"The chief worship of the Gospel is to desire to receive the forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness."
— Apology of the Augsburg Confession, V: 189
"God wants Himself to be known. He wants Himself to be worshiped, so that we receive benefits from Him and receive them because of His mercy, not because of our merits. This is the richest consolation in all afflictions."
— Apology of the Augsburg Confession, IV:60
Hope Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. That means that we are a congregation of Christians who believe, teach and confess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as it is revealed in the Bible and faithfully confessed in the Book of Concord of 1580. The original name of Hope Lutheran expressed this understanding: "Hope Lutheran Church U.A.C," with U.A.C. standing for "unaltered Augsburg Confession."
The following overview of this confession is taken from the LC—MS "Beliefs & Practices" statement.
Overview
With the universal Christian Church, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God: the Father, creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God's Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.
Being "Lutheran," our congregations accept and teach Bible-based teachings of Martin Luther that inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century. The teaching of Luther and the reformers can be summarized in three short phrases: Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
Grace alone
God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly.
Faith alone
By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for them. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him.
Scripture alone
The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.
Who is Jesus?
For more than 2,000 years people have asked the question, "Who is Jesus?" We were not present when Jesus lived on this earth, but in the Bible we have the record of his birth, life, death on the cross, and resurrection. Study of the Bible, God's Word, will enable you to seek out the answer to this age-old question.
What does "Synod" mean?
The word "Synod" in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod comes from Greek words that mean "walking together." The term has rich meaning in our church body, because congregations voluntarily choose to belong to the Synod. Though diverse in their service, these congregations hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions which they believe are a correct interpretation and presentation of Biblical doctrine. Contained in The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, these statements of belief were put into writing by church leaders during the 16th century. The simplest of these is Luther's Small Catechism. The Augsburg Confession gives more detail on what Lutherans believe. Read an article from the May 2004 Lutheran Witness about what a "Synod" is.
Study Resources
The Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations provides study documents and statements of theological issues. Answers to theological questions may be found on the Frequently Asked Questions web site.
The Christian Cyclopedia has served thousands of students, church professionals, and lay persons as a one-volume compendium of historical and theological data, ranging from ancient figures to contemporary events.
In addition, a series of downloadable pamphlets offer insight on variety of doctrinal topics, moral issues and concerns in the church. We also invite you to learn more about specific worship practices of the Synod.
Our vision at Hope is that we would be a growing, vibrant, praying, caring congregation boldly reaching out with Jesus Christ in word and deed.
In February 1951 a series of lenten services were held in east De Pere by the Rev. Ervin R. Lemke, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church of Allouez. Following a well attended Easter sunrise service on March 25, 1951 attendants expressed a desire for regular services in De Pere.
A meeting was held in March which determined that regular Sunday services would be held. At this same meeting it was resolved to proceed with permanent organizational plans. After a canvass was conducted in east De Pere, the board of directors of the North Wisconsin District recommended that the group proceed.
A second meeting was held in April and the name of the new church and congregation was selected to be Hope Lutheran Church. On April 20, 1951 the constitution and by-laws were formally adopted by unanimous vote and Hope Lutheran Church officially came into being. Eight families signed the charter and church officers were elected.
Rev. Ervin R. Lemke was issued a Divine Call to serve as the first pastor of Hope. The congregation was accepted into membership with the North Wisconsin District of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod on June 5th.
On January 9, 1955 the congregation gathered for the cornerstone laying of the first church building. After much hard work by members of Hope, the long-awaited day of dedication arrived and on June 19, 1955 the members of Hope unlocked the doors and dedicated their church to the service of the Triune God.
In 1960, Hope received a request from their mother congregation, Faith Lutheran Church, to consider a division of the parish into independent congregations. Both congregations agreed. A Divine Call was issued to the Rev. Lloyd Goetz, who also served as the part-time President of the North Wisconsin District. The Holy Spirit led him to accept this Call and he was installed as the first resident pastor Of Hope Lutheran Church in 1962.
Pastor Goetz subsequently resigned in 1966 when his presidency position became full-time. The Rev. Carl Ehrfurth was then installed as his successor.
On April 25, 1976 Hope Lutheran Church celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
On May 1, 1988 the congregation held a ground breaking ceremony for the new education wing which was dedicated in September.
In 1992 Rev. Ehrfurth retired. Hope then issued a Divine Call to the Rev. Bruce Lamont that same year.
In 1996 Rev. Lamont accepted a call to another congregation. Hope Lutheran Church issued a Divine Call to the Rev. Allen Stoll.
In 2002 the hopes of the congregation's founders were realized in the completion of a new sanctuary. When the original limestone church was built, the back wall was made of cement block. The idea then was that the church building would be expanded to accommodate a growing congregation.
Upon Rev. Stoll's retirement in 2008, the Rev. Matthew Christians accepted Hope's Divine Call to serve as pastor in 2009.
Hope Lutheran Church thanks God for His many blessings. Through Word and Sacrament, God Himself has called us His own, gathered us together into one family of God, and enabled us to be His own temple. To God alone the glory!
Pastors of Hope Lutheran Church
1951 to 1962 — Rev. Ervin Lemke
1962 to 1966 — Rev. Lloyd Goetz
1966 to 1992 — Rev. Carl Ehrfurth
1992 to 1996 — Rev. Bruce Lamont
1996 to 2008 — Rev. Allen Stoll
2009 to present — Rev. Matthew Christians
Pastor Matt
A 2002 graduate from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, the Rev. Matthew Christians (Pastor Matt) was installed at Hope Lutheran in April 2009. He previously served two rural congregations in central Wisconsin. Pastor Matt was raised in Michigan and loves his Detroit Lions, Redwings, Pistons and U of M Wolverines (Go Blue!). Fond of gardening, hiking, poetry and music, Pastor Matt also plays the guitar and piano. He is married to Maggie and together they have three boys, Isen, Enoch and Keenen.
Gail Thiel
Kim Thompson
Coming Soon.
