The Hope Project is seeking to bring an awareness of Christ back to the public square. The plan is to have THREE annual media efforts that represent the wider Christian community.
(i) Hope Project Easter – putting Christ back into Easter
(ii) Hope Project Christmas – putting Christ back into Christmas (from 2019 onwards)
(iii) Hope Project Family – highlighting what Kiwi churches are doing for families (date of first effort yet to be determined).
Affirming the significance of the Christian influences that have defined many of our nation’s most-treasured values, and which also helped establish Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is a priority to us.
Hope Project Easter 2020 – what was new?
2019 REPORT: This project achieved fantastic levels of public engagement again. A report is in the right hand column of this webpage. But how could we improve this?
2020 THEME: The wider 2020 theme is the origins of healthcare, again revealing how significantly our national values have come from the Christian faith within our history. (See new booklet online here)
2020 CHANGE: The delivery of booklets will now be done by volunteers in all cities and towns of 5000 or more people.
CORONAVIRUS EFFECT
Due to Covid-19, the 2020 volunteer-based delivery was a considerable adventure. Volunteer deliveries were halted as of the national lockdown, and not resumed until after other companies were again distributing their circulars. The compliance of church people to our instructions to pause all deliveries – representing well over 4000 volunteers, and in the midst of unprecedented events, was remarkable. However, the efforts of volunteers in the 40 hours prior to the lockdown were even more remarkable. We estimate 700,000 homes received booklets in that period. The fact that the topic was the origins of our national values on healthcare was God’s small miracle in this. Many appreciated the messages of hope at this challenging time in our nation’s (and world’s) history. We love our volunteers!
AMAZING STORY: Volunteer-based national delivery
For a range of reason the delivery was made volunteer-based in 2020 for all cities and towns of 5000 or more people. This affected 70 cities and towns. The delivery was to concurrently be a prayer walk, praying throughout cities and towns. Partnership was sought with pastors’ groups in each place. This was achieved in over 95% of places. (In the others, our Tauranga team networked with individual people and churches in each place). Of the 1.37m homes the booklets go to, 1,080,000 were delivered by volunteers. It was a remarkable journey – told in more detail in the 2020 report (with even more in a blog the report links you to). It demonstrated that a remarkable unity already exists between churches nationally – where there is connecting relationship combined with sensible vision and strategy.
> People can volunteer for the 2021 delivery by telling us here.
Safety Briefing needed for delivery
Mobilising a national delivery with no extra staffing to achieve this required a true team effort. Our extensive networking with pastors’ groups laid a platform. Our Hope Project Regional Reps did a lot of initial connecting. Unified hearts amongst God’s people then did the rest. The safety briefing system was adjusted 3 times, creating something very simple.
Here are some links – to preserve access to these things
- Our safety briefing form for use with groups is here.
- But the easiest option was use of this 3mins safety video here, after which the names + church + city of those who saw it are emailed to admin@shininglights.co.nz.
The willingness of volunteers was amazing. Well over 4000 were involved.
Promotional resources
Regarding finances
- The project fundraising ends 20th May annually.
- This INCLUDES for Hope Project Christmas – so there is only one fundraising period annually for (i) Hope Project Easter, (ii) Hope Project Christmas and (iii) Hope Project Family (the latter is not attempted yet due to inadequate funds).
- We ended the period $65,000 short on expenses for Hope Project Easter – therefore leaving nothing for the Christmas effort. Hope Project Family is a sound and sensible strategy, which we believe would benefit the NZ Church as a whole at a level that would more than justify priority given to its funding. Engaging with public opinion is important, and does not happen by itself in our current changing cultural climate. We pray.
Help to make a difference by donating now
2020 Church marketing material below.
FOR CHURCH PROMOTION
- 2020 Hope for all booklet – Titled ‘Everyone matters’ here
Promotional materials for churches – 2020
- Volunteer delivery promo video – 90secs on youtube here or download here
- Promo powerpoint slides here
- Volunteer delivery sign up form (to print) here
- Safety briefing form here, or 3min briefing video with email to reply here
- Flyer to print with bulletin – A5 w ‘bleed’ for print or two-up for photocopier print
- Poster for church notice board – A4 w ‘bleed’ for print or for copier print
- ‘General’ Hope Project Easter promo vids (as on Shine TV) – 30secs and 1min
Small group/youth group discussion guides on Hope Project booklet topics
- The origins of our national values re healthcare for all (2020 booklet) here
- The origins of our national values re charity (2019 booklet) here
- The origins of our national values re ‘equality of genders (2019 booklet) here
- The origins of our national values re slavery (2018 booklet) here
- The origins of our national values re education for all (2018 booklet) here
For non-church audiences
PUBLIC MEDIA LINKS
- Easter 2020 booklet TV ad – 15sec with Dave here
- ‘Conversational’ website about hope: HopeProject.co.nz
- Discipleship website and app: 10DayChallenge.co.nz / Search ‘Why Jesus?’ at the app store.