More than ever, we are recognizing the gift that gathering together is. This past week we gathered together for our first fall Engage worship and prayer night and it was incredibly powerful. We took time to pray over the next generation – over our kids ministry, youth ministry and young adult ministry! We spent time in dreaming and believing for what’s next for church, for our city, and for the next generation as we continue navigating the difficult realities our world is facing.
There is something so special when we gather together as a community and as a church in a time of worship and prayer. Prayer is not only the engine that drives our church, it must drive our lives! When we live from a place anchored in prayer and worship with Jesus, there is nothing in this world that compares.
As you read this, what areas in your life do you need to bring forth to Jesus in prayer and worship?
What areas do you need to surrender?
Whether it through the means of online platforms or in-person gatherings, consider the impact that prayer and worship can have in your life today.
Next Engage Worship + Prayer Night – October 24th, 6PM.
hopecity.ca/prayer
Edmonton, we LOVED spending our weekend with you. SERIOUSLY! Spending Friday and Saturday night, watching movies with family and friends, what could be better!?
WHY do we do Drive-In Movies? Because we are #foredmonton and we LOVE spending time with you. We know that right now, gathering together is difficult! Going to movies can be stressful! BUT there is something special about just simply gathering together and enjoying a nice summer evening together – JUST because!
Do you ever wonder what it looks like to take what you’ve heard in the past series and live it out in a practical sense in our lives? Do you ever wonder how others are being impacted by the messages each week and if God is speaking and moving in the lives of others? And if He is… HOW is He?
Well, we have introduced a BRAND NEW PODCAST SERIES called “The Recap”, allowing us reflect on our past series and celebrate what God is doing in our city and through Hope City Church!
Summer has JUST wrapped up along with the remarkable eight-part series, Weeds, exposing the things in our life that hold us back! There have been so many incredible things happen in our midst as a church and in our city, PLUS, we have explored eight different topics that forced us to look beyond the surface in our lives. We wanted to create a space for us to process this together – a space that brings insight into what others experience as they process through these series and what God is doing in our community.
With everything going on in the world around us, it is incredibly easy to question whether or not God is moving. The REALITY is this: God is moving, God is faithful and He is actively impacting hearts and lives. Over the course of a couple evenings this past month, we were able to celebrate with 10 individuals who chose to publicly declare their love for Jesus and that they are committing to follow him for the rest of their lives.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Pastor Joel led the baptism services and there two youth leaders who baptized students from their small group! Some of the individuals who chose to get baptized had NEVER stepped foot on Hope City property before. They had come to know Jesus SOLEY through the digital reach of Hope City Church! With being restricted with what our in-person gatherings can look like and gathering primarily through the online platform, it is easy to wonder if God is still working because it we don’t always “see it” in the same way we used to. BUT, God is BIGGER than the restrictions we face in our lives. He moves FURTHER than we may even realize. He will ALWAYS move and reach people, showcasing the unconditional love, grace and freedom that He has.
“There is nothing better than seeing people declare what God has done in their lives, declaring how far they have come and how good God is” – Pastor Joel, Assistant Small Groups Pastor.
There is so much hope found in Jesus and seeing the reality of God transforming lives even in the midst of a pandemic is incredible.
We’ve begun a new podcast series that we believe is ESSENTIAL as we continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus and with others. We’re taking time to have honest and raw conversations about the racial tensions we are facing and exploring what the heart of Jesus looks like as we live in the midst of these tensions
Make sure to not only take a listen, but follow along, reflect and open up these conversations in your orbit. Let’s continue to grow together, be better together, having grace for one another as we come to know what life with Jesus looks like in the midst of our brokenness.
You can find this right on our YouTube channel, our Instagram IGTV as well as directly on our podcast.
