Who We Are
Imagine a church of every age, race and color putting their relationship with God first, meeting together regularly to worship Him and becoming one in Christ
Imagine Rockville COGOP as a community of fully devoted, spiritual Christ followers, passionate for an ever-deeper relationship with God
Imagine everyone at Rockville COGOP fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit, exercising their God-given gifts in joyful and fulfilling service
Imagine every member of Rockville COGOP totally committed to making disciples of all nations
Evangelism
Imagine Rockville COGOP as a place where the Lord is adding to our number daily those who are being saved
Imagine Rockville COGOP full of people naturally sharing Christ by word and action
Our goals are:
• to develop an annual plan to reach every household in our surrounding area with the good news of Jesus Christ
• to equip every member of Rockville COGOP to share their faith effectively
• to identify those with the gift of evangelism and deploy them effectively
• to devise and promote a program of seeker-friendly services and events
Discipleship
Imagine everyone at Rockville COGOP becoming mature in Christ and fully equipped for their God-given ministry
Imagine a church family investing whatever it takes to become fully devoted followers of Christ
Imagine every church member committed to a daily quiet time of reflection and prayer and to regular corporate prayer
Imagine Rockville COGOP as a center for excellence for training in Christian living
Our goals are:
• to enable Rockville COGOP members to grow in their Christian faith through teaching on maturity and membership of the body of Christ
• to enable Rockville COGOP members to identify, understand and deploy their spiritual gifts
• to encourage personal Bible study and prayer through the provision of resources as appropriate
• to provide opportunities, resources and stimulus for corporate prayer and further study to deepen personal faith
• to provide a program of courses for training in Christian living, within an annual framework
Mission
Imagine every member of Rockville COGOP being informed, inspired and engaging in the practical, prayerful and financial needs of local, national and international mission
Imagine Rockville COGOP members regularly being called into ministry
Our goals are:
• to motivate practical, prayerful and financial support of Mission through regular Bible teaching and News events from mission areas everywhere
• to ensure the visibility of Rockville COGOP - supported mission parthners
• to increase from 150.00 to 200.00 our monthly mission pledge
Imagine services where our praise, worship and teaching are truly pleasing to God
Imagine services that connect with doubters, seekers and believers and become something everyone wants to be part of
Imagine uplifting services where the Bible teaching builds you up and equips you to live for Christ
Our goals are:
• to enable every person attending Rockville COGOP regularly to gain a thorough understanding of the Bible
• to provide biblically sound teaching that has clear application and motivational impact on the daily lives of the congregation of Rockville COGOP and our visitors
• to facilitate a range of worship styles that is appropriate to the ages, traditions and nationalities represented in the Rockville COGOP congregation
• to ensure that our Bible study sessions including our Sunday school sessions become more relevant to the needs of our people
Children’s Ministry
Imagine impacting the lives of children from all areas of the local community with the gospel of Jesus Christ
Imagine parents equipped and encouraged to raise their children to become fully devoted followers of Christ
Imagine a safe and attractive environment where gifted leaders teach God's word in a way that leads to true commitment to Jesus Christ
Imagine every child filled with God’s Spirit, equipped and eager to share their faith with others
Our goals are:
• to create opportunities to share the gospel
• to develop a program of challenging teaching and exciting activities that inspire children to greater commitment
• to deliver a leaders’ succession plan that results in continuity of Sunday Club provision and growth
• to establish communication with parents that engages them in the Christian upbringing of their children and in Children’s Ministry
Youth Ministry
Imagine a growing community of young people eager to share the gospel with their peers
Imagine a dedicated and godly team of youth leaders who are committed to the spiritual growth and maturity of our young people
Imagine our teenagers becoming role-models for other young people locally, and being sent out as highly influential Christian adults with a thoroughly biblical understanding and world-view
Our goals are:
• to equip and encourage every one of our young people to share the gospel through training in personal witness
• to develop and deliver a structured curriculum for a life of godly discipleship
• to build and maintain a team of reliable and fully trained youth leaders
• to provide young people with opportunities to develop their leadership skills for Christian ministry
• to equip every young person attendingRockville COGOP regularly with the knowledge and skills to sustain their Christian lives in adulthood
Small Groups
Imagine everyone at Rockville COGOP being a member of, and growing in, a Bible-centred small group
Imagine our small groups as safe, inclusive and welcoming places for high quality learning, nurture, support and mutual accountability
Imagine an ever-expanding network of small groups equipped and led by gifted and trained leaders
Our goals are:
• to explain the purpose and benefits of Small Groups and encourage every member of Rockville COGOP to join one
• to identify, plan and deliver the leadership training and resourcing required to grow our small groups
• to conduct a spiritual and organisational health check on all of our Small Groups annually
Pastoral Care
Imagine Rockville COGOP as a welcoming and safe place where members respond to the needs of others in timely, practical and prayerful ways complementing local community services
Imagine everyone at Rockville COGOP feeling loved and cared for
Imagine Rockville COGOP having a growing team equipped to meet all kinds of pastoral needs
Our goals are:
• to develop and implement working practices for pastoral care provision that ensure full awareness and effective management of pastoral needs
• to identify, plan and deliver the training required by Ministry Heads and the Pastoral Care Team to equip them to provide appropriate pastoral care
• to deliver appropriate and timely spiritual, emotional and practical pastoral care referring cases to specialists, as required
Strategy & Operations
Imagine our facilities reflecting the glory of God and enabling us to deliver our Vision
Imagine excellent administrative, operational and financial management services that underpin the effective delivery of every aspect of the ministry of Rockville COGOP
Imagine Rockville COGOP's Vision being so well communicated that church members are inspired to fulfil it
Our goals are:
• to provide worship-enhancing facilities which are appropriate to our needs and which support the accommodation requirements of every ministry area and internal user
• to deliver a vision and plan for buildings enhancement, extension and utilisation
• to ensure prudent financial management delivered in accordance with the required standards of accounting practice
Distinctive Values
It is our prayerful hope that the tangible goals contained in this Plan will be achieved, by God's grace, as we maintain the following distinctive values:
We believe that Biblical teaching anointed by the Holy Spirit is the catalyst for individual and corporate transformation
(Romans 12:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:23-25)
We believe that lost people matter to God, and therefore, ought to matter to the Church. This is the reason for our commitment to relational evangelism as well as organised evangelistic events
(Luke 5:30-32; Luke 15; Matthew 18:14)
We believe that the Church should be culturally relevant while remaining doctrinally pure
(1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
We believe that Christ's followers should demonstrate authenticity and yearn for continuous growth
(Ephesians 4:25-32; Hebrews 12:1; Philippians 1:6)
We believe that the Church should operate as a unified community of servants stewarding their spiritual gifts
(1 Corinthians 12 & 14; Romans 12; Ephesians 4)
We believe that loving relationships should permeate every aspect of Church life. This includes the principle of servant-hood and commitment to relationship building
(1 Corinthians 13; Nehemiah 3; Luke 10:1; John 13:34-35)
We believe that life-change happens best in small groups. This is the reason for our commitment to small groups to facilitate fellowship, teaching and ministry
(Luke 6:12-13; Acts 2:44-47)
We believe that excellence in all we do honours God and inspires people
(Colossians 3:17; Malachi 1:6-14; Proverbs 27:17)
We believe that churches should be led by those with leadership gifts. This is the reason for our commitment to shared leadership, continuous training and the evaluation of gifts and abilities
(Nehemiah 1 & 2; Romans 12:8; Acts 6:2-5)
We believe that full devotion to Christ and serving His cause is normal for every believer. This includes the concept of stewardship, servant-hood, and discipleship
(1 Kings 11:4; Philippians 2:1-11; 2 Corinthians 8:7)
Membership Commitment
By God’s Grace, and with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, I will endeavor...
To follow the example of Christ in home and daily life, and to bear personal witness to Him.
To be regular in private prayer day by day.
To read the Bible carefully.
To come to Church every Sunday.
To receive the Holy Communion faithfully and regularly.
To give personal service to Church, neighbors, and community.
To give money for the work of God and for the work of the Church at home and overseas.
To uphold the standard of marriage entrusted by Christ to His Church.
To care that children are brought up to love and serve the Lord.
By God’s Grace, this is my desire for the coming year.
Our Covenant Relationship
We have joined ourselves together in Christ as a fellowship of believers by covenanting to accept the Bible as the Word of God, promising to believe and practice its teachings rightly divided with the New Testament as our rule of faith and practice, government and discipline, and agreeing to walk in the light to the best of our knowledge and ability.
Name…………………………………………………………
Date……………………
If you wish to be recognized as a member of Rockville COGOP, please add your name and the date and return the copy of this membership form to the Church Office. We recommend you also keep a copy in your Bible as a reminder of your membership commitment.
Beliefs
|
The Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP) is a Christian, Bible-believing, Spirit-filled fellowship that has been in existence since the late 1800s. Our headquarters are located in Cleveland, TN, but our vibrant churches extend all over the world.
Our Commitments
We will worship God with all our being by:
Acknowledging Him as the Sovereign of all creation
Submitting to the headship of Christ over the Church
Practicing fervent, Spirit-led corporate worship
Allowing the full manifestation of spiritual gifts in our lives
Modeling personal worship through sacrificial living
We will evangelize the lost with all our resources by:
Utilizing every available means to take the gospel to all people
Depending on the Holy Spirit to empower our witness
Dedicating ourselves to a lifestyle of evangelism
Cooperating with other Bible-believing Christians in outreach efforts
Examining every major corporate decision in light of the Great Commission
We will equip believers, using all our gifts by:
Faithfully preaching and teaching the whole Word of God
Providing a loving environment for individual spiritual growth
Fulfilling the command to "bear one another's burdens"
Administering the scriptural ordinances
Applying biblical church discipline with love
We will prepare for Christ's return with all our hearts by:
Covenanting to the inerrant Word of God
Committing ourselves to lives of biblical holiness
Being agents of reconciliation in a fragmented world
Modeling and promoting unity among all God's children
Helping to take the gospel to every people group on earth
|
History of the Rockville Church of God of Prophecy.
Our blessed church has undergone many phases, and we give God thanks for this beautiful building and dedicated members. The Rockville Church of God of Prophecy started in 1961 with just a Sunday School in the home of Lois Ellis on Travilah Rd, Rockville, Maryland. Brother Sullivan was the State Overseer and Sister Bellis his helper. There was no pastor and the only members were the Brown, Ellis, and Chapman families.
During the summer months, between 1961-1962, services were held in a big tent set up in the Brown?s back yard on Piney Meetinghouse Rd., in Rockville. The State Overseer at this time was Bro. Hartley and Bro. Hutchinson the helper. Still, we had no pastor.
In 1962, the Sunday School moved to an upstairs apartment located above a store called Pargas Co. on 355 Fredrick Ave, Rockville, MD. In 1963 the church was housed in two locations. It was temporarily set up in a small store front in Rockville, with Bro William Jolley as the first appointed pastor and Teresa Brown, Gail Ellis, the Browns, Ellis, and Lewis as the first members. Later that year, the church relocated to Cedar Ave in Gaithersburg, where we fellowshipped for five wonderful years. During this time, we were blessed with several pastors. Bro. Jolley pastored until 1965. He then turned over the mantle of leadership to Bro. Harold Aiken. Bro Joe Hughes took over in 1966 and pastured until 1968. Bro. David Tollison then became pastor. The State overseer at this time was Bro. Hidgon.
In 1968 the church moved once again. This time to a house at 14180 Travilah Rd., until a permanent structure was constructed in 1970. The co-signers to secure this undertaking included Doug Routh, Leonard Brown, Ruey Lewis, and Don Lewis. Those who have answered the call to pastor in this location are:
Bro. Tollison 1968 to 1974
Bro. Littleton 1974 to 1985
Bro Wallen 1985 to 1987
Bro. Pittman 1987 to 1990
Bro. Hitchcock 1990 to 1993
Bro. Hagy 1993 to 2000
Bro. Balram 2000 to the present
Overseers from 1968 to the present include Bro Day, Bro. Decker, Bro. Risch, Bro Vickers, Bro. Brantley, Bro. McGee, Bro. Cagle, and Bro. E. L. Jones.
The Rockville Church has experienced many joyous occasions as members were joined in holy matrimony. Our pastors had the privilege of uniting, in the presence of God, Teresa & Mark Stadtler 1973, Joey and Wilda Tollison, also in 1973; Monty and Cissy Meekens 1978; Chris and Della Sanders; Robbie and Gail Vanhooizer; Teresa and Jimmy Reid; Jock and Tonya; Vilma and Besrick Turgott, 2001.
With weddings come babies. And over the years we have welcomed into the world Phillip Lewis, Lisa Marie MaClemore, Kathy Stadtler, Carey Joe Tollison, Jimmy Stadtler, Brian Jerrell, Crystal Steele, Kristen Marchigiani, Heather Vanhooizer, Nick Reid, Linsley Marchigiani, and Olivia Reid.
Sadly, we had to bid farewell to loved ones as they departed to be with their Lord. Ruey Lewis, Charlie Hagy 1980, Mark Stadtler1984, Don Lewis, Sis Littleton 1987, Mickey Routh 1987, Brenda Ackley 1990, and Mae Vanhooizer 1995. They were truly loved and we miss them dearly.
Many have walked through these doors and have made the Rockville Church of God of Prophecy their home. And today we give God thanks for all our members, because without your dedication, commitment, and desire to serve the Lord, our church would not exist.
Members: Present, Past and Year became member of the Rockville Church: Lois Ellis 1963 (membership transferred from Dalschapel, Va ) Martha Brown 1963 (membership transferred from Glade Springs, Va Bro & Sister Lewis (membership transferred from Tazwell, Va) Teresa Stadtler 1963 Doug Routh 1968 Bro Ridpath 1968 Sis Ridpath 1968 Brenda Ackley 1969 Joan Steele 1969 Donna Daniels 1969 Dave Daniels 1969 Billy Vanhoozer1971 Lily Vanhoozer1971 Eleanor Vanhoozer 1970 Robbie Vanhoozer 1970 Denise Marchigiani 1972 Carey Daniels 1974 Elbert McCurry 1975 Gladys McCurry 1975 Teresa Steele (Reid) 1975 Jimmy Reid 1988 Bobby Vanhoozer 1994 Doris Sutton 1998 (transferred to Rockville) Robin Balram 2000 Indra Balram 2000 Nicole Balram (Mccoy) 2000 Daryl Balram 2000 Denzyl Balram 2000 Robert Hagy 1970 Ricky Hagy 1970 Helen Hagy1969 Charles Hagy1969 Harry Lambert Helen Lambert Dennis Mcclemore Linda Mcclemore Della Ridpath (Sanders) 1968 Dean Ridpath Cissy Jerrell Larry Lawson Phyllis Lawson Juliet Morris Leonard Brown Vickie Brown Alvez.
And this my friends is the history of the Rockville Church of God of Prophecy. We give God thanks for such a rich heritage. The presence of God has surely been with us. A special thank you to all those who helped to put this information together: Martha Brown, Lois Ellis (Hayden), Doug Routh, Eleanor Vanhooizer, Donna and Dave Daniels, Joan Steele, and Teresa Stadtler. May the Lord bless you, one and all.
