Easter Sunday marks Community of Hope’s inaugural service

24

Maricopa’s newest church, Community of Hope, will celebrate its first official service on Easter Sunday. The 10 a.m. service will be held at Santa Rosa Elementary School in Rancho El Dorado and is open to all Maricopa residents and guests.

Local resident Rusty Akers, Community of Hope’s lead pastor, has been planning the new church for two years. He has received support from the state denomination, an outside church plant organization and a team of people who joined from the outset, all of which has helped make his dream a reality.

“The word church means different things to different people,” Akers said. “We believe that church is a group of people who come together and, with Jesus as our leader, try to follow His way of life; to love and serve others and to love and serve God.”

While starting a church from scratch seems to like a daunting task, it certainly is not uncharted territory. “Planting churches goes back almost 2,000 years,” according to Akers. “In a conversation Jesus had with his followers, He told them ‘Go and make disciples or followers of all nations, baptize them in His name and teach them to obey everything He taught them.’ As a follower of Jesus I feel I have been called to carry out this order, just as thousands of others have done before me.”

 src=
Rusty Akers (above with children) and wife Lisa live in Maricopa.

Community of Hope is seeking a permanent location and hopes to commence weekly meeting in August. Akers intends to offer a vibrant children’s ministry and a dynamic youth ministry from the beginning. He is also in the process of beginning a Christ-based 12-step program that will meet during the week. “We also would eventually like to provide a place where the community could pool resources to help feed and clothe the needy,” furthered Akers.

Tony Smith and his wife, Nancy, are among the Maricopians anticipating Community of Hope’s commencement this Sunday. “Nancy and I anticipate God is going to provide great things for Maricopa both in community and in spirit,” Smith said. “We are so excited that God has allowed us to be a part of this ministry for Maricopa. Easter is the perfect setting to have a new beginning. If it is a new beginning or a renewed spirit you seek, join us this Easter.”