House Church Planting!
April 30, 2015
Hopefully soon, Hope Lutheran Church is looking to plant two or more house churches in the surrounding communities.
On March 27 and March 28, we hosted Lutheran pastors, Rev. Tom Hilpert and Rev. Peter Churness to train our house church leaders. These Lutheran pastors are the leaders of a non-profit teaching ministry, Life Together Churches that has been overseeing, training and developing house churches for over 25 years. They will also provide ongoing coaching. We have received a grant from the North American Lutheran Church to assist with training and start-up costs. The training event was a rich time of learning, fellowship and worship.
The house churches are going to be led by current members of Hope Lutheran who have a desire to regularly and intentionally worship and grow in Jesus in a house church setting. Each of these leaders has expressed excitement around gathering people in a house church setting who currently are not connected or marginally connected with a church gathering. Following the training event, they are currently praying about the timing of when they will start, and also who they will invite.
Last November, several people from Hope attended the Mission and House Church Planting Conference led by North American Lutheran Church Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Dr. Gemechis Buba. The North American Lutheran Church is raising a vision for the planting of house churches. The North American Lutheran Church is hoping to partner in an ongoing way with Life Together Churches, a ministry dedicated to supporting and resourcing house churches. Life Together Churches works closely with both Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). Both NALC and LCMC are advocating the planting of churches, including house churches.
New Youth Minister!
April 30, 2015
Hope Lutheran Church has a new youth minister! His name is Dylan Hernandez! Hope Church and Good Shepherd Church (next door) are sharing him! Most of the time, he is meeting with our youth and children on Sunday evenings! Any adult or child is welcome of all ages are welcome on Sunday evenings to meet Dylan.
Pentecost Sunday: Confirmation
April 1, 2015
On May 24 as we celebrate the pouring out of the Holy Spirit during the Jewish festival of Pentecost nearly 2000 years ago, we will pray for the powerful Holy Spirit to be stirred up and poured out upon our confirmation students as they publicly profess their trust in Jesus and desire to follow Him for the rest of their lives.
A reception for the confirmation students, family and friends will follow!