Tuesday 7:30pm - Know your neighbor's faith: An interfaith learning opportunity with Humble Walk
Wednesday 12:30-1:30pm - Contemplative Prayer Group
7pm - Bible Study
Friday 11am-noon - Moms in Community Group
7:30pm - movies@hope presents The Bicycle Theif
Sunday 9am - Kids Sunday School
9am - Adult book study of The Screwtape Letters
10am - get settled online
10:30am - Worship with international music
online here: https://zoom.us/j/338100220
or call in: 301 715 8592
(Meeting ID : 338 100 220)
password 214341
followed by virtual coffee hour
5:30-7pm - Humble Walk fellowship and worship
all online, see links at www.hopecp.org
Dear People of Hope,
When I was a college student, I studied abroad in India for a semester. I lived with a host family and soaked in everything I could from the cross-cultural experience. I ate what the family ate- lots of rice, daal, and vegetable curries. And in this particular family, lots of sweets. There was a particular festival where there were so many different kinds of sweets in the home and I was encouraged to try them all. They were all incredibly dense and sweet. After a while I said, "I can't have any more, I've had 4 already." My host-mother answered, "Don't count- just try this one. It is best not to count."
Sometimes it is best not to count. But for those of you who are counting, we have been worshiping from home for 8 Sundays, starting March 15. I can count them because I remember the preaching schedule, first Pastor Ray, then Father Tim, then me, and onwards...
If you are following the news, you know we'll be staying home for the foreseeable future. Our MetroDC Synod of the ELCA follows these recommendations and encourages us to worship remotely at least through May. When we are able to return to in-person worship, we will likely do so in phases, in small groups, perhaps wearing masks, perhaps with limited singing. There is much we still don't know about what the near-term future looks like. There is even more we don't know about what the long-term future looks like.
And there are some things we do know, some things that are unchanged. Here are some things that stand out for me as unchanged:
God is faithful.
God is good.
Jesus is risen to eternal life.
Jesus promises the same for us.
The Spirit prays for us when we don't have words to pray.
Humans are made in God's image.
Humans are resilient.
God is with us, no matter what.
God is with us whether we feel God's presence or not.
Grief is real, and being sad or angry is normal and healthy for humans.
Part of being human is not understanding everything.
There is a lot we don't know. And there are some things we do know. I am curious what you can say you know this week. What is unchanged for you- in life or faith. Please email or call me with your thoughts:
julie.r.bringman@gmail.com
510-529-5606
May God’s faithfulness, Jesus’s companionship and the Spirit's peace fill you this week,
Pastor Julie ------- Watch our Sunday worship services here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb3sPisSvuvo7IhDIFQklbg ------- For additional calendar notes or Zoom links, visit our website: www.hopecp.org
Know your neighbors faith: An inter-faith learning opportunity! Tuesdays 7:30-8:45pm
Humble Walk is inviting anyone interested to an interfaith series, hosted by Pastor Ray and led by different people each week.
Join tonight, Tuesday May 5, to learn about Judiasm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99410371683…
Meeting ID: 994 1037 1683
Password: interfaith
Or watch last week’s session on Isalm here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5rY0foTMOE&fbclid=IwAR1RaDXVQQQqYY9j4weN-6sXxGf4c-cZ-oE2FCPfZfqjhU-vhvwjX4J93zg
movies@hope presents The Bicycle Thief Friday May 8, 7:30pm, online
Join us on Zoom this Friday, when movies@hope proudly presents Bicycle Thieves from 1949. Ranked as one of the top 100 movies of all times, this film by the great Vittorio De Sica comes to us from another time of upheaval and uncertainty, war-ravaged post-WWII Italy. In a society riven by social unrest and economic deprivation, this tale of a father and his son and their quest for a stolen bicycle shows the power of hope, resilience and compassion even in the most desperate times.
Zoom login information is shown below. If you prefer to stream the film it is available on a number of streaming platforms. Then you can join us on Zoom around 9:15 for the post-film discussion.
Even though we can't gather in person, we think it's more important than ever to watch great films and then discuss what we've seen. So please put on some popcorn and join us! Hope to "see" you then, and invite a friend or neighbor, including those who wouldn't usually be able to come out to our regular showings at the church! And, if you belong to a neighborhood listserv, please circulate the flyer to your email list. It's through efforts like these we've been able to get the word out to an ever-wider community.
It's OK not to be OK- and you don't have to go through this alone. Call for support - find more numbers in April 29th's newsletter here: https://hopecp.org/news/weekly-newsletter.html
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
~Serves a general audience~
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
1-800-273-8255
Or text: 301-738-2255
Or chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
°°°°°
Institute on Aging - Friendship Line
~For the elderly~
Institute on Aging’s 24-hour toll-free Friendship Line is the only accredited crisis line in the country for people aged 60 years and older, and adults living with disabilities. We also make on-going outreach calls to lonely older adults.
https://www.ioaging.org/services/all-inclusive-health-care/friendship-line
1-800-971-0016
°°°°°
LGBT National Hotline
~For LGBT folks, regardless of age~
We provide a safe space that is anonymous and confidential where callers can speak on many different issues and concerns including, but limited to, coming out issues, gender and/or sexuality identities, relationship concerns, bullying, workplace issues, HIV/AIDS anxiety, safer sex information, suicide, and much more.
https://www.glbthotline.org/national-hotline.html
1-888-843-4564
Peer support chat: https://www.glbthotline.org/peer-chat.html
Our neighbors are not OK Give money for food assistance in Langley Park
Perhaps you saw this article in the Washington Post about our immigrant neighbors in Langley Park struggling with work, money and food. Humble Walk partners with these neighbors regularly though the after school programs En Camino and CARing Kids. You may give to buy grocery gifts cards for these families- 100% of donations by these means will go directly to families in need.
Online: Go to the Hope's donation website: https://hopecp.org/donate.html
Under "Select Fund," select "Langley Park Food Assistance." You can pay through your checking account or by credit card.
PayPal or Venmo:
Donate by Venmo @LutheranTerps or email Katie for PayPal information (katieevans96@gmail.com).
Check: If you prefer to write a check to "Hope Lutheran Church," with "Langley Park Food Assistance" in the memo line, mail checks to Hope Lutheran Church, 4201 Guilford Dr., College Park, MD 20740.
How are our global neighbors in the Holy Land? Peace not Walls events on Saturday
For six Saturdays in a row, beginning on Saturday, April 25th, Peace Not Walls participants in the U.S. and partners in the Middle East will engage in weekly conversations about how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the Lutheran ministries in the Holy Land and how the Lutheran World Federation-Jerusalem Program and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) are responding in order to continue their vital medical, ecclesiastical and educational work. In addition, these virtual meetings will provide an opportunity for participants and partners to discuss aspects of the ongoing Israeli occupation, especially the expansion of Israeli settlements and other human rights violations occurring in the shadow of the pandemic.
The complete list of the Virtual PNW Series can be found here.
All are welcome to join us – please share this invitation widely!
Join a group of Hope Church connections Connect more with others at Hope for small group/community support
Are you interested in more connection with others from Hope in these stay-at-home times? If so, email Beth (office.hopecp@gmail.com). We'll collect interested people and match you into small groups of 5-8 people. These are completely unstructured groups- you may choose to call each other, Zoom hang out together, and/or pray for each other. (Feeling connected enough? It is fine to pass on this one).
