Hope Church Nottingham

This is the nativity crèche at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem this year.

We continue to pray for a miracle of peace 🙏🏼

CHRISTMAS AT HOPE

We're excited to let you know about our Christmas plans this year

🎉 Saturday 16th 2pm-5pm - Christmas Carnival Fun
🎉 Sunday 17th 5pm - Christmas Carol Service
🎉 Christmas Eve 5pm - Christingle Service
🎉 Christmas Day 10.30am - Cobs and Carols (book in for free at www.hopenotts.org/cobs)

All welcome! Come and share the joy of Christmas with us...

Join us at our FREE Christmas kids event here at the Hope Centre. There's no need to book, doors open at 2pm, and we'll be open until 5pm, so there's no rush!

Have a go at our carnival games, enjoy some FREE Candy Floss then visit Santa and Mrs Claus for a small gift.

We can't wait to see you there!

MIDWEEK PRAYER

Praying this morning for those who have woken with a deep sigh. For those facing a difficult day. For those running on empty. For those who need to recharge but can’t stop. For all who are out of work and for businesses struggling to survive. For everyone who is feeling alone or overwhelmed. For those missing loved ones. For the weary. For those in need of reconciliation. For those running on their mental and physical reserves. For the exhausted and low in spirit. For those who fear they are breaking. For those who think they have messed up…

We are standing in solidarity with every need and are holding you tenderly and fiercely in prayer. We are together in this.

And we are giving thanks today for every surprising sign of light and love. For kind and generous hearts, and all the things that delight and sustain us. We are giving thanks that God sees. That God knows. That God is with us to hold and comfort. That resurrection was God’s gift to show us that His Love covers us all and that it always, always wins

MIDWEEK PRAYER

Praying today for an anxious world. For those facing war. For those who have woken with physical pain. For those who have woken with mental anguish. For wherever health hangs in the balance. For lack of finance and provision. For all who feel at tipping point. For those struggling to tread water. For each person whose life is in disarray. For the disillusioned and disappointed. For where hope has been deferred. For all who are broken hearted. For those losing a loved one. For those who lament. For everyone whose life has changed beyond recognition. For those suffering alone and those who. are. just. done.

We are standing in solidarity with every need and are holding you tenderly and fiercely in prayer. We are together in this.

Giving thanks for those who extend compassion and understanding when we need it most. For those who resist platitudes and dare sit with us in the darkness. For every act of gentleness and kindness extended to us this day and for Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the King of Hope and whose love is steadfast and unfailing.

Come and join the fun tomorrow morning!

Our next family fun morning is on Friday 27th - all welcome!

Our next family fun morning is on Friday 27th - all welcome!

A Prayer

I can’t make the
world be peaceful

I can’t stall tanks
from roaring down roads

I can’t prevent children
from having to hide in bunkers

I can’t convince the news to
stop turning war into a video game

I can’t silence the sound of bombs
tearing neighborhoods apart

I can’t turn a guided missile
into a bouquet of flowers

I can’t make a warmonger
have an ounce of empathy

I can’t convince diplomats
to quit playing truth or dare

I can’t deflect a sniper’s bullet
from turning a wife into a widow

I can’t stave off a schoolyard being
reduced to ash and rubble

I can’t do any of that

the only thing I can do
is love the next person I encounter
without any conditions or strings

to love my neighbor
so fearlessly that
it starts a ripple
that stretches from
one horizon to the next

I can’t force peace
on the world

but I can become a force
of peace in the world

because

sometimes all it takes
is a single lit candle
in the darkness

to start a movement

oh, Spirit,

let me be a candle
of comfort in this world

let me burn with peace

~ john roedel

Vladimir Kush, The Candle II.

Volunteers Thankyou Evening

Great to get our whole family of volunteers down at the Hope Centre this evening - Foodbank, Charity Shops, Hope Cafe, Excite, Bubbles and Church.

An evening of celebrating, talking, eating, drinking, dancing… even some limboing.

Huge thanks to all our volunteers and to The Distractions Band Ltd for entertaining us all 👏🏼 ❤️

Our Volunteers Evening is in full swing! 💃🏽 ❤️ 🎵

A prayer from Pete Greig - we add our Amens 🙏

God of Israel, Lord of all nations, Prince of Peace, we cry out to you today for the people of Israel and Gaza - these very lands you know so well.

First, we pray with all our hearts for those grieving the sudden loss of loved ones, those who’ve been captured, and those whose homes have suddenly been destroyed. “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’ Mat.‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬

Second, we pray for a miraculous de-escalation of this dangerous conflict. Terrible things are being done, thousands have died, hospitals are overflowing, many are suddenly grieving. Violence is provoking violence but we pray for reason to prevail over rage and mindless revenge. May other nations with a vested interest in escalating this crisis somehow be restrained. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭39‬

Finally, we pray for active and effective peacemaking at an international political level. May the measured voices of diplomacy constrain warmongering on every side. “Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Mat‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬, ‭9‬

—————————————————
Please note that, in crafting this prayer, I have simply sought to find a few words to intercede for one of the most politically contentious and militarily dangerous regions of the world. I realise that many will object, saying that I haven’t gone far enough in one direction or the other. Such people must feel free to add their own, more particular prayers to mine. I accept that my prayer is inadequate. But these lands and these peoples clearly have a special place in the heart and purposes of God and so we must surely pray for them, without worrying too much about getting every word right, especially at a time like this.

Salam / shalom

Praying for the Middle East today

God of peace and compassion,
We pray for all impacted by the escalation in conflict in Israel-Palestine
For all who are mourning
For all who are fearful, today, and for what may lie ahead
For all traumatised and re-traumatised by what they have experienced.
Enable us to stand in solidarity with people of peace
May your Spirit bring peace and healing to your troubled world

Amen

INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY - NO LIVE STREAM TOMORROW
Hi all, quick note to say that it is our International Sunday service tomorrow, celebrating the diversity in our church. This service will not be broadcast on Facebook or Youtube. Looking forward to seeing you all down at the Hope Centre, 10.30am start 😀

PRAYER | Shout out for prayer requests

We are praying again this week that people would know and experience God’s encouragement, hope, provision and comfort during this season.

We are also giving thanks for the many ways we've already seen God move, lead and provide this year

If you have a specific prayer request, please post it below or mail [email protected]

MIDWEEK PRAYER

Praying today for those carrying a heavy burden. For breaking backs and broken spirits. For shattered dreams and fractured finances. For those who don’t know where to turn and those too tired to try. For the jaded and the disillusioned. For those longing for another way to live. For those who’ve had unwelcome change thrust upon them. For the chronically sick. For lost jobs and evaporated hope. For those asking “Why? “ For those whispering “How long, Lord?” For a hurting, impatient world. For young and old Carers. For children bullied at school. For all trapped in addiction. For those harmed by sexual harassment or aggression. For all those we miss.

We are standing in solidarity with every need and are holding you tenderly and fiercely in prayer. We are together in this.

And we are giving thanks today for every surprising sign of light and love. For kind and generous hearts, for those who are at our side through thick and thin. For those who know our true selves and not just the public face. For those who show us the face of Christ. We are giving thanks that God sees. That God knows. That God is with us to hold and comfort. That resurrection was God’s gift to show us that His Love covers us all and that it always, always wins

PRAYER | We'd love to pray for you!

🙏🏽We’ve been meeting as a community to pray together for many years.

🙏🏽We’d love to pray for you this week! No prayer request is too big or too small ❤️

🙏🏽Requests can be added in the comments below or mailed to [email protected]

🙏🏽We'd love to hear any answers to prayer you want to share

FRIDAY BLESSING

💚 Blessed are you who don’t have all the right answers. You who realize that "I don’t know" is sometimes the best response and posture. Who lean in unafraid to learn, change and be wrong along the way.

💚 Blessed are you who are being stretched and pressed and pulled by the uncertainty that surrounds us. You who are deciding to not stay the same because we are not who we were. Things have changed. We have lost things we can’t get back and need to learn new ways to live here now.

💚 Blessed are you who have realized that community really does help us see the truth clearer, even if your chin has to be turned gently or forcefully toward it. Being fragile in the midst of a world of hammers takes courage. It takes courage to live here, to be wrong here, to learn something new, to choose humility and kindness and one another over being right.

💚 So here’s to the people who don’t have it all together and who are done pretending to, it’s better this way.

💚 Curious, hopeful and courageous

MIDWEEK PRAYER

Praying today for an anxious world. For those who have woken with physical pain. For those who have woken with mental anguish. For wherever health hangs in the balance. For lack of finance and provision. For all who feel at tipping point. For those struggling to tread water. For each person whose life is in disarray. For the disillusioned and disappointed. For where hope has been deferred. For all who are broken hearted. For those losing a loved one. For those who lament. For everyone whose life has changed beyond recognition. For those suffering alone and those who. are. just. done.

We are standing in solidarity with every need and are holding you tenderly and fiercely in prayer. We are together in this.

Giving thanks for those who extend compassion and understanding when we need it most. For those who resist platitudes and dare sit with us in the darkness. For every act of gentleness and kindness extended to us this day and for God’s mercies, which are new every morning.

Delighted that Bubbles (our parent and toddler group) has been nominated for an award for Nottingham’s Most Loved Community/Voluntary Group for Baby, Toddlers & Parents!

If you would like to nominate us to go through to the shortlist please fill in the form at this link before Thursday

Nominate | nottbabytoddlerevent The Parents to be, Families and providers in the Nottingham Baby & Toddler Community are invited to put forward nominations across all categories, and self-nominations are also welcomed. The reasons for nominations should be based on accomplishments and effects in the community achieved between Sept...