The Hope Project is seeking to see something of the ‘Christ’ staying in our cultural festivals of Christmas and Easter in the public square, with awareness of the significance of this faith in the formation of our cultural values and freedoms. Culture and values are preserved through story!
Our wider strategic suggestion for a number of years has been THREE annual media efforts to fill identified gaps in our wider communications – as the Church as a whole. We engage in these efforts with awareness of the importance of engaging conversation with people in these different ways, because these shape public perspectives – which are the starting point for our other conversations.
(i) Hope Project Easter – putting Christ back into Easter (since 2014)
(ii) Hope Project Christmas – putting Christ back into Christmas (since 2019)
(iii) HeLP Project – highlighting the help on offer from churches within their communities.
The media: Including TV, web and the booklets, the TV is being streamlined (slightly less reach expected) – while we expect web media to perform very well, while the booklets (which are the most engaged with form of media) are again going to about 1.35 million Kiwi homes.
Churches partnering in the delivery and in prayer: Coordinators are lined up again for a volunteer-based delivery in about 100 cities and towns – primarily through city and town pastors’ groups. The unity of NZ churches that is reflected in this is truly amazing. While we offer to pay for the delivery in small towns (under 5000 people), an increasing number of these are wanting to deliver themselves. (To note it, we pay for the delivery in all rural areas nationally).
The 2024 booklet is titled ‘Hope For All – A surprising good’: The easy-to-read 16-page booklet looks at surprises found in the Creation, from God’s grace in our lives – and in Jesus, as we consider who he was and is. We again expect a wide array of responses – most of which are always very positive, with people expressing every year that they have not only found hope through this – but often (and we consider this quite profound) one that they were searching for!
(i) Receive the monthly e-updates and pray – monthly updates are available via AllTogether.co.nz/updates
(ii) Donate – noting this is entirely donor-funded – via AllTogether.co.nz/donate
(iii) Volunteer – to help with the pre-Easter booklet delivery in your own town and city by either contacting us (AllTogether.co.nz/volunteer) or through connection with church leaders involved in your local town or city’s pastors’ group.
At all levels, Hope Project continues to see high levels of connection and engagement with media and also church communities. Please read our beautifully designed annual report on this page – or prior reports at ‘Hope Project The Journey‘
While financial involvement is low – with about 4% of partnering churches and 5% of those receiving prayer updates donating in any 12 month period, Hope Project has, year after year, had sufficient provision to continue – and to be enjoyed.
The team very-much consider the financial provision a miracle from God – every year.
To support these efforts see AllTogether.co.nz/donate.