August 2009 Newsletter

Dear HPN members,

PRAISES:

• Last month's Hollywood Connect seminar on Branding, was a great success. Thank you so much for praying. It inspired people to be smarter in their professional lives, consider how they can more effectively define themselves and their faith, and it brought together a large group of creative people, who started friendships and great connections. Be encouraged - God is moving in Hollywood!

• Many more celebrities are involved with philanthropic endeavors than we realize. Let's be aware of the good that Hollywood celebrities are doing, and pray that through their generous and selfless efforts they can find the source of their passion - Jesus! Just to name a few, here are some celebrities and the non-profit efforts they founded:
  Mariska Hargitay started Joyful Heart Foundation (www.Joyfulheartfoundation.org),
  Michael J. Fox founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (www.Michaeljfox.org),
  Josh Brolin began Brandaid Project (www.Brandaidproject.com),
  Chris Rock founded Angel Rock (www.Angelrockproject.com),
  Hilary Swank started The Innocence Project (www.Innocenceproject.org),
  Alicia Keys began Keep a Child Alive (www.Keepachildalive.org),
  Halle Berry founded The Jenesse Center (www.Jenesse.org),
  Charlize Theron founded Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (www.Charlizeafricaoutreach.org).
  We praise God that these people, and many others in Hollywood, are using their celebrity platform for the good of others.

UPDATES:

• Good news about our friend, Rosario, from the Act One community. She was expected to be in the hospital for 2 months after her gun shot wound, and she was released in 2 weeks. And though she's got a long way to go for full recovery, our community has embraced her and even donated thousands of dollars toward her care. She is very encouraged and so thankful to all who have been praying as well. Thank you so much for your continuing prayers for her. We're in the middle of a miracle!

• Keep praying for the continuing growth of the Hollywood Christian community. Recently, 60 people came to a Hollywood Connect Orientation session and they are being plugged in. We also ask that you pray for Christians outside of Hollywood to understand the value of the arts, the importance or artists in society, and how God uses artists to change culture. You can learn more about God's love for artists and even become familiar with many members of the Hollywood community by checking out the list of books that Hollywood Connect highlights at: www.hollywoodconnect.com/amazon-store.

• Continue to pray for Annette Funicello. Once a Disney Mousketeer, she is now wheelchair bound and unable to eat or speak on her own from Multiple Sclerosis. May her faith in the Lord give her great peace and joy during each new day.

• Comic Con was the largest and most successful event of the year - as 100,000 gathered in San Diego, CA to celebrate comic books, movies about comics and what's coming up in the future. Let's pray that we can see people as excited about the Lord as they are about super heroes and super villains!

REQUESTS:

• An upcoming film that was highlighted at Comic Con was "Alice In Wonderland," starring Johnny Depp and directed by Tim Burton.  We are excited that some solid believers are working on  the film, bringing salt and light to the set and post-production offices.  They are building relationships with many professionals who needed to meet Jesus and some of His followers.

• Sony Pictures and Sony Music have officially purchased the rights to produce a film of Michael Jackson's final concert tour. Sony acquired the footage from Jackson's LA rehearsals and what was shot for the planned behind-the-scenes pic for $60 million. They will even offer select sequences in 3-D. Please pray that this film will not continue to lift up Michael as a demi-god or a hero, but it will move people to understand the incredible talent he had. Pray also that it will provide a window into the deep pain, confusion, and fear that overwhelmed him.

• There was an article in a German newspaper, BILD, this past week, about Brad Pitt that quoted him as saying, "I'm probably 20 per cent atheist and 80% agnostic. I don't think anyone really knows. You'll either find out or not when you get there, until then there's no point thinking about it." He and Angelina have 7 children, so let's take time to pray for Brad and their whole family. God can do all things, redeem all, and never gives up on any of us. Let's pray for His unconditional love to be poured out on all of Brad's household.

• Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) also claims to be an atheist. This month, let's pray for him, his family, his fame, his faith, and his heart.

• Following over 10 years of discussion, Disney is planning to start building its first Disneyland in Shanghai, China. If they get the final go-ahead, construction on the project could be completed by 2014. Let's pray that this project will bring only the best of what America has to offer to China, that solid, loving Christians will be a part of it, and that it will bring opportunities for God to be more present in that nation.

• Please pray for the preparation of the 61^st annual Emmy Awards, coming up on Sunday, Sept. 20^th and for all of the nominees. This year's nominated Male Lead Actors in a Comedy Series are: Steve Carell as Michael Scott in "The Office," Tony Shalhoub, as Adrian Monk in "Monk," Jemaine Clement, as Jemaine in "Flight of the Conchords," Jim Parsons, as Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory," Alec Baldwin, as Jack Donaghy in "30 Rock," and Charlie Sheen, as Charlie Harper in "Two and a Half Men." Let's pray for their hearts, their families, and that they experience God's supernatural presence and His divine peace that surpasses understanding, as they await the announcement of the Emmys.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Continue joining us in prayer on Thursday nights as Hollywood Christian industry professionals gather for prayer at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. We're taking August off, but we're still praying on our own and hope that you are as well. When September comes, save your Thursday nights from 7-8pm and pray with us, either in person or in spirit. For more details email info@hpnemail.org.

• Caren Bream, from HPN and Shun Lee from Hollywood Connect, are going on the road and speaking in three churches in six days next week in Pennsylvania. Their mission is twofold, to spread the vision of Hollywood as the world's most influential mission field and to encourage Christians to get plugged into Hollywood Connect and receive consistent prayer through HPN. Their speaking tour begins on Tuesday, Aug. 18^th and ends at a church service on Sunday, Aug. 23^rd. Let's pray for them, that the Lord will give them strength, wisdom, favor and joy and that He will bring the right people to hear this good news about God moving in Hollywood! For more information, or if you want to attend one of the events, just click on: http://www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org/content/speaking-pa

• One more thing: there is another gathering of Christian media professionals in Pennsylvania next week. Our PA Local Chapter Directors are hosting an event called "Listen Up, Mission Hollywood" at Cornerstone Church in Easton, PA on Saturday, August 22^nd from 7-10pm. Let's pray for Jim and Renee and their willingness to spread the vision of God moving in Hollywood, to their friends in Easton. We praise God for what He's doing around the world to open up people's eyes to the need to PRAY FOR OUR HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.