Hopewell Network of Churches
The Hopewell Network of Churches traces its history to the founding and rapid growth of Hopewell Mennonite Church in Elverson, Pennsylvania, in the 1970s and early 1980s. During the 1980s, Hopewell, part of the Atlantic Coast Mennonite Conference, began to plant additional churches during the charismatic outpouring. Within nine years the congregation planted 10 churches. This group of churches began to work together as a district within the Atlantic Coast Conference. Soon the daughter churches began to plant churches, and the fellowship grew even larger.
The Hopewell churches moved toward a more hierarchical, apostolic approach to church governance. While appreciating and holding onto many of the values of Anabaptism, the network become more interdenominational in its vision. It left the Mennonite Church (MC) in 2001 and became the Hopewell Network of Churches.
In 2010 the network consisted of 16 churches in the United States, with an approximate membership of 2,015. Most of these churches were located on the East Coast. Hopewell had established networks in Kenya, Haiti, and Mexico. The membership of these overseas churches was approximately 1,500 in 2010. These churches were also sending missionaries and short-term mission workers elsewhere in the world.
The network’s stated purpose (2010) is: "We are a fellowship of churches empowered by the Holy Spirit to advance Christ’s Kingdom by preparing leaders for ministry and mission. The purpose of the Hopewell Network is to create caring communities of dynamic Spirit-led worship, teaching, and evangelism with Elder Team leadership and small group discipleship based around common network values."
The network lists its affiliation as interdenominational. It’s periodical, Streams, began in 2006, and is issued three times yearly.
The following congregations were members of the Hopewell Network of Churches in 2010:
| Congregation | City | State |
|---|---|---|
| ACTS Covenant Fellowship | Lancaster | Pennsylvania |
| Good Shepherd Community Church | Reamstown | Pennsylvania |
| Grace Christian Fellowship | Oxford | New Jersey |
| Hope of the Nations Christian Center | Reading | Pennsylvania |
| Hopewell Church | Elverson | Pennsylvania |
| Hopewell Christian Fellowship | Telford | Pennsylvania |
| Hopewell Community Church | Pottstown | Pennsylvania |
| Immanuel Christian Fellowship | Manheim | Pennsylvania |
| Kingdom Life Ministries | Hesston | Kansas |
| Living Hope Fellowship | Forksville | Pennsylvania |
| Living Truth Fellowship | Christiana | Pennsylvania |
| Love Christian Fellowship | Birdsboro | Pennsylvania |
| Petra Christian Fellowship | New Holland | Pennsylvania |
| Rockville Fellowship | Belleville | Pennsylvania |
| Spring City Fellowship | Spring City | Pennsylvania |
| Tierra Prometida | Gaithersburg | Maryland |
Bibliography
Anabaptist (Mennonite) Directory 2011. Harrisonburg, VA: The Sword and Trumpet, 2011: 62-63.
Betz, Lisa and Lester Zimmerman. The handprint of God: History of the Hopewell Network. New Holland, Pa.: Hopewell Network, 2017.
Additional Information
Address: 565 Airport Road, New Holland, Pennsylvania 17557
Phone: 717-354-5394
Website: Hopewell Network of Churches
Maps
Map:Hopewell Network of Church - Head Office
| Author(s) | Lester Zimmerman |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2012 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Zimmerman, Lester. "Hopewell Network of Churches." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2012. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hopewell_Network_of_Churches&oldid=173013.
APA style
Zimmerman, Lester. (April 2012). Hopewell Network of Churches. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hopewell_Network_of_Churches&oldid=173013.
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