MIRACLE AND HEALING NIGHT RECAP

God Shows Up as Always

They came from all over the tri-state area. People lined up to share personal testimonies on God’s working of miracles in their lives. Over 120 people attended New Hope Church’s Miracle and Healing Night on March 2 to sing praise songs, listen to Pastor Kumar Dixit preach the message “God Knows Your Name,” and pray in groups according to needs. “Pastor Newman was handing out hugs like hot cakes,” noted one enthusiastic member.

During testimonies, one woman shared how God answered her prayer for financial help in a way that led her to a new job for more income so her kids could both attend Christian schools. Liz Moore gave God full credit for major changes in her life over the past year that have resulted in physical, emotional and spiritual healing. “Now I am not dying physically or spiritually anymore.” And Becky Timon started the Ask Me Desk in November in answer to prayer as part of the First Impact Ministry at New Hope. Since then it has grown to more than 17 volunteers. She held a recent training luncheon for this ministry and welcomes more volunteers to participate in this special activity.

Other testimonies of miracles had to do with family relationships. Ginge and Eric Straw brought son Jacob before the congregation. He is clearly a beautiful answer to their prayers over a year ago for a child. Similarly, Lydia and Timothy Atagebe have a new baby girl as an answer to their prayers. Another woman noted healing for her daughter 30 weeks into a high-risk pregnancy – since then the baby was born and is doing well, as is the mother. “When we pray, we still may go through tough times, but God is with you right through the trials,” she stated.

Also, one attendee testified that she came last year to Miracle and Healing Night for healing in her relationship with her father after her parents divorced 30 years ago. Since those prayers, communication between them has improved, she was invited to spend time with her father and his family, and she has met her siblings. “God answers our prayers in His own time,” she explained. Someone else talked about what New Hope Church has meant to her in terms of challenging her preconceptions about the denomination. Her mother received healing after surgery recently. A young man emphasized the acceptance he and his friends feel at New Hope after facing rejection elsewhere. His father and uncle are struggling with prostrate cancer and need prayer, although God is already at work in healing and extending their lives.

Pastor Dixit encouraged people to pray for themselves and others if suffering from physical illness, depression, marital and emotional problems, financial difficulties, guidance on a spiritual journey, reaching a crossroads, or anything else preventing one from living a fulfilling life. “When we pray, the Lord sends legions of angels and friends to come into your life to encourage and support you,” he warned. “When we pray for other people we better be prepared. Then we are not just fighting our own spiritual warfare, but we are fighting on behalf of others.” He noted we need to “gird ourselves” in the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-20).

Miracle and Healing Night began two years ago under the prayer ministry at New Hope. Renee Rucker, leader of the prayer team, and Seema Rodriguez head up one of the most active ministries of the church. “Yet again, God showed up – as He always does,” enthused Seema Rodriguez.

“It is these kinds of experiences that make us love one another as we open up about our lives and are vulnerable with one another and with God,” asserted member Anne Woodworth. “It was a cleansing experience,” Renee Rucker affirmed.

MISSION TEAMS HEADS TO MISSISSIPPI

A group of New Hope members left late Friday to Mississippi, to assist with the ongoing Hurricane Katrina efforts. Let by Dave Wooster, New Hope Missions Director, the group will stay in a camp during the week. The missions iniative was developed by Wooster, who then served as the chairman of the board at New Hope.

In December, 2006, the church raised over $60,000 in three weeks for the holiday love offering. The offering was designated for missions; local, domestic, and international. The team plans to organize more domestic trips to assist the Katrina efforts, as well as international mission trips.

Pastor Ann Roda will join the team on Sunday.

ORDER ADVANCE TICKETS FOR EASTER

Click here to order advance tickets

PROBLEMS WITH THE EAST DOOR

I'd like to remind you that we have been consistantly having trouble with the East entrance (by the kitchen) for quite some time. As many of you have already experienced on numerous occasions, the door with the reader for your swipe cards is very difficult to open (if it opens at all). Therefore, as previously discussed, we have not been programming that door (other than Saturdays for service) and have asked ministries to use the South entrance (by the office suite-aka, Liz's Lounge).

As of last Saturday, the West entrance has been broken and now is blocked off from use.

I just spoke with Gilmar who informed me that we are having all three entrances worked on in the near future.

I know that these issues create an inconvenience for everyone but please know that we are trying to get these issues resolved as soon as possible.

Thanks for your patience. Written by Liz Moore

GOLF FOR HOMES

Habitat for Humanity of Howard County's is sponsoring its first golf tournament. This event will will help raise funds for homes in Jessu. For more details contact, David Roura, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Howard County at 410.997.4949.

Click here to view or download an event flyer.

GREAT PLACE TO HANG OUT

Local Business Creates Space for Community, Christian Connections

Sofie Lang-Bradford has always been a Christian, but it wasn’t until college when she accepted Jesus as her personal Savior as a matter of choice. And the past five years she has experienced unprecedented spiritual growth in new ways in her daily life, especially since she opened her own business last year. She came to an understanding that material things of this world do not matter – instead, it is the eternal perspective that she is adopting. “I have a more mature spiritual discernment of the ways God is working in my life and in circumstances around me.”

Sofie grew up as the oldest of four children in a military family. Born in Georgia, she was raised in California until she was 16 years. She moved around with her family thereafter, and graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in economics. At that point, she went into the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant and was stationed in Korea, where she met her husband Rolandrias (a.k.a. Skee), also a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force. It was love at first sight -- after six weeks they were engaged, and married in four months.

They were soon separated when she returned to Florida and he was sent to Iraq for Desert Storm. Their first child Chelsea was born, now age 14. Then Hurricane Andrew hit and destroyed their home. The family lived in Alabama, then the United Kingdom. Both parents were still in the military, but soon ranked captains. Sofie left the military after the birth of her second daughter, Taylor (now age 12). The family moved to Ohio where Sofie worked as a homemaker for a year. Then in 1997 her husband left the military and they both took jobs with Bell Atlantic (nowVerizon) in Baltimore, Maryland. They soon had son Joshua, age 6, and son Dylan, age 3. In 2003 Sofie went back to school to get her Masters in Business Administration, unaware how God would put her advanced education into practice soon thereafter.

“All along I could see events in my life transpiring according to God’s plan, not necessarily mine,” Sofie explained. After the family built a house in the Fulton area they decided to start a business for more economic security. They trusted God to “open and close the doors” of opportunity to guide them in their choices. About eight months ago the couple opened a coffee shop – Sofie does not even drink coffee, but she loves to talk to people, has a very engaging personality, and embraced the idea of establishing a gathering place for the local community. Her shop, The Daily Grind at Maple Lawn shopping center on route 216, opened in July 2006. It has been a lot of hard work to get started, especially with four children and her husband working full time elsewhere. Now she employs 17 people on a part-time basis and can be found there daily herself.

“We in American society lack community gathering places to meet, chat and simply hang out,” Sofie noted. She wanted to address that need in Fulton with her business. It has been very rewarding, she explained, to see how quickly the idea of a community gathering place has been embraced by the community.

“We have several Bible study groups meeting weekly here, pastors from many churches come to work on their sermons, families meet to share meals, youth soccer teams come for celebrations.” The Daily Grind has a cozy environment, with decorations in shades of coffee such as latte-colored walls, black modular furniture, cinnamon tones in the chairs and tables, and a fireplace surrounded by leather couches and chairs. Reasonably priced items are offered such as coffee, juice, other drinks, baked goods (muffins, bagels), panini sandwiches, chili, soups and salads, and Italian gelato.

“The past year has been a struggle, stressful in ways, but God has helped so much,” Sofie noted. “He has brought incredible people into my life. Moreover, I have a deeper reliance on the Lord than ever before -- I have to pray daily to meet our needs.” Her relationship with God has grown stronger than ever, there is a growing trust and her anxiety about things is greatly reduced.

“We want to start up some new events in the spring and summer such as live music by local artists on Saturday evenings and activities for children such as storytellers, magicians, crafts, etc.” She also will continue being involved in community events such as raising social awareness to prevent domestic violence or fundraising for good causes.

More information about the Daily Grind or Sofie’s story can be found by contacting her online at www.dailygrindunwind.com. Written by Anne Woodworth