April 8, 2022

Spend Easter with Hope

We look forward to celebrating the Easter season with you! Join Hope for any of our Holy Week and Easter Sunday services:

Palm Sunday, April 10

Worship at all campuses at regular times

Maundy Thursday, April 14

Worship at 11:00am and 7:30pm at Hope Central Campus

Good Friday, April 15

Good Friday worship at 11:00am at Hope Lake Weir Campus



Tenebrae Service at 7:30pm at Hope Central Campus

April 16

Easter Vigil Worship at 7:30pm at Hope Lake Weir Campus

Easter Worship at Hope Central Campus at regular times

Easter Sunday, April 17

Easter Sunrise Worship at 6:15am at Hope Central Campus and Everglades Rec.

Easter Sunrise Worship at 6:30am at Hope Lake Weir Campus

Easter Worship at all campuses at regular times

Easter Office Hours

The Hope office will be closing at noon on Friday, April 15 and will be closed all day on Monday, April 18.

The office will reopen as usual on Tuesday, April 19.

Easter Egg Hunt at Hope Lake Weir Campus

Saturday, April 9 from 10:30am to 12:00pm

Get egg-cited! It's time for Hope's Easter Egg Hunt at Hope Lake Weir Campus. Invite your family and friends to attend a wonderful morning of fun activities. We will have refreshments, games, prizes, face painting, and balloons! All ages are welcome.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Anita Dillman at anitadillman1@gmail.com or Tonia Brock at brocklg@aol.com.

Feasibility Opportunities

This is your time! It’s your time to share your thoughts about the plans for the South Campus. You should have received this information by email in the last few days. It’s important that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the Feasibility Study.

Our vision for the future of Hope Lutheran Church, particularly Hope South Campus, has been coming together over the course of the last year. As one church with three locations, it takes diligence to listen to the needs of all involved. We are excited with where the Spirit has led us and we look forward to an intentional period of listening to our members to determine our next steps.

Throughout this process we have sought to hear from congregational members. We are at another stage of development where it is critical to learn more from our members.  

There are two remaining opportunities to provide input and we would love for you to choose one. First, we will host one more cottage gathering. It will be virtual on Monday, April 11, 2022, 7:00 PM. To join the Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89998808575?pwd=djVFZVhJSGVPRXh5R0lGOHAydTJSQT09

Meeting ID: 899 9880 8575         Passcode: 522165

The cottage gatherings will feature a presentation with questions and answers. We will ask you to fill out a survey at the conclusion of the gathering.

If you prefer not to attend a cottage gathering, a second manner to engage has been developed. A prospectus has been developed and can be found below.

Please read the prospectus and then complete a short survey that can be found here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HopeLutheranOnline. Surveys are confidential and go directly to our consultant at GSB.

We hope to hear from everyone in the congregation. Please submit your responses by April 18.

Vespers to Return May 4

Vespers will return to Hope on May 4. There will be no Wednesday Evening Prayer on April 20 or 27.

During the middle of the year, Hope offers Wednesday Evening Prayer, also known as Vespers, every Wednesday at 6:00pm at Hope Central Campus. Our Evening Prayer is a quiet, meditative way to end your day and bring peace to the middle of your week.

Consider enjoying one of our Wednesday Social Suppers, and then staying for Vespers!

Music Remembrance Jazz Trio at Hope Central Campus

Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 4:00pm

Join us at Hope Central Campus for an evening of entertainment with The Music Remembrance Jazz Trio. They have been performing for concerts, jazz clubs and private and corporate events since 1990 in Florida.

They perform a mix of standards, fusion and dixieland and tailor concerts for each audience. The members of the Music Remembrance Jazz Trio are full time professional musicians that perform for Orlando Theme Parks. 

Leader/trombonist/vocalist Andrea Rowlison was the first female trombonist to perform with the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Harry James Orchestra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Our guitarist is a jazz guitar professor at the University of Central Florida and our multi Grammy-award winning bassist is a long time musician for Disney.

Invite your friends and be sure to join us on April 24.

The concert is FREE and no tickets are required. 

Holocaust Remembrance (Yom Hashoah) The Power to Overcome Hate

The Ritchie Boys, World War II, special intelligence soldiers, and how real-time communications capabilities and accurate information defeat the war of disinformation in Ukraine. 

Tricounty Community Interfaith Event Thursday

April 28, 2022 at 4:00 pm (Doors Open at 3:00 PM)

St. Timothy’s Catholic Church, 1351 Paige Place, Lady Lake, FL

Learn: The Ritchie Boys are credited with obtaining nearly 60 percent of the actionable intelligence information to defeat Nazism. The Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) conferred its highest honor, The Elie Wiesel Award for their actions.

Meet: Local Survivors & Second Generation, European Liberators and Rescuers commemorate the Holocaust.

Student Outreach: Annual writing and art contest results from local schools.

How: The internet, social media, smart phones, and open data channels help the Ukrainians get their story out to affect change. There is no charge for this event. Presented by the Holocaust Remembrance Committee of Temple Shalom Central Florida. Email us at communications@tscfl.org.

Visit web page at www.templeshalomcentralfl.org/holocaust22 .

Ways to Help Ukraine Through Lutheran World Relief

So far, Hope Lutheran Church has contributed $58,746.45 to help the people in Ukraine.

We are sending the money to Lutheran World Relief weekly.

Golf Cart Parade to Support Ukraine Sees Great Turn-Out

Al and Kathy Carlson organized a noteworthy golf cart parade to raise funds for Ukraine via Lutheran World Relief.

More than 100 people showed up for the event to raise money for the millions of people who have been affected by Russia’s invasion. 

The parade raised $1,500, which Lutheran World Relief will match to buy items such as water and diapers.

Women of Hope Retreat 2022

April 19-21, 2022 at Luther Springs

This year, our Women of Hope Retreat will be held on April 19 to 21, 2022 at Luther Springs Retreat Center in Hawthorne, Florida. The special speaker for this retreat will be Pastor Sarah Locke, Pastor for the Jacksonville Campus Ministry, which serves universities and young people in this area. Pastor Sarah is passionate about the work of the church, interfaith relationships, and helping people reflect on the awe and wonder of what God is doing in their lives. 

We encourage you to sign up early. You can find the registration form with further information by clicking the link below. Questions? Contact June Cook at frankjunecook@gmail.com or call (cell) 352-430-5025 or (h) 352-751-1968. If you complete a paper registration form, please leave completed forms and payment in the Women of Hope box located in the Information Hallway at Hope Central Campus.

April 2022 Hope Lutheran Church Golf Procedure & Pairings

All golfers must attend Hope Lutheran Church, and reside in The Villages.

Four people make up a team to play the scramble. Teams will be scheduled to play each month except for the Summer months (June thru September) at Executive Courses. The golf-match must be played on the golf course designated. Each team is responsible to arrange a time and date for the 4 -some.

Completed score cards and $1.00 per person prize fees must be enclosed in an envelope and placed in the "Lock Box," located on the wall in the Information Hallway at the church by the weekend after the last day of the month.  The results of the Monthly Golf scramble will be posted in the church newsletter. All fees collected will be awarded as prizes and can be picked up at the receptionist desk.

Men will play from the Gold Tees if under 75 years old and from the green tees if over 75 and Women from the Green Tees. You must use one tee shot from each person on the 4-person team. No one player shall have more than three tee shots. After selecting the tee shot to use, the players will place their ball within one club length of the shot selected (if not on the green), and if on the green, within six inches, and never closer to the hole. The ball must be placed in the same condition as the ball selected: fairway to fairway, rough to rough, and hazard to hazard. You continue selecting the best shot until the ball is holed. If you are in a group of 3, in rotation, each person hits a 2nd ball on each hole. 

Score cards should be legible, indicating whose tee shot was used on each hole and the score for each hole. One team member from each team should sign the card. Team numbers and players names should also be on the score card.

If your team cannot play for a month or months because of travel, seasonal resident, family, health issues, or just "too busy", arrange for a sub or call the Broekers at

(352) 205-4888, or E-mail (broeker.les@gmail.com or voigtman.pris@gmail.)

Golf Scramble Pairings - Roosevelt

2 & 34,49      3,32 & 33,8A    4 & 31,38     7 & 29,9          8 & 28,41         

12 & 27,46          13 ,26 & 22    14 & 21          16 & 19         

17 & 36,44      37 & 42            40 & 47

New schedules will be sent via E-Mail in Microsoft word, Excel and .pdf the last weekend of the prior month.

H.O.P.E. University - Wednesdays at 10:00am

Pastor John LeCain is leading a Lenten educational series covering the Book of Acts and following Paul’s footsteps through some major historical sites.

Acts Odyssey, using the book written by Rene Schlaepfer, will retrace the journeys of the apostles as told in the Book of Acts. As he visits ancient sites in Israel, Greece, Italy and several Aegean Islands, Rene meets with archaeological experts - and encounters modern thieves, rioting mobs, and nests of serpents. His adventures are enlightening, entertaining, and inspiring.

The special Lenten class will cover one chapter per week and will include videos. No registration is required. You can find the book available for purchase on Amazon. Simply search for ‘Acts Odyssey’ by Rene Schlaepfer.

Why We Developed an Estate Plan: Part 3

After I had an insert in the Sunday bulletin on "Tithing", my council president actually said this to me at the next council meeting. "Pastor, we don't tithe because all of that money would make you dishonest like those TV evangelists."

Well, let me tell you, they kept me honest. Perhaps, some of you don't tithe either. If so let me challenge you to consider at least tithing, to the causes of you choose, in your estate planning. Bea and I are planning 50% of our estate to go to beyond our family.

Last week I shared how we decided to minister through various expressions of the ELCA. First of all, we are thankful for Hope Lutheran Church. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity be a part of Hope's visitation and preaching ministry for over five years. Bea and I chose to include the Hope Endowment Fund because we value Hope's ministry beyond its doors, to the community, and around the world. From The Rock, to the Weirsdale Food Pantry, to building a church in Haiti and a theological school in India. Our responding to LWR: the latest the war in Ukraine. All the Women of Hope's craft projects, etc. The Endowment Fund doesn't support all these, but it is primarily directed beyond our doors.

Second, we established a scholarship in our names at Augsburg University in Minneapolis where I graduated. It has several special programs, like a dorm with counselors for young people recovering from addictions, and it has over 60% students of color. I think this is unique among Lutheran Universities.

Third, we chose the ELCA Good Gifts program to support. We have all been so blessed in our lives, and so much of the rest of the world has so little. Good Gifts supports programs for educating youth, providing clean water, helping small business people (especially women), and helping people increase food production. We contacted our children about our plans, and the three institutions. We received the information needed, and were helped be our financial agent to change beneficiaries on insurance policies and annuities. It took time, but we feel good about having been intentional in our planning. Pastor Frank Livingston.

Worship Attendance for April 2-3, 2022

Central Campus:

4:00pm = 101

6:00pm = 31

8:00am = 197

10:00am = 451

Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am = 126

Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am = 86

10:00am = 142

In Memoriam

Marguerite Vojvodich passed away on April 8, 2022. Marguerite was born on October 22, 1937. She and her husband, Steve, were married on October 13, 1962. Marguerite joined Hope Lutheran Church on November 15, 2015.

Arrangements are pending at this time. Please keep Steve and their family in your hearts and prayers during their time of grief.