Centennial Tent Service - October 5, 2008

The Church of the Nazarene is a global family. Each Nazarene in 151 world areas deserves to attend the celebration of our Centennial. For this reason, on October 5, 2008, the Centennial Celebration took place across 24 time zones in every local church.
From the Hallelujah March around the Pilot Point tent in 1908 to almost 21,000 local churches today, the Church of the Nazarene has grown in ways that no single tent, sanctuary, or even coliseum could now hold the gathering of our entire church.
Yet how thrilling it was to sense the bonds of a growing Nazarene family in our Centennial Celebration as we united in common worship content, our guest speaker, Rod Trim knowing that almost 21,000 fellow pastors were standing before their congregations Sunday to proclaim the same message, scripture, and theme.
This week's Centennial Sunday allowed us to celebrate our Nazarene doctrine, core values, heritage, and mission. It afforded us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate holiness in a way that no Nazarene generation has yet been privileged to do. From the most spacious sanctuary to the open-air shade tree, in every language, in every culture, every Nazarene deserved to celebrate the Centennial.

At Hope Community Church of the Nazarene, we celebrated with a tent service, harkening back to the days of our heritage in Pilot Point Texas. The children of our church presented a short drama commemorating that fateful and faithful day in 1908 when the Church of the Nazarene came into existence with a common goal to share the gospel as one out of many.

We also presented several Heritage Awards to people who God has used over our 75 years as a congregation to bless our people and our community. We were privileged to have reminisced about these faithful people, many who have already gone home to be with the Lord: Marge & Roscoe Isbell, Henry & Alta Tober, Helen & Stanley Schultz, Lavonne Mills, Clyde & Norma Jordan, Sue & Bill Northrop, Thom & Robin Sneed, Tim & Pam Jordan, Mary & Jim Cribbs, and Larry & Evelyn Avery. Each of these brothers and sisters in Christ has truly left a lasting legacy and heritage in our church and in the lives of their families.

God has truly blessed and looked after Hope Community Church of the Nazarene. On our denominations 100th anniversary we were given the honor of celebrating not only the centennial but also the grand opening of our new ministry center! We buried a time capsule in our courtyard and had a open house celebration the entire weekend!

Two of our beloved family members were baptized on Sunday: Steve Bancer and Diane Ludwig! Another awesome Spirit-filled event!

Overall, the weekend was just a great reminder of how faithful God is to His children! We praise Him and thank Him for all He has done and all He is doing for not only Hope Community but for all of His churches around the world!

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