Springfield 1908 'Race Riot'
A Conversation with Rebecca Leatherwood
Meet Rebecca Leatherwood, who was part of our first Be The Bridge group at Hope. She has been attending Hope for 5 years.  The Be The Bridge model was created by founder, Latasha Morrison. Morrison’s organization equips individuals to serve as ambassadors of racial reconciliation with a unique Christian perspective.
"I have lived in Springfield for 18 years and have lived in Illinois my entire life. I had never heard of the 1908 race riots until after living here for several years. I read an article about a man hosting a walking tour of the path of the riot. Then a few months ago, my “Be the Bridge” group attended a lecture by Dr. Devin Hunt of UIS on the commemoration of the 1908 Springfield Race Riots-past, present, and future. The plans for a future permanent monument marking the race riots were shared and look to be a very impressive endeavor. Following the event one of the questions was put to the presenter and audience- “Why is the race riot not taught in area schools?” The common refrain amongst the attendees was that most of the local population know nothing about the1908 race riots. The information and research on the race riots are scarce. It seems to be a part of Springfield history best forgotten. Some renewed interest rose with the popularity of the motion picture The Green Book in 2018. The movie provided an opportunity to shed some light on the existence of sundown towns and their connections to race riots, lynching, and the development and continuation of racist systems in our institutions. Along with my fellow bridge builders and the “Be the Bridge” curriculum I have come to learn that one of the steps towards freeing ourselves from the sin of racism is we need to own and acknowledge it. We must learn from our past to secure a better future."

Additional reading resources Rebecca suggests are:
Summer of Rage: The Springfield Race Riot of 1908, by James Krohe
Sundown Towns, by James W. Loewen
The Color of Compromise, by Jemar Tisby
Lies My Teacher Told Me; Everything your American History Textbook Got Wrong, by James W. Loewen
Reconstructing the Gospel; Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion, by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
Divided by Faith, by Christian Smith and Michael O. Emerson
Woke Church, by Eric Mason
I'm Still Here; Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, by Austin Channing Brown

Take a Peek at Be The Bridge
A conversation with Emily LeVault
Meet Emily LeVault. Wife to our Student Pastor here at Hope, Mom to two, an avid mac n cheese connoisseur, loves to make you laugh, and a fierce follower of Jesus Christ. In the fall of 2019 she was a part of Hope's Be the Bridge group study and has continued to participate in them since. She became a fan of Latasha Morrison's when first hearing her speak at Hope's IF Gathering in 2017.  The Be The Bridge model was created by founder, Latasha Morrison. Morrison’s organization equips individuals to serve as ambassadors of racial reconciliation with a unique Christian perspective.

"The first time our group met, I wasn’t nervous until I realized I was the youngest, the least experienced and the most uneducated in the room that night." Yikes! Almost immediately, there were terms I didn’t recognize, references I didn’t understand, and I knew I was out of my depth. And this wasn’t just any conversation to be clueless in - racial reconciliation matters to me, I honestly thought I was coming in prepared. One vocabulary word in particular was “Sundown Town”... and as soon as one woman mentioned it, the rest all nodded - except for me. I spent the next two weeks between meetings absorbing everything I possibly could, reading books, listening to podcasts and just plain googling. Through this process an ugly weight fell over me…a feeling of shame and guilt that I had lived so long in perfect ignorance of the pain and fear that is a daily existence for my brothers and sisters of color. That ability to live in ignorance of ugly things because they don’t effect you is called privilege. White privilege. And it’s enough to make you want to run the other way, because unpacking shame is the worst kind of work. But what I found through my Be the Bridge group was support and love and encouragement as I confessed that shame and that ignorance the next time we met. These women have leaned into me, loved me where I was at, and this community is the reason I was able to push through that shame to the next step towards racial reconciliation."

Take a Peek at Be The Bridge:
A history lesson with Rev. Dr. Kathleen Wright
Meet Rev. Dr. Kathleen Wright. She is originally from Chicago and pastors St. Paul AME Church here in Springfield. Dr. Wright is part of the current Be The Bridge group here at Hope.  The Be The Bridge model was created by founder, Latasha Morrison. Morrison’s organization equips individuals to serve as ambassadors of racial reconciliation with a unique Christian perspective.
Juneteenth is the oldest known African American celebration. On June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas received word of their emancipation: two months after the Civil War had ended, and two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863.

After the war ended General Granger arrived in Galveston to issue the General Orders, Number 3 to free Texas’s 250,000 slaves. Some slave owners withheld the news of the emancipation until after the harvest season. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

The end of slavery was not the end of discrimination, racist violence, or murder. Factors such as Black Codes, white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, voter suppression, Jim Crow (segregation), and lynching took its place.

In most communities of African descent Watch Night began on December 31, 1862. It was, and still is, a religious service where many prayed for and watched for the coming of God’s deliverance. It came on January 1, 1863, a day of “Jubilee”, a day of freedom from enslavement. Frederick Douglass wrote that it was “a day for poetry and song, a new song.”

A few of the many activities of celebration include rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and baseball. There is always a focus on education, self-improvement and community engagement. Reenactments and the readings of famous writers such as WEB DuBois, Frederick Douglas, Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelo are presented in public square settings.

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday. Today, 47 states (Illinois in 2003) recognize it as a state holiday. Congress has stalled in making it a national holiday.

Take a Peek at Be The Bridge
For the last two years, RIkeesha Phelon and Lisa Miller have been leading Be The Bridge conversation groups here at Hope.  The Be The Bridge model was created by founder, Latasha Morrison.  Morrison’s organization equips individuals to serve as ambassadors of racial reconciliation with a unique Christian perspective.The recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, have spotlighted again our nation’s heart-breaking racial history.  History doesn’t go away—its shadows are here with us in the present.  As Christ-followers who believe in God’s plan of Biblical justice that calls for hospitality to the outsider, love and grace for all, and a special place for the vulnerable--How do we navigate these waters?  In this four-part series, we’re going to hear from members of our Hope Church Be The Bridge groups past and present.  We pray their voices will help you as you process, as well as encourage you to be a part of an upcoming group.

Meet Rebecca Leatherwood
Rebecca was part of Hope's first BTB group.  She and her family have been attending Hope for 5 years.  
The current escalation in racial tension calls for people to take a stand against racism.  Today I think the most important thing to know is that as Christians it is our responsibility to be an example of God’s love.  That example includes speaking up and naming it.  We need call out racism or racist behavior when we see it.
 I was introduced to Latasha Morrison’s “Be the Bridge” curriculum program at an IF: conference at Hope.  I was immediately interested and looked for more information.  I joined a group and began to do, what we call in the groups, “the work”, the emotional process of racial reconciliation.  As I went through the program content, I let myself be vulnerable and did a lot of internal reflection.  I opened my mind and expand my understanding of the complexity of the issue. BTB helped me put words to my emotions and provided tools and resources to put my experiences in to context and start healing.   The steps the program takes you through helped me process through a Christian lens.  I approached the curriculum thinking as a person of color I was ahead of the learning curve.  I was humbled to learn there is so much work to be done on all sides.  
We all need to enter the conversation with open minds and humble hearts prepared to have positive conversations that move the relationships forward. The most important thing is to enter with an honest desire to learn.

Mentoring Gears Up With Pandemic At The Outlet
By Beth Yokley
So many things have been cancelled because of the pandemic. Cancel was the last thing the Outlet wanted to do. Serving young men without fathers in the home, the Outlet provides stability through mentoring, social-emotional training and weekly meals.

“We feel that, if anything, we should really put on the gas and we should go even harder now because these young guys, they’re at home,” Phelon said. “You know, some are not in the best situations. You know, some of the young men, being at school, being at The Outlet was their only kind of safe haven.”

The Outlet has continued with food support to families, and zoom meetings on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays for their mentees. They’ve had the chance to hear from a journalist, a senator, an engineer—they are continuing to expand their horizons from their own living rooms.

Learn more about The Outlet at theoutletillinois.org. Interested In Being a Mentor?  Contact our Missions Pastor, Beth Yokley at byokley@myhope.church.

Hope Lyfts
by Debbie Neisler
Dave Neisler was driving for Lyft when he picked up one of his regular riders, Danielle, at the CWLP office. Once she reached the car she burst into tears. Dave felt a nudge to ask if she was alright. Danielle told him she was there because her water was shut off. She had a pipe leak and it took the landlord a few weeks to fix, resulting in a large bill.
As Dave sat and listened to Danielle's story, he made the suggestion that Danielle call Hope Church and speak to Beth. Dave followed up with Beth to find that she was actively working to help Danielle’s family. Much to his surprise, he learned that Danielle had 9 kids in the home, including a grandbaby. That evening he found himself sitting at his daughter's gymnastics lesson. He called his wife and explained he wanted to put a request on Facebook, to see if he could raise money to help Danielle's family.
He made the Facebook post and by the time he went to bed donations were at $620.00! Dave followed up with Steve, a member of his Rooted group.  Dave was shown God’s promise that day. When Dave met with him for his donation, Steve said, “I only have $80.00, I hope that’s ok.” That was the EXACT amount needed!
He went to CWLP and explained to the clerk that he wanted to pay what he had collected on the bill and get the water turned back on. Dave can still remember the cashier’s shock at learning he was her Lyft driver.
After her reconnect fee was paid Dave wanted to share the news with Danielle. He remembers “She looked at me and said, 'wait what?!'” A total moment of disbelief with “tears welling up in her eyes.” After learning about this incredible gift Danielle called the kids to share the news. “I remember the kids being excited and she was just so grateful about it.”
Hope Church volunteers put together clothes for the baby and money for the family. Dave brought Hope’s gifts to Danielle and her family. The card was addressed to “Danielle and Family”, so she called all of the kids, explaining money was sent to them as a family. She asked them, "Do you want me to put this towards the bill to get us caught up or do you want me to spend it on Christmas presents?"  Every single one of those kids, down to the 4 year old--looked at her and said, "Mom, just pay those bills that’s more important to us than getting presents."  It was eye opening to see the different world they live in and their priorities," said Dave.
Dave learned a kind man has bought their home and has been fixing it to create an incredible home for Danielle’s family.   “It's been awesome to be part of helping this family go from total devastation and not having running water in their home--to seeing them have a good Christmas  and a landlord that totally changed their living condition and is doing great things for them.”
We serve a mighty God, who calls on us in ways we may not understand at first.  Sometimes His persistence in pulling on our hearts causes us to listen.  The need may be far away, or right in our own community.

Women On Mission At Hope
By Beth Yokley

We are thankful for these women who have been blessing others during this pandemic.

Andrea Cantrall in the church and in the community
“A few weeks ago, my husband Marcus received a card from Andrea. It was a heart-felt note that thanked him for serving as a pastor’s husband—a note that made my day! I was so grateful for someone noticing the sacrifices my husband makes because I am in ministry,” says Pastor Beth. Andrea says, “at the beginning of the shelter in place, I was feeling uneasy about the isolation because I live alone. So I started to pray and think of ways I could take a rotten situation and make it positive. Mr B. has been a big influence on me. He talked about making a list of people I could cheer on, and ever since then, I keep trying to think of ways to make others feel better.” Pictured: Andrea serving at the Central IL Foodbank packing food boxes.

Heather Kern serving HopeKids and beyond
“It was her idea and she was the first volunteer to begin sending birthday notes out to all of our kids who were having birthdays,” says Pastor Curtis. “She also asked if there was something we could do to help those older members during this time. She was the reason we got a group of kids to make cards for our older shut ins.” Heather says “I wanted to brighten the days of others who may not be able to celebrate, and to encourage those who may be lonely. I wanted them to feel seen by me and Jesus.”

Lisa Miller & Carrie West serving HopeStudents
Lisa and Carrie are Hope Student small group leaders for 11/12 grade ladies. The pandemic has not stopped the love from flowing! Zoom meetings have continued and in the midst of prom season, they delivered goodie bags to our Seniors who are missing out on their Senior Prom. Lynn Schemmer, mom to two of the seniors says “Thank you so much for thinking of our kids tonight. Your sweet gesture was so thoughtful and brought smiles to their faces!”  

Amy Little serving with the Caring Fund
“If I were an applicant, I would hope Amy was on my case!” says Caring Fund Leader, Chablis Stetson. “One time an applicant was getting the run around from a doctor—Amy stepped in and advocated for her,” says Chablis. “Whatever problems I thought I had, I was quickly humbled by what so many others face", says Amy about serving with the Caring Fund. “To sit across the table from someone facing eviction, or not knowing how they are going to keep their heat on for their kids—crying with and praying with a person in those situations is soul-changing, and it’s changed ME. Our showing grace and mercy to people who may not have made the best decisions just feels like the same grace and mercy Jesus extends to us continually,” relates Amy.

Bernice Breaks the Barriers in Ghana
by Susan Pennington
Over 400 years ago Shakespeare wrote:  “And though she be but little, she is fierce.”  Those words were never more true of anyone than of nurse Bernice Egu at the International Health and Development Network (IHDN) Mission Hospital in Ghana.  In a small, poor village where she grew up with her parents (who are farmers), Bernice has done more to beat the odds than most.  Her story is nothing short of amazing.
By simply completing high school, Bernice did more than many in her area.  But completing high school was not enough for her.  She knew that she wanted more:  a college education.  Unfortunately, the high price tag made it a near impossibility, but that didn’t stop her.  The IHDN hospital needed housekeepers to sweep floors.  Bernice went to work while in high school, hoping to save money to pay future tuition bills.  It was during a visit to the hospital—which Dr. Edem Agamah had envisioned, prayed about, and brought to fruition in an untilled field in Ghana—that he noticed how very clean the floors were.  “There was hardly a speck of dirt on the floors and I asked, ‘Who did this? Who swept these floors so clean?’”  The answer was:  Bernice.  This reminded Dr. Agamah of his own childhood, when he had swept the floors of his classroom so clean that his teacher not only noticed, but also paid him for his efforts.
Upon seeing this, he called Bernice over for a conversation and learned that she wanted to become a nurse.  He sought to invest in those who shared his vision of loving the Lord, following Him, and caring for the sick—and who had a desire to move beyond their limits.  Dr. Agamah decided that IHDN would invest in this young woman, who already displayed a work ethic that impressed those around her.
He introduced Bernice to the head administrator of the hospital.  Soon after, she was moved from housekeeping to clerical work in the registration office.  Again Bernice excelled, giving her all to being “very thorough, humble, gentle, caring, and dependable” in Dr. Agamah’s words.  Learning that IHDN would sponsor her for her nursing degree if she agreed to return to the hospital to work, Bernice applied to Ho Nursing College—the top nursing school in Ghana.  She was accepted—and graduated 3 years later with distinction at the top of her class!
Bernice returned to the hospital in 2017, fulfilling her dream to become a nurse.  But she had not left the hospital entirely while studying.  Mrs. June Agamah recalls that during breaks and summer vacations, Bernice returned to help and work at the hospital, often alongside teams of doctors and nurses from the U.S.  They (and the patients) were awed by this tiny lady’s determination, dedication, loyalty, and extreme dependability in her work.
At only 28 years old, Bernice Egu has set the bar high and become a role model for many others in the area.  Dr. Agamah says her abilities in nursing have even created some jealousy, because people from poor villages are not expected to succeed.  But there is such maturity in this beautiful young lady that Dr. Agamah plans to “continue to push her and encourage her to learn more.  She has the potential to learn more than we can imagine and is inspiring other nurses.”
Her maturity, dedication, and work ethic were clearly displayed when Dr. Agamah, an oncologist, wanted to begin treating cancer patients in Ghana.  He sent a chemotherapy training book to the Mission Hospital in advance of a team of doctors who would provide training in that subject.  When they arrived, Bernice had read the entire manual and was already delivering chemotherapy to cancer patients.
When we spoke with Bernice she was at the hospital—on her day off—assembling data on cancer patients for an upcoming Mobility and Mortality conference.  “I have a lot of compassion for my patients and love helping people,” she said.  Building relationships and providing the best medical care possible, while bringing people to the Lord, is IHDN’s mission.  Bernice is breaking all the barriers to make that a reality.  Would you like to learn more about the mission and ministry of IHDN?  Edem and June Agamah are members at Hope Church, and take two trips a year to Ghana.  For more information, contact June at jcagamah@aol.com.

Hope in Turkana 
by Bethany Payne

Water is life. You cannot have life without it.
In the arid region of Turkana, Kenya, water is scarce. When Hope Church partnered with Bright Hope International to build a well and drip irrigation system for the village of Turkana, it not only brought life to the people through access to clean water, it brought with it the opportunity to begin a farm. Fresh food is hard to come by in the isolated village, and it’s also quite expensive. This year tomato prices have tripled in the area. Without the chance to grow their own food the people of Turkana would be at the mercy of the price hikes. But because of the drip irrigation system, they have recently transplanted tomato plants into their fields to not only provide fresh and nutritious food for themselves and their families, but they will also have enough to sell at market and make a profit to sustain their families and community financially.
What a gift water is! In recent weeks the community has transplanted tomatoes, onions, spinach, kale, watermelon, and cow peas into their fields. They are also beginning to propagate additional tomato plants in the nursery for transplantation in late spring. They have plans to expand and plant fruit trees along the edges of the farm. The famers and helpers are working hard and learning together as the community comes together over the crops. To plant a seed is to have hope in the days to come. Because of the life giving water provided by the irrigation system, the people of Turkana have that hope.
Please continue to pray for the famers and the community as they work together and learn how to manage their farm. Pray for a mighty harvest of their crops this year as well as protection against locusts or any other hindrance they may face. Pray for their profits as they sell in the market and for their expansion efforts.  Interested in global missions like this one?  Hope's global mission team is planning trips and has a team here that prays and plans for our missionary visits.  To learn more, contact Hope Mission Pastor Beth Yokley at byokley@myhope.church.

Hope Helps to “Feed My Starving Children”
by Adrian Lance

Millions of children worldwide die of malnutrition each year.  But there is hope.  Feed My Starving Children works with many partners to provide meals to such children.  On the weekend starting Friday, February 21, about 500 volunteers packed meals in Hope’s gym.

Hope students recruited a third of those volunteers.  Michael Skaggs, who leads a Hope Students small group, said “It is a very rare thing to have an entire church working together to achieve a goal.  It is even more rare to have kids as young as 5 years old working along with seniors and every age in between.  It was such a blessing to me and my family.”  

Pauline Halm recalls:  “Often cheers would go up as another box of food was ready to go.”  She was happy to learn that the food was destined for Beaumont, Haiti, where many Hopers sponsor children.

It was amazing to see how the church came together to accomplish such a monumental task, possible only with God’s help.  By the end of the weekend, 108,864 meals were packed.  

To learn more about the work of Feed My Starving Children, visit www.fmsc.org.

The Links Share Their SafeFamily Story
by Erica Koch
Bandy and Joe Link serve God through a ministry called Safe Families. By promoting stable, compassionate, God-centered relationships, it helps children and families that are facing traumatic situations.
Brandy and Joe were married in 2012. They felt a calling to serve God by helping children, either through adoption or being foster parents. When they learned about Safe Families at Hope Church, Joe saw it as their opportunity to serve. Brandy feared attachment and vulnerability. But by faith and prayer, they soon realized that their role in Safe Families was not to become parents but to show God’s love in other ways. They build up and fill deficits in families, offering them an opportunity to trust people of faith and see what church is really about.
Safe Families emphasizes building relationships and using a community to support couples. Host families serve as a child’s home base, providing the child stability and consistency while also giving parents time to deal with their pressing issues.
Brandy and Joe had not had children when they became a host couple, so they lacked bedding, toys, and clothes. Their Safe Families resource friends, and Hope, generously donated those things. The resource friends are opening a storage unit for supplies to help equip current and future host families. Another support is Family Friends. Family Friends provide a support system for mothers in need. It provides transportation to appointments, child care during appointments or work, and sometimes just someone to confide in.
Brandy and Joe feel that God was in this effort from the start. Although struggling with control and anxiety, they gave it to God. He showed them how to prepare, reach out, admit fears, and build a support network. Now expecting a child themselves, they know it was God’s will for them to serve others.
Three Hope Church families have now begun the journey through Safe Families. People at Hope can do God’s work by becoming host families, resource friends, and/or by becoming Family Friends.  To learn more, visit www.safe-families.org or contact Beth Yokley, Hope's Mission Pastor at byokley@myhope.church.