Hope Academy of Music and the Arts had a record-breaking 340 course registrations for the fall term, filling every course weeks before the first day of classes and creating the need to hire additional teaching artists. Yet, even with additional teaching staff, many children had to be turned away; and so we are already planning to expand a bit for the winter term, which begins in February.

Our Wednesday Connection classes, in partnership with ELPC’s Youth and Young Adult Committee and Taizé Sung Prayers Worship, opened with over 70 course registrations. Kids and teens, along with their families, gathered for free Hope Academy classes, healthy snacks, games, homework help and a simple soup and bread meal. Many of the teenagers stayed on for club one sixteen dinner and Bible study. It was exciting to be able to reach out to children and families in our community and to welcome so many new people into our ELPC family. The early and immediate success of this program speaks to the amazing things we can accomplish when we work together.

Whole Foods Market is sponsoring our “Voices of Hope” vocal ensembles and will be providing the healthy snacks for our Wednesday Connection program. This is a great example of how Whole Foods Market strives to give back in meaningful ways to the communities it serves. We are grateful to Whole Foods Market and especially to Kim Wynnyckyj for their participation.

If you are interested in becoming part of our outreach efforts and helping us to continue to grow, we would be thankful for your donation; 100 percent will go directly to hiring additional teaching artists, purchasing materials and providing meals. In this way, you can help to make the arts affordable, accessible and not a matter of privilege for the children and youth in our community. Please make your check out to East Liberty Presbyterian Church and put “Wednesday Connection” on the memo line. For more information, call Norma Meyer at 412-441-3800, ext. 11.