New Hope Ministries is easy to find. We are located in the heart of Hillcrest, at 1441 Lander Rd., in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. 100 yards north of the intersection of Mayfield and Lander roads.


 

Sunday  Experience

Adult Classes 9:15 am

Hope Cafe (doughnuts & coffee) 10:15 am

Morning Worship 10:45 am

Children’s Church 10:45 am

Thank you for finding us at New Hope Ministries. We are church of Faithful believers in Jesus Christ, that Feel strongly that our calling is to help all God’s people. Our commitment to that cause is unshakable, and that Family is something "made by God", to help all people over the rough road of life. Would you like to find a Family like that? God has a plan for the Future of every person and has a special and exciting one for you, too. The future He has planned for you includes a Father and a Family.

"A time to weep and a time to laugh" (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

The other day as Clare, Sam and I were traveling through Pennsylvania, we came across a most unusual site. We've seen a number of Amish "trucks" over the years (a buggy with an open back for hauling stuff), but this was our first sighting of an Amish delivery truck with a piece of furniture on it along with a riding passenger! The ladies were laughing as they were mounting the truck. The sight reminded me of "The Beverly Hillbillies" with Granny riding on the Clampett truck in her rocking chair.

One of the greatest blessings in life is hearing laughter. We begin to laugh from a very early age. One of the maturing milestones for babies is their first smile and then their verbal laughter. Considered how therapeutic this pleasurable sound would be in the room of a patient in a nursing home. Just hearing the pleasant sound of laughter is uplifting to a downcast or lonely heart.

This past weekend, the family got a chance to see nine month old David Michael, the newest member, who laughed at the various laughter inducing-antics adults use to get babies laughing (Uncle Tom didn’t do so well, however).

"A time to laugh." Aren't you glad the Lord gave us the capacity to laugh? There's a lot to be serious about and there will sure be times in life when we weep. I've wept, but I've had far more occasions to laugh. I feel laughter is designed by God as a great stress reducer. The verbal expression for inward joy is first referenced in the Bible surrounding the events of Isaac's birth. In fact his name means "laughter."

One of my favorite pictures of our Lord shows Him laughing as He embraces the little children. I recall years ago a man who came to the Lord out of an alcohol background. He was quite intense and rather somber about the things of the Lord. In a conversation I had with him he made it clear that he was offended at the slightest notion that Jesus would have ever laughed. Jesus NOT laughing. Now that’s a scary picture.

Now it's true that there is not a specific verse that states Jesus laughed but what would have been a more appropriate emotion or physical expression as "He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:16). Would you prefer to picture Him with a scowl, frown or an emotionless expression?

Today I encourage you to be thankful for the God-given gift of laughter, and make use of it often, for the Scriptures remind us that there is "a time to laugh." And I really hope you will have some good laughs today!

Blessings, Pastor Tom
PS. Events Calander
Friday, July 10th at 7:00PM, "Howie and Debbie Campbell in concert"
Sunday, July 26th, "Foundations of Hope", boys choir