Church of The Blessed Hope - Status

Status

In 2003, the Church of the Blessed Hope (CGAF) had eight congregations² with about 400 members. The three Ohio congregations use the name Church of the Blessed Hope and the others do not.

These CGAF churches are theologically much closer to the Christadelphians than they are to the Church of God General Conference (CoGGC), and have made moves in recent years to strengthen their ties. Most of the churches use the Christadelphian hymnal and Sunday School literature. Several of the CGAF churches, while having their own local statement of faith have also recognised the most common Christadelphian statement of the faith (BASF), in much the same way as many Christadelphian assemblies in Britain have their own local statements but employ the most common statement for wider purposes.

It is a common practice for members of the Church of the Blessed Hope (CGAF) to seek out Christadelphian ecclesias when they move to areas where there is not a Church of the Blessed Hope. They are generally accepted into the Christadelphian ecclesia, and become active members of the Christadelphian community. Likewise, the Church of the Blessed Hope will accept a Christadelphian into fellowship.

The CGAF annual Gathering, currently held at Denison, Ohio, has played an important role in reintroducing CGAF to Christadelphians and Christadelphians to CGAF. The Gathering receives a large contingent of both Unamended Christadelphians and Amended Christadelphians each year, and likewise many CGAF members attend Christadelphian events such as the annual Great Lakes Christadelphian Bible School. CGAF members have been invited to submit both articles, letters and event announcements in the Christadelphian Tidings, and likewise Christadelphians in the Abrahamic Faith Beacon. CGAF members cooperate with Christadelphian mission and charity organisations overseas. At the same time, common participation by CGAF and Christadelphian members on discussion forums has helped to make many Christadelphians, even outside North America, aware of the common beliefs shared with CGAF, and the differences with CoGGC.

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