OUR MISSION
OUR MISSION
To Make Disciples of
Jesus Christ for the transformation
of the World
Sharing the Love and Grace
of Jesus Christ
with our Community
Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are delighted that you are taking time to learn more about our church. Although we all come from different backgrounds with diverse gifts and graces, our church is focused in sharing the love of Jesus within our congregation and spreading the good news of the Gospel with our community and the World. It is our hope that you will find a genuine sense of belonging, togetherness, and community when you visit or become a member of Hockessin United Methodist Church.
MEET OUR MINISTRY TEAM
Michele Godwin
Office and Systems Administrator
ChurchOffice@hockessinumc
Click on photo to learn more about Michele
click on photo to learn more about David
Opportunity for Contemporary Worship and Praise Team Leader
Hockessin United Methodist Church
Hockessin, Delaware
Is seeking a part-time (10 - 15 hours/week) praise team leader for the contemporary worship service on Sunday mornings. This worship leader will prepare and rehearse music with the praise team and participate in the contemporary service leading
the praise team. They should be proficient on at least one instrument as well as the audio/visual equipment set-up.
The worship/praise team leader will help connect to the congregation during the service to provide a cohesive and inspiring worship experience with prayers, song context and scriptures with consideration for the Pastor’s message that week.
The successful candidate will have a demonstrated love for Jesus and discipleship. They will also have manifested their love for a congregation as a leader of praise worship. Ideally, they would have a passion for leading, mentoring, and growing a team of musicians and vocalists.
A detailed job description is available upon request. Interested candidates
should send a cover letter and resume to SPRCHiring@hockessinumc.org.
click on photo to learn more about Dawn
click on photo to learn more about Debbie
Michael Shoremount,
Director of Choirs
Cllick on photo to learn more about Michael
WHAT WE BELIEVE
WE BELIEVE IN JESUS
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that He was conceived and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and sacrificed Himself to be punished in substitution for sinners. By the blood of His cross and His resurrection from the dead, He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. He was raised bodily and ascended to the right hand of the Father. He will return to the earth personally and visibly to consummate His kingdom. Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11;Hebrews 7:25; 9:13-15; 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 2:1-2.
We believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates and forever indwells all Christians. Either subsequently or at the same moment, Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit to empower believers for ministry and witness. We also believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of the kingdom and to empower and edify the church to fulfill its calling and mission. These gifts are subject to judging and are to confirm, and never supersede, what has been revealed in the Bible. Joel 2:28; Matthew 3:11; John 1:12-13; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:14-16; John 7:37-39; Romans 8:9; 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 14:29; Eph 1:13-14; 5:18.
WE BELIEVE IN SALVATION
Salvation (Latin salvatio; Greek sōtēria; Hebrew yeshu'ah[a) is being saved or protected from harm or being saved or delivered from some dire situation. In religion, salvation is stated as the saving of the soul from sin and its consequences.
We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ritual, work, or any other activity is required in order to be saved. This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 1:12-13; 6:37-44; 10:25-30; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 3-4; 8:1-17,31-39; 10:8-10; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Titus 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 1:7,9.
WE BELIEVE IN BAPTISM, COMMUNITY, & THE CHURCH
We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are to be observed until the time of Christ’s return. They are not a means of salvation. Baptism in water is by immersion and a direct commandment of our Lord for believers only. Water baptism is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in death, burial and resurrection. Matthew 26:26-29; 28:19; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Col 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21.
We believe that the church is God’s primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes in the earth. To equip the saints for the work of ministry, God has given apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral and teaching gifts to the church. We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the importance of every Christian being joined with and actively involved in a local community of the saints. God has called the church to preach the gospel to all nations, and especially to remember the poor and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. Matthew 16:17-19; Acts 2:17-18,42; Ephesians 3:14-21; 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10.
What's Next for
The United Methodist Church?
(click on graphic to view video of Jan 13th presentation)
HOCKESSIN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH:
PAST AND FUTURE
In the spring of 1881, a small group of people led by Alban Dalton cleaned out an abandoned blacksmith shop on the Brackenville farm located on the corner of the Old Lancaster Pike and Brackenville Road. They established there the first Methodist society in the area. With the onset of winter, they moved across the street to the Peace and Plenty Inn. Although the smithy has long disappeared, the inn is now a private residence.
The permanent Methodist chapel was erected on Hockessin’s Main Street 1882. A large fellowship hall was added in 1949. Now the Founder’s Hall, provides an ideal spill-over for church activities, including the both Middle School and High School Youth Group, and the Clothes Closet.
Edwin Golding, one of the founding members of the Hockessin Methodist Episcopal Church, reflecting in his old age on history, compared Alban Dalton to a “Christian archer, of the Methodist tribe, eye toward the future, weapon poised, arrow set and bow drawn at a venture for a shot in the name of his chief.” The path of that arrow has guided our congregation for 125 years as we have expanded from the little chapel on Main Street to one of the larger churches in the area.
Each step of our growth has taken the efforts of many men and women as we built on the faith of the generations before us. In 2006, Alban Dalton’s arrow led us through our sixth building expansion since 1881, where we have added much needed space for our Sunday school and music and educational ministries.
On June 3, 2018 we had a Groundbreaking Service for a new building and began the process of renovation. With the construction we ncreased parking spaces, made modifications to the building entry, and provided new accessible restrooms. Expansion of the lobby area created a more welcoming space for people with disabilities and reduced crowding between services, and provided gathering spots and hospitality areas. The new building enabled us to keep commitments to the Odd Fellows and Rebekah lodges and provided improved church office space.
Without this project, the potential for growth in our ministry was limited, but we have now "locked in” a county-approved plan and variances that will allow future congregations to expand with a larger building on the property when the need arises.