HPSM 2008-2009 School Year has officially begun for our full-time interns and we’ve hit the ground running. Our week long orientation has already served up a few highlights to be remembered.

After move-in Friday, our crazy interns woke up early and served it up at Healing Place Church’s largest one day outreach per year: SERVOLUTION. What a day. Then Sunday, each intern served at one of HPC’s regional campuses and immediately following brought warmth and hospitality to hundreds of new people to the HPC family at our Newcomer’s Reception. Then it is was time to bust out the old school P.E. t-shirts with an early Monday morning 5K run. Drenched shirts and gasps later, the interns are now primed for their 2-day a week morning workouts. With a curve-ball thrown by Mother Nature on Tuesday morning, an impromptu bowling party erupted along with popcorn and snazzy shoes. Later that evening began HPSM’s first ever Amazing Race that brought the interns to all of HPC’s regional campuses, challenge by challenge, outreach by outreach, and stomp routine by stomp routine. From loving on some widows in St. Francisville, to mid-night inner-city food distribution at the Winnbourne DreamCenter, to facility clean-up in St. Amant, to painting at the Donaldsonville DreamCenter, this Amazing Race did much more than test riddle-solving skills, but brought perspective and holistic vision of Healing Place Church to the hearts of all the interns. And that’s just the first half of the week!

Check back here for more updates on what God is doing through the exciting HPSM class of ’09!

Our 2007-2008 Full Time interns recently returned from their end of the year international mission trip forever impacted.  They spilt up into three teams and served in Swaziland, Africa, Mozambique, Africa, Hyderabad, India.  It was incredible! In one moment here in Baton Rouge, during our multiple Sunday services at multiple campuses, to know our arms were reaching around the world and being a part of church amongst the orphaned of Africa and the poor of India.

 Check out this testimony from our Swaziland team, where our interns were apart of launching our first service at our new HPC Swaziland campus:The HPSM mission trip to Swaziland was an incredible experience. This trip held a lot of “firsts” for me…it was my first mission trip, my first time to Africa, my first 20 hour flight, and my first visit to a Children’s Cup Care Point. We had the honor of serving at the first few HPC Swazi outreaches. It was so awesome to see bright red Serve shirts against the backdrop of a Swazi soccer field as we handed out Cokes and told people about the church launch. I will never forget singing songs with the kids at the care points and just loving on them as much as I could. God really spoke to me before I left about giving everything I had to the people I would meet, and I did. I fell into bed exhausted but God was faithful and renewed my strength daily, giving me more so I could give more. I will always remember how natural it was to serve there. The scenery was different and the people were different but we all shared the same heart. There really is HPC DNA half way around the world in Swaziland! It was incredible to be a part of the first official Sunday service! We were full to capacity on the first day…sounds like HPC, right? What a blessing to hear Pastor Ben share the love of Jesus with over 200 people. I am so thankful for Michelle, Tiffany and all of the HPSM staff for preparing us to serve. I have learned so much through the internship. I believe I can speak for the Swazi Team when I say that all of the high standards, all of the sacrifice, all of the sweat and tears shed during the past nine months prepared us to serve with a right heart and a willing spirit. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to participate in a program like HPSM and sit under the direction of the HPC staff. The trip to Africa was such an incredible blessing to me that I returned to Baton Rouge with a burning desire to change the world by serving One.

What an astounding 9 months! Truly only God knows how exponentially His love was dispersed via 68 men and women who decided that ordinary living was not on their to-do list. From classrooms to ministry internships to multiple campuses to dozens of outreaches and hearts swollen with compassion, we thank this cherished class of interns for genuinely being a healing place for a hurting world. Heaven will resound from your hearts and labor.

As we close out the calendar year for Elevate 07-08, we are so excited for what God has in store for the future. We look forward to His shaping and in doing so we’ve embraced a new name to suit more the molding He is turning this thing into - a “Healing Place School of Ministry.” With all the new direction and growth that God has granted, we can’t help but to be excited about this new season for HPSM. Check out the updated catalogs to see all the new, exciting changes for this next year.

If you are planning on signing up for this upcoming year of HPSM, please make a note that the application deadline is JUNE 29!

+ Check out some of the pictures from graduation night on the right sidebar. (>)

What a life. These past few months have been amazing and God has shown off throughout every moment. So, sit back and check out all the God moments we have been privileged to be a part of:

+ Took part in HPC’s largest one day outreach ever - Servolution
+ Heard from God at Elevate Retreat
+ Served at HP Women’s first ever women’s conference - Live the Dream
+ Reached out to churches nationwide through HPC Experience
+ Was a part of ARC Church Planters Round Table
+ Relaxed and skimmed rocks at the Elevate camping trip
+ Creative and quirky Pilgrim costumes at a Thanksgiving turkey feast
+ Sang Christmas carols while styling our cheesiest Christmas sweater
+ Helped at a hospital that specifically treats AIDS patients
+ Preached amazing sermons
+ Reached out to the forgotten at our homeless outreach
+ Are core leaders and start-up team at our new Baton Rouge Dreamcenter
+ Served at free medical clinics
+ Helped make Fall Fest an amazing event
+ Multiple Christmas Outreaches
+ Helped host concerts with such artists as Natalie Grant & Hillsong UNITED
+ Served at our women’s Chick Brunch
+ Received vision at HPC Staff Retreat
+ etc…

and that’s just the beginning!!!

What an amazing past few months and we are looking forward to all that God has for us in ‘08.

That’s right, your interns lapped the extra mile a few times 2 weekends ago by raising the most money ever in one weekend for the missions trip they will be attending at the end of the school year. Over $3500! These weekends of fund-raising, in which they are paired off with another intern, not only help raise money for missions, but teach teamwork, creativity, and plain ol’ hard work - for the Kingdom of course. Even shoveling manure was worth it!

Also, this may be unbelievable for some of you parents, but this past Sunday and Monday we went on a solitude retreat where we dedicated our time, schedule, food, and even communication to the Lord and spent 24 hours in complete silence and allowed God to speak instead. This is one of the most valuable weekends for the interns as we know that when we draw close to God, He draws near to us. So please continue to pray for them as God continues to love and prepare them for the plans and purposes of His Will.