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Art Smith is pastor of the New Hope Community Church, which meets Sundays at Le Venue in downtown Valley Center. Sept. 13 is the church's “grand opening," Smith said. Group starts new church By Chris Strunk Last Updated: September 10, 2015 A group of area residents has started a new church in Valley Center. New Hope Community Church meets Sundays at Le Venue in downtown Valley Center. The church is about a month old. "We want to be led by Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit and follow and share the word of God as it is written in the scriptures," said Art Smith, the church's pastor. The church had its first organization meeting during the second week of August. It had its fourth worship service last weekend and will celebrate its "grand opening" this Sunday, Sept. 13. Service time is 9 a.m. "We're kind of exploring the options and seeing where God leads, and we're excited about it," Smith said. The church was started by a group of former Presbyterian Church members who were looking for a more conservative approach to their faith and were concerned about the more "liberal theological" direction the denomination's leadership was taking. "We really wanted to get away from that," said Smith, a former Presbyterian pastor. Smith said New Hope Community Church will not be guided by political correctness or popular opinion, but rather by the Bible. "We want the Bible to be part of our faith and our worship," he said. "We know there are others who are struggling with that and we'd like for them to give us a try." The first meeting started with 37 people. Smith said average attendance the past four weeks has been 52. Smith, who resigned from his church in early July, said New Hope will emphasize fellowship. Its worship services will be conservative yet "laid back and open," he said, and his sermons will be "biblically based." Smith is from Southern California. He attended Bible college in Colorado Springs and was a pastor at a church there for 10 years. He ministered at a church in St. John before moving to northern Illinois and then southern Louisiana. He came to Wichita to enter chaplaincy training through Wesley Medical Center. He worked at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice for 11 years. Smith is married to Patricia. He has a daughter and three grandchildren, who live in Louisiana. He said helping to start a church at his age wasn't in his plans, but he's excited about the possibilities for New Hope. His sermon this week will try to answer the question of how to start a new church. Its four points are prayer, presence, participation and potluck. A potluck dinner will follow the worship service. |
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