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Hello HOPErs!
Some of the
people reading this publication may not consider themselves "HOPErs."
Even if you never attend HOPE, we welcome your prayers and
encouragement for those who do. If you are getting this at home, you
have probably attended at least one HOPE conference in the past few
years. And if you're reading this at church, you may be eligible to
attend a future conference. As I was putting this edition together,
I noticed a "past, present and future" theme. We have pictures and
memories from HOPE 2002 in Spokane, WA and the Pilgrim Mission
Voyage to Alaska (page 3). We also have news on current events and
things you can do to keep HOPE alive right now (pages 2, 5 & 6). And
finally, we have news about the upcoming HOPE conference in
Williamsbug, VA (page 4). Don't forget, HOPErs (yes, that means YOU)
are always the most important part of HOPE: past, present, or
future.
-Diana Wyman
(editor)
Kids in Church
Submitted by Nikki Dillon
A little
child in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed the
offering plates. When they neared the pew where he sat, the
youngster piped up so that everyone could hear: "Don't pay for me
Daddy, I'm under five."
A boy was
watching his father, a pastor, write a sermon." How do you know what
to say?" he asked. "Why, God tells me." "Oh, then why do you keep
crossing things out?"
The Sunday
School Teacher asks, "Now, Johnny, tell me frankly do you say
prayers before eating?" "No sir," little Johnny replies, "I don't
have to. My Mom is a good cook."
A little
girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime
story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and
reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking
her own cheek, then his again. Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did
God make you?" "Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long
time ago." "Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?" "Yes, a
little while ago." Feeling their respective faces again, she
observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't he?"
Wheat Update
Have you
sent any wheat lately? "Wheat" is notes of encouragement we started
sending to each other at last year's conference. But they don't have
to stop with the conference. Make it a point to let another HOPEr
know you are thinking about him or her.
A new Wheat
Team has been appointed to help pray for next year's conference and
all the HOPE participants. Nikki Dillon will be organizing the
group. You may also get some encouraging words from them over the
next few months.
In addition
to the Wheat Team, we can all help pray for you or celebrate with
you. If you have prayer requests or praise reports, mail or e-mail
them to Tim Johnson. (friar_tim@hotmail.com) He will pass the word
and get the whole HOPE family involved!
Speaking of keeping in touch...there is also a chat room for NAPF/HOPE
on the NACCC website. You can reach this, previous editions of
Ananias, and other NACCC news at
http://www.naccc.org.
What's Ananias?
God used
His disciple, Ananias, to help prepare Paul (Saul) to share the Good
News with the world. If something in this newsletter helps you share
the Good News, it's lived up to its name!
ACTS 9:10-20
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a
vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and
go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus
named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come
in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord,
Verdana">I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;
and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." But the
Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the
Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My
name's sake."
So Ananias
departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him
said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road
by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately there
fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight,
and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was
strengthened. And immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the
synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."
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