Hopewell, Virginia is “The Wonder City” where over twenty-two thousand residents call home. Unfortunately, over twenty percent of the city is living in poverty. Most of the residents consist of single parent led homes with little to no education. It has gang and drug crime rates higher than most neighboring cities. However, amid all the darkness which surrounds the community there is a church, City Point Restoration Church of God led by Pastor Thurman Collier. A church with a true desire to be an extension of God’s love to a community surrounded by generational poverty and addiction. City Point Restoration’s aspiration to reach the community allowed the launch of multiple ministries. Those ministries include Morning Manna, Laundry of Love, and Open Hearts Open Hands. CPR also joined forces with City of Refuge Atlanta to open and financially support a City of Refuge Hopewell Recovery Center. The generous hearts of those at CPR are what has made it possible to sustain such ministries.

Morning Manna was started by teachers and children’s leaders within the church ten years ago. They would see kids coming into school and church unable to focus because of the rumbling of their bellies from hunger. They started filling bags with breakfast food and snacks to serve on the street and have now expanded their ministry to the local elementary school. Morning Manna sends food to the school for the children to have during the weekend when they might not be able to have access to as much food. The children walk away with a big smile on their faces, but it leaves a bigger impact on the heart of those within the ministry knowing they were able to fill one more belly.

Laundry of Love is an outreach ministry which goes to the local laundry mat. They offer to help wash, dry, fold clothes and pray with the people whom they help. The ministry team has met people from all different backgrounds facing various struggles. There are some who have lost their job, had a death in the family or low on income. It was something Janice Marlow, the founder of Laundry of Love had once experienced needing herself. She knew she had once had someone help her and wanted to extend the same love to others she encountered. As the volunteers assist the individual with their laundry, they take this time to speak with the people to remind them of the love God has for them. They have helped to plant many seeds in those whom they have met. Although they are reaching out to the community, they always come back getting blessed with far more than they had given.

Open Hearts Open Hands is a food pantry open to the community. It offers a grocery shopping experience to whomever is in need. The leaders Fran Loftis and Linda Dale who are also sisters started this ministry because they had numerous people who were struggling in one way or another financially. Unfortunately, they were not always able to pay the bill, which was requested, but they would always make sure they had enough food to eat. They also knew if they could lighten the load in one area, then it could help the individual to put their money they would have spent on these items somewhere else. The ministry wanted to give the individual an experience which would allow them to have a sense of value and dignity while going through a difficult time. The pandemic has only increased the need for the food pantry. They were able to partner with God’s Pit Crew to receive one of the best blessings the city had gotten during the pandemic. CPR was able to extend this blessing to multiple areas including various churches, food pantries, and community organizations. The relentless work of those in this ministry are what keeps the pantry flourishing.

City of Refuge Hopewell Recovery Center is a faith-based addiction recovery program. It offers wrap around support for those who are struggling with addiction. Pastor Collier was grieving the loss of a child with a member of our congregation. She was beautiful, smart, and so full of life. She had come from a supportive and loving home and yet this horrible addiction had taken her life. Pastor Collier had spent time in Atlanta at City of Refuge and instantly touched base with his resources to get things moving forward to open the program. Pastor Collier spent many hours on the phone and in meetings collaborating with multiple organizations and city officials. Their hard work and dedication to this program has not gone unnoticed and have since been awarded over $100,000 from the city. They have assisted many individuals with getting their lives back on track. COR has shown those in the program a life beyond addiction which they would not have been able to have if they stayed in active addiction.

“The Wonder City” gets its name from the city’s ability to bounce back from its struggles. It is because of churches like City Point Restoration Church of God that they can. CPR’s willingness to cross normal boundaries over denominations and city organizations to join forces for the greater good of God’s Kingdom is what has allowed them to be effective. The collaborations have allowed CPR to become known in the city as the place to go for love, prayer, support, and dignity. These ministries at CPR were created due to firsthand experiences and the yearning to be an extension of God’s love to those in need. They know together, them and God, there is no limit to what he can do.

Submitted by Ashley Allen on behalf of City Point Restoration Church of God.

City Point Restoration COG Launches Multiple Ministries