The start of a new school year brings fresh notebooks, new classrooms, and exciting opportunities, but it can also bring uncertainty. Students may wonder if they’ll make new friends or succeed in challenging classes. Parents may worry about their children’s safety and well-being, while teachers prepare to invest countless hours in educating and encouraging the next generation. As Christian families, one of the greatest gifts we can offer at the beginning of the school year is prayer.
Prayer reminds us that while we cannot control every circumstance, God is always present and in control. He cares deeply about our children, our schools, and the people who fill them each day. When we commit the school year to Him, we acknowledge our dependence on His wisdom, protection, and guidance. Consider making prayer a daily family habit before everyone leaves the house. It doesn’t have to be lengthy. A simple prayer asking God to grant wisdom, courage, kindness, and opportunities to reflect Christ can shape the attitude with which children enter their classrooms. Encourage students to pray before a test, before difficult conversations, or whenever they feel anxious. These moments teach them that prayer is not reserved for church but is a natural part of everyday life.
Parents can also pray intentionally for teachers, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and school staff. Many educators carry tremendous responsibilities and often face challenges that go unseen. Praying that God would give them patience, strength, discernment, and encouragement is a meaningful way to support those who serve our children. Prayer also prepares our kids’ hearts to see their school as a mission field. Rather than viewing school as simply a place to learn, children can begin to understand that God has placed them there to demonstrate His love through kindness, integrity, compassion, and encouragement. Every hallway, classroom, lunch table, and sports field becomes an opportunity to shine the light of Christ and share the Gospel with others.
As another school year begins, may prayer become more than a tradition. May it become the foundation of your family’s school year. When we entrust our students, teachers, and schools to the Lord, we can walk forward with confidence, knowing that the One who watches over us is faithful in every season.
-Dr. Ben Birdsong
Director of European Expansion for First Priority Global Ministries
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
The heartbeat of Big Oak Ranch is our children and the people who show up for them — all rooted in God’s faithfulness. Through His work at the Ranch, children are given a chance to heal, grow, and discover they are deeply loved.
The Auxiliary at Big Oak Ranch serves in many different capacities including helping with special gatherings, sending birthday cards to Big Oak children, and more.
“Big Oak Ranch is breaking the cycle to give children a chance at a different life. It is humbling to be a part of helping support Big Oak Ranch and to see God at work,” Kristi Wilson, president of the Big Oak Ranch Auxiliary, says. For almost 20 years, the Auxiliary has come alongside Big Oak Ranch through prayer and support. That care is often experienced in practical and personal ways, like running the Ranch “shopping” experiences — Boutique for our girls and Outfitters for our boys. The Auxiliary’s support is also felt in simple but thoughtful ways — helping with special gatherings, serving where needed, and sending cards on birthdays, holidays, and other important life moments.
Luke arrived at Big Oak Ranch when he was 14 years old and later transitioned to ASCEND, our college and career support ministry. Now, as he prepares to graduate from UAB, Luke reflected on what the Auxiliary meant to him. “I’m thankful for the amount of support I’ve had from ASCEND, Big Oak Ranch, and the Auxiliary — they are a blessing. Even though we don’t talk much, they pray for you and send cards on your birthday, Christmas, and just because they’re thinking of you. You don’t expect something, and then you receive a card — it’s someone saying, “We care for you,” and you’re just thinking, these people really are here to support me.”
Thank you to the Auxiliary for faithfully supporting and reminding our children and young adults that they are deeply loved by God and the people who continue to show up for them. To learn more about the Auxiliary, visit www.bigoakauxiliary.org or learn about other volunteer opportunities at www.bigoak.org.
Have you ever landed heels-up on an icy sidewalk or stumbled up a flight of stairs? In either case, the experience was not pleasant. No one falls on purpose unless they’re a skydiver or slapstick comedian. The same is true with marital love. Claims of “falling in love” are common. But is love an experience you stub your toe on, or is it an intentional commitment cultivated over time?
Fate or Divine Providence. You see it in movies—the chance encounter on a crowded street or an empty beach. A glance… a smile… a date… a wedding; blissful devotion blossoms in ten minutes. Hollywood magic! Is this how true love works? Too often, real life mimics fiction and results in a moment of passion masquerading as abiding love. Biblical love is not random. What feels like “love at first sight” might be a temporary response to emotional or physical attraction. Christians who seek God’s direction in finding a mate can trust Him to orchestrate when and how the encounter occurs. And yet God’s sovereignty works with human involvement. Marriage-minded love seekers must put action behind their prayers.
Know Love. Scripture offers an accurate view of love. The Hebrew word for love (aheb) and its Greek counterpart (agape) describe a love that includes and transcends affection. This love moves a Father to sacrifice His Son to save enemies (Isaiah 53:4-5; Romans 5:8). It is also a love that makes years seem like days to win the hand of a bride (Genesis 29:20). Biblical love commits to the relationship as an act of the will and resolves to remain faithful at the risk of rejection.
Grow in Love. The depth of love is unknown at the onset of a relationship. True devotion is revealed over a lifetime. As husbands and wives attend to each other’s needs, they discover those needs change with the crosswinds of life. The birth of a child, a sudden illness, a job loss, the empty nest, or a thousand other unpredictable experiences present challenges to the couple’s affections. Each challenge plunges dedicated spouses to new levels of unconditional adoration.
Love learns and adapts when tested by life’s circumstances. It is a lifelong commitment to patience and forgiveness. Do you desire authentic marital love? Don’t take chances with your heart. Instead, trust what is certain—God’s Word. There you will find qualities of the ideal spouse surefooted and ready to lead you to lasting love.
-Dr. Alonza Jones
Teacher, Writer, Speaker
President and Co-founder, Biblical Marriage Institute
Just three hours north of Birmingham sits the Wonders Center & Science Museum. Located in Dickson, Tenn., this 100,000-square-foot museum features exhibits, displays, interactive learning zones, and planetarium shows that all point to the Creator. David Rives, founder and director of the Wonders Center & Science Museum, explains, “We’re the largest science museum in the world that upholds Biblical values.”
The magnificence of God’s creation comes alive at the Wonders Center & Science Museum and offers families, schools, homeschool groups, and churches an inspiring destination for learning and discovery. Group discounts are available.
Step Inside. “When you walk through the museum, you will see kids’ hands-on activities. There are kids digging in sand pits, uncovering dinosaurs. They’re putting their hands on real meteorites and actual dinosaur bones,” Rives shares, adding, “Animatronics visit people for photo opportunities throughout their tours and we have halls of memorabilia and entire exhibit halls of geology and blowing rocks.” Visitors can be transported to Africa in one exhibit and then enjoy a movie in one of the Top 10 planetariums in the world “full dome planetarium style, floating through space where it looks like you’re flying past galaxies and stars.” What makes the Wonders Center & Science Museum unique? When someone is inspecting a meteorite or browsing an exhibit, everything in the museum points to the glory of God. “It’s all pointing us back to the idea that we are not an accident and that we are actually wonderfully made by God,” Rives says.
The Wonders Center & Science Museum is located at 855 TN-46, Dickson, TN, 37055.
The Inspiration. As a young child, Rives had an interest in creation. As an eight year old exploring and digging in his backyard around 30 miles north of the Ala. and Tenn. border, he discovered a fossil. “I kept finding things like fossil bivalves and seashell imprints and corals in my backyard,” Rives remembers, sharing that he put all of his treasures in a fishing tackle box “not understanding that it would turn into the largest science museum in Tenn. It started with just searching my backyard, being curious, picking up rocks and realizing that science in and of itself is telling us stories.” When he was 16 years old, Rives connected a camera to the back of a telescope and took a photo of The Great Orion Nebula. He was shocked at the vividness of the photo and decided he wanted to share his passion for science as more than a hobby “but actually as a ministry outreach tool to reach the world with the idea that not only is science cool and creation is amazing, but God’s world is absolutely designed and it’s pointing us right back to the Designer, the God of the Bible,” says Rives.
Click here to learn more about the Wonders Center & Science Museum in a video interview featuring founder David Rives.
In addition to the Wonders Center & Science Museum, Rives is the founder of David Rives Ministries and the author of several books including 21 Verses Backed by Science. “The book is a way for people to deepen their faith,” Rives explains, adding, “I realized that if the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then there should be nuggets of truth scattered throughout that are scientifically accurate because God created it. So, in the book, I tell stories. I look at a verse and ask a question: Is this a scientifically accurate verse? I then show how thousands of years of Earth’s history were necessary before we were even able to grasp the concepts found in that verse, which means that your average person didn’t write it down.”
Learn More. Each week, David Rives Ministries sends out an email update called Creation Weekly. It is free to receive and covers topics on science and the Christian faith for children and adults. You can sign up for this email update at davidrives.com. To find more information about the Wonders Center & Science Museum, including upcoming events, or to plan your visit, go to wonderscenter.org. †
In the video below, The Wonders Center & Science Museum founder David Rives shares more on the inspiration behind the museum, what families can expect when they visit, and more.
Eleven years ago, before there was land, a building, or a single blueprint, there was a dream God placed in the heart of Alexa James, and a faith small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, yet strong enough to move mountains. James founded Blanket Fort Hope in 2015. The name traces back to the blanket forts her own children built as kids, and the safety they felt inside them. That image became the vision for a Gospel-centered refuge where children who have survived the unimaginable could feel that same safety, permanently.
Here is a peek inside Blanket Fort Hope’s now open Restoration Home that houses nine girls, ages 12-18.
Over the following decade, Blanket Fort Hope grew from an idea into a movement, training more than 20,000 foster families, educators, church members, and healthcare workers across Alabama. In 2021, it acquired 73 acres in Shelby County to build the Restoration Home, breaking ground in 2022. In 2024, it became licensed to train, license, and support foster families for trauma-informed homes, including families who care for male survivors of trafficking. The Restoration Home was completed, debt-free, in November 2025, a home with bedrooms and bathrooms for nine girls, ages 12 to 18. Blanket Fort Hope is now a licensed group home, able to house children in the officially open Restoration Home. This is more than a license. It’s the fulfillment of a calling and the answer to countless prayers, from donors, volunteers, churches, and supporters who believed in a vision bigger than themselves.
Within these walls, girls will find safety, healing, and more.
The Restoration Home is now a place where young female survivors will find safety, healing, trauma-informed care, education, stability, and people committed to walking beside them for as long as it takes. Blanket Fort Hope also offers a Girl Scout badge program teaching young women safety strategies. Most of all, it’s a place where they’ll be reminded they are loved, valued, and never beyond the reach of God’s redemption. This is only the beginning. The Restoration Home is the first piece of a larger campus vision that includes a trauma training center, additional homes, a chapel, a garden, and stables. James says this moment belongs to everyone who prayed, gave, volunteered, and believed in the vision from the beginning. “Christ is our foundation. Hope is our mission. The home is open, and the best is yet to come,” James said. You can learn more by visiting blanketforthope.org or email [email protected]. †
Brought to you by: Community Partner, Sawyer Solutions Technology with Care and Compassion • Outsourced I.T. Support • Cyber Security • Help Desk Solutions sawyersolutionsllc.com 844-448-7767
Indiana football’s 2025 national championship season captivated fans and made history. But according to award-winning sportswriter Del Duduit, the season’s greatest impact reaches far beyond the scoreboard.
In Indiana Believer: 30 Days of Devotions for the Hoosier Football Faithful, Duduit combines memorable moments from Indiana’s championship run with Biblical insights on faith, perseverance, leadership, and purpose. Each devotion highlights lessons that can inspire readers both on and off the field.
Indiana Believer is for devoted Hoosier fans, football enthusiasts, and anyone seeking encouragement in their faith walk. The book releases on August 4, 2026.
Drawing on his experience as a journalist for publications such as Sports Spectrum, Decision Magazine, and Athletes in Action, Duduit explores how the determination, teamwork, and resilience displayed throughout the season reflect timeless spiritual truths. More than a season recap, Indiana Believer invites readers to see how faith shapes character in moments of triumph and adversity. Whether you’re a devoted Hoosier fan, a football enthusiast, or someone seeking encouragement in your daily walk, the book offers practical inspiration rooted in both sports and Scripture.
As fans celebrate one of the most remarkable seasons in Indiana football history, Indiana Believer provides a meaningful way to relive the journey while discovering lessons that endure long after the final whistle. Indiana Believer releases on August 4, 2026 from Iron Stream Media. Learn more at shop.ironstreammedia.com.
Brought to you by: Community Partner Still Waters Counseling and Education Center, www.mystillwaters.org
Still Waters Counseling and Education Center provides professional counseling services that integrate clinical practice and Christian faith, in person in Mountain Brook, Madison, and Dothan, Ala., as well as online anywhere in the state. The team of professional therapists has one goal: to provide a safe, compassionate place where healing can begin.
Still Waters Intern Nic Jones is pursuing his Master of Social Work degree at the University of North Alabama and expects to graduate in December 2027.
Intern Nic Jones has joined the Still Waters team while pursuing his Master of Social Work degree at the University of North Alabama. “My interest in pursuing an internship through Still Waters is rooted from a place of deep interest in human flourishing, trauma recovery, faith, and the ways healing occurs within relationships and community,” Jones says, adding, “I really resonate with the Still Waters goal to help people move toward greater health, healing, wisdom, and wholeness.” During his internship, Jones will have the opportunity, under supervision, to develop clinical skills with clients as part of the therapeutic process. “I truly believe that each person holds a story with unique purposes. Oftentimes, the stories we hold involve pain and deep wounds. I find it a great privilege to sit with other image bearers to support them from a place of empathy, curiosity, and respect for each person’s unique story.” During his internship, Jones hopes to grow in his capacity to support people well. “I believe we were created to flourish, not just survive. I pray that this next season will be an opportunity to absorb wisdom from the Still Waters team, honor the clients who demonstrate significant courage by walking through the counseling office doors, and learn skills that I can integrate in my practice as a therapist in training.”
Most insurance plans are accepted at Still Waters. In addition, the practice offers a sliding scale to keep therapy accessible to individuals and families. Areas of service include stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, OCD, disordered eating, addictions, and more. To learn more, visit mystillwaters.org, email [email protected], or call 205-825-1423.
Watch the video interview below to learn more about Nic Jones and his passion for helping others flourish in life through counseling.
TO SAY THANK YOU for reading and supporting the businesses and organizations that advertise with Birmingham Christian Family(BCF) and make spreading Good News possible we have TWO GREAT GIVEAWAYS.
#1
4 Tickets to watch the Birmingham Barons play at Regions Field on Faith and Family Night, Friday August 14, 2026.
Enter on both Facebook & Instagram to double your chances!
Instagram. To enter, simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Instagram @cfpbirmingham.
Offer ends Tuesday 8/11/26. Winner announced 8/12/26 on Instagram and Facebook so be sure to FOLLOW our Instagram @cfpbirmingham and Facebook @BirminghamChristianFamily pages.
#2
4 Tickets to Alabama Adventure Amusement Park & Splash Adventure Water Park. Open on weekends through September 13, 2026.
Enter on both Facebook & Instagram to double your chances!
Instagram. To enter, simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Instagram @cfpbirmingham.
Offer ends Thursday 8/13/26, Winner announced 8/14/26 on Instagram and Facebook so be sure to FOLLOW our Instagram @cfpbirmingham and Facebook @BirminghamChristianFamily pages.
Strength for today. Hope for tomorrow.Fortify Christian Counseling provides professional counseling that integrates Christian faith and clinical expertise for individuals (age 5 and up), couples, and families.
Anxiety & Depression
Children’s Issues
Life Transitions
Marriage & Relationships
Stress & Burnout
Trauma & Grief
Fortify counselors are a team of Licensed Professional Counselors and Trauma-informed Biblical Counselors who accept BCBS Insurance. Services are available in-office in Hoover and via telehealth across Alabama. Get Started Today!
At Still Waters Counseling and Education Center, we provide compassionate, evidence-based counseling for individuals, couples, and families in our Mountain Brook, Madison, and Dothan offices, as well as secure online therapy for clients throughout Alabama. Whether you are facing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship challenges, or a difficult season of life, we are here to help you find healing, hope, and lasting change.
We believe every person has inherent worth, every story matters, and every individual deserves to be met with compassion, respect, and hope. We do not see problems. We see people. People with real stories, real struggles, and real courage simply for taking the first step and asking for help. We know reaching out is not easy. From the moment you walk through our doors or join a secure online session, we want you to feel safe. Safe to exhale. Safe to be honest. Safe to not have everything figured out.
Our therapists help clients better understand themselves and the experiences that have shaped their lives. Through evidence-based counseling, clients gain insight, develop healthier patterns, strengthen relationships, and experience lasting healing and growth. For clients who desire it, we also offer Christian counseling that thoughtfully integrates faith and biblical principles into the counseling process. Learn more at mystillwaters.org, email [email protected], or call 205-825-1423.
– DENTAL –
At Gooch Dental, we believe dentistry is about far more than healthy teeth—it’s about serving people with compassion, integrity, and excellence. Our faith is the foundation of everything we do, and each day begins with prayer and a team huddle as we prepare our hearts and minds to care for every patient who walks through our doors.
From the moment you arrive, you’ll experience the Gooch Dental difference. We strive to make every visit as comfortable and stress-free as possible by combining genuine compassion with the latest advancements in dental technology. To help patients relax during treatment, we offer a complimentary comfort menu featuring cozy blankets, protective sunglasses to reduce the bright dental light, earbuds for listening to music or podcasts, and a caring team dedicated to making your experience as pleasant as possible. Our highly trained clinical team continually pursues advanced education and the latest dental techniques to provide exceptional care. We are passionate about helping our patients achieve healthy mouths, confident smiles, and lasting oral health.
With five experienced doctors, Gooch Dental offers comprehensive care for the entire family under one roof. Our services include preventive and family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, veneers, dental implants, select oral surgery procedures, same-day crowns, clear aligners, and professional in-office whitening. We are especially proud to be recognized as a Platinum Invisalign Provider while offering some of the most competitive Invisalign pricing in the Birmingham area, making beautiful, healthy smiles more accessible than ever. To learn more, visit goochdental.com or call 205-583-1291.
– OB/GYN –
At Brookwood Women’s Health, PC, we seek to provide the highest level of care through our highly skilled health care professionals and state-of-the-art technologies. We are devoted to addressing the individual needs and demands of our patients in a warm and caring environment.
With years of experience, the physicians and staff of Brookwood Women’s Health PC demonstrate professionalism and expertise at every level. Offering a full range of obstetrics and gynecology services from your initial exam, to childbirth and through menopause and beyond, our goal is to offer patient-centered medical care based on mutual trust and communication.
We believe mammograms are important, so we offer them in our office for your convenience—you can schedule your mammogram on the same day as your annual gynecology exam. We also offer in-house infertility testing and treatment as well as ultrasound and minor and minimally invasive in-office procedures.
We are here for you at every age to help to ensure your overall health and wellness. Call 205-397-8850 to request an appointment at our OBGYN clinic in Birmingham or Tuscaloosa.
From your first visit as a pre-teen to your golden years, Henderson & Walton wants to be your healthcare provider of choice. We have been providing care for more than 50 years in the Birmingham and surrounding areas. Our experienced staff can guide you in making wise choices during every stage of your life as a woman. Our caring physicians and associates understand the challenges you will face and can walk with you as your needs change from year to year.
OBSTETRICS. Finding the right OB/GYN is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy and enjoy the best experience of childbirth. Our physicians are committed to guiding their patients through all stages of pregnancy from prenatal care to delivery either by vaginal or cesarean section. We currently deliver babies at UAB/St Vincent’s in Birmingham.
GYNECOLOGY. We offer patients a range of services addressing basic reproductive health, as well as individual concerns such breast health, family planning, and more. Our providers work with women to address their specific healthcare needs and provide preventative care options to provide optimal healthcare for mothers and their daughters.
Our OB/GYN physicians are board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and see patients in Birmingham, Chelsea, Cullman, Rainbow City/Gadsden, Gardendale, Jasper, and Tuscaloosa. To learn more about our physicians and the services we provide, visit our website at hwwc.net.
– PHARMACY –
Double Oak Mountain Pharmacy opened 14 years ago with one goal – to provide compassionate, affordable pharmaceutical care to the surrounding community. The local pharmacy on Highway 280 offers a variety of services to their patients including free local delivery, compounding, drive-thru access, immunizations, private consultations, online supplement store, and compliance packaging. “Filling prescriptions quickly and accurately is just as important to us as assuring you have a positive experience every time you walk through our door,” explains Pharmacist Joseph Feick, adding, “As we serve you and your family in all your pharmacy needs, we look forward to also becoming your friend!” Feick received his Pharm.D. from McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University with the ambition of opening his own pharmacy. He has a passion for helping people, and he knew that he wanted to help others with his profession. He chose pharmacy with that in mind, and he loves his job. His compassion for others and his vast pharmacology knowledge makes him the ideal independent pharmacist. He has worked at several independent and chain retail pharmacies and is certified in immunizations and experienced in compounding. Feick and his wife Jennifer grew up in the Oak Mountain area and enjoy giving back to the community they love and are proud to call home. Learn more by visiting DoubleOakMountRX.com, stopping by at 5510 Hwy 280 Suite 123 or calling 205-991-0800.
– HEALTH INSURANCE/HEALTHCARE SERVICES –
Humana
Do you have Medicare questions? Local licensed Humana sales agents make it easy to find a listening ear, a helping hand, and a knowledgeable voice. Here are just a few facts and tips you need to know about Medicare.
Know your Medicare dates. Medicare Open Enrollment period is October 15-December 7 each year. During this period, eligible Medicare beneficiaries can review their coverage and make certain changes for the upcoming year.
Review your plan every year. Your health needs may not have changed but your plan might. Costs, benefits, coverage, and other plan details can change from one year to the next. Review your Annual Notice of Change and consider scheduling an annual plan review with one of our licensed sales agents.
Know who you’re speaking with. When discussing your Medicare plan options, work with a local licensed insurance sales agent and make sure you understand the plan before enrolling.
Protect yourself from Medicare scams. Never give your Medicare number, Social Security number or other personal information to an unsolicited caller.
Turning 65 or new to Medicare? Don’t wait until your birthday to start learning about your options. Your Initial Enrollment Period generally begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and extends through the 3 months afterward.
Veterans:Ask about Medicare options designed with you in mind. Humana and USAA offer Humana USAA Honor Giveback Medicare Advantage plans designed to complement veterans’ benefits. Depending on the plan and availability in your area, benefits may include a Part B premium reduction (giveback) and other benefits.
Have questions? We’re local and here to help.Schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of our local licensed Humana sales agents to review your Medicare needs. Daniel Dunning (205-767-0162), LaQuesha Williams (205-867-4360), or Antoine Smith (205-461-7092) can answer any questions you may have.
Would you like to share with our readers the health resource your business offers? Learn about how you may be a fit to be featured in our Health Resource Guide. Email sales@christianfamilypublications.com or call 205-408-7150.
Pastor Hellmers and his wife Dee at a pizza night fundraiser for Project Hope. A native of New Orleans, Pastor Hellmers and his family made Birmingham their home 50 years ago when he accepted a call to serve as pastor of the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills.
Sunday August 16, 2026 the congregation at The Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills(LCVH) will recognize Rev. Clifford Hellmers for 50 years of service at the church locally and abroad. Pastor Hellmers served as full time pastor of LCVH for 32 years and then over the course of the last 18 years, in active retirement, he has served as the coordinator of Project HOPE – the foreign mission ministry of LCVH. In addition, he has been actively involved in senior ministry and other areas of service which has richly blessed the church family. Rev. Michael Ahlemeyer, the lead pastor at LCVH, explains this will be a time of “thanking our Lord for the ministry and mission of Pastor Hellmers. This will be a day to celebrate the Gospel proclamation in our community and throughout the world!”
For 21 years Rev. Hellmers has led Project HOPE which he describes as “the heart and hands of Jesus for the ‘little ones’ in His kingdom around the world.” Learn more about the ministry and other ministries at LCVH here.
Pastor Hellmers founded Project HOPE in 2005. He shares, “It has worked to offer HOPE for a better tomorrow and for eternity through Christ in three third world countries, Kenya, Nicaragua and Uganda. The word HOPE is an acronym for the work it does: addresses the Health needs of people; provides Opportunity for income-producing projects; requires the Participation of those being served; and promotes the Education of children.”
Pastor Hellmers with some of the children at the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills who hosted a lemonade stand to raise money for Project Hope.
In Kenya HOPE, works with two members of the LCVH congregation, Arianna and David Shirk, who are medical missionaries at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. Project HOPE provides funds for medical equipment and structures like new operating rooms, a chapel, and medical resident housing. Each year HOPE also sends teams of about 12 members to Nicaragua. Part of the team leads a Vacation Bible School ministry for children in five rural villages. The other part of the team works on the construction of a one room house for families who formerly lived in houses made of tree branches and plastic sheeting. HOPE also provides funds for after school activities and a meal for students. In Uganda, so far HOPE has worked with seven different rural villages purchasing land, funding the drilling of a bore hole well for clean water, constructing a Lutheran elementary school and dormitories, and providing funds for an income producing project to support the school.
The community is invited to join in honoring Pastor Hellmers. He will preach at the 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. worship services re-telling the Lord’s goodness over the last 50 years. A reception will take place between services from 9:15 to 10:00 a.m. in the church fellowship hall. The church is located at 201 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills, 35216. †
Rev. Clifford Hellmers and Rev. Michael Ahlemeyer have served in ministry together for the last 16 years.
Get MORE Good News!
Join our Free E-newsletter packed with the latest family fun events, great recipes, inspiring stories, and all kinds of resources for you and your family.
-Dr. Ben Birdsong
