"That was a really nice night!"

Last Friday we had the privilege of hosting a Christmas party for the kids from the Youth Life Learning Center in Highland Park, and what an evening we had!

Thanks to a great group of volunteers, they were treated to a wonderful ham dinner in the festively decorated MP room. We played some games like Build a Snowman and Reindeer Races. Chris led us all in some carols and the YL kids treated us to a joyfully sung "Joy to the World".

The generosity of her fellow co-workers enabled Shirley Hayes to host a Holiday Shop for the kids where they bought presents for family members using the reward bucks they had earned in the Learning Center.

But the highlight was seeing their huge smiles as the received the presents that many of you gave through the Christmas Angel tree. Thanks to all of you again!

I can't put into the right words what the evening meant to them so I'm going to include the words of one of their staff and one of the children.

"I just wanted to thank everyone involved with the Youth Life Christmas party. You guys did everything, from the food, to the store, to the games and carols in a way that brought so much honor to God. The love of God and Jesus' servant heart was evident in you all. Mere words cannot express how blessed we were by our evening with you.

One of the saddest things we see in working with these kids is that their childlike innocence is lost to the circumstances of life and having to assume adult responsibilities. It was so wonderful to see them just be children---playing games, laughing, singing, and grinning the widest grins I've ever seen as they came up to collect their presents.

These kids often have a very cynical attitude towards things. It takes a lot to impress them. I sat with Keondre on the way home. We talked about the happenings of the evening. There was a lull in the conversation when he sweetly broke the silence to say, "That was really a nice night". He said it as one who was truly satisfied in his soul, and I could tell by his tone that that night was going to be a memory treasured in his heart forever. Boy, you can't put a price on that!

Thank you all for pouring out such a blessing that our hearts (not to mention our bus) could hardly contain it.

I pray God continues to bless you individually and corporately with His presence, His provision, and His purpose being fulfilled in you."

Joy to the World!!

Welcome to the WI blog and Hope to the DR!

Welcome to the World Impact blog!

Thank you for taking a few minutes to read our blog! We hope for this to be a main thoroughfare of information and inspiration for involvement in impacting our world. If you want to keep up with all that's happening with Hope World Impact, make sure you sign up to follow the blog. As a follower, you will get an email message whenever the blog is updated. Then you can read the blog at your convenience.

You will find links to different mission efforts both here in our own metro Richmond area, and abroad. Check them out to learn more about what God is doing in the world. Maybe He would like you to join Him in that work. Comments are welcome, as are suggestions.

This Christmas season at Hope you will see many opportunities to share blessings with others. Many have already brought filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child and children all over the world will be blessed by your gifts! Remember to pray for that child, whoever he or she may be, in the coming month.

There is also a shoe drive in December in correlation with the sermon series. Gently used shoes will be collected and sent to Soles4Souls where they will be sent to the needy in the US and abroad. So those shoes you bought for your son for that wedding that he only wore once, and very grudgingly, can now have a grateful new owner!

We are also hosting a Christmas party for the children from the Youth Life Foundation Learning Center in Highland Park, on Friday, Dec. 19. If you're curious to know about them, click on their link on the right.


And make sure you greet Chris and Leah who are home for a few weeks to introduce their new son, Bennett to family and friends in the US. They are working to reach the artist community in the capital city of a Southeast Asian country. If you want to know more, I can't tell you here, but you can ask them. They'd love to tell you more! Chris and Leah and family will be at Hope in late December.

There's something for everyone this holiday season.... so let's share the joy!


Hope to the Dominican Republic

Each year Thanksgiving rolls quietly up to my home and gently reminds me of all that God has provided for me over the past year. Squeezed in between the sugar rush of Halloween and the hectic days of Christmas, Thanksgiving has become for me a quiet time for my family to get together, EAT, and catch up on kids, jobs, and who we are becoming as children of God.

This year, for a handful of youth from Hope and a few parents, Thanksgiving became even more meaningful this year. For 7 days, they gave up family time, turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, (and pumpkin pie!) to travel to the small town of Hato Mayor in eastern Dominican Republic. Hope Church has been sending teams there almost since our beginning as a church, and these kids joined the list of those whose lives have been changed in one short week.

Their time was divided between building a home in a poverty stricken neighborhood outside the city, welcoming neighborhood children to a VBS, visiting homes with gifts of food and prayer, and painting the new building for Shalom Church (our hosts).

This list reveals what they DID, but much was also gained that we may never see with our eyes. When asked what they came away with from week, the 13-18 year-olds gave these answers:

• We need to trust God more.
• We need to listen for Him more to understand His will for us.
• We need to give him the opportunity to work in our lives; he can’t work if we’re always trying to control things.
• Things do not equal happiness.
• Relationship and fellowship is important.
• We can better prepare ourselves for worship.
• We all can give more of ourselves to the Lord so He can work through us.

Pretty deep stuff, huh? Check out the slideshow below to see some pictures of the trip.

If this has piqued your interest and you'd like information about an upcoming trip to the DR (June 20-27), Hungary or Asia, drop me a line! I'd love to hear from you!

Who and what is World Impact?

Our Purpose is to bring Christ’s reconciliation with God the Father to our neighbors in the greater Richmond area and to the world.

Read what Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (2 Cor. 5:17-20)

Our vision is fourfold:
1) to invite all to share in the hope of Christ.
2) to proclaim Christ and help the weary and burdened in Richmond
3) to proclaim Christ and help the needy in Goochland Co.,
4) to proclaim Christ and advance His kingdom in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Dominican Republic.

Paul wrote to the Colossian church about his ministry:
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. (Col. 1:28-29)


3 Year Plan 2009-2011

The World Impact Team has set what we feel are reachable goals for Hope Church over the next 3 years, 2009-2011. Using our human, spiritual and financial resources, we can make a greater impact on the world for the Kingdom of God. This document outlines our goals in three major areas: Richmond metro, the World, and the Hope community. If you'd like to view those goals, just click on the link to the right...World Impact 3 Year Plan.

The World Impact team is made up of anyone who desires to be involved more deeply in helping Hope Church accomplish our purpose and vision. Nancy Friesen is the leader of the team. If you're interested please in becoming more involved, send us an email.