Once a year, GO Jersey City brings dozens of people together to serve the city, its residents and some of the organizations that make the community feel like home. This Saturday, June 4, volunteers will disperse across the city with gardening tools, paint brushes and the common goal of making a difference in one day. They’ll head to New City Kids, Liberty State Park, the Harsimus Cemetery, Van Vorst Park, the Liberty Humane Society and several other projects.

“It’s God’s way of using us to reach out to others and serve the community by sharing our love,” says Veroneque, who is helping plan the event with Downtown Community Church.

Volunteers will meet at Van Vorst Park at 10 a.m., then work at various projects throughout the city until about 1 p.m. (when the after-party begins). They’ll hold a food collection for St. Lucy’s Shelter, meet some furry friends at the Liberty Humane Society and remove graffiti near the Grove Street PATH. They’ll also help maintain the grounds at the historic Harsimus Cemetery, prepare Liberty State Park for summer and meet with seniors who are preparing for college at New City Kids.

While the event itself lasts only a few hours, its impact extends far beyond that. For one, the city is left a little cleaner and a little greener after volunteers wrap up a dozen projects across the community. But the event is also about making lasting connections. It’s a way for neighbors to connect as they serve alongside one another. And for Downtown Community Church, the event leads to new partnerships and service opportunities with organizations throughout the city.

“It allows an annual event to suddenly become more than that and open doors to many other opportunities throughout the year,” says Wayne, the pastor at Downtown Community Church. “Through this we’ve done several mini-projects this past year, and now new projects have developed in 2016 because of this. Whether it’s the local parks, the HSDID (Historic Downtown Special Improvement District) or local food banks, we’ve become more connected.”

This year, Wayne says the goal is for GO Jersey City to become even more of a community event.

“We want to create a place for residents of downtown Jersey City to give back, get to know the needs of their community and develop relationships to serve again in the future,” he says. “We want to see not just Downtown Community Church attenders serving, but many from the city joining together, and it’s already happening.”

_You can learn more about GO Jersey City and register for the event [here](http://www.downtownjc.church/gojc/)._

![11023970_713165892121926_5991479205473763847_o (1)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/06/11023970_713165892121926_5991479205473763847_o-1-1024x683.jpg)


THIS Saturday: GO Jersey City

I’m willing to bet that if I asked you if you are going to attend the next [Teams Night](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/what-the-heck-is-teams-night/), your answer would be something along the lines of, “we’ll see” or “if I don’t have anything else going on that night.” There may be some of you who are anxiously awaiting the date of the next one, but I would guess that on the whole most of you are on the fence about whether to attend or not.

Allow me to blow that all up for you with this announcement:

The next Teams Night will be held on [THURSDAY, June 9th](https://www.facebook.com/events/1393197857361983/) at 8 p.m. at 301 Garden Street.

Before you drop your coffee and toss your phone, here’s why we’re moving Teams Night to a Thursday.

**1.) We want to talk to you**

If you’ve never been, [Teams Night](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/teams-night-its-time/) is a night for everyone who is serving in our family to come together all at once. It’s our chance to celebrate what God is doing in and through our teams and be refueled by Christ’s incredible message of grace and love. It’s a special time where Pastor Chris gets to speak directly to those of you who give so much for the mission of helping people find their way back to God. We want that time with all of you specifically and quite frankly, you need it. And here’s why.

[![DSC_5598](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/DSC_5598-e1463965943716-1024x550.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/DSC%5F5598.jpg)

**2.) We don’t want you to do it alone**

It can be easy to walk into a night like this and immediately think that this is a chance for you and God to spend time together alone and that whatever happens is personal and private.

Here’s the thing – our relationship with God is meant to be personal. Personal, but not private.

Our heart is that you actually have a chance to exist with the people that you serve with, week in and week out, for a moment outside of serving. We want you to stop and give God the praise and thanks He deserves for the things He is doing through your team and through our family as a church. SPOILER ALERT: For this particular Teams Night, we really want to give you a chance to share how God is working in your serving and how He has done so through the people you serve alongside. And to do that TOGETHER.

**3.) We want you to go**

Do you ever get to the end of the week and you are just completely spent? Same here. Is it impossible to get a babysitter on Friday? We know. Do you have three other invites for events on Friday? We figured you might. That’s why we want you to have that breath of fresh air at Teams Night before the end of the week hits. Simply put, we want to make it easy for you to say YES to Teams Night, YES to spending time with your people and with the One who deserves it the most.

Bottom Line: If you’re serving at Hoboken Grace, mark your calendar for Thursday, June 9th at 8 p.m. at 301 Garden Street. We’ll see you at Teams Night.


&#8220;THURSDAY?!&#8221; Why We’re Moving Teams Night

Sometimes we forget that our faith doesn’t exist in a vacuum. At the start of Hoboken Grace’s Rhythms series this Sunday, Justin said: “For a lot of us, we discover we separate parts of our lives into components, into little sections, into compartments.” We keep compartments for our friends, our family and our work. And then there’s a compartment for church as well.

For many people, the church and family compartments are one and the same. We are often brought up in our parents’ religion, and the spheres don’t conflict. But for many others, church and family do not go hand in hand. Sometimes it is something we have to find and pursue on our own. And when the newly discovered church compartment collides with the old family compartment, you never know what’s going to happen.

I was reminded of this in the weeks following the publication of my first blog post for Hoboken Grace. As my brother drove me home from the train station, he was the first to broach the subject: “So you’re writing for a church newsletter now?”

My family is not particularly religious, and my unexpected “conversion” merely turned a few heads. But for some, choosing Christ means leaving old faiths behind. And for others, it means breaking family ties.

Sean has been attending Hoboken Grace for four years, but 20 years ago he began his Christian journey in an agnostic household. The oldest of 10 children, he was invited to join a youth group by a friend when he was in eighth grade. His parents, wary of organized religion, made it clear that they did not approve.

After first grounding him for an entire summer after he attended church, Sean’s parents kicked him out of the house entirely when, as a high school student, he went to youth group.

Having nowhere else to go, Sean retreated to a friend’s house for the night. As he lay down to get some sleep, he muttered a quick prayer asking God for a sign. At 3:31 a.m. he woke to see a bright light exploding over him, accompanied by a voice:

“I love you, and I’m going to take care of you. Just believe in me.”

Sean tells this story better than I can write it, so I would encourage you to watch his story video as well. After that night, Sean has stayed the course ever since, even though it took many years for his parents to accept his faith.

For Stephanie, the conflict with her family wasn’t so much about religion itself, but about the tension between the church she was raised in, and the church she felt at home in.

Stephanie was raised in a strict Catholic household, and although she did all the “right” church things, she felt something was missing in her relationship with God.

Then, in 2007, a friend introduced her to Pastor Chris and his wife, Ana. A few months later, Ana asked if she would hand out flyers for Hoboken Grace’s launch night, and Stephanie inadvertently became the church’s first greeter. But she was shocked when it was Chris who walked out on stage to deliver the message.

“I didn’t even know he was the pastor!” she recalled. For Stephanie, it was a new experience.

“I was never exposed to that side of Christianity. I just felt warmth. And I actually understood the message. At Hoboken Grace, I listened, I took notes, I paid attention.”

But her parents did not like the change.

“My dad was furious,” she said. “It made me feel awful. It went on for a couple of years.”

[![Cross 7 Black & White-4207](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/Cross-7-Black-White-4207-1-744x1024.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/Cross-7-Black-White-4207-1.jpg)Stephanie wasn’t allowed to receive communion at home, her mother insisting she couldn’t do it without attending confession first. Hoboken Grace made her feel plugged into a community, but rather than feel happy for her, Steph’s parents put up a fierce fight. Still, she persevered.

“Be strong in your faith,” she advised. “Don’t waver when someone challenges you.”

For many years after, Stephanie simply didn’t bring the subject of church up in front of her parents. She believes Grace Kids eventually played a part in turning the tide. Bringing home stories about her time with the kids at Hoboken Grace slowly softened hearts – eventually, Stephanie’s parents started asking her about church.

“It took a long time for them to warm up,” she said. “Now they’re totally accepting of it.”

For some, joining a church pours positive influence back out into their other “compartments.” Mike’s parents were never actively involved in the church, but his grandmother regularly took him to church and was an early influence in his life.

“She was very selfless in a lot of the things she did. That was God working through her,” Mike said.

For a long time, Mike had trouble finding meaning and purpose in his life. He moved to New Jersey from Maine two years ago with a new job, which gave him renewed energy. However, his old feelings of emptiness eventually returned. After a particularly introspective trip to Vegas, Mike realized that although his life looked great on the outside, he was a total mess on the inside.

Things changed when he decided to attend Hoboken Grace after seeing the church offices in town. There, he heard a message about the story of the farmer scattering seeds. Mike broke down, finally realizing what he was missing in his life.

“I was chasing down something no person or thing could ever fill,” he said.

Since then, Mike’s life has changed for the better. He was baptized that June and met his wife over the summer. His parents, he says, have also seen the positive change in him since then. His dad, he said, has been encouraging, and his mom is happy that he’s found a community. And then there’s his sister, who has started to go to church in Maine.

In the end, all of the people mentioned here share something in common: They found something in church that they had been looking for, something they couldn’t find anywhere else in their lives. And eventually, that became the reason they stayed.

_Matt is a member of Hoboken Grace’s Writing Team._


Faith as a First-Generation Christian

The woman had broken free from the sex trade, but had left behind her husband and 5-year-old daughter. She began her journey to freedom unaware that she was nearly seven months pregnant, traveling 36 hours by bus and trekking through the mountains to seek refuge. Months after finally reaching South Korea, the woman, far from home and a few hours away from a small group of other refugees, celebrated her birthday alone.

A team from Hoboken Grace helped throw her a party, spending the day with her and her 9-month-old daughter. They shared laughs, ate cake, and sang “Happy Birthday” in both English and Korean.

“It was just a way for us to love her and just let her know that she’s not alone,” says Wanda, one of four people on the team.

The birthday party was just one part of a weeklong mission trip to South Korea this month to work with LiNK, an organization that helps settle and support refugees fleeing economic and political oppression in North Korea. The team led a training session with LiNK’s staff, discussing strategies for team building, scheduling and empowerment (for example, starting meetings with celebrations). They also met with a group of university students, toured the studio of a propaganda artist and cooked an American dinner (hot dogs and sauerkraut) for some new friends.

[![South Korea - Mission Team-3](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/South-Korea-Mission-Team-3.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/South-Korea-Mission-Team-3.jpg)

Despite obvious language and cultural gaps and the vast differences in their experiences, those on the trip say it wasn’t difficult to find common ground with the refugees they met. They shared meals, encouragement and plenty of laughs. And while they couldn’t imagine what the refugees had gone through, the team says God used their own stories to open their hearts and connect with them in ways that transcended translation.

“I moved to New York because I was leaving an abusive relationship,” says Micah, one of the mission trip team members. “I didn’t want to move here. I had to move for my own safety. So there were a lot of parallels for me between the people we met and my own circumstances. Obviously it’s different. But I could feel God speaking into my life and pouring into my heart about it.”

In addition to seeing reflections of her own story, Micah says her conversations with the refugees helped her realize the importance of finding joy in who you are. “Some of their circumstances were so intense, and so hard, and they were so joyful in the small things,” she says.

For Wanda, childhood memories helped her connect with the woman whose birthday they celebrated. “I was raised by a single mother, and I know the hardships that she went through just to give us a good life,” she says. “And the fact that this woman was able to do that, and just for the sake of making sure that her child was born in a country where there’s basic freedoms… I really related to her.”

[![3a1f8318c02d1c2117110fa7bf7d16ba](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/3a1f8318c02d1c2117110fa7bf7d16ba-768x1024.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/3a1f8318c02d1c2117110fa7bf7d16ba.jpg)

It was in these small slices of life — the cutting of cake, laughter over a meal — where Wanda says she saw that God’s love is everywhere, and that the people they met were not so different after all. They want basic rights and good health.

“They want the same things you and I want,” she says. “But they had to work very hard and had to go through a lot of hardships to get that basic freedom that we take for granted.”

Story after story detailed those struggles. There was the pain that refugees had endured while in China and North Korea, as well as the cost of freedom — leaving friends and family and living in secrecy and, oftentimes, loneliness.

One of those stories was told by Sun Mu, a former North Korean propaganda artist. Working under a pseudonym to protect the family he left behind, his work in South Korea now parodies the propaganda he used to create. As the team toured his studio, he began asking questions about their faith.

“He knew that we were with a church, and he asked us about it,” says Micah. “He basically said that in North Korea, and even in South Korea, Christianity is more politics than it is anything else, and people use it to gain control. He asked us what we thought about that and what our church was like.”

As the conversation continued, Sun Mu said he couldn’t understand how there could be a God when he had seen so much pain and suffering. It was a question that Micah says she struggled with during her own search for freedom.

“I just felt God whispering into my heart to tell him — and for myself — that His heart breaks for those who are oppressed,” she says. “So I did, so he could clearly hear that. And that was a life-changing moment for me.”


New Beginnings

_Portraits is an occasional series that captures stories across our community, one photo at a time._

It was a bitterly cold day in March, and snow was in the next day’s forecast, but Chloe didn’t care. She happily threw her coat off to pose for pictures in front of red brick buildings and marble statues in Harvard Yard.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone happy like that before,” says Dan, who accompanied Chloe on the trip from New York to Boston. “It was just pure, innocent joy. I’m still in awe that I got to help make someone’s dream come true.”

Shivering in Harvard Yard might not be everyone’s dream, but it was Chloe’s. And just a few years ago that dream of visiting an iconic Ivy League school seemed completely out of reach. That’s because Chloe was born in North Korea, a country that labels those who leave as defectors and imposes harsh punishments on any family members who stay behind.

Dan and his wife, Rebecca, met Chloe on a mission trip to South Korea last May. They made the 14-hour flight to work with a group called LINK (Liberty in North Korea), which provides support and services to North Korean refugees as they work to rebuild their lives.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/Sanchez-0519.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/Sanchez-0519.jpg)

“One of the first nights we were there, our job was to make an American dinner for everyone,” recalls Rebecca. “We searched all over for familiar ingredients, but in the end all we could figure out how to make was French fries and quesadillas. So that was our authentic meal.”

When they weren’t getting creative in the kitchen with American cheese and potatoes, Dan and Rebecca spent hours just sitting with refugees, listening to their escape stories and helping them practice English. As the end of the trip approached, Dan and Rebecca learned that LINK was looking for a family in NYC to host someone from North Korea in the fall.

“I knew it was something we could do,” says Dan. “Physically, we had an extra room. And if we moved all of our stuff out of it, someone could even sleep in it. So I prayed and told God that if this is what He wanted, then all I needed was permission from our landlord to have someone else living with us. And our landlord said yes, so we said yes.”

For Rebecca, the process was a little bit different. And there were months of doubt and anxiety after they got back to the states. Family and friends were weighing in on the decision and while some people were encouraging, others told Rebecca that as a newly married couple, they should be focusing on themselves and their relationship. And it didn’t help that after agreeing to host Chloe, Rebecca didn’t get any additional details on when to expect Chloe or how she should prepare.

[![unspecified-3](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/unspecified-3.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/unspecified-3.jpg)

“I’m a planner,” says Rebecca. “And after we made the decision to host Chloe, there was a long period over that summer when we just didn’t know what was going on. LINK was going through some organizational changes, and we just didn’t hear anything. By the end of August, I started to assume that she wasn’t coming after all.”

Then, in mid-September, the phone rang, and Rebecca learned that Chloe would be showing up in a week.

“I was completely overwhelmed by everything that had to get done,“ says Rebecca. “But that was God clearly reminding me that this had never been something that we could do on our own, however much time we had to prepare. God was, and always had been in control and if it was His will for this to work out, then it would.”

In the short time before Chloe arrived, everything started to fall into place. Friends showed up to help clean the apartment and donated furniture and decorations to make the room look welcoming. And a new bed, bought with donations, fit just perfectly into a friend’s borrowed truck for the ride home from the store.

“One of my biggest worries was finances,” admits Rebecca. “We had just finished taking Financial Peace University, and we had this perfect little budget worked out, and that just blew up. “

But God even took care of the accounting.

“We’ve had so many friends support us financially,” says Rebecca. “Including the parents of one of our friends. They don’t even really know us, but they send a check every month. It’s been a huge blessing. Every month, the budget somehow still works out, and we have exactly what we need. And sometimes there’s even extra so we’ve been able to take Chloe to Washington D.C. and, of course, Harvard and show her a little bit more of the country.”

When Dan and Rebecca made the decision to host Chloe, they accepted that their goal to get out of debt would have to be postponed. But God had other plans, and last month they celebrated paying off their last student loan.

“Because we couldn’t do this on our own, we had to give God the opportunity to move – give Him some space to show off,” says Dan. “We didn’t have control over it, we were just along for the ride. It’s not a comfortable position to be in, but nothing increases your faith more. We will always have this experience to look back on and remember how God provides when we choose to love.”

“One of the things we love most about Chloe is her boldness,” adds Rebecca. “She is fearless. And through our time with her and our deepened experience of God’s love and provision over the last 10 months, we feel emboldened to love and serve in ways that would have seemed impossible just one year ago.”

[![unspecified-2](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/unspecified-2.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/05/unspecified-2.jpg)


PORTRAITS: Making Room

This May, Hoboken Grace introduces parents to Breathing Room: a quarterly invitation to slow down, enjoy a (child-free!!) night out and connect with other parents.

We all knew it wouldn’t be easy trying to grow little people into \[well-functioning\] human beings, but did it really have to be this hard? Between sleepless nights and public toddler meltdowns, it can be a real struggle to maintain a semblance of sanity, never mind act like we have it all together. We all crave space to relax and recharge, but that space is hard to find.

That’s why Jen DeMarco came up with the idea for Breathing Room. In her own life, Jen acknowledges that she’s not solely responsible for even the personal victories she’s experienced. “I needed the relationships God built and put in my life,” she says. Applying this principle to parenting, Jen wanted to offer parents a place to be around other parents, to encourage each other and realize we’re not alone.

As she sought ways to develop relationships with other parents and inside her community, she realized it was challenging for many parents to meet on a weekly basis. So she recruited Amy Gress to help her brainstorm about how parents could build support and community.

Together with the staff at Hoboken Grace, they came up with Breathing Room. Designed to be a quarterly opportunity for connection, Breathing Room offers parents a time to press pause and get refreshed. The refreshment is partly literal: appetizers and drinks will be catered by Anthony David’s. Hoboken Grace’s own Anthony Reimer will present stand-up comedy, and Jen will introduce a discussion and Q&A on embracing our imperfection.

Most importantly, there will be time set aside for parents to connect and simply socialize with each other. “That may be the best part,” says Amy. “It’s a night out with other adults — without the kids!”

The first event will be held at Kolo Klub on May 26, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The cost is $30 per person, but if you need assistance please email info@hobokengrace.com. For more information, visit [hobokenparent.com](http://www.hobokenparent.com).


Breathing Room

When you live life at a breakneck pace, one of the first things to be pushed aside is our conversation with God. Without even noticing it we give up the source of love, joy and peace, leaving us to run harder and faster.

What would it look like to develop healthy rhythms in our relationship with God? What if prayer is about more than a time we set aside in our day? What if prayer is a way of life that God intends to weave through our day instead of being compartmentalized to one place and time? Join us this spring as we explore developing rhythms that allow us to thrive in our conversation with Him.


Rhythms

Week after week, I sit with people who know what their idols are, but seem incapable of eliminating them. _I know I worship relationships, but I don’t know how to get rid of that. I know I care too much about how I’m perceived, but how do I stop myself from being crushed when I look like a fool? I know I’ve got to stop looking at porn, but when I get the urge I can’t stop myself_. It’s a conversation I have time and time again, and in almost every circumstance there is a principle missing from the discussion. And that principle may be the most important thing we need to know if we’re going to battle with the idols in our lives.

The principle is this: idols are never passively eliminated. Idols are not controlled. Idols are not managed. Idols are not ignored.

Idols must be killed.

We need to aggressively and actively rip them from our lives if we wish to defeat them and live with Christ as the source of our security, value, identity, and love.

But for some reason, we think idols just need to be managed, or more accurately, ignored. If we just avoid intentionally seeking them, if we ignore them, we convince ourselves they will go away. They don’t. What they do is wait until we’re at our weakest and then they come looking for us. Actually it’s our hearts that go searching for them in our weakness when we no longer have the strength to ignore them. But it doesn’t feel that way. It feels like these idols come searching for us, and we seldom defeat them, because after all, it’s in our weakness that this story is set. But what else can we do? So we set about telling ourselves to be stronger the next time we find ourselves drawn in their direction. We resolve to ensure it never happens again. We make commitments to ourselves and to others. All the while we’re fighting like fools.

No battle is won by allowing your opponent to choose the battle field. The field is one of the most crucial aspects of any battle. Setting the stage is of the utmost importance, and yet because we think battling idols is passive, we just sit back and let our enemy choose when and where the battle will take place.

Wars are won by those who dictate the battle field. Victory is only possible when we force our opponent into battle when we are at our strongest. We have to fight intentionally, on our schedule. Don’t wait for the fight to come to you when you are weak and unprepared.

But how?

Here is where you find out if you truly want to change. You have to aggressively rip out the idol; ensure it cannot succeed. If you are worshiping relationships, say no to the next five people who ask you out, especially if you think they might be the one. Eliminate any chance of finding value in relationships. If you are worshiping how you are perceived, intentionally make a fool of yourself twice a week in front of the people whose opinions matter most to you. Destroy your ability to manage your image. If you are worshiping porn, eliminate every electronic device in your life, even if it means you lose your job. Crush the possibility of slipping up.

I know what you’re thinking. I’ve gone too far. Let me leave you with a passage I read recently. It’s a quote from Jesus himself,

**_Mark 9:43-45_** _If your hand causes you to sin, **cut it off**. **It** is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, **cut it off**. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell._

I don’t believe Jesus is calling us to destroy our bodies, but I do believe He’s calling us to aggressively, not passively, attack the idols that will destroy us. Don’t wait for it to bring the battle to you. You bring the battle to it. Rip it out and make sure it can’t come back.


Killing Idols


Have you registered for Amplify yet? We’re kicking things up a notch at our fifth one-day conference. We’ve turned up the volume (three worship bands will serve as one), added more growth opportunities (like the new Parenting course), and planned a day that will leave you feeling both energized and recharged. (And have we mentioned that Chick-fil-A is bringing lunch?)

It’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss! Here are the top five reasons you’ll want to spend Saturday, May 7, at 301 Garden:

**1). The opportunity to grow**

Learn new ways to engage with God and boost your faith with Amplify’s seven growth tracks:

— Develop [consistency in your relationship with God](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/running-the-race/) through prayer, scripture and other spiritual habits in **Foundations**.

— Discover [clarity](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/share-his-story/) and [confidence](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/your-story-matters/) in telling your **Story**.

— Evaluate how you can use your [gifts and talents](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/category/impact-teams/) in **Empower**.

— Explore the messages of **Luke**, **Ecclesiastes** and **1 Samuel** with our three book studies.

— And learn more about God’s vision for raising children in **Parenting**.

So pick an area you want to focus on and [register today](amplify). Through presentations, group discussions and an interactive workbook, each class is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools to help you move forward in your daily walk with God.

**2). Connection**  
Amplify might be a personal-growth event, but it’s also an opportunity to grow closer to our church family. Together, we get to know the God that pursues all of us. So come learn from, and share with, the people who are walking alongside you on this journey.

**3). A super-sized band**

We’re amplifying the volume this spring! Hoboken Grace’s Worship Team is joining forces with [Downtown Community Church](http://www.downtownjc.church/) in Jersey City and [Skyline Church](http://skylinenj.org/) in Bloomfield. It’s the first time all three worship bands will be serving together.

[![DSC_4552](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSC_4552.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSC%5F4552.jpg)

**4). You’ll love lunch**

Take a break from our breakout sessions with a chicken sandwich or some chicken nuggets. That’s right, Chick-fil-A is bringing lunch.

**5). We’ve got childcare covered**

A fun-filled day is being planned for your child at Step by Step Early Childhood Center. The staff are experienced, caring individuals who are certified in first aid and CPR. Childcare is available for children up to 12 years old and there is a $20 registration fee per child.

Step by Step is located at 720 Monroe St., Suite C-107\. Registration starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday and pick-up is from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. A child registration form will be sent to each parent for medical and contact information prior to the day of the event.

[_Click here_](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/) _to register for Amplify today. Contact Sarah at_ [_sarah@hobokengrace.com_](mailto:sarah@hobokengrace.com) _with any questions._


We’re Taking It to the Next Level

Noelle joined a dinner group her first Sunday at Hoboken Grace, but she was shocked when, just a few months later, she was asked to lead a group herself.

“I immediately said no,” she recalls. “It was something I had no interest in doing. I had my group, and I was happy. At the time, I thought that I had to know everything – that I needed to recite endless verses at the drop of a hat and have unwavering faith. I just wasn’t that person.”

But the dinner group Noelle was in grew so dramatically over the course of the next year that no one’s apartment was big enough for everyone. And one morning, while praying on her commute to work, the words “Just say yes” kept replaying in her mind and heart. Later that evening at dinner group, a friend and mentor asked again if she would start a new group. This time, without hesitation, Noelle said yes. “I didn’t know what God had in store for me, but I trusted Him enough to just say ‘yes,’ ” she says. “It’s now been two and a half years, and I absolutely love leading my group.”

Noelle’s story is not unique to her. When we started asking around, we heard a similar story from many of our dinner group leaders.

“When my dinner group leader asked if I’d like to lead our group the next cycle, I’m pretty sure I had to keep from falling off my chair because that was the last thing I had expected her to ask,” says Gretchen, who led a dinner group last year. “I felt like I was a very unlikely choice and that I had so much more to learn before taking on this type of role.”

[![IMG_0423-1](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/IMG_0423-1-1024x683.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/IMG%5F0423-1.jpg)

CJ had his own hesitations when he was asked to apprentice and eventually lead a Monday night group. “I thought, ‘How am I going to lead guys who are older and wiser than me? What if I don’t have enough biblical knowledge to answer all of their questions? What if it becomes too much for my schedule?’ And, to be honest, these are all insecurities that I still wrestle with, even five years later.

“What keeps me inspired to come back and lead each week are the people,” he continues. “If we’re a church passionate about loving people and helping them find their way back to God, there’s perhaps no better place to see that more effectively played out than inside of dinner groups. To be able to facilitate and experience this has been incredibly humbling.”

Dinner group is where real community is formed, and you simply need to be yourself. “You don’t have to be perfect to be a dinner group leader,” Gretchen says. “All you need is to want to encourage people to grow closer to each other and to God. Dinner group doesn’t have to be a big production either. All you need is somewhere to meet and some food and the rest you leave to God.”

What all of these stories from people who saw themselves as unlikely leaders have in common are feelings of inadequacy, insecurity and fear. But sometimes when we feel unready, and like we don’t have what it takes, we’re actually in the perfect place to really lean on God and take a leap of faith.

“God doesn’t ask us about our capabilities, but our availability,” says Nick, the director of dinner groups. “Because when we love and depend on God, he will increase our capability.”

God will provide, we just need to show up. What do you believe God is calling you to do? If you’re interested in becoming a dinner group leader, you can find more information [here](http://hobokengrace.com/leadadinnergroup/).

[![DSC_5189](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSC_5189.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSC%5F5189.jpg)


You Want ME to Lead?

Twenty-five members of our church family attended the Axiom retreat this weekend, engaging with God in silence and solitude and with each other through prayer and group discussions. The international program, held this weekend at St. Mary’s Abbey Retreat Center in Morristown, is designed to help participants gain intimacy in their conversations with God. For some, that meant wrestling through specific questions. For others, the weekend involved focusing on where God was leading them – and exploring that through journaling, scripture and prayer.

For the first time, the program was open to all members of Hoboken Grace – and will continue to be as the retreat becomes an annual event. To learn more about Axiom and other Next Steps you can take to grow in your relationship with God, [click here](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/).


Three Days, Limitless Growth

When it comes to journeying with God, have you ever felt like you’ve been running on autopilot? Oftentimes, we make the commitment to follow Christ and then expect it to be a light and easy downhill jog from there. We assume God will move mountains instead of asking us to scale them. We spend all our energy dashing off to work and daycare and the gym and get swept up in the day-to-day. We listen for God, but don’t pause long enough to hear Him.

_How do you go from committing your life to making God the center of it?_

The writer of Hebrews offers this advice: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” But how do we train for such a race? How do we build endurance as Christians? What does it look like to lace up and begin hitting the pavement?

God wants us to stretch our faith and strengthen our core beliefs. There’s no growth without tension. But it takes dedication and consistency. Like any race, there are muscles to train and practices to put in place.­

“Despite the fact that on paper I have been a lifelong Christian, I honestly had no strong or consistent habits in alignment with my faith,” says Kara. “Praying when I needed something or thought of it or haphazard fellowship wasn’t enough.”

Looking to change that, Kara signed up for the Foundations class at [Amplify, the one-day growth event offered at Hoboken Grace each fall and spring](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/). The course focuses on how to pursue Christ on a daily basis through prayer, engaging in scripture, fellowship and tithing. It offers tips on making room to grow with God in the small, quiet moments of the day and on connecting with community. It also offers practical tools for developing these habits, such as setting aside time with God and exploring the Bible through reading plans and study guides.

The six other classes offered at Amplify on Saturday, May 7, build on Foundations. That’s why it’s recommended as an introductory course, before participants register for Story, Empower, Parenting, Luke, 1 Samuel or Ecclesiastes.

[![DSC_4670](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSC_4670-1024x592.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSC%5F4670.jpg)

Those who have taken Foundations say the class helped them develop the habits they needed to gain solid footing in their relationship with God.

For Kara, the class provided practical advice and encouragement for day-to-day life as a Christian.

“As someone who had already accepted Christ, but wanted to delve deeper, I am so thankful I took the opportunity to really engage in what these habits have to offer,” she says.

The class, she adds, has something to offer regardless of where you are in your relationship.

For Jonathan, it was a roadmap after recently recommitting himself to God.

“Although, I knew a lot about Him and His love, in many ways I was still very green,” he says. “I wanted to grow closer to God, but years of not putting Him first in my life only made me realize it was not going to be easy and would take some work.”

One of the biggest takeaways, Jonathan says, is that it takes discipline to see results: “Just like I couldn’t expect to run five miles or lift my goal weight the first day at the gym, I needed to develop habits and discipline myself spiritually as well.”

The writer of Hebrews also recognized this, hence the emphasis on perseverance. Our journey is more of a marathon than a sprint. It might be difficult to build endurance at first, but it gets easier over time. You breathe deeper. The path gets straighter and your gait gets wider. You learn to love the sound of rubber hitting the pavement, the steady cadence of progress. And eventually, you pause, look back and realize just how far you’ve come.

_[Click here](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/) to register for Foundations or one of the six other classes offered at Amplify on Saturday, May 7\. Lunch is included, and childcare is available._


Running the Race Marked Out for Us

Hoboken Grace graduated its largest-ever Financial Peace University class this month, with participants leaving credit cards and thousands of dollars in debt in the dust. With a growing number of instructors, the Financial Peace Team for the first time held two weekly classes this spring, while also introducing a small-group format.

As a result, more people than ever have found financial freedom. Here are three other takeaways from this semester:

**1). Hope**

Oftentimes, people start the course with no idea of how to budget, save or invest, says Vinny Hu, who leads the FPU Team at Hoboken Grace. One of the biggest successes, he says, is seeing them get to a point where they can handle their finances with confidence.

“People walked away from the course with hope,” Vinny says. “And a lot of change, which is really encouraging. People who had no idea what to do — they’re running out of money two weeks after the start of the month, dipping into savings — for the first time, they’re not doing that.”

**2). Communication and vulnerability**

Another success, Vinny says, is seeing people talk more openly about their finances.

The team this semester introduced a small-group format, similar to a dinner group setting.

“People got to know each other very quickly, there was a lot of vulnerability early on,” Vinny says. “So that was a great success. We’re definitely going to do that again.”

And, as usual, the course helped couples learn to talk more openly about money.

“Married couples, some of them married for 15, 20, 25 years, for the first time are talking about money in a way that empowers them, and they’re not fighting about it,” says Vinny.

**3). Empowerment**

On average, participants paid off more than $2,500 in debt and saved more than $2,000 in cash. They also cut up an average of two credit cards, according to surveys distributed at the end of the course.

“I think we’re getting better and better at it,” says Vinny.

The course also had its highest number of small-group instructors. Having gained confidence over their finances with the help of previous classes, former students are returning to FPU to lead breakout discussions, helping the team to grow each year.

_FPU’s next semester begins in fall 2016\. For more information, contact Sarah at [sarah@hobokengrace.com](mailto:sarah@hobokengrace.com)._

_If you need urgent financial guidance about a situation before the fall course begins, you can contact Vinny at [vinny@hobokengrace.com](mailto:vinny@hobokengrace.com)._


Three Takeaways From This Semester of FPU

Throughout the year, Hoboken Grace offers mission trips designed to encourage us to step outside of our comfort zones, challenge our assumptions and transform our perspectives. Mission trips are one of the best ways to live out God’s word, allowing Him to work through us to serve others and love boldly. But many of us are afraid to take this leap of faith because of a number.

This year, our goal is to help eliminate the fear of a trip’s cost. The Missions Team at Hoboken Grace is committed to helping you fundraise for that trip you’ve been eyeing but also avoiding, not because you don’t want to go, but because you don’t think you can swing it financially. Below are a few great tips to help you begin fundraising to make your trip a reality.

**1). Create an online giving page:** Create a fundraising page where you can tell your story and share information about the organization you will be working with on the trip. Many of us feel called to go on a mission trip for different reasons. Let people know what you are fundraising for, and give them the opportunity to be a part of something greater than themselves. Your friends and family will want you to succeed.

**2). Social media:** Use social media (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) to build awareness around your mission trip “campaign.” Over time, your inner circle of family and friends will begin to share your story in an effort to reach more potential donors. Be sure to include a link to your fundraising page and include easy to understand instructions regarding how to donate. Remember, every dollar counts!

**3). Matching gifts:** Reach out to local businesses and see if they have a matching program. Let them know what you will be doing on the trip and how their funds will benefit those you are serving. Many businesses will match charitable contributions.

**4). Get crafty:** With a little ingenuity and some planning, you can host a local community day or initiative. Set up a donation booth at your local high school’s home basketball game or sell personalized, DIY Christmas ornaments around the holidays. Clean out your drawers and host a garage sale as spring rolls around or sell cute edible gifts like brownies in a jar.

**5). Reach out to the Missions Team.** When in doubt, reach out to our Missions Team for fresh ideas and assistance so that your dream of going on a mission trip becomes a reality.

Whether you’re [going ](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/where-will-you-go/)to South Korea in a few weeks, to Sierra Leone next month or on another trip later this year, it’s never too late to fundraise. [Click here](http://hobokengrace.com/mission-trips/) to learn more about the mission trips Hoboken Grace has planned for this summer. You can also contact Anthony at anthony@hobokengrace.com for more information.

[![DSCF4533](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSCF4533-1024x682.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSCF4533.jpg)


How to Raise Support for Your Mission Trip

A year and a half ago, Jessica’s life took an unexpected turn. It was a change in direction that would eventually lead to her standing on stage and getting baptized on Easter morning. But Jessica didn’t know that back then. All she knew at the time was that she had 60 days to find a new job.

“I was given notice at work around the same time that my lease was up,” Jessica explains. “Everything about my life in Florida seemed to be coming to an end.”

Jessica had a feeling that God had a change in store for her, but she didn’t know what that looked like or how it would all come together.

“I remember I had a friend who lived in New York at the time,” she says. “And he was making really good money, so I thought maybe I should give New York a shot. Of course, nobody mentioned anything about the cost of living up here.”

After a whirlwind of job applications, Jessica landed a position in Manhattan in January 2015 and moved to Jersey City, leaving her friends, family and church behind.

[![HG_Sundays_Kids_Averill_1.31.16-31-4](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/HG_Sundays_Kids_Averill_1.31.16-31-4-1024x683.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/HG%5FSundays%5FKids%5FAverill%5F1.31.16-31-4.jpg)

Even though Jessica believed that God had brought her to New York for a reason, it didn’t make a lot of sense. Life in New York was stressful and expensive, and everyone she knew and cared about was back in Florida.

“I realize now that I needed to be lonely for a little bit,” says Jessica. “I needed that season of loneliness so God could have me all to himself. No distractions. I talked to God a lot, because there wasn’t anyone else.”

Being alone was not something that came naturally to Jessica. In fact, for years she had made intentional choices so she wouldn’t be on her own.

“Being in a romantic relationship used to be the only thing that made me feel connected and loved and needed,” Jessica explains. “And I thought that kind of relationship had to involve being intimate, so even though I knew it wasn’t what God wanted for me, I kept on choosing a relationship with a guy over my relationship with God. I thought it was something I needed.”

For years, Jessica had wanted to walk more closely with God, and she longed to get baptized. But she couldn’t bring herself to choose God first — not if it meant giving up the relationships that she felt were helping hold her together.

“I didn’t think I could do it,” says Jessica. “It wasn’t until I found Hoboken Grace and met people who were living differently that I truly believed that I could change my story.”

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSCF7142-1-e1459953439918-300x300.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSCF7142-1-e1459953439918.jpg)Jessica found Hoboken Grace online and quickly became involved in kids ministry. She later joined a dinner group, where she met women who loved God first and chose to date in a way that honored that love.

“I just couldn’t believe that that was actually possible,” says Jessica. “But there was this girl who was dating and not having sex and getting baptized. I remember thinking, ‘If she can do it, I can do it. That could be me.’ ”

Inspired by the women in her dinner group and surrounded by new friends who supported her, Jessica finally gave her craving for connection over to God and signed up to get baptized.

“For me, baptism is all about washing away the old self and starting a new life,” says Jessica. “I’ve wanted that new life for so long. I just didn’t see how I could let go of the old life.”

But on March 27, Jessica got up on stage in front of new friends and complete strangers and declared her faith in Jesus Christ, vowing to follow Him wherever he leads. She let go of her old desires and anxieties and grabbed hold of her new beginning with both hands.

“I feel a freedom from my old self and a sense of newness that I didn’t think I could have,” says Jessica. “And I have never felt more connected to God.”

_To learn more about taking the step of baptism, attend Hoboken Grace’s class_ [_What Is Baptism,_](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/9320) _held after each service this Sunday._

[![DSCF7165 (1)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSCF7165-1-1-1024x682.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/DSCF7165-1-1.jpg)


A New Life in New York

The first time I attended Hoboken Grace, I was terrified. I dragged my friend along for moral support, but I was still anxious. Was I going to fit in? Would there be anyone there like me? Looking back, I laugh at how nervous I was, because from the moment I walked into 301 Garden I was made to feel right at home. I quickly signed up for a dinner group, went to a mission trip information session and joined a team.

When my friend moved away, some of the old anxiety returned. But soon I was sitting in my first dinner group, eating fried chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese as we shared funny stories from childhood. And then I began serving with the Communications Team, and felt so blessed to be able to help people share their stories. When I decided to get baptized, I had an entire community cheering for me and my new beginning, and nothing has ever felt more wonderful.

When it comes to our relationship with God, we can’t grow without moving forward. You have to take that [next step](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/), whether it’s joining a dinner group, serving on a team, joining a Story Study or getting baptized. The first step is always the hardest.

I asked a few people at Hoboken Grace what “next step” had the greatest impact. Here is what they had to say:

**Jennifer Thomas:** “The step that really helped me get connected was being brave enough to go to a connection event, even when I didn’t know anyone there. I introduced myself to someone, and the next time I went to an event, I made sure she was going, too. We have a great friendship now.”

**Jeff Knorr:** “When I joined a dinner group it helped me dive deeper into the conversations and form a community of brothers. Serving on the production team helped me apply the talents that I’ve been given and gave me a sense of purpose.”

**Candace Maloney:** “Joining a dinner group and serving as a greeter helped me step out of my box. I enjoyed being encouraged and motivated to be the best version of myself, and I was taught to do the same for others. It has been great to be on the same journey in following God, through our similar struggles.”

**Mariel Moquete:** “Taking the step of baptism was the most important step for me. It was the moment in my life where I finally committed to God. I committed to actually building a relationship with God, instead of just saying I was Christian because I grew up in the church. After my baptism, saying I was Christian actually meant something deeper. It was my choice and not my mom’s or my pastor’s or someone else’s, but my own.”

**What’s your next step? What will you commit to?** 

[Go to a connection event](http://hobokengrace.com/events/)

[Sign up for a dinner group](http://www.hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups/)

[Join a team](http://hobokengrace.com/serve/)

[Register for Amplify](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/)

[Go on a mission trip](http://hobokengrace.com/mission-trips/)

[Take the step of baptism](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/13986)

[Become a member at Hoboken Grace](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/5472)

[Attend Axiom (members only)](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/20314)

[Join a Story Study (members only)](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/)


Taking the Next Step

Hoboken Grace moved into Jersey City three years ago, launching a separate location in Hamilton Park. From Day One, its goal was to love the community in a way that mirrors God’s love for His people. The church began pouring into the community through initiatives such as Simple Service and 1Day Jersey City. And as it opened its doors each Sunday, God began to use the Hamilton Park location to help people find their way back to Him.

On Easter 2015 – a year ago this month – the Hamilton Park location became the first daughter church of Hoboken Grace. [Downtown Community Church](http://www.downtownjc.church/), as it is now called, has established deeper roots in the community and welcomed hundreds of people through its doors. To celebrate the church’s first birthday, we sat down with Wayne Burton, its pastor, to talk about the past year.

**It’s been a year since you launched as Downtown Community. What have been some of the highlights?**

Launching on Easter last year was really fun because we had so many people come. That was technically our first day. I think the first highlight was transitioning to Downtown Community. We had people step up and be a part of our experience who had never really served before.

We believe there are people here in Jersey City that would not connect to a church unless there was a local church connecting to them. We have been able to develop stronger relationships with the leaders and organizations in our community and in our neighborhood. There are people who don’t attend regularly or at all, but they know more about who we are, and they speak favorably about us. And to me, that’s just amazing.

Another highlight was our Go Jersey City outreach event in June. We built upon the 1Day Jersey City event that we did with Hoboken Grace, and we’ve been able to continue relationships with different parks and organizations. We partnered with St. Anthony’s for a similar event.

Then, there are always small victories. When we made the transition to Downtown Community, it was just our Jersey City group, which was a little scary at the beginning, but that gave us our core. Over the summer, we worked to just create a great foundation. We launched new dinner groups, we had a food truck come, and we just had a big fall kickoff and celebration. And then we started seeing our average attendance jump by about 20 people.

[![2016_Birthday1](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/2016_Birthday1-1024x684.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/2016%5FBirthday1.jpg)

**How was Easter?**

Easter was very smooth. We had 55 to 60 people serve to make Easter happen. We had people doing Simple Service at the PATH, and people who were preparing the space to accommodate more people. There were so many people who sacrificed to be there and changed their vacation plans. We had someone arrive on a red-eye at 6 a.m. and serve both services. Somebody gave up Elite Eight basketball tickets, just to see this happen.

And to see the neighborhood come, that was a highlight. Our neighborhood in Jersey City knows more about us. There is a trust that we’ve developed, and we saw evidence of that on Easter, after just a year of investing in the community and trying to take steps to love people in the way that God has loved us. We saw people come and say, “I’m going to take this step and attend your church for the first time.” There are always family members who come on Easter, but many people were there because someone brought a friend. There were 240 adults and children.

**Heading into Year Two, what are some of the goals moving forward?**

We want to keep doing what we’re doing. The goal for us is just to continue to get behind our city and be a part of the solution. And being a hope and a light in our city. Our world is so full of hardship and struggle and hate, and that was really our Easter message, and how we see Jesus step into that and meet people with grace and say I am the light of the world, and if you follow me there is no more darkness. We want to be a light in the city. Jesus showed us how valuable people are. And he loved them whether they believed in Him or not, because they are valuable, because He created them. So that is a goal for us, to just continue to pour into the city, to love them, because that is what Christ has done for us.

[![2015_1st Service of DCC](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/2015_1st-Service-of-DCC-1024x679.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/04/2015%5F1st-Service-of-DCC.jpg)

**What are some other ways that you have poured into the community? You partnered with Uber on Easter, right?**

Right, we offered free Uber rides. We had no idea that Hoboken Grace was doing it! We thought we were the first to do anything like that. We just created an Uber event, and essentially gave people free rides to church.

We’ve also been supporting local parks. A lot of our dinner groups do things where events happen in different neighborhoods. So we just helped with a local Easter egg hunt. We always serve at the Jersey City Street Fair, helping them with day-of needs, volunteering. And we’ve done little things like help pass out cards for local events. We want to do that more, see where people need help and just get behind it.

**You also threw a birthday party, right?**

Yes. We just wanted to celebrate that this has been happening for a year. It blows me away that we have people who are a part of our journey who were not even there last year. And there are people who are leaders who were just beginning their journey with us when we started. I pause and look around, and I’m just blown away by what God has done. And just incredibly grateful. It’s been a great year and we can’t wait to see what God will do next.

_To find out more about Downtown Community Church, click [here](http://www.downtownjc.church/)._


Downtown Community Turns 1!

_Portraits is an occasional series that captures stories across our community, one photo at a time._

In the seven years after graduating from college, Diane has moved four times. And as she moved in and out of apartments, up and down the East Coast, her sense of self-worth was just as unsettled as her living situation.

Diane had committed her life to Christ during her freshman year of college, but years later, her feelings about herself were still rooted in relationships and circumstances, she says. They depended on whether she was recognized by co-workers or in line for a promotion. Or whether a guy was interested and made her feel important. Or whether her family and, in particular, her friends, were there for her.

“When things were going well with friends, and when they were reliable and showing me attention, it was great,” she says. “But when they would get busy or let me down, which of course they’re going to do because we’re all imperfect, I would just spiral downward. … My value was so tied to them that it felt like I was a leaf in the wind. I was just being blown here and there by circumstances and by friends and my relationships.”

[![DSCF6260](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/03/DSCF6260-1024x682.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/03/DSCF6260.jpg)

After living in Connecticut for less than two years, Diane moved back to Hoboken at the end of 2014, expecting a promotion that didn’t come. It was one of several things that hadn’t panned out. She was in her late twenties and still single. Her friendships were not as fulfilling as she’d hoped, and dating relationships had fizzled almost as quickly as they’d started.

Angry and blaming God for the things that weren’t working out, Diane says she couldn’t see what was really behind her aggravation: She had tied her self-worth to circumstantial things that could never fully satisfy.

Despite the frustration, she began putting down roots in Hoboken. She started attending a dinner group, serving with Grace Kids and volunteering with True Mentors. She committed to spending more weekends in Hoboken, went to more connection events and started establishing deeper friendships.

They were all good things, she says, but she was still basing her value in them — the relationships she was developing, the promotion she had finally landed, even the dinner group she was now leading.

But the community Diane had been investing in was able to help her see that she was placing her self-worth and value in the wrong things. Friends saw how she ran from one source of affirmation to another and tried to remind her of her identity in Christ.

“A few of my friends kept telling me, ‘Your worth is found in God, not things or other people,’ ‘This is not who you are’ ‘Who does God say you are?’ ”

[![DSCF6252](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/03/DSCF6252.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/03/DSCF6252.jpg)

But her friends’ constant reminders left Diane with more questions than answers. Determined to find out who she really was, Diane tried to focus her attention fully on God and signed up for a Romans study class.

The connection between Christ’s value and her own slowly grew clearer. She began to view her life differently and began to find stable ground in her relationship with God. And eventually, God showed her a clear picture of her own story in the portrayal of the Woman at the Well.

“Jesus says to the woman at the well, you’re coming to this well for water, but I can give you life so that you will never thirst again,” Diane says. “I feel like I’ve been that woman for literally my entire life.

“I’ve gone to many things to fill a deep thirst and to fill longing, but it’s not long before I’m thirsty again. But when I go to God, He affirms me and satisfies my deep longing and reminds me of who I am. He reminds me that I am His beautiful daughter and that I am loved perfectly by Him.”

Diane admits friendships, relationships and her career can at times still sway her self-worth — it’s a work in progress, she says. But the knowledge that she has an eternal identity in Christ and that nothing can shake or distort that has given her peace. It’s an identity she can rest in, rather than one she has to chase after.

[![DSCF6151-2](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/03/DSCF6151-2-1-1024x682.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/03/DSCF6151-2-1.jpg)


Blog

THIS Saturday: GO Jersey City

“THURSDAY?!” Why We’re Moving Teams Night

Faith as a First-Generation Christian

New Beginnings

PORTRAITS: Making Room

Breathing Room

Rhythms

Killing Idols

We’re Taking It to the Next Level

You Want ME to Lead?

Three Days, Limitless Growth

Running the Race Marked Out for Us

Three Takeaways From This Semester of FPU

How to Raise Support for Your Mission Trip

A New Life in New York

Taking the Next Step

Downtown Community Turns 1!

PORTRAITS: Finding Value

Blog

THIS Saturday: GO Jersey City

&#8220;THURSDAY?!&#8221; Why We’re Moving Teams Night

Faith as a First-Generation Christian

New Beginnings

PORTRAITS: Making Room

Breathing Room

Rhythms

Killing Idols

We’re Taking It to the Next Level

You Want ME to Lead?

Three Days, Limitless Growth

Running the Race Marked Out for Us

Three Takeaways From This Semester of FPU

How to Raise Support for Your Mission Trip

A New Life in New York

Taking the Next Step

Downtown Community Turns 1!

PORTRAITS: Finding Value

“THURSDAY?!” Why We’re Moving Teams Night