Church guide

Family Serve is an awesome opportunity to celebrate your child’s birthday month through serving in @hopekidsrva with them! We love inviting families into the fun and wonder happening in each room on Sundays with our kids— it’s a blast for everyone!

The weather outside is cooler 🙌🏼 but it’s looking likely Midtown will still be without fully functioning AC this weekend so we encourage you to come prepared! 🔥 If you’re in the Midtown area, join us at Thomas Jefferson High School at 10:30am on Sunday, and come early for 9:30 all-in prayer in the library! 🙏🏼

A team from Hope partnered with South City Church on an outreach trip to Serbia this month where they encouraged local churches, supported church planting activities, and put on three outreach festivals that reached over 350 children and their families! The Serbian churches usually average 30-50 people, and their leaders shared that they were so grateful for the presence and support of the Hope and South City teams that helped make these massive outreach efforts possible! So cool to see that even despite language barriers and cultural differences, God’s love and laughter can be shared! #hopeoutreach

Life is better when we do it together! We are excited to be launching groups in a few weeks, and are inviting anyone who might be interested in leading a social, study, or support group to stop by the Groups Team table on Sunday to learn more about being a group leader! You don’t have to be an expert— your willingness to gather others and facilitate conversations and connections that bring people closer together and to God is really the key! (For additional info or to ask any questions, email [email protected])

You are a child of God. God’s Spirit is fighting in your heart, for your heart. ❤️ #hopesermonclips

This Sunday, Andy encouraged us to create a “wonder place” where we go to spend time with the Holy Spirit and grow in intimacy with him. We would love to see your very own wonder places — post a picture of where you spend time with God, use #hopewonderplace in your caption, and tag Hope Church! (Scroll through to see some examples of wonder places for little ones and grown ups alike if you need inspiration in creating your own.) We’ll be reposting your pictures and are excited to see all the places we experience the Spirit in our daily lives.

Did you know we have series setlist playlists on Spotify? It’s a great way to learn the songs we sing on Sunday and worship throughout the week. Find and follow us on Spotify to listen along! 🎶

Power Up Camp, an experience for children with special needs, has been incredible this week! We have loved seeing these kids who don’t often get to experience summer camps get to come have a blast, make new friends, and learn about God’s mighty love for them. Thanks to our @hopekidsrva team and our many, many volunteers for being part of making this week possible!

We are excited to celebrate more baptisms this summer on August 25! Believer’s baptism is a public declaration for anyone who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. 🙌🏼 This Sunday, we will have a pre-baptism meeting at 3pm in the West Creek Multi-Purpose Room for those who would like to be baptized. More information and registration at hopecentral.com/baptism

Our goal this month was to come together as a church and collect 1,000 pounds of food to love our neighbors well through @goochlandcares. We got the final weigh in... are you ready?! The total collection weighed... 2,200 POUNDS! 🎉 Wow! This was such an awesome and tangible outpouring of love for folks in our neighborhood and we are thankful to all who contributed! Bag-It Sunday is an ongoing mission of ours each month, so if you missed out this month, grab a bag at the end of the month to bring back September 1 and keep the love going! #hopeoutreach #bagitsunday #goochlandcares

Families, you’re invited to serve in @hopekidsrva one Sunday during your child’s birthday month for Family Serve! This is an awesome opportunity for you to be part of your child’s faith in such a fun way— scroll through these pictures to see what a blast our kids have on Sundays thanks to our leaders, volunteers, and families! 🚀 #hopekidsrva #familyserve #awakenthewonder

Midtown — we won’t have service at TJHS this Sunday and we invite you to join us at West Creek at 8, 9:30, 11am, or 5pm!

Let's send kids back ready for the new school year! Once again, Hope is supporting the effort of STEP Richmond (steprichmond.org) along with the Richmond Police Department to equip children of Gilpin Court with backpacks filled with required school supplies. Collection will take place THIS Sunday only, August 4, at the West Creek campus. Simply pick up some items in the next few days and place them in the box near the Connect Desk this Sunday.

As you grocery shop this week, consider grabbing some non perishable food items to bring to church for Bag-It Sunday! Our goal this month is to collect 1,000 pounds of food for Goochland Cares to help love our neighbors in a tangible and impactful way. Look for the Hope trailer outside of West Creek this Sunday to drop off your donations! #hopeoutreach #bagitsunday #goochlandcares

Have a child going into 4th or 5th grade? Check out these fun and free events (girls tonight in the Little Theater, boys tomorrow night in the Lodge) at West Creek! Girls— come enjoy spa-like features (face masks, nail painting, and more) and painting your own canvas. Guys— come play wiffle ball, have a home run derby, eat s’mores... and not watch The Sandlot movie. 😉 (ps— wear clothes that can get wet!) These events are awesome opportunities for 4th and 5th graders to have a blast with their friends and our summer interns this summer! ☀️

Our new sermon series “Life Giver” kicked off this week all about the Holy Spirit and we are so excited to explore more about this often forgotten member of the Trinity. To help us learn and discover more about the Holy Spirit, we have Francis Chan’s hook Forgotten God available at the Connect Desk! A 7-session video series is also available on RightNow Media and featured in the Hope resource library. We encourage you to read and discuss with a friend, your family, or your small group throughout this series!

WEEK 06: EXCELLENCE // We won’t try to do everything, but what we do, we want to do well, with earnest effort. The work of the Church is important work, and we treat it as such. // What does excellence mean to you?

This team of Hopers is in the Philippines for two weeks serving at an orphanage and sharing the love of Jesus with the children there! They even got to share letters with them from some of the children here at @hopekidsrva ❤️ Join us in praying for each little heart they will pour into during their trip and for all of the work they will accomplish for the glory of God! #hopeoutreach

You are a child of God. God’s Spirit is fighting in your heart, for your heart. ❤️ #hopesermonclips

WEEK 06: EXCELLENCE // We won’t try to do everything, but what we do, we want to do well, with earnest effort. The work of the Church is important work, and we treat it as such. // What does excellence mean to you?

WEEK 05: AUTHENTICITY // We encourage honesty and transparency for everyone. We seek to accurately define reality even when it’s difficult, and to live in humility with one another.

WEEK 04: KINDNESS // Acting on the kindness that God has shown each of us, we strive to treat one another with generous kindness – pursuing unity and choosing sacrificial love. // What does kindness mean for you?

WEEK 03: PEOPLE-FOCUSED // We believe every life matters. We engage with people where they are and walk with them toward a relationship with God. // What does being people-focused mean to you?

WEEK 02: OWNER OPERATORS // As members of the redemptive movement of Jesus Christ, we accept personal ownership for the advance of our mission. // What does being an owner operator mean to you?

Now available on all streaming services: What Happens in Deserts, the latest EP from Hope Music featuring our very own worship leaders. Listen today and be encouraged by these beautiful and worshipful songs inspired by our recent sermon series. 🎶 The album can also be downloaded for free at hopecentral.com/deserts!

To be a Christian is to be IN Christ. We are fully alive when we are in this intimate relationship with Him, and it’s a beautiful thing. What is one way (big or small) you are living “in Christ” today? #hopesermonclips #hopecentralrva

A question from Pete to think about this week: Can you trust the Christ that is in you, even on your worst day?

What Happens in Deserts, the newest release from Hope Music, is now available for free download! 🎶 This album was written and recorded by members of our worship arts staff as a companion to our "What Happens in Deserts" sermon series. Download it today hopecentral.com/hopemusic!