Other Activities

• Black Heritage Dinner – This event is organized by the Youth Department and is held during Black History Month on the 4th Sunday in February following second service. A Poster Board is displayed in the church lobby containing a sheet for each geographical area/state for people to sign up to bring a dish. Saturday prior, the church’s Dotson Fellowship Hall set-up is done, with signs posted for the area/state. One month prior to dinner, a bulletin announcement is placed regarding the Heritage Contest for youth participants. Contest can be for art pictures, videos, papers, etc. Black history presentation at morning service each Sunday of Black History Month by youth and adults. The congregation were encouraged to dress like their forefathers dressed and bring a dish popular from the state in which they were born. There is a contest between the regions where the best set out region gets their name on the plaque that sits outside the Dotson Fellowship Hall.
• Capuchin Soup Kitchen Community Service – Youth are transported by church bus to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen on the 1st Saturday in December for fellowship with community. There, articles, such as hats, gloves, scarves and socks from the warming tree set up in the vestibule of the church are given. Snacks are also taken and distributed to the homeless. The Youth Chorale sings, and Liturgical dancers perform. Intercessory Prayers and/or Evangelists have gone with us on prior occasions.
• Cedar Point trip - Usually scheduled for 2nd Saturday in August the youth go to Cedar point for the day and are provided buses, food, and beverages.
• Christmas Caroling – At local Nursing Homes and to sick and shut-in church members at their homes.
• Express Yourself (For Teen Girls) - A relaxed panel discussion with teen girls to permit them to ask any questions they may have of mature Christian women. This event is held for girls aged 13 to 18. Girls bring pillows and get comfortable in the Youth Room. Spirit filled mentoring women of the church attend and answer questions asked by the girls. The girls submit questions written on paper so they remain anonymous and feel free to ask anything. No one other than the mentors and the girls are allowed in the room.
• Family Fun Night – An evening of fun for all ages held at the YMCA, including swimming, basketball, hustle lessons, Paw Patrol, games, crafts, food and beverages. Generally held at the Royal Oak YMCA, 1016 11 mile rd., east of Woodward. Admission cost is required of attendees.
• Flower Day -This is a Sunday where the youth provide flowers to members of the congregation who want to bless someone special by giving them a flower during the service. Referred to as Flower Day, Give Me My Flowers is an event scheduled in September or October. Roses are sold before and after each service. During each service a time is set aside for purchasers to exchange the flowers.
• Harvest Fest – A Saturday in the summer where New Hope has a small carnival set up in the parking lot and is open to the public. Last done in 2018. Usually happens every other year, alternating with Youth Retreat.
• High School Graduate Luncheon - Graduates are honored on Sunday, usually 3rd Sunday of May, with a dinner or light refreshments in DFH. Scholarships are awarded to students who have been active in a ministry for two years. Those who are youth stewards also will receive an additional award amount. Sunday School gives an award amount to those who have also been active in Sunday School. Honorees are also presented with a gift. In past it has been a back pack, inspirational book, etc. A display is put in the church lobby of all graduates’ pictures and they were recognized during church service.
• Graduates Cap Day – 2nd Sunday in June is Cap Day when all graduates wear their cap to church.
• Lock In - Once a year the children and youth have an evening of fun, games, movies and food, and at midnight, the doors are locked and the youth have a sleep over. Sometimes Youth Watch Night is chosen for Lock-In as well as any other date. Any child can attend. If child is not spending the night at NHMBC, must leave at 11:00 pm. Doors are locked at 11:00 pm and there is no entrance or exit at that point. There is a cost to attend the Lock-In whether from 6-11 or overnight. The Dotson Fellowship Hall is set-up with bouncers, Jousts, craft tables. Other Rooms are used as well. We get security and assistance for entire night from the Mountain Moving Men ministry in addition to regular volunteers.
• Movie Night - Youth Department sponsors a Friday movie night. In 2019, it is planned for October, 25th. An appropriate movie for young and older students is choosen. If they are shown separate movies, the young people view the movie in the Youth Room, and older people view movie in the Dotson Fellowship Hall. Snacks are provided.
• Outstanding Scholars – Twice a year students on the honor roll are recognized on Sunday and rewarded with a monetary gift.
• Pastor’s Anniversary Youth Day Celebration - This event is held on the Friday prior to the Sunday of Pastor’s Anniversary, which is the 3rd Sunday in March. Various venues are held for this celebration, e.g. have all youth groups perform in the Sanctuary then retire to church’s Dotson Fellowship Hall for refreshments. During previous celebrations we have held a formal dinner at Detroit Yacht Club with contracted entertainment; held semi-formal dinner in DFH with contracted entertainment; provided Pastor and First Lady with a Spa Day transported via limousine. Pastor and First Lady are presented with separate checks and traditionally give Pastor a child’s toy wagon-full of candy.
• Roundtable - An open honest discussion with Pastor Roberson and the teenage boys.
• Annual skating party - Usually scheduled offsite for the 4th Saturday in February but can be held any open dates during the year. Venue most often used is Skate World of Troy, 2825 E. Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48083. Obtain reservation no later than beginning of January because venue supplies tickets to be sold prior to event date.
• Youth Retreat – Every other year the youth are taken on a spiritual retreat to such places as Wheels in Canada, Camp grounds, and Kalahari, where there are spiritual classes and opportunity for fun.
• Birthday Party for Jesus – It is one of the ways Children’s church celebrates Christmas in December of each year. The children bring toiletries to give to the homeless. This event is held every year on the 3rd Sunday of December. The Youth Department’s Children’s Church and Sunday School celebrate the birth of Jesus. The church’s Dotson Fellowship Hall is set-up with bouncers, tables for face painting and crafts, and food and beverages. The event begins immediately following Sunday School at 10:30am and is over at 1:00pm.
• - A Sunday morning in the Summer where domestic and exotic animals are brought in as a petting zoo, fruits and vegetables are set out, and the Bible lesson from the creation is presented. We contract for a mobile Planetarium from Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, the domestic mobile petting zoo is by Carousel Acres, and the exotic animals come from Wildlife Safari. This is usually held the 3rd Sunday in September. Open to the public, and no entrance fee is required.