How HOPE 08 worked

 When HOPE 2008 was first suggested to a range of people, some expressed a desire for a strong programme that would leave people clear as to how they could participate, and others that the plans be kept to the minimum allowing churches and communities to interpret the initiative as they saw fit.

Our response was a menu based approach with numerous great ideas, but none of these were prescriptive or obligatory. The year was split into Five High Points, a series of seasons which would resonate with the churches calendars, but which would provides fresh ideas to enable all to participate.

 

THE BIG HOPE: Easter, churches expressed Easter in ways that were celebratory, expressive and inclusive. Projects included Passion Plays in city centres, giving out free hot cross buns and random acts of kindness.


HOPE ON THE STREETS: May and June, churches aimed to reach a target of a million hours of kindness, by working together to deliver social action projects to the people in their local areas. The Summer is also a time of many social action projects, as young people made the most of school holidays.

HOPE EXPLORED: Autumn, churches offered an explanation for their actions by inviting people to take part in courses that explain Christianity.

THE GIFT OF HOPE: Churches worked at making Christmas accessible to those around them, and had a lot of fun celebrating all that happened in 2008. 

 

While the vision and framework for HOPE Together will be a bit different, it is still just as unprescriptive and flexible. There are plans to provide resources to enable groups to utilise these kind of high points for HOPE in an effective way if they wish.