Description

Hope Community Church (PCA) is seeking to call a Solo Pastor to continue a revitalization effort in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. Approximately four years ago, the church, formerly known as Faith Presbyterian Church, relaunched as Hope Community Church (PCA). Our previous pastor who led the relaunch has retired, and we are therefore seeking a pastor to continue this work.

About the Church

When the church relaunched in 2020, the church had an average attendance of under twenty people with just two children. Over the last four years, the church has approximately doubled in size and now consists of 12 children in regular attendance. Our congregation benefits from having a wide range of ages from newborn to adults in their 70s. We have families and those who are single, as well as those who are retired and those who are working in various professions. Despite our small size, we believe that people from various backgrounds and life stages will feel at home in our church.

The mission and vision of our church can be summarized by the phrase: Rest for the weary and a reason to hope. Our church strives to be a place to give rest – where people find rest both in the love and care of our congregation but, most importantly, in the love of Jesus – as well as a place where people learn about and experience the hope that can only come from our Savior.

Therefore, the church’s ministries are focused on pointing to that rest and hope. During the school year, the church holds Sunday school classes for both adults and kids before our worship service where those of all ages can learn more about the Source of our rest and hope. There is also currently one small group that meets biweekly throughout the year for a deeper time of Bible study and fellowship. We have an Open Gym ministry that is held approximately once per month and consists of a time of play, a pizza dinner, and a brief devotional for children 1^st grade through 8^th grade. The purpose of the Open Gym is to provide a safe and free place for parents to drop off their kids for a time of fun and food and to hear the gospel. While this ministry also serves our kids, it importantly serves those outside the church like the single mom who needs help with childcare so she can run her errands or the parents who want a date night and want a place where their kids can have fun with other kids in a caring environment.

The strengths of our congregation include being a welcoming body and exhibiting a genuine care for the wellbeing of those within the congregation as well as those outside our church. Those who have visited have generally commented on feeling welcomed and known by our members. After our worship service, we have a time of fellowship. It is not uncommon for people to stay up to an hour after the service with the adults chatting and the kids playing together in the gym. The congregation is also mercy minded. Beyond the Open Gym ministry, the church has participated in and seeks other opportunities to share the love of Jesus through our care for our community. One example of that includes a gift card giveaway for parents who could use a little extra money to buy back-to-school clothes for their kids.

Please visit our church website for more information. We encourage you to browse the “About Us” portion of the website to learn more about the church. You can also view our most recent livestreamed service on our YouTube channel.

About the Location

The church meets in the gym of Atlantic Christian School in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. We are located in the southeast part of the state, just minutes from the Jersey Shore and approximately one hour from Philadelphia. The township itself is suburban but is surrounded by more rural and more urban areas. Being located near the Jersey Shore resort towns, the immediate area is largely influenced by the tourist industry both directly and indirectly. The population of the township continues to grow with new developments being built within the township and in the surrounding communities. Egg Harbor Township and the surrounding areas are largely Catholic, Jewish, or secular. While there are reformed Presbyterian churches located on the nearby island communities, the mainland of Atlantic County lacks a strong reformed Presbyterian presence, and therefore, we believe there is opportunity for growth.

To learn more information about the demographics of the area, the Census webpage on Egg Harbor Township is a good place to start. It should be noted, however, that our church members live in several different towns in the eastern part of Atlantic County.

Financials

Over the last four years, the church has been partially supported financially by outside donors through support raising efforts by our previous pastor. We expect some of the regular outside supporters to continue giving directly to our church, although this amount, including our regular tithes and offerings, is not sufficient to fully support our budget in the long-term. Our regular tithes and offerings through the first six months of 2024 accounted for 71% of our budget. The remaining 29% has been met through outside donors and grants (17%) and through monthly disbursements from the church’s housing endowment fund (12%) that was created with proceeds from the sale of a church manse in 2020 before the relaunch. If giving were to remain constant with no additional support raising, the church has adequate funds in savings (not including the Housing Endowment Fund) to support a full-time minister for at least two years. Therefore, while the church is in a much better position financially than four years ago, the financial sustainability of our church requires growth.

Requirements

How to Apply

To Apply

Applicants should send by email their ministerial data form (PCA), a cover letter, access to sample sermons, and any other relevant materials to Steven Kalman, chairman of the pulpit committee, at office.hopepca@gmail.com.

Primary Contact: Steven Kalman

Email: office.hopepca@gmail.com

Phone: -

Apply Online: View