Home Groups!
After a lunch meeting with local pastors, a brother in Christ who is working on a revitalization church effort asked me to share what I have learned about home groups over the years. Here are some of the things I shared.
1. Home Groups are always trying to die. Kind of like the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, Home Groups are always breaking down. A night gets missed because of other plans, a family is out on vacation, someone gets sick, and it starts to become easier to cancel more regularly and soon, hardly meet at all. I think this is Spiritual Warfare. I think the gathering of believers to read the Word together, encourage each other in the faith, and pray together during the week is so important in the spiritual world that it is no surprise that there are constant counterattacks from the enemy against seeing this simple gathering happen. As we read in Luke, the things of this world can choke out the seed of faith so that it does not grow and bear fruit.
2. Home Groups need constant attention. You can’t just wind them up and let them go and the Home Groups crank on forever on their own. As pastors, I feel like we try to keep it before us as a great value and mission a few times a year. The Scriptures also tell us this: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24–25, NIV). Because we believe that we have an enemy, and that meeting together and encouragement are vital to our walk with Christ, we must give constant attention to Home Groups.
3. Home Groups work best with involved leaders and members. We can have clipboards, posters and sign-up sheets. However, Home Group leaders that invite families from church to join them, who text their group encouragement and schedules have better success than all church efforts. They basically pastor one another. In addition, we have found that Home Groups that have a “committed core” (maybe just 2-3 families) that are all-in, devoted in attendance and participation have the best success rates to keep the home group doing well. Are you part of a “committed core” in a Hope Home Group?
4. Lastly, Home Groups that include fun, food, and mission seem to build longer lasting relationships. Groups that serve together seem to experience their hearts being united for the cause of Christ. This can be local ministries, service projects, or even adopting a global missionary from Hope. In addition, some of our Home Groups have done camping trips, barbecues, ladies-nights-out, etc. These build relationships and help us truly know one another, strengthening the way we care for each other and build each other up.
Let’s press on toward the goal for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus!
~Pastor Randy
Join us on Wednesday, August 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room for a time of dessert, fellowship and support for our short-term Africa MissionsTeam.
The Hope Africa Team will be heading to Kenya to serve alongside local leaders at two different churches and a school that is run by the church. This will include ministry to young women rescued out of abusive marriages, giving goats to orphans, encouraging pastors and their wives at a two-day conference, and encouraging many leaders with Unite 4 Africa.
Unite 4 Africa in Kenya will be buying motorbikes for pastors, goats, sanitary pads for girls, Bibles and other outreach materials. These special projects total just over $8,000 and HCC desires to cover this cost as well. You can use the QR code provided above to make a donation or mail in a check to Hope if you would like.
Thanks for praying for the team!
Leaders - Our Missionaries with Unite 4 Africa
Okongo Samson
Shyla Samson
Team Members
Randy Brainard
Julie Brainard
Vicki Way-D’Aquila
Josh Housman
Pam Housman
Terri Phillips
Suzanne Shriver
Kosovo Team 2026
Our Kosovo Team is back! They had a great time of ministry and building relationships.
Thank you for all your support Hope!
Interested in being baptized? Contact Gina at info@hopetucson.com or 520-400-1483.
This month's church-wide Prayer and Praise will be a special time learning about and supporting the Africa Short-Term Mission's Trip. We will be hearing from Okongo & Shyla Samson about their work in Africa, praying for the team, having dessert and fellowshipping together. Don't miss it!
Women's Ministry
Suzi King, Director
sking@hopetucson.com
Beginning on Thursday, September 3, we will meet for 10 weeks in the Community Room from 9:00 -11:00 a.m. for a study in the book of Joshua by Jen Wilkin. To sign up for this study, please contact Sheree Dennee at dsdennee@msn.com or 520-403-9939. Please sign up by August 26 so we have time to order books. Books for this study, which includes a video access code, will be $27.00.
In this 10-session, verse-by-verse study of the book of Joshua, Jen Wilkin helps us see God’s continuing faithfulness to fulfill His covenant promises, both to Israel then and to us today. Israel’s story is our story. We battle not against flesh and blood as they did, but we courageously war against the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, trusting in the finished work of the true and better Joshua, Jesus Christ.
Are you interested in helping complete projects around our Church grounds? Sign up below. Also, are you interested in serving foster families and refugees through CarePortal? Sign up today!
Join us as we take a deep dive into everything the Bible says about created-beings that we call angels and demons. What are they up to? How do they affect us? How should we think about them biblically?
Please RSVP before August 26 so we know how many to plan lunch for. Thanks!
Want to view previous Mini Conferences? Click below.
Lynne Hooge, HopeKids Discipleship Director
lhooge@hopetucson.com
As our summer break comes to an end, we pray that God blesses each of you HopeKids as you go back to school! Shine bright and be God’s light!
Our Hope women will be at Women’s Camp on August 16th. There won’t be any HopeKids program that day so that our women leaders can attend camp. We will have a Family Outreach project in the service that Sunday.
Have a great month!
Lynne
We had a great time at our Movie Night!
What We’re Learning:
August 2 (Family Sunday): Jesus Was Born; Matthew 1 - Luke 2; John 1
August 9: Jesus Was Dedicated; Matthew 2 - Luke 2
August 16: NO HOPEKIDS - Women’s Camp Weekend (Special Family Service)
August 23: Jesus Was Baptized - Matthew 3 - Mark 1
August 30: 5th Sunday Special HopeKids’ Worship - Kosovo Team Update
Our Key Verse This Month:
John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Big Picture Questions:
What did Jesus do to save us? Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead.
August Birthdays
Harlow Klein 8/3
Eloise Page 8/6
Teddy Grieder 8/7
Raylan Harris 8/25
Maeve Kelly 8/26
Levi Phillips 8/31
Awana starts up again on September 2 for boys and girls 4 years old through 6th grade. (Although there aren't yet adult volunteers to teach and lead the 4- and 5-year-old pre-K Cubbies age group.) Awana meets at Summit Ridge Church on most Wednesday evenings from 5:45 to 7:45.
Please email timtolson@comcast.net with the ages and grades of your children that will be attending before August 7 so that we can order the children's books and materials for the upcoming ministry year.
You will be able to early-register your children on Sunday, August 23 before and after the morning service. This helps to reduce the "crunch" on the first night of Awana. Thank you for your consideration.
Gary Jones, Discipleship Pastor
gjones@hopetucson.com
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)
Do you desire to be in a Home Group? Home Groups are a great way for us to grow in community and in our walk with Jesus. We desire to see everyone connected to a Home Group, so if you are interested in getting plugged in, please contact me at gjones@hopetucson.com.
Home Group Leaders, we have another meeting on Saturday, August 22 in the Community Room from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register below!
Men’s Breakfast: Saturday, August 15 in the Community Room at 7:30 a.m. Elder Rudy Stadelman will continue our series on “A Measure of a Man”. Men and teens of all ages are welcome to join us for some great food, fellowship, and an engaging message and discussion time. Join us!
Men's Bible Study: Beginning in August we will meet every Friday from 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. This Bible Study is a great time to dive into God’s Word, pray, and build relationships with other men. This study is for men of all ages.
Men's Camp: Friday – Saturday, November 6 - 7th up on Mt. Lemmon at Southern Pines Baptist Camp. Save the Date!
July Men's Breakfast
HopeLife is our young adults' ministry for ages 18-29. If you are a young adult, we’d love for you to get connected with others in a similar season of life. We spend time together to grow in community, study God’s Word, pray, eat, and have fun. Join us!
August Calendar
Tuesday, August 4 - 6:30 p.m. at the Braeutigam’s Home
Tuesday, August 18 - 6:30 p.m. at the Braeutigam’s Home
Young Adults July Meeting
Kevin Mason, Family Pastor
kmason@hopetucson.com
August Calendar
Youth Group all Sundays in August (2, 9, 16, 23 & 30)
Dinner will be provided on August 2, 16 and 30.
Friday, August 21 - Faith & Family Night at Chase Field in Phoenix
Only 17 Tickets available at $30.00. Register today!
Matt Ulrich
Tech Director
mulrich@hopetucson.com
As we are getting closer to making an updated physical directory available, I wanted to reiterate that in order to be listed in the PHYSICAL/PRINTED directory, you MUST BE listed in the online directory. So even if you do not want to use the online directory (which is fine!) you have to be listed there as that information is what the physical directory is based on. So, if you have not already requested to be part of the Hope Directory, please get started by clicking the below link.
If you haven’t already subscribed to our new email service, please do so by clicking this link.
We could always use more hands on our Sunday Tech team: audio, video, and lighting. If you are interested in being part of this team, please click the link below.
Bob & Merrillee Whren, Directors
Interested in our Seniors' Ministry? Contact Bob Whren at bwhren@gmail.com.
Hope Seniors are attending the Gaslight Theater for DANCE - ROCKIN' THE NIGHT AWAY - NO REPLY BAND on Friday, August 21. The cost is $18.00 per person. If interested, contact Bob Whren.
Our goal is to grow a community of support and encouragement for all families at Hope Community Church who wish to educate their students at home. All are welcome to participate in the activities regardless of what type of school they attend. Children that are not school age are also welcome.
For more details and information on this group, please contact Bre McCabe at bmambros@gmail.com.
