Kia Ora, ‘AllTogether’ is an innovation arm of the Shining Lights Trust.  

Hope Project Christmas 2023

A united effort to keep the celebration of CHRIST in CHRISTmas

WHY?
Hope Project Christmas is about celebrating authentically, to keep the Christ in Christmas, to keep the traditions and story alive.

 

For many free resources and ideas CLICK HERE

BRAND NEW CHRISTMAS BOOK
‘Gifts At Christmas’ – the story of Saint Nicholas

AVAILABLE NOW

NEW DISCIPLESHIP RESOURCE

>> Why Christians believe Christianity to be true <<

“Why Christians believe Christianity to be true” – a seven part video –  booklet – discussion series

…targeting older youth and young adults in view of their attrition from our churches as a particular goal.

Videos, PDF’s of booklets and discussion guides are free – click the link below

View the 2 minute intro video here.

Other current updates

The election is over. What next for the united Church? See a strategic article by Dave on this topic here. Our annual report to the right is superb. Next year’s Hope Project Easter is being lined up.  ‘HeLP Project‘ will remain on hold until finances to empower us to serve in this way are forthcoming. We toured Roy Crowne from ‘Hope TOGETHER’ around NZ to connect with 8 pastors’ groups in September. Mid November we will have a small event to  formally launch three new outreach resources. (1) The ‘Why Christians believe’ booklet series with Thinking Matters present, (2) A children’s story titled ‘Gifts at Christmas – the story of Saint Nicholas’, and (3) Dave’s free online book, ‘The Art of Storytelling – and of becoming an interesting person”. All resources will be promoted via our monthly updates. Making known this amazing Christian hope known is our mission. We’re now working toward the Hope Project Christmas effort!

Shining Lights Trust 2023 Annual Report available HERE

QUICK LINKS

What people are saying…

A church family emailed to tell us of a united Church effort in their town. Members were visiting no circulars homes with both booklets and Easter eggs, to bless the homes.
CHURCHES UNITE TO VISIT NO-CIRCULARS HOMES WITH BOOKLETS AND EASTER EGGS
A believer gave a booklet to a young lady on the street who had been following New Age teachings. She read it right there and then. Seeing something of more worth than what she already knew she decided she wanted to entrust Christ with her life right there and then.
FROM NEW AGE TO NEW LIFE
A prison chaplain called a pastor to explain that a Hope Project booklets was the reason that a new Christianb would be coming to his church on his release shortly.
EX-PRISONER GOING TO CHURCH
A man emailed to thank us for the booklet, saying he’d been praying recently because of a family matter. To him, the arrival of this booklet was a sign of encouragement from God. He saw that as he had reached out to God – God had reached back to connect with him.
I’VE BEEN PRAYING LATELY – THIS BOOKLET WAS A SIGN!
A lady emailed to thank us for the ‘awesome booklet in my letterbox’. Receiving something home-grown and positive made her day - and especially with affirmations of a Christian basis for believing in the equality of men and women.
SO ENCOURAGED TO RECEIVE SOMETHING SO POSITIVE
A pastor emailed to say he’d read our book, ‘Because We Care’, which talks about the need for intentionality in equipping members for conversational outreach. He said it had changed the way he saw and approached evangelism. One day per week is set aside for an 'evangelism-focus' at their drop in centre. They were now successfully engaging those visiting in meaningful conversation.
OUTREACH EQUIPPING MATERIALS CHANGING THE WAY I THINK
A lady wrote to express her appreciation for the Hope Project booklet in her mailbox. Not only was the content good quality, she said the ‘gentle kindness throughout’ showed her something of the 'authenticity of the Christian message.'
THANK YOU FOR COMMUNICATING THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE WITH CLARITY AND GENTLENESS
A lady contacted us to ask for a New Testament to help her continue in her Christian walk, She said, "I have just finished the 10 Day Challenge and I am recommitting my life back to God!” With that decision she had started at an Alpha course – with the first night completed, and also told us she intended to reconnect with a local church she’d been to before. We thank God!
FINISHED 10 DAY CHALLENGE – BIBLE PLEASE - I’M RECOMMITING MY LIFE TO GOD!
Many people contacted us again to express their delight in seeing the TV ads about Jesus in the Easter period found on TVNZ; THREENow; Sky TV; Māori TV; Discovery; Newshub; Shine TV. Over 2 million NZers (or all ages) will have seen the ads an average of 3.7 times each in the Easter period.
TV ADS A HIT AGAIN
A gentleman who regularly goes out to be available for spiritual conversations shared of a lady who, upon being offered a booklet, took it and held it against her heart saying, “I love these - thank you so much!” The booklets are not only well-received, but increasingly well-received with time - because their ‘brand’ is becoming known.
CONVERSATIONS ENABLED
One church told of its effort to give booklets as a part of a gift given to 300 families. ‘Such a good talking point’ was the response of another man. Booklets were given away at another churches community event. Another told of how they are given with food parcels and in ‘Care Bags’. A couple who run a B&B find said their visiting tourists were consistently be interested in them. In another community four churches worked together to deliver the booklets to people at the doors of no-circulars homes. On so many fronts initiative is being taken!
BOOKLETS INSPIRE INNOVATION AGAIN AND AGAIN
In 2023 ‘Hope For All - Goodness we can Trust’ went to over 1.33m homes immediately, with about 78,000 going to partnering churches for their members' use. The booklets continue to generate testimonies - because they can go where many Christians can’t or won't. They don’t back down on sharing their message. They tell powerful stories - and are very patient too, sometimes waiting somewhere for weeks or months before being read. We’re continually encouraged!
OVER 1.4 MILLION BOOKLETS SENT OUT
A lady called our office requesting a new booklet because, while hers was wet from the rain, she was already so touched by it that she’d decided to get her life right with God. She said hadn’t been to church in a long time – but was going to go back. She then asked for a New Testament – and also for a few copies of the booklet, and some more copies of the Scriptures, because she wanted to share this with some of her friends also. “The booklet in the post has made me think and I want to change and refocus on God!”
THE BOOKLET MADE ME THINK. I’M GOING TO CHANGE!
With a Hope Project booklet found in a bus stop, a young man contacted us with a desire to have and read a Bible – to learn more. Thoroughly delighted to then receive a Bible he made contact again to thank us – saying he intended to take it to work that evening to read in his break times.
FOUND A BOOKLET AT A BUS STOP
When out delivering a man offered a lady a booklet - and she not only gladly received it; an amazing conversation opened upon which real life things were meaningfully discussed and connection made for a church who actively pray for their wider community. God is at work!
MET A LADY WHILE DELIVERING. AMAZING CONVERSATION. AMAZED!
This is feedback we’ve again received many times. One person wrote, “The vast majority of people passing by that I offered a booklet too were happy, even keen, to receive one. One young man responded, 'That looks great, thanks so much!’”
“PEOPLE ARE JUST SO WILLING TO RECEIVE THESE BOOKLETS!”
Pat is a very sprightly 82 year old from our church who has been in the habit of giving away the `Hope for All’ booklets to her neighbours, and one day she stopped to talk to a Chinese couple and their elderly father. The father said that he wasn’t a Christian so that led to Pat sharing what was in the booklet and about the need to ask the Lord for forgiveness, and asking Him in to his heart and life. He said he wanted to do that, and so he followed through with a prayer of repentance and commitment to the Lord. The next morning Pat and her sister were driving past this Chinese family home, and had to drive around police cars, and an ambulance, and a ute on the side of the road. We said; “I wonder what’s happened here?” A few days later, we found out what had happened. The ute had been parked up a steep driveway across the road. The driver hadn’t put the handbrake on properly and it rolled backwards down the drive where the Chinese father was standing and he was pinned to the house. He didn’t survive.
A BOOKLET - A PRAYER - AND AN ACCIDENT

We were told of a person from a Christian ‘sect’ who read one of the Hope Project booklets. This caused her to seek out more information about mainstream Christianity at the 10DayChallenge.co.nz website. This inspired to start reading her Bible for herself - and she contact us to tell us she’d recently became a Christian as a result, and was baptised in a local church.
PERSON FROM SECT READS BOOKLET THEN BIBLE, AND EMBRACES FAITH IN CHRIST
A young lady requested a Bible saying she was a wife and mother of a young children – but not a Christian, as her “...parents never believed in the faith but as I’m getting older I feel something is missing.” She said, “I often find myself searching to read a Bible - but I have never read one nor do I know where to start.” She asked for help – so we gladly posted her one, while sending some introductory thoughts (including noting the ‘Overview of the Bible’ series, found on the ‘series’ page at 10DayChallenge.co.nz - to give her a context for what she might read).
SOMETHING IS MISSING – AND FOR SOME REASON I’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A BIBLE!
Amongst a number who went through the 10DayChallenge.co.nz resource, one emailed asking for encouragement, as they felt they had 'no faith’. They said, 'I want to believe and let the Lord into my heart.’ God is at work in people’s lives all over the place!
I WANT TO BELIEVE!
One person wrote to request a hard-copy Bible – saying, “I would love to receive this gift please. I have never owned a Bible and truly believe there is something. I would love to learn, and having a Bible would give me the opportunity to learn.”
I BELIEVE THERE IS MORE. I’D LOVE TO LEARN!
A lady who has struggled with faith and church contacted us for help. Her early church experiences had put her off church - yet she felt again drawn to find that ‘all elusive freedom’ the Christian faith was supposed to offer. Christian TV fed her faith. A Hope Project booklet prompted her to contact us. We were able to connect her with a Bible and a church - were she then went. God is at work in many peoples lives - well-beyond what we can see or know!
I’M A CHRISTIAN NOW - HELP ME FIND A CHURCH!
Someone living in student accommodation shared Hope Project booklets with of those they live amongst. Including people from all faiths, feedback was outstandingly positive – with much interest coming back, resulting in a range of conversations.
INTER-FAITH DISCUSSIONS ENABLED
A lady contacted us said she was simply blown away by the stories from history. "They tell us so much about who we are as New Zealanders” she said. . To her the booklets were ‘amazing’, and ‘all related to things that are happening now’. She requested copies of the prior booklets to learn about our history from them also - and also copies to send to friends, because she felt it important that they understand this stories that tell us so much about who we are as a nation!
THIS IS AMAZING! CAN I HAVE A COPY OF ALL BOOKLETS – BECAUSE I WANT TO TELL THESE STORIES!
A gentleman wrote who is in a prison – who was offered a Hope Project booklet on Easter weekend. He said the stories inspired him to now give his life to Jesus. He’s always believed in a God, but hadn’t made the right choices in life. He said that his turning point had come – to stop allowing Satan to drag him down, and to put his life into Jesus’ hands. He requested a copy of the New Testament so that – to quote him - “Jesus can teach me the good in life”.
I’M INSPIRED TO FOLLOW JESUS – THANK YOU
"A lady told us she was asking God for a sign as she walked to her mailbox. In the 9 years she’d lived in that house she’d never had Christian literature in the mailbox - and that this was an unusual request. Yet on that one day there the Hope Project booklet was! She said it was more than a coincidence, and chose to engage with the 10 Day Challenge afterwards, and the asked for a copy of the New Testament so she could learn more about the Christian faith"
I ASKED GOD TO SPEAK - AND THE BOOKLET ARRIVED!
Someone contacted us to say that they found the people in the booklet to be such an inspiration that they'd like a copy of the New Testament, and intended to renew their faith in God after having walked away from it many years ago. To explain their situation they shared openly about various family challenge. "We are good people and can stand a lot of hurt but...” these challenges, and the pain, are real and are not fixed easily. “Thank you for this booklet that has come just at the right time!” We thank God!
WE ARE HURTING - THIS BOOKLET CAME AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME
One lady wrote to tell us of her struggles with various sects or lifeless forms of Christianity. She felt ‘doctrinal confusion’, alone in her 'search for the truth’, and ‘tempted to give up’. Yet she tried again, and visited a ‘mainstream church’ where the 'Hope For All’ booklets were available. She took one and felt touched by the articles - including the Christian battle against slavery (booklet 4). This led to a desire to read the Bible - so, ‘Could I have a Bible please?’ was her request. She told us she wanted to be carrying it when she went to visit that church again the next Sunday.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME FIND THE TRUTH
A story came in of an elderly many who gave his life to Christ after reading the booklet. His daughter was a Christian – and relayed the story back to her pastor. We thank God.
ELDERLY MAN CHOOSES CHRIST