Mandy Moss: New Hope lost pastor, but carries on in its mission
We are New Hope Church. We were founded about 12 years ago, by a handful of people and Pastor Randy Bissell. We did not have our own church building. We moved around and rented several places – the Salvation Army, the old Mainaer Theater, Italo American Lodge, Grange Hall, people’s backyards, parks. For a little over a year we were known as the church at the liquor store, as we met in the banquet room at Bernie’s Liquor on G Street. Finally we purchased a church on the corner of 21st and Cherry Street.
We were there for about a year when our beloved pastor was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Pastor Bissell passed in October, 2014. Now not only are we learning to carry on without him, but people in the community think our church is no longer. Yes, our church hurts, but we will carry on in his memory.
New Hope Church is still active. Pastor Matthew Hessler is in the pulpit. Sunday morning service is at 11 a.m., with coffee, food and visiting at 10:30 a.m. Children’s Ministry starts at 11 a.m.; Tuesday night bible study, 6 p.m., Women’s Ministry meets once a month. We are still here, a little broken, but here.
Mandy Moss, New Hope Church, Merced
This story was originally published May 15, 2015 at 11:21 AM with the headline "Mandy Moss: New Hope lost pastor, but carries on in its mission."