The History of Christian Hope Association

In 1968 the Laymen's League for Evangelism was formed to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people living in the Lynden area. The structure for this organization came from representatives and financial commitments from seven Christian Reformed churches in north Whatcom County. Several significant ministries were started by the Laymen's League. These included the Concerned Christian Citizens and the One-to-One Ministries, both currently operating independently on their own.

In 1970 the ministry of Project Hope was begun. This ministry took on the responsibility to help our north Whatcom neighbors who were struggling with poverty or crisis situations in their lives. Project Hope has grown to this very day as a significant charitable ministry in the county that helps thousands of people with many basic necessities of life (i.e. food, clothing, financial).

Starting in 1996, the Board of Directors of the Laymen's League, felt it was time to re-think the organization's mission and purpose. They discovered a call to go beyond being only a charity. They concluded it was time to also form new approaches and ministries that would support people with developing efforts toward sustainable self-sufficiency. The best model the Board found to aid this new vision was the Christian Community Development Organization (CCDO) approach.

Therefore, on September 17, 1997 the Board of Directors approved an extensive revision of Articles of Incorporation by the creation of the Constitution and Bylaws for the Christian Hope Association.

The essence of our CCDO is found in the greatest Commandment communicated by God through the Bible found in Mark 20:30-31. Here we find a foundational and wonderful statement by God, calling man to love and serve Him with all of our being and to love and serve others self-sacrificially. This Great Commandment has immense and far reaching significance. It is God's desire that people offer all of their time, energy, possessions and perspective, in such a way, whereby such resources are used both for God's Glory and to better the condition of mankind. To us, the "signs of the times" clearly suggest a radical necessity to re-read, re-think and re-live this great Commandment. There is not a neighborhood, family or person who could not use a healthy supply of God's grace offered through His people!