by Carla Holiday Imagine stepping into a tropical paradise. Tiki torches light your way. Warm sand pushes between your toes as the aroma of pineapple and coconut lures you forward. Smiling faces welcome you and drape a garland of bright flowers around your neck. Can this be some Caribbean Shangri-La or perhaps a remote island in the South Pacific? You’re close.

You’ve just entered Hope’s Mahalo Luau.

Every May, Hope spends an evening giving thanks to God and honoring those who have contributed significantly in the ministry over the previous 12 months. In fact, the word “Mahalo” means thank-you in Hawaii. But why a luau?

Jessica Sturdevant, Hope’s Director of New Ministries, helped plan the original Mahalo Luau in 2007. She explains,

A luau seemed the perfect venue for a celebration.

Preparing for the luau is a massive event. It takes 100-150 people to make it happen. From planning and preparing food, to creating a tropical décor, to developing creative ways to entertain all ages, the Mahalo Luau provides a great opportunity for people to give their time and abilities to serve others.

The Hawaiian experience definitely flavors the selection of food and décor. Past celebrations have included skewers of tropical fruit, roasted pork sandwiches, and turtle-shaped serving bowls carved from watermelons.

In 2013, the entire décor was set “underwater,” with colorful fish and crustaceans suspended from the ceiling, and the walls of Main Street were covered in watery blue fabric. Food servers dressed in scuba gear, while Hope member Jeff Moore provided live music on the piano while wearing a tuxedo top, swim trunk bottoms and swimming goggles.

Hope member Carol Hofford has served as event coordinator for several Mahalo Luaus. One of her fondest memories is of Mahalo Luau 2011. Brian Cropp, pastor over large events, had an interesting decorating idea: “Brian wanted to incorporate a massive amount of Jell-O into the event. We got all these old fish-shaped Jell-O molds from the HSM garage sale and used them to make Jell-O fish.”

Hannah Daniel, Hope member and lead decorator that year, remembers the Jell-O extravaganza. “The Saturday before the luau, I and a few other volunteers spent hours making Jell-O. We made it in pans, we made it in molds, and we even made some in fishbowls. We used every available

inch of refrigerator space in the building!”

A favorite memory for both Jessica and Brian was the “Hidden Waterfall” tour created for the very first Mahalo Luau. In order to create a jungle atmosphere, Jessica recalls, “We dressed Brian Hobbs up in safari gear and shoved all the trees in the church into the Mommy and Me space. We

even had a toy snake in a tree. Brian cracked corny jokes as he guided people into the space.”

Brian Cropp remembers the anticipation of peering through the jungle searching for the hidden waterfall, only to finally discover “this tiny tabletop thingamajig that spewed water. It was hilarious.”

While the food and festivities on Main Street provide a real sense of fun and delight, the focal point of the Mahalo Luau occurs in Town Hall with a

celebration of thanks. The time is an opportunity to look back and thank God for

all the things He allowed to happen over the year and to honor those who have served in a significant way.

“We wanted to make it an event where people could come and be refreshed and really enjoy themselves. We couldn’t fly everyone to a tropical paradise, but maybe we could create that kind of space in the building.”

The process by which nominees are chosen actually occurs all year. As the staff works with volunteers at different levels, the names of those people who stand out are submitted for consideration. Sometimes, team leaders give input. Over the program year, that list grows. Finally, senior pastor Harold Bullock looks over the final list and selects those who have had the widest church impact.

During the celebration of thanks, an intentional effort is made to give God the front seat of glory and honor, while still recognizing people who have stood out in an exceptional way. According to Brian, “What Hope does not want is a year-long competition of, ‘I’m going to win this award.’ That would completely defeat the whole purpose of Mahalo Luau.”

During the Mahalo Luau, everyone has an opportunity to acknowledge how they contributed to the ministry, and then to offer their service up as a sacrifice to the One who made it all happen. Brian refers to a passage in Revelation that shows worshipers of God laying down their own crowns at the feet of the Lord. Likewise, Hope members symbolically take their efforts and awards and offer them back to God.

One year, members wrote their service on paper hibiscus flowers, and then all the flowers were offered in thanksgiving to the Lord. Brian states, “In that moment, we try to refocus the heart away from competition and toward the Person to whom all the honor actually goes.” Jessica agrees, “It’s really God who is doing this—we just get to be a part of the action.”

While Mahalo Luau provides childcare for babies and toddlers, children are encouraged to take part in the festivities and the awards celebration. In the past, children have enjoyed activities like coconut bowling, bounce houses, and a surfing photo booth. However, beyond the fun and games, children are presented with a great picture of what serving the Kingdom really is.

Brian envisions the potential long-term impact of Mahalo Luau on children. “What I would want them to catch over time is that serving is fun and honorable. To participate in ministry, to give up your ‘free time’ to see the Kingdom advance, is worth it.” He goes on to say that within Hope Church culture, “We sort of make celebrities of people. We say, ‘Watch them. They’re doing what is right.’” As the mother of three children, Carol appreciates how Hope sets up “a culture in which ‘heroes’ can be honored in a really fun way.”

Brian hopes that the children realize church is fun. “God is not a sad Person. He is a happy Person. He likes celebrations and likes celebrating what His kids have done and enjoys giving people pats on the back.”

Ultimately, Mahalo Luau is a giant thank-you to God and to all the people through whom He is working. For Jessica, it is one of her favorite events of the year. “People are excited for each other, they’re excited to see each other honored, and ultimately to see God honored, and that’s rare. That’s exceptional.”

Brian describes the meaning behind the awards. “All of the awards that are given to volunteers are based on character qualities of people in Scripture that are honoring to God, things that God likes and really help the mission move forward. We want to recognize those people who have demonstrated those qualities at a high level.”

The 2014 Mahalo Luau kicked off with an array of great food, festive décor and whimsical entertainment. Event planner Nicole Hardeman worked with volunteers to create a “Food Truck” theme, complete with food stands designed to look like food trucks. Tasty barbeque sandwiches topped the menu, and Hawaiian snow cones delighted both the young and not-so-young. NRG Zone transformed into a bouncy house wonderland, and Hope musicians entertained guests with the ukulele.

But the real highlight of the evening came as members gathered in Town Hall to thank God for His work through Hope and to honor those who served with distinction this past year. The Hope band began the festivities with a special song and video commemorating highlights of the past 12 months.

Pastor Harold Bullock thanked members for their service while giving God the credit for the past year’s accomplishments. “We have the privilege of working with God, and He works through us, and He takes all the

different diverse things we do and really makes it work.”

Because our work is a sacrifice to God, we work to a higher standard. Pastor Harold explains, “If you offer God a sacrifice, you offer something nice; you offer something good. And so whenever we serve, we’re serving to help people who are helping people for God. This is given to Him.”

Pastor Harold says that God chooses to work through members. “To me, this is actually very amazing. He doesn’t just work through staff members. God works through you.” The key thing according to Pastor Harold is to “Find your place of great effectiveness and really put your energy in there, whatever that is.”

While the church staff deeply appreciates the different ways members serve, Pastor Harold sees the bigger picture of what’s actually happening. “There’s somebody watching all of it who really enjoys the way you serve, and that’s the Lord himself. As you put your heart into it, it’s a delight to Him.”

Second-Miler Award: Dana PhillipsFor enduring service above and beyond the usual

Secret Service Award: The FLDC MentorsFor consistent, needed service without public awareness

Rock of Gibraltar Award: Jerry and Delyn SimmonsFor steadfast, enduring, consistent performance

High Challenge Award: The Thailand & Germany Mission TeamsFor a team that took on very great challenge to benefit Hope

Armor-Bearer Award: Jeremy GoodFor strong, faithful support of a leader

Andrew Award: John BelewFor a person who has gone above and beyond in inviting people to Hope

AWARDS & HONOREES Awards may change from year to year. Rather than make a person fit an award, the desire has been to create an award to fit the person.

Shamgar Award: Jolene GouldieFor a large accomplishment with few resources The following two awards are given by department: ROOKIE OF THE YEARFor courageous diligence in a new arena Group Life: Josh and Carol HoffordArts and Worship: Eric KingsburyKids Ministry: Nikki MeinenStudent Ministry: Jordan FunderburkFirst Impressions: Joel and Michelle SchaaAdministration: Coy Studer

PACESETTER AWARDFor those who continually set the pace for others to follow in serving and character Group Life: Aaron & Elizabeth McWilliamsArts and Worship: Carla HolidayKids Ministry: Lydia LaughbaumStudent Ministry: Carolyn JollyFirst Impressions: Colin SanorAdministration: Ricky Lee

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:1/4 cup unsalted butter1 cup packed light brown sugar1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist yellow cake mixVegetable oil and eggs as called for on cake mix box Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350. In 13x9 inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Gently press pineapple slices on brown sugar. Gently press a cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices.

2. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

3. Bake 42 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake. Allow to cool & enjoy! (From sallysbakingaddiction.com)

The Wonder that is Hawaiian Shave IceHawaiian shave ice is a refreshing summer dessert made by shaving a block of ice. Shaving produces very fine slivers of icy goodness. While shave ice may resemble a snow cone, they are very different products. Snow cones are made up of small crunchy balls of ice, while shave ice feels like snow in your mouth. The most popular flavors in Hawaii include guava, pineapple, coconut cream, passion fruit, kiwi fruit, and mango.

McSpamburger, Anyone? Hawaii consumes more Spam than any state in our union--7 million cans a year! Every year during the last week in April, Hawaii holds a SPAM JAM, a weeklong festival honoring Spam. You can even buy Spam flavored macadamia nuts in Hawaii. In fact, Spam is so popular in Hawaii, it’s been nicknamed the “Hawaiian steak” and is found on the islands’ McDonald’s and Burger King menus.

Lessons learned from past Mahalo Luaus: Chocolate fountains and children don’t mix well

Never ever use sand to decorate food tables (unless you want gritty food).

Photos by Phil Sherwood

Photos by Phil Sherwood

Did You Know? There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet. Vowels: A, E, I, O, U Consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, W

Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee.

Ancient Hawaiians believed that the heavier a woman, the more beautiful she was

Under-sea volcanoes that erupted thousands of years ago formed the islands of Hawaii

Hawaii is growing larger! Because of its continuous volcanic eruptions, Hawaii is the only state in the nation to have an increasing land area.

Hawaii is home to the “Happy Face Spider,” (Theridion grallator) whose abdomen bears a one-of-a-kind pattern resembling a smiling face.

Surfer’s Famous Last WordS1. Let’s see who can hold their breath the longest… 2. What’s the worst that can happen?3. Relax—those rocks are a long ways away.4. Don’t worry—that’s just a dolphin.5. Hey, watch this!

How to Make Your Own Leis1. Collect about 50 medium sized flowers like roses, daisies, or carnations.

2. Cut a piece of string 50 inches long. This allows for a 40-inch lei with 5 inches at each end for tying together when you are finished.

3. Tie a big sturdy knot about 5 inches from one end of the string. Make sure the knot is strong otherwise the flowers may fall off.

4. Thread the eye of your needle with the other end of the string. You will need a big needle.

5. Go through the center of the face of the flower straight through to the back. Carefully guide the flowers to the base of the string near the knot.

6. When the strung flowers reach 40 inches long, tie the ends of the string together.

Life means growth. Luke 2:52 says, “Jesus grew in wis-dom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” To experience a full life, we must grow. At Hope, Growth Groups provide us with that opportunity. From eating good food and meeting new people to growing in your faith with other like-minded Christ followers, Growth Groups are a great way to plug in at Hope. This spring semester, we had over 400 men and women sign up for Growth Groups, discussing various topics ranging from parenting to finances to the worldviews in mov-ies. As part of a Growth Group, men and women have a chance to encourage other members of their group to grow spiritually as well as receive encouragement for themselves.

In congruence with Heart Attitude #5, “Participate In the Ministry of the Church,” Growth Groups provide a chance for members of the congregation to serve to-gether through opportunities like Serve on Sunday and Mission Project Day. Julie Keller has been partici-pating in Growth Groups since January 2013 and this year experienced Mission Project Day from a different perspective: the perspective of her camera lens.

Julie was the photographer for her group while they handed out water and cleaned up at a local dog park. “It was a really nice change of pace to get out of the group house we had been meeting at and get out-side and do something out of our comfort level,” she said. “My favorite part was capturing the looks on my friends’ faces as they saw that they were making a dif-ference for someone else.”

Jesus grew in wisdom and

stature, and in favor with God

and man.” Luke 2:52

Growing As A Group By Kayla Holiday

Isaac and Megan McAdams—who have been a part of Growth Groups for the past year and a half—had the opportunity to plant flowers at the Gladney Center for Adoption. “When we were done,” said Megan, “It

was amazing to stand back and look at how beautiful all the flow-ers were and know that we got to help brighten the lives of the families who will visit there.

Colin Sanor has been participating in Growth Groups since they started back in

2010. Over the years, he has had the chance to serve by hosting a Growth Group in his home. “My wife Les-lie and I prayed about hosting a Growth Group in our home a few years ago, because we felt that it would be a way that we could serve other people at Hope,” Col-in stated. “It energizes our family as we get our home ready for guests each week. It is also very encouraging to see the growth group members take their next steps with Jesus in our home.”

Growth Groups are also a great way to connect with others and meet new people. For Julie, this is the thing she most looks forward to when joining a new

Growth Group. “I love seeing familiar faces as well as meeting new people. It always surprises me how much in common I have with the people I end up with in group each semester.”

Growth Groups are also a great way to connect with others and meet new people.

“The men in my Growth Group regularly encourage me to refocus on what is important in life,” said Colin. He also enjoys participating in MeetUps throughout the week. “The MeetUps for men are great because they usually involve eating, which is a favorite hobby of mine,” he explained. “There is also something to do like watching a movie, sports or attending a special event.”

Similarly, Isaac and Megan enjoy getting to meet new people with whom they can relate and be open. “It is so refreshing to know that there are other families out there who are going through the same things we are going through now or have gone through,” explained Megan. “The other members’ openness and willing-ness to share their personal stories helps show us how God works through our lives to bring us closer to peo-ple who can encourage us.”

At the end of each semester, Growth Groups provide an opportunity for setting personal goals for growth, called Next Steps, which look different for everyone. Isaac and Megan, who were a part of a parenting Growth Group this semester, are focusing on applying what they learned in their group and raising their chil-dren in a godly way.

For Colin, life’s responsibilities can sometimes get in the way of his relationship with his family and with Je-sus. Being a part of a Growth Group has helped him to avoid distractors that take his focus off what is import-ant. His next step is to continue working through that struggle.

Julie is eager to start up again next semester. “My next step is to get right back into a new Growth Group as soon as they open again!”

The MeetUps for men are great because they usually involve eating, which is a favorite hobby of mine.

Whether you are new around Hope or have been attending for years, Growth Groups are a great way to connect with people who have gone through similar things as you. No matter where you are at in your life, Growth Groups provide a source of encouragement to grow in your faith. Growth Group sign ups for the fall semester will start this September, so be sure to keep an eye out!

Summer Groups Can’t wait for Growth Groups to start back up again this fall? Join a summer group! Summer groups meet once a week and often re-volve around a fun activity, such as a sport or craft. Meet up with other members of the congregation with similar interests, discuss the week’s sermon and enjoy each other’s company. Summer groups don’t have a covenant, so you can come and go throughout the summer as your schedule allows. This summer, you can choose to join a group that is simply discussion or one that involves an activity as well. You can check out a list of summer groups and sign up at hopechurch.com/groups.

Favorite Growth Group Foods

“One of my favorite desserts to make at home is fruit pizza, and I wanted to share that with my group. I had the idea to bring individual sugar cookies instead with the icing and fruit separate. Our group had fun eating different combinations of the cookies iced, not iced, with and without fruit toppings.” – Libby Coker

“I had a Growth Group once where everyone liked to bake, so every week some new and delicious home-made treat was brought. I stopped eating dinner before going so I would have room to eat.” – Elise Plaskonos

“This semester, Carla Johnson did a Mardi Gras snack theme when it was her turn to bring snacks. It was amazing! We had cupcakes and popcorn, veggies, and little king cakes…. There were purple, gold and green sparkly decorations everywhere!” – Carol Hof-ford

“The food at our Growth Group was good all year, but the highlight was praline bacon. It was the only pos-sible thing that could make bacon better than bacon.” –Josh Simmons

At Ginger Brown’s you can expect to leave with a full tummy, a satisfied palate... and possibly clogged arteries. Some famous menu items to try:

The Texas Triple (Biscuits and gravy topped with cheese, your choice of bacon or sausage, cheese, scrambled eggs and hash browns)

The. Cinnamon. Rolls. (You also can have them make French toast out of the cinnamon roll dough.) To get free cinnamon roll from Ginger Brown’s, simply text the word GBROLL to 313131.

One little-known breakfast/lunch spot in Fort Worth is a place called the Montgomery St Cafe. Located on Montgomery St about half a mile north of I-30; this is a classic hole-in-the-wall (Seriously, look hard, or you’ll drive right by it). The food is excellent, and it’s very inexpensive, making it a great place for a family breakfast!

WORTH IT By Stephen Hayworth | Photos by Jordan Funderburk

GOOD EATSGinger Browns

Montgomery St. Cafe

There are lots of fun things to do downtown! If you have young kids, the new splash pad near Sundance Square is a great place to hang out for an hour or so. There’s a live music stage that creates a great atmosphere and some fun water attractions for the kids to play in!

“I think the Fort Worth Water Gardens are a great place to go when visiting or living in Fort Worth! After living in Fort Worth my entire life, I recently visited for the first time and really enjoyed it! I found it to be a relaxing, fun and unique place to go, and, best of all, it’s free! The structures at the water gardens are so unique and nearly impossible to not take pictures of and with – a great place to go with your friends!” - Cassidy C, Hope member and photographer

If you’d like a more relaxing night out, Levitt Pavilion in Arlington regularly does free outdoor concerts. Take the family and experience a peaceful concert under the stars!

Every Monday night Main Event is offering unlimited bowling, pool and laser tag for just $10! So if you’re looking for an inexpensive date night option, Main Event is definitely a place worth investigating. Warning: Effort required. For a group date; a photo scavenger hunt downtown can be a lot of fun! Steps for success: 1. Come up with a theme (optional, but helpful). 2. Find places downtown that fit the theme. (If you’re doing this at night, make sure it’s in a well-lit area). 3. Give each couple a list of the requirements for each photo.4. Have fun!

According to professional photographer and longtime Hope member Jon Holiday, there’s nothing quite like the Fort Worth Cattle Drive. Every day of the year (except Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas) there is a twice-dai-ly short cattle drive down at the Stockyards. “It’s an expe-rience that’s hard to convey with words,” Jon says. “People I’ve taken there to see it are genuinely surprised by how much they enjoy it.” Might be something worth checking out! (And don’t forget the camera!) If you have kids, NRH2O is a great place to go this sum-mer! With a lazy river, a wave pool, and a multitude of wa-ter slides (including the crown jewel: The Green Extreme), NRH2O is a great way to have some fun in the sun!

If you’re looking for something fun to do with friends, a Rangers or Fort Worth Cats game can make for a really fun evening!

DATE NIGHTS

ACTIVITIES

Main Event

Scavenger Hunt

Downtown

Levitt PavilionBaseball

Nrh2O

Stockyards

Whether it’s catching a ball game, firing up the grill or letting white legs peek out from swim trunks, when the days grow longer and the temperatures turn up, our attention often turns to more leisurely pursuits. Take a look at how God has used hobbies in the lives of a number of Hope men. Family Links – Rann Coker Rann Coker’s dad introduced him to golf a while back, but it was later in life that he really took an interest in the game. For Rann, there’s an appeal to the challenge of learning and practicing. But what has made the pursuit most enjoyable is the opportunity to connect with his son Calvrann, who has also taken to the sport. “My son has influenced the level of enjoyment. It’s something we share and experience together, and it’s a real joy to see him excel!” Community on Two Wheels - Randall Robinson For Randall Robinson, riding bikes is about far more than getting from one place to another. Cycling has become an opportunity to build friendships and to be pushed to conquer new challenges. “Saddle time,” says Randall, “…is the time on the ride when you are able to talk about life and spend good time working hard with someone to accomplish that goal.” The goal of tackling new accomplishments in time and terrain helps fuel the discipline that is so important for cycling. “It takes discipline to put on the gear and ride on a regular basis. Discipline in one area of life helps discipline in other areas.” A Picture of Service - Phil Sherwood Hobbies are generally defined as an activity that holds no value to anyone but the person who engages in them. This may be true sometimes, but for Phil Sherwood part of the enjoyment of photography and videography is the joy it brings to others. His childhood love of taking pictures and making stop motion movies has grown along with his talent. “I enjoy

giving other people joy either through a nice photo of them or their loved ones, or through just a beautiful picture of something. I also really love to make people laugh through videos.” Frolf and Faith - Aaron Bernardez Disc golf. Frisbee golf. Frolf! Whatever name you use, God has woven the game into the fabric of Aaron Bernardez’s walk with Him. Friends in college turned him on to the game, and his enjoyment and skill grew quickly. Later, it became a common interest with a new friend who introduced him to Jesus. Aaron put his trust in the Lord, and now his proficiency in disc golf gives him instant credibility with other players: “Because I have so much experience in disc golf, I can become a great influence in others players’ experience and share the Gospel with them.” Growing as a Grease Monkey - Camrann Coker When Camrann Coker received a Mazda RX-7 as his first car, the fact that it needed a lot of work only added to his excitement for the gift. “I was always intrigued by mechanical things and vehicles, so I was eager to dive in and learn about how it worked and how I could fix it.” Ten years, many tools and lots of experience later, working on cars has become much more than a good way to save some money. “There is a certain sort of satisfaction when hours of hard work and thinking produce that desired result of something starting or functioning the way it’s supposed to.” Beyond this satisfaction, God has used problems and potential frustrations to turn Camrann’s attention beyond cars. “I have also seen that even in small things it has grown my faith when God shows up in unexpected ways.”

Men. Summer. Hobbies. by Christian Will iams

God instructs us to do all things for his glory (1 Cor. 10:31). Your recreation is an opportunity to trust and enjoy the Lord. So this summer faithfully handle your responsibilities, and then take some time to enjoy an old hobby or take up a new one.

Shattering “the Normal” by Outrageous Giving By Mark Mair

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger bringing good news…proclaiming good times, announcing salvation…!”

Isaiah 52:7 The Message

For the 2013 Christmas offering, 190 families freely gave $154,861 by making 346 gifts over a 13-week period. Hope Church families, members and volunteers therefore contributed in bringing the good news of Jesus Christ and announcing salvation through a variety of ministries. As Executive Pastor Matt Sturdevant stated, “It was amazing to see what God can do through us as we band together and contribute toward a far greater financial goal than we ever had before. Lots of people saw the need and sacrificially gave. These were mostly small sacrifices that added up over time. Even the children contributed. It was great to see that.”

Prior to the initiation of the Christmas Offering in 2010, Hope Church gave to Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian international relief organization. The leadership, however, felt that God was moving the ministry focus of the church in a different direction. “We wanted to support local missions outreach, student missions and other mission efforts that have a proven track record and are connected with the Hope Network,” said Matt. After prayer and consideration, the leaders set the initial missions of-fering goal at $55,000. They were pleasantly surprised when over $70,000 was given that year. Every year since, the offering goal has been generously exceeded. The 2014 goal of $150,000, however, seemed monumental. But, once again, God’s people exceeded that giving goal!

When asked about how they chose local ministries for the Christmas offering, Matt said the Union Gospel Mission made sense for Hope Church. “They are just down the street from us. We have seen them help many people by providing love and a new beginning.” In addition, Christmas offering funds were sent to the Tarrant Area Food Bank and the Fort Worth Pregnancy Center. The Tarrant Area Food Bank helps feed North Texans in need. The Fort Worth Pregnancy Center provides pregnancy testing, ultrasound, classes and support for those who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy.

Hope Church actively supports internationalministries including the work of Themshang Sharik in Northeast India. “Themshang has been a part of Hope, and we fully appreciate the work he is doing,” said Matt. Hope also supports the Connexxion international college ministry. Last November, the Hope Global Network had the largest joint mission trip of this level as 21 people in the Antioch Project shared the Gospel and provided decorations, speakers and a worship band for a retreat for German students. In addition to these efforts, Hope Church supports the work of John and Diane Worcester, who have planted many churches. Last July Hope sent a mission team, led by Christian Williams, to assist John and Diane with their church plant, Fellowship Streetsville, by passing out 10,000 door hangers, placing signs, organizing and staffing block parties and providing the worship team and kids ministry for the preview service.

Once while driving in a desert, I watched as a herd of sheep stumbled across the road - a timeless im-age! The animals would have been lost without their shepherd. In John chapter 10, Jesus teaches of the Good Shepherd who calls His sheep, mean-ing you and me, by name, and His sheep know His voice. Isn’t this what we seek as Christ followers - to know His voice?Finding time daily to hear God’s voice seems al-most impossible in our busy lives. What if we could set aside just 7 minutes? Here is a simple plan pre-pared by Robert Foster of the Navigators that takes only a 7 minute commitment, best just after arising in the morning, before the distractions of the day

4 Minutes: Listening to God (Scripture Reading)• Take the next four minutes to read the Bible. • Listen for Him as you read the Scriptures.2½ Minutes: Talking to God (Prayer)• After God has spoken through His Book, then

speak to Him in prayer. • Use the ACTS acronym as a guide in prayer.

7 Minute Breakthrough

½ Minute: Preparing Your Heart• You might pray, “Lord, cleanse my heart so You

can speak to me through the Scriptures. Make my mind alert, my soul active, and my heart responsive. Surround me with Your presence during this time.”

A – Adoration This is all for God. Tell the Lord that you love Him. Reflect on His greatness.

C – Confession You ask that every sin be cleansed and forsaken. “Confession” comes from a root word meaning “to agree together with.” In prayer, it means we agree with God’s estimation of what we’ve done.

T – Thanksgiving Think of several specific things for which to thank Him: family, church, business—even thank Him for hardships.

S – Supplication This means to “ask for, earnestly and humbly.” Ask for others, then ask for yourself.

Adapted from 7 Minutes With God by Robert Foster, www.navigators.org

7 Minute Plan

To begin or renew a closer walk with God, start with just 7 minutes for a daily quiet time in the morning before your day begins. If daily proves too challenging, consider starting with five days per week. This Bible reading guide with one chap-ter per day may be helpful in your quiet time over the summer:

WeekDay 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 1 6 11 16 21 5 10 15 20 25

2 2 7 12 17 1 6 11 16 21 26

3 3 8 13 18 2 7 12 17 22 27

4 4 9 14 19 3 8 13 18 23 28

5 5 10 15 20 4 9 14 19 24

Next Step

ACTS Prayer Acronym

John Acts

Core ClassesAt Hope, we use the 101 – 401 Discovery Classes to give our people a common, basic fund of knowledge so that we can work together more easily and fully.

Each of the classes ends with an opportunity to make a basic commitment (covenant) to act upon what you have learned. We recognize that people become what they are committed to. At Hope, covenants provide a basis for common commitments, and further training is based on prior commitment.

Click here for more information on any of these classes.

Discovering Spiritual Maturity

Discovering My Mission

Discovering My S.H.A.P.E.

Learn the key practices that you can build into your life that will help you grow and flourish in your walk with God.

Discover how God has shaped your Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experi-ences to enable you to minister to others.

Get ideas for increasing your outreach poten-tial and learn how to be involved in the global mission.

WHAT is it?

Antioch Project is a five year intentional ministry training program of-fered by Hope Global Network for men and women who believe God is calling them to vocational ministry or key lay leadership roles.

Click here to read more about what’s involved in the program, testimonies from students, and how you can get more information on whether the Antioch Project is right for you.

FLDC operates on these key assumptions:

The Bible is true.There is nothing the Bible does not address for living rightly.People change, grow, and solve problems best in the context of relationship.No one person is ever the only help a person needs.People have to learn how to solve their own problems.

For info on classes or mentoring, click here

FLDCThe Family Life Development Center (FLDC) is a mentoring program created to help members of Hope Church develop a Biblical perspective about life and implement Biblical principles for solving problems.

Summer Growth Groups: Box Office Wisdom

Join a summer group and dive deeper into the ser-mon series: Box Office Wisdom. We’ll review films with action, adventure, laughs, and more!

Join us as we go beyond the themes of this summer’s movies to see how life really works.

Summer groups are a relaxed and fun way to get to know some people and broaden your understanding of the message. Summer groups meet weekly.

Sign up for a Summer Group!