Hope Wesleyan Church - Independence, Iowa

It began with a kiss in the garden. Torches flickered. Swords clashed. Friends scattered. Jesus was arrested under the cover of night, led from one trial to another — accused, mocked, struck, and condemned. False witnesses spoke. Crowds shouted. A governor washed his hands. And the One who could have called down angels… stayed silent. He carried His cross through jeering streets, climbed a hill called Golgotha, and was lifted between earth and sky. This was not a tragedy spiraling out of control. It was a rescue unfolding on purpose. Arrested. Tried. Crucified. Not because He was powerless —but because He chose to save us. We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644

Today we continue our series of sermons entitled "Easter People". This series delves into the encounters Jesus had with individuals on his journey to the cross. These people did not actively seek Jesus out; instead, He met them where they were.He swore he would never fall.When others hesitated, Peter spoke boldly: “Even if everyone else leaves You, I won’t.” Loyalty was his language. Courage was his claim.But courage sounds different in the dark.In the courtyard of the high priest, beside a charcoal fire, the questions came — small, simple, dangerous. “You were with Him, weren’t you?”And three times, the fisherman who once walked on water said, “I don’t know the man.”Then the rooster crowed.In a single moment, confidence collapsed into conviction. Strength gave way to tears.Peter’s denial isn’t just a story of failure — it’s a mirror. A reminder of how quickly fear can silence faith… and how even our worst moments are not the end of the story.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644

Today we continue our series of sermons entitled "Easter People". This series delves into the encounters Jesus had with individuals on his journey to the cross. These people did not actively seek Jesus out; instead, He met them where they were.He sat by the roadside, blind and forgotten.But when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, something inside him refused to stay silent. He cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”The crowd told him to be quiet.They tried to silence him.But he only shouted louder.Because sometimes the miracle comes to the one who refuses to give up calling.Bartimaeus couldn’t see Jesus —but he believed Jesus could see him.And that faith changed everything.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644

Today we continue our series of sermons entitled "Easter People". This series delves into the encounters Jesus had with individuals on his journey to the cross. These people did not actively seek Jesus out; instead, He met them where they were.She came to the well at noon — alone.An outcast in her own town. A woman with a past. Five husbands, a broken story, and a reputation that kept her walking to the water when no one else would be there.But that day, someone was waiting.A Jewish rabbi who shouldn’t have spoken to her, Jesus the Messiah. A man who crossed cultural lines, social barriers, and personal shame with a simple request: “Give me a drink.”Then Jesus offers her something she never expected.“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again… but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”Living water. Not drawn from a well, but flowing from God Himself—water that satisfies the deepest thirst of the human soul.What begins as a quiet conversation at a well becomes a moment of transformation… as a woman who came in shame leaves with hope—and runs to tell her entire town about the man who knew everything about her, and still offered her life.Today we step into that powerful encounter at the well… and discover the living water that only Jesus can give.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644

Today we continue our series of sermons entitled "Easter People". This series delves into the encounters Jesus had with individuals on his journey to the cross. These people did not actively seek Jesus out; instead, He met them where they were.A young man comes running to Jesus with a question that has echoed through the centuries: What must I do to inherit eternal life?He has done everything right—kept the commandments, lived a good life, followed the rules. Yet something is missing. Jesus looks at him and gives an answer he never expected: Sell everything you have. Give it to the poor. Then come, follow me.In that moment the question isn’t about rules anymore… it’s about the heart.The man walks away, burdened not by what he lacks—but by what he cannot let go of.And Jesus turns to His disciples with a warning that still challenges us today: it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.Today we explore a question that confronts every one of us: What are we holding onto that keeps us from fully following Christ?We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644

Today, we commence a new sermon series as we approach Easter Sunday. This series delves into the encounters Jesus had with individuals on his journey to the cross. These people did not actively seek Jesus out; instead, He met them where they were. A Pharisee. A ruler. A man with status, certainty, and answers — except for one question that wouldn’t leave him alone: Who is Jesus?In the darkness, Nicodemus hears words that shake his world: “You must be born again.”He doesn’t understand. Not yet.But the man who first came in secret will one day step into the light — publicly honoring the very One he once questioned.Nicodemus is the story of a soul moving from curiosity to courage...from fear to faith.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 

When the music played and the pressure rose, everyone bowed.Everyone — except three men who chose the fire over compromise.In  Daniel chapter 3, the furnace was heated seven times hotter. The threat was real. The flames were not symbolic. And their answer was steady: “Our God is able to deliver us… but even if He does not, we will not bow.”They were thrown in bound.But when the king looked again, he saw four men walking in the fire — and one looked like the Son of God.Uncertain times will test what we believe.The heat will reveal where we stand.But the story of the fiery furnace reminds us:God may not keep us from the flames —but He will meet us in them. We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Sometimes the answer is silence.Sometimes it’s delay.And sometimes… it’s no.A door closes. A prayer goes unanswered the way we hoped. The path we mapped out  disappears beneath our feet.But God’s “no” is not rejection. It’s protection. It’s redirection. It’s a larger story unfolding beyond what we can see.We trust Him easily when He says yes. We learn to trust Him deeply when He says no.Because faith isn’t believing God will follow our plan — it’s believing His plan is better than ours.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Anger knocks hard.It pounds on the door of the heart, insisting on justice, demanding reaction. And in Ephesians 4:26–27, we’re told something both honest and urgent: “Be angry, and do not sin… do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”Anger itself isn’t the enemy.But when we let it linger — when we nurse it, replay it, justify it — it becomes an open door. A foothold. A crack wide enough for bitterness to move in and make itself at home.The warning is clear:Feel it, but don’t feed it.Acknowledge it, but don’t allow it to own you.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 319-334-7148 

The house was full. The preparations urgent. The responsibilities real.In Luke 10:38–42, one sister hurried through the kitchen, distracted and overwhelmed. The other sat still at the feet of Jesus.Both were serving in their own way. But only one chose what mattered most.Martha was busy for Jesus.Mary was present with Him.And in a world that praises productivity, Jesus gently reminds us: the most important priority is not what we do for Him — but whether we are with Him.Because sometimes the better choiceis simply to sit stilland listen.We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 319-334-7148 

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 319-334-7148 

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 319-334-7148 

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 319-334-7148 

Oh What a King! We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.  Hope Wesleyan Church 505 4th Ave NE Independence, IA 50644 319-334-7148 

Today, our church children present “Campfire Carols.” Kaitlynn leads a group of campers into the wilderness, where they gather around a cozy campfire. Despite Kaitlynn’s warm Christmas spirit, the rest of the campers are freezing. To warm up, they sing and reflect on the significance of Christmas Carols about the birth of Baby Jesus. We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning Worship Service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church and Nursery are also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148 

Join us today for a celebration of Hope Wesleyan's 100 years of providing ministry in Independence, Iowa. In 1925, a humble group of 14 believers began meeting in the basement of Rev. C.P. Carkuff’s home, laying the foundation for the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Independence, Iowa. In 1934, the church purchased its current property and, in 1937, acquired the Pleasant Hill Church building in La Porte City. Using a steel wheel tractor and trailers, they relocated the building to its present location here in Independence. Over the years, the church underwent renovations and improvements, even adding indoor plumbing in the 1950's. However, challenges arose in 1969 when the old wooden church building caught fire, forcing the congregation to return to the basement of the Pastor's home. Despite this setback, in just 10 months, a new brick church building was completed, which remains the building we still worship in today. Over the past century, our church has grown and served the Lord and our community with dedication. We would be delighted if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! It starts at 10 am every Sunday, and there are multiple Sunday School options available before the worship service. Children’s Church is also available during the worship service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Pastor Elissa brings the message today about Jesus always being victorious. But first, Ashley Delagardelle joins us to share her testimony of the demons that once ensnared her before finding Jesus and being born again and becoming free!We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Focus: Remaining faithful and merciful in an age of compromiseBig Idea: In the face of deception and division, God's people are called to build themselves up, show mercy, and trust God to keep them standing.Application: Stay rooted in truth, reach out with compassion, and rely on the One who is able to keep you from falling.We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Focus: Unmasking spiritual impostors and internal threats.Big Idea: The greatest threats to the Church often come from within—when truth is twisted and leadership is corrupted.Application: Be discerning. Test teachings and leaders by their fruit and loyalty to Christ.We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148. 

Focus: Recognizing the danger of rebellion—past and presentBig Idea: Spiritual betrayal isn’t new—and neither is God's judgment. The Church must not repeat the mistakes of the past.Application: Learn from history. Stay humble, obedient, and spiritually awake.We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Focus: Recognizing your identity and your role in the battleBig Idea: You’ve been called, loved, and kept by God—not to sit on the sidelines, but to take your place on the front line of the faith.Application: Know who you are in Christ, and be alert to spiritual infiltration.We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Pastor Elissa brings the message this week and will talk about identifying and dealing with our roots of bitterness we all conceal.  We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Today we welcome guest speaker Alex Kramer. Alex is a full-time Pastor and Bible teacher at Atlantic Gospel Chapel in Atlantic, Iowa. We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Today we are blessed to have as our guest, Rev. Matthew Blake. He is a pastor ministering in Brno, Czech Republic. Listen as he shares the Gospel and his experience with years of ministry overseas. We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Rev. Mark Jenkins joins us as our guest speaker this morning to share God's Word. Mark's message today teaches us about the gifts we receive from God who charges us with doing good with these talents we have been blessed with. We are nothing but humble stewards and servants to our King. We are all one in Christ working to build His Kingdom. We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Nursery services are available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12 Today we welcomed all congregations to gather together as one Community of Christ to worship and pray at the annual Ecumenical Service held every 4th of July weekend at Veteran's Park in Independence, Iowa.  Featuring Reverends:Bob Solon - Hope Wesleyan ChurchJohn Sheda - Living Water ChurchSue Ann Raymond - St. James Episcopal ChurchElizabeth Bell - First United Methodist ChurchToby Montgomery - First Presbyterian ChurchLance Fricke - Triumphant ChurchMusic Provided by:Jim Brown - Music LeaderMary Schubich - Piano Accompaniment Ecumenical ChoirWe would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

In “Digging For a Miracle,” we learn that when we face desperate situations, God calls us to faithfully prepare through worship, prayer, and obedience—digging in dry places—so He can send a miracle that not only meets our need but accomplishes far more than we imagined.We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Moses tried to bury his failure—literally and spiritually—but hidden sin never stays hidden, and the guilt followed him into the desert. Yet even in the fallout of his worst mistake, God’s grace met him there, offering restoration through repentance and a new beginning.We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

Happy Father's Day!Everyone is building their life on something, but only those who build on the solid foundation of Jesus by living out His words will withstand life’s inevitable storms. Shortcut spirituality—especially in fatherhood—leads to collapse, while daily obedience and intentional faithfulness create a lasting legacy. We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church is available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148

This message explores how the jealousy and hatred Joseph's brothers harbored led them to betray him, ultimately imprisoning their own souls with guilt and regret. Yet, through God’s redemptive grace, even the deepest wounds and darkest actions can be healed and transformed into something good when we choose forgiveness and face our failures.  We would love if you could join us in person for our Sunday morning worship service! 10am every Sunday with multiple Sunday School options prior to the Worship Service. Children's Church and Nursery are available during the Worship Service.Hope Wesleyan Church505 4th Ave NEIndependence, IA 50644319-334-7148