SERMON: New Hanover’s 7 Values (#5 Mercy)
This Sunday we are back in the sanctuary following 2 weeks of pre-recorded services, due to the winter weather. We continue our sermon series on the New Hanover 7 Values. This Sunday, our new co-pastor, The Rev. Anthony Saturno, will be back in the pulpit with a timely message on Mercy. God’s mercy to us sets our agenda to one another and to the world.
Scripture:
Psalm 103:2-14
Luke 6:27-38
We welcome you to visit and worship here! We are a church centered on Christ’s teachings and focused on living them out in the world. It’s different here – through our thoughtful services, our focused and dedicated community service, our genuine sense of community, and our blended music.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions, and we look forward to seeing you on Sundays at 9:30am!
Our Vision:
To make Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection relevant today.
Our Mission:
As a welcoming community of believers in Jesus Christ, we will unite our Faith and works to share God’s love.
Our Values:
Based on our understanding of the bible, New Hanover Presbyterian Church believes that, Love, Acceptance, Inclusion, Redemption, Mercy And Equity are values Jesus Christ taught and demonstrated. We are convinced that these values that Jesus Christ advocated in Matthew 22: 37-40 when He said:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
When the Apostle Paul was writing to the church at Rome, he said this: “…you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers.”
In other words, there is no Christian option that allows us to be Christian and still stay asleep or to politely doze in a world of hurt and need. We want to be alive to the world as it is now and to engage with that world as those transformed by the love of Jesus. We hope you will come and join us in this quest to live in the present with the wisdom and power of the God of all the ages.
Blessings,
Robert Johnson, Pastor
New Hanover Presbyterian Church
This community has made a decision – we are not following any crowd. We are, instead, committed to take the Scriptures seriously and humanity compassionately. Our goal is to read the Bible in both its ancient context and its modern implications, and have it make a difference in the way we live our daily lives and in how we see people and treat them. We believe the scriptures have something vital and unique to say now – something that no political party or social movement can or will say. At New Hanover, we believe Jesus and the people that follow him should not be conformed to the conventional wisdom and path of the world, but transformed by God’s grace.
When the Apostle Paul was writing to the church at Rome, he said this: “…you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers.” In other words, there is no Christian option that allows us to be Christian and still stay asleep or to politely doze in a world of hurt and need. We want to be alive to the world as it is now and to engage with that world as those transformed by the love of Jesus. We hope you will come and join us in this quest to live in the present with the wisdom and power of the God of all the ages.
Blessings,
Robert Johnson, Pastor
New Hanover Presbyterian Church
Our 9:30am service is designed to reinforce our core values of love, acceptance, inclusion, redemption, mercy and equity. These values, exhibited and preached upon by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, are reflected in our music, sermon and church news and updates. We aim to connect and build relationships before, during and after our service.
Upon arrival to our church you will be greeted will smile and receive our worship bulletin. You’ll be directed to sanctuary. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive worship space!
Each service features a sermon, based on scripture, designed to better understand these passages and to reach forward to today’s times to give us guidance, hope and a challenge. Music is both contemporary and traditional, with our choir and church musicians playing live and meaningful music. We also occasionally feature solo voice and instrumental works. A children’s time is a regular service feature where we share God’s good news through stories and examples. After this, young children can go to our education wing if desired, with adult supervision. Our news and updates allow us to hear of ongoing missions and ways to support those less fortunate in our community.
Following the service we offer coffee and treats, in a designated time to build relationships with one another. Our Faith in Life educational series is offered in Fall, Spring and Summer and features interesting and important topics of discussion and learning. Occasionally we have a special class and/or luncheon available.
We think you’ll enjoy our intentional and inclusive approach to worship!
Wednesday, February 18, is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of a new season of Lent. At 5:30pm, all are invited to a special Lenten dinner, here at New Hanover, prepared by Tracey Sigmon. On the menu this year is homemade chicken & sausage gumbo, over rice, crispy Caesar salad, and mouth-watering sweet potato biscuits, with yummy strawberry pie for dessert (depending on recent cold weather in Florida!). Gluten free and vegetarian options will be available as needed.
Following dinner, there will be a worship service in the sanctuary, including the imposition of ashes.
In order to plan for food quantities and table set up, we’d like everyone who plans to attend the dinner to sign up here, by Sunday, February 15. If you have dietary restrictions, make sure to let us know. If you have any questions, please contact the church office. You may also sign up at the Welcome Center in the narthex, or through the church office.
The NHPC women’s group called Women of the Word, or WOW for short, will meet here in the Presseau Room on Tuesday, February 17 at 6:30pm. Join us for a short devotion and a project to work on for missions.
Past projects include 1) making blankets for Jill’s Blankets, 2) boxing up food for the RVA Community Fridges , 3) making Christmas cards for a local Seniors’ home. In January we boxed up our clothing collection for Real Life. This month we are making “Birthday Bags” to give to food pantries in the area. If this sounds like something you’d like to be involved with, mark the date and join us on the 17th.
Invite a friend!
This is a part of Women’s Ministries here at New Hanover.
What’s more fun than spending time with friends, sharing a glass of wine or favorite beverage, indulging in snacks, and laughing? This is exactly what you can expect at Paint Night—an event designed for relaxation, socializing, and creativity.
If you’re worried about not having any artistic talent, rest assured that you’re not alone. In fact, most people who attend Paint Night feel the same way. A Paint Night Review: “Personally, I can barely draw a stick figure, but I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I found it remarkably easy to follow along and create a scenic view, demonstrating that anyone can participate and enjoy the process.”
There is no pressure except to enjoy yourself!
Sign up on our sign-up sheet in the narthex or click here. Deadline is February 23rd (we need a head count for planning purposes). There is no charge for this night of fun!
Bible & Burgers meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. We’ll next meet on February 10, at New Hanover, at 6:30pm. We are currently studying The Book of Revelation. Following, Robert will make chili for the group.
$$ contributions towards the meal will go to a local feeding program. Bring your own drinks!
Our Co-Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Robert Johnson continues with our sermon series on the New Hanover 7 Values. This Sunday, we will be looking at Reconciliation. God initiates and carries out the work of reconciling humanity to Himself and to each other. We are honored to participate in, advance, and embody this divine work.
If you have a specific prayer request or praise to share with the congregation, information to include in congregational communications, would like to get involved at NHPC, or have a question please feel free to contact us:
