PODCAST WITH JASMINE HOWELL

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

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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

courtesy of Kidica

How to Understand the Bible

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

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

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.

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ATTNETION: MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS

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

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

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.

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PODCAST EXPERIMENT

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

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

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

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

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HOMELESS MINISTRY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

"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

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

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

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

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!

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

YOUTH CHOIR ADDS TO WORSHIP

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Both mother and baby are doing well.

PANTRY NEEDS FOR LARS

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

ANSWER KEY TO THE TEXT MESSAGE KEY

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

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

UPCOMING SEMINAR FOR PARENTS

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

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

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

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

New Hope welcomes Kelly Foster into the body of Christ!

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

MAJOR BLOOD SHORTAGE!

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

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

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

A few pictures of some outstanding people

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT LARS

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

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!

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

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

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

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.