1

Hope Lutheran Church Central Campus

250 Avenida Los Angelos The Villages, FL 32162

(352) 750-2321

Hope Lutheran Church Lake Weir Campus

10495 SE Sunset Harbor Road Summerfield, FL 34491

(352) 750-2321

November 17th & 18th, 2018

December 1st Annual Christmas Cantata—8:00pm

at Hope Central Campus

December 2nd Annual Christmas Cantata—11:30am,

3:00pm & 6:00pm at Hope Central Campus

December 2nd Budget Info Meeting—12:45pm at Hope Central Campus Room 203

December 9th Budget Approval Meeting—12:45pm

at Hope Central Campus

December 10th The Villages Charter School

Christmas Chorus—6:00pm at Hope Central Campus

December 10th Dine to Donate at Texas

Roadhouse—3:00pm to 9:30pm

December 20th Food Pantry Launch at Lake Weir

Campus

December 22nd Living Nativity & Christmas Program

5:30pm at Lake Weir Campus

December 23rd Blue Christmas Worship—4:00pm at

Hope Central Campus

December 24th Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship at Central Campus—2:00pm, 4:00pm,

6:00pm, 8:00pm & 10:00pm

December 24th Christmas Eve Worship at Lake Weir

Campus—7:00pm

Mark Your Calendars! A Message from Pastor Rani

Sisters and brothers in Christ,

Redeemed by the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, baptized in the Spirit, fed and nourished by His Word, we are now sent into the world to proclaim the gospel, to witness to God’s amazing grace, and to make a difference in the lives of others.

The needs in our surrounding communities are great! As a church, we continue to be called to serve the neighbor, in any way and every way possible. At Hope Lutheran Church, we are already involved in so many great ministries that continue to give the glory to our Lord Jesus. And now we have yet another exciting ministry to reach out to our neighbors at the Lake Weir campus.

The Food Pantry ministry will launch December 20th and will be open to serve the Lake Weir community every Thursday between 10:00am and 1:00pm. We are inviting you to be part of this new ministry in any way that you feel called to. You can help us stock the shelves, bring any of the needed items on our list, donate to this ministry, volunteer your time to be present to welcome people and to pray with them, or in any other way you feel you can be a blessing unto others.

My wife, Sami, shared this after making visits in the Lake Weir community: "When you walk through the neighborhood and knock on doors, you hear amazing stories and see many who really need God's love in their lives." One person said to her, "No one seems to care about this neighborhood. Thank you for checking in on us." Lucy, a member from our church, encountered an 86-year-old neighbor while knocking on doors who was wearing a shirt that had a quote from Jesus saying: "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat..." He went on to say: "We need you. Thank you for doing this."

We no longer need a sign to appear in the heavens above telling us what this community needs. The sign is right there on this man's shirt: "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat..."

If you would like to get involved in this heartwarming and much needed ministry, please contact Sami at samia_ra@sbcglobal.net or call the church office and leave us your contact info so that we can reach out to you.

Thank you for your partnership in the ministry of the gospel. In Christ, Pr. Rani

2

Support Group: Managing Stressors & Strong Emotions During the Holidays

The holiday season can be an exciting time filled with activities, time with loved ones, warm traditions,

and wonderful memories.

But for some, this season is very stressful, conjuring up anxiety and often sadness and

depression. If you find yourself overwhelmed or saddened during the

holidays, you are NOT alone.

Please join us for a 4-week Support Group that will focus on managing stress and strong emotions

during the holidays. We will meet on Tuesday, November 27th, Tuesday, December 4th, THURSDAY,

December 13th, and Tuesday, December 18th from 10:00am to 11:30am in Room 203 at Hope Central

Campus.

All sessions will be facilitated by Jennifer Bloom, M.S., RMFTI, of Lutheran Counseling Services.

For further questions or to RSVP, please call Jennifer at (407) 644-4692.

The Seasonal Decorating Team will need LOTS of

volunteers to decorate the church prior to the

Cantata!

The BIG decorating day will be Wednesday, November 28th beginning at 8:00am. Each area to be decorated will have a leader and the jobs are quite easy. Please come and help make Hope beautiful

for the Christmas Season.

Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. If you have questions, contact Nancy Shephard at 750-9642.

Start your Christmas with the Women of Hope Catered Christmas Breakfast ($10.00 at the door) on December 6th

at 8:30am in the Fellowship Hall at Hope Central. During breakfast we will hear a short message from

Sally Moss, member of the Sumter County School Board about the Webster Elementary School.

Please feel free to bring guests (that includes husbands), but reservations are a must and can be made by signing

up on the sheet in the Narthex or contacting Karen O’Brien by November 28th

(fredandkaren@ipinet.net or (352) 250-3809).

All members and friends of Hope Lutheran are welcome to join the Women of Hope at 10:00am in the sanctuary

for the annual musical program performed by the Webster Elementary First Graders.

Looking ahead, mark your calendar for a

Christmas Open House on December 17th at Dave and Kay Miller’s to see an almost countless

number of decorated trees.

Ushers Needed!

The holidays are fast approaching, and we need ushers to assist with the special holiday services and concerts! Please consider volunteering as an usher for one or

several of these special events:

• Three Cantata services on December 1st at 8:00pm, and December 2nd at 3:00pm and 6:00pm.

• Villages Charter School Christmas Chorus on December 10th at 6:00pm.

And remember, we are always seeking interested volunteers to usher at our regular Saturday and

Sunday worship services.

Please sign up in the narthex or call Mary John at (352) 350-7654.

Reboot Tuesdays

November 27th - December 17th

12:00pm-12:30pm

Virtual Support Group

Holidays can be difficult and overwhelming…. but also so great! Join our free 4-week Reboot Tuesdays virtual

group to talk about how to manage anxiety and stress during the holidays - and every other day too.

• Nov. 27th: Your Story - Getting to know yourself.

• Dec. 4th: Stress - What is it exactly?

• Dec. 11th: The Control Wheel.

• Dec. 18th: Taking a break from holiday stress.

Call 407-644-4692 or register online.

3

GROWING Faith & Ministry 2019

Holding On To Christmas 2018 Christmas Cantata

December 1st at 8:00pm December 2nd at 3:00pm & 6:00pm

Shared memories and more are at the center of this new

Christmas musical. Join us as we celebrate tradition, family, and most importantly, the Savior who was born so

long ago on that first Christmas night in Bethlehem.

Tickets for the Cantata will be available November 17th and 18th after each weekend

service. After November 18th, remaining tickets will be available at the church office.

Tickets are limited to FOUR per family.

There will be a special performance during the 11:30am

church service on Sunday, December 2nd. Tickets are not necessary to attend the 11:30am performance.

A Message from Pat O’Dell, Stewardship Committee Co-Chair

Every Sunday since I can remember, I put an envelope in the offering plate. As a child, it contained a quarter and as an adult the amounts changed each year. Today, much as our gifts have changed over the years, our ways to give have changed. Yes, we still will have envelopes for you to take home. We encourage you to take the number you need for your weekly or monthly offerings. Additional envelopes will be available throughout 2019. IMPORTANT: You must print your first and last name plus your apartment number or house number on the new offering envelopes. In this electronic age, there are many other ways to give other than the traditional envelopes:

• Online Giving is available through the church website at www.hope2all.org/community/on-line giving. You can give a one-time gift or set it up to repeat the gift weekly or monthly. Your gift is charged to your credit card.

• Give by Text by texting (352) 389-4347. Follow the prompts and your gift will be charged to your credit card.

• Mobile Giving from your phone or tablet can be done by downloading the GivePlus Church app. It can be used for one-time or recurring gifts and can be charged to your credit card or bank account.

• Credit Card Kiosks will soon be available in the Narthex to make a gift, purchase tickets, etc. just by swiping your credit card.

• BillPay Services through your personal bank may be set up and they will send a check directly to Hope Lutheran Church.

• Gifts of Stock, Securities and Mutual Funds may be transferred to Hope Lutheran Church. Speak with your financial advisor about the best option for you.

• Required Minimum Distributions from an IRA if you are over age 70 ½ allow you to transfer the gift directly to Hope Lutheran Church without paying taxes on the funds. Speak with your financial advisor about this option as there are simple requirements to complete the gift.

There are many options and if you have any questions, please contact the church office. Our goal is to make your giving as efficient as possible. Thank you for your gifts as we Grow in Faith and Ministry! - Pat O’Dell

Visit the Angel Tree today and be a Christmas blessing to a foster child or area senior!

This year, Hope is once again collecting gifts for local foster children and seniors on Medicaid Long-Term Care in area care centers. Simply visit the Angel Tree in the Narthex, select and sign out your Angel, shop, and then return your gift to Hope Lutheran Church on December 8th and 9th.

Gifts for foster children should be returned to the church unwrapped, in a black trash bag with the Angel slip tied to the bag.

Gifts for seniors should be placed in a gift bag and then put into a black trash bag, with the Angel slip tied to the bag.

In addition, gifts for the Men at House of Hope will also be collected. House of Hope is asking for unwrapped black dress socks and white crew socks, as well as Walmart gift cards and Men’s toiletries. These can also be returned to the church on December 8th and 9th. These gifts do not need to be wrapped in any way.

Additional instructions are available when you sign out your angels. Angel Trees are located at both Hope Central Campus and Hope Lake Weir Campus.

4

Members:

Nancy Forrest (NCT 44)

Tony Olshefski (NCT 22)

Herm & Jan Stauffer (NCT 10)

New to the prayer list this week:

Friends & Family:

Crystal Bennet & family, friends of Barbara Sivi (NCT 29)

Brian Casey, friend of Liz Morey (NCT 44)

Richard Chamberlain, son of Richard Chamberlain (NCT 15)

Houston Feldman, great-grandson of Mary Wingett (NCT 39)

Linda Kennedy, friend of Liz Morey (NCT 44)

Hope Lutheran Church Central Campus Services: Saturday—4:00pm & 6:00pm Sunday—8:00am, 9:45am, & 11:30am

Office Hours: Monday to Friday—8:00am to 4:30pm

Hope Lutheran Church Lake Weir Campus Service: Sunday—9:45am

Office Hours: Monday to Friday—9:00am to 3:00pm

This Week at Hope...

Monday, November 19, 2018

8:00 am Walk Away Pounds (FH)

9:00 am Christian Chorus Rehearsal (SANC)

9:00 am Strong Bones (205)

9:30 am Faith & Fellowship (202)

10:00 am Diabetes Support Group (204)

2:00 pm Faith & Fellowship (LWC)

5:00 pm Cub Scout Pack 369 (LWC)

6:00 pm Cub Scout Pack 988 (LWC)

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

8:00 am Church Council (200)

8:30 am Men’s 4th Day Reunion (202)

9:00 am Women of Hope Crafters (205)

9:00 am Chair Yoga (204)

10:00 am Round Dance (LWC)

10:00 am Organ Practice (SANC)

11:00 am Women’s 4th Day Reunion Group (202)

1:00 pm Round Dance (LWC)

6:00 pm H.O.P.E. University (203)

6:00 pm Boy Scout Troop 369 (LWC)

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

8:00 am Men’s 4th Day Reunion (210)

8:00 am Walk Away Pounds (FH)

8:30 am Staff Meeting (200)

9:00 am Organ Practice (SANC)

10:00 am H.O.P.E. University (203)

12:00 pm LWR Quilters (205)

1:30 pm Square Dancing (LWC)

2:30 pm Spirit Ringers (SANC)

3:45 pm Sisters in Song (Small FH)

6:00 pm Thanksgiving Eve Worship (SANC)

6:00 pm AA Meeting (LWC)

Thursday, November 22, 2018

THANKSGIVING DAY CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

Friday, November 23, 2018

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYCHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

5:45 pm Celebrate Recovery (FH)

Saturday, November 24, 2018

9:00 am Centering Prayer (204)

1:30 pm SCB Vocal Rehearsal (SANC)

2:30 pm SCB Full Rehearsal (SANC)

4:00 pm Contemporary Worship—Communion

6:00 pm Traditional Worship—Communion

Sunday, November 25, 2018

8:00 am Traditional Worship—Communion

9:45 am Traditional Worship—Communion

9:45 am Traditional Worship—Communion (LWC)

11:30 am Traditional Worship—Communion

2:00 pm SCB Vocal (SANC)

3:00 pm Cantata Reading Session (Small FH)

3:00 pm Cantata Rehearsal (SANC)

Hope Central Campus:

Saturday, November 10 4:00pm = 312 6:00pm = 95

Sunday, November 11 8:00am = 289 9:45 am = 503 11:30am = 200

Hope Lake Weir Campus:

Sunday, November 11 9:45am = 67

Wednesday Evening Prayer:

Wednesday, November 14 6:00pm = 66

Weekly Total = 1,532

Worship Attendance

Social Suppers

Social Suppers Wednesdays at 5:00pm at Hope Central Campus

November 28th tickets on sale now!

Tickets are $10.00 and available in the church office.

November 21st NO SUPPER! Enjoy your

Thanksgiving holiday!

November 28th Baked ham, mac n’ cheese casserole, green peas with carrots, broccoli salad, rolls,

& ice cream sundaes

Texas Roadhouse Gift Cards are available

again for purchase this weekend!

Hope Lutheran Church is offering Texas Roadhouse gift cards for purchase again this weekend!

Each gift card will be personalized with Hope’s church logo,

and 10% of every gift card purchased will come directly back to Hope.

As an added bonus, anyone who purchases a gift card of

$30 or more will receive a FREE appetizer card!

Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping and purchase a gift card today!