New Hope Community Church

Has Found A New Home

“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

(Matthew 8:20)

While Reverend Jim Solomon of New Hope Community Church of Newtown has not been homeless himself, he nevertheless often has felt that the church he pastors has been homeless until recently, when Newtown Congregational Church opened its doors to the New Hope congretation.

Robin Askin, executive director of The Homesteads at Newtown, and Kerry Cardinal, the activities director of The Homesteads, had generously opened their doors to New Hope Community Church for Sunday morning services over the past year. Yet, the church plan, associated with The Alliance (CMAlliance.org), soon began to outgrow the space available and New Hope Community Church found itself once again looking for a new home, even a new temporary one.

“I felt as if I had the entire town searching for a new place in which our congregation could meet, from the staff at the land use office and the manager’s office of Edmond Town Hall to the first selectman,” said Rev Solomon. “Although they were all very helpful, nothing suitable was found.

“Then one day, after a meeting with Newtown Clergy Association, Reverend Lee Moore, the interim pastor of Newtown Congregational Church, gave me some hope while I was literally praying for New Hope!”

Rev Moore shared that there was a possibility that New Hope Community Church could utilize the sanctuary of Newtown Congregational Church on Saturday afternoon.

The two churches have been able to find a common hour that will work for both groups, and New Hope Community Church will begin meeting at 5 pm on Saturdays beginning with its weekend worship service on October 7.

Working with Les Burroughs, NCC’s chairman of the Board of Trustees, as well as other boards of the church, Rev Moore encouraged the church he leads to practice hospitality to the church which Rev Solomon leads in much the same way that Christ demonstrated hospitality to us. Both churches desire to demonstrate to the residents of Newtown the love, forgiveness, and guidance of Christ through serving God by helping others.

“If we focus on what we have in common, rather than on our differences, we can truly make a difference in the lives of others for the sake of Christ,” said Rev Solomon. “It’s high time that churches are more interested in building God’s kingdom rather than their own, as Christ said that the world will know that we are His followers by our love for one another and our unity in the community.

“It’s one thing for a church to begin new services of its own, only allowing for people to be served in its own way,” continued Rev Solomon. “It’s quite another thing for one church to allow another church to serve in its own way by sharing what it has: a building in which to meet for worship. It’s a sign that Newtown Congregational Church cares more about the community than itself. It’s very encouraging to me.”

Newtown Congregational Church is at 14 West Street.

For more information on New Hope Community Church of Newtown call 770-3745 or visit NewHope-CC.com.