The Hope Blog

What's new at Hope.

  1. Fall Books & Breakfast is Coming!!!

    “There’s a seamless thread woven through every story in the Bible that connects its people, places and promises to a greater overarching story.”
    Whether you’ve grown up hearing Bible stories or you’re exploring Scripture for the first time, the full story of the Bible can be overwhelming. Experience the Bible as a whole as you gain clarity and confidence in your understanding of Scripture. Discover a biblical context that reshapes and brings to life stories from the Old and New Testaments in the study “Seamless.”
     
    Thursday mornings, Sept 7-Nov 9, 9:30-11:30am, Hope Chapel Sanctuary
    Questions: contact Aubrey Johnson
     
    Sign up below:

  2. Congregational Meeting Wednesday, Sept. 27th

    6:30-8:00 p.m. in the sanctuary

    This is our twice-yearly gathering to receive updates on finances, our building renovation process, and future plans.  It is also a GREAT place to come and ask questions about Hope.

    Child care available for children 3rd grade and under by reservation; Deadline to RSVP for child care by 5:00 PM Wednesday, Sept. 20th. To RSVP fill out the form below, scroll to the bottom and click “Submit”.

    We regret that the deadline to RSVP has passed.

  3. World Welcome Opportunities!

    The end of summer is near, and with that comes a rush of University students back into Austin gearing up for another year. Around 6000 of these students come from all over the world and have basic needs that we can meet as the hands and feet of Jesus.

    Watch this video, or read below!

     

    Friendship Family/ Individual:

    You can become a support and a friend to one, or many, international students looking for a connection! Show them around Austin, invite them into your home for a meal, take them grocery shopping… there are many ways to connect with a student!

    ESL Conversation Partners or English classes:

    You can meet with a student to intentionally help them practice their English, or take on a group of students and lead an English class. Hope Chapel has plenty of resources for this, so teaching degree not required.

    World Welcome will also be facilitating regular gatherings for international students interested in staying connected. We would love to have Hope-ites participating in these activities as well.

    Please contact Christine Wilson to find out more!

    christinewlsn@gmail.com

     

  4. Sacrosanct: A Night of Celebration

    An evening of celebration for young women transitioning from High School and College. This is a significant stepping point in the lives of ladies we know. Let’s love, encourage, and inspire these beautiful ladies. This will be a time of welcoming into our community of women. We will celebrate who they are, and offer support for the journey ahead of them.

    Are you graduating from High School or College? Are you a Mom, Sister, Grandmother, Aunt, or Friend who would like to celebrate these ladies?  Do you know someone you’d like to invite?

    Please RSVP, we welcome you to the celebration!

    When: July 8, 2017 7:00-9:30pm

    Where: Address to be provided to attendees (held in a private home)

    This event has expired. Please visit the Women of Hope page for future events and bible studies.

     

  5. N2Worship Camp coming to Northwest Fellowship in July!

    Sign up now for N2Worship Camp coming to Northwest Fellowship on July 9!

    July 9-July 20,  Monday-Friday mornings, 9:30am-12:30

    13427 Pond Springs Road
    Austin, Texas 78729 (near 183 and Anderson Mill Rd)

    Ages 9 and older are welcome!  We will work and play to the glory of our Great God.  Our staff of seasoned worship leaders and experienced music educators are devoted to helping our students grow in their musical gifts and in their relationship to God through musical worship.  It is a rich two weeks which culminates in an hour of worship when friends and family are invited to join in.

    If vacation or location prohibits your attending in July, Austin Oaks is hosting n2Worship Camp on July 30-August 10 in southwest Austin (near Mopac and William Cannon).

    Cost is $275 if you sign up by July 1.  For more information at n2Worship.org.  Questions? Email jack@thedormans.com

  6. If You Missed Sunday’s Announcement – Debbie Dorman Announced Her Retirement – It Will Take Place a Year From Now

    Debbie Dorman, Director of Worship Ministries, will have served Hope Chapel as a worship leader for 40 years, as senior pastor Geno Hildebrandt said in the Sunday morning service, “without a hint of scandal.” It can be added that she leads with consummate excellence, skill, concern for Biblical truth in song, and with passion. In our day and age, this is a sweet aroma of obedience to our Great God. Deb’s great love for worshiping God, writing worship songs, mentoring younger leaders, and leading others into worship has been her life’s work and devotion. Debbie began leading worship at Hope Chapel in 1978 after marrying Jack Dorman. This is a massive change for her, as well as, Hope Chapel.

     In recent years, Deb took the position of Director of Worship and was responsible for not only Sunday mornings, choir, n2Worship’s team, mentoring and releasing new worship leaders, special events (Good Friday, Christmas Eve, etc.), sound scheduling, administrative details, and more – but most importantly entering into worship Sunday after Sunday and leading us to the throne. Her husband, Jack, who loves worship more than anything in life has walked in this leadership also (as well as, serving as an elder and senior pastor). But as he said Sunday, “I’ve already retired a few times. This is all about Deb.”

     We can hardly imagine worship at Hope Chapel without Deb and Jack responsible for leading but it has become apparent to Debbie that the grace for the administrative side of being the Director has been lifted and she has clearly felt the weight of the responsibility as she is nearing her 65th birthday. She and Jack feel it is time to move to a different freedom in retirement that will allow her to sit at the piano and worship without thinking as she said, “Oh, we could do this on Sunday.” Their heart is to step aside and see the next generation whom they’ve invested in, step into serving Hope Chapel. And Jack’s hope is that Deb will have more time to write songs again (her songs have been published across denominations and are sung in many other churches = definitely more than we know of). 

     

    BUILDING RENOVATION GOES HAND-IN-HAND WITH THIS TRANSITION

    Jack’s insight shared on Sunday morning that just as the building renovation is bringing new and exciting things to Hope so will this transition. Will Jack and Deb continue to lead worship at times after the year is out? No one knows including them. They are open to serving on a team. She’s retiring from a job not from worshiping. Worship is the core of who Debbie and Jack are.

    Jack also mentioned that neither the board, nor Geno, came to them to asked them to step down because they’re getting older. So no conspiracy theories, please. But he did say with total honesty and classic Jack humor that he’s in his late 60s and the reality is that, “I’m going to die someday.” They’d rather not do it on a Sunday morning with Deb at the piano and Jack on the front mic. Instead, they want to see what God is doing in releasing new worship leaders.

    WHO WILL TAKE OVER?

    No one knows what this looks like or who will take the responsibility for leading worship ultimately but Geno’s admonition is to take a few months to pray and see what God is doing. So not forming a committee immediately and trying to fill a position. Hope’s heart is always to seek God and follow what He is leading us to do. Geno encouraged the body to talk with the board and staff about ideas and what you’ve heard in prayer (as well as, email him). 

     

    IS IT OKAY TO BE SAD AND GLAD AT THE SAME TIME?

    It is a time of grief for many as most of us have never known Hope Chapel without Deb and Jack leading but still it’s a new and exciting transition that the Lord is bringing about. So we’ll take a year to celebrate, release, and thank Deb for her service in worship leading and love for the body. And as she humbly said Sunday morning, “It’s really all about the Lord.” So let’s hear together what He’s saying and rejoice also in a “new thing” He is bringing about.