Judy White, HUMC’s Administrative Assistant, will be on vacation on September 15 and 16.  A volunteer will be in the church office on these days between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and noon.

Pastor Brown will be out of the state from September 15 through 26.  In case of emergencies needing pastoral care, please contact the church office.  Rev. Renee Garrison has agreed to be on call for this purpose. 

Please note that all those worshipping on Sunday mornings are encouraged to wear a mask throughout the service due to the current spike in COVID cases in our area. Also, all visitors to the church during Learning Center operating hours will be required to wear a mask while on church property.

• The 3rd Annual Hopewell Golf Tournament for missions will be held Wednesday, September 15th. Thank you to all who are working so hard to make it a success! A financial report will be available soon.

Our youth group will be volunteering at the James Monroe House on Sunday, October 3 at 6:00 pm. They have been asked to bring canned peas. canned green beans, mac and cheese, and grocery sacks (for packing food). Please join our youth in supporting the James Monroe House by bringing these items to church by October 3!

Starting on Saturday 10/9/2021 at 7:30 am our men will have monthly gatherings to enjoy breakfast and Christ-led Men’s fellowship. Breakfasts will be followed by local mission opportunities!

Menu: Grits, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Biscuits, Gravy, Fresh Fruit, Juice, Milk & Coffee!

This first meeting will be an introductory/business meeting to discuss any/all ideas & opportunities for us to serve! Invite your Friends/Neighbors/Hopewell UMC Male Youth ~ all are welcome!

After the October meeting, at about 8:30 am, several will be heading to Aldersgate UMC for Emergency Response Team Training. This is an EXCELLENT way also to make sure you are trained & ready to respond in a time of disaster recovery. (See Related Article)

NOTE: Young Children are welcome, too, if it keeps you out of the doghouse. This is a great way for us to learn together, and depending on the number of children that come, we can create a bible study/activity for them, as well as letting them work alongside their parent for appropriate projects. What better way to train the next generation of Hopewell UMC!!

This is a great way to gather Men for the good of our Church & Community while also learning from and teaching others including ourselves and the next generation of Hopewell UMC.

Please call the church office (864-967-8181) to let us know how many (Adults/Kids) are coming ~ We want to make sure we have enough food for everyone! Once we get going and start gauging the attendance, we’ll do away with reservations.

Thank you all & we are looking forward to seeing a great crowd on October 9 at 7:30 am! Any questions or to help cook, set up, take down/clean up that morning after breakfast – contact Steve J.

The SC ERT’s exist to help victims of fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters. The South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church trains people to be Emergency Response Team (ERT) members. ERTs are some of the first relief workers on-site when disasters strike.

If you are interested in participating in this ministry, you can attend a training session Saturday, October 9, at Aldersgate UMC in Greenville from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This basic class costs $40 and includes a manual, shirt, cap, and badge. Visit the SC UMC webpage for more information about disaster response (https://www.umcsc.org/disaster-response/)or click this link to register for training (https://www.umcsc.org/ertregistration/). Contact Alan Russell, if you have questions, need financial assistance, or would like to carpool.

Help Unload

Pumpkins are scheduled to arrive on Saturday, October 9, at approximately 5:00 p.m. The initial delivery is ¼ of a tractor-trailer, so we need many hands to help unload. This is traditionally a fun time of fellowship as we work together.  Sign Up HERE.

Volunteer to Staff the Pumpkin Patch

Volunteers serve as greeters to help customers have a wonderful experience, as well as receiving payments from October 11 through 31, slots available between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.. The opening and closing shifts each day will handle some extra responsibilities with being the first and last shift of the day. Thank you for volunteering as much as possible. SIgn up HERE.

Alternately, let Stacy Black or Pastor Don know if you are able and willing to help.

Even when death is expected, it still seems to surprise us. We thought we had a little more time, even one more day. Now we are left with overwhelming sadness and a long to-do list. It’s hard to know where to start when we are struggling just to breathe. If we knew the issues and decisions that we would be dealing with beforehand, it would make a difficult time a bit easier.

Hopewell’s Health Ministry/Parish Nurse is offering a two-day seminar, Good Grief, to help you prepare. The second session, on Monday, October 11, will include Hospice and spiritual care of the dying and the survivors. The session begins at 11:00 am and a brunch will be served. There is no cost to attend, but a headcount would be helpful. Please let the church office or Brenda Rau know that you are coming. Let’s walk this journey together.

Leadership Positions

The Nominations Committee is seeking volunteers for the following positions of ministry leadership. If you are willing to serve in this position, please contact the church office so the Nominations Committee can consider you for the position.

• Worship Committee Chairperson

Budget Requests

The Finance Committee will be calling for budget requests for the 2022 ministry year soon. All groups planning to submit a request for funding from the 2022 budget should begin the work of preparing your requests now. Due September 26.

Come support one another, build friendships, and enjoy fellowship together!

Women’s Exercise Class Will Begin on September 8

Come grow in faith and friendship as we strengthen our bodies and souls on Wednesdays from 6:30 -7:15 p.m. Katie Marcus will lead the class, and workouts will be in the back parking lot. Bring a mat and either weights or resistance bands.

Ladies Night Out

Whether you need a night away from the chaos or the quiet of your home, Ladies’ Night Out is a time to get away. Come support one another, build friendships, and enjoy food and fellowship together! Our next Ladies’ Night Out is September 20 at Cucina 100 in Fountain Inn at 6 p.m. Please call the church office to let us know you are coming. 864-967-8181

Women's Retreat

Be a part of HUMC’s First Annual Women’s Retreat “A Break at the Lake” at Lake Burton in Clayton, Georgia on October 8-10. Connect with other ladies and enjoy rest, relaxation, and some quiet time with God. The cost is $150. SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTER TODAY! Register through Realm, on the church website, or contact the church office.

Salad Party

Interested in prepping salads for a week of healthy lunches! Contact Stacy or Judy Hopewellumcoffice@gmail.com (967-8181) for information on how to join our Salad Jar party!

Columbarium – The Trustees have approved the building of a columbarium in the Hopewell Cemetery. Niches are $1,000.00 and can be purchased through the church office. Please note that this price will go up after a brief introductory offer period.

Cemetery Maintenance – The Trustees have approved a maintenance contract to clean and straighten the headstones in the church cemetery. The work will be done on weekends and should begin soon.

Children’s Church - every Sunday during Worship!
We are still looking for volunteers to act as helpers or teachers.

Children's Choir will meet on Tuesdays at 4:45 pm in the sanctuary for approximately 30 minutes. All children ages 4 - 11 are welcome to join! Contact Beth Lowe for details.

If you are interested in being a part of our Children’s Ministry, please contact Stacy Black.

Hope Group will be meeting at the home of Jan Lathrop at 10:00 am on Wednesdays. If you are interested in a time of fellowship & prayer, please come! For more information contact Jan.

Parents of Young Children are invited to bring their family for a Meet-Up at Jones Gap State Park Sunday afternoon August 29 after church. For more information contact Alan Russell.

Young Adults (YAs), which are high school graduates through age 25, are invited to gather for dinner at the Warehouse at Vaughn’s (109 W. Trade Street in Simpsonville on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. Grab your favorite food and gather at the picnic tables outside. In case of bad weather, we will eat inside.

Youth (6th - 12th grade)  Lera Jackson and Carson Vayhinger welcome all youth to weekly gatherings. Meet at the youth hut each Sunday from 6:30-7:30 pm.

Did you know that Hopewell has a “Little Free Library” located by the kitchen entrance? Feel free to stop by anytime and pick up or drop off books. Yes, it is free!

Knowing that giving back to God’s work out of what God has given to us is part of our worship experience. We want you to know how you can continue this part of your worship even though we are not gathering in person.  You can make your donations to HUMC in a variety of ways! Please remember, in addition to being a part of our worship experience, your continued tithes and offerings are crucial during this time! For your convenience, there are several options available to you.

1. Through your Realm App. Go to the menu it the top left-hand corner and select Giving. This is the easiest way to give online! There is a one - time account setup then you are ready anytime you choose to give. While you are there you can check your giving history, which is only available to you.
    
2. Go to our church website http://www.hopewellumcsimpsonville.com.  Under our Welcome page click the red button and follow the prompts from there.
    
3. Text your offering, using this link
   1. Send a text to 73256
   2. In the “text message” body, type hopewellumc.
   3. This will bring up an online form to make your offering to the church
       
4. You may bring your check by the church office on Mondays between 10 am – 11 am. Please ring the bell and someone will answer.
    
5. Mail your check to:  Hopewell UMC, 1420 Neely Ferry Rd., Simpsonville, SC 29680.