Location: Beaver Falls, Pa.

Presbytery: Allegheny

Organization: Oct. 2020

Membership: 119 communicant; 40 baptized

Pastor: George Gregory

Website: www.hopecommunityrpc.com

Hope Community (Beaver Falls, Pa.) RPC was organized in Oct. 2020, formerly a part of College Hill (Beaver Falls, Pa.) RPC (now College Hill Reformed). Our church began in a unique situation, being in essence fully formed from the outset. Six ruling elders, one teaching elder, and four deacons were elected and installed at the same time, and a further five deacons were elected and installed the following March. With 104 communicants, 35 baptized members, and ownership of a church building in the College Hill neighborhood, Hope Community RPC began with most of the tools (blessings!) a new congregation might lack.

The decision to split College Hill RPC into two congregations was made after years of looking for where the Lord would lead. With a commitment between the two congregations to live in special unity and cooperation, the members of Hope Community RPC solemnly covenanted with God and one another to live in brotherly unity as an organized body. Not quite a church plant, not quite a daughter congregation, the members of this brand new yet full-sized body looked for what kind of church they would be.

During the message to the congregation at our organizational service, Pastor Jonathan Watt, from Tusca Area (Beaver, Pa.) RPC, pointed out that the name we chose for ourselves could be a guide to who we might be as a body. He read Colossians 1:3–5: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.”

Then he read Romans 8:24–25: “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” He pointed out that the hope we claimed in our name is offered freely to all creation in the gospel, and that we had an opportunity to offer this same life-giving hope to our neighbors in Beaver Falls, Pa.

As our session has begun the hard work of shepherding and discipling, we have begun to work out what it means to be a community of hope. Although we rejoice to have a number of Geneva College students worshiping in our midst, Hope Community RPC does not see itself as primarily a college church, even with our proximity to campus. Our efforts have been more directly focused on ministry and outreach in the College Hill and Beaver Falls community.

Over the past two years, Pastor George Gregory preached through the book of John, showing us the love of Christ and the hope we have in His person and ministry. We moved on to Colossians, and currently to Ecclesiastes, where we are considering the vanity of life under the sun without hope in Jesus.

We are also engaged in Bible studies midweek, with offerings for women (currently studying Acts and Isaiah), men (the gospel of Luke), and college students (just finished Judges). We recently began a new set of Sunday school curriculum for different age groups. We also join with College Hill RPC for youth group after evening service on Sundays.

The outreach and evangelism committee at Hope Community RPC plans a number of community outreach events throughout the year. In late summer, we host a block party on the corner outside our building. We invite all of Beaver Falls to enjoy fresh French fries, smoked pulled pork, hot dogs, and ice cream. We partner with local organizations in the area who provide a bouncy house and activities for the kids such as oversized blocks and Connect 4. Over the last two years, we have seen close to 200 members of the community attend, besides our own members. We also host a fall festival, other smaller outreach efforts, and hope to return soon to our once-a-month Sunday breakfast ministry that was disrupted due to the pandemic.

We have the opportunity to open our church building for the benefit of Meals on Wheels and other community organizations who use our facilities throughout the week. Our fellowship committee organizes a number of opportunities for the body to enjoy time together, even developing creative avenues like picnics during Covid restrictions.

The Lord has blessed us in so many ways, and we are thankful for His provision and guidance as we test new ministries, strive in discipleship, and live in community. Please pray that the lost in our community would respond to the hope that we share. Pray for our session, as they shepherd us and seek to provide a vision for ministry and discipleship. Pray for our deacons and committees, as they establish new policies and procedures for church safety, mercy ministry, and the everyday functions of our church. Pray for those with illness and physical difficulties in our midst. And pray that we would always be ready to give “a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).