September 2, 2022

Office Closed for Labor Day

The Hope office will be closed all day on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day. We will reopen as usual on Tuesday.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Town Hall Meeting & Ice Cream Social

It's time for a Town Hall Meeting! Join us on Sunday, September 18 at 4:00pm at Hope Central Campus to hear from our church leaders and discuss many important items.

PLUS, we will be hosting an Ice Cream Social before the meeting in the Fellowship Hall at Hope Central Campus. The social will begin at 3:15pm on Sunday, September 18 at Hope Central Campus. We'll be offering new flavors along with a wonderful time of fellowship. The Ice Cream Social is free and there is no registration necessary!

National Back to Church Sunday - September 18, 2022

Hope is excited to be participating in this year's National Back to Sunday Sunday!

Back to Church Sunday is a national campaign to bring old and new faces back into church after the summer months. As we also return to our normal pre-COVID activities, this is the best time to invite friends to church or encourage members to return to in-person worship.

How can you get involved? Here are five quick ways:

Pick up a "How to Invite Someone to Church" card at any Hope campus this weekend. Read it and learn new ways you can bring friends to church.

Distribute a Hope Invite Card. New invitation cards are available at all Hope campuses. Pick up a few and distribute to your golf group, at the dog park, or anywhere you frequent during the week.

Call up a member you haven't seen in a while. Think about any friends or pewmates you have not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and call them up to invite them back to church.

Bring someone to Dine to Donate and the Town Hall Meeting. Since September 18 is also the day of our Dine to Donate at Texas Roadhouse and our Town Hall Meeting and Ice Cream Social, this is the perfect day to bring fellow members to church!

Share our National Back to Church Sunday Facebook post. If you're looking for an online ice breaker to help you invite folks to Hope, you can share our convenient Back to Church post on your own Facebook page or tag friends in the comments.

Dine to Donate at Texas Roadhouse

September 18 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Hope Lutheran Church is once again partnering with Texas Roadhouse for a Dine to Donate afternoon!

If you dine at Texas Roadhouse's Lady Lake location on September 18 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm, they will donate 10% of your total food purchases to Hope Lutheran Church!

Invitations are available at each Hope campus. You can also print a copy by clicking here. Come on out and enjoy some great food for a good cause! Proceeds from our Hope Dine to Donate at Texas Roadhouse will benefit Palms Deaf Church. 

Hope's Next New Member Orientation

Ready to make Hope your new church home? We invite you to participate in the next step of the membership process by attending Hope’s New Member Orientation.

Orientation will be held on two consecutive Thursdays in the Hope Central Campus in the Fellowship Hall from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. 

September 22 - Day One of Orientation. Light snacks will be served.

September 29 - Day Two of Orientation. This will be a potluck. We ask that you bring a dish to share. Fried chicken and beverages will be provided. 

We have three levels of membership for full-time, part-time, and seasonal residents. If you have questions about which level of membership is best for you, visit our website at hope4all.church/become-a-member or call the church office at (352) 750-2321.

Why become a church member? Becoming a church member gives you the ability to vote on important church matters and to run for a church leadership position. Only full-time and seasonal members can vote.

Ready to get started? Direct all questions and RSVP to Jeff Dunfee at (352) 750-2321 or via email at jeff@hope4all.church.

Budget Informational Meeting

September 28 at 4:00pm - Hope Central Campus

Want to learn about the 2023 church budget prior to our congregational meeting? Join us for a Budget Informational Meeting at Hope Central Campus. You'll be able to speak with council members and prepare yourself for the vote on October 7.

New Hearing Assistance at Hope Lake Weir Campus & Hope South Campus

To better serve our members who require hearing assistance, we are introducing a new hearing support system at Hope Lake Weir Campus and Hope South Campus on the first Sunday of September. To enjoy this assistance, please pick up your listening transmitter and instructions at the A/V Booth in the back of the Sanctuary. In order to ensure that everyone returns their system after worship, you must give us your Drivers License or Villages ID when you pick up your listening aids. We will safely store these items until you pick them up after worship.

Users will need to bring their own pair of wired headphones (specifically headphones with a 1/8 jack). We recommend Sony in-ear headphones. Wireless headphones will not work with this new system.

Please note: This is not T-Coil or BlueTooth support. You will not be able to sync this system to bluetooth hearing aids. Need help? Please speak to a member of the A/V Team. We'd be happy to assist!

Blessing of the Animals 2022

October 8 at 8:30am - Hope Central Campus

Bring your pet to this cherished yearly event and let them receive a special blessing from Hope's pastors. We'll have vendors, music, and photo opportunities. Invite your friends and help us make this a true community event. Registration begins at 8:30am.

Blessing of the Animals Team Seeking Volunteers & Pet Stories

To make this event a success, we need volunteers! Your help is vital and greatly appreciated. We will be having a Volunteer Meeting will be on September 27 at 9:00am in the Fellowship Hall at Hope Central Campus. Additionally, we will be having our preliminary setup for the event on Friday, October 7 after the annual picnic (including moving chairs, taking down tables, etc.)

Volunteers are asked to wear red shirts and will be given a volunteer badge on the day of the event. Ready to volunteer? Please contact Pam Caudill at pamc@hope4all.church if you would like to help with this event.

We are also collecting Pet Stories to be shared during Blessing of the Animals! If you have been blessed by a pet in your life, share their information (including a photo and a few brief words about their life) with our team. You can submit your Pet Story through the link below.

Save the Dates for Upcoming Fellowship Events

Your hospitality team is thrilled to announce these upcoming events at Hope Central Campus:

• September 11 – Fellowship refreshments begin in Fellowship Hall at 9:00am until 10:00am each Sunday.

• September 18 – Ice cream social in Fellowship Hall prior to Town Hall Meeting. We will introduce some new flavors on this day!

• October 7 – Annual Churchwide Picnic featuring entertainment by our own Mary Jo Vitale McLean.

• October 14 – The Fish Fry is Back!

• October 26 – Potluck – We will provide the fried chicken.

• November 16 – Hope’s Thanksgiving Dinner.

• December 14 – Hope’s Christmas Dinner.

Please remember: To be able to order the correct amount of food, we use cutoff dates for registration for these events. Please make sure you note the cutoff dates and get your registrations done early! You don’t want to miss the fellowship of these events. 

On Our Own Invites You!

Are you single, widowed, divorced or a caregiver whose spouse is not able to be socially active? If so, please think about joining us at an “On Our Own” meeting at Hope Central Campus. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 10:30am in the fellowship hall. After the meeting, those who wish to go to a nearby restaurant for lunch. 

Prior to our meeting, a small group of members meets in the narthex to pack 80 “snack packs” which we deliver once a month to the Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School. These food packs are given to needy children on a Friday afternoon so that they have some food to hold them over the weekend. A photo of the snack pack items is shown (donations are always welcome). 

Members of our group meet weekly at rec centers for cards or games, and we often get together for day trips. Please come and check us out. Our next meeting will be on September 14…we’d love to see you! If you have any questions, please contact Ginny Wilson at (352) 430-3326 or randy572@msn.com.

Stephen Minister Training Coming in October

Thinking of how to know Christ and make Christ known in your life? You might consider becoming a Stephen Minister. Stephen Ministers are caring people who care for people They are members of our congregation who meet one-to-one with someone dealing with life challenges such as grief, terminal illness, other medical diagnosis, pending surgery, family concerns, relocation difficulties, forgiveness issues, or a questioning faith.

No matter what the challenge is, one does not need to make the journey alone. Stephen Ministers usually meet with a care receiver for 1 hour weekly to listen, care, encourage, support and pray with and for the care receiver.

Training is required. The next training opportunity begins Saturday October 1 at Hope Central Campus. For more information on how to put God’s love into action as a Stephen Minister call the church office or contact Kathy Smith at smithkath@aol.com or (352) 399-5103.

Back to School with H.O.P.E. University!

New season, new great classes! We are excited to begin our next season of H.O.P.E. University and introduce a new variety of educational courses. This time, classes will be held at all Hope campuses. Each campus will have at least one opportunity to offer.

Click the link below for a full description of class offerings. As you scroll through the classes you'll find a registration tab for each course, as well as a Zoom link if the course is offered with Zoom in addition to in-person. 

This year, we will also have an evening series of classes following dinner and Vespers that we are calling "Something to Savior" that has some wonderful offerings.

For those courses with a suggested book, you may either purchase the book in person at Hope Central Campus, purchase it online, or buy a copy through Amazon. If you purchase a book through the church, you may pick up the book at Hope Central Campus before class begins.

Let's really strengthen our journey as disciples of Christ this fall!

DeSoto Food Drive for Hope Food Pantry

Residents of the Village of DeSoto are holding a Food Drive on September 17 to benefit the Hope Lake Weir Campus Food Pantry. Food will be collected at Ednas' on the Green restaurant from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.

Specific requested donations include: canned tuna, canned chicken, pasta, rice, canned fruit, canned veggies, tomato sauce, cereal, ramen noodles, and other pantry staples.

Anyone who donates food will also receive a 10% off coupon from Ednas'.

90+ Birthday Party

We have missed Hope's annual 90+ Birthday Party! The event has been cancelled for the last two years because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but now, we are excited to announce that the party will return this year!

The 90+ Birthday Party will be held in person on Sunday, October 2 from 11:15am to 12:30pm at Hope Central Campus. This is a special day to honor all Hope members over the age of 90 years old.

The congregation is invited to attend to greet our Guests of Honor during the party.

Our 90+ members will be receiving an invitation soon.

If you have a friend that is 90+ years old (born in 1932 or before) and you think they would like to receive an invitation to attend, please email Karen O'Brien at  fredandkaren@mpinet.net and include their name, address and birth date in the email.

Men & Women of Hope Combined Breakfast

Do you want to hear an AMAZING STORY that will touch your heart?

Join the men and women of Hope Lutheran Church as our Women of Hope resume their monthly Breakfast Meetings with a joint Men & Women Breakfast on September 15 at 9:00am at Hope Central Campus.

Our presenter will be Pastor Lori Fuller, Pastor of Palms Deaf Church in Palm Coast, Florida. At this meeting Pastor Lori will be assisted by a Sign Language Interpreter.

Palms Deaf Church is a new worshiping community. The aim is to provide an inclusive worship experience for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, to experience the Word of God in their own primary language. Come and participate in this event to learn more about what God is doing at Palms Deaf Church. The Church is focused on Experience and Sharing the Love of Christ through American Sign Language.

The cost of the breakfast is $5.00 per person. Deadline for registration is Monday, September 12 at Noon. We encourage all to participate. Invite a friend or neighbor for this special presentation. Questions? Contact Margaret Furlong at (352) 430-5092 or Virginia Robertson at (612) 619-0220.

Women's Fall Gathering Coming in November

All women are invited to the annual Fall Gathering hosted by Florida Bahamas Synodical Women's Organization. Join us on November 11-13 at Lake Yale Baptist Retreat Center, Leesburg, FL. This year's theme is “Step by Step."

This conference is an opportunity for women to come together to enhance their faith, pray together, and have fellowship in an atmosphere of learning and fun. There will be 14 Workshops to choose from. For this gathering, there is a choice of commuter registration (daily attendance) or overnight registration. The Conference Co-chairs this year are Loraine Van Haecke and Lisa Klima.

For further information you may contact Annie Schaedel at (352) 259-8683 or at

(631) 219-9289. Registration forms are available at the front desk at Hope Central or on the website www.flwelca.org  Fall Gathering headline. Deadline for registration is September 15, 2022.

“Step by Step” – We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9

Diabetes Support Group Resumes

Hope's Diabetes Support Group will resume meeting on Monday, September 19 at 10:00am at Hope Central Campus.

Our Diabetes Support Group is an excellent opportunity for those living with Diabetes to meet, fellowship, and share advice and support.

Questions? Contact Ron Bacon at ronbacon@comcast.net or Lenea Carnes at (352) 661-0001 or lenea@hope4all.church.

Walk to Emmaus 2022

Do you seek...Spiritual Renewal; New understanding of God's grace and love; Worship and community with other believers? 

THE WALK TO EMMAUS IS FOR YOU! 

Men's Walk to Emmaus

October 13-16, 2022 

Women's Walk to Emmaus

October 20-23, 2022 

For information about this life-changing opportunity, contact Kathy Langley at (352) 753-8557 or cklangley97@embarqmail.com

Worship Attendance for August 27-28 2022

Hope Central Campus:

4:00pm = 146

6:00pm = 54

8:00am = 141

10:00am = 252

Hope Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am = 76

Hope at the Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am = 64

10:00am = 84

Submit a Prayer Request

Need Prayer? Submit a prayer request via our hope4all.church website.