This is our Christopher, a bright spirit living in Southwest Philadelphia with his grandmother, mother, and baby sister, Christina. Four years ago, during our first pop-up church in Connell Park, Christopher shared with Pastor Leah that visiting the park was his favorite activity! When asked what he wanted God to change about the park, his heartfelt response was, “No more shootings!” Since then, Christopher has become our poster child, embodying our mission to create and restore safe places in Southwest. He and his family played a vital role in launching the City Life Southwest location and continue to faithfully join CLSW dinner services and pop-up church. Christopher inspired our 2023 City Life Vision Night just before our launch, as his grandmother Sybil brought him to church to go on stage before the congregation to express his hope and dream for City Life Southwest Church to be a safe place in the community. It is no coincidence that our mission for Hope Center Philly is to foster a safe place for hopes and dreams to flourish. Written By Deni Knox, Board Member
My deepest Hope: Hope isn’t just a feeling, it’s a confident expectation that God’s goodness will show up, even in the darkest situations. Psalm 27:13 says, “I would have lost heart unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” That’s how I define “hope”. It is the expectation of God’s light breaking into places of deep struggle. My greatest hope is that a revival of God, which includes total transformation, would come to Philadelphia and the Tri-state region. My personal “why” for joining the Board: My yes to participating on this board is because I believe in revival through justice, mercy, and love. The Hope Center Philly was exciting to me because their vision was not just meeting needs. The goal involved a cultivating a lasting transformation spiritually, emotionally, and economically. I believe The Hope Center Philly is called to be the hope and light that pierces darkness in a community. Like the Good Samaritan, we’re choosing to stop, to see, and to respond with compassion to an underserved community facing poverty, violence, mental health challenges, and more. An interesting fact about myself: I’ve loved bowling since I was a kid. In fact there was one particular time that I bowled nine strikes in a league game. It’s more than a hobby for me, it’s taught me focus, rhythm, and how to get back up after every miss. Just like in ministry. Terry Davis, Board Member
Big win in SW today. Peace Walk as part of “Hope Tour” 12 or so City Lifers joined in. Beautifully led by Deni, Joel, and Vinny. Prayed up and down the block where 2 recent homicides occurred (including Zaphir) and the surrounding neighborhood. God seemed to be showing us something in the Spirit. It was sunny when we started. But as we began walking, thick dark clouds began to build. When we approached that 2200 block of Felton the heavens opened and rain was pounding down in sheets with gale-force winds. First we began to take cover. But then the police chaplain said: “we need to be on that block.” So we pushed out into the storm, crossed the street and kept praying in the name of Jesus and greeting people. And then as fast as it came, the storm stopped. Then we proceeded as planned serving water ice to the community at the 12th District HQ. Joel kept repeating: “Prepare for Rain.” Bob Briggs, Board Chair
A young 1st grade teacher recognized that a disruptive student named Zaphir couldn’t read. She invested extra time for tutoring sessions. He read his first book that year. But that wouldn’t be enough. Fast forward 10 years to June 2025: he died—along with his hopes and dreams--on the streets of Southwest Philadelphia from multiple gunshot wounds. Later that June, the Hope Center Philly team joined the 12 th Police District on a Peace Walk in Southwest Philly. On the block where Zaphir and others had died, we prayed for God to protect the next generation. We also doubled down on our determination to develop a safe place for Zaphir’s generation to protect their hidden hopes and dreams. We’re too late for Zaphir but we are reporting for duty to help shepherd these dreams, making sure these kids can read, stay in school, learn critical life skills. Along the way these kids can make friends, build community, and hear God’s invitations. Most of my years have been focused on war zones around the world where trauma strips away futures. But experts say the trauma on the streets of U.S. cities is comparable to trauma effects in places like the eastern Congo, Darfur, or Gaza. Kids are struggling to survive and find a way to their future. Joining the Hope Center Philly team was an easy “Yes” for me. We will remember Zaphir. We pledge to help his peers push through adolescence and into adulthood with their hopes intact, ready to pursue their dreams. May God bless the Hope Center Philly! - Robert Briggs