We are thankful for our new church building in Fulton for many reasons, one of which is the chance to reach out to children from our local community through Vacation Bible School for the first time in our new location this year. The fun just didn't stop during the week of July 2-6 at VBS 2007! The theme of "A Water Park Adventure: Riding the Wave of God's Love!" was perfect for a warm July week, with outdoor games in the "Raging River," "Splashtacular" music and Bible memory verses, delicious and extremely creative treats in the "Snack Shack," fun craft projects in the "Gift & Souvenir Shop," and learning about God's faithfulness in the "Bible Bay," not to mention our very own talented puppeteers, Coco, Loop de Loo, and Sunny in "Coconut Island." Thanks to all of the Lifeguards, Aqua Patrol, other volunteers, and especially our VBS Director Cheryl Dudek for their efforts to reach children for Christ!

Click here for more pictures of "splashtacular" fun at Vacation Bible School 2007!

With two moon bounces, horse rides, sno-cones, face painting, and much more, it's almost hard to imagine how Vacation Bible School could possibly be more fun than the Registration Day festivities, which were held on Saturday, June 9th at the church. However, even more excitement is in store during Vacation Bible School, as we look forward to "A Water Park Adventure: Riding the Wave of God's Love!" Sign your children, ages 5 years old through those entering 5th grade this fall, up for VBS today by contacting goodhopevbs@yahoo.com! VBS is set to take place each morning from 9:00am-12:30pm during the week of July 2-6.

Click here for more pictures of Registration Day fun!

Our congregation has always been blessed with many extended families worshipping together, and we are also thankful for the friends that the Lord has brought to us. In order to celebrate this, to welcome our friends and visitors, and to enjoy an extended time of fellowship together, we hosted a luncheon after the worship service on Sunday, May 27, 2007. Stay tuned, as after-church luncheons may become a regular fixture on our calendar!

Click here for more pictures of some of the friends and families in our congregation.

Despite the freezing pre-dawn temperatures, our Easter sunrise service was a very worshipful time for the early birds who attended, and the continental breakfast afterwards provided a warm time of fellowship for all. Hopefully the Easter forecast next year will be a little milder so that winter coats and wool blankets won't be necessary. But no matter what the weather, He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Click here for more pictures taken at the Easter sunrise service and breakfast.

Good Hope is fortunate to have Stuart and Cathie Showalter, missionaries to Burkina Faso with Wycliffe Bible Translators, in Maryland with us as they spend the next few years in the United States. Stuart is making periodic trips to Burkina Faso during this phase of their work (translating the Bible into the language of Kaansa), and during his January trip, Cathie and two couples from Good Hope were able to join him there. A major purpose of this trip was to move forward with plans for the vaccination campaign against the annual epidemic of meningitis in Burkina Faso, spearheaded by Good Hope's own Dr. Ian Macdonald. Pictured here are Cathie, Bobbie, Beth, and the Kaan King.

Click here for more pictures from their trip.

What an exciting day it was when we finally moved into our new church building in November 2006! Moving can be stressful at times, however. This year’s Christmas play, "Moving Day," examined both responses to moving and considered the most important move of all — when God’s Son left heaven to be born as a baby. The original script was written and directed by Chris Waller, and our pianist Sarah Lantz provided beautiful accompaniment for the children's music. We thank God for the annual opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas with our extended church family and friends.

Click here for more from the 2006 Christmas play.

We thank God for His faithfulness in carrying us through the long building process, which has finally resulted in our beautiful new church home in Fulton, Maryland! Our first worship service in the new building was held on Sunday, November 12th, and smiling faces of all ages were found everywhere following the morning service.

Click here for more pictures taken after the first service in our new church building.

While a few small projects still remain at our new church home on Route 216 in Fulton, Maryland, we thank God for the receipt of our occupancy certificate on November 9, 2006, meaning that we can now meet in our new location! What a joy it was to worship the Lord in our new building for the first time on Sunday, November 12, 2006, after many years of work towards this goal. Stay tuned for additional photos of the new building, or join us in person as we worship the Lord there.

Click here for more pictures of the new building.

Praise God for the opportunity to share the good news of His Son’s birth every year through our children's Christmas play. The thirty+ children and young teens involved in this year's play, “Great Expectations—More or Less?,” explored the idea that perhaps the first Christmas was not what the characters involved expected. In like manner, our expectations for Christmas can be more or less than we had hoped, but God’s true gift of His Son is far greater than anyone could have imagined! Chris Waller writes an original script, organizes, and directs the play every year, and (as always) this year's play was well-worth attending!

Click here for more from the 2004 Christmas play.

Good Hope's annual church Christmas party was held on Saturday, December 11th at the Macdonalds' home. Fellowship is an important aspect of our church activities, and the Christmas party is one fellowship event that you certainly don't want to miss! The Macdonalds' beautifully decorated home is a treat to visit at Christmastime, and we thank them for hosting the Christmas party once again this year. Although everyone was instructed just to bring appetizers, the heavily-laden food table presented much more of a complete meal than just hors d'oeuvres! John Horst's musical accompaniment also added a festive air to the party, and Christmas caroling was enjoyed by all.

Click here for more pictures from the party.

Good Hope's spring golf tournament has been such an overwhelming success that it was necessary to introduce a Fall Classic this year, held on Saturday, October 2nd at Patuxent Greens Country Club in Laurel, Maryland. Competition was fierce this fall, with four of the five teams finishing within two strokes of each other. And just like the spring tournament, two teams tied for the lead again with scores of 66, leading to a one-on-one putt-off to determine the victorious team.

The championship-winning team is pictured at left -- from left to right are Mark, Peter, Craig, and Bill. Congratulations also go to the winners of the "longest drive" trophy, Gary, and the "tee shot closest to the pin" contest, Brian.

Click here for pictures from the spring tournament.

Good Hope held its first picnic at our new church property on Route 216 in Fulton, Maryland on Sunday, July 11th. There is currently a brick ranch-style house on our 10-acre property, which will soon be converted into our new church sanctuary. We thank the Lord for the progress that has been made towards this building project over the last several years, as we now have the green light to begin demolition and then construction once the proper building permits are in place! Pictured from left to right are Kathy, Carol, Shelley, and Bobbie.

Click here for more pictures from the picnic.

Good Hope held its annual missions conference from February 20-22, 2004, focusing on "God's Word and Work in Africa and Beyond: Eye Witnesses Tell Their Stories." The missions conference featured the work of the Brown family in Nairobi, Kenya (with World Harvest Mission) and four members of Good Hope who recently traveled to Burkina Faso to visit the Showalter family (missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators).

From left to right, missionaries home from Kenya: Gail, Alan, and Eddie Brown; and members of Good Hope who traveled to Burkina Faso: Dr. Mac, Joseph, Pastor Jack, and Tim.

Four men from Good Hope traveled to Burkina Faso in West Africa from January 23 - February 8, 2004 to visit Stuart and Cathie Showalter, missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. The Showalters and their team have developed a written language for the Kaan people, a small tribe in Burkina Faso, and they are now translating the Bible into the language of Kaansa. Pictured from left to right are Dr. Mac, Tim, Joseph, and Pastor Jack.

Click here for more pictures from their trip.