December 15, 2023

Christmas Worship at Hope

It's time to make your Christmas Weekend worship plans!

Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, which has led to some changes in our regular Sunday worship schedule. We will celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent at 9:00am at all campuses, then will hold Christmas Eve worship in the evening.



Please review these Christmas worship times closely. Hope's Christmas schedule is online at hope4all.church/Christmas.

Thank You for Angel Tree Blessings!

THANK YOU, Hope family, for going above and beyond to bless children and seniors during our Angel Tree gift collection!

Over 600 gifts and gift cards were collected last weekend across our three Hope campuses, including over 28 bikes for children. Our Angel Tree team members Ginny, Nancy, Elayne, Gloria, and Lenea were joined by about 40 volunteers who received, sorted, and did the heavy lifting for all the gifts.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generosity and gifts! You have made a real difference in our local community and have shared the love of Christ with these children, seniors, and their families.

We have already received some thank you notes from care facilities that have benefitted from your Angel Tree gifts. A representative from Lady Lake Specialty Care sent us the following note:

“Thank you and your ministry for those gifts. Some of our residents saw the gifts in the activity room and became excited. I wish I could find the right words to express how thankful I am for your consistent generosity. May God continue to bless you and your ministry. Sincerely, Stacy Cross.”

Volunteers Needed!

Are you interested in helping make Hope a welcoming, safe place to worship this Christmas?

As we approach Christmas, we need volunteers to assist with all Christmas worship services at Hope Central Campus. There are a variety of volunteer positions available for every worship service. To volunteer, please contact Sara Lush at sara@hope4all.church.

Additionally, we need volunteers to help keep Hope healthy by assisting with filling the hand sanitizers at Hope Lake Weir Campus. The need for sanitizer volunteers lasts long after the holiday season! Anyone interested should contact Bonnie Irvine at bon720@gmail.com.

Thank You From E-Nini-Hassee!

On Wednesday, November 8, the CIA (Christians in Action) and Hope’s Hospitality Team held a special Social Supper to support Camp E-Nini-Hassee.

This was a wonderful moment of outreach for fellowship and evangelism, as you will read in the attached letter from Chief Jo Lynn Smith, Operations Director.

Thank you for your kindness to each of the girls who attended, and for your continued support of Camp E-Nini-Hassee!

Camp E-Nini-Hassee was established in Floral City in 1969 by Jack and Ruth Eckerd to provide an opportunity for troubled teenage girls. Our girls come from all across Florida and a few outside of the state. They are the ones that on the outside appear to be disruptive but on the inside are just kids that have, in most cases, seen more in their short lives than most people will in a lifetime. This camp is for girls 12-18 years of age.

Save the Date! Caribbean Land Cruise Social Supper for Global Mission Weekend

Join the Global Mission Team on January 10, 2024 for a special Land Cruise Social Supper at Hope Central Campus.

You'll be able to learn more about our companion synods and the good work being done through the ELCA. Get your specially-issued 'passports' stamped at 'ports' representing companion congregations of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the ELCA. Learn about the congregations and how our Synod helps support them, while enjoying the sounds and flavors of the Caribbean!

Registration for the Social Supper will open in January. Global Mission Weekend will follow on January 13-14, 2024, with a visit from Assistant to the Bishop Rev. Khader El-Yateem.

Join the Hope Lutheran Church Call Committee

Hope Lutheran Church is growing and working in new and exciting ways, and it is an honor to journey alongside you as co-servants of Christ, sharing the Gospel and meeting needs in our community. As we continue to grow in this fashion, we are excited to establish a Call Committee to identify a strong candidate to join Hope’s pastoral team in 2024.

Choosing this individual is an important task, and we need your help! The Call Committee will consist of two Council Members (including one pastor) and five Lay Members of Hope. Richard Gal will serve as the Council Member and Chair of the Call Committee, while Lead Pastor Jon-Marc MacLean will serve as the Pastoral representative. We are now seeking five Lay Members to join the committee.

Only full members of Hope Lutheran Church may be considered. Associate members, seasonal members, rostered leaders and their spouses, and staff members are not eligible to serve on a Call Committee as a Lay Member.

If you are interested in joining the Call Committee, you will need to fill out a Call Committee Interest Form. Click the button below to access our online form and fill it out digitally. Paper copies of the form are also available at the Hope Central Campus office during office hours.

Please fill out the form in your preferred way. All Call Committee Interest Forms must be submitted by January 5, 2024.

Forms must be submitted electronically, delivered to the Hope Central Campus office, or emailed to Richard Gal at richard.gal@icloud.com. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Richard Gal or the church office.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship with Pastor Bruce

Wednesdays - 10:00am to 11:30am

Now through December 20

Hope Central Campus Room 203

Pastor Bruce Dillman invites you to a 5-week course held each Wednesday at 10:00am through December 22. Zoom is also available.

This is the beginning of a three-year journey and study on Lutheran Worship that Pastor Bruce will lead in the Fall and Spring semesters each year. Augsburg Fortress published a three-volume "interpretive companion" to our book of Worship (the "red" book) titled "The Sunday Assembly: Evangelical Lutheran Worship," and we will cover a volume each year.

The current 5-week study will be based on Part 1 of Volume 1 and is titled “The Assembly on Sunday: Foundational Reflections." Pastor Bruce asks you to review the class notes in advance of class.

Worship Attendance for December 9 & 10

Hope Central Campus:

4:00pm = 232

6:00pm = 70

8:00am = 161

10:00am = 427

Hope Lake Weir Campus:

10:00am = 130

Hope at the Everglades Rec Center:

8:00am = 121

10:00am = 149

Flowers on the Altar Given By...

Bill Penix and Baerbel Engel, “Hallelujah!”



Betty Arnold in memory of Bob and our son, William

In Memoriam

Joanne (Jodie) C. Porter passed away on December 9, 2023. Jodie was born on February 24, 1936. She and her husband, Gerald, were married on December 25, 1967. They joined Hope Lutheran Church on February 9, 2014.

A service for Jodie will be held at a later date in Oklahoma.

Please keep Gerald and his family and friends in your hearts and prayers during their time of grief.

Submit a Prayer Request

Need Prayer? Submit a prayer request via our hope4all.church website.