Announcements
Summer Book Study with Student Pastor Ryan
You are invited to join us for a Summer Book Study. We will read and discuss “INSPIRED: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again” by Rachel Held Evans.
This Hybrid Zoom/In-person Book Group will meet on Tuesdays from 4-5 PM, starting July 20. If you are interested in this group, please contact the church office.
If you need help obtaining a copy of this book, don’t hesitate to reach out to the church office.
Restructuring Ministries
“Striving to be a well of hope in Hopewell, Hopewell Presbyterian’s mission is to love like Jesus, building up our relationships with God, each other, and the community.”
In the last year, not only has Session led the congregation in considering the mission God has called us to, but Session has been thinking carefully about “how” we go about achieving that mission. Part of that is determining a “focus” action for each program year (the 2021-22 focus is coming soon!) and part of that is analyzing the ways our church is set up to help us achieve the mission.
As Session did this analysis we also took into account some feedback received from our ministries. Feedback like…
‘Training new leaders and transitioning leadership with ministry committees can be difficult.’
‘Sometimes we leave ministry work feeling burnt out.’
‘We aren’t always sure what’s going on; communication could be better.’
On top of that, in this last year we have learned that there are a few areas where we want to dedicate more focus. These include:
Stewardship
Investment
Congregational/Community/Pastoral Care
Justice & Service
To respond to the feedback we received and to provide for the areas listed above, Session worked with Pastor Melissa to make two changes: 1) to provide resources for ministries to help them plan and communicate; 2) to change the ministries and their responsibilities to cover all the responsibilities listed above. The following is a “quick sheet” listing each of the ministries, their responsibilities, and a contact person (click the image for a downloadable PDF). For a summary of major changes, see below.
Changes include:
Splitting “Finances” from “Facilities,” making Financial Stewardship and Buildings & Grounds.
Putting Finance with Investments and Stewardship to make Financial Stewardship. Going forward this will be a ministry of people called by Session to serve 3 year terms.
Creating Generosity to oversee (1) mission giving and (2) dispersement of income from the investment made as a result of the Sharipen Bequest. Going forward this will be a ministry of people called by Session to serve 3 year terms.
Supporting the Deacons as they lead us in congregational and individual community care through more 1-on-1 care (much like Stephen Ministers) and through Benevolence/Special Needs Financial Support, etc.
Continuing the work of “Engaging in Justice & Service” as Justice & Service, to communicate and provide opportunities to share the love of God with our community.
As we move to this structure, everyone is encouraged to prayerfully consider if God is calling them to serve on one of the programming ministries. As we make these changes for the 2021-22 program year, the church leadership looks forward to your support in giving this new thing a try and your feedback.
Contribute a Book to the CCPS Library
Creative Connections Play School is hoping that the congregation would enjoy helping to build their library. They have some favorite authors and have compiled a list of titles by these authors that they do not yet own. See below for a complete list. To donate a book, contact Director, Liz Blankstein.
Harold's Treasure Hunt by Crockett Johnson
Will Spring Be Early or Will Spring Be Late by Crockett Johnson
Time For Spring by Crockett Johnson
A Picture For Harold's Room by Crockett Johnson
Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party by Melanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping by Melanie Watt
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Bear's Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson
Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson
Bear Sees Colors by Karma Wilson
A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems
Let's Go For a Drive by Mo Williams
Waiting Is Not Easy by Mo Willems
This tree will be in the HPC office. When you choose your book, take your leaf so that you don’t forget your title!