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Nonprofit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Omaha Nebraska
Permit No. 862
5220 S. 159th Ave
Omaha, NE 68135
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL on JANUARY 3, 2016
As we begin the New Year, we want to take time to bless
teachers and leaders of children and youth programs. A brunch will be served
for them at 9:00 a.m. This will be a time for them to meet together and support
each other in their leadership.
We need donations of egg casseroles, muffins, breads, fruit or whatever you
love to make!
We need some people to help care for children of the teachers and leaders.
If you would like to help us encourage them, please contact
Carol Rudesill at 402-598-1890 or email Carol at
Teacher NURTURE Time - TNT - It's Dynamite!
HappyHappyHappy Birthday!Birthday!Birthday!
JANUARY 2016JANUARY 2016JANUARY 2016---VOLUME 1VOLUME 1VOLUME 1
Hope Presbyterian ChurchHope Presbyterian Church M O N T H L Y N E W SL E T T E R O F H O P E P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C HM O N T H L Y N E W SL E T T E R O F H O P E P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C HM O N T H L Y N E W SL E T T E R O F H O P E P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H
Loving God, Loving Others, Living in GraceLoving God, Loving Others, Living in GraceLoving God, Loving Others, Living in Grace
June Denkinger 1/2
Linda Onumbu 1/2
Nancy Mi!elbrun 1/5
Zack Johnson 1/6
Michael Davis 1/7
Lindsey Mi!elbrun 1/9
Isabel Canady 1/11
Heather Gunderson 1/11
Hadley Holstein 1/12
Jim Kay 1/13
Ivan Nissen 1/13
Jani Randall 1/13
Ardyce Roumpf 1/14
Kurt Briley 1/16
Emily Van Hook 1/16
Nash Lowry 1/16
Frank Soukup 1/18
Cooper Williams 1/18
Kailee Klostermeyer 1/18
Sydney Burkley 1/21
Ken Anderson 1/21
Roy Andersen 1/22
Sarah Mar"n 1/22
Roberta Gunning 1/22
James Karnik 1/23
Ellie Mar"n 1/23
Cameron Crawford 1/24
Becka Karnik 1/24
Josie Karnik 1/25
Hope Williams 1/25
Kris" Richling 1/27
Gary Zimmerman 1/29
Saylor Eads 1/31
Jill Stra!on 1/31
A young man who has a disabled daughter came for food. We were able to provide him about 60 items from
the pantry. There was a member of the church here that overheard his story and reached out to him with some
addi"onal help.
A young man knocked at the door at seven in the morning and said he had nothing to feed his children .
A man had been down on his luck and living out of his van for about a month. We were able to help with gas, food, and warmth. A#er
his van broke down, we were able to get it towed so that it could be repaired. Thank you to Lorin Toman for taking "me out of his day
to help try and get the young man’s van started. Thankfully, he has a warm place to stay for now, while working on ge$ng his feet
back on the ground.
In the past few months we have seen more and more people come in for help. These stories are true heart breakers. God bless Pastor
Dave, Deb, Jayne and Carol who meet these folks with a caring heart, and bless Mike & Jayne Molacek who envisioned the pantry, and
the wonderful and kind members of Hope church who are keeping the pantry stocked. Each dona"on is a blessing! Please pray for
those in need, as there are many.
Stories From The Pantry Stories From The Pantry Stories From The Pantry Submitted by Roberta GunningSubmitted by Roberta GunningSubmitted by Roberta Gunning
Siena Francis House Thank You cards
A HANDS-on project….wri"ng thank-you notes at Siena-Francis House started again this past month. There is
an excep"onal group of individuals that helps out and conversa"on is always animated and enjoyable.
Addi"onal help is ALWAYS greatly appreciated! Please contact Janie Botsch at [email protected] - and you
will be put on the email list. Thank you to the following people who helped write thank-you cards in December:
Toni and John Bonaventura, Diane and Warren Snyder, Avis Kelley, Nancy Binns, Marilyn Wi!e, and Janie
Botsch.
Siena Francis House Meal Serving
Hope Church is blessed to be able to help out for a once-a-month ministry at Siena-Francis House. We serve
meals at Siena Francis House – and are scheduled (nearly) every 1st
Saturday of each month. Time invested is
only a few hours (4 pm-7 pm) and the sign-up sheet is located in the Lobby on the side table. Not much is
easier than that – and the rewards are immense! Please sign up to help serve….it is a worthwhile project that
Hope Church has embraced wholeheartedly! IF you are interested in you and your family, friends or small
group taking over a month (all by yourselves), please contact the church office for more details. Our next meal
to be served will be January 9th, so sign up to help out!
Those serving for the November 7th
dinner were Kevin Baughman, Becky Brown, Hannah Canady, Mark Canady,
Shannon Danker, Judy Klostermeyer, Cheryl Sisk, Mike Sisk, Mary Ann Thompson, Maysie Thompson and Ruby
Thornwall. Thank you for your help in this mission opportunity!
CRAFTS AT SIENA FRANCIS HOUSE
We had a great "me on Saturday, December 12, crea"ng Christmas Cra#s with the women and children who
are staying at the Siena Francis House. We had about 35 to 40 women and 10 to 12 children who a!ended. We
had five different cra#s for the ladies and five different cra#s for the children. All came in not sure they wanted
to be there, but they all le# with big smiles on their faces. Some of the women added beau"ful touches to the
cra#s we had planned. One of the best things was that we had so many wonderful women who volunteered to
help and believe me that contributed to the success of the program. So a big thanks to the following 12 ladies –
Janie & Jody Botsch, Tracy Comba, Denise Kendrick, Aimee Kersigo, Nancy Mi!elbrun, Linda Reffert, Cheryl Sisk,
Diane Snyder, Thelma Symanietz, Ruby Thornwall and Kathy Andersen. Ask them how much fun they had…..
NICARAGUA NEWS!
It’s been a while since I’ve wri!en to you about our Presbytery’s mission partnership with our friends in La
Concepcion, Nicaragua. I’m excited to tell you that we are planning a trip to Nicaragua June 25-July 2,
2016! I’ve been to Nicaragua twice and can tell you this trip will change lives – the lives of the people we meet
there, and definitely the lives of all who go.
Our partners would especially like us to encourage youth and young adults, i.e. 18-30, to go on this trip. They
would love our young people to be able to work side-by-side with theirs on a service project in their
town. Youth under 18 are welcome if accompanied by a parent. Of course, adults of any age are also hear"ly
welcomed!
I’d like to remind you all of our ongoing school uniform project. This is my favorite project that we are involved
in because I consider it two mission projects for the price of one! For $56 you can provide a school uniform
(pants & shirt), shoes, backpack, and school supplies for a student who would otherwise not be able to afford to
go to school, and at the same "me help provide a living wage for the women at the sewing collec"ve in La
Concepcion who sew the uniforms and backpacks. Checks of any amount can be submi!ed at any "me to Hope
with “Nicaragua uniforms” in the memo line. Or checks can be sent directly to our Presbytery at PMRV, 302 S
74th
Street, Omaha, NE 68114. Again, please write “Nicaragua uniforms” in the memo.
Please contact me any "me with ques"ons or for more informa"on about the upcoming trip, our school
uniform project, or anything else about our partnership. [email protected], 402-651-4366
MISSIONMISSIONMISSION Submitted by Brian Claus Submitted by Brian Claus Submitted by Brian Claus
Date 9:00am 10:30am
Communion
Servers
January 3, 2016
Kit & Dick Corwine
Jayne & Mike Molacek
Nancy Mittelbrun
Thelma Symanietz
Josh Widman
Greeters Coordinator Diane Huerta Coordinator Thelma Symanietz
January 3, 2016 Larry & Cheryl Palmer Sandra Kay
January 10, 2016 Mike & Jayne Molacek Lil Fehr & Isabel Canady
January 17, 2016 Mark & Carrie Jorgensen Warren & Diane Snyder
January 24, 2016 Ron & Pat S"gge Kellie Groetsema
January 31, 2016 Jerry & June Denkinger One Service
Ushers Coordinator Diane Huerta Coordinator Thelma Symanietz
January 3, 2016 Joan & Lorin Toman Tracy Comba & Kylie
January 10, 2016 Kelly Klopp & John Klopp Terry & Denise Kendrick
January 17, 2016 Sandra Kay & Diane Huerta Nancy Mi#elbrun & Thelma Symanietz
January 24, 2016 Donelle Thomas & Diane Huerta Shawn & Cindy Williams
January 31, 2016 Denise & Terry Kendrick One Service
Liturgist Coordinator Bobbie Geiger Coordinator Thelma Symanietz
January 3, 2016 Troy Kaup Josh Widman
January 10, 2016 Michael Davis Suzie Karnik
January 17, 2016 Todd Woitzel Terry Kendrick
January 24, 2016 Terry Kendrick Tracy Comba
January 31, 2016 One Service
Audio Coordinator Niki Frerichs Coordinator Niki Frerichs
January 3, 2016 Chuck Lundquist Dale Brewer
January 10, 2016 Wayne Fry Tyler Thraen
January 17, 2016 Chuck Lundquist Wayne Fry
January 24, 2016 Wayne Fry Dale Brewer
January 31, 2016 Chuck Lundquist Wayne Fry
Visual Coordinator Pam Purchase Coordinator Niki Frerichs
January 3, 2016 Hugh Carter Traci Cha#en
January 10, 2016 Pam Purchase Kelsey Thraen
January 17, 2016 Rich Roberts Wayne Fry
January 24, 2016 Rich Roberts Dale Brewer
January 31, 2016 Hugh Carter Wayne Fry
Church LeadershipChurch LeadershipChurch Leadership C
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STAFF POSITION EMAIL
Dave Matsumura Pastor [email protected]
Luke Furman Music Director [email protected]
Deb Miller Office Administrator [email protected]
Carol Rudesill Interim Education Director [email protected]
Jayne Molacek Treasurer [email protected]
Mike Huerta Custodian [email protected]
Zoey Devney Nursery
Madi Uhing Nursery
SESSION COMMITTEE EMAIL
Paula Washka Caregiving [email protected]
Jani Randall Youth Ministry [email protected]
Lin Briley Fellowship [email protected]
Brian Claus Mission [email protected]
Darci Davis Children’s [email protected]
Linda Deegan Personnel [email protected]
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]
Pantry of Hope Submitted by Mike Molacek
PROVERBS 31: 20: She opens her hand
to the poor and reaches out her hands
to the needy.
Seven families were helped with items
from November 18 to December 02,
2015. A total of 186 items were
distributed.
Thank you for your generosity in
supplying the Pantry. Items to consider
are canned meats, soup, individual 4-
packs of fruit, and canned meals (i.e.
Spaghe$O’s, Ravioli, etc.)
On Tuesday, December 15th
at 7:10
a.m., Jayne was at the church when the
doorbell rang. She quickly went to
answer and it was a man that asked if
we had a food pantry. She answered
yes and the man explained that his
family didn’t have any food in the
house and the kids needed to eat
before school. Jayne went into the
pantry and filled up a bag with cereal,
granola bars, and staples for the family.
The man was very grateful for the food.
THE GIVING TREE
Hope family and friends, Thanks to your overwhelming generosity and desire to give back some of what God
has blessed you with, we were able to help 11 families have a wonderful Christmas this year. Sunday school
kids, Hope II, and many of you donated toys, clothes, and money totaling over $1500 which were delivered to
kids and families from Franklin Elementary School in North Omaha and Cody and Neihardt Elementary School
here in Millard.
Open Door Mission Project Santa Drive Thru Christmas
Thank you to the en"re Hope team who braved the cold weather on Saturday morning, December 19 to
par"cipate in the Open Door Mission Project Santa Drive Thru Christmas. We had 36
par"cipants this year, one of the biggest teams Open Door Mission had that day!!! Thanks to all
of you, 5800 bags of toys along with food, books, diapers, and Bibles were distributed to
approximately 1,000 families in need right here in the Omaha area. We look forward to
par"cipa"ng with an even larger team next year.
SOCK SUNDAY/ WINTER NIGHT WATCH
It just boggles my mind at how generous the people at Hope Church are! Every "me the Mission Commi!ee
or any other commi!ee here requests your help in purchasing items or helping people, you step up to the
plate. Our second year of collec"ng socks was another success. We collected 198 pairs of men’s socks, 36
pairs of women’s socks, and 22 pairs of children’s socks. The women’s and children’s socks were taken to
Siena Francis House and all 198 pair of men’s was taken to Winter Night Watch on December 4th
.
Thanks again for all those who have signed up for Winter Night Watch. This volunteer program has been a
success for many years and Hope has been a part of it for over 15 years. Our sign-up sheet is full, but if you
would like to help in some way we have the tub in the Lobby for coats, hats, gloves or scarves. In December
we took the socks, 115 stocking caps, 4 pair of men’s gloves, and 4 coats to the Winter Night Watch.
Thanks go to Kathy Andersen & Stephanie Miller for serving on December 4th
and to Ken Anderson and Ruby
Thornwall for serving on December 11th
.
Did you know that for the last two years Randy Reffert’s mom, Lana Reffert, and her friend, LeRoy Seng, have
donated over 100 stocking caps each year to this program? Lana has kni!ed over 50 of them each year, and
they are beau"ful.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. 2016
brings exci"ng "mes to Hope Church with the
church looking for an Associate Pastor. The
chart below shows the projected income and
expenses for 2016. It is never too late to make a
pledge to your church. If you haven't done so,
prayerfully consider pledging. It helps the
church make sound financial decisions on where
and how much to donate to other worthy
organiza"ons as well as upda"ng our
building. The chart shows current projec"ons.
FINANCEFINANCEFINANCE Submitted by Dave FehrSubmitted by Dave FehrSubmitted by Dave Fehr
YOUTH NEWSYOUTH NEWSYOUTH NEWS
FELLOWSHIP Submitted by Lin Briley
The Fellowship Commi!ee held its December mee"ng at Bravo’s enjoying a delicious Christmas lunch.
Thank you to everyone who provided cookies for the Christmas program on December 13th
. Also, a big thank you to
the Fellowship Commi!ee members who helped serve the cookies, punch and coffee. It was a wonderful a#ernoon to
celebrate the birth of Christ.
As I am comple"ng my term as Elder of Fellowship this month, I am reflec"ng on the past three years and am so
thankful for the many opportuni"es and blessings I have received. I’ve gained many special friendships and built
rela"onships with so many of you, our Hope Church congrega"on and family. Thanks to all the other Elders I have
served with during this "me and to Pastor Dave for always helping me to learn and grow. Thank you to all who have
served in the ministry of fellowship over the past three years and supported me in my leadership experience. It takes
so many to create wonderful opportuni"es for our congrega"on and our community to come together and experience
wonderful fellowship "mes, whether is it the annual church picnic, the Fellowship Tea, the pie feed, a potluck, a trolley
tour or playing games such as Bunko or cards. I hope the next person receives as much support and encouragement as
he/she takes over as the Elder of Fellowship.
AVERAGE ATTENDANCE
FOR NOVEMBER: 179
Save the date! February 27th, 2016 will be our youth fundraiser! There will be a
spaghe$ dinner and silent auc"on along with a pop walk and bake sale. Come and
enjoy the evening with us! Also, if you know of a company willing to donate an item /
gi# card, please let Kris" Richling know.
SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY CLASS
Class will resume January 10, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. We will con"nue our study in II Kings chapter
22. We have been trying to master the divided kingdoms - Israel to the North and Judah to the
South and their demise. The kings of Israel wanted total freedom to ignore the direc"ves God
had given them on how to rule and wage war. They wanted freedom to have economic and
military prosperity. The Kingdom Era was a very turbulent "me with many ups and downs. We learned
Jeroboam's command of the northern kingdom of Israel was unrighteous and that every other king [19]
who succeeded him during the 150 year life of the northern kingdom was also unrighteous. We are looking
at Rehoboam, Solomon's son, as he commands the southern kingdom of Judah. He is unrighteous, but the
southern kingdom lasts 400 years because of 8 righteous kings out of a total of 20. God brings judgment
and Judah falls. We try to learn and have some fun. All adults are welcome. For further informa"on
contact Chuck Bulger 402-861-1904 or email [email protected] .
MEN’S BREAKFAST GROUP
There is a great group of guys who get up early Saturdays to meet for breakfast at 6:30am at
Summer Kitchen Café in La Vista. Anyone is welcome. The group is studying Daniel; learning
how God protects and provides for his faithful followers. Contact Josh Widman at
[email protected] or 402-651-4366 for more informa"on.
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
Pastor Dave shares his extensive Bible knowledge with all those who meet in the library
Thursdays at 10:00 am. He has been moving from verse to verse in the book of Luke to allow
others to slowly soak up some of that knowledge. Luke tells how Jesus teaches, preaches, heals
the sick and brings hope to the discouraged. Bring a friend and check out this weekly hour-long
Bible study, which is also a "me of building rela"onships. Join the group for lunch a#erwards some"mes!
WOMEN’S PRAYER GROUP
As the New Year begins, make "me to build friendships and cul"vate a healthier prayer life. The
women’s prayer group invites you to join them for a study of Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. The
book focuses on finding peace and a deeper rela"onship with God. They will meet Monday,
January 25, at 6:30pm at the home of Thelma Symanietz - 7006 S 183rd
Terrace. Call 402-320-3643
if you need direc"ons. Kathy Andersen will lead the discussion. You may contact Linda
at [email protected] or 402-676-3230 or Julie at [email protected] or 402-880-0042 for informa"on.
PAGE TURNER BOOK CLUB
The Page Turners welcome newcomers when we meet January 12 at 10:30 am in the church library. This
month members will share about some "good reads" they have had over the past years. It is a chance to
hear what others are reading, so there is no book available to read for January. At the January mee"ng a
new book will be made available – “American Gods” by Neil Galman. The book to be handed out in
February is “Blue Shoe” by Anne Lamo!; and the March hand out book is “A!cus” by Ron Hansen. All
book lovers are welcome and can expect a lively fun discussion. For further informa"on contact Georgia
Bulger 402-861-1904 or email [email protected].
If you have ques"ons about Educa"on Programs for Children, Youth or Adults, please contact Interim Educa"on
Coordinator Carol Rudesill at [email protected] or 402-598-1890.
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL - January 3
On Sunday, January 3, teachers and leaders will be served a brunch at 9:00 a.m. to allow them "me to re-energize and
be blessed as we begin the New Year! See more informa"on elsewhere.
SUNDAY SCHOOL OFFERING
Through the generosity of Hope kids and their families, our fall Sunday School offering raised $335
for Families in Need this Christmas, Our Sunday School offering through February will go to SMILE
TRAIN. While most people can make up to 19 kinds of smiles, some children struggle to make one
kind of smile! Children in need of cle# surgery also struggle with other abili"es most of us take for granted ... like
ea"ng, speaking, or breathing. How many smiles (at $250/surgery) can HOPE provide for kids? Offerings in December
already totaled almost $70. For more informa"on see www.smiletrain.org.
CHILDREN’S LIBRARY
Check out the many books and DVDs for a variety of ages on shelves in the Children’s Worship room upstairs.
Use our easy honor system to sign items out on the clip board outside the room. Exchange items o#en! Let
me know if you find something worth telling others about in the next newsle!er. Help yourself to bookmarks
in the basket on the table.
CHILDREN’S WORSHIP
Preschool through Grade 5 kids are encouraged to come at 8:50 a.m. Sundays to sing and praise God. During December
kids took turns with readings and “ligh"ng” candles of the Advent wreath. They learned the song “Let’s Get Ready, A
Savior’s Coming” – and sang and played instruments at both services on December 20. THANKS to all the parents and
others who helped make that possible on short no"ce! The kids did a great job and the congrega"on enjoyed seeing
them. In January, kids will begin learning two songs about the Books of the Bible in the Old and New Testament!
WORSHIP AND MORE
Children in preschool through grade 2 are invited to the preschool room upstairs during our 10:30 a.m. service.
Teachers will review the lessons used in the 9:00 a.m. class and will provide ac"vi"es to allow this
group of children "me to build rela"onships with each other.
A bible was sent to third grader Lucy Cho, whose family is living in Ann Arbor, Michigan for a year.
Her note of thanks came with a Christmas card which you can see on the door of the Educa"on Office.
Here is what she wrote:
Dear Carol-Thank you for the wonderful, amazing and precious Holy Bible. I absolutely love Omaha
and everyone there. I am proud that I have earned my Holy Bible. Thank you so much for the Holy Bible and you did
not forget me. Please say thank you to the family of Brenda Bremer (for me). I enjoy readying one paragraph each
night and thinking I should be thankful for this amazing gi#. I think you already know I go to a Korean Church where I
was bap"zed. I like Omaha (a li!le) be!er than Ann Arbor. The year is flying so fast! I think I will be back very soon.
Lucy Cho
WOMEN ON WEDNESDAYS
Get to know Women of the Bible and Women of Hope from 1:00-2:00 pm OR 6:30-7:30 pm. Come weekly or
when you can. We will focus on New Testament women January through April, beginning with Anna on
January 6. Contact Carol at [email protected] or call 402-598-1890 if you would like a schedule with
details. (You may choose to walk in the gym with others a#er the 1:00 pm class!)
EDUCATION NEWS EDUCATION NEWS EDUCATION NEWS Submitted by Carol RudesillSubmitted by Carol RudesillSubmitted by Carol Rudesill
Pastor’s Pen Pastor’s Pen Pastor’s Pen
Dear Friends,
How do you start a new year? Do you approach it
with great an"cipa"on? Do the possibili"es
stretch out before your eyes like waves on the
ocean? Do you look forward to exploring the
seas, pondering what is just beyond the horizon,
over the next wave, past the flotsam and jetsam
that floats on the water? (Can you tell I’m cold
and thinking about Hawaii?)
Or do you approach a new year with a sense of
trepida"on, anxiety and fear? Are you worried
about what is beyond the horizon, around the
corner, behind that cloud that seems menacing?
Do you find yourself apprehensive about what
could happen and whether you will be able to
handle it? Do you see in every bit of debris
floa"ng by a foreboding of what is to come?
Or perhaps you approach a new year with a Ho-
hum a$tude. You look across the waves and see
that there is nothing new under the sun, that life
goes on and some"mes you’re up on the crest of
the wave and some"mes you’re in the trough of
the wave. You see that there are few things to get
riled up about and few things to get overly excited
about.
These three approaches to a new year are also
the approaches many take toward their faith. For
some their faith is to be explored with
excitement, an"cipa"on, and joy. It is an
adventure filled with hope and wide-eyed awe.
For others their faith is something to tread lightly
around. They want to know just enough to be safe
because any more is dangerous and scary. They
are afraid of what they might discover so they
narrow their focus to eliminate anything that
might be disturbing. For s"ll others their faith is
Ho-hum with nothing new, nothing to fear and
nothing to rejoice about. There is li!le
an"cipa"on because they’ve already seen
everything they’re going to see.
The ship that is our congrega"on is sailing on the
vast ocean of God’s graces. We have all kinds of
voyagers on board with various hopes, dreams,
fears, anxie"es, lethargy and boredoms. We’ve
had some changes in the "des this past year;
some staff changes, some monetary fluxes, new
chairs, APNC formed and searching for our new
Associate Pastor, and others. Good and bad, ebb
and flow, twists and turns in our story, but always
trying to follow the Star who guides us. The way
forward con"nues to unfold before us and we will
con"nue to keep following Christ.
There will be "mes when we can rest in our
groups, but there will also be "mes when we will
need all hands on deck. In "mes of trouble we
will need all hands on deck to limit the damages
to be sure. That is not the only "me though.
When the winds are blowing in the right direc"on
we will also need all hands on deck to take
advantage of the opportunity.
I invite you to pitch in when you see a need as a
crew member of this ship of Hope following the
Christ Star into the world. Happy New Year!
May God’s Blessings flow in, through and out
from us in 2016!
Dave
Pastor Dave
Pastor Dave MatsumuraPastor Dave MatsumuraPastor Dave Matsumura
· Finance Report for November, 2015 was approved.
· Approved 2016 budget.
· Minutes of Regular Session Mee"ng on November 17, 2015 were approved.
· November Clerk’s Report was approved.
· Mo"on from Finance Commi!ee that the Session hold a Soup Supper fundraiser on March 19, 2016. Seconded and
carried.
· Mo"on to approve Pastor Dave’s housing allowance for 2016 of for $29,770.00. (same amount as 2015).
· Mo"on from Children’s Ministry to add to the calendar July 10 – 14, 2016 for Special Needs VBS in the morning and
tradi"onal VBS in the evenings.
· Mo"on from Adult Educa"on to allow Julie Reeks to host Tai Chi at Hope on Tuesday evenings in January on a trial
basis (in addi"on to the Saturday morning class) in one of the upper level classrooms.
· Mo"on from Adult Educa"on to discuss the most effec"ve "tle for the event scheduled for January 24 and decide
on that "tle. This will be called the Ministry Fair.
· Mo"on from Building and Grounds to proceed with Sanctuary Projector replacement when the cash is received.
· Mo"on to have the 2016 Session retreat at Calvin Crest, Friday, February 5, 6:30 PM to Saturday, February 6, 12:30
PM. Double occupancy $55 per person, Breakfast $7, Snack $1.25, Lunch $8, 14 people equals $997.50.
Anonymous donor covers the cost. More informa"on on how many to a!end.
· Mo"on from Youth Ministry to add June 19 – 24, 2016, to the calendar for the Senior High Mission Trip. Seconded
and carried.
· Mo"on to elect Jayne Molacek as Clerk of Session for 2016. Seconded and carried.
· Mo"on that the Sword Commi!ee and Finance Commi!ee become one commi!ee star"ng in 2016. Seconded and
carried.
Thanks:
· Sanctuary chair workers, December 2, unloaded, unpacked and set up the sea"ng. Dick Corwine, Chuck Lundquist,
Ron S"gge, Ken Anderson, Brian Claus, Mike Dierking, Dave Fehr, Kurt Briley, Lorin Toman, Pastor Dave
Matsumura, Jayne Molacek and Mike Molacek.
· Lorin Toman for repairing the gym storage room light.
· Kurt Briley for his work selling our old sanctuary chairs. All sales were completed December 6.
Punch list discussion:
· The sanctuary carpet cleaning was completed November 19.
· The front entry exterior light was installed December 1.
· The garbage disposal was replaced December 15.
· Session approved our request to proceed with the replacement of the Sanctuary projectors as soon as we have
necessary funds. Mike contacted Guy Sauer with AVI for an updated bid to replace the three projectors, cable
and installa"on. We will con"nue to update everyone on this project. Thank you to all who have donated to the
projector fund.
BUILDING & GROUNDSBUILDING & GROUNDSBUILDING & GROUNDS Submitted by Mike MolacekSubmitted by Mike MolacekSubmitted by Mike Molacek
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS SESSION HIGHLIGHTS SESSION HIGHLIGHTS Submitted by Jayne Molacek Clerk of SessionSubmitted by Jayne Molacek Clerk of SessionSubmitted by Jayne Molacek Clerk of Session
Mission Focus of the Month – Together
Did you know approximately 20,000 people are homeless in Nebraska every night? Did you know
approximately 2,000 people are homeless in Omaha every night? Did you also know the sad fact that the
average age of a homeless person is 9 years old. This is the sad reality of the world we live in, but there is
Hope from organiza"ons like Together.
Together was founded as a collabora"ve effort through Omaha’s diverse faith community. From the very
beginning the faith community saw the value of combining financial and other resources to create an expert
center to help people that are most in need. The faith community con"nues to ac"vely support this same
spirit of collabora"on.
Together Inc, follows this mission statement: Together, we are Collabora"ng to Prevent and End
Homelessness in our Community. Their vision, through strategic partnerships, is to provide an array of
support services through case management services to move individuals and families from dependency to
sustainability and then on to self-sufficiency. Together values Hope, Dignity, Compassion, Excellence, and
Diversity when serving the nearly 22,000 individuals and families each year. Together provides food and
diapers to those in need as well as financial assistance for rent and u"li"es to help people avoid
homelessness. Together also supplies kitchen essen"als and furniture so no child has to sleep on the floor.
We at Hope have been suppor"ng Together since 1997 through the Souper Bowl of Caring food drive every
January that culminates on Super Bowl Sunday. This year our Sr High and Middle School youth groups will
once again compete to see who can collect the most food items in January so they can use them to build
ar"s"c crea"ons in the front lobby of the church on Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday, February 7, 2016. During
the month of January there will be two large barrels in the front lobby of Hope for you to donate food items
which will be delivered to Together a#er February 7. Last year we collected 447 food items and this year we
would like to collect over 500 items. Please help us meet our goal.
For more informa"on on Together or Souper Bowl Sunday, please visit their websites at
h!p://togetheromaha.org/congrega"ons/new/ and h!ps://souperbowl.org/
MISSION SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTHMISSION SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTHMISSION SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH Submitted by Brian ClausSubmitted by Brian ClausSubmitted by Brian Claus
Dear Hope Church Family and Friends,
I would like to personally thank all of you for your generous donations for many of the
Franklin families. Please know how much you've helped our students and how much we all
appreciate it. Our kiddos deal with quite a bit and, for some; school is the best part of their
day. Seeing the little twinkles in their eyes when they enter the classroom each day makes
me feel like the luckiest teacher in the world to get to share my day with them.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing HOPE into our neighborhood and
helping our families make Christmas happen for their kiddos. I am so thankful to have such
an amazing church family at Hope!
We love visitors in our classroom, so please let me know if you’d like to come and read or
spend some time with us.
Merry Christmas!
Love, Jenn Molacek
THANK YOU FOR THE GENEROUS DONATIONS!THANK YOU FOR THE GENEROUS DONATIONS!THANK YOU FOR THE GENEROUS DONATIONS! Submitted by Jenn MolacekSubmitted by Jenn MolacekSubmitted by Jenn Molacek
