Stories of Hope

Quick Facts About the 2013 Tour - Expected to be the largest cross-continental bike tour ever. - Begins June 21, 2013, in Los Angeles - Ends nine weeks later in New York City - Stops include Phoenix, Rehoboth, Colorado Springs, Pella, Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Toronto. - 3,900 total miles

  This week we received some serious news about Pastor Jake, 63, the pastor of Ebenezer CRC in Trenton who is one of the Sea to Sea cyclists hoping to go the full distance from Los Angeles to New York. According to his co-pastor, Nathan, he is doing okay after some very frightening days

  Bernice, a SAG (support and gear) wagon driver on the current Sea to Sea Bicycle Tour, provided us with some insight into her daily responsibilities.   “Let me give you a quick idea of what things are like. We get up super-early, 5:00 am; the cyclists like to be on the road by about 6:00 or 6:30 to beat the heat of the day.

 We are excited to introduce the Cadet program to Hope Fellowship. Cadets is one of three ministries that comprise Dynamic Youth Ministries—GEMS, Cadets and Youth Unlimited. Designed for boys, the Cadet program parallels the highly successful GEMS program offered to the girls of Hope Fellowship

  The forced suspension of the Sea to Sea bicycle tour last week due to the extreme heat proved to be a blessing in disguise. Stan explained, “It gave everyone a chance to regroup. We had been under daily pressure to get out earlier and earlier to beat the afternoon heat, leaving us no time to take in the sights or enjoy a coffee. That feeling is gone now, thanks to three nights in one place.”

  Within one day of setting out, the Sea to Sea Bicycle Tour had to say goodbye to two of its cyclists. On Monday, Mark, from Kokoma, Indiana, broke his tibula and fibula bones just above the ankle after an accident while riding his incumbent bike. He stayed behind in California for surgery to insert a rod. His wife, Susan, also cycling, decided to stay behind with her husband. Imagine their disappointment!