July 2017 Times of HOPE: A publication of Hope United Methodist Church in San Diego, California, United States for Wednesday, 5 July 2017

July 2017 Times of HOPE: A publication of Hope United Methodist Church in San Diego, California, United States for Wednesday, 5 July 2017
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In this Issue:
Pastor Brian’s Faith Works 2 
SSP Departure Date 2 
Missions Corner 3 
Youth Dinners Need You! 3 
Newsletter Deadline 3 Music Notes 4 
Kids’ Stuff 5 
A publication of Hope United Methodist Church OUR BIG BLUEGRASS & BARBECUE COMING SOON! 
Bluegrass & BBQ • Saturday, Aug 19 • 6pm 
We have a new bluegrass band this year! The Drought Tolerant Bluegrass Band is made up of 4 professional bluegrass players, who have been playing for up to 40 years! All of them play in multiple bluegrass bands, and have played all over Southern California. Other bluegrass groups they’ve been a part of include: The Taildraggers, Gone Tomorrow, MohaviSoul, Late for Supper, and a coastal group called The Unstrung Heroes. Given Harrison is the founder of Drought Tolerant, and has been playing since 1974. We are very excited to have them! There’s all the brisket and barbecued chicken you can imagine, a potluck extravaganza, desserts, and amazing pies to raffle off throughout the evening. A freewill offering is highly encouraged so that we can continue this annual church-wide event. Bring your family, friends, loved ones, and appetite. We will be toe-tapping together with style! The musicians for the event will be Given Harrison on upright bass, Michael Williams playing flat pick guitar, Steve Dame on 5-string banjo, and Dan Sankey on fiddle and mandolin. Gear up your bluegrass and mark those calendars! Bring a covered dish to share: Last names beginning with A-L bring salads or side dishes. Those beginning with M-Z bring a dessert! 2
2 Pastor Brian’s Faith Works 
Here are some of the things that are on my heart this summer ... First of all, I am remembering the phrase, “Always be gentle and kind because you never know what the other person is going through.” As a part of this Christian Community we call “Hope UMC”, I am aware of so many issues in people’s daily lives that difficult. Lots of people are doing a heroic job surviving and holding on to peace even through times of wrenching pain. Keep your eyes open, just for the next moment when you might offer a kind word and a helping hand. Second, in the politics of US Health Care, we are often tempted to see compassion to the poor as the realm of only one political party. This is ridiculous. We live our lives under a mandate from Jesus Christ to be and to offer good news to the poor. Perhaps those on the right can generally specialize in long term training programs and continually remembering our history of progress of mutual concern for each individual’s needs and rights. Those on the left might specialize in immediate help for the hungry, the lost, the thirsty. No one, anywhere on the Christian Spectrum ever has a right to buy into the insults that we hear on news fights about those who are “unworthy” of food or clothing or health care. Start and end with your love for God and neighbor and self, and work out your politics inside the deepest compassion of Jesus Christ. And third, I hope and pray that every one of us will live out our lives as people deeply beloved of God, called and sent by Jesus Christ, and cleansed by the Holy Spirit. 
You are all significant products of God’s love. 
Peace, 
Pastor Brian 
SIERRA SERVICE PROJECT TEAM DEPARTS JULY 22 
Thirty youth and six adults are heading off to Smith River, CA on July 22nd at 8:00 am, and will return on July 30th. Join us in church on July 16th to pray for everyone’s safety and for the many blessings given and received on a mission trip like this one. We also ask for your continued prayers while we are serving. You can follow the SSP team on the Hope UMC Facebook page, and you can even send the participants mail. They have to dance to get their mail, so this is a fun way to participate with the youth. PLEASE SEND THEM SOME LOVE! Send mail by USPS only to: First & Last Name, HOPE UMC Sierra Service Project General Delivery Smith River, CA 95567 This is a very remote site, so allow for at least a week for the mail to arrive. You can also send mail to the entire youth group by addressing it to the Hope UMC Youth Group. 3 MISSIONS CORNER To honor our injured military here in the San Diego area, “Hope for Injured Warriors” is our July Mission of the Month and recipient of our special offerings. Hope has been able to give assistance to those recovering at the Naval Hospital Rehabilitation Center (Barracks 26) and at Freedom Station for several years. We have also supported those at 32nd Street and Camp Pendleton. Remember that our military personnel come from all parts of the country and world. Here are some of the things we have been able to do with your generous donations: 
• We have helped decorate the many decks at Barracks 26 for Christmas; stocked their special “home-like kitchen” with snack type foods and drinks, cleaned the kitchen and provided cooking utensils, towels and dishes. • We have provided welcome baskets to new residents of Freedom Station — one with food and drink items, to give the new resident time to shop for the items he/she needs, and the other with cleaning supplies for beginning housekeeping in the cottages. 
• We have donated money to help send those injured, who can travel, home for Christmas to be with their families. (Some have not been home in 5 years due to their injuries and many surgeries.) We also helped an injured veteran’s family with Christmas presents for his 3 children, one of Hope's Christmas food bags, and gift cards for groceries and gas. He was injured in 2006, suffered several years ofPTSD, and has now finished his Master's in Business Administration! 
• We collected personal items for "Boxes for Baghdad" last February — little items from home that lifted the spirits of those who were suddenly deployed back to Iraq. There are many active and former military at Hope. In order provide the recognition and thanks they deserve, the July Celebration mentioned in the June Times of Hope will be rescheduled for a future time. In the meantime, we thank all of you, very, very much, for your service. We also thank the members of Hope for their generous support. — Norma Dahlvig, Hope for Injured Warriors 
The deadline for submissions for the next Times of Hope is 9:00AM, MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2017 FOR  AUG. 13-SEPT. 10, 2017 and beyond. Submit articles to the church office or e-mail to denise.mierlot@hopeumc.com. YOUTH GROUP DINNERS Did you know 15-20 youth gather each week for games, discussions, and a sit-down dinner? Meals are a great time to catch up on busy lives, and to form enduring friendships. You can be a part of the magic. Consider donating a meal and joining the youth for dinner. It will be a blessing both for you and for the youth! Contact Lorrie Frost if you’re interested in contributing to a Thursday night dinner. youthlorrie@gmail.com. 
4 MUSIC NOTES THIS MONTH IN WORSHIP 
This July we bring you summer songs, sweet singing, and simple schedules.... On July 9, come and hear our women's vocal ensemble, Montage, sing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," and a new song called, "Who Am I?" On July 15, Rachel Casey will play "'Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus" on French Horn, and Wendy Kallen will sing a solo. Then on July 23, we have Brandon Ho from the Axios Youth Choir playing a violin solo, and Lea Schoenwetter will sing “Take Time.” For the first time we will have “The Colors of His Love,” a mini musical put on by our own Hope UMC children (1-6 grade) during the sermon time at all 3 services the weekend of July 22 & 23. A vocal quartet will conclude the month with 2 songs filled with scripture and hope. For the whole month of July, come to our Saturday night service at 5pm and enjoy the band playing upbeat songs, intimate ballads, a few fitting secular songs, and an original one written by Tom Ivory. We love to worship with you each week ... Come, enjoy, relax, pray, worship, and sing with us ... 
CHOIR & YULETIDE RETREAT 
Saturday, August 26 • 8-11:30am Thinking about joining the choir? Thinking about being a part of our Christmas Yuletide program? Like to sing, but don’t want to be heard? Feel God calling you to do something out of your comfort zone? Come to the choir retreat on Sat, Aug. 26. Meet some choir members, get some info on what our schedule looks like between September and June, eat some good food, and read through some of the music we’ll be singing throughout the year! Pray about it, think about it ... We’d love to have you. Our actual choir season starts Thursday, Aug. 31 (our first rehearsal), and Sunday, Sept. 10 (our first Sunday back in worship). Retreat schedule: (in covenant hall) 8am 
• Breakfast 8:30 
• Sunday anthems preview 10:15 
• Break 10:30 
• Yuletide preview 11:30 
• End A YULETIDE QUEST ... 
This year our Yuletide theme is “Christmas Around the World.” We will be singing (mostly in English!) Christmas carols from Africa, Korea, France, England, Burgundy, Ireland, Austria, Germany, Kenya, and the United States. Believe it or not, many of these carols may be familiar to you! We are looking for people in our congregation or relatives of our congregation that are either from these places, have lived in or near these places, or have acquaintances that could help us share their own Christmas traditions, recite a favorite scripture or Christmas phrase in their native language, or tell a meaningful or funny story from their homeland that fits into the music. Please contact Wendy Kallen @ 858.722.8572 or Ginny Lorenz at 858.354.3939. We are excited to hear from you! 
MINISTRY FAIR 
• SAVE THE DATE! 
• September 10 Attention all ministries! It's that time again to share your ministries with the congregation and church community to start a new season in September! In a flyer format, we would love to hear from you! Ministry Name Description of what you do in bullet-point format Time and place where you meet Contact person & info Email your flyers to Wendy Kallen: wendy.kallen@hopeumc.com VBS RECAP We had a great time at Maker Fun Factory VBS! If you were on campus from 9am-Noon the week of June 19, you witnessed 167 children and 65 volunteers (50 youth, 15 adults) having fun while learning that God made us and loves us just the way we are! The people of Hope UMC are generous with their time, talents, and financial gifts – we couldn’t provide this fun week of outreach without the congregation’s support, so Thank You! You not only showed that Hope UMC is a great place for families and kids, you shared the love and grace of God. VBS RAISES FUNDS FOR TIJUANA ORPHANAGE Our service project at Vacation Bible School this year supported the Niños de la Promesa orphanage in Tijuana. The children of VBS raised just under $300 through their offerings. This money will be sent to the orphanage where it will be used to help purchase school supplies and school uniforms. Great work, kids! ENJOY SUMMERTIME, BUT DON’T FORGET ABOUT GOD! Summer is in full swing and we really hope your family is having a safe and fun time! Whether you’re enjoying the beauty and attractions that San Diego has to offer or you’re traveling to exciting destinations, don’t forget to spend some time together as a family worshiping God and giving thanks for the beautiful creation we enjoy. Encourage each other to watch for signs of God’s love and presence in our lives. And when you’re in San Diego, come to church! Nursery care for infants and toddlers and classes for children Preschool-5th grade continue during all three worship services throughout the summer. 
MOM’S SMALL GROUP AT HOPE 
Thursday evenings at 6pm 
Are you a mom with small children craving some conversation, friendship, and support from other mothers at Hope? Join us as we gather to encourage each other on this awesome -- and sometimes overwhelming -- journey of motherhood! Childcare will be provided in the Nursery. We'll meet at 6:00pm in CH 6 (the farthest end of Covenant Hall, near the Nursery) on Thursday evenings. We'll be reading and discussing Lysa TerKeurst's book Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely, which will help us honestly examine the roots of rejection and rediscover that we are handpicked by God and destined for a love that can never be diminished, tarnished, or taken. All are welcome! For more information, contact Leigh Powell at 619.368.2798 or lamp0808@gmail.com. 
HOPE PARENTS’ FACEBOOK PAGE 
If you’re on Facebook, you probably know that we have several church Facebook pages, the main one being Hope United Methodist Church – Rancho Bernardo, CA. There are also Facebook pages for our Music Ministry and Youth Ministry. Now we have one for parents and families with Elementary age children and younger: Parents of Hope United Methodist Church. Facebook is a great way to connect with your friends from church and to stay on top of what’s happening at Hope. The next time you’re online, check it out!
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