TOGETHER. A letter from Pastor Jeff.

It was six years ago that our family of five relocated from Southern California to Tucson, Arizona. This might sound crazy, but moving to Tucson was not MY pressing desire—summers are really hot! Nonetheless, the calling to relocate to Tucson was cautiously embraced. I have a strong conviction to say “Yes” to whatever it is that God wants to do through our family during this season of our lives. For most people, times of transition are hard to navigate—leaving the comfortable and the familiar to step into the unknown requires trust and it also requires courage. Doing so without a clear direction for what is going to happen on the other side of the journey is all the more difficult.  

Once we arrived in Tucson, God introduced us to several amazing people, including our new friends from Praying Pelican Missions (PPM). To be honest, the opportunity to serve in the nation’s fifth most impoverished metropolitan city felt overwhelming to me. The domestic violence, the addiction, the prostitution, the unsafe living environments for seniors and children were all motivating factors to look for help outside of myself. It was in this season that I met Deanna from Praying Pelican Missions. We shared our heart for the city, the overwhelming task in front of us and our desire for partnership; since then we’ve worked alongside close to a dozen churches to meet needs in our community through our church plant.

In one case, we got to partner with an organization in our community that receives donations from various places to resource underserved with basic necessities. We were hosting a group of students who chose to respond to the work God was inviting them to do in our community. They saw the need and they knew they only had a limited time to help. When it came time for break, they said, “We are only here for a few days and we are going to make sure everything in this warehouse gets to where it needs to go.” They doubled down and focused their efforts. Not only did they get every box sorted, but they completely cleared the warehouse floor of its contents as they moved these supplies where they needed to be. I will never forget the look on the warehouse volunteer’s face as she began to sob tears of joy. She said in all her years working there, she has never seen the floor cleared of its contents! The warehouse manager was forever impacted and we were able to see tangible efforts to serve the underserved families of our city. 

I share that story to give you a glimpse of what it looks like when people say “yes” when God calls them to serve in a community that desperately needs to experience the hope of Jesus! I was challenged to step out in faith to serve in this community, and have continually been encouraged by seeing others answer His call. In whatever ways God is asking you to “Go! Start moving!” it is my heart that you will also experience the rich relationships and the blessings that come from the Kingdom's impact when the Church stands together! Now, more than ever, the local Church needs to listen to the voice of God—especially as we are practicing this social distancing. Get ready to move into the work that God is preparing for you!  

For Kingdom Impact, 

Jeff Logsdon
Founding Pastor
Hope City Church, Tucson