A Little About Ourselves

Welcome! We're so glad you stopped by here to visit our Family of Hope blog. First things first: who are we and how did we get here?


Family of Hope Christian Church was started in 2005 with a rascally band of disciples of Christ. They were Ayanna, Armon, Candyce, Deirdre, (pictured left, excited about our newly donated printer) & Lewis. Ayanna was serving on the ministerial team at Park Manor Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 2004, when the regional leadership for our denomination--the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)--came by to ask them a question. Would any of these ministers be willing to help start a new church in a neighborhood where another church had closed? Ayanna thought to herself, I'm graduating in a few months and I don't have a job. Why not? News spread, and Candyce offered to help. They went to New Church Planter Training together in September of 2004. Then Armon heard God's call to ministry and he offered to help. Then, Deie and Lewis, members of Park Manor, offered to help. (That's Lewis, below.)

And before you know it, we had a leadership team.

Organized and inspired by "Coach/Sensei/Godfather" Rev. Demus, the five of them committed in March of 2005 to give the next three years to building this new church. And a few weeks later, on March 27, Resurrection Sunday, Family of Hope Christian Church held its first worship service...at 7:30am. (We have not gotten up that early since.)

Shortly after, in April, we added Shereice to the leadership team. In May of 2005, Family of Hope hosted its first block party. In July of 2005, Robert Adams (our first visitor!) became the first person baptized in the Family of Hope congregation. In August of 2006, Tara & Jason were the first couple married by the church--and Pastor Ayanna's first wedding! In September 2006, we had our first ministry intern (and marathon runner), Ryan Singleton.

And then, all of a sudden, we'd crossed the three year mark. There were a few rocky moments...like the whole first year. But we kept meeting, kept worshiping, kept eating. We stayed up late. We got up late. But God never let go of us, and we never let each other give up. Ours is a story of faithfulness--God's mostly, and ours some too.

We're celebrating 3 years tomorrow with a Worship Extravaganza. It should be a BLAST. Come join us if you live close. Go to www.familyofhopechristianchurch.com for directions. If not, we'll miss you...and eat your share of the cake.