WEEKLY BULLETIN - Good Hope Lutheran Church

Faithful Women of Good Hope


Serving God and Others

KEEPING YOU INFORMED …
GOOD HOPE COVID-19 COMMUNICATION #12
June 4, 2020

Pastor Adam’s Ponderings
Isaiah 1:16–17 (NRSV)
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil
of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn
to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend
the orphan, plead for the widow.  Learning to Do Good
It is difficult to find the words to write this week. We live
in a world where every word or action is politicized. Over
the past several months we have wrestled with a pandemic
that has constantly fed us with fear, anxiety, and stress.
Many of us are dealing with isolation or physical distance
that is exacerbating loneliness and depression as we mourn
the loss of our community celebrations: graduations, birthdays,
anniversaries etc.  And now, as we have lived into this reality
of ambient anxiety, we are faced with yet another trial. The
death of George Floyd has ignited the undercurrent of racial
inequality and systematic oppression that has been a virus
in our country long before COVID-19.  This is why it is difficult
to find the words, because words matter. I know I have the
privilege of not saying anything. In many ways, my life would
be a lot easier if I did not say anything. I would not offend
anyone if I simply didn’t talk about it. I could write something
generic about peace or justice and go on to the many other
asks that are occupying my time right now.However, remaining
silent is the sin that has allowed inequality to fester since the
birth of our nation. Our silence towards oppression is why God
has spoken through the prophets, and we should hear Isaiah’s
words during this time.  Even more than words, our actions
matter. Over the past few days, I have appreciated many
aspects of the conversation that has been started, but it often
leaves me wondering what actions I can take to move forward.
While we can’t change the world by ourselves overnight, I’m
going to try to make small movements in this vast sea of unknown,
and I invite you to join me.  I am going to identify my false
dichotomies and talk about them with family and loved
ones. The world is full of false comparisons that juxtapose ideas
as if they are incompatible.  This is often done between religion
and science, with the idea that you cannot believe in both
Jesus and evolution. In our current environment, I have seen
a similar comparison between the  Black Lives Matter movement
and the police. Saying black lives matter is not saying other lives
do not matter. Believing that police are heroes (and they are)
does not mean that you endorse police brutality. I can stand
behind BLM and our local and national police force; these are not
opposites.  I am going to have conversations with people that
I disagree with. The world is full of people that disagree with
me. I am not the arbiter of truth or the knower of all things.
It is entirely possible that I am wrong about everything. And
so, it is important for me to have open and honest conversations
with people that disagree with me. I try to talk to atheists about
God, torepublicans and democrats alike about politics, or to
Michigan fans about football. I am going totalk about my ideas.
I am going to listen and really try to hear what they are saying.
I am going to listen to a person of color tell their story. I am
going to listen more than I talk. I am going to learn from their
narrative without interrupting or explaining. I am going to
recognize the difficulty in having this conversation with most/all of
my social group being white. I amgoing to wrestle with how that
impacts my understanding of segregation.  I am going to pray.
I am going to pray for God’s justice, even when I feel hopeless.
I am going to pray for my friend and my enemy. I am going to
pray for the oppressor and the oppressed. I am going to pray
God gives me the strength to cease my evil actions and learn
to do good.   In all things, let us continue to put our trust in God.
In faith,
Pastor Adam

DRIVE-IN WORSHIP JUNE 14
You are invited to join the weekly drive-in worship services to
be held starting Sunday, June 14 at 9:30 A.M. located at Colonel
Crawford High School. If you are interested, please contact the
Good Hope church office ( 419-562-0286 or
secretary@goodhopelutheran.com ) to get the
complete information on what to bring and how to experience
the service. The bulletin will be available on the First Lutheran
Church, Galion website ( www.galionfirstlutheran.org ). The
services are hosted by the Crawford County Lutheran Partnership.

Congratulations, Renae Cox!
Renae was named VP/CEO of People’s Savings & Loan Board
of Directors recently.  May the Lord continue to bless Renae
in her new position!  Offerings…We give thanks for your
monetary support of the church during this time of
separation. We are blessed by your gifts.






Gifts/Memorials
Many thanks for gifts given . . .
. . . in honor of Chuck Scott’s 83rd birthday on May 31 to the Stained
Glass Window Restoration Fund by Mary Scott.
. . . in memory of Dr. Mike Johnson to the Stained Glass Window
Restoration Fund by Tadd and Cathy Cook.
. . . in memory of Helen Tackett to the Stained Glass Window
 Restoration Fund by Allen and
Sandy Stuckey, Bill and Roberta Siniff.
. . . in memory of Gale Ruth to the Radio Fund by Dorie Gubernath.
. . . in memory of Martha Hayes to the Organ Fund by Tim and Kelley
Bawmann, Gary Auck, Nate and Jennifer Roshon, Ohio Mutual Insurance Co.

When you pray, please remember:
All those affected in any way (physically, economically and other
ways) by the pandemic in the US and world-wide especially in
the nursing homes, prisons and refugee camps; all the medical
staff and first responders working with COVID-19
patients; wisdom for all government and church leaders as
re-opening takes place. Mel McDiffitt, Elwood Gebhardt,
Vi Wingate, Nathan Love, Connie Smith.





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Please Remember…
We have listed birthdays of Good Hope
members who are homebound along
with the addresses
of area nursing homes.

At Home
Charles Dierksheide (Oct 29)
Genevieve Evans – (July 25)
Carlisle Place
1721 Whetstone Street
Bucyrus OH 44820
Don Heiby – Apt 112 (July 17)
Virginia Schultz – Apt 102 (Aug 12)

Maplecrest Assisted Living
717 Rogers Street
Bucyrus OH 44820
Carol Miers – Room 8 (Feb 4)
Bob Redman (June 23)

Kingston Residence of Marion
464 James Way
Marion OH 43302
Keith Watts – Room 233 A (Sept 18)
Maxine Ekleberry – Room 120 (April 1)
John Green – Room 233 B (Oct 19)

Dewolfe Place
1140 Wilson Ave.
Marion OH 43302
Betty Snavely – Apt 115 (Oct 25)

Magnolia Terrace
1110 N. Market St.
Galion OH 44833
Bill Ross – Room 57 (Mar 8)

Ohio Living Dorothy Love
3003 Cisco Road Apt. A-18
Sidney OH 45365
Jeannette Naufzinger (April 11)
1163 Township Road 2156
Ashland OH 44805

Mildred House (January 30)
(Mildred is living with daughter Ronda
Werner. Phone number: 419-756-0330)

The Inn @Winchester Trail – Room 502
6401 Winchester Blvd
Canal Winchester OH 43110
Pastor Harold “Hap” Hasenauer – Room
502 (May 30)

Heartland of Bucyrus
1170 W. Mansfield
Bucyrus OH 44820
Earl Uther – Room 36 (February13)

Fairhaven Community
850 Marseilles Ave.
Upper Sandusky OH 43351
Jane Hatcher - Room 220 (Sept. 13)

Kettle Run
1780 Whetstone Street
Bucyrus OH 44820
Juanita Young – Room 308 (Nov. 10)



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