Closer in 2025

by | Jan 22, 2026 | Gratitiude, Life and Faith, Recap

In 2025, Hope Church focused on drawing closer to God, and we saw that show up across every part of church life. It was a year of steady growth—people meeting Jesus in real ways, taking meaningful steps of faith, and growing deeper in their walk with Him.

Prayer remained central to the life of the church. Through 15 individual prayer room sessions, the launch of bi-weekly intercession prayer, and the formation of altar prayer teams, people encountered the Holy Spirit in personal and powerful ways. Prayer became woven into the rhythm of the church, with many impacted through altar ministry and prayer moments during gatherings.

Discipleship helped people grow closer to God through both intentional pathways and shared experiences. Two Bible study home groups met consistently throughout the year, creating space for Scripture, prayer, and authentic community. In the spring, the Following Jesus and Hearing from God classes helped people grow in spiritual formation, obedience, and confidence in hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

To celebrate the resurrection season, Hope Church hosted its annual Passover Seder with 78 participants and held in-home Maundy Thursday Gather & Remember dinners with almost 40 participants. Our Good Friday service created space for the church family to remember, reflect, and respond to the work of Christ together.

Worship played a significant role throughout the year, with 12 Pursuit Worship Nights drawing people into extended times of prayer and praise, and Christmas at Hope welcoming over 100 people to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Hope Kids continued to be a place where faith was planted and nurtured. In 2025, there were 930 kids check-ins, with weekly volunteers faithfully serving and helping introduce 40+ kids to Jesus. Babies who once cried now eagerly attend, elementary kids were walked through the full story of the Bible, classrooms and structures were refreshed, and kids grew in confidence, joy, and community. Even more encouraging, graduates returned to serve, showing that Hope Kids is actively forming future leaders.

Student Ministry experienced a hopeful season of transition and growth. 2025 marked the first year under new leadership with a new Youth Director, bringing renewed vision, trust, and relational depth. Students built stronger community, experienced spiritual growth, and responded in faith, with 2 students baptized as a public declaration of their commitment to Jesus alongside their church family. Additionally, 11 students attended summer camp, where 2 students felt a call to pursue ministry in their future, marking an exciting step in spiritual discernment and leadership development.

Young Adults continued to grow in consistency and depth. With 20+ gatherings, verse-by-verse study through the book of Luke, conference participation, and intentional leadership development, young adults grew in faith and connection. 2 young adults were baptized, celebrating lives transformed and faith declared publicly.

Across the whole church, 8 baptisms were celebrated—2 kids, 2 students, 2 young adults, and 2 adults—each one a powerful moment of obedience, joy, and public declaration of faith in Jesus with their church family.

Outreach remained a vital expression of the gospel. With a new Outreach Director joining the team, Hope Church gave 360 pounds of food to local ministries, hosted 4 blood drives resulting in 157 donations, and continued to partner with and support local ministries, including The HOPE Center and Encompass Ministries. The church also faithfully supported missionaries serving in Honduras, Malawi, and Uganda, investing in the work God is doing both locally and globally. Partnerships such as Casa de Verdad continued to be encouraged and supported as God moved in those communities.

Social Media expanded its reach with the addition of a new Social Media Director, creating a more consistent Facebook presence, increasing Instagram engagement, and launching initiatives like Ministry Spotlight Mondays, helping share stories of what God is doing through Hope Church.

Volunteers made everything possible. In 2025, 2,203 volunteer positions were filled, supporting 602 calendar events and enabling 1,142 donations. Worship gatherings remained consistent across 52 Sunday services, including one special Church at the Lake Day. Every act of service, every hour given, every prayer offered—this was God at work through YOU. Each of you has been part of what God is doing in and through this church, and it is because of your faithfulness that we could see lives transformed, faith grow, and community thrive.

As we step into 2026 with the focus of More, we do so with gratitude, excitement, and expectation. God has already shown us what He can do when His people step up in obedience, and now He is calling Hope Church to help MORE people get closer to Him than ever before. Let’s trust Him, serve Him, and celebrate together as we move into this next season!

Shepherds –  The Gift of Presence

by | Dec 15, 2023 | Christmas, What gift will you bring?

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,  but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. Luke 2:8-20 NLT

Let’s set the scene here – Mary just gave birth to her first child in a very very rustic, unfamiliar place. She and Joseph are probably dazed, Mary’s in some pain, and Joseph is cleaning stuff up. They aren’t surrounded by family to celebrate with them. They made this trek alone. The reality of all they’ve had to deal with for the past nine months is hitting them hard. Probably some tears, some wonder, some awe, maybe even a few really human moments of “Can you believe this is happening?” Just the two of them.  

Then some shepherds show up, with crazy eyes, running from their fields, and they share what the angels told them. Other witnesses to God’s great plan; it’s happening, and it’s bringing joy to all people! The Savior, the Messiah, has been born! Imagine what that meant to Joseph and Mary’s hearts. The encouragement that came from their presence and proclamation of the good news!  

How did they bring such joy and astonishment to Joseph Mary and anyone else who would hear?  

The shepherds gave three gifts: 

  1. They gave the gift of their presence. If you notice in the above passage, the angels didn’t tell the shepherds to go. They simply decide to go (they are the originator of the saying, “Let’s go!!”). They showed up for Joseph and Mary’s biggest moment of their lives with excitement and celebrated with them!
  2. They gave the gift of good news by sharing with everyone they saw what they SAW and HEARD. It’s like they couldn’t keep this incredible experience to themselves. They shared the details—what they saw and heard—with anyone who would listen. The hills probably echoed with the tale of the heavenly encounter.
  3. They gave God the gift of praise. They celebrate with the Creator of the universe and rescuer of humanity that HIS PLAN was happening. They joined in, not just as witnesses but as participants, praising the Creator of the universe.

What gift do you bring?

For each of us this Christmas season, let’s take a cue from the shepherds. Take time to celebrate with God the fulfillment of His plan of rescue! Let’s praise the Creator of all and the Rescuer of humanity! And, inspired by those shepherds, let’s go a step further.

Let’s give the gift of our presence to those around us. Just as the shepherds showed up for Joseph and Mary, let’s show up for others in our lives. Be present in their biggest moments, share in their joys, and lend a supportive shoulder in their challenges. Sometimes, the simple act of being there can be the greatest gift.

In the midst of the festive chaos, let’s not forget the power of encouragement. Like the shepherds who brought excitement to a manger, let’s bring encouragement to those who need it. Your words and actions can be a source of light and hope, just like the dazzling radiance that surrounded those shepherds on that extraordinary night.

And as we celebrate this season, let’s share this good news with others. God loves humans and still rescues us from the messes of our lives! After all, the story of Christmas is not just a tale from the past; it’s an ongoing narrative that we continue to write with our own gifts of love and grace.