be in generally good health;
-Be at least 17 years of age, or, in the state of Maryland only, 16 years of age with parental consent
-Weigh no less than 110 pounds;
-Have NOT received a tattoo within the past year;
-Have NOT donated whole blood within the past 56 days.

In addition to asking individual members of the community to donate blood, the American Red Cross strongly encourages businesses and community groups to schedule and organize blood drives. Any groups interested in scheduling a drive or obtaining further information is asked to call 1-800-787-9282, ext. 4925.

Visit www.my-redcross.org

MISSION TRIP BEGINS

2008-07-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

A group of 40 members and delegates from New Hope Church left yesterday, July 13 on an international mission trip to Mozambique, Africa.

This mission project will focus on three areas during the two week trip. First, the group will be working on the completion of an Adventist School that will provide Christian education to the neighboring community. Second, a group of medical professionals will set up a temporary medical clinic. A finally, an evangelistic vacation bible school will be held.

The mission trip has been coordinated by the missions arm of the church, Sharing Our Strength (SOS), led by Dave and Caryn Wooster. New Hope is partnering with Marantha International on this project for support and services.

If you would like to stay updated on the progress of this trip, please visit the SOS blog.

Click here to view pictures of the prayer dedication.

BLOOD DRIVE COMING

2008-07-02T08:50:00.002-07:00

New Hope will be sponsoring a blood drive with the American Red Cross on July 12. Your support will be appreciate. The blood mobile will be parked outside of the church on Sabbath morning. Please sign up for a time to donate.

3 perks for giving blood
1. everyone suddenly will think you're brave (ask a certain New Hope member if you don't believe me) 2. you get a whole lot of blood work for free (ask a certain New Hope member--who got a disease diagnosed--and then got it treated). 3. you save lives (up to 3 for each pint donated).

THANKS BIG JOHN

2008-06-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of some outstanding people

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT LARS

2008-06-17T11:40:00.001-07:00

Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, Inc. (LARS) is currently seeking a full-time Spanish Speaking outreach worker to provide case management and outreach services to both Spanish and English speaking service seekers who are in crisis situations, and residing within the Laurel community. Applicants must be fluent in Spanish; have a clear understanding of the needs of the immigrant population of Laurel; be willing to work some weekends and evenings; and, have their own reliable transportation. Competitive pay and some benefits provided. BSW with a MD license preferred, but other applicants with a 4 year college degree and experience in the human services will be considered.

Please send a cover letter and resume to:

Nancy Graham, LCSW-C, Executive Director

Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, Inc.

311 Laurel Avenue

Laurel, MD 20707

Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, Inc. (LARS) is seeking a full-time case manager to assist with the start-up and implementation of our newly HUD funded Permanent Housing Program (projected start date July 1). Applicants must have their own reliable transportation, and be willing to work some evenings and weekends. Competitive pay and some benefits provided. BSW with a MD license preferred.

Please Send Cover Letter and resume to:

Nancy Graham, LCSW-C, Executive Director

Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, Inc.

311 Laurel Avenue

Laurel, MD 20707

LARS IN THE NEWS

2008-06-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

Laurel Advocacy Referral Services was recently in the local Gazette. New Hope Church partners with LARS in providing social needs to the residents of Laurel, Maryland. Click here to read the full article.

SOS NEEDS YOUR HELP!

2008-06-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Our 40 member "Sharing our Strength" team from New Hope heads out for the mission trip to Mozambique in about a month! Would you like to be involved in the mission even though you're staying home this time? Along with VBS, the water well drilling project and building a school, our group will also be running a MEDICAL MISSION to the local community. The health situation is so poor there, and we expect to impact hundreds of people in need. We are looking for donations of new, unopened bottles of a number of vitamins and medications that will be given out during the medical clinic. Items needed are:

1) Children's chewable multi-vitamins
2) Adult multi-vitamins
3) Acetaminophen for adults (Tylenol or generic brand)
4) Acetaminophen for children (160mg elixir and the 80mg infant drops)
4) Ibuprofen (Motrin or generic brand)
5) Reading glasses in all strengths (these are sometimes available at the dollar store)

There will be a box marked "S.o.S. /Mozambique Medical Mission Donations" in the lobby until Saturday, June 28. Monetary donations that will go towards the purchase of these supplies are also greatly appreciated (you can put "Mozambique Medical" on your envelope). Thank you in advance for supporting this effort!

For more details visit the SOS blog.

PREGNANCY CENTER NEEDS YOUR HELP

2008-06-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

Laurel Pregnancy Center is currently in need of size 2, 3, and 5 diapers; “boy” sleepers, sizes 0-3 and 3-6 months; receiving blankets; pacifiers; and cotton hats. If you would like to contribute any of these items you may deliver them to 415 Main St in Laurel, Mon-Thurs 9 AM - 3 PM or leave at the church office and Norma McKellip will deliver.

SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

2008-06-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Southern Asian Adventist Church on Randolph Road in Silver Spring is offering a 7-week Summer Enrichment Program for kids ages 3-16 from June 23-August 8. The program runs from 9 am - 3 pm with extended hours from 8 am - 6 pm. Call Angie Abraham, Program Coordinator, at 240-643-9647 for more information.

CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING

2008-06-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

A church business meeting has been scheduled Sunday, June 29 from 5:30 to 8:00pm. The agenda will include future ministry plans for the church, and discussion and vote for the new budget. Also, please bring a family supper for a time of fellowship.

Click here to download a full version of the proposed budget

Note: If you have any questions regarding the budget, please contact the following people. In an effort to be considerate of time, please be sure to address your questions or comments with the appropriate people prior to the business meeting.

"EVERYTHING" DRAMA

2008-05-21T11:08:00.001-07:00

The drama called "Everything" had a powerful impact on the church. You can watch the entire presentation here.

INTERVIEW WITH RAJINIE DIXIT

2008-05-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

What are our kids learning in Sabbath school?
All of the classes, except for Baby and Me and Toddler, are using the Faithweaver Curriculum through Group Publishing. It presents an overview of the Bible every three years, and is coordinated so all age groups are hearing the same story each week. To help students understand the Old Testament as a whole, learners explore it chronologically during the summer and fall quarters. Winter and spring quarter FaithWeaver lessons focus on the New Testament. The Sabbath school curriculum also connects to Kids Own Worship, the curriculum that they are using in Kids Church.

Do babies need to go to sabbath School?
All of the research shows that the first three years of life is when the most learning takes place for our children. We are seeing our babies as young as 6 months praising the Lord through music and stories, and our toddlers as young as 18 months learning their memory verses (verbally and through sign language),. Start developing your child’s love for Jesus through daily family worship and weekly worship at sabbath school and church from infancy. Don’t wait until your child is school age to make sabbath school a habit. By then you’ve wasted a lot of valuable time.

What time does Sabbath School start and finish?
All of the upstairs Sabbath schools (Preschool through grade 5) begin at 9:30 am. Baby and Me and the Toddler class begin at 9:45. It is important to bring your child on time, so they don’t miss valuable components of each lesson. All Sabbath schools finish at 10:15. Please come upstairs to pick up your children at 10:15. If you’d like to avoid the crowds downstairs, you can register them for kids church or child care at the upstairs Ask Me desk. But please do not tell your young kids to come downstairs and look for you on their own. New Hope wants to be a safe place for kids. The only way that can happen is with vigilant adult supervision.

What can I do to help carry over the learning at home?
Research shows that the most powerful influence on children’s faith development is the conversations about faith that take place in the home. You can help get your child ready for sabbath school each week by reading our sabbath school blog http://blogsabbathschool.blogspot.com/. This blog has an adult lesson and family worship ideas that go with the story for the week. After sabbath school every week your child receives a take-home paper that includes also ideas for family discussion and activities. For even more ideas, you can check out HomeConnect at http://www.faithweaver.com/, for link on the internet that families can explore together to reinforce weekly Bible Points.

What is your biggest need for Sabbath School for the upcoming year?
MEN - Our boys needs male spiritual role models, even at the youngest ages. To know, love and identify with God as a “father figure” they need to develop relationships with godly men. Sabbath schools are not all singing and dancing, our sabbath schools use a variety of learning styles including science experiments, acting, maps and models, history lessons, etc. Of course, we are happy to have moms, dads, young adults, grandparents, and couples serve in our sabbath school ministry. It’s a once a month commitment and our new teaching year begins July 2008. You will receive training. You will make new friends. You will be inspired to love and nurture the children here at New Hope Church. Will you consider serving? Contact Rajinie Dixit, Sabbath School Director (rajiniedixit@yahoo.com)

THIS WEEK'S TEACHING

2008-05-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

Join Pastor Newman as he teaches on discovering your gifts and talents. God has gifted each person with abilities to serve him and the world. Do you know what God has destined you with? Find out this week as we continue the series on balance. Don't forget to bring a friend.

SPRING CLEAN CHURCH CLEAN

2008-05-19T19:33:00.001-07:00

New Hope members gathered on Sunday, May 18 for a special spring clean. Collier Rowe, director of maintenance led the endeavor to get the church up to speed. Volunteers worked on a wide range of projects from cleaning all of the trash cans, hanging bulletin boards, and repairing electrical. Click here to view the album.

MEMBER IN THE NEWS

2008-05-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

New Hope member Rein Paulsen has been interviewed by the media concerning the international crisis in Burma and China. Paulsen is the senior director of humanitarian and emergency affairs at World Vision, Washington, DC, appeared on the Diane Rehm show on May 15.

Click here to listen to the interview

CONGRATULATIONS DR. DIXIT

2008-05-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

New Hope Church congratulations Pastor Rajkumar Dixit who graduated on Monday, May 12 with his Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary. Dixit's doctoral studies was in Leadership and his dissertation topic focused on Religious Branding and Contextualizing the Gospel in a Post Secular World.

FAMILY FOOD FRIENDZY

2008-05-14T07:40:00.001-07:00

May 17 at Marty and Katina Chappell's home. 1422 Peaceful Lane, Silver Spring. 301-388-0434.

From 4-8 pm. Bring a salad or dessert.

Come meet other families and enjoy an evening of good food and conversation.

NEW CLASS FOR PARENTS

2008-05-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

If you're like most parents, you think you're doing an okay job - and you probably believe your're doing better than most. But if your goal is to raise kids with a life-impacting faith, "okay job" may not be enough. In this new class, Revolutionary Parenting (based on the book by George Barna), you will learn what it takes to raise a modern-day spiritual champion. Raising spiritual champions takes Revolutionary Parenting.

The class meets every Saturday, 9:30 - 10:15 am in room 208. Books can be purchased in class or at the Potomac Adventist Book Center. Get the 25% off coupon at the Ask-Me-Desk. Contact Timothy Atolagbe at tiliday@comcast.net for more information.

FAMILY NEWS

2008-05-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

Family News

Juanita and Frank Iscoa welcome a new baby girl. Big brother Nicolas is very excited about having a little sister.

Jill and Tony Peralta welcome a new baby boy. Big Sister Abigael and big brother Ethan love their new baby brother.

If you have any news (praises and prayers) to share with other New Hope families, please let us know by sending an email to newhopefamilyministy@comcast.net

DID YOU KNOW?

2008-05-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know?

* Over 100 kids came to see Blue Sky Puppet Theater, The Barker of Seville, on March 29.

* God showed up at the Family Vision Workshop, April 26, 27. Forty people attended and families are being transformed.

* Pastor Ann did the Week of Prayer at Olney Prepatory School on April 28-May 2.

(By the way, Pastor Ann also conducts chapels and teaches Bible at Beltsville and Atholton schools).

* Study the same themes your kids are learning every Sabbath. Go to blogsabbathschool.blogspot.com/

* Coupons are available for New Hope parents for 2 fabulous books, Revolutionary Parenting and The Power of A Praying Parent. Go to the Ask-Me-Desk or www.lookingforachurch.org

THIS WEEK'S TEACHING

2008-05-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

Pastor Rajkumar Dixit will be continuing teaching on money. We all need it to survive, but what does the bible say about it. Did you know Jesus teaches about this topic more than any other subject in the New Testament? Find out what Christians should know about money and generous living.

INTERVIEW WITH PASTOR DIXIT

2008-05-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

How long have you been at New Hope? Last weekend I celebrated my fifth year serving at New Hope. Time has gone by so quickly.

How has the church changed in that time? It has been interesting to look back and remember what the church was like just five years ago. I believe the biggest change has been the change in focus outside of the church walls. New Hope as grown from being inward focused to community driven.

What are the biggest things you are working on? I am working with leaders in Howard County on developing a strategy for New Hope to become highly involved with the communities needs. Also I hope we can continue to have more of our members becoming spiritual mentors. They would give baptismal classes to new Christians.

How has your spiritual journey changed since you have been at New Hope? People don’t usually ask about a pastor’s own spiritual life. I can say the biggest contributor to my spiritual growth has been the small group I am involved with. The bible reading, discussion, prayer and accountability has made a huge difference.

Since it is Mother’s Day weekend, can you tell us something about your mom? My mom actually attends New Hope. If it wasn’t for my praying mother, I don’t think I would be a Pastor, or a Christian today. I would every parent not to give up on the power of prayer. It (prayer and God) can bring the right people in your child’s life.

MAKING ADVENTISM RELEVANT

2008-05-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

In 2003 when Dr. J. David Newman became the Senior Pastor of New Hope he presented a series called, "Making Adventism Relevant. After six years, this sermon series continues to be to be the most requested. Click here to download or read a sermon.

Click here to read Pastor Newman's vision for New Hope.

THIS WEEK AT NEW HOPE

2008-05-07T07:18:00.001-07:00

Join us this week as we celebrate Mothers. Pastor Newman will give a special message for families and especially mom. The children from Kid's Church will present a couple of special songs for the moms. Don't forget to bring a friend!

INTERVIEW WITH TIMOTHY ATOLAGBE

2008-05-01T10:07:00.001-07:00

How long have you been attending New Hope?
This weekend (April 26) makes it exactly 20 years since I have been part of the body of Christ previously called Laurel Adventist Church, now known as New Hope.

As the leader of the lay pastors, what is ministry goal?
To assist our pastors in the nurturing and discipling our church family members and regular attenders. This includes teaching or leading various classes or ministry subgroups, baptismal preparation, counseling, prayer, and all other aspects of our church family life.

What do the lay pastors do at New Hope?
Lay pastors serve our congregation visibly during services and behind the scene during the week. During our services, there are lay pastors assigned to pray with the worship teams, pastors and the various ministry groups, welcome worship participants, serve the congregation during communion celebrations, and baby dedications. During the past four years, our lay pastors ministered to our church family members in subgroups called parishes.

Birthdays, anniversaries, births, sicknesses and all other life events in the life each parish member are ministry opportunities for the lay pastor.

Are you looking for more lay pastors?
YES! a congregation our size needs at least 25 lay pastors to effectively serve our church family. Work related travel, relocation out of the area are some of the reasons why we have lost some of our highly committed lay pastors.

What are you looking for in a lay pastor?
A desire to serve God's people, a personal commitment to a journey of growing in Christ, and a willingness to order personal schedules in order to be available to serve others.

How has New Hope changed since you became a member of the church?
Wow! Looking at our church family today makes me render praise to God for the faithful "longtimers" at New Hope. When I became a member when there were less than 12 actively attending young adults, the children's' division all met in two or three small classrooms, and I knew more than 85 percent of the membership by name. It was easy to tell who was absent, and the median membership age was in the upper 50s.

What is your vision for the church?
That our church family members and attenders will radiate warmly with the radical love and passionate commitment to Jesus Christ like new testament church at Pentecost.

NEW PRAYER MEETING SERIES

2008-04-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, May 7, Pastor Newman will begin a new bible study series called based on the book of Romans. A notebook and study guide will be provided. You will not want to miss this series. Prayer meeting is held every Wednesday at 7pm at New Hope Church.

MEN'S BREAKFAST THIS WEEK

2008-04-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

A message from Pastor Newman

This coming Sabbath May 3 will be our monthly men's prayer group (sorry ladies, this is just for men). Come at 8:00 a.m. and participate in a light breakfast of juice, fruit, cereal, muffins, bagels. then we will share where God is leading us and take time to pray for each other and for New Hope.

If this will be your first time please email me at newman1888@mris.com so I will know how much food to plan for.

INTERVIEW WITH PASTOR ANN RODA

2008-04-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

What was your biggest hope for the family teaching series we are just completing?
God has a huge, special, and unique purpose for each family. It is my hope that each family see that purpose and allow God to unfold it for them. However, seeing and understanding God's purposes do not happen just by chance. Just as we, as individuals need to put ourselves in the position to hear God's voice, families need to do the same thing. And do it together. This is accomplished through prayer, worship, reading of the Word of God, bringing God into a visible and central position in the home.

Why should somebody change your mind at the last minute and attend the family vision workshop today?
We have waived the late fee. People can register today at the Ask-Me-Desk and come at 3:00 pm. The Family Vision workshop is a way for families to begin the journey of finding their unique purpose. It helps families develop their unique, God-given, multi-generational vision and mission that becomes the core of their children's belief system.

What are your three top goals for family ministries at New Hope?
1. Each family discover their God-given mission, vision and purpose.
2. Parents understand the call to be the primary spiritual mentor of their children.
3. Parents feel empowered and supported in their role as primary spiritual mentor of their children

What are your biggest needs in ministry?
It's easy to always say volunteers and more money. But I've come to realize that our greatest need is an army of pray-er who will pray for our families and children. Who will pray for a hedge of protection for the marriages, family units, children and youth in our church against the influences of the prevailing culture?

What should every parent know?
Satan has his eye on your children. Even before they were born, he already had a detailed plan for capturing your children.

God has given parents a detailed plan of attack. That plan is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. However, it is up to each mom and dad to take up the call and implement the plan. The church and the pastors cannot do this job for parents.

HOMELESS MINISTRY NEEDS A COORDINATOR

2008-04-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

New Hope is looking for a ministry director to spearhead the homeless ministry, Winterhaven during the month of January 2009. If you have the organizational and administrative ability, please contact Pastor Kumar at kumardixit@yahoo.com for details.

ALSO VISIT US AT

2008-04-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

FREE GOSPEL CHOIR CONCERT

2008-04-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

You are invited to a Free concert featuring the Black Student Union Gospel Choir of Columbia Union College. The event will take place at the Sligo Adventist Church on Friday, April 25 at 7:30pm.

UPCOMING SERMON SERIES

2008-04-21T07:35:00.001-07:00

Pastor Newman will be starting a new series on May 3 called, "Priorities: Love or Hate Them." This series will focus on the important things in life that are often filled with mixed feelings like, time, money, debt, and gifts.

You won't want to miss this new teaching that will help you rethink your priorities. Don't forget to bring a friend.

PASTOR NEWMAN'S SMALL GROUP

2008-04-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

A Message from Pastor Newman:

In my first update I talked about a new men's group.. I am looking for a few men who will covenant to travel with me fora set period of time. we will decide as a group how long that will be, meeting weekly for one hour (6:30 am-7:30 am, I know it is early!!!) every Tuesday.

I mentioned meeting in Olney but I am changing the venue to the Daily Grind Coffee Shop in Maplelawn the new business and shopping complex on Rt 216 and Rt 29.

We will begin with the book Dissident Discipleship by Dr. David Augsburger. This will be a life changing trip together. Contact me at
jdavid_newman@yahoo.com or give me a call on my cell phone: 301-922-5167.

BE A STOP SMOKING COUNSELOR

2008-04-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

Community Ministry of Prince “George’s County (CMPGC)

Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program

CMPGC will hold two (2) four (4) hour training sessions on Saturday, April 19^th and 26^th from 9am-1pm for all persons interested in serving as smoking cessation facilitators and lay tobacco prevention educators.

We are also looking to train 10-15 youth ages 15-19 to serve as Youth Peer Health Ambassadors. Community service hours plus a small stipend will be given to youth who serve in this capacity.

Where: First Baptist Church of Mount Rainier

3103 Shepherd Street

Mount Rainier, Maryland 20712

Lunch will be provided.

Pre-registration is required.

Help CMPGC “Kick Butts” in Prince George ’s County.

For more information or to register please contact:

Deneen Long-White

(202)251-5856