Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you’re looking forward to the New Year as we are at Shepherd’s HOPE. The winter Coat, Hat, Glove and Scarf drive continues through January 15, 2017 and then we pass them out as the need arises. The needs in our community are great but remember we have ministry partners that serve the homeless as well in other under-resourced communities in Chicago.
These coats and accessories will not last long!
Please keep us in your prayers for a larger venue. We have outgrown our current facilities and would love to bring all our ministries and ministry partners under one roof. What a blessing that would be! We will be bidding on Woods School at 62nd and Racine on March 3, 2017. Please pray that God will bless us with this facility if it is his will. The afterschool program will be starting soon. We are looking forward to the opportunity to start mentoring these young kids.
In addition to the new venue and the youth program, we are going to start partnering with the 7th District Police Department by providing 150 bags of non-perishable food a month so that officers in that district can use the food to rebuild the relationship and trust needed to bring this community back to where the officers and the people in the community embrace each other and begin working together again toward peace. It’s working in the 11th District and through God’s grace will keep working there and it will also work in the 7th District as long as we all work together with God in the lead!
As you see the LORD has a glorious plan for Shepherd’s HOPE in 2017. This only happens 
because of people like you, our financial support team. We need your help. To date we have only raised 62% of our operating budget for 2017. We are pursuing grants and other resources, but we still need your help financially and most of all your prayers.
Next time you receive our newsletter, I hope we can tell you that we have met our financial goals, and that God has provided the larger facility we so badly need. Look forward then to some video of the afterschool program and a picture of the Shepherd’s HOPE-Xperience Church-7th District Team! AMEN!
By the way, the Kid’s Christmas party on December 17 was a success. Thank you to Chris at Heritage Church for putting the video at left together for us! And thank you for your support that made the filled Christmas stockings and hot dog meal possible for our kids and their families! Click here to see the video.
We love you all very much and wish each of you and your families a joyous and peace-filled NEW YEAR! Thank you again for your continued support and prayers. Thank you for being a part of this journey that the LORD called Shepherd’s HOPE.
Love always,
Brian
