Project Hope25: origins and hopes
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“Imagine every Anglican parish and community around Australia doing at least one thing to share the hope that we have in Jesus and being fervent in prayer during next year’s Easter Day to Pentecost period. To me, that sounds phenomenally exciting!” says The Rev’d Michael Calder from The Parish of Wishart and Hope25
We live in a complex and messy world. There is racism, wars and invasions, a changing climate, a cost-of-living crisis, and violence within homes. More than ever, people are looking for hope. As followers of Jesus, we believe that Jesus is the hope in this complex and messy world.
That’s why the Anglican Church of Australia is embarking on a daring “Hope25” project to intentionally reach out to the world with the hope of Jesus from Easter Day to Pentecost in 2025.
Imagine every Anglican parish and community around Australia doing at least one thing to share the hope that we have in Jesus and being fervent in prayer during next year’s Easter Day to Pentecost period. To me, that sounds phenomenally exciting!
Of course, parishes can do different things, but we from the Hope25 team would love every parish and community doing something. This could mean running an introduction to Christianity course, having a community lunch, hosting an art evening on the theme of hope, or anything else that enables you to reach out to the world with the hope of Jesus.
At our recent Synod, Archbishop Jeremy urged us all to join in. We also passed the following “Project Hope25” motion (which was moved by me and second by The Rev’d Catherine Govan from St Stephen’s, Coorparoo), with acclamation:
“That this Synod wholeheartedly supports the Anglican Church of Australia’s project Hope25 — ‘Hope in an Uncertain World’ — sharing the hope we have in Jesus Christ, and encourages every Parish and Community to participate.”
This project has sprung up from the Mission and Ministry Commission of the General Synod of Australia who are urging us to have a greater focus on evangelism and proclamation.
The Rev’d Dr Ann Edwards, Hope25 project officer The Rev’d Christy Capper and The Rev’d Catherine Govan at the Provincial Clergy Conference in August 2024 on the Gold Coast where Christy spoke about Hope25
In February, The Rev’d Catherine Govan and I were invited to participate in a national workshop in Melbourne to provide input on what this season could look like for our Church. At this workshop, every Australian diocese was represented apart from one (and this exception was due to no representative being available on the date).
This was an amazing time of unity across the national Church and across the spectrum of Anglicanism. It was a great joy to see us all focussed on proclaiming the hope of Jesus outwards after many years as a national Church often focusing more inwardly on internal matters, including disputes.
Coming out of this workshop were a number of initiatives.
Firstly, a website has been set up at hope25.com.au to resource parishes and communities and to provide ideas for reaching out to our wider communities with the hope of Jesus.
Secondly, a national time of prayer has begun on the first Thursday of every month at 7.30pm (Brisbane time) on Zoom in order to commit all our plans to our Lord in prayer.
Thirdly, a podcast has been created that includes interviews with various experts about the hope of Jesus and practical advice about proclaiming this hope to every generation.
Lastly, more locally a working group has been formed for our diocese, which includes The Rev’d Catherine Govan, The Rev’d Claye Middleton, The Rev’d Dr Ann Edwards, The Rev’d Tania Eichler and The Rev’d Melissa Conway.
Here are a few ways that you can get your parish, ministry or other faith community involved and preparing right now:
- Pray for Hope25 and that we as a national Church will be fruitful and faithful in our preparation and in our execution of the season of evangelism next year.
- Sign up to the Hope25 e-newsletter.
- Create a working group in your own community to start gathering ideas.
- Subscribe to the Hope25 podcast on your preferred podcasting platform.
