August 6, 1999 Edition

CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

New Churches Offer Christ To The Unchurched

By Charles W. Courtoy
Executive Director of Church Development

The people called United Methodist within the Florida Conference are achieving marvelous results in new church development. Significant events that occurred in June alone are as follows:

The Annual Conference presented certificates of recognition to six new faith communities launched within the last conference year. They are: Ray of Hope in Tallahassee, CrossRoads in North Tampa, Crossroads in Rotonda, Shepherd’s Community in Lakeland, Kissimmee Brazilian Mission and Sebring Hispanic Mission.

Seven new faith communities have been approved and ministers appointed to launch congregations this year. They are: Port St. Lucie, the Rev. Vance Rains; Heathrow area near Sanford, the Rev. Robert M. Martin; Revival Mission in Sarasota, the Rev. Jim Campana; Community Hispanic in Casselberry, the Rev. Lucy Martinez; Fish Hawk in Brandon, the Rev. Robert L. Harding; Osprey, the Rev. Donald D. Nations; and Broward Hispanic, the Rev. Samuel Gonzalez.

New Life Community United Methodist Church in Jacksonville moved June 13 from the status of a mission congregation to a chartered congregation. The Rev. Candace Lewis was appointed in June 1996 to launch the new congregation in a predominately African-American community and within three years has established a self-sustaining congregation with more than 100 adult members and 82 preparatory members.

Hope United Methodist Church of New Port Richey consecrated its first building, a multipurpose facility, June 27. More than 450 persons attended the service. The Rev. David R. Miller was appointed in June 1995 to launch the new church. The congregation was chartered in September 1996 and became financially self-sustaining in June 1998. The church facility is located on 10 acres of land provided by the conference and district. The new facility contains more than 10,000 square feet of space that can accommodate 300 plus persons in each of the two services of worship currently offered each Sunday. Hope congregation borrowed $750,000 of the $1 million cost of construction from the Conference Committee on New Church Development and Church Redevelopment’s new church loan fund.

The Leesburg District closed on a 10-acre site for a future church in The Villages of Lady Lake. The Conference Committee on New Church Development and Church Redevelopment provided a $75,000 new-site grant to help with the purchase of the site.

Thank you for your prayers and your financial support. You are helping offer Christ to the unchurched of our state.

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