Well Supporters,
We have a new Flyer! Printed for first distribution in the Detroit Community in which we minister, but for you supporters, I can send them out personally or look for me in congregations near and in Southern Great Lakes congregations soon. This flyer is a tri-fold that tells both seekers and disciples information about the good things that we do at Detroit Hope! I hope to also have a PDF that people can print off in their own areas, to spread the witness of this great ministry. The second distribution will be at our Southern Great Lakes International Missioncenter Conference this weekend, November 3 and 4th, so look for our booth me,and some of the Detroit Hope Folks.
-Pastor Jacob Blakesley
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Greetings from Detroit Hope,
This year has been a great year, involving a lot of improvement, growth, and building as we have all been blessed by the spirit flowing in is and around us. Many have come to support the mission that Detroit Hope has, and many more are needed to help in the future. Let us tell you about some of the goals reached, some of the emergence achieved and some of the real life changing stuff that we have accomplished in 2007.
In February we took this years budget and combined it with a missionary grant from the world church that allowed us to hire Jeff Stoker as a part time stipend position here at the church and help with C.F.O. responsibilities as well as many other helps, with our Adult bible study, with Pizza Church and with Sunday evening worship. Above this, he has coordinated some efforts to help the witness of the Detroit Hope Ministry come forth.
In late April we put up a basketball goal that was something that the community has been hoping for, for a long time. Putting it next to Restoration towers has offered up some friction, so in the first week, we set up some rules and regulations that stated exactly how a basketball goal supported by the Community of Christ should be used and appreciated and the seniors hours of bed time should be respected, among other rules about language and fighting. This has really been supported by the community. Seniors come out on their porches and patios, and watch the games, they appreciate that we are giving youth something to do, and the youth really do stay out of trouble because of the atmosphere we have created here.
On Memorial Day week, we had a mission trip come all the way up from Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center. They were well-received by the Brighton congregation, and they commuted every day to Detroit Hope to split each day up into thirds, and provide help in these areas:
The first third they helped with building projects, to help get the font ready, to build a sign, to plant a community garden, to clean the attic and organize clothing in the basement, to organize the kitchen and many other projects, they did this between 8:30 and 12 each morning.
The second third gave them an opportunity to be ministers helping Detroit Hope. They canvassed the community; they visited, did worship planning, led pizza church and Sunday church, visited restoration towers, and visited congregants’ homes. All between 1 and 4:30 in the afternoon.
The last section of the day was the sight-seeing. They enjoyed this and went to the Henry Ford Museum, they went to Laser Tag, they played basketball and had a talent show and water fun day with the youth of the congregation, they went to see a movie, and it was a good relaxing end to each day.
Then when we were all done with the day, Jake Goodson (Rachel’s Father) led the group in devotion each night, and it really geared them up for the next day, spiritually feeding them after they had completely served to their potential.
In June and July we had our Community Technology Center Summer camp, and we had the blessing of over 50 kids attend, we did classes such as cooking, recreation, music, crafts, computers, job preparation, and peacemaking for ages 8-18. This was a good camp and the grant moneys allowed the Community Technology Center Summer Camp to take the youth on field trips they otherwise would not have been able to afford.
From this summer camp and the growing status of having a C.F.O. and starting to have some of the ministries come online, we have been fortunate enough to also have our first two baptisms; the baptisms of David Raphael McCray and Victoria Childs. Because of them, and our commitment, we have become an emerging congregation, with enough members to reach this level, we are on our way to becoming more self sustaining, and able to stand as a congregation in the mission center again, not just a seed, but a planted congregation someday soon.
As you will notice our programming support from the mission center has increased. This is due to the fact that we will be trying to get a working sound system for Detroit Hope this year. Our old one was stolen by previous renters before we were here, and it has left us with nothing to be heard over the background sounds of the city. This was okay when our services were between 15 and 30 but now we are averaging in the 47-52 range for pizza church on Wednesday nights. Our sound system might need more than 3000, but we were graciously given this projected support from the mission center finance committee and we are going to try to assemble this sound system in 2008. Another thing we are going to have as a goal is to have more training at Detroit Hope dealing with Generosity. It has worked in Baltimore Maryland in their church plant, and building projects, so I want to talk with Jeff Anderson, and figure out what it will take to start moving towards Financial Stability soon with the membership at Detroit Hope. I know this is a daunting task, but we are ready to meet small goals that get us to the greater goal of standing on our own two feet.
Sincerely Your Brother in Christ,
Jacob Blakesley
This year has been a great year, involving a lot of improvement, growth, and building as we have all been blessed by the spirit flowing in is and around us. Many have come to support the mission that Detroit Hope has, and many more are needed to help in the future. Let us tell you about some of the goals reached, some of the emergence achieved and some of the real life changing stuff that we have accomplished in 2007.
In February we took this years budget and combined it with a missionary grant from the world church that allowed us to hire Jeff Stoker as a part time stipend position here at the church and help with C.F.O. responsibilities as well as many other helps, with our Adult bible study, with Pizza Church and with Sunday evening worship. Above this, he has coordinated some efforts to help the witness of the Detroit Hope Ministry come forth.
In late April we put up a basketball goal that was something that the community has been hoping for, for a long time. Putting it next to Restoration towers has offered up some friction, so in the first week, we set up some rules and regulations that stated exactly how a basketball goal supported by the Community of Christ should be used and appreciated and the seniors hours of bed time should be respected, among other rules about language and fighting. This has really been supported by the community. Seniors come out on their porches and patios, and watch the games, they appreciate that we are giving youth something to do, and the youth really do stay out of trouble because of the atmosphere we have created here.
On Memorial Day week, we had a mission trip come all the way up from Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center. They were well-received by the Brighton congregation, and they commuted every day to Detroit Hope to split each day up into thirds, and provide help in these areas:
The first third they helped with building projects, to help get the font ready, to build a sign, to plant a community garden, to clean the attic and organize clothing in the basement, to organize the kitchen and many other projects, they did this between 8:30 and 12 each morning.
The second third gave them an opportunity to be ministers helping Detroit Hope. They canvassed the community; they visited, did worship planning, led pizza church and Sunday church, visited restoration towers, and visited congregants’ homes. All between 1 and 4:30 in the afternoon.
The last section of the day was the sight-seeing. They enjoyed this and went to the Henry Ford Museum, they went to Laser Tag, they played basketball and had a talent show and water fun day with the youth of the congregation, they went to see a movie, and it was a good relaxing end to each day.
Then when we were all done with the day, Jake Goodson (Rachel’s Father) led the group in devotion each night, and it really geared them up for the next day, spiritually feeding them after they had completely served to their potential.
In June and July we had our Community Technology Center Summer camp, and we had the blessing of over 50 kids attend, we did classes such as cooking, recreation, music, crafts, computers, job preparation, and peacemaking for ages 8-18. This was a good camp and the grant moneys allowed the Community Technology Center Summer Camp to take the youth on field trips they otherwise would not have been able to afford.
From this summer camp and the growing status of having a C.F.O. and starting to have some of the ministries come online, we have been fortunate enough to also have our first two baptisms; the baptisms of David Raphael McCray and Victoria Childs. Because of them, and our commitment, we have become an emerging congregation, with enough members to reach this level, we are on our way to becoming more self sustaining, and able to stand as a congregation in the mission center again, not just a seed, but a planted congregation someday soon.
As you will notice our programming support from the mission center has increased. This is due to the fact that we will be trying to get a working sound system for Detroit Hope this year. Our old one was stolen by previous renters before we were here, and it has left us with nothing to be heard over the background sounds of the city. This was okay when our services were between 15 and 30 but now we are averaging in the 47-52 range for pizza church on Wednesday nights. Our sound system might need more than 3000, but we were graciously given this projected support from the mission center finance committee and we are going to try to assemble this sound system in 2008. Another thing we are going to have as a goal is to have more training at Detroit Hope dealing with Generosity. It has worked in Baltimore Maryland in their church plant, and building projects, so I want to talk with Jeff Anderson, and figure out what it will take to start moving towards Financial Stability soon with the membership at Detroit Hope. I know this is a daunting task, but we are ready to meet small goals that get us to the greater goal of standing on our own two feet.
Sincerely Your Brother in Christ,
Jacob Blakesley
Hi, this is Pastor Jacob,
Here is a list of some of the news items that we have had from the past year. I hope you enjoy reading the list, a letter I am preparing for the confrence will come later.
Detroit Hope News
Public Relations, Three Pamphlets
Emerging congregation
Congregational Partnerships
Field Fundraising
Upgrades on Facility,
Mission Trip
Detroit Hope Garden
3 service discipleship sessions, Adult biblestudy 5:00 Tuesday,
Pizza Church 5:30 Wednesday,
Sunday Evening 5:30 Service
Ventures
2 Baptisms this summer
Looking to get Tech Center Re-Opened
57 Last Wednesday
19 Sunday
18 Adult Bible Study
Starting Stewardship and Discipleship
Seminary Study
January and May Intensive Seminary Study
October Preservation of Safe Night, Angels Night, Halloween
Christmas Program December 18th
Field Meeting
Church Planter Retreat
Adult Biblestudy reading the New Testament, Currently Romans
Here is a list of some of the news items that we have had from the past year. I hope you enjoy reading the list, a letter I am preparing for the confrence will come later.
Detroit Hope News
Public Relations, Three Pamphlets
Emerging congregation
Congregational Partnerships
Field Fundraising
Upgrades on Facility,
Mission Trip
Detroit Hope Garden
3 service discipleship sessions, Adult biblestudy 5:00 Tuesday,
Pizza Church 5:30 Wednesday,
Sunday Evening 5:30 Service
Ventures
2 Baptisms this summer
Looking to get Tech Center Re-Opened
57 Last Wednesday
19 Sunday
18 Adult Bible Study
Starting Stewardship and Discipleship
Seminary Study
January and May Intensive Seminary Study
October Preservation of Safe Night, Angels Night, Halloween
Christmas Program December 18th
Field Meeting
Church Planter Retreat
Adult Biblestudy reading the New Testament, Currently Romans
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
David's Testimony
This Is My Testimony, By: David McCray
I guess being baptized is a really good feeling, especially with all the support you get from other people and sometimes from people you don't even know. To be excepted into to a family that dose'nt even know you that well, and for them to except you so wellingly is hard to put in words. When you think about all the bad things on the news and just bad things impiticular you forget where the world even started and who created it. We are downgrading ourselfs in society and my goal is to let people know it's not all bad and I would like to build my community based on Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace. So to be excepted into a family that basically has the same goals as myself is more that I could ever hope for. I am honored to be a part of this family and I wish to to change every persons life I am invited into. I have so much more to say but I am trying to make this as brief as possible, so thankyou for being my brothers and sisters I love you all.
Your brother forever, David R. McCray
This Is My Testimony, By: David McCray
I guess being baptized is a really good feeling, especially with all the support you get from other people and sometimes from people you don't even know. To be excepted into to a family that dose'nt even know you that well, and for them to except you so wellingly is hard to put in words. When you think about all the bad things on the news and just bad things impiticular you forget where the world even started and who created it. We are downgrading ourselfs in society and my goal is to let people know it's not all bad and I would like to build my community based on Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace. So to be excepted into a family that basically has the same goals as myself is more that I could ever hope for. I am honored to be a part of this family and I wish to to change every persons life I am invited into. I have so much more to say but I am trying to make this as brief as possible, so thankyou for being my brothers and sisters I love you all.
Your brother forever, David R. McCray
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Dearest Brothers and Sisters,
What an amazing summer it has been for Detroit Hope. I truly know prayer works when so many awesome things have happened in our favor. I just want to take a few minutes and tell you about them.
Most recently we had our first two baptisms in at least 7 years here at Detroit Hope. This is a seed planted, and a growth beginning. David Raphael McCray and Victoria Childs are our first in the time I have been here, but I know because we haven’t had a full strength congregation we haven’t had the conviction and commitment to Jesus as we have been working towards. Now we are starting to feel where all this work has been for.
I wish you all could have seen David, come up out of the water, and give the “Rocky, Champion of the world victory fists” when he came up out of the water. I hope a picture will do but the experience was priceless. I must say, this is a culmination of all the help and support we have mustered this summer.
This summer started out with a lot of goals, a lot of projects with deficiencies, and the need to take care of some of them so our congregation could grow. Our first miracle came from a great youth group from Rachel’s original stomping grounds. Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center is where they were from. Several youth, 3 staff and a whole lot of energy came from the south, the many thousand miles up here to come and work, to minister, and to enjoy life in Detroit for a while. Boy did their summer get off to a great start. They worked on about 12-14 projects around the church facility, they worked in ministry capacity, doing visiting with the seniors, visiting in the community, and canvassing the community for an week end festivity that included a talent show, dime sale, bar-b-que and water fun day for the community. When it was all said and done we had a group of 75 plus for Wednesday night pizza church, a group of 120 plus for our bar-b-que, and several people that have joined our congregation merely because of the differences they made in the outside of the buildings exterior. These changes include a sign out front, a community garden, and painting the lines for our basketball goal to help us play pick up games and shoot three-pointers. The ministry, and the projects were accomplished with style and energy, and put us way ahead of our goals, so much so, that we accomplished most of what we had planned for 2007 in about a weeks time.
Next came our annual summer camp, with a starting attendance of 32 youth. This year seemed to run better when we split up the youth and the teenagers, with youth ages 8-12 upstairs with their own staff, and 13-18 downstairs with their own staff. This was almost orchestrating two camps at the same time. It worked for the first two weeks, we had many victories, and a great field trip to the Detroit Science Center. We took a week off for July 4th week, so Rachel and I could go teach Sr. High class at reunion, and she ended up having a gull bladder surgery, and we were covered by Rob Borkowski and Pam Hernandez. After that week is when we rushed back into our first baptisms here at Detroit Hope, and we look forward to making our first trip as staff to SPEC with one of our youth David McCray, and 50+ others from the rest of the rest of the region.
In many ways I want to say thank you for supporting us and praying for us, because in many ways this summer has been a big answer to our prayer. I know because of you out there praying, we have felt God more in our lives. Thank you.
God bless you all,
Jacob Blakesley
What an amazing summer it has been for Detroit Hope. I truly know prayer works when so many awesome things have happened in our favor. I just want to take a few minutes and tell you about them.
Most recently we had our first two baptisms in at least 7 years here at Detroit Hope. This is a seed planted, and a growth beginning. David Raphael McCray and Victoria Childs are our first in the time I have been here, but I know because we haven’t had a full strength congregation we haven’t had the conviction and commitment to Jesus as we have been working towards. Now we are starting to feel where all this work has been for.
I wish you all could have seen David, come up out of the water, and give the “Rocky, Champion of the world victory fists” when he came up out of the water. I hope a picture will do but the experience was priceless. I must say, this is a culmination of all the help and support we have mustered this summer.
This summer started out with a lot of goals, a lot of projects with deficiencies, and the need to take care of some of them so our congregation could grow. Our first miracle came from a great youth group from Rachel’s original stomping grounds. Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center is where they were from. Several youth, 3 staff and a whole lot of energy came from the south, the many thousand miles up here to come and work, to minister, and to enjoy life in Detroit for a while. Boy did their summer get off to a great start. They worked on about 12-14 projects around the church facility, they worked in ministry capacity, doing visiting with the seniors, visiting in the community, and canvassing the community for an week end festivity that included a talent show, dime sale, bar-b-que and water fun day for the community. When it was all said and done we had a group of 75 plus for Wednesday night pizza church, a group of 120 plus for our bar-b-que, and several people that have joined our congregation merely because of the differences they made in the outside of the buildings exterior. These changes include a sign out front, a community garden, and painting the lines for our basketball goal to help us play pick up games and shoot three-pointers. The ministry, and the projects were accomplished with style and energy, and put us way ahead of our goals, so much so, that we accomplished most of what we had planned for 2007 in about a weeks time.
Next came our annual summer camp, with a starting attendance of 32 youth. This year seemed to run better when we split up the youth and the teenagers, with youth ages 8-12 upstairs with their own staff, and 13-18 downstairs with their own staff. This was almost orchestrating two camps at the same time. It worked for the first two weeks, we had many victories, and a great field trip to the Detroit Science Center. We took a week off for July 4th week, so Rachel and I could go teach Sr. High class at reunion, and she ended up having a gull bladder surgery, and we were covered by Rob Borkowski and Pam Hernandez. After that week is when we rushed back into our first baptisms here at Detroit Hope, and we look forward to making our first trip as staff to SPEC with one of our youth David McCray, and 50+ others from the rest of the rest of the region.
In many ways I want to say thank you for supporting us and praying for us, because in many ways this summer has been a big answer to our prayer. I know because of you out there praying, we have felt God more in our lives. Thank you.
God bless you all,
Jacob Blakesley
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Wow folks, I appologize up front. My Blog has not been updated in a month. Sorry, lots to do, and lots to report I guess. First of all, we are trying to update our congregation to emerging status. This means, if we get 6 baptised and confirmed members we can have a recorder, Rachel and I can transfer our membership there, and if we have baptisms soon we can have them at Detroit Hope. Besides this, our building has been in disarray. We put up a basketball hoop that Jeff Stoker found a great deal on, and as soon as we did that, it seemed like the building was jealous or something because things started breaking one after another. Begining with our sanctuary lights. One Pizza church we had to worship in the dark. Crazy. Then since we have been becoming an emerging congregation, we have been looking at the place and setting up some priority projects to get things running so we can be emerging.
1. Give us Identity in the Community help us build a sign. Our old sign was hit by a truck before my time, and has been a presence that the church has been closed, because there is nothing for the adults to read and see. No amount of flyers telling people what time services are compares to the presence of a sign they walk by or drive past.
2. Help us fix our font, so we can have baptism of water, and confirmation of the spirit. Our font was in disrepair because at one time the churches that were renting the building here in detroit believed they should leave the font filled and baptisms would come to them. Congregations were small because they were not out reaching the community. Now, we have a font that needs re-surfaced and repaired to be able to sustain its first community of christ baptism in quite a few years.
3. Light our World at Detroit Hope (Sanctuary Lighting). Our lighting is a particularly interesting issue. One day, during a rain storm our lighting quit working. The lighting has not been workng since. Our solution is to replace the lighting because the old fixtures and light bulbs are getting too expensive for our building too.
4. Help our services be heard. With our growing number 48 last week at pizza church, we have constantly harder possibilities to be heard by the whole group, and voices of the youth keep getting smaller and smaller as there are more and more of the voices competeing. We are going to be working on getting a PA system back up and running to assist all those involved in the services at Detroit Hope.
We will have estimates of these projects soon. I wanted to tell you though, that these projects will be mission center giving opprotunities, locally.
Also for some of the asthetic projects, a mission trip from the south is coming up from Northwest Florida-Alabama Mission Center to help us. This is a great blessing. They will be here a week, and we will have pictures up after this next week. I look forward to telling you progress stories.
Here are pictures of our basketball hoop I mentioned earlier.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Dear supporters,
We had a wonderful weekend at Ventures in Muskegon. What an experience!! Darreco and Jamasha were baptised, the ventures planned the service for them, and they were on fire with the holy spirit. Such an awesome experience. One thing we need to pray for is baptisms, two of the sr. high, on their way home, talked to my wife, and first asked if we had a font. Then they asked if someday we could have a baptism, possibly with them? AWESOME. This was a victory, because they are talking about it, and I am letting them know how much of a possibility it really is. Wow how awesome. Pray for the encouragement to be counter cultural too, because I will tell you about that in another post.
Jacob
We had a wonderful weekend at Ventures in Muskegon. What an experience!! Darreco and Jamasha were baptised, the ventures planned the service for them, and they were on fire with the holy spirit. Such an awesome experience. One thing we need to pray for is baptisms, two of the sr. high, on their way home, talked to my wife, and first asked if we had a font. Then they asked if someday we could have a baptism, possibly with them? AWESOME. This was a victory, because they are talking about it, and I am letting them know how much of a possibility it really is. Wow how awesome. Pray for the encouragement to be counter cultural too, because I will tell you about that in another post.
Jacob
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
On Wednesday before Maunday Thursday we had a good turn out for what was Detroit Hopes first ever Communion. We set the scene up like the last supper table, and had some elements of real experience. Communion was to form though, Jeff broke bread, and I read the Scriptures from Mark, and then Mike and Rachel read the communion prayers, and served the 30 in attendance. It was a little bumpy, because some were peer pressured by ones who have done communion differently, and we were trying to have symbolism for the sacrament. I think it went good, and it definitly had some learning points, but I also committed to do this every month from now on.
Also on Friday we took two of our youth to the candle lit Riverview Good Friday Service. They were really taken back by the way the service was done. This was a compliment to Riverview because they had never seen a service done that way. Dark, filled with sadness, but with hope. Some positive comments were made on the way home.
Friday Night, after I had dropped of the youth, I was on my way home and it was snowing. I didn't think much about it, because it always snows in michigan, and I was driving under the speed limit, however, you know those signs "Bridges may be icy" they are not kidding, in a split second, I was slipping from the far left lane, to the further left wall, then bounced, sliding to the other side, over three lanes of traffic, luckilly with no one around. but crunching into the guard rail on the other side. Then because I wasn't done stopping, break down and all, I scraped for about 12 feet. I was fine, only one bruise, and all the doors opened, but that is about all I can say. Today I am still waiting on the insurance to assess, but we will find out.
The work must still go on.
So Sunday we went to Highland Park, and the African Delegates gave an awesome testimony of Jesus. "He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!" They shared their personal testimonies of Jesus, and how it worked in their lives to bring their life harmony, comfort, and ministry for others, and especially through urnest prayer. Prayer was the biggest thing that came from the service.
Overall a great learning week for Detroit Hope, and a great Easter season has begun. And we closed it out with my birthday on easter, and the McCrays invited Rachel and I Over for Cake and BBQ. Good times.
Praise God!
Also on Friday we took two of our youth to the candle lit Riverview Good Friday Service. They were really taken back by the way the service was done. This was a compliment to Riverview because they had never seen a service done that way. Dark, filled with sadness, but with hope. Some positive comments were made on the way home.
Friday Night, after I had dropped of the youth, I was on my way home and it was snowing. I didn't think much about it, because it always snows in michigan, and I was driving under the speed limit, however, you know those signs "Bridges may be icy" they are not kidding, in a split second, I was slipping from the far left lane, to the further left wall, then bounced, sliding to the other side, over three lanes of traffic, luckilly with no one around. but crunching into the guard rail on the other side. Then because I wasn't done stopping, break down and all, I scraped for about 12 feet. I was fine, only one bruise, and all the doors opened, but that is about all I can say. Today I am still waiting on the insurance to assess, but we will find out.
The work must still go on.
So Sunday we went to Highland Park, and the African Delegates gave an awesome testimony of Jesus. "He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!" They shared their personal testimonies of Jesus, and how it worked in their lives to bring their life harmony, comfort, and ministry for others, and especially through urnest prayer. Prayer was the biggest thing that came from the service.
Overall a great learning week for Detroit Hope, and a great Easter season has begun. And we closed it out with my birthday on easter, and the McCrays invited Rachel and I Over for Cake and BBQ. Good times.
Praise God!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
A quick note about Detroit Hope Stipend Position
For those of you who have been keeping up with the mission center website and news feed from our communication minister extraordinare Erica Blevins, she has posted an important announcement about a part-time position working with the Detroit Hope Church Plant. We had a number of skilled ministers and folks colaborate on the criteria for which we have put together. Ultimately, this was to direct our search. I want to personally invite beyond that to the call of Christ to this area. We have accomplished a lot in a year, and I think that we could do even more with someone committed part time to the call. It is a big responsibility, a daunting task if you will, but God is in our midst. All of us have the ability through God who strengthens us. We may have doubts personally or in our lives that we may not be fit for church planting, or urban ministries, or coming over that dotted line of difference. I stand to say, those barriers can be overcome through Christ. The Love of Christ stretches to every neighborhood in Michigan and the world. Please help. Feel Called. Be a Servant. I have been in prayerful consideration, and I know that some of you may be feeling like you can't because a lot of you are supportive to so many different ways of ministry, social groups and associations. I understand that. I ask that you that have felt the urgency of this congregation re-opening, and being one day sustaining; that will help in our search for someone who might be in transition, someone who is striving for different ministry, someone on the edge, someone who is just thirsty to give. Help us find that person. Give a helpful nudge, a pat on the back, an appreciation that extends them to a new area broader than the place they are. I am affirmed that this work we do here has momentum for something great. Christ has blessed us thus far, and we only need the help to find resources, people and a giving spirit that will change the balance to growth, health and vitality. Help us. As President Prophet Steve Veazey has stated, the Call for Volunteers is Now! I ask that you volunteer prayer and discernment to help Detroit Hope find a part-time person, and also look for volunteers to help in your own congregations to bridge gaps, bring us closer together - interdependent, not so independent and isolated. Christmas this year really showed me the power that the Spirit can bring to the Body with the responses of even a few. Just imagine what we could do together!
Thank you for your Prayerful Support,
Pastor Jacob Blakesley
For those of you who have been keeping up with the mission center website and news feed from our communication minister extraordinare Erica Blevins, she has posted an important announcement about a part-time position working with the Detroit Hope Church Plant. We had a number of skilled ministers and folks colaborate on the criteria for which we have put together. Ultimately, this was to direct our search. I want to personally invite beyond that to the call of Christ to this area. We have accomplished a lot in a year, and I think that we could do even more with someone committed part time to the call. It is a big responsibility, a daunting task if you will, but God is in our midst. All of us have the ability through God who strengthens us. We may have doubts personally or in our lives that we may not be fit for church planting, or urban ministries, or coming over that dotted line of difference. I stand to say, those barriers can be overcome through Christ. The Love of Christ stretches to every neighborhood in Michigan and the world. Please help. Feel Called. Be a Servant. I have been in prayerful consideration, and I know that some of you may be feeling like you can't because a lot of you are supportive to so many different ways of ministry, social groups and associations. I understand that. I ask that you that have felt the urgency of this congregation re-opening, and being one day sustaining; that will help in our search for someone who might be in transition, someone who is striving for different ministry, someone on the edge, someone who is just thirsty to give. Help us find that person. Give a helpful nudge, a pat on the back, an appreciation that extends them to a new area broader than the place they are. I am affirmed that this work we do here has momentum for something great. Christ has blessed us thus far, and we only need the help to find resources, people and a giving spirit that will change the balance to growth, health and vitality. Help us. As President Prophet Steve Veazey has stated, the Call for Volunteers is Now! I ask that you volunteer prayer and discernment to help Detroit Hope find a part-time person, and also look for volunteers to help in your own congregations to bridge gaps, bring us closer together - interdependent, not so independent and isolated. Christmas this year really showed me the power that the Spirit can bring to the Body with the responses of even a few. Just imagine what we could do together!
Thank you for your Prayerful Support,
Pastor Jacob Blakesley
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