Celebrating Life — Forming Faith — Meeting Needs
We invite you to learn and explore more about “A Future with Hope” which is a capital campaign for Hope Lutheran Church in Arcade, NY. It is our desire to construct a 100′ x 100′ multiuse facility that will serve as a Ministry & Community Center to serve the community in which we live, work and worship.
From Pastor Shawn Hannon:
The road to launching this Future with Hope Project is much longer than many people know. Since arriving in 2010, Hope’s leaders and I have spent a significant amount of intentional time discerning the future of Hope, and asking what God has in store for our community. In 2015 we spent the year participating in a program we called, “Church ImPossible.” We focused on identifying who Hope is and to what God is calling us. The following year we brought the emphasis back to our congrega-tion. We dreamed. Everything was on the table. We just kept asking, “Where is God calling Hope?”
The building project “A Future with Hope” is the result of that road, but to say that it started with us would be deceiving. Shortly after we began the congregational portion of discovery, we found the original blueprints for the church. They were drawn in 1961 when our congregation was just forming. On the prints you could clearly make out the original church sketched along the eastern village line of Arcade. But to our surprise the words, “First Phase” were blocked above. As we looked closer we could see dotted lines jetting off the side of the building forming another building on the east lawn with the words, “Second Phase” just above. We realized our founders were way ahead of us. It had been their plan from the start to build an addition for faith formation. We were simply carrying on their legacy.
They saw what took me only a moment to recognize when I arrived in Arcade 7 years ago. This community is a vibrant and active place. The people are genuine, old-school neighbors who still re-member that life fuller when it is shared. Our industries make global impacts. Our small businesses are our heart. Our schools give us hope. And try as it might, time and trends cannot bring our com-munity down. We are on the move. We are at work. We are alive.
A Future With Hope Building Project is about celebrating the life we have together, and making sure we form the next generation with the same values, ethics, and understandings that have shaped us. It’s also recognition that while vibrant, we are not perfect. The project specifically aims to help the most underprivileged in our communities in ways that will not leave them that way.
And we hope you will partner with us in this bold endeavor. As a community we have been richly blessed, and together we can ensure that our best days remain in our future. With God’s help, we can make this Community and Ministry Center a reality.
In Christ,
Pastor Shawn Hannon
In everything there is hope.
“My name is Brian Tavernier and I have been the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Holland for twenty years. I was fortunate to be part of the Relocation and Expansion Project that took place in 2012. Although there was some hesitation and skepticism that a project of that scope could be successful in a small town like Holland, through hard work, dedication and the continued support of the community, we were successful.
I have seen firsthand the positive impact the new facility has had on our youth and their families. We were bursting at the seams and needed to expand in order to truly meet the needs of the community we serve. I see the same situation here at Hope, and through hard work and outreach we will realize similar success. The time is now, and our youth and community truly need and deserve it.
“When people ask me to tell them what my church is like, they expect to hear a variety of things; it’s a place of worship, a cool place, a great community, about the sermons, etc. What they never expect to hear is that Hope Lutheran Church is a second home to me, as the rest of the youth can reflect. I’ve been going to Hope for as long as I can remember, and I can honestly say with 100 % certainty that if I had not gone to church there, I would be a completely different person. Everything seems easier when you come to Hope; it’s like the weight of the world is lifted off your shoulders for a bit, and after a long week of the stress, drama, and activity that comes from school it’s a breath of fresh air. Everyone is SO welcoming, and the people that I see on a weekly basis I consider a second, or extended family. Whether you’re there to use the Church as an area for hosting an event, coming to enjoy an activity, or coming to church on Sundays, Hope is a place full of LIFE and ACTIVITY, with a loving, friendly, and joyful community behind it, supporting not just the church, but each other as we travel through the sometimes rocky roads of life. And that means the WORLD.
“I became a member of Hope six years ago not because I was a person of no faith. When I was brought up Sunday was a day for church and something I loved and looked forward to, but unfortunately my faith was tested not only once but twice. Hope was there for not only myself but my family, without hesitation they became our support system and over the years became family, a place were I can go to strengthen my faith. I thank the people of Hope for walking us through this tragedy and encouraging our faith ahead of failure. I know thank you is not nearly enough but they are two words that I hope will encourage Hope to make a difference in so many other lives. With its strong leadership, support and generosity Hope will continue to grow and with that strengthen our community. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Hope, Arcade.”
“To me, Hope is about relationships. Not only has becoming a member of Hope allowed me to grow spiritually and strengthen my relationship with Jesus, but it has also lent itself to developing personal relationships with so many wonderful people. The people of Hope have become a second family to me, touching my life in such special ways. Not only have I benefited from these relationships but my daughter, Bailey, has as well. Her favorite part of church on Sundays is when it is time to share the peace. She cries nearly every Sunday when it is time to go home after church, and she always loves the time she gets to play and interact with her church friends- both her age and the older girls that so beautifully embrace her. It makes my heart happy knowing how much she is loved by her Creator and by the people of Hope. The Future of Hope is about further developing these relationships within our congregation, our community and with Jesus. I look forward to what the future holds here at Hope.”