(click here to download large logo for your own publicity)
What is Hope08?
National church leaders from all denominations have begun to imagine what it might be like for the ‘whole church’ to bring this message of hope to the ‘whole nation for the whole year.’ Under the banner of ‘Hope 08,’ thousands of churches across the UK are gearing up for a year of focussed mission. It is potentially the most coordinated, united outreach initiative this nation has ever seen.
Here in Watford church leaders have responded enthusiastically to Hope 08, and have begun making plans to express Christian hope in fresh ways through a wide range of projects.
Gemma Foster, the coordinator of Hope 08 in Watford, is excited about the year ahead. She told me recently, “We have the potential to build on our unity as Christians across Watford and touch the lives of thousands of people in 2008. Whether it’s through an individual act of kindness, or a major public event, we can work together to bring hope to the hopeless in our town.”
Some of the plans in the pipeline are:
- Monthly prayer through ‘Second Sunday’ to support the year’s initiative
- Town-wide Hope In Schools project in secondary schools
- ‘Give Blood at Easter’ project during Holy Week
- ‘High Hopes’ Exhibition during Holy Week about Christianity and local churches in the Harlequin Centre gallery
- ‘The Noise’ weekend (2-5 May) of local churches offering practical help to their neighbours
- As part of ‘The Noise’ weekend a ‘May Day Monster Picnic’ at Cassiobury Park
- Evangelist and comedian Mark Ritchie performing at the Palace Theatre with is one-man show, ‘A Tale of Three Journeys’
- Potential Alpha celebration supper
- Christmas hamper project called ‘Operation Rudolph,’ delivering 1,000 hampers to
- Watford’s most needy homes
- Every church and Christian agency to carry the ‘Hope’ logo and banner on stationery, buildings and other materials, to express unity and spread the message of hope.
Unprecedented support from a vast range of Christian denominations, charities and agencies, the Police, government departments and a growing number of Churches Together groups across the country should inspire us all to get involved.
It is time, as followers of Christ, to invest fresh effort and creativity into bringing hope to the people in our lives. As Joel Edwards said recently, imagine what could happen if the Church was no longer about ‘1 million pointing fingers, but 2 million open hands.’
Ready to play your part? I hope so.
Hope 09 Contacts.
Ministers Breakfasts: Chris Cottee: chris.cottee1@ntlworld.com
Second Sunday Prayer Events: Chris Cottee: chris.cottee1@ntlworld.com
Monster Picnic Meetings: Gemma Foster: gfoster@soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk
Noise Weekend: Gemma Foster: gfoster@soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk
Prayer For Watford: prayer@christiansacrosswatford.org
Bandstand Service in Town Centre: Tim Roberts: tim@watfordcommunitychurch.org
Operation Rudolph: Chris Cottee: chris.cottee1@ntlworld.com
Adoramus, The Colisseum: Dave Middlebrook
Christmas Wrap: Watford Town Centre Chaplaincy