Hope Chapel invites you to celebrate their 100th birthday

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In 1908 at Pilot Point, Texas, the Church of the Nazarene – a denomination formed in the footsteps of Methodism’s John Wesley and the 19th century holiness movement in America – was born. A mere 15 years later, the young church planted a congregation in Lincoln. It came about on August 10, 1923, when Rev. Ed Gallup of Springfield First Church of the Nazarene met with a group of nine individuals in the home of Mrs. Estella Adams on 4th Street and formed the very first Nazarene congregation here. Within a few short years, a local businessman donated a storefront property on Clinton Street to the church and that building served the church well into the 1930’s. The growing congregation eventually razed the building and sold the land in favor of a corner lot on Pulaski Street. A new structure was built on a foundation of concrete blocks salvaged from the demolition. The church enjoyed many good years of growth and service in that downtown location. By the late 1970’s, they once again experienced growing pains and sought a new place to build. This time it chose the newly minted Westville subdivision. The building on Pulaski Street was sold to the Church of Christ and in early 1980, a new brick structure was completed and dedicated. It has served as the home of the Church of the Nazarene in Lincoln ever since.

The history of this little group may not seem that significant, but there are some notable points of interest. For instance, in 1926 the church called a woman, Rev. Helen Peters, to serve as their pastor. For some Christian groups, such a choice would have been considered too radical, but the Church of the Nazarene recognized women for ordained ministry from its very beginning. Records show that Rev. Peters was instrumental in the growth of the young church. More than once the church has had co-pastors, husbands and wives that served equally in service to the congregation and the community.

 

Over the last 100 years, the church has continued to share hope in Jesus Christ – which is a key part of what it means to be “Nazarene.” We have hope because God is for us. We have hope because through Jesus Christ our sins can be washed away. We have hope because the Holy Spirit can transform a life completely. And we have hope because God has prepared a future for His people that is beyond imagination. For these reasons, in 2017 the congregation voted to change the name from “Lincoln First” to “Hope Chapel.” Our name may have changed, but our mission is the same as it was in 1923.

On Sunday, August 27th, Hope Chapel will celebrate our 100th birthday with a special service at 10:00 am. The theme will be “Looking Back. Leaning Forward” and will feature several special guests including the District Superintendent of the Illinois District Church of the Nazarene, Rev. Terry Armstrong and his wife Becky. Mrs. Armstrong, a former teacher and gifted communicator, will bring the morning message. We invite everyone – friends, former members and attendees, and neighbors in the community to help us mark this very special occasion.

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