Origins of New Hope Lutheran Church

        New Hope Lutheran Church is the 2002 consolidation of Holy Cross and St. Mark's Lutheran Churches.  The decision to consolidate the two congregations came after a Ministry Planning Taskforce had worked for almost a year. 

•     The Holy Cross congregation was the older of the two at over 200 years old.  The building most recently used by the congregation is not the original structure.  It is known that the original building burned somewhere around the 1900, but the exact location of the original building is unknown.

•     The St. Mark's congregation celebrated their 100th anniversary in 1990.  The St. Mark's building is the original structure.  The interior layout was changed and the fellowship hall was built in the 1950's.

        The creation of New Hope Lutheran Church was approved by the Allegheny Synod Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on September 15, 2001.  New Hope Lutheran Church became a "legal" corporation in the eyes of the State at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2002.

        On November 30, 2003, New Hope opened the doors to a brand new worship and education facility.  With more than 270 people in attendance, New Hope ushered in a new era of opportunity for the congregation and the community.  At just over 12,000 square feet (including the basement), and located on 5 acres of land, the worship space will seat 215 and the fellowship hall will seat almost 200.  There are five Sunday School/Meeting Rooms, a Conference Room, and two offices. 

        The congregation intends for the facility to serve not only the needs of the congregation, but also serve as a resource to the entire community.

Since the consolidation and move New Hope is alive with activity.  Boy Scout Troop 381, sponsored by St. Mark's and later New Hope, for twenty years had previously met off site.  Now New Hope is alive with activity on Wednesday nights as boys ages 11-17 learn and grow as young men.  In addition to Boy Scouts, New Hope now has the privilege of hosting Girl Scouts, Brownie Scouts, and Daisy Scouts.  Also meeting on Wednesday nights, along with the Boy Scouts, it is to the great joy of the congregation to know that the lives of these young women are being shaped right here at New Hope.

        One community resident recently remarked that "there always seems to be something happening at your church (New Hope)."  And indeed, there IS a lot happening at New Hope.  From choirs to Scouts, from quilters to crafters, from concerts to Vacation Bible School New Hope is alive with activity.

Even with all the present activity, the congregation is keeping an eye to the future.  We firmly believe that we have a calling to live out our purpose in service to Christ and the community.  Therefore, New Hope is committed to making use of the all that God has entrusted to us and constantly looking for new ministries and new opportunities to be faithful disciples.

        New Hope Lutheran Church is located at 119 Cobblestone Court, just off Penns Valley Road (Rt. 45) on top of "Zubler's Hill".  For those familiar with Spring Mills, the Church is located directly to the left of the Zubler farmhouse.  For those not familiar with Spring Mills, Zubler's Hill is the hill you climb (driving West to East) after you pass Jersey Shore State Bank and before you get into Spring Mills.