Hopetown Highlights - Retreat #6

“Aslan is on the move!”

Boy, was this week one we will remember for a long time. We can confidently say that Aslan was on the move- we saw him in the smiles of our 5th and 6th-grade friends, heard him in the worship each evening, and felt him in the gentle breeze blowing over the lake. We got to experience the magic of Narnia for ourselves and discover the wonder and adventure of life through the wardrobe.

We began our week watching The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, a Hopetown favorite. Our first morning, we discussed how we were all going to change by the end of the week, just like the children in the movie were transformed.

Then, each camper got to stand up and say, “I want to go through the wardrobe into Hopetown.”

Their buddies crowned them with a star necklace and told them what they had seen in them already as a way to welcome them into Hopetown! In small groups, the campers got to lay their star necklaces on the cross to symbolize laying their identity down at the feet of Jesus and saying, “Jesus, this is your week. Change me.”

The next morning, we moved towards self-awareness. We learned about how all of the characters had negative qualities that could rise up in them. Sometimes, we feel things rise up in us and we don’t know where they come from. It is good to be aware of the sins we struggle with, but we also remember that we are not condemned.

For example:

Peter can be prideful and a know-it-all.

- Proverbs 3:5-7

Susan can be controlling and anxious.

- Philippians 4:6-7

Edmund can be unaware and selfish.

- Romans 8:5-6

Lucy can be sulky and self-conscious.

- Psalms 42:5

Tumnus can be sneaky and manipulative.

- Romans 3:27-28

Mr. Beaver can be angry and a show-off.

- Colossians 3:15-16

Mrs. Beaver can be resentful and jealous.

- Luke 12:29-32

We had time to share what character’s struggles we identify with the most. Then once again, we went with our small groups to the cross and laid rocks with our sins written on them at the foot of the cross. The good news is Jesus took their weight from us when he died for our sins!

The next day, we had the opportunity to share our pain that can act like coats, blocking our way through the wardrobe. God can use whatever has been painful in our stories for a purpose, so we once again took it to the cross. We laid our pain down at the foot of the cross, asking Jesus to carry it for us.

In small groups, campers got the chance to hear the Gospel from their buddies, ask questions, and even give their whole lives to Christ! It was evident that God was on the move in and through these kids. Their insight and depth was astounding, and God used them to teach us all so much about his character. We are so thankful to have had another amazing week here at Hopetown!

Hopetown Highlights - Retreat #5

“Yes Lord, I am here!”

This week we got the joy of hosting a group of 2nd through 4th graders here at Hopetown. It was a week full of energy and excitement and depth. These kids were eager to give, quick to respond, and ready to hear God’s word.

We started off the week talking about our purpose. We learned about how King Josiah had such a purpose when he was only eight years old (2 Kings 22:1-2, 23:25). Everyone got to stand up and say, “I have purpose!” It was so neat to start off our week with a declaration of truth. Each camper got to hear from their buddies about what specific purpose was seen in them in just the few hours they had been at camp.

The next morning, we got to read the story of Samuel in the Jesus Storybook Bible. Samuel’s response to God’s calling was “Yes Lord I am here!” God calls each of our names in the same way- we just have to listen to Him! Then, each camper got a miniature backpack with their name on it. Inside the backpacks was a mini passport. The passport symbolizes how God calls our names and give us purpose to go anywhere because we are His!

Each backpack also included small heart-shaped rocks. We learned a lot about how God can take our hard hearts and give us new ones because he made us for something better than living with a heart of stone. Some examples of hard hearts we can have are:

• Rigid Heart

• Demanding Heart

• Show Off Heart

• Money Heart

• Know It All Heart

• Anxious Heart

• Controlling Heart

• Complaining Heart

• Bored Heart

We read Ezekiel 36:26 and were reminded of how God gives us new hearts. Then we got to throw our old hard heart rocks into the lake and our buddies gave us new hearts. God does the same thing for each of us everyday, all the time!

This week, Melissa taught us that there are three things Jesus likes to hear:

• Thank you.

• I am glad you are my friend.

• I love you.

We got to practice thanking God each day by sharing what we are thankful for with the group. We also got the opportunity to give beads to our friends to celebrate what kind of heart we have seen in them. The beads this week were:

Ready-to-Go Heart

Like Samuel in 1 Samuel 3

Big Heart

Like Josiah in 2 Kings 22:2-25

Giving Heart

Like the little boy that shared his lunch in John 6:8

Loving Heart

Like King David in 1 Samuel 16

Forgiving Heart

Like the servant girl in 2 Kings 5

Trusting Heart

Like the little children that came to Jesus in Matthew 19

Brave Heart

Like Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:6

It is one of our favorite ways to end the day and it could be such a fun practice to start with your family. We are so thankful for this kind, compassionate group of 2nd through 4th graders who taught us all about joy and child-like faith!

Hopetown Highlights - Retreat #4

“One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:13-14

Our 9th and 10th grade retreat sure was a special one. We discovered the “Hopetown Way”, celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas, completed a 6 mile bike ride, and practiced a lot of gratitude and worship.

We began the week learning about the “Camino Way” and what we thought the “Hopetown Way” was. Ultimately, the Hopetown way is remembering that we all affect one another, creating a safe space, and contributing to the authentic community we find here. It was a great foundation to lay as we kicked off our week.

The next day, we read Philippians 3 and talked about how we all have things from the past we want to forget about or leave behind, but often we can find ourselves stuck because of those things. God doesn’t want us to be stagnant, but rather he helps us move onwards and upwards!

Some of the things that keep us from moving forward are:

• Comparison

• Holding grudges

• shame

• Fear

• Misplacing our value

• Rejection

• Past words

• or events that hurt us

The group of campers were incredibly honest and aware when sharing what they want to leave behind in order to move forward. We spent lots of time in small groups getting to dive deeper into what strongholds exist in our lives that we need God’s help to let go of.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

Then we got to talk more about what is holding us back and what we want to throw away. To make it more tangible, we got to write out what we wanted to throw in the garbage on a piece of paper and throw it in the actual dumpster at Hopetown. It was such a relief to be both literally and metaphorically rid of those things that can keep us from going onward.

The next morning was very unique and was quite a reflection of the way the Spirit moves at Hopetown. We sat down for meeting and Melissa asked the group, “Who is Jesus to you?” Each person in the group was personally asked who Jesus was to them and it was so special to get to hear each person’s answer. Some of the responses were:

• Our Savior

• God in human form

• He took my debt

• My comforter

• The only constant

• My brother

• My best friend

• The best listener

It would be such a neat question to ask your family and get to hear everyone’s perspective of Jesus.

Towards the end of the week, each camper got a backpack with their name on it. We got to discuss what we wanted to take out of our backpacks and what we wanted to carry with us. After that, we got to have our time called “The Chair” where each camper got to sit in Melissa’s chair and ask the group, “What’s something you want me to take home in my backpack?”

Then they got to choose three friends to specifically encourage them. It was a really uplifting way to round out the week.

Hopetown Highlights - Retreat #3

All Boys week began this week with a full capacity in the bunk house. Many of the guys were returning campers while there were at least 6 new campers.

After arrival, greeting old friends and making new ones on Monday, the group ventured into Murray for dinner. After dinner, we returned to Hopetown and watched the documentary about the 1936 rowing team called the Boys of ’36.

This set the theme of our time together for the rest of the week. The theme unfolded as the guys met and discussed what it looked like to be a competitor or a companion. They reached deeply into the concept of TRUST - trusting in their own healthy community and companions and in the One who is ultimately trustworthy: Jesus Christ.

They discussed what “need vs. want” looks like, bearing one another’s burden, crafted a paddle as an object lesson for the week, learned how to face the thought of scarcity, and how to answer the voice that says “I am not enough”.

As Melissa finished teaching one session on Luke 5, we all ventured onto the deck where two paddle canoes were sitting. Melissa offered the invitation asking the guys “if Jesus invites you into the deep water, who will say yes?”

One by one, they all contemplated the call to say YES - I will go and be a servant wherever HE calls them. The thought of being a “strong and humble servant” under-girded the week as well as one teaching time concluded all of these concepts are met in the One who said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many”.

In Loving Memory of Edgar Arnold

Edgar Arnold poured into Daystar in a way that will forever impact hurting children in Nashville. Daystar is honored to receive gifts in his memory. Click here to do so and be sure to write his name in the “In Memory Of” box.

Learn more about Arnold by reading his obituary below.

Edgar F Arnold peacefully entered into the presence of the Lord on June 29, 2024. Edgar is predeceased by father Edgar F Arnold Sr. and mother Sara Nerissa Coleman. He is also predeceased by a beloved aunt and uncle, Carlos and Harriet Arnold Lively and granddaughter Rebekah Lindsay Ware.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Darla Sims Arnold, daughters Ellen Arnold Ware of San Diego CA, Martha Arnold Oman (John) of Nashville, TN, and Elizabeth Harriet Arnold of Nashville TN.

He is also survived by granddaughters, Catherine Oman Hendrick (Paul) Boca Raton, FL, Christine Ware Lott (Brian) Nashville, TN and Elizabeth Oman Jasarevski (Mirza) Brentwood, TN. His family is grateful that Edgar was able to know his four great grandchildren, Elizabeth Theodora Hendrick, James Henry Jasarevski, Benjamin Allen Jasarevski, and Matthew Oman Jasarevski, to whom he was affectionately known as "Eggie". Also surviving are sisters, Nicky Hamm and Lynn Airheart of Wilmington NC.

Edgar grew up in Atlanta and then moved to Oak Ridge, TN where he graduated from high school in 1955. He then attended the University of Tennessee where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and captain of the UT tennis team. After graduating from UT, Edgar received a master's degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He served in the army for two years before moving to Nashville where he spent the next 50 years in the brokerage/investment business.

Edgar was a devoted servant of Christ, a great encourager, and gentle soul who loved people well. He had a great wit and keen sense of humor and could tell a story at any given moment. He loved sports of every kind, sports trivia, SEC basketball, and could recall scores and statistics at any given moment. He was always interested in those around him, and the sports that they had played and in the sports that their children and grandchildren were involved in. But his greatest joy was teaching the scriptures throughout the years in various bible studies whether at church, home, or the workplace and the long-lasting relationships that developed.

After suffering a stroke in 2018, Edgar was asked to lead the weekly devotional time at NHC The Trace where he was a patient for almost 6 years. He was also visited weekly by lifelong friends for a Friday morning men's Bible study for which the family is very grateful. The family also wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the devoted friends and staff from The Village Chapel who called and visited weekly as well as all those from NHC-Trace who loved and cared for Edgar so well.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 12 at 1:00 pm at The Village Chapel, Nashville, TN, followed by a reception at the church. The family would ask that any donations made in Edgar's memory would kindly be made to one of the following ministries: The Village Chapel, PO Box 121954, 2021 21st Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212, Daystar Counseling Ministries, 2801 Azalea PL, Nashville TN 37204 or Community Bible Study, 790 Stout Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80921.