New Member Classes

If you are interested in becoming a member of Hope Lutheran Church or would like more information about Hope, please call the church office at 302-328-7909 or email us at hlc@hopelutheran-de.org

"Visitor Packets" are available in the Narthex and contain a wealth of information about Hope Lutheran Church.

 The following was written by a member of the church who went through the new member class.

EVER WALK INTO AN ICE CREAM STORE AND ASK FOR A SAMPLE OF A NEW FLAVOR OR SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER TRIED BEFORE?  CHANCES ARE, THE PERSON BEHIND THE COUNTER WILL GLADLY GIVE YOU A SAMPLE, AND SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE, JUST TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION.  SAMPLING IS EASY, FUN AND NON-COMMITAL.  IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT'S ON THE SMALL SPOON-SIZED SAMPLE, YOU CAN ALWAYS TRY SOMETHING ELSE, BUT YOU HAVEN'T SPENT ANYTHING BUT TIME.  AT WORST, YOU'LL LEAVE THE SHOP AND GET YOUR ICE CREAM SOMEWHERE ELSE, SOMETHING NO ICE CREAM CLERK WANTS TO SEE HAPPEN!

SAMPLING CHURCHES IS LIKE SAMPLING ICE CREAM? VERY NON-COMMITAL AND USUALLY A LOT OF FUN.  I SAMPLED HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS BEFORE I FINALLY DECIDED TO ORDER A DOUBLE SCOOP ON A SUGAR CONE! 
 
NOW THAT I HAVE COMMITTED MYSELF TO HOPE, I WONDER WHATEVER TOOK ME SO LONG?  YES, THERE ARE LOTS OF FLAVORS AND EACH FLAVOR HAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO OFFER.  BUT IN THE END, IT ALL COMES BACK TO ONE THING? WHICH FLAVOR DO YOU LIKE BEST?  WHICH ONE WILL SATISFY YOUR NEED FOR FELLOWSHIP, WORSHIP, AND FAITH?  AND WHERE WILL YOU THANKFULLY AND REGULARLY KEEP COMING BACK, AGAIN AND AGAIN? 
 
SOME TIMES IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THE NEED FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS.  SOME TIMES IT?S A DEEP DESIRE TO WORSHIP GOD IN  ONCERT WITH OTHERS WHO SHARE YOUR SENSE OF BELIEF.  AND SOME TIMES IT'S SIMPLY ABOUT FAITH. 
 
BECOMING A MEMBER AT HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH ISN'T ABOUT A LONG SERIES OF CLASSES WHERE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF BIBLICAL HISTORY OR MEMORIZATION OF THE NICENE CREED WILL BE TESTED.  IT ISN'T ABOUT SWEARING OFF OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE.  AND IT ISN'T ABOUT COUNTLESS HOURS OF PUBLIC CONFESSION AND CLEANSING.

MEMBERSHIP AT HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH IS ABOUT FELLOWSHIP, WORSHIP AND FAITH.  AND AFTER ALL, ISN'T THAT WHAT BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ALL ABOUT?  I'VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN ALL MY LIFE.  I'VE BEEN A LUTHERAN ALL MY LIFE.  AS A MEMBER AT HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE FOUND A HOME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

-Andrew Shearer