On September 17, 2022, St. Paul’s Centenary Church in Newark, NJ held its first Day of Hope celebration in three years. The Day of Hope began in 2012 as an outreach to the community to provide health screenings, activities for children and young adults, opportunities for the community to participate in a blood drive and see the work of the St. Paul’s UMC with programs such as “Imagine No More Malaria”, “A Future with Hope,” and more. GNJ staff and clergy have participated in worship and provided orientation to ministry over the years.
This year, St Paul’s UMC connected with the local community for a day of hope and fun. A car show, bouncy house, and domino tournament attracted many attendees. Face painting, free food, and worship music were also provided throughout the day. Many were invited to attend church services the following day, and some did attend. As long as there is hope, there is a future, and as in the letter to Hebrews: “We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.”