Welcome to HOPE News 1 - January 10th 2014

Roy Crowne, Director of HOPE, says: It is fantastic to be starting the year with so many churches making mission plans and looking for ways to bless our communities and point them to Jesus. As we launch into Hope14, let’s be praying this prayer for one another as we do more together in mission.

‘I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.’ Ephesians 1:18-19

Praying together
Thanks so much to all who are praying with us at Watchnight services, church and home group prayer events and by using HOPE’s Season of Prayer booklet which runs to the end of January. Prayers are posted daily on Twitter and our Facebook page as well as on our website calendar. If members of your congregation want to pray but don’t use email, please contact Flossie Crowne who will send you a monthly prayer calendar to print and pass on to them. This month, please pray that all church leaders who received HOPE – The Heartbeat of Mission in 2013 will catch the vision and start planning a rhythm of mission for 2014.

Join our Thunderclap
If you use Twitter please join our Thunderclap. Monday 20 January is seen by some as ‘Blue Monday’. Christmas festivities are over. Bills are coming in and pay-day is a week away. Let’s make some noise to counter the negatives and announce HOPE with the Tweet:
HOPE is here! Churches working together spreading the hope Jesus gives UK-wide in words and action #HOPE14 www.hopetogether.org.uk

Planning a rhythm of mission
HOPE wants to leave a lasting legacy of mission through the church calendar. Here are the seasonal mission opportunities in 2014 where HOPE is providing ideas and resources. The aim is for churches in each area to work together, with each church focusing on at least one aspect of Hope14 so together we can spread the hope Jesus gives through our communities.

Lent – HOPE is working with Try Praying to introduce people to the God who answers prayer.
Easter - Use ideas from HOPE for Easter to share faith during this key Christian festival.
The Big Weekender – 3-5 May 2014 is a focus for every youth group up and down the country to show Jesus’ love through actions and words. Find out more here.
Pentecost - Celebrate the birthday of the church with the Biggest Party Ever! Friday 30 May to Sunday 8 June.
Big Lunch – hold a neighbourhood Big Lunch on Sunday 1 June 2014 and get to know new people!
Summer festivals - Events held up and down the country have shown the success of social action and street evangelism together. Invite local people to a family fun day involving local businesses and strengthen community relationships. Find out more about Open Crowd Festivals here.
World War One Centenary Commemorations – HOPE’s Greater Love resources will help your church to serve your community at this key point in our nation’s history from 4 August 2014.
Harvest - HOPE for Harvest encourages churches to support members in the workplace as well as looking to the needs of others who have less and reaching out to them.
Remembrance - Services of Remembrance are a significant point connecting churches and their communities.
Christmas - Use the season creatively to offer God's special gift of hope to people in your community. HOPE’s Silent Night carol service resources will link the World War One Centenary Commemorations and Jesus’ sacrificial love.

HOPE 14 in the New Forest, Shropshire, Croydon …. And where you are
Churches in the New Forest are working with the local council to plan a weekend of community action and fun over the final weekend of May, then community commemorations to mark the centenary of the Great War later in the year. Click here to see what churches in Ludlow are planning as part of Shropshire HOPE. See what Croydon churches are doing here. Tell us what’s planned in your area?

New HOPE-Revolution website
A dynamic new youth-facing website has been launched by Hope Revolution so young people can upload videos to show how they are engaging with Hope14. Visit www.hoperev2014.com to watch the videos and send the link to young people in your church.

HOPE in the bleak mid-winter
Here’s how the BBC reported on churches in Swansea supporting rough-sleepers; 100 volunteers co-ordinated by six churches are involved in HOPE Swansea. When flooding is affecting so many parts of the country, rural churches are often the focal point for community action. Tell us how your church is serving your community.

Bible studies on hope
Canon Michael Cole broadcasts regularly on Premier Christian radio. He is giving a series of six Bible study talks on the theme of HOPE - to coincide with Hope14 - each Saturday at 6.30am with a repeat on the Sunday at 7.30pm, starting on January 26th and ending on March 2nd on the Saturday Quiet Time programme.

Working together
Use the HOPE logo to link your local mission events, printed publicity, online and social media communications to the national Hope14 initiative. The logo can be downloaded free of charge from the HOPE website. Also Bags of HOPE can be ordered from UCB. Banners and other HOPE publicity materials can be ordered from CPO with local over-printing on request.

HOPE Communications survey
Have you got a copy of HOPE –The Heartbeat of Mission? Have you been using HOPE’s Season of Prayer resources? Help us by answering the 10 multiple choice questions in this quick survey – click here.

Follow us on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for daily updates - thanks for partnering with us in sharing Jesus’ hope with people in your area.

Love from the HOPE team.