iHOPE

Why I Like This Picture

This was taken yesterday at the 9:00 service as we installed Dave Arnett as Elder. I love community of Elders and Deacons surrounding Dave as they ask, and he answers, the questions. I love that the backdrop is the 'set' for Vacation Bible School that begins today. One of the vows of Elders is to provide for the 'worship, nurture and fellowship' of the church. Here is one tangible example of that happening.  I also like that if you look in the upper left corner, you'll see the picture we used to introduce this segment- a picture depicting an ordination of Elders almost 200 years ago in the Church of Scotland. It reminds us that we are linked to those who have come before us.  Much has changed (they are all male, older, and would never dream of having a VBS in the sanctuary!) but it is the same Lord, and we are guided by the same Spirit.

  It looks like a picture of a single event in a partcular church, but even more, it is a picture of the Spirit at work: Past, Present & Future.

The Best Service of the Year

  Tomorrow's worship services (9:00  & 10:45) are being led by the participants of the Mission Trip. They arrive at New Hope this evening and then come back in the morning to share how they have experienced God's presence and leading this past week.

  This is not the most polished service, but I have lost count of the number of people who have told me over the years, 'This is the best service of the year!'

  I know what they mean. The energy, vitality, insight and wisdom that is shared on these weeks is wonderful. The best way to experience a Mission Trip is to go and be a part of one. The next best thing is to get close to those who have just come back. I hope you get that opportunity tomorrow.

PACKING UP - It was hard getting up this morning - 5 days on the floor takes a toll on these older bones. Yet, we are all up, packing, cleaning and getting ready to head home. Keep praying for safety on our travels!
Looking forward to sharing our time in worship on Sunday - Hope we'll see you there. Services are at 9:00 & 10:45!

LAST DAY!
Wow, we had a powerful last day in the city. Groups served at Laguna Honda Hospital with elderly residents (We went to an amazing mansion and garden on a field trip!!), Medshare, St. Vincent's Day Home, Project Open Hand and much more. We had our first traffic accident - a minor fender bender at 5 mph so no injuries and minor bumper scrapes.
A few groups ended the week by walking the Golden Gate Bridge and praying about all the people and ministries we had seen this week. The city can sometimes be a scary and dark place, and yet we see "light" - God's light shining into dark places.
I was reminded often this week of John 1 where it talks about the light shining in the darkness and the darkness can not overcome it. Praise God for continuing to shine!

Hello friends- Another great day in the Bay Area. Here are a few highlights from our day.
We had groups that served over 1000 meals at a soup kitchen, sorted over 12000 pounds of produce, made sandwiches to pass out to hungry people on the streets, meals were delivered to homebound seniors and people living with AIDS, toys were sorted for distribution at a Salvation Army service center, lives were challenged to consider what they believe and why! That is only a taste of our days.
Among it all we are seeing God in expected and unexpected places. Pray our eyes will grow more adept at seeing God at work in us and through us and to us.

What were the first videos you remember seeing on MTV?

Here is the video from Coit Tower

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=451197157176&ref=mf

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What were the first videos you remember seeing on MTV?

Hey friends-All is well in the Bay Area! We had a safe and uneventful trek across CO, WY, UT, NV and into CA to make it right on time Sunday night in Oakland.
Sunday night was spent doing a prayer tour around the city of San Francisco - It was powerful to drive around the different neighborhoods while our City Hosts from The Center for Student Missions shared startling statistics about life in the city. Did you know San Francisco has the largest population of homeless people of any city in the US? Did you know currentl the average age of a homeless person is 9?!?
One part of the prayer tour was spent looking over the city at dusk from Coit Tower. Hopefully my video post of that moment will work and you can see for yourself what it was like.
Today our group split into 5 Serving Teams. I won't go into all the details but todays service includded a preschool for low income working families, wandering through city blocks asking questions about the state of affairs in SF and feeding 10 people on $20. A trip across the Golden Gate Bridge and more.
The picture is from the beginning of our prayer tour Sunday night in Civic Center Park - The building in the background is City Hall.
Keep praying for the team - we are doing well. Although some are beginning to shake their fingers. They don't know what to do without a cell phone and the ability to text a friend.
Until tomorrow!

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Welcome, Nick Rossi!

 
I want to welcome Nick Rossi to the staff of New Hope Presbyterian Church! I would say 'introduce' but many people in our congregation already know or have worked with Nick in the past.   Nick is going to be our Interim Director of Music & Worship.

Interim? What does that mean?

Team Zimbabwe at the Elephant Rock Ride

  The Elephant Rock Ride in Castle Rock is largest cycling event in Colorado. This year, there were more than 7,500 participants. It was also the debut of 'Team Zimbabwe'!  

  Team Zimbabwe was composed from members of the churches that comprise the Zimbabwe Mission Partnership (ZMP). There were 46 riders and altogether they raised more than $16,000 for the orphans in Zimbabwe!  Wow!

  They also managed to put together a pretty cool video of the day.  Check it out:

    Deanna Heyn is the chair of the ZMP and she is the one who forwarded it.  Here is part of what she said:

And They're Off!

   It was a damp and dreary morning, but you wouldn't have known that if you were here to see our students off on the 2010 Mission Trip!  The energy and the expectations were high as 50 participants (youth and sponsors) packed into vans and headed towards San Francisco for a week of working with the poor in the Bay Area.  

  Destination for today:  Elko, NV!

  Check here daily for updates- and maybe even some pictures!