We have a “Food Blessing Box” for those in need to be able to grab non-perishable food items for a meal or two. Feel free to take advantage of these items. We also need non-perishable food items to replenish the box when needed. Please bring your items to church or add your items to the box. May ALL who give and receive be blessed!
LETTER FROM PASTOR DONNA
December 2, 2025
Happy snowy second day of December! The irony of my life is disliking the cold with
every fiber of my being but loving a fresh snowfall. Of course, “fresh” doesn’t last very long;
plows, shovels, traffic, and footprints all mar the perfect blanket that covers everything after such
a snowfall as we got last night. While it lies in perfectly unbroken swathes over the ground,
though, it is really beautiful.
I can’t help but compare that fresh-fallen snow to how God made us to be. In the
beginning, when God created everything, including Adam and Eve, the world was fresh,
beautiful, and perfect – just as it was meant to be. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long before
humans messed up that perfection.
When they ate the forbidden fruit, it was like Adam and Eve tracked their muddy feet
through a field of sparkling white perfection, leaving their dirty footprints everywhere and piling
up sin like a snowplow piles snow by the side of the road. Lest we think too harshly about them
for this act, let us remember that we do the same.
In the course of our lives, we leave our own path of mud through the perfect fields, too.
We, too, have sins that pile up around us until they threaten to overwhelm us like an avalanche
falling upon our heads. What were we to do? There was nothing we could do. Our sinful nature
is so ingrained within us that even the sweetest of toddlers can exhibit the traits of selfishness,
disrespect, and even lying. Sin is in us, staining us with spots that no bleach could ever remove.
God, of course, saw this predicament. In fact, God knew it would happen, and because he
knew, he made a plan. God made a plan by which he would save us from our sins because he
knew there was no way we could do it ourselves.
One night, two thousand years ago, God put his plan into action when his own son was
born in a stable in a little town called Bethlehem. Here was God’s plan brought to life,
Emmanuel – God with us – who came to do for us what we could never do on our own. Luke
2:10-11 is where the angel announces the good news to the shepherds in the field, saying “Do not
be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
That night is what we are preparing to celebrate in a few weeks. The night the Savior,
Jesus, was born was the night that all of creation witnessed God’s plan begin to unfold. Our God
loves us so much that he was willing to send his own Son, his own Self, to earth to live as a
human, to die for our sins, and to conquer death for our eternity.
This month, as we get ready for Christmas and do all the things we do, as we shop, cook,
party, mingle, jingle, wrap, travel, and all the rest, let’s take a moment each day to remember
what Christmas really means – the Gift that was given to us by a loving Giver. That is what
Christmas is all about. The rest is just fluff.
And the next time it snows, and we get that brief glimpse of a field of pristine beauty,
remember that because of Jesus, this is how God sees us. Not as a dirty pile of sin, but as a
perfectly white field of perfection, just like he had planned from the very beginning.
Have a Blessed Christmas,
Pastor Donna
Happy snowy second day of December! The irony of my life is disliking the cold with
every fiber of my being but loving a fresh snowfall. Of course, “fresh” doesn’t last very long;
plows, shovels, traffic, and footprints all mar the perfect blanket that covers everything after such
a snowfall as we got last night. While it lies in perfectly unbroken swathes over the ground,
though, it is really beautiful.
I can’t help but compare that fresh-fallen snow to how God made us to be. In the
beginning, when God created everything, including Adam and Eve, the world was fresh,
beautiful, and perfect – just as it was meant to be. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long before
humans messed up that perfection.
When they ate the forbidden fruit, it was like Adam and Eve tracked their muddy feet
through a field of sparkling white perfection, leaving their dirty footprints everywhere and piling
up sin like a snowplow piles snow by the side of the road. Lest we think too harshly about them
for this act, let us remember that we do the same.
In the course of our lives, we leave our own path of mud through the perfect fields, too.
We, too, have sins that pile up around us until they threaten to overwhelm us like an avalanche
falling upon our heads. What were we to do? There was nothing we could do. Our sinful nature
is so ingrained within us that even the sweetest of toddlers can exhibit the traits of selfishness,
disrespect, and even lying. Sin is in us, staining us with spots that no bleach could ever remove.
God, of course, saw this predicament. In fact, God knew it would happen, and because he
knew, he made a plan. God made a plan by which he would save us from our sins because he
knew there was no way we could do it ourselves.
One night, two thousand years ago, God put his plan into action when his own son was
born in a stable in a little town called Bethlehem. Here was God’s plan brought to life,
Emmanuel – God with us – who came to do for us what we could never do on our own. Luke
2:10-11 is where the angel announces the good news to the shepherds in the field, saying “Do not
be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
That night is what we are preparing to celebrate in a few weeks. The night the Savior,
Jesus, was born was the night that all of creation witnessed God’s plan begin to unfold. Our God
loves us so much that he was willing to send his own Son, his own Self, to earth to live as a
human, to die for our sins, and to conquer death for our eternity.
This month, as we get ready for Christmas and do all the things we do, as we shop, cook,
party, mingle, jingle, wrap, travel, and all the rest, let’s take a moment each day to remember
what Christmas really means – the Gift that was given to us by a loving Giver. That is what
Christmas is all about. The rest is just fluff.
And the next time it snows, and we get that brief glimpse of a field of pristine beauty,
remember that because of Jesus, this is how God sees us. Not as a dirty pile of sin, but as a
perfectly white field of perfection, just like he had planned from the very beginning.
Have a Blessed Christmas,
Pastor Donna
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Morning education classes
Classes for Pre K- Adults of all ages are meeting from, 9:30 am to 10:30 am.
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Young ones (Birth - Pre-K) - the nursery
*Pre-K - 1st Grade - downstairs with Ms Connie *2nd - 5th Grade - downstairs with Ms Roberta 6th - 8th Grade - downstairs with Ms Sabrina |
9th - 12th Grade - downstairs with Mr Chris
Young Adult/College & Career - in the library Russ Bowman's Class for adults - at Dunkin' Donuts Alpha and Omega for adults -in the Fellowship Hall |
Watch previous week's messAGES FROM pASTOR dONNA (AND OTHERS) ON OUR worship services PAGE OR ON OUR fACEBOOK PAGE (@ROOTSTOWNCHURCHofhope)
For more news, updates and info, check out our News page!
Habitat of portage county Apostles Build
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Apostles Build Story: The project that was started in July 2019 has been completed! The Hummel-Tucker family were presented with their home on April 25th at 2 pm! Blessings to the family as they begin to move in and get comfortable! Thank you to all who helped, prayed for, donated to this project!
