From the President
1 Thessalonians 5-11
“5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
The passage above describes God’s children as belonging to the light, the light of truth of Jesus’ work of salvation revealed in Holy Scripture. Those who dwell in the light are armed with faith, love, and hope. Paul continues to write in the chapter that given these gifts of the Spirit, God encourages us to do good to one another and to everyone, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances. What a wonderful picture of how Christians should exist in this world. Because of sin, we all know that it is impossible for God’s children to realize such an ideal environment on this side of eternity, but God encourages us to carry on the fight against darkness and be a family of brothers and sisters that support each other.
The council website will be a place that communicates activity and information focused on encouraging our Hope family to stay faithful in the Means of Grace and to support each other. Through the Word and Sacraments, God shines His marvelous light on us and the Holy Spirit stirs our hearts to build each other up for the work of God’s kingdom. The church council looks forward to serving everyone and encouraging our family in Christ to truly be a light in dark world that desperately needs Jesus.
In His Service
Bob Hollman
What’s Happening
Forward in Faith
By now, you will have received a mailing regarding Forward in Faith, our congregation’s initiative to financially support primarily a senior pastor as well as general operations. When people are asked to increase giving to church, the typical response can...
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What now? The Call Process Status
Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. -1 Chronicles 28:20b The special voters’ assembly did not result in...
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Children in Worship
How do we teach children about Lutheran Worship? Parents sometimes think worship is too adult or over the heads of children for them to understand. While teaching a child about worship can seem daunting to a parent, it may be surprising that children can comprehend...
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Whose Life Is It Anyway?
“I don’t care what you say anymore, this is my life. Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone.” —From the song “My Life” by Billy Joel Tragic events during the past few weeks have caused us to think about trends in our society and it doesn’t look good. Locally, two...
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One Family in Christ: The Meaning of Membership
The word “membership” once conveyed a meaning of belonging. However, in current culture, membership is more commonly defined through a smartphone or tablet via social media and results in a fragmented, isolated existence. Membership is now determined via “friend” or...
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The Results Are In: Congregational Self-Study
We had a great meeting on Monday to share the results of the congregational self-study. Thank you to the 69 people who came! Pastor Lee Hovel, our circuit visitor, presented the overall strengths of the congregation. The consensus of the group was that the survey was...
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Congregation Self-Study Results Meeting – Sept. 18
Save the Date What: Congregation Town Hall Meeting When: Monday, September 18 at 7:00pm Where: Concord Hall Topic: Congregation Self-Study Results We will have an overview of the congregation survey and small group discussions that are part of the congregation...
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Ready, Set, GO!
Fellow Members in Christ, We have officially kicked off the calling process. The congregation self-study is ready and we had a wonderful retirement celebration for Pastor Harries. The steps for the call process include: Gathering nominations for candidates from the...
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| When | What |
|---|---|
Mon 19th Mar 7:00 pm 9:00 pm |  Board of Parish Education  111 - Chapel, 6308 Quivira Road Shawnee, KS 66216, Shawnee, KS 66216 |
Upcoming Events
Mon 19th Mar 7:00 pm 9:00 pm | Board of Parish Education 111 - Chapel, 6308 Quivira Road Shawnee, KS 66216, Shawnee, KS 66216 |