New Hope eNews - March 21, 2025


Join us this Sunday, March 23, as Pastor Sheldon continues our "Contagious Faith" series. We will look at "Story-Sharing" through John 9:1-25 and will also be welcoming our newest members during both services.

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

 

The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

 

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

 

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

 

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”


There have been recent instances of emails that appear to be from Pastor Sheldon asking for gift cards or money. Please note that New Hope staff members will never email asking you for these things! These spam emails are not due to Pastor Sheldon's account being hacked, but rather are a phishing attempt by scammers who create a new email address and use it to send emails impersonating others. If you receive such an email, please do not click any links in it or reply to it – simply delete it!


Wednesday Family Nights are back this Wednesday from 6:30-8pm! We have classes for adults, student ministry, children's ministry, and nursery care. Join us as we continue to grow together in the Lord as a church family!


God designed our faith to be shared, making the gospel infectious. Our aim is to naturally and enthusiastically share Jesus with others. We are not just spectators, but called to actively engage in spreading the message of Christ. We are encouraged to have an impact on God's Kingdom by focusing on one person to share Christ with, starting with prayer. This aligns with the "Who's Your One?" initiative, urging us to pray for someone who is far from Christ over the next 30 days, using the guide available in the Lobby at the church. By doing so, we can be salt and light in our community, making God's Kingdom visible. Let's join together in prayer and sharing Christ to witness what God will accomplish!


If you attend our 11am Contemporary Service and would like to familiarize yourself with the songs we will be singing this Sunday, here are the links to check them out:

 

This Is Our God
Holy Forever
The Father's House

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)


COMMON GROUND SERVE DAY

Students and leaders gathered to package over ONE TON of pretzels at Midwest Food Bank! Our students are demonstrating love for God, and others, when they give up their Saturday to work hard for the people of SWFL! Teenagers are amazing!


Ladies! Join The Well for an exciting new Bible Study! Starting Wednesday, March 26, from 10am-12pm in Room 206, we will embark on a transformative 6-week study of Anne Graham Lotz's "The Daniel Prayer: Prayer That Moves Heaven and Changes Nations." If you are planning to join us for this enriching journey, please click here to register and then purchase a study guide before the group begins (available on Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, and other bookstores). Don't miss out on this opportunity to deepen your faith and experience the power of prayer!


Celebrate a lifetime of wisdom and experience at our Four Score and More Breakfast, exclusively for those aged 80 and above! Join us for a delightful morning of camaraderie, laughter, and cherished memories on Thursday, April 10 at 9:30am at New Hope and enjoy a delicious breakfast while connecting with friends who share in the richness of life’s journey. Click here to register and reserve your spot! Registration is open trough April 3.



CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP PIE AUCTION

 

The Good News Club has been blessed with the support of CEF at Colonial Elementary. We have the opportunity to reciprocate by helping them with their Pie Auction on Sunday, April 13 from 1:30-3pm in Room 212 at New Hope.


Ways you can help:
- Bake a pie to bring that day for them to auction
- Come to the auction and buy one of the yummy pies
- Share the news with a friend

Whichever way you choose to help, you will be supporting a great local ministry that God is using all over Lee County!



GENEROSITY UPDATE

Last Week's Offerings: $27,965
Weekly Budget Requirement: $35,164