CARE & CONNECTION
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for servants do not know what their master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my God I have made known to you.”
John 15:12-15, NRSV, emended
After attending their foundational Summit Experience, our participants are now “friends” to each other and of HLI. They have begun what we believe will be a long-term deepening relationship of learning, care and connection. After they return home from the Summit, this is one of the greatest gifts the HLI experience can offer.
We believe that church leaders offer spiritual care to all they serve, but they cannot carry the message alone. They need partnership with community and business leaders to carry Christ’s message to all people. All three groups seek support, connection, information, and inspiration from one another. While all of our leaders are deemed as resilient we believe God calls us to care for these caretakers so they may continue to pour into others in word and deed.
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Ensuring support for life events in real time.
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Encompassing social, spiritual and educational experiences with purpose and intention.
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Gathering of friends to fuel joy, connection, support and growth.
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The foundation for all HLI friends to remain connected with one another.
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Monthly/Quarterly best practice sharing network amongst past & present attendees.
B A S E C A M P
2024 was an exciting year with the introduction of the HLI Base Camp. The Care and Connection mission of HLI is to bring all past participants of the Summit Experiences together for a biannual event. Our Mission is to continually support and grow the interaction of all the HLI Friends.
The 2-day experience at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church brought together many from the Summit Experience going back to 2004. We gathered for a fulfilling re-connect and an inspirational experience with John Noltner. The question, “What brings you courage” is assembled into a beautiful pictorial story board. We were spirit-filled through the amazing gift of music by Billy Steele, Tonia Hughes Kendrick, and Lanell Lightfoot.