Weekly Update
Here's what's happening around Hope this week.

Eric Thompson •
April 16, 2026

2 Minute Read
Welcome to the weekly roundup 👋
This is your one-stop spot for everything happening in our church family. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days.
Sunday, July 12th
  • 11:00 am Worship Service - Join us for Sunday
    service in person or online.
  • Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during the service.
Monday, July 13th
  • Prayer Gathering - 5:30 pm
Thursday, July 16th
  • Grief Support Group - 6:00 pm in the Kids
  • Praise and Worship Practice - 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Upcoming Events
  • Family Fun Day - Sunday, July 26th at 11:00 am
New here? We'd love to connect.
This Week's Message

"Jesus’s Teaching on Prayer"
Pastor Eric | Matthew 6:5-13

Jesus teaches that prayer is about genuine relationship, not performance. He warns against praying for human praise and using empty, repetitive words. Instead, He models authentic communication with God: a humble and private conversation that aligns our hearts with God's will.

Watch last week’s sermon 👇


Watch Online
Community Prayer

We carry each other through the spiritual practice of prayer. Here's what our community is lifting up this week:

🙏 The Palmer Family – Grieving the loss of Brad Palmer. Praying for comfort, peace and strength for the family.

🙏 Our City – For renewal and revival across our communities.

Submit your own prayer request .here

Giving

Your generosity makes our work in our community possible. We’re so grateful for you. New to our community? No pressure. Today, just be our guest.

Give Now Here


Stay Connected

📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox.

📸 Follow us on , Instagram,
and .YouTube

💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here.

Services: Sundays at 11:00 AM
3210 Blue Ridge Blvd., West Union, SC 29696
See you soon ☀️

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Up Next
From this Author: Eric Thompson
July 8, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Align Your Heart With His Will
Align Your Heart With His Will Focus Verse: Matthew 6:10 "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Think about the last time you prayed hard for something and then added, almost as an afterthought, "but your will be done." For many of us, that phrase is a formality tacked onto the end of a request we have already decided upon. But in Jesus's model prayer, surrendering to the Father's will is not an afterthought - it is placed near the very beginning. It is foundational. When you pray "your kingdom come, your will be done," you are doing something costly. You are handing over your personal agenda. You are asking God to reign over your home, your relationships, your finances, and your plans - the same way he reigns in heaven, completely and without resistance. That is an act of trust. It requires believing that his ways are better than yours even when you cannot see it yet. The goal of prayer is not to bend God toward your desires. It is to bend your desires toward his. That realignment is where peace begins. Today's Challenge: Write down one situation in your life that you have been trying to control or force, and intentionally pray the words "your will be done" over it by name. Prayer: Father, I surrender my plans to you today. Where I have been pushing my own agenda, I ask you to reign instead. Your will is better than mine, and I choose to trust that today.

Eric Thompson

July 7, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Prayer is for Relationship
Focus Verse: Matthew 6:6 "But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." There is a moment many people recognize - standing in a circle, someone asks you to pray out loud, and your first thought is not about God at all. It is about the people listening. What will they think? Will your words sound right? Jesus saw this exact impulse in the religious leaders of his day, and he named it plainly: praying to be seen by others is a performance, not a prayer. God is not grading your vocabulary. He is not impressed by polished phrases or lengthy sentences. He is your heavenly Father, and he is looking for you - the real you, behind the closed door, with nothing to prove. True prayer is intimate conversation, not a public demonstration. You can come to him without a script, without the right words, and without fear. He already knows your heart. What he wants is your honest presence. Today's Challenge: Find a quiet moment today, close the door, and speak to God in plain, honest language - exactly as you would talk to someone who knows and loves you completely. Prayer: Father, I confess that I have sometimes been more concerned with how I sound than with actually reaching you. Teach me to come to you as I am, without performance or pretense. Let my prayer today be real.Share Your Prayer Request

Eric Thompson

Currently Reading
April 16, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Weekly Update
Welcome to the weekly roundup 👋 This is your one-stop spot for everything happening in our church family. From kids to adults, small groups to special events, here's how you can get connected over the next seven days. Sunday, July 12th 11:00 am Worship Service - Join us for Sunday service in person or online. Kids Ministry - Age-specific programming during the service. Monday, July 13th Prayer Gathering - 5:30 pm Thursday, July 16th Grief Support Group - 6:00 pm in the Kids Praise and Worship Practice - 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary Upcoming Events Family Fun Day - Sunday, July 26th at 11:00 amNew here? We'd love to connect. This Week's Message "Jesus’s Teaching on Prayer" Pastor Eric | Matthew 6:5-13 Jesus teaches that prayer is about genuine relationship, not performance. He warns against praying for human praise and using empty, repetitive words. Instead, He models authentic communication with God: a humble and private conversation that aligns our hearts with God's will. Watch last week’s sermon 👇Watch Online Community Prayer We carry each other through the spiritual practice of prayer. Here's what our community is lifting up this week: 🙏 The Palmer Family – Grieving the loss of Brad Palmer. Praying for comfort, peace and strength for the family. 🙏 Our City – For renewal and revival across our communities. Submit your own prayer request .here Giving Your generosity makes our work in our community possible. We’re so grateful for you. New to our community? No pressure. Today, just be our guest.Give Now Here Stay Connected 📩 Subscribe to this Collection to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox. 📸 Follow us on , Instagram, and .YouTube 💬 Pastoral care or questions? Connect with us here. Services: Sundays at 11:00 AM 3210 Blue Ridge Blvd., West Union, SC 29696 See you soon ☀️

Eric Thompson