What IS the Hope Project?
Grace Church set a goal several years ago to partner with churches and Christ-centered organizations to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to our local community. Then, to the Nations. After that, the world around us! We call this goal the Hope Project!
We partner with families and individuals who are starting feeding centers, Bible colleges, leadership training, community events, orphanages, churches, and so much more! With your generous gifts, they get to make an impact in the lives of those around them!
LOCAL CHRIST-CENTERED PROJECT PARTNERS
"For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me." - Matthew 25:35-36
Boston Center for Pregnancy Choices
Boston Center for Pregnancy Choice For nearly four decades, the Boston Center for Pregnancy Choices has been a beacon of support for women navigating unplanned pregnancies. Their compassionate approach, which combines free services, informed counsel, and practical assistance, empowers women to make life-affirming choices. With new ultrasound capabilities on the horizon, they’re poised to make an even greater impact in our community.
STORIES FROM BOSTON CENTER FOR PREGNANCY CHOICES
Braintree Community Food Pantry
Braintree Community Food Pantry For three decades, the Braintree Food Pantry has been a constant source of resources in the community, and despite nearly closing its doors this year, God’s provision has enabled this ministry to continue serving families facing food insecurity. As grocery costs continue to soar, the Pantry provides essential support through nutritious food, toiletries, grocery assistance, and dietary guidance. At the same time, their caring staff and volunteers offer spiritual encouragement and prayer to all who enter.
Through continuing our partnership, we’re ensuring this cornerstone of compassionate care can expand its reach, demonstrating Christ’s love through both practical support and spiritual fellowship to even more local families in need.
Adult and Teen Challenge
Adult and Teen Challenge offers a lifeline to those battling addictions, blending clinical expertise with faith-based support for both individuals and their families. Their Christ-centered approach has sparked remarkable transformations, proving that change is possible with the right guidance and spiritual foundation.
By joining forces with the Hope Project, this organization is supported to expand its reach, bringing renewed hope and purpose to even more lives within our community.
STORIES FROM ADULT & TEEN CHALLENGE
Amirah
Amirah stands as a powerful ally for men and women survivors of exploitation. They offer a unique blend of faith-based care and practical support across Massachusetts and Connecticut. Amirah’s comprehensive programs, from residential care to rapid rehousing, have already changed countless lives.
Recently opening two new units, Amirah hopes to expand their reach over the next year, continuing to be a catalyst for healing, hope, and new beginnings.
STORIES FROM AMIRAH:
NATIONAL CHURCH PLANTING PARTNERS
"His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him--though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, "We are his offspring." - Acts 17:26-28
AVENUE CHURCH
NEEDHAM, MA
Burt and Lindsay Parker served as Student Directors at Grace Church for five years, training leaders and students, many of whom now serve in leadership positions around Grace Church! Throughout their time at Grace, they grew compassionate about Needham, MA, where Lindsay grew up, hoping for an opportunity to be a part of a church plant there! Over the next year, they hope to secure a consistent meeting space, build their team, and launch services at Avenue Church!
LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH
PORTLAND, ME
Brandon and Aly Bonville, native New Englanders, are passionate about bringing the gospel to their home region. After successfully helping to launch and grow Grace Church’s West Bridgewater location, they’re now embarking on a new church planting journey in Portland, Maine. With a meeting space secured and an interest team growing, the Bonvilles are set to begin regular services at Lighthouse Church this spring.
Supported by the Hope Project, they’re actively connecting with the Portland community. They aim to expand their team, open their church doors, and offer events that invite others to know and follow Jesus.
CHURCH PLANT
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA
Dan Gudim is a passionate church planter who moved to New England three years ago to join the staff at Grace Church in West Bridgewater. His experience here, where he helped grow our student ministry, equipped him with valuable insights into effectively communicating the gospel in the New England context. Now, with a passion for extending the gospel’s reach in New England, Dan and Paige are focused on planting a church in Great Barrington, MA, an area that serves over 100,000 people across three states.
With the support of the Hope Project, the Gudims are actively building connections and forming a core team, aiming to launch the new church in September 2025.
SHORES CHURCH
WELLS, ME
Shores Church, founded by Courtland and Kara Holloway in 2022, began as an intimate gathering in a living room but quickly blossomed into a vibrant community of faith. Their mission to help their dynamic, tourist-filled area find and follow Jesus resonated deeply, leading to rapid growth and a partnership with the Wells Ogunquit Center at Moody for larger gatherings. Shores has made significant strides in community outreach, youth engagement, and spiritual development in just a short time.
With support from the Hope Project, they’re moving toward occupying their permanent home and training new leaders from within the church.
ONE BOSTON CHURCH
BOSTON, MA
Matt Zimmerman founded One Boston Church in 2021 with a vision to expand God’s kingdom in the heart of Boston. Since its beginning, the church has been actively serving the Jamaica Plain neighborhood and surrounding communities through many outreach initiatives. Their dedication bore fruit with a successful launch service in September 2023, drawing 100 attendees and witnessing life-changing commitments to faith.
Now, with support from the Hope Project, One Boston Church can continue to deepen its community impact with new serving opportunities around the holidays! After just one year, One Boston consistently seeks more avenues for Boston residents to know and follow Jesus.
GRACE CITY CHURCH
BOSTON, MA
Brian and Katy Owens are passionate church leaders with a vision to bring the transformative power of the gospel to the Back Bay area of Boston. Their heart for the city is rooted in the belief that everyone is searching for a place to belong, especially in urban environments that can paradoxically be crowded and lonely. With a focus on creating an authentic community, Brian and Katy have dedicated themselves to establishing a church that exemplifies care and connection. That’s how Grace City Church came to be.
With an emphasis on Community Groups and Outreach, they aim to demonstrate how the way of Jesus can be lived out daily, offering a spiritual home where people can find genuine belonging and experience the life-changing impact of faith in action.
CONNECT CHURCH
BROOKLYN, NY
Elvis and Emily Léon are dedicated to establishing churches across all five boroughs of New York City. They have consistently served their community, seeing growth among volunteers and team leaders. By providing opportunities to know and follow Jesus, they are expanding their reach across the 5 Burroughs of New York City.
Partnering with the Hope Project helps to support Connect Church in meeting the needs of their direct community!
NEW INSPIRATIONAL CHURCH
HYDE PARK, MA
Olusegun Fakeye founded New Inspirational Church to serve and invest in immigrant and minority communities. Their approach combines personal mentorship with practical support, addressing real-life challenges while guiding individuals toward a deeper faith in Jesus. Under Fakeye’s passionate leadership, the church has witnessed transformative changes in people’s lives and perceptions of faith communities.
With support from the Hope Project, New Inspirational Church is set to expand its community impact, channeling resources directly into uplifting their neighbors and sharing the hope of Jesus in culturally relevant ways.
IRON COAST CHURCH
BRUNSWICK, ME
Jason and Ashley Weece are passionate church planters dedicated to bringing new spiritual life to Brunswick, Maine, through Iron Coast Church. With a carefully planned launch for March 2025, they’re building momentum through community events, growing their launch team, and securing important resources. Their vision has attracted 45 adults to their launch team and connected with over 90 community members.
Supported by the Hope Project, the Weeces can hire staff, integrate new systems, and prepare for an impactful launch to serve Brunswick and the surrounding area with a fresh approach to sharing the gospel.
INTERNATIONAL FAITH-BASED PROJECT PARTNERS
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you." - Matthew 28:19-20
COLOMBIA
DISCIPLESHIP & TRAINING SCHOOL
MANNA’s Training & Discipleship School is a space where attendees can learn about God, their purpose, and how to become committed disciples of Christ in Bogota, Colombia. They aim to equip young leaders to serve their communities and local churches, making disciples themselves.
Partnering with the Hope Project will provide necessary resources for the school to expand its reach and availability for future students.
CUBA
THE SESMA FAMILY
The Sesma family’s church in Havana is a beacon of hope in a community grappling with poverty. Their ministry has been expanding significantly from the popularity of the preschool, which addresses the crucial nutritional and educational needs of the children in the community.
Partnering with the Hope Project has allowed Pastor Ramiro and their team to start the remaining construction to complete their church building’s second floor, creating more space for youth and families seeking spiritual guidance and community support.
STORIES FROM CUBA
GUATEMALA
THE HERNANDEZ FAMILY
San Lucas Church in Guatemala is a continuous lifeline for its community. It’s been operating a vital feeding center that nourishes over 100 children daily, and its holistic approach combines meeting physical needs with spiritual outreach through relationship-building and Bible studies. Recently, they’ve added an English Club to reinforce conversational vocabulary!
With support from the Hope Project, they’re poised to enhance their feeding program, provide leadership training, and continue operating their newly established bakery, deepening their impact on the San Lucas community.
KENYA
THE NYANJE FAMILY
In Mombasa, the church is tackling poverty through Christ-centered education, providing both nourishment and schooling to create pathways out of poverty. Their partnership with the Hope Project continues to expand their reach, enabling more children to pursue their dreams, breaking the continuous cycle of poverty.
This collaboration aims to empower the community, planting seeds of hope and new life in Jesus while equipping people with tools to overcome economic hardship.
KENYA
THE ZIDISHA PROJECT
Pastor Duncan and his wife Winnie’s vision for the Zidisha Project is to transform Kenya through the power of the Gospel by training and sending out church planters into every town and village in their region of Kenya. More than planting churches, this initiative empowers men and women to be equipped with biblical knowledge and leadership skills to become community leaders.
Through the Zidisha Project, lives will be changed, communities transformed, and a new generation of believers will spread hope and faith across Kenya and beyond.
NEPAL
THE POKHAREL FAMILY
Dan and Mandira Pokharel are at the forefront of a rapidly growing church movement in Nepal, leading Global Mission Nepal despite facing persecution. Their organization is catalyzing an indigenous church planting initiative that is spreading across Southeast Asia, training native planters to establish churches in unreached villages. With support from the Hope Project, they’re poised to launch even more church plants and expand leadership training, bringing the Gospel to Nepali provinces.
The Pokharels’ vision is to illuminate communities living in spiritual darkness so that every village can access a Christ-centered church community.
NEPAL
THE BHAISAPETI NUTRITION CENTER
The Bhaisepati Nutrition Center stands as a beacon of hope within Nepal. As a MANNA Ministry, it serves around 150 children six days a week, with the goal being to offer nurture and development. The center combines nutritious meals with spiritual growth, offering Bible education, scripture memorization, and community outreach. The nutrition center, as is MANNA’S working model, strives to address physical needs and provide academic support and leadership development, creating an environment where children are learning to thrive.
With plans to expand its reach to teens and young adults through sports and life skills training, the Bhaisepati Nutrition Center, supported by the Hope Project, is working to deepen its impact and touch even more lives in the community.
NEPAL
THE AAKASH NUTRITION CENTER
Pastor Aakash and his wife are launching a new MANNA Nutrition Center in a predominantly Hindu community in another part of Nepal. The initial goal is to begin serving 20-25 children daily. Operating from their church facility, the center will provide nutritious meals, educational support, leadership development, and Bible education. Beyond nurturing children, this dedicated couple is also raising a small group of teen girls as their own.
With help from the Hope Project, Pastor Aakash looks to connect with more families in the area. He hopes to bring the community together and help people grow in their faith through their church volunteers and staff.
WAYS TO GIVE
ONLINE
Remember to select Hope Project in the drop-down options!
IN PERSON
Place your gift in one of our offering envelopes and bring it with you to a weekend service at Grace Church. Please indicate that it’s for the “Hope Project” on the memo and envelope.
THROUGH MAIL
Indicate Hope Project on the memo and mail your check to: Grace Church, 101 Wales Ave, Unit D, Avon, MA, 02322
WITH BILL PAY
Use your bank’s Bill Pay feature to have a check mailed to Grace Church. Make sure you include Hope Project on the memo line.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM MY REGULAR OFFERING?
The weekly offering is the proportional amount (1 Cor. 16, 2 Cor. 8, 1 Tim. 6) we give back to God through our local church family. However, there were many times in the Bible when God’s people gave sacrificially, above and beyond their regular giving, to start churches and meet specific needs in the church and among the poor (Acts 2, Eph. 4, Heb. 13). The Hope Project is our version of this biblical, Christian practice.
WHAT IF I WANT TO GIVE TO THE HOPE PROJECT REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR?
You can set up automated gifts online that recur weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I GIVE?
The amount you give is between you and God. It is one of the ways we demonstrate our dependence on God. While the regular offering is a percentage of our income, the Hope Project offering is your “I am excited to give this and it comes from the bottom of my heart!” offering.
MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTOR
Dear Grace Church,
For almost 15 years, the Hope Project has allowed us to make a real difference locally and globally. God has used our prayers and offerings to bless thousands of lives!
New partners give us new opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I am praying that we do even more than we have in the past. Your gifts, whether one-time or recurring, show people they matter to God and to us.
The love we have for the lord and the unity we share as a church make this possible. By giving to the Hope Project, outside of your regular offerings, you join your church family living out God’s love and impacting the world together.
Your generosity not only changes lives—it shapes us into people who reflect Jesus more and more. I invite you to pray for these ministries and give as God leads you. Together, we’re advancing God’s kingdom into 2025.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Sean