Jan 24, 2019, 4:00 PMJerome Langenhoven
A Year of Blessings at Hope Community Church, High Wycombe
Sabbath, 12 January 2019, marked one year of Hope Community Church, High Wycombe, worshipping at their newly acquired building. In the year before the church occupied their new place of worship, they had what they would call a wilderness experience until God finally led them into the 'promised land', our new building at Chapel Lane, High Wycombe.
The experience in 2017 was likened to that of the Israelites of old who wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, before entering the Promised Land. This analogy was used as the church worshipped in various rented places whilst refurbishment work was done to the building. The wandering finally came to an end where the first Sabbath worship took place on 12 January 2018 in the new building.
The highlight of the celebrations was the baptismal service which took place in the afternoon, when two people were not just received into membership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but were publicly proclaiming their redemption in Jesus Christ. The officiating ministers were local minister Pastor Wilfred Blake, Pastor Llew Edwards, retired Ministerial director of the BUC, and Pastor Chackochen of Chesham church. In a message of encouragement, Pastor Blake reminded the candidates that their baptism means victory to 'walk the Christian's walk and to talk the Christian's talk'. Christ will be their Guide and lead them in their Christian walk.
God has richly blessed the ministry at Hope Community Church during the past year in many ways. The baptism on 12 January was the third in one year and in the process a total of 12 new people have been welcomed to the family of God.
There have also been various outreach programmes in 2018. At Easter a play took place which, inspired members to become actors and present the Easter message to the community, which was well attended. In the summer holidays the church also ran a Holiday Bible School (HBS) for children of school age. Due to the commitment of the church membership to this course, attendance of the HBS was very good and the project was a great success. The HBS ended with a graduation ceremony on the Sabbath afternoon, where the children received a certificate of attendance. The parents of the children were invited to the graduation and they were ministered to, by their children, in song, word and art, using the skills they acquired during that week.
Recently at Christmas, there was a concert which was well attended by the community and the message of the Christ Child and the Saviour of the world was proclaimed through music and the spoken word. A very successful friendship club is also held once every week where members of the community engage with members at church over light refreshments and drinks.
We give God the honour, praise and glory for having done great things through ministry at Hope Community Church. We pray that God will continue to guide us in our endeavour to be faithful to His calling as we continue to serve Him within our new community.
Sabbath, 12 January 2019, marked one year of Hope Community Church, High Wycombe, worshipping at their newly acquired building. In the year before the church occupied their new place of worship, they had what they would call a wilderness experience until God finally led them into the 'promised land', our new building at Chapel Lane, High Wycombe.
The experience in 2017 was likened to that of the Israelites of old who wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, before entering the Promised Land. This analogy was used as the church worshipped in various rented places whilst refurbishment work was done to the building. The wandering finally came to an end where the first Sabbath worship took place on 12 January 2018 in the new building.
The highlight of the celebrations was the baptismal service which took place in the afternoon, when two people were not just received into membership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but were publicly proclaiming their redemption in Jesus Christ. The officiating ministers were local minister Pastor Wilfred Blake, Pastor Llew Edwards, retired Ministerial director of the BUC, and Pastor Chackochen of Chesham church. In a message of encouragement, Pastor Blake reminded the candidates that their baptism means victory to 'walk the Christian's walk and to talk the Christian's talk'. Christ will be their Guide and lead them in their Christian walk.
God has richly blessed the ministry at Hope Community Church during the past year in many ways. The baptism on 12 January was the third in one year and in the process a total of 12 new people have been welcomed to the family of God.
There have also been various outreach programmes in 2018. At Easter a play took place which, inspired members to become actors and present the Easter message to the community, which was well attended. In the summer holidays the church also ran a Holiday Bible School (HBS) for children of school age. Due to the commitment of the church membership to this course, attendance of the HBS was very good and the project was a great success. The HBS ended with a graduation ceremony on the Sabbath afternoon, where the children received a certificate of attendance. The parents of the children were invited to the graduation and they were ministered to, by their children, in song, word and art, using the skills they acquired during that week.
Recently at Christmas, there was a concert which was well attended by the community and the message of the Christ Child and the Saviour of the world was proclaimed through music and the spoken word. A very successful friendship club is also held once every week where members of the community engage with members at church over light refreshments and drinks.
We give God the honour, praise and glory for having done great things through ministry at Hope Community Church. We pray that God will continue to guide us in our endeavour to be faithful to His calling as we continue to serve Him within our new community.