Our History

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Here you can read about the History of Hopewell Church of God

Hopewell Church of God History
(excerpts taken from the record of Pastor J. Koogle, 1908
transcribed by Pastor Terry A. Steinhauer Sr.)

In an old book is found the following note relative to the history of the Church of God at Hopewell, Seneca County, Ohio.
Note:
The Church of God in the above named place was first organized in the year of our Lord, 1858. The foregoing note gives us no information whatever as to who was pastor when the organization was effected, nor who were the charter members that constituted it. The record referred to above does not give us the names of the members until the year 1868, just ten years after its organization. (said list will be found transcribed on first page for membership records.)
From the journal of the Ohio Eldership convened at Liberty Crawford Co. Ohio, A.D. 1859 we learn that Tiffin Station was represented by M. Coates Teaching Elder and W. Reeme, H. Creeger, G. Furley and B. Reeme Ruling Elders.This would indicate that the church was organized by Elder M. Coates.
The following is a list of the names of ministers who have served Hopewell Church: (until 1907) M. Coates, J.Hickernell, G.W.Wilson, J.W. Sensney (spelling illegible) J.L.Yenner, M.C.Mowen, D.S. Warner, Thomas James, Solomon Kline, J.A.Smith, J.W.Aukerman, W.H.Oliver, W.P.Burchard, Joseph Neil, J.H.McNutt, J.M.Cassel, R.H.Bolton, S.Dickerhoof, G.A.Bartlebaugh, A.E.Kefford, W.H.Guyer, W.C.Myers, W.P.Small,, J.H.Yoders, J.Koogle.
The Ohio Eldership held its sessions at Hopewell Oct. 14th, 1861 and again Oct. 14th,1870.

The Present Building:
On the 8th day of February, 1888 the first special meeting was held for the purpose of taking the initial steps towards erecting a new house of worship. The meeting was organized by calling Elder G.A.Bartlebaugh then of Wooster, Oh. To the chair and Bro. W.F.Martin was elected Secretary. Bro. Martin declined to serve and Howard Kimmel was elected.
At this meeting the following persons were elected to act in the capacity of a business and building committee Viz Jackson Sager, W.H.King, Phillip Keppel, L.D.Creeger & H.W. Creeger, with Elder J.H.McNutt pastor as an advisory member. The committee elected H.W.Creeger as its chairman.
Here began a long hard fought battle which finally resulted in the completion of the now spacious Bethel known far and near as Hopewell Bethel. A monument to the earnest devotion to the cause of the Master and the indomitable determination to succeed on the part of all interested in its construction and completion.
Hopewell, like the children of Israel in the wilderness has had many camping places. Sometimes it stood alone as a mission, at times connected with Tiffin, then attached to Attica Circuit, then with New Washington, sometimes with Bloom Circuit, then with Risingsun and last with Fostoria until Feb. 8th, 1903 the writer of this record took charge of the work and has continued to the present time, Dec. 12th, 1907. The first protracted meeting the writer held here began Feb. 8th, 1903 and continued until March 5th. The visible results was one professed faith and one united with the church.
The second protracted meeting began December 1, 1903 and continued until the 22nd of same month without any visible results save that the church was revived and Christians strengthened. On the 14th of Jan. 1906 we began a special meeting that continued until Feb.14th, 1906 resulting in the conversion of 12 persons and 8 accessions, six were baptized later. Feb. 14th, 1907 we again began revival work at Hopewell which continued until March the 5th during which time two professed faith in Christ, one of which with five others who united by letter were fellowshipped.
Thus the work at Hopewell has stood amidst all its reverses and successes for nearly half a century and allows us to ask what is she going to do in 1908 in the way of celebrating her Semi centennial?

Respectfully,

J.Koogle, (present pastor 1907)

"Building a Church"
Isaiah 58:12 KJV"And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."

Nehemiah 2:20
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us;
therefore we his servants will arise and build:

A Church however; is not built out of bricks, stone and mortar. It is built out of love, care, and a concern for the eternal destiny of our brothers and sisters.

Lively Stones
1 Peter 2:1-10 "Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation; if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1. Have a Plan
Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish"

2. Clear away the rubble
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

3. Gather the raw materials
Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

What legacy will we leave our grandchildren here at
Hopewell Church of God???