5220 S. 159th Ave Omaha, NE 68135

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Omaha Nebraska Permit No. 862

 Hope Presbyterian Church “Loving God, Loving others, Living in Grace”

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH JUNE 2015– VOLUME 6

June Birthdays! Ron Gillis Doreen Shafer Lorri Brockman Barbara Dierking Kelly Klopp Carol Witzel Lucy Gunning Calvin Richter Adley Rose VBS REGISTER ONLINE AT: https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/hopekidsomaha Cost is $10.00 Per Child $30.00 Per Family Max 6:00PM to 8:30PM Questions contact Deb in the church office at 402-895-4044 Special Needs VBS will be held Monday July 13th through Thursday July 16th from 9:00am to 11:15am. We have a separate registration form on the website and in the church office for this. Contact Kristi Richling at (402) 699-0328 or [email protected] with questions regarding the special needs VBS

June 1 June 2 June 2 June 4 June 6 June 6 June 7 June 7 June 8

Steve Shiller June 8 Rachel Rau June 12 John Gunning June 14 Maysie Thompson June 17 Don Tucker June 18 Bob Reeks June 21 Terry Wiese June 21 Dave Greco June 23 Charles Bulger June 23 Barbara Ryan June 23 Glenna Rahn June 26 Sandra Kay June 28 Andrew McKenna June 28 Donna Albin June 30

Sermon Topics 

“Giving What We’ve Got” Communion Acts 3: 1-10 

June 14 “The Principles of Patience” Psalm 37: 1-11 Sarah Martin



June 21

“Living the Compassion of Christ” Psalm 145: 8-12

Confirmation Dinner Congratulations to the Confirmation Class of 2014-2015! Welcome New Members of Hope Church! Many thanks to Jani Botsch, Barb Dierking, Pat Grisham, Michele Lovett and Ruby Thornwall for preparing and serving dinner to the class, their families and Session members that evening. Thanks also to all that helped to clean up after the event. Your dedication and work made this another successful event!

June 7, 2015

Josh Widman “Fathers Day” 

June 28, 2015

“The Miracle and Lordship of Christ” Acts 4:32-37

OUTREACH Submitted by Matt Van Hook Outreach Ruling Elder Our goal as the outreach committee is to serve the people God brings to Hope. We do this principally by delivering coffee mugs to first-time visitors and running new member classes. We held our 2nd new member class of the year on Wednesday, May 13. Many thanks to Jayne Molacek, Pat Stigge, and Diane Huerta for providing a great meal for all who attended!! We had seven individuals in attendance who are joining Hope. They are David & Judy Klostermeyer, Donald Klostermeyer, Katie & Adam Briley, and Tara & Justin Andrews. I’ll introduce them during an upcoming worship service and will have their pictures up on the bulletin board soon. Please take the opportunity to introduce yourself to these folks, make them feel welcome, and help them get involved in the life of the church! New member classes are held several times throughout the year and are scheduled once 4-8 people have indicated that they’re interested in joining. Whether you’ve been coming for a while but haven’t become a member, or are brand-new and think you might like to make Hope your church home, this class is for you. Please send me an email ([email protected]) or give me a call (401-368-1233...yes, it’s a 401 area code!) That will help us start to make concrete plans for the next class. We’re always looking for new folks to get involved and there are several great ways you can do so: 1) Deliver mugs to first-time visitors. We’d like to add more teams help deliver coffee mugs to Hope visitors. This is a great way to get to know new folks and introduce them to Hope. 2) Help with attendance record-keeping. Outreach has recently started keeping track of Sunday worship attendance (logging information from the friendship pads). This takes less than 30 minutes and is a perfect way to get involved if you can make it into the Hope office in the middle of the week. 3) Providing food and helping with set-up for new member classes. We’re always looking for people who want to use their culinary skills to feed a hungry crowd of prospective members! 4) Attend an outreach committee meeting. We don’t yet have one scheduled, but be on the lookout for announcements about the next outreach committee meeting - it’ll be a great opportunity to meet the outreach team, and share some ideas for how we as a church can best serve visitors, and find ways to get involved. If any of these seem like ways you’d like to get involved, please get in touch with me via email: [email protected] or by phone (401-368-1233).

9:00 Communion Servers

Georgia & Chuck Bulger

Todd & Michelle Woitzel

10:30 Communion Servers

Kelly Groetsema

Thelma Symanietz

Date

9:00 AM

10:30 AM

Greeters

Coordinator Diane Huerta

Coordinator Thelma Symanietz

JUNE 7, 2015

Ruby Thornwall

Kellie Groetsema

JUNE 14, 2015

Roselyn Kenkel

Dave & Lil Fehr

JUNE 21, 2015

Sandra Kay

Roy & Kathy Andersen

JUNE 28, 2015 Ushers

Cheryl Swalberg Coordinator Diane Huerta

Coordinator Thelma Symanietz

JUNE 7,, 2015

Judy & Ron Bruening

Terry & Denise Kendrick

JUNE 14, 2015

Kelly Klopp & John Klopp

Cindy Williams & Suzie Karnik

JUNE 21, 2015

Denise & Terry Kendrick

Nancy Mittlebrun & Thelma Symanietz

JUNE 28, 2015

Donelle Thomas & Diane Huerta

Marcus Schultz & Aimee Kersigo

Liturgist

Coordinator Bobbie Geiger

Coordinator Thelma Symanietz

JUNE 7, 2015

Sarah Martin

Tracy Comba

JUNE 14, 2015

Mike Molacek

Shawn Williams

JUNE 21, 2015

Todd Woitzel

Suzie Karnik

JUNE 28, 2015

Michael Davis

Terry Kendrick

Audio

Coordinator Niki Frerichs

Coordinator Niki Frerichs

JUNE 7, 2015

Chuck Lundquist

Wayne Fry

JUNE 14, 2015

Wayne Fry

Tyler Thraen

JUNE 21, 2015

Chuck Lundquist

Tyler Thraen

JUNE 28, 2015

Dale Brewer

Wayne Fry

Visual

Coordinator Pam Purchase

Nikki Frerichs

JUNE 7, 2015

Rich Roberts

Paula Anderson Washka

JUNE 14, 2015

Pam Purchase

Kelsey Thraen

JUNE 21, 2015

Hugh Carter

Kelsey Thraen

JUNE 28, 2015

Pam Purchase

Tracy Chatten

Pantry of Hope SUBMITTED BY MIKE MOLECEK

The Pantry of Hope continues helping our community. 144 food items were distributed from March 30 – May 19, 2015. The Pantry exists to help hungry people. Your generous donations help those in need Foods that you enjoy at your house are perfect to donate. We make good use of all non-perishable items. We are short on granola bars, cereal, canned meat, jelly and fruit. Thanks for your support.

Church Leadership SESSION

COMMITTEE

EMAIL

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS Submitted by Jayne Molacek Clerk of Session

Paula Washka

Caregiving

[email protected]

Jani Billups

Youth Ministry

[email protected]

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

Lin Briley

Fellowship

[email protected]

Minutes of the March 17, 2015 session meeting were approved.

Brian Claus

Mission

[email protected]

March Finance Report was approved.

Darci Davis

Children’s

[email protected]

Linda Deegan

Personnel

[email protected]

Motion from Building and Grounds to proceed with Sanctuary chair replacement. This include a fundraising drive and chairs will not be purchased until all the money is received. Seconded and carried.

Dave Fehr

Finance

[email protected]

Niki Frerichs

Music & Worship

[email protected]

Mike Molacek

Building & Grounds

[email protected]

Carol Rudesill

Adult Ministry

[email protected]

Donelle Thomas

SWORD

[email protected]

Matt Van Hook

Outreach

[email protected]

Dave Matsumura

Moderator

[email protected]

Jayne Molacek

Clerk of Session

[email protected]

Motion from Youth Ministry to add May 8, 2015 to the calendar and to use the gym for Parents vs Teens Survivor Night from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Motion to move the May session meeting to May 26 th. Seconded and carried. Discussion on the direction of the Nominating Committee. Session feels there should be a various range of age groups including a youth representative on the committee. It was decided to have nine members on the APNC and recommended that someone from the last Pastor Nominating Committee serve on the APNC for direction and guidance. Session agreed that the same guidelines should be followed as serving on session, an active member of Hope and someone who pledges and fulfills that pledge.

Average Attendance For

Church Staff

April Was 225

STAFF

POSITION

EMAIL

WOW!!! Omaha Gives was Wednesday, May 20th and Hope Church was well represented in their participation and giving. There were 53 donations given for a total dollar amount of $18,049.00. We do not have the number yet on what the foundation will be giving us.

Dave Matsumura

Pastor

[email protected]

Luke Furman

1st Service Director

[email protected]

Uletter Bonner

2nd Service Director

[email protected]

Deb Miller

Office Administrator

[email protected]

Last year we had 33 donations for a total of $7,365.00.

Carol Rudesill

Interim ED

[email protected]

Jayne Molacek

Treasurer

[email protected]

Thank you from the SWORD and Finance Committees for those who participated. The funds will be received here at Hope by the end of June and will show you’re your quarterly statement.

Mike Huerta

Custodian

[email protected]

Laurel Winchester

Nursery

Zoey Devney

Nursery

GOD IS GOOD!!!

FELLOWSHIP

Submitted by Lin Briley Fellowship Ruling Elder

Mark your calendars for the next Bunko night. The Fellowship Committee will be hosting Bunko on Friday, June 12th at 5:30 pm at the church. Players are asked to bring an appetizer to share with the group. Fellowship will provide the drinks. We will fellowship and share appetizers first and then begin playing Bunko. Cost is $1.00 per person to play, funds go toward prizes at the end. If you have not played Bunko before, no worries, it is a very simple dice game and you can learn while we play. Bring your friends, family or neighbors. It is a fun time to just laugh and fellowship together. Are you looking for a fun family activity for this summer. Join us on Saturday, August 8th at 6:00 pm at Western Bowl for a fun night of bowling. The cost is $10 for three hours of bowling. There will be prizes awarded for all ages. Watch for the sign up sheet in the lobby in July.

Friday June 12, 2015 5:30 PM Bring an Appetizer to Share $1.00

Be sure to save these dates. More details will be coming.

YOUTH

C A RWA SH , Thank you so very much to all of the youth and adults t h a t participated to make the car wash a success. We raised $502! All proceeds are going toward the mission trips. Also, thank you to those who stopped by to have their cars washed and to those who couldn't attend but gave donations. Everyone's generosity was overwhelming!

Submitted by Jani Billups

Mission Trips: Excitement is building as our youth prepare for their journeys this summer. Fifteen middle school youth along with sponsors will travel to Hastings June 3-6 to serve the community in a variety of ways. Eleven senior high students plus sponsors will venture to Salem Illinois to work at a church there. They will also be volunteering around the community. Please keep these groups in your prayers that they will be safe an also grow in their relationship with God throughout the course of this journey. Confirmation: Plans are underway for our confirmation class of 2016. If you have a student (8th grade or older) interested in joining this class next fall, please contact Josh Widman ([email protected]). Each of our students is paired with an adult member of the congregation to help guide them on this journey referred to as a covenant partner. It is a great chance to get involved and form a lasting relationship with our youth. There will be a partner training in the fall. Please let Josh know if you are interested in this as well. Middle School Youth: June 19 -20 will be a middle school campout on the church grounds. We are inviting current 5th – 8th graders to this event. We will have games, a movie, a campfire. If you have a tent we could borrow, or are interested in joining us, we would love to have you. Stay tuned for specifics on this event.

Thank you and God Bless! Kellie Groetsema

BUILDING & GROUNDS

Submitted by Mike Molacek

The work of this committee is to support the mission and ministry of Hope, by caring for the concrete, physical foundation of the congregational life. We support everyone! Thanks: Ken Anderson and Hugh Carter for gym floor cleaning. Chris and Cameron Crawford for H.D. for J.C. participation. Dirt was moved from trim brick. Dick Corwine and Ron Stigge for hauling two trees and six daylilies on May 11. Ron Stigge for planting each item and launching our landscape development. Kurt Briley for volleyball set up. J.B. Turner, Chuck Lundquist, Ron Stigge, Kurt Briley, Terry Kendrick and Jayne Molacek for H.D. for J.C. participation on May 16. Mulch was placed on our entire site. Punch List Discussion: Hugh Carter presented a replacement sanctuary light design. Hugh will research a bike rack for Hope. The entry light, welcome area light, two upstairs lights and the Q street sign ballast repair were completed. Please note Dick Corwine’s newsletter article on the Sanctuary Chair Replacement Fund Drive.

The love and comfort and support we have received from members of Hope Church has been overwhelming. THANKS for all the prayers, cards, calls, text messages, rides, visits, and food. I was especially touched by the notes and pictures from the Sunday School classes. We have been so blessed by so many of you. I will have back surgery June 11. We know there will be many people praying for us and our family. THANKS to ALL OF YOU! Carol and Larry Rudesill

Church Chair Replacement Fund Drive submitted by Dick Corwine

"Find a seat!" "Take a seat!" "Get seated!" These are all admonitions that we used to hear from

our teacher or program chairperson whenever things were about to get started. Not to be funny, but when Hope Church built its first building back in 1970, obviously one thing that we badly needed were seats. Fortunately, within our congregation we had a gentleman that worked for a funeral home and knew of a channel through which seating could be economically obtained. We bought chairs for our new church building and believe it or not, folks, WE ARE STILL SITTING IN THEM! Yes, after 45 years they are still seating our congregation but they are obviously getting tired and worn. We constantly tighten screws and patch damaged vinyl (maybe even throw one away)just to keep them going. The Building and Grounds Committee has proposed a plan to the Session to obtain new chairs for our Sanctuary. A style of chair has been selected and a sample is available for viewing in the church office. It is a sturdy, steel-framed chair with a very nice fabric covering that has storage pockets for programs or books and they can be interlocked with other chairs to form rows. Each chair will cost approximately $65. Obviously this will cost some money. There is some money available in some budgets but it would be most helpful if we could entice or encourage contributions from our members. We need to constantly strive to keep our worship center functional and attractive. We ask you now: Will you please help us? PLEASE, BE SEATED!!!

Pastor’s Pen Pastor Dave Matsumura

It always amazes me what a caring, compassionate church Hope Church is. Dick and I want to thank the people who came to sit with Dick during Kit's surgery, those who called to inquire about her, those who sent cards, those who brought meals. All of your good deeds were very much appreciated. Thank you to our church family! Sincerely, Kit Corwine

EDUCATION PROGRAM UPDATE submitted by Carol Rudesill Carol Rudesill, Interim Education Coordinator, has taken a temporary medical leave. Carol will be having back surgery some time in June to relieve nerve pain in her right leg. Carol is confident all programs of Hope will continue to run smoothly, thanks to the leadership for education programs for children and youth. If you have questions or ideas or you would like to volunteer your time to help with VBS or planning for fall programs, please contact: DARCI [email protected] (402) 995-1255 JANI [email protected] (402) 672-8924

Finally summer is here!

Dear Friends, What are the milestones in your life? When you look back over the past year what things stand out to you? When you look back over the past few years what comes to mind? The school year is over and we chalk up another year. Was it a good year? Was it a difficult year? What happened or didn’t happen that colored your perception of the year? We ask those wishing to join our church to make a timeline of their lives; to spend time charting the events of their lives in order to reflect on those things and interpret what God has done in their lives. It is rare that we perceive God’s actions when we’re in the midst of the experience. It is more often in retrospect, and the larger picture that it brings, that we begin to understand the patterns of God’s grace in our lives. It is by reflecting on our experiences and placing them in the larger context that we “see with eyes that see and hear with ears to hear.” We begin to ask the question: “Why?” and we seek answers to those ponderable moments that sometimes can be perplexing. It is a practice that I encourage you to do on a regular basis. Even when we are making plans for the future it is important to place ourselves within the context of the past and present in order to develop thoughts and hopes that are appropriate for us. As we enter June and embrace a slightly different pace of life for the summer I encourage you to spend some of that freer time to reflect and

ponder in order to hope and dream. We will continue to meet for worship each Sunday. We will continue to serve our community. We will continue to fellowship together. We will continue to lift each other up in prayer. We will continue the process of moving toward hiring an Associate Pastor. And we will continue to bless our church with the giving of our tithes and offerings. It’s a perfect time to try out online giving in order to remove the anxiety when we can’t be physically present. In June our youth will participate in mission trips. They will be placing milestones in their spiritual lives. In July we will host our VBS and Special Needs VBS and create milestones in the lives of the children and leaders alike. In August of this summer my family will be having a family reunion in Hawaii. Both my parents turn 90 this year and we want to celebrate that milestone with them. It will be an awesome time to gather, remember and make new memories. It will be a time of reacquainting ourselves and deepening our relationships though we live miles apart and seldom see each other. What are the milestones in your lives? What are you going to do this summer that will make a mark on your journey? This summer can be a milestone in your journey if you have eyes to see and ears to hear. Blessings,

Dave Pastor Dave

MISSION SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH SUBMITTED BY BRIAN CLAUS

The month’s mission spotlight organization is Keep Omaha Beautiful which is a non-profit 501c3 environmental organization that does what its name implies. Their mission statement declares the organization is a non-profit dedicated to litter reduction, beautification and environmental education. Keep Omaha Beautiful, Inc. opened its doors as Omaha’s first environmental agency and thrives today with the strong support of individuals, neighborhood associations, city offices and businesses. We believe that our city is a wonderful place to live filled with great people dedicated to keeping Omaha litter free, beautiful and environmentally safe. Some of the programs Keep Omaha Beautiful, Inc. is involved in are:  City-wide Spring Cleanup/Cleanup Omaha  Compost Education  Trail Maintenance  Earth Day Litter Cleanup  "Helping Hands" for senior and disabled citizens with yard cleanup  Homeless Shelter Cleanup  Household Hazardous Waste Education  Storm Drain Awareness & Education  World O! Water Festival  Youth Fall Cleanup There are many ways to get involved with Keep Omaha Beautiful. Join in one of their many programs http://www.keepomahabeautiful.org/index.php/programs Contribute time or resources http://www.keepomahabeautiful.org/index.php/get-involved/ contribute More information is available on their website: keepomahabeautiful.org or you may contact them at: 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 306 Omaha, NE 68183 402-444-7774

The Bible states, You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. (Numbers 35:33)

Hope Annual Garage Sale Just a reminder that Hope’s annual garage sale will be June 26-27 so please consider holding your items until then to donate to this great event. If you do not have the room to store your items, contact Brian Claus, [email protected] or 402616-5232, to schedule a pickup anytime. Every year half the proceeds of the Hope garage sale are donated to the Rebuilding Together program. The other half of the proceeds are used throughout the year to support other local missions and families in need. If you would like to sign up to help work the garage sale, please contact JB Turner. The next blood drive at Hope is scheduled for Sat June 27 (7am – noon). The Blood Mobile will be in the parking lot in front of the church. Please contact Dave McKenna, 402-333-3061 or [email protected] or [email protected] , if you would like to donate the gift of life to others. Siena-Francis House Meal Serving Hope Church has an on-going ministry of serving meals at Siena Francis House the first Saturday of every month. The sign up sheet is located in the lobby on the side table. If you are interested in you and your family, friends or small group taking over a month, please contact Cheryl Sisk at 402-659-5344 or email [email protected] to find out details. This is a very worthwhile and rewarding way to volunteer your time! Thank you to all those who served meals on May 2: Chuck Bulger, Georgia Bulger, Hannah Canady, Mark Canady, Pat Stigge and Ron Stigge. Siena Francis Monthly Birthday Party was celebrated on May 9th. We had 10 women and 3 children in attendance. We celebrated the birthdays of two women, a boy age 3 and a little girl age 2. Thanks go to the following volunteers in May– Madison, Hannah and Teresa Canady who entertained the children while Tracy Comba and Kathy Andersen played Bingo with the Ladies who attended. We are so grateful for these volunteers who keep coming back to help. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!!! There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex if you feel called to help with

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. (Psalm 65:9)

this mission program. The parties are always the second Saturday in the month. Rebuilding Together This year we were assigned to work with volunteers from HUD on April 25th. Probably the largest group of volunteers in our years of working with Rebuilding Together! We apologize for not recognizing some key individuals who were part of the Hope Rebuilding Together team. Thanks to Judy Bruening, Jayne Molacek and Diane Thomas for providing the delicious salads and cheesy potatoes served that day. We could not have fed all those volunteers that day without them!