A Vision of Hope

A Vision of Hope was the theme of this year’s Neighborhood Ministries fundraising campaign. I need hope these days. It gets me up in the morning when there’s another senseless and horrific shooting of children in a school or workers in a grocery store or churchgoers during Bible study. It’s what I cling to. It’s very often all I have.

Broad Street Presbyterian Church has been offering hope and more for many years. Beginning in the early days with Rainbow childcare, to offering food, clothing, refugee resettlement, and finally a safe place for young black men to play basketball, just to highlight a few of the many outreach initiatives.

This church has surrounded Central Ohio with hope for so very long – hope and support to those who need us no matter race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Our newest work, highlighted in several church-wide videos, includes a partnership with the City of Columbus and others to stabilize housing for Central Ohio residents and the Fresh Food for All program. These new initiatives have certainly enhanced our work in these key human service areas.

This Fall, we will engage in a strategic planning process to reaffirm our mission and vision, be intentional about our future impact, and co-create a strategic framework to guide the impact of neighborhood ministries over the next three years. Let’s continue to put hope into action. I look forward to sharing this work with each of you.

One of my favorite Bible verses – No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. – Luke 8:16.

Thank you for helping us keep the lamp lit, so those across our city can see.

Where do you see hope these days?

-Written by Tracy Ross, Director of Neighborhood Ministries