Friday, February 12, 2016

Hope Community Church - Poised To Make A Difference

In a challenging world, in the midst of challenging times, there is a crucial need for people who are ready to serve God and others.  Hope Community Church is a local congregation comprised of such people!  It is Hope’s mission to take on the challenges of our times with a message of Jesus’ love to minister to people from every culture and ethnic group that it can, backed by powerful, practical demonstrations of that love in ways that make a difference in our community and beyond.  Just who makes up Hope Church and what makes these people believe they can really make a difference?

Hope Community Church, Racine, Inc. was officially recognized as a non-profit organization by the state of Wisconsin on May 27, 2015.  It has received full non-profit status and possesses all the rights and privileges of a Southern Baptist affiliated congregation.  These privileges include full tax-exempt status, and the ability to minister fully and formally in any capacity it feels called to serve.

With a mind on strategic success, Hope has built a team of key ministry partners who are already investing resources in its formation and growth.  Who are these partners?  They are people and organizations who believe in Hope’s mission and are willing to back that belief with practical, financial and material support!  Among the strong and established ministry partners walking alongside Hope are these: The Lakeland Baptist Association, The Minnesota/Wisconsin Baptist Convention, Grace Church of Racine, WI, Youth For Christ of Southeast Wisconsin, Angelstone Ministries and The Navigators.  These partners have provided Hope with resources such as funding, grants, building usage, personnel usage, and equipment. These partnerships have enabled Hope to begin its ministry with strength, confidence and decisive action.

Hope is not only strong through external partnerships, but benefits from a strong and committed internal core, comprised of professionals from every aspect of life. This group’s commitment has established Hope to be a church that makes a difference.  After months of introductory gatherings, Hope has grown in the number of people attending each meeting and in the resources it has to apply towards ministry. 

Hope’s heart to make a difference can be seen in its drive to extend hands of compassion to those in need, both locally and globally.  Hope has already reached out through Thanksgiving and Christmas projects to encourage local families who were not benefactors of other assistance. It has also partnered with the Southeast Wisconsin Youth for Christ ministry in an outreach that began at Christmas and will continue for the foreseeable future. This outreach is designed to assist very young, single high school mothers and their families.

Through a partnership with Angelstone Ministries – a non-profit, mission organization - Hope also ministers to needs of people in tremendously challenging circumstances in the Philippines and India, contributing to projects that have provided hunger relief, community development and the promotion of education. Projects include the construction of a new school, and the establishment of businesses and the initiation of community services.

Though Hope is young and might appear - at a glance - to be an upstart church, it is led by people with extensive experience in starting new churches and filled with highly skilled and professional people who are energized by new opportunities to reach out and serve others.  Pastor Sam Jackson and his wife Luz, have over 50 years of combined ministry experience in reaching the poor and starting new ministries. They have begun new work in 2 major cities within the United States – Cleveland, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan -  as well as internationally.  In each ministry setting to which they have been called to start a new work, they have gathered, organized, and directed people into an effective, self-sustaining, congregational body that impacts their community for the good.  

In Cleveland, their place of service was located in one of that city’s most dangerous communities, with very limited support. In time, the Jacksons had formed a coalition for ministry that led to the establishment of one of the most effective hunger relief programs in the city at the time, assisting over one thousand people a month in hunger related needs.  The church they established and led also saw the transformation of scores of individuals who went from being besieged by significant social challenges and cyclical dependence to becoming producers and contributors who themselves reached out to help others.  Beginning with few initial resources, the Jacksons in partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention and other agencies, led in the establishment of a healthy, growing and effective congregation and other associated ministries.

In Metro Detroit, the Jacksons established a Multicultural Congregation that consisted of a membership with over a score of nationalities and backgrounds represented.  Similar to the start of Hope, the Eastside Community Church began with about a dozen individuals and saw its membership surge within its first few years, even partnering with the local and nationwide Southern Baptist Convention to establish and assist other congregations.  Eastside continues to be a powerful source of help in a community that has been sorely tested by economic hardship.  It is in Detroit that the Jacksons established and partnered with Angelstone Ministries – a partnership which led to extensive ministry within the local school system of Harper Woods, and led to the congregation being recognized as the most effective congregation for outreach in the denomination in the state of Michigan!

With this kind of experience and more under their belts, the Jacksons are qualified and prepared to lead Hope Community Church in Racine, Wisconsin.  They have served locally for over six years and have built strong relationships with their ministry partners, having served on staff with Grace Church for the majority of that time, and having built a good reputation among various community organizations including the Philippine American Society of Kenosha and the Filipino American Association of Racine County – organizations that have recognized and contributed to the ministry partner, Angelstone, and organizations that have expressed a deep interest in continuing to partner with Hope Community Church.

Hope is indeed poised to make a difference. Hope is blessed with the compassion and the drive to serve and the determination to make a difference. With the resources, partnerships, and experience involved in our church’s circle of partnership, we believe the future is bright and the potential for growth is strong. Why this place, why this church and why reach out to those who are hurting and need help the most?  Because our society and community need it! 

It is our conviction that Hope Community Church’s promise and vision for the future, supported by caring and determined individuals, is helping to establish it as a dedicated and effective platform for ministry for this region and beyond!  Please check out our website at:

                                www.thereshoperacine.com


In Christ’s Love,

Samuel D. Jackson
Pastor
Hope Community Church



                             

                               www.thereshoperacine.com

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