Living Hope Church of Clermont
welcoming, caring, dynamic, living, serving, global methodist, a wesleyan community.
About Us
We are a community of people who are in process. We have imperfect & messy lives, but we are pursuing and experiencing a transforming relationship with our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Our one goal is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We try to do this with every interaction we have - whether on Sunday morning or at any of our many ministries and outreaches. Everybody is welcome here, whatever your story, your questions, doubts or struggles. We’re all about doing life together in community, being intentional about our growth as people and serving one another and our broader community along the way. Proudly serving Clermont since 1891
- Denomination
- United Methodist Church
- Founded
- It all started when the first group met in the upper room of M. E. Wilson's General Merchandise Store on the southeast corner of 8th & Montrose Street in 1886. The people of Clermont and neighboring towns would hold weekly church services with occasional guest pastors, prayer, hymns, and discuss God's word. In January of 1891, 26 people became members of the Methodist faith and thus forming the Methodist Episcopal Church in Clermont. In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church united to form the United Methodist Church, thus changing our name to the First United Methodist Church of Clermont. In 2023, our congregation voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. In April, we rebranded and propelled into the future as Living Hope Church, a Wesleyan Community. Our name may have changed over the years, but our desire to spread and share the good news of Jesus Christ to the world has not. Important Dates: 1939 - Rev. Hancock began construction on the Hancock Building. 1954 - A Kindergarten was started in the church basement. 1961 - The first service was held in the Sanctuary in January. 1973 - Sunday School began in the newly built Education Building. 1991 - The church celebrated it's 100th Year Anniversary. 2000 - Current Senior Pastor Doug Kokx joined the church. 2009 - The Wesley Center held it's first worship service. 2015 - Wesley Christian Academy was formed. 2023 - Rebranded to Living Hope Church
Contact Information
Our Services
Service Times
- Thursday
-
- 07:00pm
- Celebrate Recovery Service
- Sunday
-
- 11:00am
- Traditional Service
- 09:30am
- Contemporary Service
- 08:00am
- Traditional Service
Leadership
Doug Kokx
Senior Pastor
Rev. Doug Kokx has been the Senior Pastor of Living Hope Church since January 2000. He was born and raised in Pentwater, Michigan & studied at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Then, Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky where he received his Master of Divinity.
He started working in ministry at Pine River Parish in 1985 in the West Michigan Conference. He moved to Florida in 1991, where he became an associate pastor at First United Methodist Church of Ocala, then worked at Umatilla United Methodist Church for five and half years before moving to Clermont in 2000.
He is married to Sue and they have a son named Gordy, daughter Patty, son-in-law Kyle, and two grandkids. He loves being pastor of our church and in his time off, he loves spending time with his family and going saltwater fishing.
Location & Directions
What Members Say
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