Covenant News

Hope (AZ) Church to Break Ground November 4

CHANDLER, AZ (November 2, 2001) - Hope Covenant Church showed foresight five years ago when the congregation of 50 partnered with the Pacific Southwest Conference (PSWC) of the Evangelical Covenant Church to buy five acres of prime land in one of the highest growth areas in Arizona.

That purchase and a few other long-range decisions have paid off handsomely for the church, which will celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony for a new facility November 4.

Hope Covenant received a substantial loan from National Covenant Properties and raised nearly $400,000 this year to provide the financial foundation for a $1.4 million 14,000-square-foot building that is expected to be completed next spring. Hope Covenant then will have a sanctuary capable of seating more than 400. Given its recent numerical growth, the church may need every available seat.

One year ago, Hope Covenant had an average worship attendance of 80 and had called two pastors, Duane Cross and Brad Kindall, to expand ministry in a city that tripled in population during the past decade. They met in space located in a strip mall, but had acquired land three miles away years earlier.

During a meeting with denominational leadership last summer, the church was advised that attendance would need to double to meet the financial needs of construction and that $250,000 would be needed before a loan could be considered. Hope Covenant has increased its average worship attendance to more than 160 this fall, thanks to a budding youth ministry, versatile worship and an attitude that one member says "truly makes this God's house and God's family."

Hope Covenant was founded in 1987 and pastor Randy Klassen stabilized the church before retiring. It averaged around 50 members, according to Gordon Lynch, a longtime member and the church's previous chair. Lynch said the church tried to grow for years, but struggled to do so. Lynch credits interim pastor Jonathan Wilson (then a student at Fuller Theological Seminary) for providing a stable pastoral presence and helping the church renew its prayer life as it considered its future.

By the time Wilson headed to Chicago to pastor Cuyler Covenant Church and continue his seminary education at North Park Theological Seminary, Hope Covenant was ready to move into a new phase of ministry. During an April 2000 congregational meeting, Hope Covenant members sensed that God was calling them to build on their property.

"When it came, everyone knew it," said Lynch, a retired U.S. Army colonel and a longtime executive at Boeing Corporation. "I never detected anybody off in a corner saying no (to the idea) . . . I think from it emerged a spirit that God had placed there and then things started falling into place."

One piece fell into place in July 2000 when Cross, who had been out of Covenant ministry for a time for personal reasons, became senior pastor. "They called me in spite of me," he said. "They didn't seem to care that I was broken; they seemed to care that I was ready to be their pastor."

Cross and Kindall have stated that they want Hope Covenant to be "a church that looks like Jesus." Kindall believes that the willingness of Cross to share his personal story of brokenness has aided that process. "I think we have drawn a lot of people that are broken and recognize their brokenness," said Kindall. "I think that stems from Duane's authenticity as a leader."

Another piece fell into place - with the help of the Pacific Southwest Conference - when Kindall accepted a position as associate pastor of worship, youth and outreach in September 2000. Kindall was acquainted with Cross when the two lived in Minnesota. He had taken a position at a large church in Glendale, Arizona, but felt called to ministry at Hope Covenant after meeting with Cross and church leadership. The Pacific Southwest Conference assisted the church by paying half of Kindall's salary for a year.

Kindall's youth ministry efforts have been aided by teacher, Brian Pollard, who co-leads a large junior high ministry at Hope Covenant. Cross believes that the energy of the youth and the inquisitive spirit of the many new attendees are among the positive aspects of Hope Covenant's ministry. About 55 parishioners are participating in an Alpha education/discipleship program at the church.

For more information about the groundbreaking ceremony and the ministries of Hope Covenant Church, call Cross or Kindall at 480-899-7255.

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