New Hope Lutheran Newsletter

From the Pastor’s Pen….

What this means for us is that now we have the opportunity to have a larger audience viewing anything we present, without even bringing people to a building, which leads me to think that now may well be one of the best times for our congregation to push for expansion and growth.

I realize that your first reaction may be that such an idea is utterly ridiculous, and part of the reason for that is because we have somewhat antiquated ideas of expansion and growth. We often picture growth as having large worship facilities and a huge membership with coffers overflowing. Unfortunately, I can’t find the verses where Jesus talked about such things being part of the church on earth. What I can easily find are many verses that speak of spreading the gospel, the good news that the messiah came to earth, sacrificing himself for the betterment of all believers.

Of course, we could seek to dismiss such notions quite easily because Jesus did say a lot of utterly ridiculous things. When asked to do something when faced with a hungry crowd of thousands, Jesus told his disciples; “you feed them.” (Mark 6:37). When things were going well for Jesus and his followers, Jesus began speaking about his upcoming execution. (Mark 8:31-38). Jesus’ job description for disciples is; “You will fish for humans” (Mark 1:17), which sounds utterly bizarre. I can go on and on with such quotes.

So, one conclusion might be that we are called to a ministry that doesn’t fit well with human standards. So why not begin an expansion and growth program, but as Jesus suggested? We all know people, who know other people, who know other people; and so many

Utterly Ridiculous This month will mark a year since our world was markedly transformed by the onset of a pandemic. Since then, our lives have changed in ways we would never have dreamed

of, changes few of us have ever come close to experiencing. While the scientific prophets of pandemic had been warning us such a thing could happen for over a decade, few took them seriously, and we found ourselves ridiculously underprepared to fight back with such simple weapons as staying home, keeping 2 meters from others, and wearing masks.

In thinking about such a global transformation, I’m still amazed at how quickly we adapted as a congregation, even when we didn’t really know what we were doing. Our web page, which some might be led to believe actually had cobwebs due to slow demand, suddenly became a beehive of activity. Services with sermons began appearing weekly in both Finnish and English. A new tab was put in place for Toolbox videos. Online Bible studies became a thing. We moved quickly ahead with futuristic Council and youth meetings held via video conferencing:

something we’d only seen in movies.

At the time, we imagined this to be self serving. Our web page for our congregation, right? What we didn’t consciously realize right away was that once you put something on the internet, that material can now be easily viewed by almost anyone throughout the entire world, and many of those people now had more time on their hands because they needed to stay home just as we did.

March 2021

...2

Announcement for 2021 Lenten Services

This year, due to the ongoing pandemic, we are planning to

hold our Lenten services via Zoom, meaning it will probably

be an entirely different experience for all of us. While we are aware that unfortunately not everyone has

access to the internet, it was decided that to attempt something would be better than nothing at all. The

purpose is to have some time together, something we are all missing, so after a short meditation we

plan to have fellowship time, a time to see and talk with each other. Bring your own coffee and snacks.

In many ways, this will be an experiment, kind of like when Luther translated the Bible into the common

language so that more people would have access to it.

If you have never tried Zoom before, it is relatively easy to use. Download the Zoom app onto your de-

vice. An invitation is issued to you via email from the church office with a meeting number and a pass-

word. On the night of the meeting, you click on the Zoom app 5 or 10 minutes before the meeting. You

click “join meeting”, and are let in with the code and password you received in the e-mail from the

church. Then you get to see all our faces smiling back at you.

So if you are at all able, plan to join us Wednesday evenings during our Lenten season. Simply email the office (nhlc.ca) to let Hilkka know you wish to join, and you will be added to the invitation list.

Remembering

Sirkka Porkola 76 yrs

Annikki Torikka 94 yrs

Upcoming events

English Worship Services

March 7,14, 21, 28 at 2:00pm

Regent Street

Finnish Worship Services

March 7, 14, 21, 28 at 10:00am

Voima Hall

Council Meeting

March 9 6:30 online Zoom Lenten service & coffee

March 3, 10, 17, 24 at 7:00pm Lenten Service Video (Facebook)

March 7, 14, 21

have access to the internet and the faith resources we make available. Can we not simply invite them to our web and Facebook pages, and invite them often? Can we share the most inspiring on our own Facebook pages or by email? Jesus gave us disciples one of the most utterly ridiculous directions just before he physically left earth. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15) If we at New Hope can’t do that now, when will be a better time?

Pastor Charlie

Prayer for March

Glorious Lord, you call us to make disciples of all nations.

As we each travel through our Lenten journey, give us the

courage to spread your word to all those we know, giving

others the opportunity to know your blessed goodness and

mercy in their lives. May our efforts give others hope in their

times of hardship, and deliver freedom to all who feel op-

pressed in their lives. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our

Lord and Savior. Amen.

Chairman’s Update

The month of March has arrived and with it we are again planning to start in-person services. If the

conditions do not worsen we will be starting services on March 7.

All the restrictions that were in place in the fall when we held in-person services will be in place when

we restart our Sunday services. This will mean that we will not be able to sing, we will have to maintain

social distancing and do all other required protocols to help prevent the spread of COVID.

Our Finnish service will be held starting at 10am at Voima Hall and the English service will start at 2pm

at our Regent Street location.

We are also starting the process of distributing our Annual Reports during the first week of March. They

will be made available by email or by printed version to members of New Hope Lutheran Church. If you

want an e-mailed or a paper copy of the annual report contact the office. You can pick up a paper copy

of the report on Wednesdays from 10 - 1 at the Regent St office and from the New Hope Lepokoti office

on Thursday between 10 - 1. The annual report is also available at both in-person services at Regent

St and Voima Hall.

Our Annual meeting will be an in-person and Zoom meeting. You will be able to attend the meeting in

person in the Voima Hall and at Regent St. at 1pm on March 21st. If you prefer you can also join the

meeting via Zoom. Please contact Hilkka at the office via email at office@nhlc.ca or by phone at 705

673-2933 if you want to join via zoom.

We are also looking for anyone who would be interested in becoming a church council member. Please

let us know if you have an interest in servicing the church in this manner.

We are also planning for our Easter week services. We will keep you informed as plans are finalized.

Stay safe and healthy.

Jimmy Krats, Chairperson

SIGNS SEEN ON A CHURCH

Free trip to Heaven.

Details inside!

If you’re headed in the

wrong direction,

God allows U-turns.

This is a ch_ _ ch.

What is missing?

U R

In the dark?

Follow the Son.

Running low on faith?

Stop in for a fill-up!

If you can’t sleep, don’t

count sheep.

Talk to the Shepherd.

New Address: New Hope Lutheran Church

189 Regent Street, Sudbury ON P3C 4C4

Email: office@nhlc.ca Website: nhlc.ca

For Facebook, search: New Hope Lutheran Church

On the Facebook PAGE, click “like’ and “following”.

New Hope Lutheran Newsletter is created and translated by volunteers each month in both English and Finnish. The Newsletter

accepts articles and pictures having to do with our church, its members or items of interest. Please send submissions to

office@nhlc.ca and please keep all articles to under 250 words. We cannot guarantee to use all submissions, but will try our

best! Deadline for submissions is the 15th of each month in order to have time to translate! If you have questions, please feel free

to contact Paula Reynolds through the church’s office.

Council Corner

Here are a few notes from our last Council meeting

1. Services will resume on March 7th pending the advice of

the Health Unit.

2. Lenten Coffee Time zoom meetings will be held every

Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm. Pastor Charlie and

Pastor Johanna will share the lessons. If you are

interested in participating please let the office know.

3. Our Annual Meeting will take place on Zoom, and in

person at Regent Street, and at Voima Hall at 1:00 pm

on March 21. If you want to participate from home on

zoom, please let the office know.

4. You can pickup a copy of of the annual report on

Wednesdays from 10 - 1 at the Regent St office and from

the New Hope Lepokoti office on Thursdays between 10

and 1. The annual report is also available at both in

person service at Regent St. and Voima Hall.

Until next time.

Jane Ansamaa, Secretary

New Hope Council Secretary

PAR

PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance)

is a great way to contribute each month,

to support your church.

Financial Reports

2021

January

Income $ 13,389.55

Expenses $ 18,936.80

Bank Accounts

Memorial $ 88,423.12

Current 229,294.56

Building Fund 1,156.80

Food Bank 799.35

Choir 628.11

Grants 1,462.83

Mission Circle 468.07

$ 322,232.84

GIC's

Memorial $ 105,911.28

Current 375,000.00

$ 480,911.28

Sun

Mon

ue

Wed

hu

Fri

Sat

1

2 1:00 R

aamattupiiri Z

oom

3 7pm

Zoom

Lenten service & coffee

4

5

7:00 Zoom

Confirm

ation

6

7 10:00 M

essu † Vo

ima H

all 2:00 W

orship Service R

egen

t St.

Paastohartaus V

ideo Facebook

8 ^

9 1:00 Raam

attupiiri Zoom

6:30 C

ouncil meeting /

Neuvoston K

okous—Z

oom

10 7pm

Zoom

Lenten service & coffee

11

12

New

sletter Dead

line

All rep

orts &

articles

13

14 10:00 Jum

alanpalvelus Voim

a Hall

2:00 Worship service

R

egen

t St

Paastohartaus V

ideo Facebook

15 ^

16 1:00 R

aamattupiiri Z

oom

17 7pm

Zoom

Lenten service & coffee

18

19

20

21 10:00 M

essu † Vo

ima H

all 2:00 W

orship Service R

egen

t St.

Paastohartaus V

ideo Facebook

22 ^

23 1:00 R

aamattupiiri Z

oom

24 7pm

Zoom

Lenten service & coffee

25

26

7:00 Zoom

Confirm

ation

27

28 PA

LM

SU

ND

AY

P

AL

MU

SU

NN

UN

TA

I 10:00 Jum

alanpalvelus Voim

a Hall

2:00 Worship service

R

egen

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Palm

usunnuntain Hartuas

Video F

acebook H

and

ou

t new

sletter

29 ^

30 1:00 R

aamattupiiri Z

oom

31

Readings fo

r March

March 7, 2021 3

rd Sunday of L

ent

First R

eading E

xodus 20:1 - 7

Psalm

Psalm 19

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 1:18 - 2

5

Gospel J

ohn 2:13 - 2

2

March 14, 2021

th Sunday of L

ent

First R

eading N

umbers 21:4 - 9

Psalm

Psalm 107:1 - 3

, 17 - 2

2

Second Reading

Ephesians 2:1 - 1

0

Gospel J

ohn 3:14 - 2

1

March 21, 2021 5

th Sunday of L

ent

First R

eading J

eremiah 31:31 - 3

4

Psalm

Psalm 51:1 - 1

2

Second Reading

Hebrews 5:5 - 1

0

Gospel J

ohn 12:20 - 3

3

March 28, 2021 P

alm

Sunday

First R

eading Is

aiah 50:4 - 9

a

Psalm

Psalm 31:9 - 1

6

Second Reading

Philip

pians 2:5 - 1

1

Gospel M

ark 11:1 - 1

1

Ma

rch / Ma

alisk

uu

2021

Pastor C

harle

s Noltin

g

Phone: 7

05-920

-3573

Email: p

cn nhlc.ca

NEW

HO

PE LU

THER

AN

189 Regent S

t. Sudbury, O

ntario

P3C 4C4

Website: n

hlc.c

a

e-m

ail: o

ffice nhlc.c

a

Phone: 7

05

-673

-2933

Pastori J

ohanna Porkola

Puhelin: 7

05-688

-6284

Email: p

jp nhlc.c

a

P

astor N

oltin

g’s days off

Pastori P

orkolan va

paa

p iv

t

PAS OR IN

OFFICE

OIMIS OSSA

Regent St F

inlandia

Wed — T

hurs

—