Building Hope Together 2013

Hey Everyone! I hope you all had a great week! This blog update is going to be about my church Lutheran Church of Hope-Ankeny. Let me just say Lutheran Church of Hope started in West Des Moines and Hope Ankeny was one of the first campuses to be launched in 2006. Lutheran Church of Hope is One church in multiple locations. 
First off, will you join me in praying for Lutheran Church of Hope-Ankeny! 
Father, God we come before you and we want to lift up Hope Ankeny to you and take a moment and praise you for all you have done through Lutheran Church of Hope and all its campuses. 
With One Spirit we ask you to nourish us in your Spirit so that we may be faithful stewards of your gifts.
With One Hope we ask you to humble our hearts and center our lives on your soveriegn purpose.
With One Love may the sacrifice of our joyful giving be an outward sign of the true treasure we hold in you. 
With One Faith we commit ourselves to your service and rely on being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 
In your Mighty name we pray, Amen!!

Thank you for praying with me. That prayer I got from a prayer guide through our Building Hope together packet.
So now I am going to share a little bit about the history of Hope Ankeny and how and when it got started and so forth. I got the answers from Scott Rains Hope Ankenys Campus pastor. I also did  a little reading up on Hope Ankeny myself as well. So I hope you enjoy reading this and learning and seeing what God is doing through Lutheran Church of Hope in Ankeny. 
Lets start from the very beginning...
In the Spring of 2006, after years of visioning, and months of prayer and planning, Lutheran Church of Hope Ankeny (originally called Hope NorthBranch until July of 2011) was launched on April 22, 2006 under the leadership of Kingdom Expansion Pastor Molly Juntunen and Student Ministry Director Mark Brandt and the volunteer support of a committed Launch Team. Hope Ankeny is the first Satellite congregation of Lutheran Church of Hope – Hope Ankeny is a worshipping community of Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines and is under Hope’s mission, vision, values, and structure. Hope launched Hope Ankeny to reach out specifically to the Ankeny community by discerning God’s vision for His church there. But once again we are ONE CHURCH in multiple locations. Then in the Fall of 2006 through a partnership with Resurrection Lutheran Church in Ankeny, Hope Ankeny began worshiping on Saturday evenings. A focused effort was made to provide Children’s Ministry and to also offer Alpha. Then later in 2006 in the month of November, Hope Ankeny called its first Campus Pastor, Scott Rains. Who has just a great heart for Christ and shows great leadership in the church and to his congregation. Worship attendance through the fall of 2006 was approximately 100 and 15 children came to Roots. The Hope Ankeny Christmas Eve service saw 200 people celebrate the birth of Jesus. Praise the Lord! 
Then in the Spring of 2007 Hope Ankeny began worshiping at Northview Middle School in Ankeny on March 11. Almost instantly, worship jumped to over 200 people every Sunday. In July, God’s Champions Vacation Bible School saw over 100 children come to a park in Ankeny for a week of Bible stories, activities and diving into the word of God. Than in September of 2007 Hope Ankeny started a second worship service on Sunday mornings.   
Attendance at Hope Ankenys worship services has jumped to nearly 400 each Sunday with over 100 children participating in it's Children's Ministry programming. Ministry for middle and high school students is added to what is happening for children and adults. No later than two years, Hope Ankeny has shown itself to be a church that is growing wider and deeper. What God is doing in the hearts of the people of Hope is changing them from the inside out. Secure in our identity as beloved children of God, Hope Ankeny is reaching out to Ankeny and the world with the everlasting love of Jesus Christ. Which is following through in our mission statement for all of Hopes Campuses. Some of the mission work we do at Hope are:
Adopting Villages in Ghana, West Africa by sponsoring pastors, building churches and digging wells. Begin the process of funding and staffing a no-fee adoption agency called Bringing Hope Home Serving at the Iowa Homeless Youth Shelter and participating in various other local mission opportunities.
Than in the Fall of 2008 Hope Ankeny moved into The Station.  The Station is a seven day a week ministry space and has offices for the Hope Ankeny Staff. 

In 2010 Hope Ankeny  A Future Site Task force is looking for land for a possible permanent location in Ankeny for Hope Ankeny. Hope Ankeny is dreaming BIG and waiting on God to see what Hope Ankenys future holds. In the Fall of 2010, $700,000 in pledges and gifts were received during our DreamLand campaign for the purchase of land for Hope’s permanent home in Ankeny. In August of 2011 Hope Ankeny finalized the purchase of 20 acres of land that would soon be the future home of Hope Ankeny.
So Everyone that is the history of Hope Ankeny. I really hope y'all enjoyed reading that and it gave you a glimpse of what God is doing through his church and his people.
Now I am going to introduce the Hope Ankeny Staff:  

Ankenys campus pastor: Scott Rains and his Wife Wendy.

Worship leader: Dustin Antoine

Childrens ministry Coordinator: Angie Rathbun and her husband Troy!

Production Coordinator: Jared Wells and his wife and kids Britni, Grayson and Sloane

Childrens Coordinater 1st-5th grade, Jackie Keuker

Nursery Coordinator: Kathy Pilch, and her Husband and daughter

Adult ministry Coordinator, Jen Segar and her husband Travis

Childrens ministry leader: Brent Rauch

That is the Hope Ankeny Staff, I have enjoyed getting to know everyone at Hope Ankeny very much! Now I asked some of the people on staff what they look forward to about worship on the weekends and what they like most about their job at Hope Ankeny.

Dustin Antoine (worship leader) He said "I enjoy being the worship leader and looking out and seeing familiar faces but than also being able to meet new people in the process. Then I look forward to gathering in one place worshipping God together!"

Brent Rauch: (Childrens Ministry leader) "I love joining together in community with others and celebrating what God is up to! Time of worship is always something to look forward too!
Scott Rains (Hope Ankenys pastor) "I love seeing so many people taking a step of faith and trying something new in terms of serving God through the church."  John 10:10
That is what some of the staff answered. Now I had a chance to ask some people that attend Hope Ankeny and heres what they said:
Sherri Stych said "The energy/the Holy Spirit in the room, I most enjoy the opportunity to serve and be a part of a growing church centered on the love of Jesus Christ!

Geneva Ross "I enjoy everything. Worship music,the fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, the sermons, and an opportunity to focus on God. I always leave church refreshed,connected to God and ready for the week"
So that is feedback from a couple people that attend Hope Ankeny! Hope Ankeny offers classes to let people be a part of and to start getting connected and diving into the Word at Hope Ankeny!  KQ (Kingdom Quest) KQ is Hope's version of Sunday School involving Bible-based teaching, music, activities and more. Hope also offers "Powerlife" (for middle school students) PowerLife is an innovative approach to confirmation ministry that gives youth in the community an opportunity to experience the abundant power of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Ignition (Gathering for High school students) Ignition is a ministry geared toward high school students. The goal is to build community, deepen faith and have some fun! 

So Hope Ankeny is just one out of four locations and just because Lutheran Church of Hope has many churches in many different locations just means that we are "Reaching out to the world around us and sharing the everlasting love of Jesus Christ! I enjoyed writing this writing this blog and I LOVE HOPE ANKENY! It feels like home! In this house of worship we will serve the Lord! Amen? 

I want to wrap with a song called "while I am waiting" Hope Ankeny has been waiting and praying for Gods timing on when we should get our own building! That time has come for this church! Have a blessed week everyone! While I'm waiting- John Waller

Future home of Hope Ankeny!

Blessings to all!

Mighty Mariah