This Weekend at Hope: Here We Stand: A 10-Week Confirmation Refresher
The Once and Future Church | Ephesians 1:15-23  
Good Morning Hope!
 
It's always about the basics. Always.
 
Admittedly, I am an end of the season baseball fan and last night the Dodgers sealed their World Series ticket with a huge win over the Cubs. The game was a great picture of a team who found everything going right and a team who could not find the groove of success.
 
It wasn't just baseball either. I have a few friends whose marriages are slipping away. It's not a game. It's really difficult and challenging to "win," as they put it in baseball. It can be even more challenging to build, maintain, grow, and even repair a marriage. And the difficult reality is that sometimes they become irreparable. It's that way with a lot of our relationships.
 
Last night the Dodgers went up 5-0 in just the third inning. As I watched I was glad for the Dodgers because a friend of mine is now a pitcher for the team. But that thought didn't last long as I began wondering what the Cubs would do now - third inning, down 5-0, no momentum.
 
I've been there and so have many of you.
 
What will we do? The only thing we can do is refocus. Go back to the basics and begin again. Now I don't know enough about baseball to list out the basics here, but I do know enough to list out the basics and fundamentals of a great relationship with God, with a spouse, with friends, and even with people we don't want anything to do with.
 
How do we begin again? It begins with turning our hearts to God every day. The pitches of life are like professional fastballs - they are coming at 102 miles per hour. To hit these out of the park it takes everyday focus not on high level techniques and training but on the most fundamental movements, motions, and thoughts.
 
How will you get to the fundamentals of God's life in you? Prayer? Bible reading? Memorizing God's word? Acts of kindness and service toward others? Seeking forgiveness from God? Seeking forgiveness from others? Teaching young people about God? Inviting people into your life and into the church? Caring for the elderly?
 
Loving God and loving others is the fundamental act, motion, and thought for our lives. Professional baseball players show us the height of excellence with a ball, bat, glove, and field. Jesus shows us something much more. Jesus displays the model of excellence and provides the very best in training and support that our lives might hit it "out of the park" when it comes to loving God and loving others.
 
As we come through the batting rotation of life...you're up.
 
Fundamentally in Christ,
Eric  
Trunk 'n' Treat at Hope WDM
Sunday, Oct. 29, 2:00-4:00 pm

Get your little ones dressed in their friendly Halloween costumes and experience the fun of fall with our annual Trunk 'n' Treat! Children in grade 6 and under are invited to trick-or-treat in the Hope WDM parking lot in a safe, free and family-friendly environment. Photo opportunities will add to the fun, too!

Or, be a "trunker" - decorate your trunk and hand out candy to all the trick or treaters! For more details or to sign up - click here.

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
Second and fourth Thursdays of the month through May 24, 6:30-8:30 pm

MOPS offers a God-centered place to find friendship, community, resources and support for mothers. A MOPS morning is filled with fun, refreshments, devotion, speakers, small group discussions and activities for children.

Third-Grade Bible Class 
Sunday, Nov. 12, 1:00-2:30 pm

Parents will present new Bibles (provided by Hope) to their children during a brief ceremony, followed by a teaching time where children learn general biblical information such as how to look up Bible verses. They will also highlight some meaningful Bible verses that are frequently taught. It will be a special time that children and parents won't want to miss. Parents, please plan to attend.

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CONNECTING POINTS
for children
age 3 - grade 5
for students entering grades 6-8
for students entering grades 9-12
for men
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Lutheran Church of Hope Johnston-Grimes | 515.259.9495 
info@hopejohnston-grimes.org | hopejohnston-grimes.org