| Mission Outreach: Domestic Missions |
The Mission Outreach Team provides leadership, awareness and involvement in selected local, regional and global missions. The team oversees the disbursement of funds to specific outreach causes.
Local Missions in Hope
Outreach projects, missions, programs, activities. No matter what you call them, Hope Lutheran church is heavily envolved in helping those in our local community. If you are interested in participating in any of these outreach activities you may get more information by contacting the church office.
Angel Tree Team
This team organizes a once-a-year opportunity for Hope Lutheran Church members to provide Christmas gifts to needy children. The task begins in September and concludes mid-December.
Over 120 underprivileged children had a "Merry Christmas" in 2010 due to happy giving and participation of the members of our congregation.
Our Angels came to us through the Head Start Program of Sumter County and the Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School. Head Start is a Federal program for low-income families. The Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School has a low socioeconomic population base with over seventy percent of the students in need of help. Over the past several years, this school has maintained a performance grade of an A. Our hats are off to them!
We are so very fortunate to have a small part in making all of these children happy.
Sincere thanks were received from the coordinators of the Head Start Program and the Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School for Hope Lutheran Church. The Angel Tree Team of 11 had a wonderful time along with all of our participating church members making the Angel Tree a success—thanks to everyone!
Blessing of the Animals
The Blessing of the Animals is an outreach ministry that began in 2004 to honor both living and deceased pets. The "blessing service" is Hope Lutheran Church's gift to all persons with pets as a part of their family in the community. Team members encourage participation within the congregation and community: scarves, pet treats, and other gifts are given to our four-legged guests, and photographers are popular with humans, other mammals, and birds. The culmination of the gathering is a memorable time of worship, enhanced by an exceptional array of music. Click HERE for pictures of the 2010 Blessing of the Animals.
Clown Ministry - "Steeple Peeple"
Steeple Peeple is an ecumenical group of Christian Clowns that meet at Hope Lutheran Church. Their scheduled meetings are every Friday at 1:00pm. However, they do not always meet weekly, depending on their gig (performance) schedule. Meetings are not held during the months of June, July, and August.
There are currently 18 members, and although they are considered a ministry at Hope Lutheran church, members come from many different denominations in the Tri County area.
As "Clowns for Christ", their mission is to "Share God's Love through Laughter", and they do this with performances that encourage others to experience God's love in their lives. They do not do active preaching or proselytizing.
However, most of their performances are church related and include venues at church and charitable fundraisers, after school programs, church holiday gatherings, and community events. Their message is conveyed in a variety of ways including skits, story telling, balloon "twisting", illusions, puppets, and face painting. The group often concludes a program with their rendition of the Lord's Prayer in mime.
Disaster Immediate Response Team (D.I.R.T.)
The Hope Lutheran Church (HLC) Disaster Immediate Response Team (DIRT) was developed in response to the Ground Hog Day tornadoes that attacked the central Florida community February 2, 2007. Designed as immediate second responders DIRT Volunteers provide support to Public Safety and Emergency Management Agencies by distributing food, water, ice and other necessities to first responders and responding to request from these agencies to aid victims.
HLC DIRT works in conjunction with disaster relief and recovery agencies such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Lutheran Disaster Relief, Lutheran Services Florida, Saint Vincent DePaul Society, Lake And Sumter Emergency Recovery (LASER) and Love INC. by distributing emergency supplies, health and comfort items and physical, emotional and spiritual support for victims. Click here for videos, photos, reports, forms and other information.
Habitat for Humanity - Building a Habitat House
The team mission is to "help convert poverty housing to habitable housing." Habitat volunteering offers a hands-on opportunity to become directly involved in helping others. The Hope Habitat Volunteers have been part of the effort to complete four houses in this area.
Cancelled stamps build houses too! All stamps have a value. Stamps are carefully sorted and categorized. Old, or unusual or "high demand" stamps are sold to collectors. Like commemoratives are grouped together, and even common stamps are bundled and sold. To date, they have earned enough monies to fund three houses. Leave your cancelled stamps in the cancelled stamp basket in the information hallway.
Handyman Ministry Team
The team is comprised of Hope Lutheran Church volunteers who are willing and able to do home repairs for members who are not able.
Hope CraftersThe Hope Crafters group meets at 9 a.m. each Tuesday in the Hope Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall. They work on several outreach projects including Sojourn Bears, E.R. Comfort Bears, Guidepost Sweaters, Amputee Comfort Sleeves and more. No specific skills are required. The group goes out to lunch once a month. Click here for more information.
Hope for the Hungry Ministry
Everyone at Hope has the opportunity to participate in feeding the hungry by bringing non-perishable food item and placing them in the large wooden box in the narthex. The items are delivered to the Wildwood Food Pantry, which serves three area communities.
In 2006 Hope Lutheran joined together with twelve area churches in the establishment of a Central Florida Chapter of Love INC. Callers at church doors are never turned away; instead, they are referred to Love INC for help. Love INC qualifies each caller as to specific needs and refers them to a social services agency or a member church with the appropriate mission resources. Hope has responded to Love INC requests to clear debris and make emergency repairs to homes, and to appeals for financial assistance for the unemployed and under-employed who are facing loss of electricity or eviction from their homes.
Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Florida
Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Florida has been an integral part of our ministries since Day One through our benevolent giving. Hope has given at least 15% for missions outside our church each year. One per cent of that 15% has been designated to LOMF for ongoing mission costs for our facilities and management at Luther Springs, used for retreats.
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
Hope has also designated 1% of our 15% total benevolence to the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary for leadership development in the church.
Resurrection House Mission (Dade City, FL)
Resurrection House is committed to the children of Dade City. Our support helps to provide Sunday church meetings including hot meals, positive role models to help with social interaction, music training, cultural arts training to support academic skills, a park and playground which are safe, school supplies, and wellness health checkups. "Rez House" is also included in our Angel Tree Christmas Gift Project. The Rez House Kids have twice brought their choir to sing for Hope.
In 2004, Hope Lutheran's Mission Team made a request to The Villages Chamber of Commerce to support the Wildwood Soup Kitchen (hosted by the First Presbyterian Church) and the Wildwood Food Pantry (hosted by the United Methodist Church). The idea of a spring fundraiser was designed to fill up their shelves for the summer months. The Villages Chamber of Commerce staff named the campaign to match the springtime effort. The first Seeds of Hope Campaign was set for March 28 through April 8, 2005. Three concerts were organized -- two at Hope Lutheran and one at New Covenant United Methodist Church. Popular musicians donated their talent with admission being offerings of food and money. Businesses were contacted for donations. Regional Recreation Centers were among areas that became food donation sites. Publicity information was enclosed with each Villager's amenity bill. The Seeds of Hope Planning Team maintains a zero operating budget by accepting contributions toward operating costs from businesses and congregations. Click here for the 2012 Concert schedule; and for more information, visit their website at www.seedsofhope-wildwood.com/
Women of Hope
The mission of Women of Hope is to come together for study, support and action through mission projects for the community and church-wide women's organizations. Women of Hope meets on the third Thursday of each month. Most meetings feature a light breakfast, a speaker, progress reports on all ongoing missions, and fellowship with one another lasting about two hours. For further information on the Women of Hope, click here.
Women's Bible Study Circles / WELCA
There are presently evening circles and afternoon circles that meet in members' homes on a rotating basis. For more information, click here.