Thursday, September 25, 2025

After 35 Blessed Years

 To: Roy Hange, overseer of Harrisonburg District of Virginia Mennonite Conference

From: Harvey Yoder, pastor of Family of Hope Mennonite House Church

It is with sadness and regret that we are disbanding as a Harrisonburg-based house church fellowship as of the end of September, 2025, due to my resigning my ministerial role after 60 years of ministry and due to dwindling numbers because of recent deaths and moves elsewhere by participants. Family of Hope has been an alternative to traditional forms of congregational life since 1988, first as a committed Bible study and fellowship group and then as an officially recognized VMC congregation. Our mission has been to see that every person attending is cared for and ministered to at every meeting and where, with unsalaried leadership and no real estate expenses, the church's giving can be devoted entirely to supporting mission and relief outreach and for any needed mutual aid or other occasional expenses. We would love to see other house churches form in our conference based on New Testament precedent and as self supporting church planting efforts, but after having been a beloved church family serving a total of several hundred persons over 37 years and, like many other congregations, still not growing in number, we believe it is time for others to take up this mission.

Harvey Yoder, pastor


We had a kind of "last supper" meal together as an official house church congregation Sunday, September 28. What a great group, one with which we'll continue to have special ties. Harvey



Saturday, August 30, 2025

September 2025 services

This is a tentative schedule for this month's services, based on current plans to end Family of Hope's 37 years as a house church fellowship by the end of September.

7 Overseer Roy Hange will share a meditation from scripture and engage in conversation about whether there is interest in some kind of ongoing informal relationship as a prayer and fellowship group. At the end he will meet with remaining members to discuss options for transfer of memberships to other congregations.

14 After some singing and sharing, Bible study leaders Elly Nelson and Dick Dumas will be invited to each share some reflections based on a selected scripture.

21 Harvey Yoder will reminisce on 60 years of pastoral ministry and will share a special blessing for each regular member and participant.

28 A 4 pm  time at VMRC's Crestwood, ground floor auxiliary dining room, for sharing memories and  a pizza, salad and ice cream cake meal together. Local past members of FOH are invited.

Thursday, July 31, 2025

August 2025 services (3:30 pm)

at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study:Elly Nelson

10 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: 
Dick Dumas

17 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study:Harvey Yoder

24 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Guy Vlasits
Bible Study: Darlene Wilkins

31 No service on fifth Sundays. We encourage visits to other churches.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

July 2025 services (3:30 pm)

at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Guy Vlasits
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder

13 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: 
Elly Nelson

20 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Dick Dumas

27 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study:Harvey Yoder

Sunday, May 25, 2025

June 2025 Services (3:30 pm.)

at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Elly Nelson

8 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder

15 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas

22 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Roy Hange

29 No service. A Sunday to visit another congregation!

Thursday, April 24, 2025

May 2025 services (3:30 pm)

4 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Elly Nelson

11 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder

18 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Dick Dumas

25 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Guy Vlasits
Bible Study: Darlene Wilkins

Thursday, April 3, 2025

April 2025 services (3:30 pm)

6 Worship and Sharing: Harvey Yoder
Bible Study: Elly Nelson

13 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Harvey Yoder

20 at Crestwood
"Easter Sunset" service of hymns and readings

27 at Crestwood
Worship and Sharing: Elly Nelson
Bible Study: Dick Dumas