May-June 2009
As yet, EHC has not done significant promotion for Mission 33. However the office is scrambling to respond to the interest coming from across the country.
In some areas pastors who hear about it are sharing the potential of the campaign with their ministerial groups and forming a collaborative initiative. An example of this is St. Thomas in Ontario.
A pastor saw the materials and the strategy and immediately call our office to request a quantity of Mission 33 information packets in order to begin spreading the word. As a result, the whole of Elgin County in Ontario is scheduled for a campaign in October of 2009. Prayer mobilization, community awareness initiatives and special events will light up the county with the message of hope of Christ!
In some communities anonymous donors have made significant donations that sparked an interest for church leaders to begin to plan for their area.
One activity that helps to prepare for a campaign is what we are calling a “Come and Hear” event. This occurs in an area where someone has expressed interest and wants to spread the word of how the campaign can be launched most effectively for their area. It may be an invitation to a breakfast, luncheon or evening meeting where leaders in an area are invited to come and hear, receive answers to their questions and discuss the potential of the campaign. Once they express their interest in the campaign, the local planning process begins.
Since January of 2009 “Come and Hear” events have been held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Lindsay, Beamsville and Ridgeway, St Thomas and Elgin county in Ontario, and Saskatoon and Prince Albert in Saskatchewan.
We are currently preparing a special resource that will enable us to have live meetings on-line to both introduce and coach the campaign process. We are anticipating having this available by the fall of 2009.
To our effort to help local churches maximize the potential and impact of the campaign in their area, we are producing a Campaign Planner. This resource will offer helpful guidelines and suggestions to assist local leaders to make the most of the campaign according to their local interest and situation.
With all the exciting responses and developments that are taking place we must always remember that Mission 33’s Finding the Hope Campaign is a spiritual work. The presentation of the message of the Gospel is foundational and absolutely necessary to give lost people the opportunity to know who Jesus Christ is and discover how they can personally experience his transforming life.
The simple strategy of Mission 33’s Finding the Hope Campaign is one way that gives the people in every home of every community in Canada that important opportunity.