Hope Gathering, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located at 1717 Lauraine Street, Brenham, Texas (the “Parent Organization”). It is composed of a Board of Directors that maintains oversight, control, and direction of the organization and all Community Leaders. The following Rules and Regulations apply to each Community Leader to Hope Gathering, Inc. These Rules and Regulations may be amended from time to time. Helping widows find hope and healing in Christ-Centered communities For every widow a Christ-centered life full of hope, purpose and joy. CHRIST-CENTERED: We believe that hope and healing are found in Christ alone. Everything that we do must align with Biblical truth. Hope Gathering beliefs are outlined in our Doctrinal Statement. No ministry or teaching should contradict. COMMUNITY-DRIVEN: No widow should have to travel this journey alone. Hope Gathering Communities offer safe, compassionate spaces to build deep relationships where widows feel seen, heard, supported and encouraged. PURPOSE-FILLED: We are passionate about helping widows embrace the truth that God still has a purpose for their lives and to instill in them the courage to live it out. EXCELLENCE in all we do. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as for the Lord rather than for man.” (Colossians 3:23) We know we can’t be perfect but desire to do all with excellence for the Lord to the best of our ability. A Hope Gathering Community will assist in this mission in their local communities by providing face to face relationships with other widows who understand the pain of loss and desire to find hope, healing and purpose in their lives. Pay one time Community Fee of $200 (Hope Gathering Inc. has the right to waive or reduce this fee) Agree to operate within the Hope Gathering Doctrinal Statement Participate in monthly Zoom leadership coaching meetings for three months. After the 3 months, quarterly coaching meetings will be held for the first year. Host monthly gatherings with your Hope Gathering Community Engage in encouraging Social Media activity through your local Hope Gathering Community private Facebook group should you desire to have one. The Hope Gathering Board of Directors must be included in any private group created. No public Social Media pages may be created under the Hope Gathering name. Actively participate in the fundraising efforts of Hope Gathering, Inc. to provide Hope Boxes for hurting widows Raise the funds needed to support their local community Acquire and equip volunteers for their local community Host an annual Evening or Luncheon of Hope Participate in, as much as you are able, our Weekend of HOPE Annually reaffirm commitment to our statement of faith and community expectations 1. Credibility under the 501(c)3 nonprofit status 2. Payment processing for Hope Box donations 3. Accounting and tax filing for gifts given to Hope Gathering, Inc. 4. Oversight and Coaching from the Hope Gathering, Inc. Leadership Team 5. Print Materials and Marketing When a Community is established, they will be provided with: Seeds of Hope: Creating a Hope Gathering Community 100 Hope Gathering brochures Community Box Inserts Hope Gathering logo Email account Private Facebook Group if desired Any additional print materials that the local Hope Gathering Community would like will need to be approved through Hope Gathering Inc., and will be paid for by the Local Hope Gathering Community. 6. Listing on Hope Gathering website 7. Access to new meeting and devotional content as it is written Community Leaders and Volunteers are not compensated for hours worked or non-program related expenses. The following can be used on any print or digital material that the Local Community creates, WITHOUT obtaining approval from the Leadership Team: Local Community-specific website links The following can be used on any print or digital material that the Local Community creates, ONLY AFTER the material is approved by the Marketing Team: Main Hope Gathering logo Hope Gathering is a Christian organization with a firm Doctrinal Statement. Each Community will agree to operate within the framework of the Doctrinal Statement, and each Community Leader must sign the agreement not to teach or provide anything (teaching, literature, music, art, etc.) that is contrary to the Doctrinal Statement. If in the event of an emergency, circumstance, or necessity, determined solely in the discretion of the Board of Directions, a Community will be absolved by the Board of Directors and all remaining funds for that Community will be absorbed by the Parent Organization. Each local Hope Gathering Community has the option to create an operating account through Hope Gathering, Inc. to fund their local community. Should you choose to do so, the following protocol must be followed. Monies will be funneled through the Hope Gathering, Inc. and designated for the assigned Community, providing tax-exemption for the donor and donor management to the Parent Organization. Hope Gathering will provide a bank issued, prepaid credit card to the local community. Funds will be loaded in no greater than $500 increments. All receipts must be turned in to Hope Gathering, Inc. Receipts may be scanned and emailed or sent in a photo. Additional funds will not be added to the prepaid credit card until receipts are submitted and the account balanced. A community may not have a balance greater than $1500 at any time unless approved by Hope Gathering, Inc. Any funds over $1500 will roll into the Hope Box Account. If the need arises for reimbursement for a program-related expense for a local Community, a Community Leader may request reimbursement using the Reimbursement Request Form. All receipts and explanation of purchase must be supplied; otherwise the reimbursement is void. Hope Gathering, Inc. must approve the expense in advance. Local Communities should work to create awareness of Hope Gathering however they see fit within their own city and the culture of their given area. What works in one city may not work in another. Local Communities will need to educate with regards to how Hope Gathering will benefit the widow/family, and educate donors as to what their dollars provide, both the physical benefit (sending a HOPE Box or providing for retreat programming) and the spiritual benefit (introducing or drawing them closer to Christ, providing healing, purpose, etc.) Local Communities will be asked to participate in one annual fundraiser. Communities will be asked to share the social media posts about the fundraiser. A template will also be provided to community leaders to share details about the fundraiser with potential donors. Hope Gathering Communities will extend the ministries of Hope Gathering, Inc. to their local communities. Per the Communities location and available volunteers, local Community programming may vary, but should at least include the following Monthly Gatherings Encouraging social media activity Hosting An Evening/Luncheon of HOPE annually Attending the annual retreat, when possible The ministries of each Hope Gathering Community will be an extension of the Parent Organization. Communities will have access to the Hope Gathering logo, and will stay within branding guidelines when using the main Hope Gathering logo, creating literature, or when hosting a presentation or event. Each Community will be responsible to actively participate in the annual fundraising effort of the parent organization to raise funding for Hope Boxes. Communities are encouraged to order Hope Boxes for new widows in the community. As Hope Gathering, Inc. grows and the demand for boxes increases, each Community may become responsible to fundraise for, create, and supply Hope Boxes to local widows. Hosting at least one Hope Box Gathering annually will be mandatory. This is a future goal but one local Communities should be aware of when growth facilitates this need. Hope Gathering Communities are small groups of women new to loss and those still working through the grief journey, that meet monthly to help facilitate closer relationships and gospel-centered grieving. Our goal is not to meet to commiserate but rather to love and encourage one another toward healing. Each Community will be responsible to create a leadership team to facilitate a monthly Hope Gathering. Each meeting will consist of a meal, program and devotional that compliments the program and points back to the source of all HOPE, Jesus. The central goal of Hope Gathering is to keep our eyes on Jesus first and foremost. We feel organizing our meetings and devotions around a common theme will help to accomplish this goal and give each woman something of substance to take with them. The themes from month to month will vary between healing, practical help, service and fun. Each Community will be provided with a guide of suggested themes and an accompanying devotional. Absolutely NO alcoholic beverages may be served at any HOPE Gathering Event – NO EXCEPTIONS. We serve a vulnerable group of women therefore we desire to protect and prevent being a stumbling block. We feel 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 undergirds this decision. “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say, but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’ but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” Hope Gathering will offer an annual retreat called Weekend of Hope that Communities will be invited to attend. Community Leaders will submit an interest application and letter of reference from their pastor. The Hope Gathering Board of Directors will review and select Community Leadership. Community Leaders will serve for a minimum 2 year term, with a third year being an apprenticeship of someone who is wishing to apply to become the next Leader. If multiple people are interested in applying, they can both be apprenticed, and both apply; the Board of Directors will review and select the successor. Acquiring and training Volunteers is the responsibility of the Community Leader. Each Volunteer will need to submit a Volunteer Application. If in the event of reviewing the Community activity and the conduct of its members, the Board of Directors finds it to be outside of the mission and values of the Parent Organization, and finds no willingness to redirect and adhere to the mission and values of Hope Gathering, the Community Leader and/or Volunteers will be removed from their position and affiliation with Hope Gathering. Terms of Use
Doctrinal Statement
Local Fundraising
Reimbursement for Local Community Leaders/Volunteers
Creating Awareness
Educating
Fundraising
Implementing Programs
Ministries
Hope Boxes
Hope Gathering Communities
Retreat
Leaders
Volunteers
Removal of Leadership and/or Volunteers
