MESSAGE FROM THE PULPIT

In the midst of a world filled with darkness, our God is Light!

In the midst of a world filled with darkness, our God is Light! “ This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5 NKJV).

Our world today is filled with so much darkness. There are wars and rumors of wars--nation wars, culture wars, and wars of words with hateful rhetoric, name calling, and insults. These are all things that the Old Testament Prophets foretold of as did our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament gospels. As followers of Christ, we must constantly be watchful that we, the very elect, do not get caught up in the darkness. The Apostle John explains in his first letter, that the Message we have from Jesus Christ is that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. Light is the nature and character of God. He is not a light or a kind of light. He is light itself. All light comes from Him. At the beginning of time, God created the light to dispel the darkness and chaos that was over all the earth (Genesis 1:1-5). Then He created the lights in the sky, the sun, the moon, and the stars (Genesis 1:14-16). As light itself and the source of light, He simply spoke and light came into being. Today, we have been called out of darkness and into the marvelous light of the Lord Jesus. He who is the light of the world says that we are to walk in that light. We must be genuine in our faith and faithfulness. We must act out our faith by loving God with all our mind, our heart, and our soul; and by loving our neighbors as ourselves. We must let our light so shine before others that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

God’s continued blessings, and ours - The Ministerial Staff - Rev. Valerie Crump

ORDER OF SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

Scripture & Prayer - Deacons
Musical Selection - Praise Team
Announcements - Video
Spiritual Emphasis - Minister
Musical Selection - Praise Team
Ministry of God’s Word
INVITATION TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP (“Life’s Greatest Moment!!!”)
COMMUNION MONTHLY ON 1ST SUNDAY ONLY
*Altar Call - Minister
Offertory Prayer - Minister
Benediction - Minister

IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE SACREDNESS OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICE, IT IS ASKED THAT YOU NOT WALK AT THESE TIMES.

PLEASE, when you enter the Sanctuary, turn pagers and phones off or on vibrate. No one knows the burdens or spiritual needs of the persons worshipping with you. Show consideration for them by refraining from any distractions that may interfere with the service in any way. Almighty God deserves our full attention and total submission to Him. All things must be done decently and in order.

9:00 AM - Sunday School (via Zoom)
11:00 AM - Worship Service (In-Person, Livestream and FB)
12 Noon - Wednesday Mid-Day Bible Study (In-Person Must Register)
7:00 PM - Wednesday Evening Bible Study via Zoom

The Church Office is open Monday-Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

New Hope's Emergency Team would like to remind you that the laminated signs on the back of the pews are intended to provide instruction in case of a church evacuation. We urge you to take the time to review them and note the direction you would be expected to move in case of an emergency. Finally, in spite of how tempting it may be, try not to accidently remove them or use them as fans.

COMMUNION CUP DISTRIBUTION REMINDER REMINDER

New Hope Deacons Lumpkin, Harris, Rodgers, and Caruthers continue to faithfully assist with in-person distribution of communion cups (drive thru). Cups will be distributed on Saturday, July 2, 2022, from 11:00 am to 1:00pm in the New Hope Baptist Church parking lot. For safety purposes please wear a mask and remain in your car, as you will be given a communion cup through your car window.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS

It is important that we continue to support the business of our church. Tithes and Offerings may be provided through Secure Give or US Postal Mail. Pre-printed envelopes are available outside of the church or you may contact the church office (248 353-0675) for them to be mailed to you. If attending in-person service envelopes and buckets are kept at the rear of the church to place your tithes and offerings upon entering or leaving the sanctuary.

DEACONS CORNER

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thess 5:18 KJV)

One of the casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic is the basic measurements of success for many churches. Commonly known as the “3 B’s- buildings, budgets and bodies, churches have long prided themselves on the beauty of our physical campus, the bottom-line of our balance sheet and the headcount of those who attend worship services and other programs. The deacons of New Hope are not using these methods of gauging success right now. Physical campuses are mostly empty. Attendance cannot be accurately counted for our virtual gatherings, so success cannot be measured by the size of the gatherings.

Now we must look at what really matters.

Some churches will return to business as usual and get back to the old ways as soon as possible but New Hope as the discerning church is seeking to understand what the Spirit is saying to us, listen and obey.

If we are really listening, we will replace the 3 B’s” with 3 R’s”, with repent, return and reimagine.

Repent-Perhaps our church will hear God’s call to repent from the idols of the old measurements of success.

The idols that inhabit our churches are 1. The idol of the event: seeing church as a Sunday event instead of as the people of God. 2. The idol of success obsessed with high attendance instead of lives transformed by the gospel through the power of Jesus Christ. 3. The idol of relying on a gifted preacher instead of seeing every believer as a saint equipped for ministry 4. The idol of busyness: being overprogrammed with church activity instead of fully invested in loving our families and our neighbors

Return-flowing from the Lord’s call to repentance is an invitation to return to God’s idea of what it means to be the church, relying on the Bible to determine that meaning.

Reimagine-It is not enough to know what the New Testament says about being the church. We will have to apply New Testament principles to new ways of practice.

So how is the deacon board handling the new challenges of this Covid-19 church as we experience changes with new deacons coming on board and our search for a new Pastor while we work to fulfill the mission of the church? We as the leaders in the NH church, organized for this mission, should reflect what we see in the New Testament. Here we find our church characterized by worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, service and prayer.

Now we are doing what we consider “Really Matters”. We are doing this through

1. Benevolence through our “Providing Hope food Pantry” ,“Administrative volunteers food provisions” and “feed the homeless ministry. (Benevolent Funds)
2. .Connecting- Deacons are assigned to and attend every ministry endeavor which is serving the people of God including attending “Home going” services for our members. The first Baptism in over 2 years was facilitated by the Deacon board with the assistance of the ministers. The Deacons have also been assigned to work with the ministerial staff to ensure the Pastoral candidates visits would be successful.
3. Communication- We are responsible for making sure the church is open and the sound room is operating. We have 3 teams of deacons each one in charge for the week. We are working with the youth department and Reverend Albert to structure the returning youth classes as we acknowledge that our youth are less involved now due to the pandemic. We are also working with the choirs to plan the return of rehearsals to begin to bring some of the choirs back in the near future.
4. Stewardship- Many of our Deacons have talked to and explained to those members who expressed confusion about the issues of membership. We have each been given a list of inactive, sick and grieving members and are calling these members to maintain a spiritual connection and to ensure that information on file with the church is current and to ascertain what is keeping them from church.

As we plan for a new ministry year, may we never be too busy or distracted to see what is right on our doorstep. May we use the gifts God has given each of us to bless and serve our church family and community in His great name. Amen

QUARTERLY CHURCH MEETING

ATTENTION New Hope Members, please plan to attend the virtual Quarterly church meeting Saturday, July 16, at 6:00pm. Complete details to follow. Your presence is requested

LOOKING AHEAD TO AUGUST 2022

Wednesday, August 3 - Bible Study - 12 noon - (In-person), 7pm (virtual)
Saturday, August 6 - Providing Hope Food Pantry Offsite - 10 am
Wednesday, August 10 - Bible Study - 12 noon (In-person), 7pm (virtual)
Saturday, August 13 - Men’s Day Annual Walk
Wednesday, August 17 - Bible Study - NO NOON DAY BIBLE STUDY - 7pm VIRTUAL ~ Men’s Day Bible Study
Sunday, August 21 - 39th Annual Men’s Day
Wednesday, August 24 - Bible Study - 12 noon (In-person), 7pm (virtual)
Tuesday, August 30 - Online Biblical Counseling -BC - 1, 6:30 pm - 8”30 pm
Wednesday, August 31 - Bible Study - 12 noon (In-person), 7pm (virtual)

JULY IS UV SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH

Summer has arrived and while the sun is shining bright it's a golden time to highlight July as UV Safety Awareness Month!

• UV-B rays have short wavelengths that reach the outer layer of your skin
• UV-A rays have longer wavelengths that can penetrate the middle layer of your skin.  By learning the risks associated with too much sun exposure and taking the right precautions to protect you and your family from UV rays, everyone can enjoy the sun and outdoors safely. Here are the harmful things unprotected sun exposure can do:
• Cause vision problems and damage to your eyes
• Suppression of the immune syste
• Premature aging of the skin
• Skin cancer

Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize the risk that comes with sun exposure.

1. Cover Up: Wearing a Hat (preferably wide brimmed) or other shade-protective clothing can partly shield your skin from the harmful effects of UV ray exposure. Proper clothing may include long-sleeved shirts, pants, hats, and Sunglasses - for eye protection.
2. Stay in the Shade: The sun's glare is most intense at midday. Staying in the shade between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. will further protect your skin. The sun can still damage your skin on cloudy days or in the winter. For this reason, it is important to stay protected throughout the year.
3. Choose the Right Sunscreen: This is extremely important. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new regulations for sunscreen labeling recommend that your sunscreen have a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, and should protect against both Ultraviolet A (UV-A) and Ultraviolet B (UV-B) rays.
4. Use the Right Amount of Sunscreen: According to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, most people apply only 25-50 percent of the recommended amount of sunscreen. When out in the sun, it's important that you apply at least one ounce (a palmful) of sunscreen every two hours. You should apply it more often if you are sweating or swimming, even if the sunscreen is waterproof.

By taking the proper precautions and following this advice you and your loved ones can enjoy the sun. If you are having any problems after being in the sun, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.

Enjoy the outdoors this summer and remember to protect your eyes and the skin you're in!

Source: https://www.va.gov/qualityofcare/education/uv_safety_awareness_month.asp•Submitted by Health & Healing Ministry

SPOTLIGHT ON:
PASTOR’S AIDE MINISTRY

President Dr. Phyllis Moore Grant • Vice President Gail Davis

The Scripture says, “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” Matthew 20:27.

“Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.” 2 Corinthians 1:11.

WHY JOIN THE PASTOR’S AIDE MINISTRY?

By joining the Pastor’s Aide Ministry, you will continue to enjoy the benefits of God’s Word, Prayer, Life, Hope, Grow stronger in your Faith, and encourage our Pastor, and our First Lady to move forward in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

THE PURPOSE OF THE MINISTRY

The purpose of the Biblical Counseling Ministry of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church is to provide windows of “Hope” [1 Corinthians 10:13] “Help” [Isaiah 61, Psalm 46:1] and “Healing” [Ephesians 4:22-24] by restoring God's people to fellowship with Him through His Son. In effect, to prepare members of the church body to face the challenge of living in today’s world.

THE MISSION OF THE MINISTRY:

The mission of the Pastor’s Aide Ministry is making prayer our first priority, We pray that God will continue to strengthen our Pastor as he teaches, preaches, leads, directs, and prepares God’s people to read and follow God’s Word.

ULFILLING THE NEEDS AND ASSISTING THE PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY:

FThe Pastor’s Aide Ministry provides and supply the following to the Pastor: his personal responsibilities, such as cleaning and ordering robes, organize special events such as Pastor’s Anniversary, birthdays, church outings and any event honoring the Pastor. Making sure all needs are met as they arise.

FUNDRAISERS

The New Hope Pastor’s Aide Ministry organizes fundraisers about 7 fundraisers, in addition to special fundraisers such as sales of writing pens, and calendar to assist the ministry.

MEETING TIMES

The Pastor’s Aide Ministry meets on the third Saturday of each month at 1:30pm. Meetings are suspended during the months of July and August.

If you are interested in joining the Pastor’s Aide Ministry, please call the Church office at (248) 353-0675 to leave a message for President, Dr. Phyllis Moore Grant or Vice President Gail Davis.

CHRISTIAN HUMOR

THOSE WHO WAIT UPON THE LORD

Be Careful of What You Say!
A wife and mom invited some people to dinner.
At the table, she turned to their six year-old daughter and said,
“Would you like to say the blessing?”
“I wouldn’t know what to say,” the girl replied.
“Just say what you hear Mommy say,” the wife answered, smiling.
The daughter bowed her head and said,
“Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?”

The New Members Ministry is now conducting all classes via Zoom. Anyone who needs the courses are contacted by our Administrator Lula Savage. All new members are contacted promptly.

CLASS SCHEDULE TO BE ANNOUNCED

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER

Treat Others Well

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The golden rule, if practiced, can lead to a golden experience.

For further reflection, see Micah 12:33 Leviticus 19:18 Source: God’s Little book of Hope, by Richard Dal