Hope Shows Support for Mercy Ministries
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6
In the midst of his comments about our individual roles in Kingdom work, Paul’s words remind us that we each have a task, and as we attend to our tasks, individually and corporately, God gets to do his “1 + 1 = 5 or more” thing … He grows the result beyond what any human efforts can produce.
In the case of Hope Shows, Jeremiah Beck, station manager at WIBI Christian radio in Carlinville, IL, planted the seed on September 26, 2009 at a Barlow Girl/Superchick concert in Alton, IL, and since that day hundreds of people have partnered with Hope Shows to water this ministry into existence … but the results are God-orchestrated, God-breathed.
Lincoln Correctional Center with Sara Groves, December 12, 2009 (see story and video)
“I really enjoy the concert at Lincoln C.C. I was an inmate there during the Christmas concert. Thank you for your time. That was my first concert. It rocked.”
“I … wanted to thank all who were involved in bringing Sara Groves to Lincoln Correctional Center back in December. For someone who has been in prison for 11 years it has meant alot to me to know that there are people who really do care about us in here. … I can’t put in words how I felt that night, and the love that we felt from all involved. I can never thank you enough … My concert ticket had ‘someone cares’ written on the back, and yes, someone does care.”
Hope Rocks Christmas Collection, CD Library Gifts to Mercy Ministries Homes in US (see story)
“It is caring people like you that God sends alongside to uplift the girls as they address extremely challenging issues. The CD’s are an absolute course of encouragement.”
“The CDs you gave us are so uplifting. Thank you for thinking of us!”
“Music if my life. This really means a lot to all of us. This truly is a blessing, seriously … Thank you!!”
Thank You
A prison concert doesn’t come off without significant commitment on behalf of prison leadership, Christian radio, musicians, and production staff, as well as your valued donor and volunteer support. CD libraries with artists such as downhere, Britt Nicole, Jason Gray, Barlow Girl, Lanae Hale and many others wouldn’t have impacted the lives of 13-28 year-old women at four Mercy Ministries homes in the US this Christmas without your gifts of new CDs and monetary donations.
As we follow through on this new call to nurture the Hope Shows ministry, I want to thank you, on behalf of the Hope Shows board, LCC, Mercy Minstries and other hurting communities who have and/or will reap the rewards of your giving, for your continued interest and assistance.
2010 offers new opportunities to reach hurting communities with the hope of the gospel as presented in Christian music … more prison concerts, new fundraising events (we have the privilege to support a new benefit concert for a maternity home and crisis pregnancy center in West Virginia this spring) and our second annual Hope Rocks Christmas Collection for Mercy Ministries.
Hope Shows @ AgapeFest 2010
Family-friendly WIBI will host a Hope Rocks Campaign fundraiser for Hope Shows at AgapeFest 2010, April 30 & May 1, at the Bond County Fairgrounds in Greenville, IL. Together we have set a goal to provide a prison show for 500 inmates in an area prison through your donations of $10 concert tickets. If you feel led to partner with this next prison event, we invite you to join us at AgapeFest and give toward the $5000 goal OR give online!
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
