2020 Address from Pastor Jill and Pastor Tim Quainoo
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, grace and peace to you beloved. Hill City Family, we made it through 2020. God be praised! This year has definitely been one for the ages. We have faced economic fallout from the arrival of the Coronavirus, come through political upheaval, grieved through a summer of tumultuous race relations, celebrated the endurance of DACA, enjoyed professional basketball in the “bubble”, virtually cheered our graduates as the class of 2020 came of age amidst the biggest health crisis in recent memory, voted to remove “Plantations” from the name of the State of Rhode Island, voted in the oldest presidential candidate and the First Black, First Asian American, First South Asian, First Female Vice-Presidential candidate, and remained resilient through a year that will not soon be forgotten.
Our resilience has not come without cost. We have lost many precious souls. Over a quarter of a million people have died here in the United States but, over 1.5 million people have died worldwide. Our sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, spouses, children, aunts, uncles, countless friends and loved ones no longer able to share laughs or burdens. Instead, we have had to call upon the memories of these loved ones gone too soon, often without the closure of attending a full family to honor laying our loved ones to rest. Our families have had to celebrate the holiday traditions through unconventional channels. Many zoom calls, phone calls, WhatsApp messages, and Facebook Lives have made us more connected than we’ve ever been, all while revealing how distant we have really become.
I imagine for many of you 2020 has left you with that drifting in the midst of the storm feeling, because when it rains it pours. For others the heavy rains have been the blessing you’ve prayed for. Through it all we cannot forget the command that Jesus gave his disciples, as they turned to him concerned and afraid. As the winds howled and the waves crashed across the bow of the boat, Jesus Simply stated, “Peace.”
Peace was the declaration of the savior as they sailed the Sea of Galilee and the same word is the declaration of the Lord over your life. Peace. It was the prophetic promise put forth by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9, that there was one who would be called the prince of Peace who would establish peace for God’s people. Peace. It was the divine declaration made on the night that angels in the outfield, ascended and descended refraining “glory to God in the highest and on Earth, peace and goodwill to humanity. Peace. It was the teaching of Jesus in the famed sermon on the mount, where Jesus proclaimed blessing upon those who make peace. Peace. It was the parting exhortation from Jesus to his disciples as he pointed them to his promised Holy Spirit. Peace.
Hill City Family, peace be unto you.
As we live in the promises of God, allow us to share some of what the Lord has revealed to us about the upcoming year.
2021 is a new year. This means another opportunity to step out in faith and believe that God will answer. We do not presume anything, but with expectation and excitement, we look to the hill of the Lord from whence comes our help! We believe that the holy hill of the Lord has been established in our lives and in 2021 we are going to shine like a city set upon a hill.
Hill City Family, God is going to meet you at the hill!
As you look to meet God at Hill City this year, here are some things that you can expect.
The Launch of Hill City Music. Our church has been working hard to collaborate with creatives in Providence and beyond to establish a creative center for our church. If you or anyone you know is interested in learning more about the Hill City Music, please reach out to _______.
In the summer of 2020, Hill City launched Faith + Works. Faith + Works is our church’s outreach ministry. Faith works when you work it. Through Faith + Works we want to help the world to see that faith works!
Education is liberation when the exercise equips the learner to build something better without fear of having it knocked down. Hill City will encourage learners to build without fear by organizing three $1000 dollar scholarships for college students. Students will be able to pursue their education knowing that have a village of support backing them up.
God is gong to meet you at Hill City in 2021, because your church is partnering with you to bring impact in your neighborhood. That means we cannot do this without you. Your giving, your participation, and gifts are going to impact families and communities. We are better together. I look forward to working with you. If you have a need or know of a need, please reach out, send an email to info@hillcitypvd.com