The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24)
I was out walking my dog and praying a few months ago, and I found myself pleading with God to take COVID away so that we could get back to “doing church again”, serving Him, witnessing, fellowship, etc. I quickly felt like God was urging me, “I’ve called you to make disciples and share with people what Christ has done for them. I’ve called you to encourage other believers, grow spiritually, and be sanctified. I’ve called you to care about others. Randy – you can do all of these things now!”
So as we approach 2021 with all of its uncertainty, I have a few thoughts about things that we can do regardless of what the year holds.
- Follow a Bible Reading Plan: The Gospel Coalition has a plan that takes you through the Bible in one year (including the New Testament and Psalms twice). Download the plan here. Share this in your home groups and in any discipleship groups you may have. There is also a daily newsletter that helps you reflect on what you are reading. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter. Having a daily time with the Lord has the biggest impact on a Christian’s walk with Christ.
- Ask the Five Questions on Evangelism/Discipleship: The man who discipled Pastor Dave when he was in college had five questions that every believer should be able to answer (at all times in their life) as they seek to be a disciple who disciples others.
- Who are you currently trying to share the Gospel with? What are you doing to build relationship with them?
- Who are you currently discipling/mentoring?
- Who are some people who you would like to disciple/mentor in the future?
- Who are the people who are currently discipling/mentoring you?
- Who are the people you would like to disciple/mentor you in the future?
- Be involved in a Home Group: I recognize that gatherings have been difficult due to the pandemic. However, we need to find a way to meet in safe ways for the purpose of encouragement and endurance in our faith. We need encouragement to stay the course in Christ. Proverbs 13:20 tells us: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffer harm.” Choosing to walk with other Christ followers in this life will cause you to walk with wisdom in this life. Neglecting this part of your life will cause harm. Keep an eye out for new Home-groups starting this January.
- Find ways to contribute to the Kingdom: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) You and I were saved to do good works. We are called to have a ministry – a way we are serving. As people become members at Hope they sign a covenant that has six commitments. One of the commitments is: “I will contribute to the works of the Lord at HCC by actively using the gifts, talents, and resources God has given me.” We should continually be looking for ways to serve within our church family just as Christ “came not to be served, but to serve”.
Lord, help us be faithful to you in 2021.
~ Pastor Randy
Christmas Eve Service 2020
Suzi King, Director
women@hopetucson.com
A big thank you to all the Hopers who came out and supported our craft sale. It was a huge success!
Thank you to all the women who brought gift supplies and candy/cookies in for our Christmas outreach to the women at the La Paloma Women’s Shelter. The residents were incredibly blessed to receive these gifts!
Discipleship Corner
I’m so excited for 2021! I hope you are too. I truly believe that the best way for our year to be fulfilling, exciting and amazing is to focus on Jesus as much as possible and part of that would be for us to be intentional about making disciples. I know I can struggle with feeling selfish and focusing on my own comfort, however that is always a recipe for emptiness. I find that the more I focus on my own selfish desires, the worse I feel.
The flipside is that the more I give, the more I serve, the more I sacrifice…the more alive I feel. I really think that the way for us to have an amazing 2021 is to give our lives away, to the Lord and to others.
Go Get ‘em! Pastor Dave
Jim Zimmer, Director
zimmer1501@comcast.net
Breakfast
Saturday, January 23 – 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
@the Zimmer’s Home
6910 N. Camino De Las Brisas
Kyria Kelly - Director
children@hopetucson.com
As 2021 rolls in, we are excited to implement a new optional memory program in HopeKids. If your children from 3 years to 5th grade would like to, they may memorize the key passage for their current unit to receive a fish, which they may use to purchase items to support various missionaries and outreaches locally, nationally, and internationally. Each fish will equal $1, and each item available in the “Loaves and Fish” store will be $5 or $10 (5 or 10 fish). When they purchase an item, they will receive a card that explains the impact of their donation and will be the only item they take home. We will change our outreach quarterly.
In addition to memorizing their key passage, kids will have an opportunity to memorize a “bonus” verse, available approximately every 4 weeks. In 2021 the bonus verses will come from Isaiah 53, and by the end of the year, children who have memorized every bonus verse will have learned an entire chapter of the Bible. Before each quarter we will provide everyone with a card that shares the chosen outreach for the quarter and the corresponding verses available for memorization. These verses may be said at any time to their adult leaders or to the director on duty, and the director on duty will operate the Loaves and Fish store at the check-in counter.
Our hope with this “Loaves and Fish” memory program is to encourage our children to hide God’s word in their hearts and, at the same time, provide them with a way to be missions-minded at a young age. While participation in the program is entirely optional, we pray it is a blessing in your family and to our community.
Looking forward with eager expectation to God’s work in our lives in this year,
Kyria Kelly, HopeKids Director
520-528-5805
kckelly@hopetucson.com
Hope now has a sensory resource available for Family Sunday! The resource includes items ranging from a weighted lap pad, to small fidgets, all available to those with family members for whom Family Sunday can be a sensory challenge. Come see Sarah Whiting at the kids check-in counter for access to this resource!
What a great first semester we’ve experienced at AWANA! We begin again January 6, 2021 at 5:45 p.m. most Wednesdays. Come join us, if you’re 4 years old through 6th grade, as well as adults, if you have a new-found desire to serve God through this ministry. It’s a lot of FUN! (Contact Tim or Marilyn Tolson at 575-1307)
January Birthdays:
Julie Catania 1/1
Asia Marshall 1/5
Emersyn Mason 1/8
Joelle Jones 1/13
Heidi Nemec 1/14
Jadyn Collins 1/16
Timothy Edgin 1/16
Hudson Odell 1/23
Wesley Edmunds 1/27
Sadie Foss 1/27
Tanner Hunt 1/28
Linnaea Reddoch 1/29
Kevin Mason
Youth Pastor
kmason@hopetucson.com
We had a wonderful time last month celebrating Christmas. So blessed that we were able to come together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. As we reflected on the birth of Christ this past month, we were reminded of the example He set for us, He came to serve. It is our prayer that students will continue to reflect on that example and be committed to serving others.
Winter Camp is almost here! January 15 – 18 we will go up to Mt. Lemmon and wrestle with how we should live for the Lord. Paul encourages us in Colossians to live lives worthy of Lord and pleasing to Him in every way. This Winter Camp we will walk through repentance and what it means to love God and love our neighbor.
Important Dates for January:
HopeYouth
Sundays, January 3, 10 & 24
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
at Summit Ridge Community Church
(505 W. Hardy Road)
Contact Information:
Website:
www.hopetucson.com
Administration:
info@hopetucson
Pastor Randy:
rbrainard@hopetucson.com
Pastor Dave:
dcollins@hopetucson.com
Pastor Matt:
mpoling@hopetucson.com
Pastor Kevin:
kmason@hopetucson.com
Mailing Address:
2114 W. Grant Road, PMB 87
Tucson, Arizona 85745
Phone:
520-400-1483
