February 17, 2023

Access This Weekend's Handout Online

The Making Abundant Life Known team has issued a handout for this weekend! You can collect your handout at church this weekend, or click the link below to view it digitally.

Looking for a past handout? You can find them all on our Capital Campaign webpage at hope4all.church/capital-campaign-2023 or by clicking the link below.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 5:00pm - Hope Central Campus

Join Hope for our traditional Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on February 21 at 5:00pm. Pancake Supper menu will include pancakes, baked apples, and dessert.

Please note: This meal will be held on TUESDAY. There will be no meal on Wednesday, February 22 due to Ash Wednesday.

Cost is $5. Reservations will be taken for dining in. There will be NO take out. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.

No payment will be accepted after the registration deadline. You may register online using the button below or in person at the church office prior to 12:00pm on Monday, February 20. Reservations are not available by telephone.

Prayer Labyrinth and Gardens Dedication at Hope Lake Weir Campus

Hope has completed work on our permanent labyrinth, meditation garden, meditation walkways, rock garden, and butterfly garden, thanks to the work of our talented volunteer team.

Volunteers have been working tirelessly on these additions for a prayerful area for all at this beautiful lakeside campus. The areas will be dedicated on February 22, Ash Wednesday, at 2:00pm. Pastor Marc and Pastor John will lead the service as the grounds are blessed and the labyrinth is opened.

Lutheran Disaster Response Collecting for Earthquake Relief

On February 6, two powerful earthquakes hit Turkey and significantly impacted neighboring Syria. Thousands of people have been killed and thousands more have been injured.

Lutheran Disaster Response is committed to supporting ACT Alliance and other partners in responding to these earthquakes. Lutheran Disaster Response has been active in this region for several years, partnering with ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation and the Middle East Council of Churches to accompany Syrian refugees with food, water, shelter, health services and sanitation support.

If you wish to give to support earthquake victims, please make your offering through Lutheran Disaster Response. Your gifts designated for “Middle East Crisis” will be used entirely (100%) to provide long-lasting support for those whose lives have been impacted by disasters in the region.

Additionally, if you wish to give by check, you can add "Earthquake Relief" on the Memo line and drop the check in with your regular offering.

Annual Congregational Meeting Results

The Pastors and Council of Hope Lutheran Church, Three Campuses would like to express their appreciation and thanks for the more than 260 people who turned out for the Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, February 5. This was well over the quorum required by Hope's Constitution and demonstrates the interest members have to participate in the governance of their church.  

A big thanks also to Debbie Bennett and the kitchen team, for a very tasty lunch after services as people arrived. They never fail us! 

Outgoing Congregation and Council President Kent Hamdorf, Vice-President David Redding, and Council Member-at-Large Cathy Daley were recognized and thanked for their service to the church.

At this very important meeting a new President was elected by majority vote, and two people were approved by acclimation to fill the open positions of Vice President and Member-at-Large.

The Results were as follows:

Congregation & Council President

Kristina Giffin 

Vice President

Richard Gal

Member-at-Large

Patrick Sawler

Please continue to pray for the Pastors, Staff and Council of Hope Lutheran Church, Three Campuses.

Rock Pizza Fundraiser Recap

On behalf of The Rock volunteers, I would like to thank the Christians In Action team, Debbie and the kitchen volunteers, and the entire congregation of Hope. Three cart loads of food items and $1,151 was raised to help the children and their families at Lake Weir Middle School. I have included a Rock report to give everyone an idea of a day at The Rock.

Wednesday Rock report:

Another great day at the Rock. We had 43 visitors today. Food items, clothing, and shoes flew off the shelves.

Last week, Andrew told us that his mom was in the hospital with an infection. We had a second prayer circle with him asking God for a speedy recovery for her. We were happy to hear today that our prayers were answered in a positive way. Mom is home and getting better every day. Andrew and his sister continue to do the cooking.

We had a few students that came for clothing and wore them when they left. On Monday, Mathew was disappointed that we had no shoes in his size. He was delighted when he found that we had a pair just for him today.

You are truly people of Hope. We thank you and we thank God for you.

The Rock Volunteers of Hope.

Brothers in Song Spring Concert

The Brothers in song present their Spring Concert, "Marvelous Medleys and Much More!"

The show takes place on March 24, 2023 at 6:00pm at Hope Central Campus.

The show will include exciting medleys of your favorite popular songs! Enjoy the production led by director Ben Osborn and accompanist David Flanigan.

Tickets are required for the show and are now on sale for $15 per person at brothersinsong.eventbrite.com or by clicking the link below. Tickets may also be purchased through any singer. Please Note: The church office does not possess any show tickets and cannot sell tickets. All tickets must be purchased online or through one of the singers.

Lenten Giving for World Hunger

Lent is a time for reflection and repentance, of sacrifice and self-examination. But Lent is also a season of hope - hope in the work God is doing in the world, even in the most challenging times. We invite you to study, pray, and give with us during Lent for the good of our families, our neighbors and communities around the world.

The world provides enough food for all, but more than 820 million people around the world face chronic hunger. That’s about 11% of people in our world today. ELCA World Hunger is our church’s ministry to end hunger and poverty. We walk alongside our partners and companions in the United States and 60 other countries. Your gifts to ELCA World Hunger address hunger and poverty around the world with creative and courageous action.

Take a box on Ash Wednesday so you can collect your giving at home. On Palm Sunday Weekend - April 1 & 2, 2023 - we will be collecting our contributions. Your little box can make a big difference when all our contributions are counted. You can make out your checks to Hope Lutheran Church and write World Hunger on the memo line. We would appreciate a check of any amount. You can count up your coins and bills and then turn in the check for that amount. The box is a helpful tool for your collection and helps to remind us that hunger is an everyday occurrence.

Hope Mission Outreach Team

Pinelands Conference WELCA Spring Gathering

March 18 at St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Ocala, Florida

All ladies are invited to the annual Pinelands Conference WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) Spring Gathering at St. Matthews Lutheran Church on March 18 at 3453 Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, Florida. Registration begins at 8:30am. Conference runs from 9:00am to 2:00pm.

The theme this year is “Let Your Light Shine”. Attending will be 7 other regional ELCA churches for fellowship, worship and sharing information and ideas. The cost for this conference is $10.00 per person, which includes breakfast, lunch, materials and a donation for the Synodical Women’s Organization (SWO).

SoZo Kids, a charity that supports the children living in the Ocala National Forest, will be the recipient of the Love Offering for all WELCA Units in the whole Florida Bahamas Synod for 2023-2024.

Sign-in will begin at 8:00am on March 18. The conference will conclude with a communion worship service in the sanctuary. For further information contact Annie Schaedel at annielou1113@gmail.com or (352) 259-8683.

Registration deadline is Monday, March 13 at noon.

"let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" Matthew 5:16

Come Join the Women of Hope Board

The Women of Hope Board is the women’s organization responsible for many of Hope Lutheran Church’s outreach programs. We as a board meet once a month on the first Thursday of the month at Hope Central.

We encourage you to take this opportunity to learn more about the four positions that are available – Secretary, Treasurer, Retreat Coordinator, and Circle/Bible Study Coordinator. This is an exciting, fun and rewarding opportunity. The duties of the officer(s) are as follows:

Secretary – keep records of proceedings of meetings; handles correspondence; be custodian of all books, records and supplies; submit copies of official minutes to the Council Liaison.

Treasurer – receive and distribute funds of the Unit; provide regular reports to Board members; Unit Board and Church Council Liaison; provide financial information to the Church Council as requested, e.g. yearly budget request.

Retreat Coordinator – recruit volunteers to develop and implement for two-day retreat at Hope or three-day retreat at Luther Springs Camp; develop and coordinate theme of retreat with speaker, activities and crafts.

Circle/Bible Study Coordinator – serve as liaison between Women of Hope Board and Circle/Bible Studies membership; maintain records of Circle/Bible Study activities and membership; provide assistance to Women of Hope members who are interested in organizing a new circle/bible study.

For further information, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee - Virginia Robertson at (612) 619-0220, June Cook at (352) 430-5025, or LaVera Wiberg at (352) 205-6410.

Women of Hope Retreat at Luther Springs

April 11, 12 & 13, 2023

The Women of Hope invite all women to join in on the retreat which will be held on April 11-13, 2023 at Luther Springs in Hawthorne, Florida.

The theme for this year's retreat is "Cafe Chocolat". It will be a time to relax with friends, share laughter, stories and of course a few bites of chocolate. We will enjoy time with each other as we delight in God's grace.

This year, the Women of Hope are pleased to introduce our speaker for the retreat – Kathy Uffelman, Minister of Faith Formation, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Vienna, Virginia. Kathy Uffelman has been a Minister of Faith Formation for 16 years at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, Virginia. She enjoys cooking, reading, and going to the theater. She volunteers at a homeless shelter in Fairfax, Virginia. Kathy leads retreats for people of all ages - adults and children - and she is a Stephen Minister Leader, facilities caring ministry, and is passionate about her faith.

You can print out a registration form by clicking the link below. Details regarding the retreat, such as time, cost, location, and how to remit can be found on this form. If you have questions, please contact June Cook at frankjunecook@gmail.com or (352) 430-5025.

A Love Story from Love INC

When Serenity first reached out to Love In the Name of Christ, she was living in an apartment but on the verge of eviction. 

She has custody of her goddaughter, and Serenity’s boyfriend and a roommate were living there with them. Serenity was behind in her rent and electric bill, due to being out of work and unable to pay. She had just started a new job, but would not get her paycheck in time to pay the rent. She called seeking help with rent and food.

The Clearinghouse Receptionist that spoke to Serenity listened with compassion to her story to find out what her needs were. Since Love INC rarely pays rent, the Receptionist then gave her information to contact United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties, the Salvation Army in Lake County, Lake County Emergency Rental Assistance, and Community Action Lake County to see if they could help her catch up with her rent.



A few days later, a Clearinghouse Volunteer from Fairway Christian Church spoke to Serenity for her Intake Interview...

New Bible Study Beginning at Hope Lake Weir Campus

There will be a new Bible Study for all those interested in deepening their understanding of the Book of Genesis! Pastor John LeCain will launch this new study on February 21 at 3:00pm at Hope Lake Weir Campus.

Think you already know Genesis? You'd be surprised! Let’s bring life to the first book of scripture as we look into what God was leading all humanity to when He began!

This will be an ongoing study. We may cover one chapter in one week and several chapters the next. An outline of readings will be available at class or from PastorJohn@hope4all.church.

Worship Attendance for February 11-12, 2023

Hope Central Campus:

4:00pm = 228

6:00pm = 87

8:00am = 181

10:00am = 430

Hope Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am = 122

Hope at the Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am = 110

10:00am = 173

Flowers This Week Given By...

Al & Nancy Beale in honor of their 57^th wedding anniversary

Philip & Pat McLeod in celebration of their wedding on Valentine’s Day

Upcoming Memorial Service

There will be a memorial service for Sally Halliday and Roseann Halliday on Monday, February 20 at 11:00am at Hope Central Campus.

Submit a Prayer Request

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