Germantown Hope's final worship service, Sunday November 5th at 2:00 p.m.

[Matthew Grewe]

Dear friends of Germantown Hope,

Since our first first official service on Easter Sunday, 2003, Germantown Hope Community Church has been a place of worship and service in our neighborhood. What began as a small cluster of home groups meeting for weekly study and prayer, and worshipping at our parent church, Spirit and Truth Fellowship, grew into a church in its own right. God has been faithful to us. We have faced many obstacles, but He has walked with us and used us as a local expression of His body to bring His priorities of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, worship, sacrament, and service to life in one corner of one neighborhood of one city. We thank Him for all He has done, and are thankful for all of you and for everyone who has prayed for, encouraged, and worked alongside us over these years.

It is with sadness, but with God's faithfulness foremost in our minds, that we announce the closing and final worship service of Germantown Hope at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 5th. This difficult decision comes after several months of deliberation by our leadership council, and with input and guidance from leaders of our parent church. Germantown Hope's congregation has diminished in size over the years, and our leadership is depleted and in need of rest. We have prayed for some time that God would change these conditions, but He has chosen not to answer in the ways we would like, or in our timing. We know we will understand this someday, and take comfort in God's promise to care for each of His children as we take this step. Nevertheless, this is a time of loss for us all.

We will continue to worship together on the upcoming Sunday afternoons, with groups of members visiting other churches in the mornings as we all pray and discern about our next church homes. Our final service on November 5th will be one of thanksgiving and remembering. We would like to invite all of you to join us or to share memories and messages of encouragement.

In the meantime, please bless us and work alongside us at this time by praying:

-For the people of Germantown, who continue to need the Lord

-For the congregation, as we seek new church homes and new growth in the Lord

-For our leaders, in need of restoration in God and, in His time, vision for His next calling on us

-For our pastor, Nate Morris, who hopes to continue Bible teaching and discipleship meetings on weekdays at another location in the neighborhood

-For Spirit and Truth, our parent church, which is supporting us even as it mourns the sudden passing of elder Randy Baker, a founding leader of the church and a mentor and shepherd to many. The memorial service for Randy is being held this afternoon.

-For discernment and insight about our building, which will be donated- or sold and its proceeds used- to bless other ministries

We trust that in this ending, the Lord will make new things, and that He is far from done with us and with Germantown. Thank you for walking with us in this time of grief and of expectation. Praise God for all He has done and will do. As we sang in worship this past Sunday:

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!

How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!

How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;

How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

In His peace,

Matthew Grewe, deacon, Germantown Hope