Hope City Magazine by Hope City Church

FIND PASTOR DAVE & JENNY

2012

HOPE CITY CHURCH

OUR BEST YEAR EVER

DIESE ZEITSCHRIFT BESITZT DEN SCHLÜSSEL, TAUSENDE VON LEBEN ZU VERÄNDERN, TAUSENDE VON WELTEN ZU ERWEITERN UND TAUSENDE MENSCHEN IN EINEM SCHÖNEN UND STARKEN AUSDRUCK DER KIRCHE DES 21. JAHRHUNDERTS ZU VERBINDEN. WENN DU BEI HOPE CITY CHURCH NEU BIST, ODER AUF DIESES GROSSARTIGE LITERARISCHE WERK ZUFÄLLIG GESTOSSEN BIST, VERTRAUEN WIR DARAUF, DASS 2012 ALLES WAS DU DIR WÜNSCHT UND TRÄUMST UND NOCH VIEL MEHR SEIN WIRD. WENN DU NUR EIN WOCHENENDE ZU BESUCH BIST, VERGISS NICHT UNSEREN „CONNECTIONS LOUNGE“ NACH DEM GOTTESDIENST ZU BESUCHEN, WO DU VIP-BEHANDLUNG VON FREUNDLICHEN GASTGEBERN GENIESSEN KANNST!

CONTENTS

COFFEE ANYO DIES IST UNSER JAHR, WO WIR ÜBERTREFFEN KÖNNEN. DIES IST UNSERE KIRCHE. „WIKICHURCH“. ZUSAMMEN SCHAFFEN WIR ES.

N I CON NE

GREGATIO

ELEVEN LO

CATIONS

2012

This magazine holds the key to thousands of lives changed, thousands of worlds expanded and thousands of people knitted together in a strong and beautiful expansion of the 21st century Church. If you’re new to Hope City Church or you’ve stumbled upon this great literary work, we trust that 2012 will be all you want it to be and more. If you’re visiting on a weekend, don’t forget to enjoy the CONNECTIONS LOUNGE after the meeting for some special pampering from our friendly hosts! Our services begin in Leeds - City Centre with Friday Night Church at 7:30pm. Our Sunday morning services in Sheffield are at 9:30am and 11:30am. If you’re from Liverpool, Leeds - City Centre, Newcastle, Lancashire, Birmingham, Accra or Frankfurt our morning services are at 11:00am. Our Leeds Wharfedale service is at 5:00pm followed by Preston and Sheffield are at 6:00pm. That’s a lot of services – so there’s definitely one for you. In 2012 we’re celebrating the 21st anniversary of when Hope City Church launched in a small youth centre in Sheffield in 1991. Since then we’ve launched six British Congregations, one African Congregation, the hugely successful Audacious Church in Manchester, The Leadership Academy, Night of Honour in three of Britain’s largest cities, four

HERZLICH

national conferences, two worship albums, Hope City TV and the award winning website hopecitychurch.tv. By the time you read this, we’ll be about to launch or have already launched our brand new Frankfurt Congregation as well as our London Congregation. Not only that, but we’re also launching a brand new Lancashire Congregation service in Preston. Our goal for 2012 is to be one church with nine congregations in eleven locations. Our biggest goal is to see lives transformed with the goodness of Christ. This is our year to excel. This is our church. Wikichurch. Together we can.

in Dave & Jenny Gilp Senior Pastors of Hope City Church

YONE? @hopecity @davegilin @jennygilpin

SENIOR PASTORS

NEW FRONTIERS

ONE

CHURCH

NEW FOR 2012

T R L U O F N K D N A O R N F PRESTON Frankfurt is Germany’s fifth biggest city. It’s the nation’s financial hub. It’s been a big European city since 850AD, when the German kings were crowned there.

In 2002 Preston was awarded city status, making it England’s newest city. It’s Lancashire’s administrative capital and home to 132,000 people, right in the heart of the county.

With the launch of Hope City Frankfurt we’re believing for massive influence, favour and growth and a foothold to our future influence in Europe. Frankfurt, we’re coming!

The local football team is one of the oldest clubs in the league. It plays at Deepdale Stadium which is the venue for Hope City Lancashire’s second Sunday Service starting Easter Sunday 2012.

London is one of the greatest cities in the world and a cultural-trend setter for the world.

This autumn, Hope City London will put its first stake in the ground with a vision to see a vibrant, creative and faith-filled church arise and create family in a fast moving and growing city. It’s an open invite spread the word!

“THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CRAZY ENOUGH TO THINK THEY CAN

HOPE CITY A

SHEFFIELD Only one thing remains the same at Hope City - change is always in the air! Having released Siobhan and Steve Bullock to plant Hope City Frankfurt, we are confident that God has a plan to transform the continent of Europe, revive the nation of Great Britain, change the city of Sheffield and completely revolutionise YOU and your sphere of influence. In the words of the late Steve Jobs, “the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Hi and welcome to Hope City Liverpool, probably the best congregation in all the world…! Prince Albert once said of this fantastic city ‘I have heard of the greatness of Liverpool but the reality far surpasses my expectations’. And that was before Liverpool One had been built! Isn’t it great when your expectations are surpassed? The Queen of Sheba felt the same way when she visited Jerusalem to see the temple Solomon had built for God.

Jesus said “I’ve come to change everything” (John 12:50, MSG) and with that in mind we’ve got a feeling that YOUR 2012 is going to be much bigger than you’ve anticipated!

That is our hope for you this year in Hope City Liverpool. As we relocate the Megacentre into the heart of the city to be more accessible and prominent; as we continue to expand all we do to lift people up through projects like City Hearts and Night of Honour; and as we release more and more people in leadership and creativity, we hope that Hope City Church far exceeds your expectations and you trust more and more in God’s everlasting love and commitment to you. See you in church!

and Beth Blois >>Colin Assistant Pastors

& Anna Davies >>Roger Liverpool Congregation Pastors

We have a jam packed year coming up in the life of our congregation. As we have sown so we shall reap in influence, salvation and breakthrough in new territory across our city.

@hopecitysheff

LIVERPOOL

@hopecitylvpl

’S EYE

LEEDS

CITY CENTRE & WHARFEDALE

Welcome to the exciting city of Leeds – a city that was built on the linen industry!! Ok not that exciting – but what God is doing at Hope City Leeds is definitely something to be excited about. With a growing and busy Megacentre and three services every weekend (our passionate and loud Friday Night Live / big, fresh Sunday mornings in the City / growing Wharfedale service set in the beautiful north of Leeds), there’s plenty for everyone to be part of. The Bible says “... God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.” (1Cor12:18-MSG). Make sure that in this new season you ‘find your fit’ and discover the place God has for you. We know He’s placed us in Leeds to build a church that will influence the city and its regions for generations to come and we want YOU to be part of this incredible journey.

& Gosia >>Chris Leeds Congregation Pastors @hopecityleeds

HEY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD, ARE THE ONES WHO DO” STEVE JOBS

Y SKYLINE

’S EYE VIEW OF 2012 LONDON

NEWCASTLE

Over the last twenty-one years many friends and voices that have helped weave the fabric of our church have prophesied the establishing of a congregation in England’s capital city – London.

Your view on life affects its outcome! In Numbers 13:33 we read God’s people admitting that they seemed like grasshoppers in their own eyes, and so looked the same to their enemies.

We’re humbly and boldly planning to break the turf with the spade of faith this autumn, believing that hundreds of entrepreneurs, students, couples, families, performers, business people, nurses, politicians and journalists will meet God through our expression of confidence in a BIG God who longs for relationship with us.

Learning from their mistakes, we’re committed to growing a congregation full of people who have a correct view of who God is and who they are in Christ. We see for our city nothing short of God performing his miraculous and complete work of salvation. We’re committed to seeing those who don’t yet know Christ being swept off their feet by His love, and growing strong in their knowledge of Him.

Since the beginning of 2011 we’ve been involved with Premier Radio in the heart of London, presenting the Big Breakfast with Lizzy & Dave every Saturday morning from 8-11am, peaking at over 100,000 listeners! Hope City London is one small step for man, one giant leap for the Kingdom of God.

Dave and Jenny Gilpin Senior Pastors @hopecitylondon

With this in mind we’re doing as it says in Isaiah 54; “Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep. You’re going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family.” The journey just keeps getting bigger and better as God adds to our amazing church family! Welcome aboard!

BIRMINGHAM Welcome to the metropolis city of Birmingham, a city that never sleeps! We’re so excited for everything that has happened so far at Hope City Church in Birmingham and we know this has just been a taster of what’s to come. The Bible says; “Enlarge the place of your tent,” and for Hope City Birmingham we have our sights set on reaching more people by breaking through into territory and new spheres of influence. To see our communities, businesses, universities and city touched by the power of God and the outstretched hand of us - the Church. It’s time for us to rise up in faith and be the difference, be the impact and be the change in the worlds of those we come into contact with. Live in faith and in the knowledge that He can do so much MORE than all we can ask or even imagine! Hope City Birmingham, the best is still yet to come - be expectant and jump on board!

and Rachael Taylor Si and Olly Bolton >>Simon Newcastle Congregation Pastors > > Birmingham Assistant Congregation Pastors @hopecitynewc @hopecitybrum

LANCASHIRE

CHORLEY & PRESTON

Since becoming Hope City Lancashire in September 2011, we’ve seen our congregation go from strength to strength. The atmosphere of faith and expectation is high: this year is going to be a year of real growth and expansion. We already have folk from across the region and beyond coming together in Chorley. We’re creating a brilliant congregation that’s impacting our region and ready to take it to another level this year. Easter Sunday sees the pre-launch of our brand new Sunday Service in Preston (with the official launch in September). The Hope City spirit of adventure and pioneering has spread to this second location and we are so excited about the future for this region. We know there are many families and individuals that God’s prepared for a congregation and house just like ours. They’re ready to be transformed by the amazing message of Jesus Christ and it’s our privilege to be a part of their story. Here’s to our bright future!

David and Lisa Stoner Lancashire Congregation Pastors @hopecitylancs

ACCRA (GHANA) Akwaaba Hope City Accra! We have so much to thank and believe God for in the next year as we continue to expand all that we do for Jesus. Having moved into our own place called ‘The Venue’ in the heart of Accra, we have seen God provide for us in miraculous ways, and so many people have been added to our congregation! In the middle of all the good things God is doing, our desire is that we would connect with Him in a truly meaningful way, that each of us would go on to reach more of our potential through the discovery of God’s plans and purposes for our lives. It can be great fun and a real adventure once we step out of our comfort zone to follow Jesus – we just need to believe that God has the very best for us and know that His grace is not a seasonal event upon your lives - on the contrary, it’s exceedingly abundant towards us, to guide and support us through every step we take. This year is exciting – welcome to the family!

Andy and Karen Gorman Accra Congregation Pastors @hopecityaccra

FRANKFURT(GERMANY) 2012 marks the official launch of Hope City Frankfurt. We have been believing and praying for this for such a long time and our moment to make history in this city has arrived! Did you know that Frankfurt is the most international city in Germany? One in three people living here weren’t born in Frankfurt. I wonder how you came to be here? Through work, family or quite by accident. Maybe you are actually a native! The Bible says: ‘You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.’ (John 15:16) There is God’s divine purpose for every single one of you. We are excited to be bringing a message of hope and destiny to people in this beautiful city and we are bursting with expectation of all that God will do in your life as you get connected with His church here in Frankfurt. We can’t wait to meet you,

& Steve Bullock >>Siobhan Frankfurt Congregation Pastors @hopecityfrank

NY)

Alongside the Big Summer Giveaway every August and the Big Christmas Giveaway to families in need across our cities, Hope City Church presents...

ain is a necessity of life. From it rivers are formed, bringing freshness and newness to everything they touch. Let this year be your year of heavy rain!

The problem with rain, however, is that it usually comes with menacing clouds of trouble that tend to overshadow our worlds. Yet don’t be fooled by trouble! Clouds are God’s Eddie Stobart of the skies. They are giant transporters taking precious water back from the lowlands to the highlands to create great rivers of influence and blessing. Your Clouds of Trouble are in reality giant Clouds of Promise. Clouds of Insecurity and Misunderstanding become clouds that rain fresh revelation of God our Defender and God our Father when we seed them with faith. Isaiah 19:1 says, ‘See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The

idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear.’ The more clouds that clog up your view, the more nervous your enemy gets – God can turn every Cloud of Menace into a Cloud of Magnificence! He rides on your clouds!

1. CLOUD SHIFTING

Matthew 6:9 starts; ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name’. It centres on our adoption, our new identity as children of Heaven, and on the permanent, non changing nature of God. It then moves swiftly on to the attitude of magnitude the big issues of; ‘your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.’ (Matthew 6:10). Stir up the Winds of Proclamation!

Clouds weren’t designed to sit above your mind and emotions but to head to the Highlands of Faith to replenish the Rivers of Blessing over your life and world. To do that we need to develop an attitude of gratitude and an attitude of magnitude!

Our God is changeless. Clouds come and go and the water cycle continues to cycle. Everything changes, but God. Deep inside all of us is a cry for permanence. That’s why many want a BFF – a ‘Best Friend Forever’ to be the strand of security that runs through our changing worlds. The only thing that never changes is ‘Our Father in Heaven’! James says that He; ‘doesn’t change like shifting shadows.’ Spurgeon says that the ‘wheel of providence turns on the axle of eternal love.’ He’s the same today, yesterday and forever.

The Lord’s Prayer begins with gratitude –

Continued over the page...

All your clouds need in 2012 is the Wind of Promise and Proclamation to shift them to higher ground. Psalm 104:3 says; ‘He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.’

BY DAVE GILPIN 13

2. RELATIONSHIP

SHIFTING

In the midst of change, let’s not get too clingy towards the people around us. Let’s not create little cliques or a cliquey church. The truth is that many of the relationships that helped us get from A to B will change as we go from B to C. Even now, you’re probably wondering what’s gone wrong in certain relationships of yours. The answer is often nothing at all. It wasn’t a relationship designed to be with you from A to C. Some rivers dry up. The reason … because another is about to flow. God takes away our old wineskins because He’s about to do a new thing. New wine requires new wineskins. Matthew 9:17 says, “Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” There’s new wineskins of relationship for 2012 that God wants you to explore. To give you a head start - everyone needs seven kinds of relationships in their lives:

A Jethro – a fatherly person who can tell you some very wise things you really need to know. (Exodus 18)

A Barnabus – A big believer in your future. (Acts 4)

A Timothy – someone you’re investing into. (1 Timothy)

A Jonathan – An armour bearer – someone who watches your back in prayer and faith. (1 Samuel 14)

A Lazarus – someone refreshing to kick back with.(John 11)

A Lydia – someone who wants to know more about you, your faith and your God. (Acts 16)

A Multitude of Counsellors – people who go beyond just pleasing you. (Proverbs 15:22)

13 14

3. DIRT SHIFTING Rivers need banks. Without banks, they become flash floods. Flash flooding is the way a lot of nonChristians experience life. They have unbelievable moments followed by life’s big hangovers. Many Christians are the same - blessings from heaven that never move onto greater authority and influence. After seven days in the desert looking for a river that never ran dry (that had actually run dry), God spoke to King Jehoshaphat; ‘make this valley full of ditches’ (2 Kings 3:16). God wanted the rain from the mountains of Eden to become rivers and streams in the desert. Jehoshaphat obeyed and God filled the ditches full of water that both refreshed the army he was leading and weakened the enemy he was attacking. The Lord’s prayer begins proactively, then, turns pre-emptive as it seeks to create banks for an oncoming river.

We need to:

Shift the Dirt of Self-reliance to create a Banks of Surrender. Matthew 6:11 says; ‘give us today our daily bread.’ God leads us to a place of desperation where there is no longer a plan B. He’s out to shift some carnal dirt and make us reliant upon him.

Shift the Dirt of Bitterness to create Banks of Forgiveness. Matthew 6:12 says; ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’ They say holding a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping that the other person dies. Without this bank the river will fail. Romans 13:21 says ‘don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ To release someone from that apology that they owe you is to give grace to them and so become an overcomer. You set the stage for rivers to flow.

Shift the Dirt of Rebellion to create Banks of Submission. Matthew 6:13 says; ‘and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Disobedience and compromise are shifted by submission. This may be the very shift that creates your future influence.

In Ezekiel chapter 47, the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a river that flowed from the Temple (where God dwelt) to the Dead Sea. Everything it touched came to life. Some call it the anointing, others the supernatural power of God…. But for us it’s the river that Jesus prophesied would flow out

from our innermost being to touch the world around us (John 7:38). “Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail”. (Ezekiel 47:12) The journey began when ‘the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple.’ (Ezekiel 47:1) In the midst of your Mountain of Faith is a solitary temple, inhabited by God alone. There’s no sound of children playing; there’s no green grass for a picnic and no familiar tunes in the background. It’s just you and God. Every so often God shakes everything that can be shaken and asks, ‘Do you still love me?’ If God took away your friends, your health, or your successes, will you still love Him? To answer ‘yes’ in the moment of crisis is to bring you back to the entrance of the temple where Jesus is enthroned once again as the Lord of your life - and everything begins from this place – even the river of God. In the vision, an angel led Ezekiel into four entry points in the river he found himself ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep and then over his head. Each of these entry points hold a significant key to making the right Devotional Shifts in our lives. Some commentators have described the vision as going deeper with God. I’m not sure if I agree! I’m not sure if I really want to be a ‘deep’ person who ‘experiences’ God. What I do want, however, is to be a person of ‘depth’ who ‘encompasses’ all God has for my life. I think that’s much better and a lot less deep! Here’s the four Devotional Shifts we need to make, each being an entry point to the river.

4. DEVOTIONAL SHIFT DEVOTIONAL SHIFT ONE >>ANKLE DEEP

Revelation Led Christianity Every now and then when your feeling ugly, knowing that you’ve failed miserably, let people down and feel completely useless, you need to come back to making a stand on the foundations of faith. You need to be up to your ankles standing on revelation truth. It’s time to declare positional truths about the finished work of the cross – your victory, your forgiveness, your covenant, your strength and your covering. This could be your entry point into the River of His Power today.

DEVOTIONAL SHIFT TWO >>KNEE DEEP

Application Led Christianity Knees are to do with walking. We need to not just hear the truth of God but apply it to our lives. Momentum is mass multiplied by velocity. For momentum to increase in our lives, we need to increase our ‘speed’! Our speed is the time it takes from hearing God’s Word to putting that Word into practice. It’s that time span that needs shortening. God often won’t speak the next thing to you until you have done the last thing.

DEVOTIONAL SHIFT THREE >>WAIST DEEP

and His People! (This shift also includes a surrendering of our sexuality and our sex drive to the Will of Heaven.

RIVER CREATING

Don’t let these wild horses drive you to places you don’t want to go. Submit them to the river and let God help you move from inner struggle to inner success).

When it rains in the Highlands of Faith within our hearts, God creates four rivers that flow out from our innermost parts. Each of these rivers answers some very real issues within our lives -

DEVOTIONAL SHIFT FOUR >>OVER YOUR HEAD

Immersion Led Christianity Every now and then, not just one thing breaks down, but everything does! The diary gets thrown out of the window and every plan collapses. It’s time to let the river take you in its flow to the place of promise. It’s time to let go and let God. It’s time for total trust that God knows best and all things will work out for His glory. All four Devotional Shifts are like the shifting of gears on a car. You need to alternate regularly between first and fourth to maximise speed and control. Let this next twelve months be your best ever as you learn to turn clouds into rain, rain into rivers and rivers into fruitfulness and influence. Let momentum become your best friend as you make the right shifts at the right moments. Shift happens to the people who want to make the shift to the next big thing God has for their lives.

Rivers on High Ground

Isaiah 41: 18 says; ‘I will make rivers flow on barren heights.’ Have you got unreachable, unattainable areas in your life that need unlocking? There is a river!

SECONDLY

Rivers on Broken Ground

Isaiah 43:19 says; ‘See, I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’ Are there areas of your life that are burnt out, damaged and discarded? There is a river!

THIRDLY

Rivers on Ploughed Up Ground

Psalm 65:9-10 says; ‘…The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges…’. Have you areas you’ve spent time praying over, working on and wrestling with? There is a river!

FOURTHLY

Rivers on Lost Ground Psalm 46:4 says; ‘There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.’ Are there areas of sadness and loss that you would love to be turned into both joy and gladness? This is a river! He has promised life giving streams to flow through your world in 2012.

Reproduction Led Christianity At waist deep, the water covers our loins which is the place of reproduction. The immersion of our ‘creativity’ causes us to not just do as God says, but think as God thinks and see as God sees. It raises us from servants to sons and from parishioners to partners in the vision. It adds leadership and ownership to all we do. This may be the right entry point for you. It’s time to take initiative and own the vision that God has for His Church

FIRSTLY

For more articles from Pastor Dave Gilpin visit davegilpin.com

INTRODUCING THE WIKI SAYS...

LETTER P

In English and most other European languages, P is a voiceless bilabial plosive. Both initial and final Ps can be combined with many other discrete consonants in English words. A common example of assimilation is the tendency of prefixes ending in N to assume an M sound before Ps (such as in + pulse → impulse — see also List of Latin words with English derivatives).

In 2011, Hope City Church averaged a total of 1300 different people attending services each week with a total services average of 1650 people. All of these people come from a total active list of 2200 people. Out of all of these people, around 700 attended a Connect Group each month. Let’s double it by the end of 2012. How? Everything starts with...

WE SAY...

RAYER

Let’s make it our prayer to see our cities and towns attracted to the incredible news that Jesus is here to help them out of their weaknesses and into His eternal strength.

P P RESENCE

People don’t want to know your message until they know you. You are the message incarnate. If they like you, chances are, they’ll like your message.

ROCLAMATION

The best way to publish truth is through a real life story – your story of how God saved you, interacts with you and changed you for the better!

ERSUASION

You’ve got to be careful with this bit. To undersell is to allow clutter to distract people from their real destiny. To hard sell is to put people off forever.

BIG INTERNATIONAL WEEKENDS COME FLY WITH ME

FRANKFURT LAUNCH

ACCRA ‘YOU CAN’ WEEKEND

SHE IS FABULOUS ACCRA

Be there for the official launch of Hope City Frankfurt by booking your tickets and accommodation to be in Germany this May – This is not one to miss! Recommended accommodation and flights are online.

Be part of the Ghana Express Team, including Leadership Academy first years is heading out for a 10 day mission in Accra including services and events for all ages plus a visit to our Compassion Village where we support over 250 families.

Senior Pastor Jenny Gilpin, is coming to Ghana with Jen Baker to share her heart and to minister in her prophetic gift to create a platform for accelerated growth and success in both the congregation and in each person’s life. Don’t miss this extraordinary weekend - it’s time your friends and family came to check us out!

SUNDAY 27TH MAY SATURDAY 17-SUNDAY 18 MARCH FRIDAY 19 - SUNDAY 21 WITH PASTOR DAVE GILPIN WITH CHRIS DENHAM OCTOBER WITH JENNY GILPIN

hopecitychurch.tv/frankfurtexpress

hopecitychurch.tv/ghana-express

EXPECT MORE

“NOW MAY HE WHO SUPPLIES SEED TO THE SOWER, AND BREAD FOR FOOD, SUPPLY AND MULTIPLY THE SEED YOU HAVE SOWN AND INCREASE THE FRUITS OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

by Phil Pringle

2 CORINTHIANS 9:10

O FARMER ON EARTH PLANTS A SEED AND EXPECTS TO GET ONLY ONE SEED BACK FOR THE EFFORT. HE ANTICIPATES A PLANT THAT WILL YIELD AT LEAST A HUNDRED TIMES THE SEED HE PUT IN. WHEN WE PLANT SEED IN GOD, WE CAN ALSO ANTICIPATE THAT HE WILL MULTIPLY IT – OFTEN GREATLY.

When we first started our church in Sydney, my wife Chris needed to travel to New Zealand to visit her mother, who was a widow and disliked flying. But we didn’t have the money for Chris to travel. So Chris went to the travel agent, booked the tickets, and got ready to go. The agent kept ringing up, asking when we were going to pay. But we had agreed to trust God, so we didn’t cancel the trip. In the middle of this process, Chris came across an article in a Christian magazine questioning the whole issue of Christians expecting to receive finances from the Lord. This knocked her faith around a bit. We talked about it. We studied the Scriptures again and soon became fully confident that God actually enjoys supplying the needs of His children. Over that weekend, just a few days before Chris was due to fly, a gentleman in our church approached Chris and told her he felt the urge to loan (not give) her the amount she needed for the tickets. Meanwhile, my brother, who had been living with us, had also returned to New Zealand and left his car with us so we could sell it for him. He said it was only worth around eight hundred dollars, but that we could have the proceeds to pay for the ticket. We knew we could cover the loan by selling the car.

Another person in our church heard that we were trying to sell the car, and he offered to buy it to give to a couple in the church who needed a car. However, he didn’t yet have the money to buy one for the couple. So, we said he could have the car and pay us later. In the meantime, we invited the couple needing a car around to our house for a meal. After the meal, we gave them the keys to the car and told them someone in the church had bought it for them. A couple of weeks later, after Chris had returned from New Zealand, the man who had agreed to buy the vehicle for the couple brought the money to the church and gave it to Chris. Chris then sought out the other man who had originally loaned her the eight hundred dollars and gave him the money. As it happened, on that particular Sunday we were holding a building fund offering for the new premises we were moving into. When Chris handed him the money, he told her to put it into the building fund instead! That is an amazing story because it shows God multiplying seed when we step out in faith.

Chris got to visit her mother in New Zealand with the kids, a young couple got a much needed car, the building fund got eight hundred dollars, and three people got to sow seed that would produce a harvest in their own lives. All from faith, obedience, and a used car. ‘But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’ (Matthew 13:8) If a farmer reaps ten acres this year but next year wants to reap one hundred acres, he obviously needs to sow more this year than he sowed last year. If he sows another ten acre field from his harvest, no matter how much he prays, believes or confesses, his capacity to reap remains limited to what he has sown. If, however, he takes enough seed from his last harvest to sow a one hundred acre area, he will achieve his goal of reaping one hundred acres. When we start giving according to the measure we expect to receive, we break through into a greater measure of harvesting. Our seed multiplies at varying levels, but the lowest level the Word promises is thirty-fold (Matthew 13:8). No bank or investment firm on earth would promise those kind of rates as its lowest return! And to promise a maximum of a hundredfold would be utterly crazy! Even we as believers have trouble accepting those figures. We seem to be able to accept that maybe the Lord would multiply our seed times ten, but to think that we can sow ten and reap a thousand seems too incredible to be true! But we must believe it if we are to see the kind of harvest God wants for us in this hour. The message: Sow to your harvest!

Phil Pringle leads C3 Church in Sydney and oversees over 200 C3 Churches worldwide. He’s a huge inspiration to Hope City Church and a huge fan.

AN EXTRACT TAKEN FROM ‘KEYS TO FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE’ BY PHIL PRINGLE.

12 0 2 R E B M E T P E S 0 3 Y A D N U S

D L I U B & RIB USI LED I N G T H E F U T U R E OUR RISE AND BUILD WEEKEND IS ALL ABOUT BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION OF FINANCIAL STRENGTH IN HOPE CITY CHURCH.

We aim to reduce our mortgage by £75,000, put £50,000 towards refurbishing our new Liverpool venue and complete the auditorium extension at the Leeds Megacentre which will cost £15,000. With the sacrificial and generous giving of individuals and businesses we will see our goal of £140,000 come to pass. Believe with us.

W E LC O M E T O T H E

PREMIER LEAGUE OUR FIRST FRUITS OFFERING 2012

n Sunday 25th March 2012 Hope City’s Premier League players will be booting up for premiership glory - to see God’s kingdom expand in Europe Africa, The Nations’ captial and at home. This is your invitation to play in the greatest league and for the greatest cause on the planet. This is PREMIER LEAGUE KINGDOM CLASS. Don’t play below your league. It’s the price of greatness!

Our Premiership Goal is £125,000 AFRICA GOAL Accra Congregation (£25,000) CITY HEARTS GOAL City hearts recovery and safe houses (£25,000) EUROPE GOAL Frankfurt Launch (£25,000) WORLD GOAL London Launch (£25,000) MEGACENTRE GOAL Megacentre Development (£25,000)

UE RLEA2G012 E I M E #PR STFRUITS #FIR

YOU CHOOSE THE GOALS YOU’RE GOING TO SCORE…

LIFE STORY

HI, MY NAME’S TONI

AND LAST SUMMER I NEARLY DIED. Toni loves her friends, her family, trampolining and dancing. She’s got two younger sisters, has lived in Sheffield for seven years and wants to study Economics and Spanish at university. And last summer she almost died.

was meant to be on the coach to Summerfest – but instead I was on my way to hospital. I’d felt ill for a few days but now I’d started throwing up all the time, and was so tired that I couldn’t walk up the stairs. And instead of spending my next ten days in the sun with all my friends I spent them in the intensive care unit, slipping in and out of consciousness. My mum only told me later how close to death I had been. We’d had a brilliant summer up until then – we’d all been able to go to my uncle’s wedding in Nigeria despite thinking we wouldn’t be able to. We had the most amazing time; I loved experiencing Nigeria again and seeing my grandparents and other relatives that I hadn’t seen for ages. It was brilliant! We came

AT 17, YOU DON’T REALLY EXPECT DEATH TO BE ON THE HORIZON.

back, and I started getting very excited about Summerfest, our Church summer camp, but I started to feel ill. I was determined to not let it stop me and to still go. When I went to hospital, they said that I had got food poisoning, which had turned into blood poisoning. They told my parents that I was close to dying - but I had no idea how bad it was. I was very delirious and just thought I was there because I was so sleepy. At 17, you don’t really expect death to be on the horizon. I hardly had time to be scared. When people came to visit me I sometimes couldn’t even remember that they had come. My parents hid how they felt quite well – but I knew they were worried. My mum only told me after how scared she had been. While I was there, I had three operations on my knee and three on both of my shoulders. The infection had collected in my joints and they had to pump water through them to try to get rid of it. They had tried to do it with a needle in the ward, but it hadn’t worked. I was scared the first time they operated on me, but it all happened so fast that really, I had no choice but to trust God. I was in intensive care for

10 days, then moved into a room on my own, where mainly I got very bored. I was glad that at least I wasn’t missing sixth form so I wouldn’t have to skip the year, but every now and again, everything got to me and I felt so frustrated. Eventually I was allowed my phone and laptop, and getting the hundreds of texts and facebook messages from my friends was amazing. Everyone had been praying for me.

came out of hospital in August, and started back to school on September the seventh - my 18th birthday - on my crutches. While I had been in hospital I had been grateful that I was still alive, but as the time goes on it kind of gets harder – why did it have to happen to me? Even now I can’t do everything I want to – I’m not back dancing or trampolining, and it’s hard even putting my clothes on. Sometimes it still gets to me, but though I’m not back to 100% I know that God has amazing things in store for me, and that He’s still working in me. And if He can save my life, which He did, He can do anything. Toni is an active member of the Young Adults of Hope City Sheffield.

Toni x 23

> > > > > >

SCOTT WILSON (Denmark) IN SHEFFIELD SUNDAY 5 FEBRUARY JEN BAKER (UK) IN PRESTON EASTER SUNDAY 8 APRIL JAMES MACPHERSON (Australia) IN SHEFFIELD SUNDAY 22 APRIL DONOVAN COETZEE (South Africa) IN LEEDS SUNDAY 29 APRIL (Leadership United)

MARK RITCHIE (UK) IN LIVERPOOL SUNDAY 20 MAY DAVE GILPIN (UK) THE LAUNCH OF HOPE CITY FRANKFURT SUNDAY 27 MAY

> MARK RITCHIE (UK)

IN LEEDS FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER

> JENNY GILPIN (UK) >

IN ACCRA SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER VICKI SIMPSON (Australia) IN WHARFEDALE SUNDAY 4 NOVEMBER

> JEN BAKER (UK)

IN LONDON SUNDAY 18 NOVEMBER

CELEBRATIONS 2012

HOPE CITY UNITED

THIS IS OUR BIG OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE THE BIG LIFE OF HOPE CITY CHURCH. All together in one place seems like a recipe for great celebration and great success. This is our year – let’s show it in 2012 with our biggest UNITED celebrations ever!

INTRODUCING HOPE FAMILIES

BRINGINGHOPE TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN LEEDS Through encouraging good parenting skills, motivating families to make healthy lifestyle choices, addressing their basic educational needs and helping to break the poverty cycle.

o all families where children end up in care plan to mess up when they first hold their bundle of joy? I don’t believe so! Often they simply don’t know how, after all they’ve never experienced for themselves being loved or nurtured feels and looks like. The stress of failing relationships, financial difficulties and unresolved hurt from abuse they’ve suffered themselves cause them to hurt those closest to them. And sadly children are too easy a target. Families don’t just need someone to tell them how to do things better, they need someone who believes in them can breathe hope into their situation and help them break the cycles of poverty and neglect. Last year Hope Families worked with nearly 100 families in some of the most deprived areas of Leeds, getting them involved in a wide range of activities from one-to-one support, parenting courses, self esteem

OVER 17.1 MILLION FAMILIES IN THE UK

65,520 CHILDREN IN CARE IN 2011 IN ENGLAND OF WHICH 35,381 PLACED IN CARE DUE TO ABUSE OR NEGLECT NEARLY 1 IN 3 CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY IN ENGLAND

1 IN 4 CHILDREN LIVED WITH A SINGLE PARENT IN 2011

courses, money management courses, cookery classes, family fun days and parent and toddler groups.

Statistics from ‘Save the Children’, ‘Education.gov.uk’, ‘Child Poverty Action Group’, ‘Office of National Statistics’

God has been opening amazing doors of opportunity for us as we work in partnership with local primary schools and Education Leeds to touch the lives of so many families. Some may not be able to choose the family they are born with but together we can help them become the families they were born to be!

Love Gosia Gosia Denham Project Manager

How to get involved PRAY For wisdom, open doors, resources and for the families we work with.

STATS

THE

For more information on Hope Families, to become a volunteer or sponsor please contact Gosia on gosia.denham@hopefamilies.co.uk or call The Leeds Megacentre on 0113 240 1238.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER There are lots of opportunities, from more specialised family support or providing crèche cover to helping with hosting parent & toddler groups, admin support and organising fundraising activities.

BECOME A MONTHLY SPONSOR Even as little as £5 per month, will help towards providing refreshments for a parenting group.

en Baker, originally from a small town in America, has been an itinerant speaker across Britain for many years. She is now based in Sheffield and oversees City Hearts Safe Houses for victims of Trafficking. Here’s a little something from Jen. (P.S. from now on Jenny Gilpin will be called by her middle name, Enid, to avoid confusion – yeah right!) Oh... and she’s joining the preaching team so you’ll catch her in a congregation near you soon!

LIVING THE DREAM

e all long to live the dream…whatever that is. As a child I dreamt of becoming an A-list Hollywood star, an FBI agent, and at one time even the first female American football player for the Detroit Lions! Yet how many of our childhood dreams become reality? At what age did I realize my talent isn’t quite A-list, I would be pathetic as an undercover cop, and the football helmet would definitely mess with my hair / makeup way too much to be worth the millions I would make! All too early in life we choose to shelve the dream instead of trust it; we assume that the child was simply being a child and as an adult – things must look different. Maybe it comes with our first job, first bill, first mortgage, or first child, but somewhere along life’s continuum a decision is made to either forego the dream, or at the very least to modify it (read into that make it safe). And sometimes that is right. My attempting to become the first female football player is right up there with the Queen trying out for England’s rugby team. It just isn’t going to happen.

But are there dreams which have been modified to the point of moribund? They are barely gasping for breath, lifeless and weak, when at one time they were the strength behind us getting up in the morning. And those dreams, the ones which had true life in them at one time, are the ones which we need to re-examine. Have we shelved something out of despair instead of direction? Might it be time to pull a dream off the ventilator and breathe new life into it? Joseph had a dream which landed him in prison. (Genesis 37) But whilst there, he continued believing in the dream and acting with integrity until it came to pass. Yes, it looked different than he originally imagined, but seriously, don’t they all? This thought came to me a few months ago during an intense time of ministry. As I was ‘complaining’ to God about the stress and difficulty I was under, He reminded me that I grew up in a tiny Midwestern town in the US, and am now living in England, have a flat in London, am travelling and preaching at meetings, writing for magazines, and working for Him. And now I’m moving up to a whole nutha level in my influence across this beautiful nation. I am already living the dream; I was just too busy to see it. My sense is someone has a dream they are questioning, wondering if anything will ever come of it? Bring it before the Throne Room, ask the Lord for His direction, trust Him, be willing to fully obey, and always follow your peace. (Colossians 3:15) Because who knows, quite possibly the child’s dream… isn’t just a dream…

@jenbaker

FORCE TO BE

Facts ABOUT WILLIAM

RECKONED WITH

WILBERFORCE

“If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.”

illiam Wilberforce didn’t think himself qualified to fight for the abolition of slavery in parliament – though he believed passionately in the cause. But when another man refused, and he was suggested, he thought about it, and finally agreed. He hadn’t had the most promising start. At university in Cambridge he had decided that as he was heir to a considerable fortune, hard work wasn’t quite worth it, and instead went for the social side of college - gambling, playing cards, drinking. He was popular, funny and generous – and so made friends with the future Prime Minister William Pitt.

AT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

50 YEARS

TO ABOLISH SLAVERY

1780

HE BECAME MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR HULL

THFC

HE WAS A SUPPORTER OF SPURS* William Wilberforce led the movement for the abolition of the slave trade.

At his friend’s urgings he decided to try his Sea Captain who gave evidence against slavery hand at politics and became an MP at the age said: “I had rather live on bread and water, and of 21, and soon became the MP for Yorkshire. tell what I know of the Four years later his life slave trade, than live in completely changed. the greatest affluence He went back to the “God Almighty has set before me and withhold it.” Christian faith that he had abandoned years two great objects, the suppression the slave traders before. He reinvented of the slave trade and the reforma- But and wealthy antihis whole lifestyle, tion of manners (morality).” abolitionists were just quitting gambling, cards as hard at work, and the bill was defeated by and drinking - and it was at this moment that 163 votes to 88. But Wilberforce didn’t give the abolitionist movement approached him with up. He continued to gather evidence, and tried the terrible truth of slavery, and asked him to again the year after but this time his opposition help. managed to get the decision delayed – which Wilberforce was deeply moved by the horrific really meant that it would never come to stories, and began to read up on the subject. anything. And that year England became even One day Prime Minister William Pitt challenged more against upsetting the status quo, as they him to take up the cause, he made his decision. went to war with France which was turned This framed the rest of his life. upside down by the revolution, and people were Two years later, in 1789, Wilberforce made scared. Wilberforce continued to campaign but the first of many proposals to the House of public opinion was firmly set against him. Commons to abolish slavery. Up and down In 1807, after twenty years of trying everything the country the abolitionists were working to he could think of to influence parliament, collect all the evidence that they could – one

STUDIED

Wilberforce’s determination, passion and vision finally saw some effect. The Slave Trade Abolition Act was passed– a law that didn’t free current slaves but banned any further slave trading. As it became law, Wilberforce’s face streamed with tears.

ut the fight wasn’t over. Captains would throw their slaves overboard if they feared discovery, as they would be fined £100 for each slave found on the ship – and Wilberforce didn’t stop. He was determined to do everything he possibly could do get rid of slavery, and as the next 26 years of his life went on he became more and more outspoken, telling parliament that slavery was wrong over and over again. He never stopped. Wilberforce died in 1933, three days after he heard that the Abolition of Slavery Act would pass through parliament and become law. This act would free thousands and thousands of slaves from all over the British Empire. And Wilberforce, his endurance, passion and determination became legend.

THE SPIRIT OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE LIVES ON IN CITY HEARTS. City Heartsworks tirelessly to help people in their most desperate situations. It runs safe houses for men and women who have been trafficked into the UK, often for sexual exploitation or modern day slavery. It also runs a recovery house for women with life controlling issues.

*YEAH RIGHT

THE

DEAR CHURCH

AT HOPE CITY CHURCH, WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP We know that it takes a bit of time to get to know us and to settle in and make the place your home. We also know that the first steps of becoming a Christian and following Christ are a sensitive time that needs both the support of friends and some good old breathing space. When you feel ready, we’re ready to introduce you to the heart and vision of Hope City through our FRIENDS OF THE VISION Course, including its history, its quirks and its sense of humour. After this short course, we’d love you to do our two part PARTNERS IN THE VISION Course that will take you through our values, the power of partnership and how you can help make Hope City Church a future success story. We look forward to seeing you,

Joe Smart

I BEAT

MAN FLU

AVERAGE BUILD & AVERAGE HEIGHT

ABOVE AVERAGE EXPECTATIONS

For dates and venues visit www.hopecitychurch.tv/friendsandpartners

THE HOUR THAT CHANGED THE WORLD BY STEVE KENNEDY

“My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but as you will.” MATTHEW 26:39

At the beginning of His hour of prayer in the garden of Gethsemane and on the eve of His crucifixion on behalf of the failings of mankind, Jesus cried out for companionship. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ At the end of his hour of prayer things had changed. With renewed strength and courage, He regroups His disciples and commands them to; ‘rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’ (Matthew 26:46). Upon His arrest, the soldiers fell to the ground – struck by His authority and presence. He was in command. If you have one hour to pray, take it. If you have one minute to pray, take it. When you pray, four things begin to take place.

FIRSTLY

You exchange your will for God’s will. You begin to accept God’s will over your own. Before you pray, it’s yours. After you pray, it’s His. Jesus went into the garden of prayer with one agenda – ‘may this cup be taken from me’. He came out of the garden of prayer with His Heavenly Father’s agenda – ‘not my will, but yours be done’.

SECONDLY

You invoke the help of heaven. Luke noted that at His darkest moment; ‘an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.’ (Luke 22:43). Heaven is longing to involve itself in the affairs of earth. What happens when we pray? For Daniel the Bible tells us that an Angel of the Lord also appeared and proclaimed ‘Do not be afraid Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.’ For 21 days, the Angel was resisted by the forces of darkness, yet persisted in its mission to minister to humankind. From the time you start to pray, Heaven works on your behalf.

Clockwise from above: Moon landing; Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston; V-J Day in Times Square; Martin Luther King Jnr speaking in Washington DC

bove: ammad V-J Day Martin king in C

THIRDLY

You go to the victory side of your challenge. You move from the history side to the victory side. How long should you pray? Until you can get up off the floor and take your stand. ‘Therefore, put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.’ (Ephesians 6:13). Pray until peace prevails, confidence returns and strength resides. Pray until you know He’s heard you. ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that we ask according to His will, He hears us. And if you know that if He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him.’ (1 John 5:14).

FOURTHLY

You overcome the power of temptation. Often our temptation is to lag behind the tugging of the Spirit and get involved in activities unbecoming to a child of God. Yet, for many of us, our temptation is also to go beyond the Spirit’s call and try to manufacture what He alone can create. Jesus was tempted three times in the desert, with each temptation luring Christ to receive early what He would be receiving from His Heavenly Father in due time.

LET YOUR K I NG D OM COME LET YOUR WI LL BE D ON E ON EARTH AS I T I S I N HEAVEN. When we pray, we come into the flow and rhythm of the Holy Spirit. The world and all that glitters becomes ‘strangely dim in the light of His glorious grace’. Temptation and compromise are weakened. The one hour that Jesus spent with His Heavenly Father changed His world and changed the world. It doesn’t matter how you start to pray and what has led you to the Throne of Grace. What matters mostly is what happens when you get there. Hearts are softened, promises are revived, strength is returned and heaven draws close.‘Let your Kingdom come let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’

Steve Kennedy is a part of the teaching arm of Hope City Church. Pastoring in Brisbane, Australia, Steve has been a huge part of Hope City since its inception in 1991.

PRAYER PURSUITS The Megaprayer N ight Three 4 8 hour Super Fasts The Engine Room

Make each day a prayerful day and together we’ll touch heaven and change Earth.

Visit www.hopecit ychurch.tv/prayerp

ursuits

I FELT LIKE I COULDN’T TRUST ANYONE, AND I BLAMED MY MUM FOR EVERYTHING.

y Mum was away for three years recovering from severe and horrendous flashbacks of her past. When she came back I thought she was an imposter – I’d had so many nightmares that she had died that I had come to believe it. I later learnt that as a child she had suffered from horrific ritual abuse. As her eldest child I had also been planned for abuse, but she was determined to not let it touch me.

When she came back I was totally confused and frightened. I found it very hard to leave the house, was very nervous and my nightmares got worse. I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone, and I blamed my mum for everything, I was very angry with her. I wanted everything my way so that I could control it and make it safe, and over the next few years I became impossible for my family to deal with. I went to see a child psychologist, had to go to an adolescent unit and was on anti-depressants by the time I was 15. When I was younger and we’d lived all together we’d moved around a lot – and now we moved again. I wanted to make a fresh start, but instead I got more and more panicky. I was angry, confused, and terrified of whatever was going to happen next. Because everything was changing around me I became a control freak. Every day had to run to my very strict self-imposed regime. My parents refused to take me on holiday because I would want an exact itinerary about three months in advance – I couldn’t cope with not knowing what was going to happen. But it was most evident in my eating habits – I began to lose weight, and fast. After a few months my weight was so low that I had to be hospitalised, and over the next twelve years I

was admitted into hospital ten times due to my low weight. At the worst I weighed less than four stone, with a body mass index of 11, and you’re meant to die at 13. Doctors told me I was about to die four times. I wanted to eat, to put on weight and to get better, but all the rules and restrictions that I had in my head made it too hard – I couldn’t break them however hard I tried. Eventually I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. Though this explained why I acted how I did, it didn’t help me to solve it at all. I was stick thin and the rules that I had stopped me from doing everything that I wanted to do – all I could ever think about was my routine and what I had to do at certain times. I couldn’t socialize; get a job or anything because of all the things that I had to do, because that was what I did. I didn’t live, I just existed. It was all just about how long I could keep out of hospital each time. At times like Christmas when everyone else was excited I was in complete turmoil because my routine had to change – I had to go to church on a different day. It came to a point when I realised that I didn’t have any friends because everyone I knew was just trying to look after me. I could never even go to anyone else’s house because it was too scary.

n June 2010 I had exhausted every service that the NHS could offer me, and nothing had worked. The year before I’d been told that if I got anything else wrong with me I had no chance – even if I got a cold, I would die. I was 28 years old and I just thought, I’ve done nothing with my life and I can’t do another thirty years like this. I was encouraged to come to City Hearts – though I fought it hard. Coming into a residential programme would mean losing the control of everything that I thought that I needed. But it felt like my last chance, so I took it. On my first day my induction time changed, and it drove me crazy; I paced in and out of the building constantly, had

a panic attack and would have left if my mum hadn’t stopped me. It wasn’t easy going. I saw everything and everyone else as a threat to my safety, and would argue endlessly over the smallest thing. I would try and make everything run my way, which definitely didn’t happen. I remember that once plans had changed and I was meant to get into the minibus but I couldn’t handle it – I sat in a bus stop screaming and shouting at the staff. I would argue, debate and cry about every change of plan.

I BEGAN TO TRUST THEM AND TO VERY GRADUALLY RELINQUISH CONTROL

ut slowly because of the staff’s patience and their listening to my fears, I began to trust them and to very gradually relinquish control. For a long time I had flashbacks, panic attacks and nightmares, but the staff were patient with me and prayed everything through with me. It was a long journey, but the more I let go of things and realised that I wasn’t responsible for everything the less anxious I became. I actually began to relax and found I could enjoy myself. Life could be fun, and sometimes it didn’t matter if I didn’t know what to expect, surprise is exciting!

I finished City Hearts at the end of September 2011 and moved into a flat on my own. I’m now doing an internship at the Megacentre and I absolutely love it. In a few months my life has completely changed. After years of living in a cycle of health scares, hospital stays and existing according to my self inflicted routines, I’m now living a life of freedom, fun and food! I look forward to each new day and can’t wait to see what happens next!

Partners Ball

Celebrating 21 years of Hope City Church

SUNDAY 10th JUNE 6.00pm; Holiday Inn, ShefFIeld, uk £25 per person; £45 per couple. Includes 4 course dinner Reserve your place now at www.hopecitychurch.tv/21years

CHARLES HADDON

SPURGEON (1834 – 1892)

Charles Spurgeon was born in Essex and became a Christian in a primitive Methodist Chapel at 16 years of age. A year later he was pastoring a small Baptist church. At 20, he was called to pastor New Park Street Baptist Church in Southwark, London. His preaching attracted such crowds, they had to construct the Far be it for us to seek a Metropolitan Tabernacle crown of honour when our to accommodate them. Lord found a coronet of His congregation exceedthorns.’ ed 6000 people. His sermons have been published more than any other preacher.

“ ”

“ “ “

They prized not polished gem, how should they value the jewel in the rough?

It cannot but grieve gracious souls to see what pains men take to go to Hell.

”

An awakened heart trembles at the audacity of sin – never laugh at sin’s fooleries

”

“ “ “ “ “

Chance is banished from the faith of Christians FOR THEY SEE THE HAND OF GOD IN EVERYTHING

”

It has a bad look when a courtier is too intimate with the King’s enemies

”

It is a sad dishonour to a child of God to be the world’s favourite

”

SPURGEON

The prayer which meets the arm of God is still a bruised and battered prayer

SOUNDBITES TAKEN FROM MORNING AND EVENING DEVOTIONS BY

CHARLES H SPURGEON AVAILABLE AT HOPE CITY SHOP

”

A man prevails only as he believes.

”

HOPECITYMAIL TALK TO US: INFO@HOPECITY.CO.UK HOPE CITY CHURCH, THE MEGACENTRE, BERNARD ROAD, SHEFFIELD, S2 5BQ

DEAR DAVE Robert Dyson

Why I Love Jesus DEAR Hopecity

Sue and I really enjoyed attending Sheffield Night of Honour; it was a really professional event.

ANDREW MCGarRY I was a heroin addict by the age of 16, and my life started to spiral out of control. During my third stretch in prison my Grandad died. During this dark time a prison chaplain came alongside me. God was beginning to stir my heart. I left prison and started to attend a church - but it was a matter of time before, in November 2010, I said yes to God. I am now drug free, I have a great job, fantastic friends and an unbelievable future, and started coming to Hope City Church at New Year. I love Jesus because He has given me a brand new life. For more information on who Jesus is and about the Christian faith, visit hopecitychurch.tv/isaidyes

It was quite uplifting to hear so many stories of excellent work in our local communities. Seeing one of our officer, Louise Owens, win the “Queen of Customer Care” made it even better. The Hope City Theatre Company are very talented and would not be out of place on a West End stage; I am sure you are very proud of them. Once again many thanks for inviting us. Robert Dyson QPM MA Temporary Chief Constable South Yorkshire Police

Michelle was loving the good vibes of the Yes Course...and track 3 on the latest hopecity album.

Dear Lois

Dear Louise

LOWER MEADOW SCHOOL

DAN PORTER

Thank you so much for such a wonderful evening. I didn’t expect to receive an award, and I’m thrilled to bits (even though I was shoeless onstage!!). The night was a roller coaster of emotions - from tear-jerking to spectacular and I cannot imagine the hours of hard work which obviously went into the show - and I have to say the rather stunning compere was superb!

Some say James was loving Buzz Schools a bit too much.

Dear BUZZ BEE Mark Shipman

Dan

Buzz Schools Teams has had a really positive affect on the students, developing their social skills in and around the school and out in the community. It has really had a positive impact on the school and the community as a whole, and has been a thoroughly worthwhile venture. Louise bringing pizzazz to the Sheffield City Hall.

Buzz Schools Teams have worked with all ages in our school doing The Buzz Relationships Course. Our cross curricular afternoons have been enriched with a variety of noise and fun activities to develop social skills and positive relationships. The impact has been to create new friendship groups, improve tolerance of others and accept individuality. We are all buzzin’ at Lower Meadow School. Mrs J O’Connor , Head Teacher, Lower Meadow

Buzz Schools is Hope City Church’s schools programme. It runs in over 80 schools across all of our locations. For more information visit: www.buzzschools.com

Mark Shipman, Assistant Head, The City School

www.greatbritishchurches.com

whizz

KIDS

Whizz Kids is our BRILLIANT programme for 2-10 year olds! With CRAZY games, AMAZING dance, crafts and drama and LOADS of friends it’s sure to be the best hour of your child’s week! The Whizz Kids team are friendly, welcoming and fully CRB checked to make sure you’re child is completely happy and safe. Can’t wait to see you there! Whizz Kids programmes run alongside all Sunday services.

Visit hopecitychurch.tv/whizzkids for more information

STUDENTS WHEN YOU NEED A BREAK FROM STUDYING NOTHING BEATS A SUDOKU...

ALTERNATELY YOU COULD TRY...

HC LIFE UNI CAMPUS

visit hopecitychurch.tv/students for more information of what’s happening in your location.