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Online Community Login
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Hope Church
has a history of changes that were often uncomfortable, but were rewarded by
major growth in membership and ministry. The congregation got its start nearly a
century ago in 1907, when some German Evangelicals began meeting in their homes
for Bible study. In 1913, they called a pastor and met in a cottage, but it soon
became too small. This led to Hope’s first big change, buying a building that
another church was vacating at 16th and Carpenter Streets. However, its small
chapel soon became inadequate, so Hope built its first new structure nearby and
dedicated it in 1915.
 At that time, there was one service in German and one in
English each Sunday morning. The nation’s entry into World War I brought another
significant change. The language of the first service was changed to English.
Hope prospered in the years after the war, with average attendance of about 175.
It added a Sunday school, which eventually reached an enrollment of about 100.
World War II brought setbacks as many members went away to fight. After they
returned, the Evangelical United Brethren denomination determined that
northeastern Springfield could not support a larger building for the
congregation, so expansion ideas were shelved. Membership fell, and Hope had to
switch to a half-time pastor.
The late 1960s brought major changes, reversing Hope’s
fortunes. The Reverend Herman Newell, who had pastored a church in Bloomington,
agreed to come to Hope in 1968. Shortly after that Hope changed its
denominational affiliation to the Evangelical Free Church of America. But this
required leaving the building on the east side. A plot of land at 1800 North
Grand Avenue West became available. Some 35 members began meeting in Jane Addams
school and trying to raise its $10,000 price. They did so within a year, but
still had no building. After another successful fundraising effort, construction
began in 1972.
The following years saw solid growth. Pastor Newell retired,
and Hope called other pastors (including Doug Monkemeier, who served for 13
years). The first building on North Grand Avenue became inadequate, so the
church added a larger one at that site in 1979. Greg Sorenson was hired as youth
and music minister in 1980. The worship style became more “contemporary” and
attendance increased, so a second service was added. Hope also expanded its
mission efforts, becoming a sister church to a congregation in Haiti and sending
teams on mission trips there starting in 1983. Hope opened its building to a
Chinese Christian congregation, which worshipped there for a number of
years.
In the 1980s, pastors Doug Monkemeier and Greg Sorenson were
succeeded by Bill Shereos and Tom McKnight respectively. Hope continued to grow,
and once again needed a larger building. A parcel became available at 3135 Old
Jacksonville Road, and Hope put its existing property up for sale. It was sold,
and the congregation began renting space to worship in the Illinois PTA building
on South Spring Street. Hope dedicated its current building in January 1991.
The 1990s saw still more growth in attendance and ministry. Leanne
Mitchell became music minister in 1993 and spearheaded a major expansion in
musical programming. Blake Carter became an intern in 1995 and joined the staff
full-time as Equipping Pastor in 1996. Hope began a children’s Sunday morning
worship service (now called Harvestland). Greg Everett became Director of
Student Ministries in 1997. Hope started a relationship with Abundant Faith
Christian Center and participated in joint services, picnics, and retreats. A
third service on Saturday evening, and the Saturday Night Café, were added in
1999.
Bill Shereos was called to a church in Chicago, and was succeeded
in 2000 by Blake Carter. Also that year, the Living Hope Counseling Center
opened in the church office building. Hope’s Women in Touch program, Harvestland
for children, youth ministries, recovery ministries, and other programs continue
to serve more and more people, both inside and outside Hope Church. This
expansion has required buying a modular building (“The Connection Section”) to
increase the space available for Harvestland. A look back at this history shows
the hand of God working through a diverse group of people, all united by their
desire to serve Him. A look forward into Hope’s second century shows almost
unlimited opportunities for Hope to minister to people in Springfield and
beyond.
(Postscript: Pastor Newell went to be with God in 1999, at the
age of 101—not long after addressing a standing-room-only Sunday service at
Hope. Commenting on the “Imagine . . . A Transforming Hope” campaign, his widow
Evelyn says: “I think he would be so thrilled to see the church moving
forward.”)
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Online Giving
Have you ever thought of contributing to Hope Church by the way of "electronic giving?" There are several ways this can be done, all of which are easy and safe.
Just click on the link below to get started
Online Giving |
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Food for the Journey
Hope is a place for people willing to embark on a spiritual journey, from those just investigating whether there is a God, to those who have made following Christ the priority of their life. This is a safe place for everyone. But safe doesn’t mean serenity. The Bible presents a dangerous message of life change. We don’t assume everyone believes, or even knows the Bible, but we do assume everyone who comes through our doors is open to exploring it. We believe the Bible is God’s inerrant truth and it is foundational to everything we do.
The Daily Devotional
Food for the Journey.
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