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The door will open Friday, November 16, for a new Hope
Center in Wellsville, an initiative of the Mission Genesee Valley coalition of
churches for community transformation and revival in Allegany County and
beyond. Organizers are hoping to spread
the community assistance concept to churches throughout the county.
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WELLSVILLE - A coalition of Allegany County churches is opening a major
new initiative Friday morning, November 16, to inject "Help, Hope and
Healing" into the lives of individuals and families who are struggling
with all types of life issues.
Mission Genesee Valley, which has been focused for nearly
two years on building community transformation and revival throughout the
county, will hold two days of activities at a new Hope Center at 4194 Bolivar
Road - Suite 5, across the drive from McDonald's drive-through at Wellsville.
An opening ceremony and ribbon cutting will occur at 10 a.m.
Friday, followed by public open houses until 1 p.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 6
p.m. Mission Genesee Valley then will host its weekly rotating Friday night
Journey to Transformation prayer gathering at the site from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.,
with an additional open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, November 17.
Individuals will be able to tour the facility, enjoy
refreshments, and learn about multiple parts of the ministry, including a
multitude of volunteer opportunities.
Mission Genesee Valley also hopes to facilitate expansion of
the Wellsville concept by encouraging churches in other population centers of
the county to come together to create opportunities to meet their own community
needs locally.
Initial focuses at the Hope Center will be on reading
assistance for children and adults; information, referral and advocacy for
individuals and families struggling with life issues; a Christian lending
library that also will encourage reading by giving away books to children and
adults; and ongoing seminars and workshops for the general public in regard to
significant life issues and for churches in regard to developing true
Communities of Care within their congregations and communities.
Prayer also will be available for anyone with needs and for community
transformation and revival in all sectors of the county including, but not
limited to, individuals and families, churches and other Christian
organizations, social services and other human services entities, governments,
schools, businesses and areas of individual and community concerns.
The Center is being described as a Hub of Hope of Allegany
County Churches due to a desire to connect it with participating churches
throughout the area to which individuals and families can be referred for
caring, non-judgmental local follow-up and support.
Organizers are quick to praise God for making the initiative
possible, from initial unexpected donation of the space by Wellsville business
owners, Mike and Michelle Raptis, to receipt of other significant, unsolicited
contributions of funds and furnishings. The new ministry still has a gift guide
for individuals wishing to make contributions for specific equipment and
furnishings that continue to be needed.
Pastor Dan Kenyon of Wellsville Bible Church, chair of
Mission Genesee Valley, said the way the facility became available to the
umbrella organization, together with the many ways in which God has provided
insight and timing into helping develop the project demonstrates sequences far
beyond anything the group could have planned by itself.
Further information and volunteer applications are available
at www.facebook.com/TransformationJourneyUSA, or from Casey Jones, Planning
Group chair, at bps461@msn.com or (484) 435-0503, or many county pastors.
