Commission | A one-off Special Offering

Dear Church

I want to express my gratitude and thankfulness to all who attend Hope Church and so faithfully give financially to our work. These gifts that we receive, along with the Gift Aid that comes with it, makes up the entirety of our income and enables us to do all our activities as a church. Thank You.

There are moments in the bible when a church in one location are encouraged to give to the work of God in other locations, often linked through an apostolic movement, for example in 2 Corinthians chapter 8 & 9. I am writing to you, as there is an opportunity for us to give beyond our regular giving, to support the mission of our apostolic movement.

On Sunday 23rd November 2025, we're going to be taking up a one-off special offering where everything received will be going to Commission. 

Click to watch the latest Commission update video from the nations.

Hope Church is part of Commission, a global family of churches within the wider Newfrontiers movement, working together in spreading the gospel and investing in local churches.

Commission's vision is to see 1000's of lives transformed, through 100's of churches, in 10's of nations. As a church, we are not alone, but part of something much bigger. This vision is rooted in the Great Commission, where Jesus encourages us to "therefore go and make disciples of all nations." Matthew 28:18–19

As a Church we benefit greatly from our partnership with this wonderful family of churches, including regular training that our elders and staff team receive, oversight and support for our elders, input and shared learning from the churches in our hub (a small group of 8 churches that Chris co leads with Simon from Ascot) and fantastic guest speakers who encourage and equip us for the work; Our interns get excellent theological training and we have several others across our church who have undertaken and continue to grow in their ministry leadership. 

When leaders are accountable beyond themselves, this benefits the whole church. Because the elders of Hope Church receive oversight from other Commission church leaders, this ensures that they are accountable, supported and can benefit from external guidance when required.

We are definitely better together, than apart.

Churches in Commission, like ours, give regularly towards the administrative running costs (like staffing) of Commission from the monthly tithes that we receive, but this one-off special offering will all go directly to mission. Some of these things will include…

• New Zealand - Rahul and Jackie, who are moving from India to Auckland imminently, to launch a Commission church in the city early next year.

• Italy - We are pursuing the prophetic 'Decapolis' vision for the nation, as we seek to have Commission churches planted or adopted in 10 towns/cities across the nation in the next 5 years. There are families moving to Turin and Milan in the next year to put down roots and establish churches.

• North Africa - We have a couple moving to North Africa by the end of this year, to reach the unreached and build communities of Jesus followers.

• UK - Story Church, Paddington has just been launched as a new church plant in London. The London hub also has plans to plant another 5 churches in the next 3 years across the city. Anthem Church Leicester (another recent Commission plant) is finding its feet and just celebrated their first baptisms! We also have a group of South West leaders looking to join the Commission family, with the hope of planting more churches in predominantly rural regions.

• Middle East - Commission play a key part in funding & supporting work in the Middle East, including facilitating a group of 50 other missionaries in different nations who meet regularly for training, support and encouragement. 

• Serving the poor - Commission churches care for the poor and part of the offering will go towards supporting our social action works and bringing crisis relief to those people groups facing severe hardship.

Sunday 23rd November 2025

So on Sunday 23rd November 2025, Tim Blaber who leads Hope Church Winchester, is going to be our guest speaker, and on that morning we'll be receiving a one-off special offering towards the work of Commission. This is a free will, one off, offering where you can choose how much to give and indeed whether to give or not.

When Paul approaches the Corinthians to give to the work in Macedonia, he says this...

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver….This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 

2 Corinthians 9:7 & 12

I would like to invite you to prayerfully consider what your response might be to the mission of Commission.

If you would like to know more about Commission, please feel free to visit the website here.

To find out more about Commissions values, our history with Newfrontiers and more, listen to Malcolm's preach here from the summer.

You can give anytime by bank transfer from now, using the reference:Commission

Hope Church's bank details are:

Sort code: 20-35-35

Account number: 23259587

Account name: Hope Church Guildford Ltd

You can also give through churchsuite here.

Join us on this adventure together. 

With gratitude

Chris