Dr. E. Dewey Smith, Jr., Senior Pastor/Teacher of one of Atlanta’s largest and fastest growing churches, The House of Hope Atlanta (The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church), designates Sunday, October 25, 2015, as “Law Enforcement Appreciation Sunday” at The House of Hope Atlanta.The House of Hope Atlanta ministry will recognize the dedication to and sacrifices of these servants within our communities. Recent highly publicized media reports of officer-involved incidents have resulted in strained relationships globally between law enforcement and citizens. The continued presence of police and peace officers is vital to maintaining safer environments. Through “Law Enforcement Appreciation Sunday,” The House of Hope Atlanta seeks to focus efforts on building positive relationships within it’s immediate communities.
Dr. Smith shared, “We cannot ignore the injustices that are trying to become ‘the new normal’ in our black communities, therefore we have to make it clear to this generation and the generations to come that we can’t paint all police with the same color paint. There is good and bad in every profession. Our goal is to bridge the gaps between law enforcement and our community. While there have been needed protests about police brutality in the U.S. recently, we want to highlight the positive contributions made by police officers in our community.“
Sunday morning worship services for The House of Hope Atlanta are held at 7:30a.m. and 10:15a.m. at 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur, Ga. 30034. The public is invited to attend. There will be continental breakfast for RSVP’d media at 10:00 a.m. and dinner will be served to uniformed officers in attendance immediately after the 10:15 a.m. worship service.
ABOUT THE HOUSE OF HOPE
The House of Hope Atlanta is located in south DeKalb County in Decatur, Georgia. It is a body of baptized believers united as instructed by Scripture in Ephesians 4:4-6. Since 2004, the church has been under the leadership of Senior Pastor/Teacher Dr. E. Dewey Smith, Jr., a renowned man of God and a public preacher of His word. A native of Macon, Ga., Dr. Smith has been a minister of the gospel for more than 25 years. By his fifth year as pastor, the membership of The House of Hope Atlanta had quadrupled and today exceeds 11,000. Surnamed The House of Hope, the church offers hope to those desiring a respite from the trials and tribulations of life and guidance to those earnestly seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ. The House of Hope is “one church ministering to five generations” and welcomes those in metro Atlanta and beyond to worship God, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others, and execute the business of the Kingdom with excellence. The vision focus statement for 2015 is, “The Year of B.E.T.T.E.R. (Build, Expansion, Transition, Transformation, Education, Reach).”
