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May 17, 2014Type to enter text

@newhopefulton

Praise and Worship Sean Charles

Message Breathe In/Breathe Out: Hello, Goodbye

Pastor Jason Decena

!Community Life

Jerry Woods (First Service) Ansel Oliver (Second Service)

Closing Thought Pastor Jason Decena

Worship at New Hope Community at Worship 10:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. | Kingdom Kids Worship (Rm. 121) 10:30 a.m. | Middle School Worship (Rm. 206) 10:30 a.m.

Community Life 2 !Tuition Differential 3

Stay in the Know 3 !Family Resources 4

connect. serve. grow.

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Today's MessageSaying goodbye can be hard. Really hard. What can we do in the midst of separation anxiety and uncertainty to remain hopeful? Use the sermon notes inside to follow along during Pastor Jason's message.

CHURCH LIFE Welcome, guests! We’re glad to have you here today. You can find out more about New Hope in Seven Minutes or Less, a brief information session after today’s worship service by coming to the first two rows in the front left of the worship center. Our parents' room is on the second floor for you to hear and watch the service with your little one.

Watch the worship service rebroadcast Sundays (11 a.m.), Wednesdays and Fridays (7 p.m.) at lookingforachurch.org.!

Save the date! The senior food drive starts in June. Help provide groceries to one resident at Morningside Apartments in Jessup, Md. For more info, contact Angie Bernard at 301-254-0300.!

YOUNG ADULTS www.youngadultsconnect.com !

Connect, a Bible study group just for young adults, meets Sabbaths from 11 a.m. to noon in the portable building. More info: info@youngadultsconnect.com.

FAMILY MINISTRIES www.newhopelovesfamilies.com!

The children's Bible lesson for today is found in Acts 6:8-7:60, “Stephen Forgives His Accusers as They Stone Him.” Children will learn that God is honored when we stand up for Him. Additional family resources on the back page.

The next family dedication is June 7. To schedule yours, contact Prithy at 301-854-1866 or send an email to office@lookingforachurch.org.

FLAG (Fun Learning About God) Camp at New Hope runs June 23-Aug. 1. For children in grades K-8. For more details and to register, pick up a packet at the information table in the lobby or newhopelovesfamilies.com/flagcamp.

May is National Bike Month, and as we all gear up to spend more time outside, Family Ministries is providing resources throughout the month to promote the benefits of bike riding and bike safety. Swing by the Ask-Me Desk for this week’s biking resources!

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Worship Anytime, Anywhere. !

Have you ever heard a song during worship service that you just had to have or would like to hear again — but didn’t know the name of the song or the artist? !Well, we’ve solved that problem for you. Follow us on Spotify to enjoy the praise and worship songs we’ve sung today and more!!Our page: http://tinyurl.com/lnfkgy2

community life !Welcome to New Hope! We're here to help you grow in your spiritual journey. This page highlights some exciting ways for you and your family to make meaningful connections and grow your relationship with God.  !If there is anything we can do to support you on your journey, let us know. !!Church Office Hours Mon-Thu 9a-5p, Fri 10a-2p !Phone/Text Message 410-541-6394 !Email info@lookingforachurch.org

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17 Power of a Praying Man meets TODAY, 9:30 a.m., in the Prayer Room (Room 111). The greatness of a man is defined by a thriving prayer relationship with God. Come join other men in a casual and supportive group. For details, contact Jose at info@lookingforachurch.org.

21 Ignite your prayer life and deepen your relationship with God, 7:30 p.m. at the church. Our focus: What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey is the theme. Marty and Katina Chappell will be sharing their testimony.

26 The church office will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.

17 Grassroots is CANCELED today. If you want to connect with our community and find out how you can help next month, contact Nathan Taylor at 478-737-4224.

24 Join New Hope Young Adults for potluck after second service, and bring your favorite dish to share. For details, send an email to info@youngadulsconnect.com.

31 Fifth Sabbath Celebration and Sabbath School graduation, 9-10:30 a.m., Multipurpose Room. Come enjoy a smashing breakfast, meet new families, participate in crafts and activities and celebrate what your kids have learned this year. Don't miss it!

New Hope Adventist Church believes in the value of Christian education. !Because we don’t have our own church school and do not participate as a constituent church to any particular one, we offer a differential to make up the difference in tuition that a member of a constituent church would receive. !We are now accepting applications for the 2014-15 school year, which you can find at the Ask-Me Desk and newhopelovesfamilies.com/tuition. The deadline for submitting applications is June 14.!Differential qualifiers:!

• Be a member of New Hope Adventist Church.!

• Be a regular giver to the local church budget.!

• Regularly volunteer in a church ministry.!

• Regularly attend New Hope (at least twice monthly).!

Submit completed applications to the church office or in the drop box in the lobby, or email them to info@newhopelovesfamilies.com. We will confirm receipt via email and we provide final confirmation by June 30. !If you have any questions regarding the process, contact Prithy at 301-854-1866. We're happy to help support parents in choosing an Adventist education (our weekly children’s offering supports Adventist education as well)!!For more information about the tuition differential, visit www.newhopelovesfamilies.com/tuition.

Tuition Differential: Deadline June 14

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Stay in the Know!When is church camp this year? Is that Bible study the first or second weekend of the month? What about Middle School Worship?!New Hope's handy online calendar can answer all these questions and more, allowing you to plan well in advance. Check it out (and while you're at it, bookmark it!) at www.lookingforachurch.org/calendar. !Don't see your (church-hosted) event or activity on the calendar? Email info@lookingforachurch.org to make a request.!In addition, some other ways to keep track of all things New Hope:!Our weekly e-newsletter. Get the scoop and a preview of the bulletin every Friday. Not a subscriber? To sign up, text ENEWS and your email address to 410-541-6394.!Facebook. We regularly post photos from church activities and words of inspiration to encourage you throughout the week. Like us at www.facebook.com/newhopefulton, and be sure to tag us in your own church-event pictures!!Twitter. Get news and inspiration in 140 characters or less: @newhopefulton.!Website. In addition to the church calendar, our weekly bulletin is posted online, as is information about our many ministries and programs. If you missed a sermon or series or just want to watch them again, you'll find those — and more — at www.lookingforachurch.org. (For Family Ministries info, go to www.newhopelovesfamilies.com.)!

A number of years ago, I was involved in leading a weekend retreat to help people understand spiritual gifts and how God had shaped each of them. We presented the primary list of spiritual gifts (found in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4) as well as the lesser-known ones such as hospitality (1 Peter 4:9,10); voluntary poverty (1 Corinthians 13:3); celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:7-8) and martyrdom (1 Corinthians 13:3).

Everyone had a good time defining his or her passions and understanding why he or she was good at certain things and not others. As the group began to understand spiritual gifts and how God had shaped them, many asked for God’s vision for their lives and ministry.

Halfway through the weekend, I noticed a young man looking increasingly disturbed while participating in the small-group sessions. He had a look of dismay and kept shaking his head as others laughed and shared their perspectives. During a break, I spoke to him. I discovered that one of his spiritual gifts was martyrdom. He was very unsettled about the idea of dying and admitted he felt like he just heard a morbid prophecy of his torture and death.

I explained that martyrdom did not always mean death. It is a divinely given ability to endure suffering for Christ, even to death — all the while consistently exhibiting a joyous and victorious attitude that glorifies God. A person with the gift of martyrdom is willing to serve God in difficult and sometimes dangerous places, without complaint.

As we talked, he began to admit that he did have a high capacity to endure suffering and

difficult situations. He didn’t need the basic comforts that most people desired; he wasn’t interested in acquiring wealth and position. He admitted to being a daredevil and that very little frightened him.

Some of his friends joined our conversation and added their perspectives. They told of when he stood up to authority when something was unjust; how he was able to endure heat and freezing conditions without complaining; how he sometimes acted first, then later considered whether it was safe. “No wonder he has the gift of martyrdom,” they said. “He has no fear.”

Stephen stood in front of the Sanhedrin and, without fear, boldly spoke about Jesus (Acts 7). In anger and resentment, the religious authorities dragged him outside and executed him. As he died, he twice spoke words similar to what Jesus had said on the cross. First, Stephen offered his spirit to Jesus, as Jesus had offered His to the Father. Then he sought forgiveness for his accusers and killers, again following Jesus’ example.

You may never be called upon to die for telling the truth about Jesus Christ, but you may be called to be a martyr for other things. What are you willing to suffer for? What are you willing to die for? What fears are holding you back from fully standing up for Christ?

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!The Back Page follows the Bible lessons that children and youth are studying and serves to help kids and adults continue the spiritual discussion at home and establish patterns of a devotional life.

Thought for the Week !God’s Daily Word Use these passages to explore biblical insights into suffering and persecution and how we are to respond.

SUNDAY Matthew 5:12; 1 Cor. 4:12

MONDAY John 15:18, 20; Psalm 9:13

TUESDAY Romans 8:35; Jeremiah 20:11

WEDNESDAY1 Thessalonians

3:4; 2 Tim. 3:12

THURSDAY 1 Cor. 4:12; 2 Cor. 12:1

FRIDAY 1 Peter 4:12-16

Ann Roda

Pastor for Families

annroda@lookingforachurch.org

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Weekly Challenge For Stephen, stones were the ultimate stage of persecution, as people used stones to kill him. Consider the “stones” in your life — the things that make it hard to stand up for your faith. This week, commit to getting rid of those stones. Ask God for the courage to stand up boldly and bravely for His Kingdom.!

For the Family This week, pray for persecuted Christians and missionaries around the world. Go to www.afmonline.org/missionaries and pray for missionary families who are serving in countries not very open to Christianity, or visit www.persecution.com and pray for the Christians being persecuted in various countries around the world.

Find us: 12350 Hall Shop Road, Fulton, MD 20759 !Call us/ send a text message: 410-541-NEWH (6394) !

Email us: info@lookingforachurch.org !Visit us online: www.lookingforachurch.org

Ideas on How Families Can Serve Together

More info: give@mynewhopechurch.com