Dear New Hope Church Friends:
My dear Christa and I could not be more excited about joining with you in these days ahead! We have been determined to finish well with our beloved Bethel Church family, but that has not in any way muted our enthusiasm for what lies ahead. As we step through these weeks of transition away from the Fargo-Moorhead community toward Minneapolis, we covet your prayers and thank you for your encouragement.
Would you pray for these three things? First, pray we can sell our home as quickly as possible so as to responsibly relocate in the Minneapolis area. I’m sure you can imagine this is a huge matter of concern. Pray God gives us favor with the best buyer here, and that we can find the right home for us there.
Secondly, pray for spiritual protection. This is a detail not to be easily dismissed. Satan hates what God is doing with us, the Bethel Church community, and the New Hope Church family. Pray against the enemy’s schemes, and that a great hedge of protection would surround all of us during these days. We do not wrestle with flesh and blood. Thankfully, we have a victorious Jesus who is our shield and defender!
Thirdly, pray for wisdom and favor to overwhelm me as we step into the responsibilities with the New Hope family. I need wisdom to discern how to be the best possible steward of this calling. And I relish favor from our new church family, that our hearts would be knit together and that we could step forward with grace and peace and purpose. These are things for which I am very hungry.
While I will be easing into things effective August 1, I will begin preaching, Lord willing, on August 16, with a special time of prayer and commissioning on September 20. These are special days for us, and I trust for you, too. Yet they are just the beginning of a new journey for us all as we seek to be a Christ-centered community for all people, moving toward Jesus and taking others with us. We cannot wait to be with you!
Pastor Matthew
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Thank you SO MUCH, Wendy and Paul. We are grateful for the prayers of God’s people, and excited about what is ahead!
We are excited to see God’s plan unfold for your family, our church family and for the Bethel church family. Our prayers are for a hedge of protection for you and your family during this transition, and for God’s blessings on you and the Bethel church!
Dee . . . .
Thank you so much for reaching out! My family and I are very excited! Your prayers are deeply appreciated!
Pastor Matthew and family – even thought I have not been at New Hope church physically for almost 8 years my heart will be there always. I have been praying for you and your family since your name was announced as a candidate and I will continue to pray for you daily and for New Hope Church and all the staff and it’s ministry. I could not begin to recount the blessings of the 35 years I spent at that church. I am so thankful for a church that always looks to God for everything. I know He will be glorified as you minister as senior pastor.
Thank you so much, Beth! Thank you for praying. Please tell your group how deeply grateful we are! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Lisa and Tim . . . . thank you! I can’t wait to be there with you!
Thank you so much, Randy!!!
Pastor Matthew, Christa, Emily and Katy,
We are praying now and will continue to pray for the timing in selling and buying a home.
We as a small group of pray-ers, each Tuesday morning, have been and will continue to pray for spiritual protection, wisdom, and discernment. We pray for each of you to understand more fully the DNA of the NHC family. We are praying for your hearts to be in sink with NHC family as well as for ALL of us to be champions of ALL things New Hope Church.
As Pastor Jeff stated a week ago, “I know God’s will for your life.” It’s to rejoice always, pray unceasingly and to give thanks in all circumstances.
With much anticipation,
Beth
(and the entire Tuesday Rise and Pray group)
we are praying for you and your family in all those things. Excited at what God has for us at New Hope Church. Praying for our brothers and sister’s at Bethel too.
Count on our prayers. On it right now. We look forward to what our God and Savior has for us and in His plan. And for the Bethel body of believers.