Connect with Hope

Here’s a Summer of Love story shared by Krisanne Myers about how her family is reaching out to share God’s love.

She writes:

“We have had an awesome summer so far. Our family went on Mission Navajo for the second time this year and had a great time reconnecting with friends we made down there.  We helped put on a roof, built a fire pit, built a playground, and put on VBS at the churches. It was awesome to see all the kids who would not even stand up to sing on the first day of VBS dancing and singing to God at the front of church on the last day of VBS.

Back here in Iowa we have provided lunches for the kids at Freedom for Youth. We participated in the teen fair they had there and look forward to getting more involved in that ministry.

I had a great time being a shepherd at VBS and my husband and I  had a great time driving the Hopemobiles around for Taste of Hope! We are going to volunteer to do that more because it was just fun driving those little cars around.

We are so excited to be able to do all these things and share the experiences with our kids, teaching them that it is all about helping others.  We are so happy to
be involved in a church that is reaching out locally and around the world,  it is wonderful to be a part of spreading and sharing God’s love.

Taste of Hope is less than a week away on Saturday, July 23. Here are some details from Gail Smith, who is one of the main coordinators for Taste of Hope as well as serving as Pastor Mike’s assistant and the admin team leader.

Q. Why does Hope put on Taste of Hope?
A. This is a great way to reach out to the neighborhood and share the love of Jesus, plus it is just fun to have a Jesus Party after two great weeks of Vacation Bible School. We need to celebrate what God has done. Invite your friends and neighbors. This is a free party.

Q. How many Tastes of Hope have there been?
A. Ever since Hope was a church down the street there has been a Taste of Hope. There have been around a dozen.
Q. What are some of the more popular parts of the day?
A. It all centers around outdoor worship at 5:00 pm, when we all get to worship together indoors and outdoors as a church. But don’t forget the great food, games, and fireworks. Also we kick it off on Friday with golf at Beaver Creek, then the  5k Saturday morning at 8:00 am. Don’t forget to sign up  kids in grads 1-12 for 3 on 3 basketball during the afternoon or the Talent Show from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Q. Is parking going to be an issue?
A. No, even though we are using the parking lot, we will have shuttles and buses to help get people in and out easily. Don’t forget those Hopemobiles do help, just like during Easter.

Q. What kinds of games and inflatables will there be?
A. This year we have 18 different inflatables that include two water rides, so if it’s hot you can cool off. There will be some fun new inflatables this year, but the oldies will be here, too.
Q. Will the line-up of dunk tank victims be made available before Taste of Hope?
A. Let’s just say N-Pink and staff will be on the hot seat, so come and have some fun throwing and cooling them off.
Q. How does the passport and raffle ticket part of the day work?

A. You have a “passport” to get stamped. We ask you to go around and get a stamp at all the different ministry tables. If you get all of them, come to the big volunteer tent and get either 2 raffle tickets to put in one of the many
options for prizes OR kids get 2 tickets per stamp to use for rides or games.

Q. Are you in great need of donations or volunteers?
A. We can use cookies and Gatorade, but mainly volunteers! Sign up at http://specialevents.hopewdm.org.
It’s a lot of fun;  and the more who help the more fun it becomes!
Q. Is there anything new or different about this year’s Taste of Hope?
A. This year we have the funnel cakes and popcorn and cotton candy like before but we are also going to have State Fair lemonade and the yummy chocolate chip cookies you can get at the fair! Remember to come early – Taste of Hope starts at 1:00 pm – so come from 1-5 go to worship and then stay for supper and more fun and then some great fireworks.

by Jon Anenson
Hope Des Moines Director

The Des Moines campus (CityBranch) has been busy during the Summer of Love (Hope’s effort through individuals, small groups, life groups and families or friends to reach out to the local communities and really show the impact the church can have on the world). Go here for a list of ways to serve.

Here are examples:

-7 homes were remodeled, painted, landscaped, and cleaned during Rock the Block in May

-200 backpacks were filled with supplies for local kids to head back to school this fall

-12 life groups are actively meeting, all serving the community through monthly acts of kindness

- 40 guests from area homeless shelters were fed breakfast, are participating in Bible study and are loving each week at
worship!

-400+ hot dogs and burgers were grilled during Backyard BBQ’s this summer

-400+ blessing the Hubbell neighborhood residents

-30 Des Moines-area Liberian refugees are meeting in a house church whose ministry is being assisted by Hope

Exciting things are happening. It is good to be the church!

Suzanne Behnke
Communications Editor

Thank you to those of you who have shared your stories from serving the community during Hope’s Summer of Love. It is inspiring to hear of how you are showing God’s love around you.

For those of you new to this blog or Hope, Summer of Love is Hope’s effort to really reach out and serve the communities around us — from organizations, Hope mission partners, neighbors, family members … you get the picture. Click the image at right and you’ll find a list of suggestions of ways to serve.

Here are two stories shared by recent mission trip participants:

- Erin Moon shared this: “Our family went on Mission Custer State Park for a week in June and had a wonderful experience!  We loved getting to know other families from Hope as well as participating in service activities within the park.  We also enjoyed attending worship at a very welcoming Lutheran church in Custer, SD.  It was a great first mission trip experience for our family!”

- Stacie Hesterberg shared this: “Our family of 4 greatly enjoyed the Custer State Park Mission trip we went on.  It was well-organized and it was fun for all ages.  The accommodations were great, the food was great, and the activities were great, too.  We had a great experience and we would do it again.

Hope member Shauna Soderstrum was a recent member of the South Africa mission trip. Here she shares her experience about serving:

This June, I had the opportunity to go on the Mission South Africa trip.  South Africa is a country that has been stricken with an AIDS epidemic, resulting in many orphaned children.  The poverty rate is huge. While in South Africa, we spent time with the disabled teens and adults, as well as small children and school-aged children. We cooked, served them food, played with them, talked with them, and put smiles on their faces. I taught a lesson on the resurrection through a translator — that was quite an experience.  We read the story together, answered questions, discussed, and loudly declared that Jesus loves each of us!

We were also able to visit a man, Moses, who was dying of AIDS. We prayed with him and talked about salvation through Christ.  When we left, we all knew there was not much time left for Moses on this earth, but told him about God’s love and forgiveness.

We also were able to help people “see” by giving them vision tests and providing glasses for adults and children.  The smile and thumbs up we would get when they could see something they hadn’t been able to see before was so fulfilling.  While testing the eyes, we were able to share God’s love and pray with each of them.

We were also able to see the African animals, but we focused on the people and God’s love. Hoping to make a difference in the lives of the people of South Africa, I came to the realization that we did what we could to help them at that time, but the people of South Africa made a difference in my life in very deep and meaningful ways.

God’s love is amazing!

Hello, Hopesters,

A big thank you to all of you who are going out into the communities, serving, and sharing the everlasting love of Jesus Christ by what you are doing for others. The Summer of Love is the theme for this summer’s effort to reach out and serve those around us in all kinds of ways as individuals, groups, friends, and families. Please check out these stories that some of you shared. We’d love to hear from more of you on where you are, what you are doing, and what impact you are having on the world or how YOU are being touched by what you are doing.

If you’re motivated, check out the list of opportunities for the Summer of Love. Get into the groove.

Blessed to see power of Christ at work
A Hope Bible study group shared this photo and experience.

This is a picture of the Wednesday Bible study called Women in the Word. We did a service project for Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission. We provided 14 sheet sets and pillows for the men who are helped by and sleep at the mission.

We made five beds that day and left 14 cards of encouragement for the men on their pillows. Mary Kohlsdorf, church liaison, gave us a tour of the shelter.

Pictured  from left to right are: Char Keay, Carli Conner, Marlene White, Melissa Aeilts, Diane Messerli, and Heather Schmelling. Sitting on the bed front to back are Marilyn Vor, Jaci Gordon and Larci Conner.

We were studying the book of Philippians and decided to put into action Phil. 2:3. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”

We were all so blessed to see the power of Jesus Christ working through the staff and volunteers at Bethel Mission.
Running the race together
Donna Timm shared this story of how her life group encouraged one another training for a 5K.

I just wanted to tell a great story of how our life group is actually experiencing life together. We have grown together since our life group formed during the 40 days of community several years ago.

Last year, someone in our group thought it would be great to run the Dam to Dam 5K as a group. Well, 5 of us did it, 3 did not.  Needless to say, the three who did not run felt left out.  This year we all trained and ran the Dam to Dam 5K. Everyone ran independently, but we all finished and met at the finish line for the big group photo.  It was hard and the weather was hot and humid, but we made it through with each other’s support and positive words.

I can’t wait to see the photo.  It will go in my Bible as a reminder that I can get through anything with God and my Life Group.