4/14 Sunday Announcements

​

1. *WELCOME TO HOSANNA! – *If you are a new or returning visitor, please be ushered to the gym after-service to a seat with a welcoming plate sheet, and let our Welcoming Team serve you a meal and a cup of water – absolutely free at no cost! Our church lunch is always free for all. It is our joy to serve you! Stay with us after-service to break bread. Fill-out a yellow newcomer’s contact card so that we can keep in touch. We welcome you into this family in Christ’s love and remain here for you as His body to grow and flourish together!
2. *PASTORAL UPDATES – As briefly mentioned last week, Sunny Lee has been appointed the new minister for children of Bethany Korean Church, which our Hosanna children take part in. Parents, be informed of this blessed appointment and help support Minister Sunny as she gives pastoral care to the children. Also, Youth Minister Ha Cho is on break until next Sunday, 4/21st. While he is away, Youth Director Kris Lee can be contacted for any questions or needs regarding the youth ministry.
3. *PRAISE GOD FOR PRAYER MEETING LAUNCH! – Thank you to all those who came out yesterday morning at 8:30am to launch our churchwide prayer gathering to cultivate a culture of prayer and greater cross-generational prayer – from children to adults alike – calling out to the LORD together with one heart and mind. Continue to support Elder Patrick as he leads us! See you at the next prayer gathering on 5/11 (Saturday), 8:30am at Ezra Chapel.
4. *THANK YOU, KITCHEN MINISTRY SERVANTS! Thank you to all the servants who served yesterday and will serve today’s after-lunch 12:40pm dishwashing ministry (Edward Jeon & Sam Lee). May we continue to bless our co-partners in ministry – Bethany Church’s kitchen team.
5. *TODAY’S LUNCH MENU – KOREAN BEEF AND RADISH STEW (soegogi-muguk)! – Also a non-spicy children’s menu of seaweed and rice will be provided weekly. As time allows, join us after-service to break bread together in the gym as an important part of our worship on the LORD’s day. Our church lunch is always free, at no cost for all. Thank the team that prepared it by enjoying the soup!
6. *TODAY after-service, CONGREGATIONAL MEETING! – For those who call Hosanna their home as covenant partners, there is an important congregational meeting immediately after-service today. The topic of discussion and majority voice vote is the adjustment of the 2024 budget to earmark financial support for future staff. More information to be shared at the meeting. Thank you for giving your voice and support to the Lord’s work!
7. *TODAY after-lunch, SPRING PICNIC PREP MEETING, 1:10pm @ Mary Heads Carter Park – If you are a servant in the picnic crew or interested in blessing next week’s spring picnic through the directorship of brother Chong Choe, today will be a final meeting at the actual park – Mary Heads Carter Park at 2320 Heads Ln Carrollton, at 1:10pm. We are still in need of able bodies to serve in facilitating our fellowship with games for all generations. Please consider serving! Meet us at the park today at 1:10pm.
8. *BREAK for LIFE GROUPS! – Both AGAPE and JOSHUA life groups are on break this Friday and Saturday respectively, to prepare and bless the churchwide spring picnic next Sunday.
9. *NEXT SUNDAY – APRIL SPRING PICNIC! – *The time has come! Next week we will not gather at our church facility but at Mary Heads Carter Park at 2320 Heads Ln Carrollton for an outdoor Sunday worship under the pavilion near the playground starting (look for our Hosanna feather flag) at the same start-time 11:10am. **This worship service will be no different than what is held here – a time of praise, giving, preaching, and responding to the Word. Please prepare accordingly and come earlier, as able. You are welcomed to come earlier, starting 10:00am to help setup and serve one another a post-service meal of delicious grilled burgers, brats, hotdogs and fellowship with games and prizes for all ages from 12:15pm to 3:00pm. *The purpose of our Spring Picnic is to be a “House of Prayer for All Nations” (ISAIAH 56:1-8), calling all to true righteous worship (not sourced in a location) and mobilizing cross-generational fellowship across our congregation (from children to adults) to inspire godly unity and outreach to our neighbors in need of His love and His house. Enjoy God’s beautiful outdoor weather and creation as we become a house of prayer for all nations! *DISCLAIMER: This event is not sponsored by the City of Carrollton.
10. *KINGDOM EXPANSION PRAYER – We are moving to pray for a wider vision of God’s Kingdom to expand through the global prayer guide for the persecuted church and persecuted Christians worldwide from The Voice of the Martyrs organization. Today, we are praying for our persecuted Azerbaijani brothers and sisters in Christ in west Asia/east Europe.

 
**Prayer Topic: Persecuted Christians in Azerbaijan (Asia/Europe)
     Azerbaijan is a small nation between the boundaries of west Asia and east Europe, surrounded by the Caspian Sea and mountainous terrain. Formerly part of the Russian Soviet republic, the country gained independence upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Although Azerbaijan is rich in oil and gas reserves, corruption and the country’s authoritarian government have impeded economic growth. Nevertheless, poverty has been reduced and the country’s infrastructure is gradually improving. 85 percent of Azerbaijanis are Shiite Muslims and 2 percent are Christians within a population of over 10 million.
     Families are the main persecutors of Christians. Azerbaijan has a shame-honor culture in which those who leave Islam are considered to have brought shame on the family. The government also pressures Christians with heavy fines. For many years now, churches have been denied the ability to register legally. Secret police attend and sometimes raid church meetings, which the government classifies as illegal. In 2015, the government published a list of banned religious books that included the Old Testament. Those caught with banned religious literature are fined. The government is tightening restrictions and often asks church leaders to submit lists of members’ names. Some pastors and leaders feel this is an attempt to gather information for later use against church members or pastors. Many Christians faithfully share Christ with neighbors and family members despite legal pressure and possible fines. Bibles are difficult to obtain. Churches can purchase them, but they cannot be printed legally.
 
The Scripture for today is:
 
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. (2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-12)
 
Prayer by Pastor Chester:
Our Father, we lift up to You our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ in west Asia and east Europe. We pray Your hand of power will remove the restrictions that the government imposes on them. By Your providence, remove the heavy fines of the government against them. Uplift those who have lost their income. Let them be all the more bold to preach the name of Jesus even in the face of financial loss, and let no financial burden hinder Your work from pressing forth to more souls in need of You. Continue to turn hearts to you, even when met with persecution from their families. Let their joy in honoring Your Son outweigh the shame they bear before persecuting family members. Guard the hearts of the front-line missionaries in small towns and the churches gathering faithfully. Fill us with a greater burden to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. Fill our hearts with greater thankfulness for the grace we have to freely gather and worship Christ today, the same freedom in Jesus that we long for in this distant land. In the risen Lord and Savior of the Azerbaijani people, Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen.