Dear Hope,
Years ago, as a newly formed church, God began to show a pattern of clear guidance. In 1999 we sought His direction, and God answered by uniting two churches to become one – Hope! After this amazing gift, God continued to closely walk us through each of our youthful 19 years. September 2018 to August 2019 was no different, as we clearly sensed God leading us toward three specific goals.
1. Implementing the churchwide Abide Project (completed last November)
2. Hiring a full-time Adult Ministry Pastor (Rob Cupp joined our team May 1)
3. Renovating Hope’s Main Level (plans are now finalized and we are on track to complete all work late Fall/early Winter)
In order to fund goals 2 & 3 above, many of you gave sacrificially to the Expand Hope fundraiser, and collectively we raised $201,000 in just 2 months! Praise God and THANK YOU!
In recent months we have been asking God, “What’s next? … What do you have for Hope’s future that is bigger than we would have dreamed on our own and more glorious than we could achieve without you?” As we have prayed, listened to many of you and discussed among our leaders, two ideas have emerged. They can be summarized in these words: Renew & Receive.
Renew. As we remain committed to Biblical doctrine, we have returned again and again to the idea of Hope becoming a harbor for renewal, healing and restoration. As a boat uses the harbor for refueling and preparing for the next voyage, this Fall, we will learn habits and lessons for our own life voyage from Jesus’ wisdom in His Sermon of the Mount (Sundays at 10:45 am).
Our children will also be learning to navigate the sometimes rougher-waters of life. Our youth will receive training on how to love and serve people like Jesus did in a culture that is often challenging. Adults will continue to get to know new Adult Ministry Pastor, Rob Cupp (and his wife Bridget and children Sophia, Chase and Foster) and will benefit from Rob’s godly and courageous leadership. As part of our renewal plans, we will also refresh our website, expand our internal and external communications, refurbish our approach to groups and gatherings, update Intro to Hope, re-align prayer as the central life-blood running throughout all ministries of the church and more.
Receive. We sense this next year is also the right time to ask God if there is anything He would like to show us regarding His 10-year vision for Hope. In a variety of settings, we will invite our children, youth and adults to collectively ask God what He has in mind for Hope in 2030 and beyond.
Now, will you join me in the following ways?
1. Praise God for His direction, fulfilment of our goals and the Expand Hope campaign this past year.
2. Pray for Hope to faithfully fulfill this next year’s 2 goals (renew & receive).
3. Ask questions of any of our leaders at any time as we walk through this year together.
4. Ask God how He wants you to serve and give so that Hope becomes a harbor for those He plans to entrust to us in the days and years ahead.
Thank you for the gift of living in Hope together! May God bless each of you with His presence, guidance and peace this Fall and beyond!
With Love & Anticipation,
Dean