25 Jul Pastoral Transition at New Hope Church (Huntington, Ind.)

Amos Rawley has been appointed senior pastor of New Hope UB church (Huntington, Ind.) effective January 25, 2016. He had been associate pastor of New Hope since July 2015, and served a year as youth pastor, 2009-2010, while attending Huntington University. Amos grew up in the Otterbein UB church of Greencastle, Pa. His parents, Rev. David and Cindy Rawley, have served Otterbein since 1985.

On July 24, 2016, New Hope Church held a special service in its packed Family Life Center. This was the final service for Ray and Ruth Seilhamer, who had served New Hope for the last 12 years. They will move this week to Chambersburg, Pa., to begin serving a two-year interim pastorate at Mount Pleasant UB church, effective August 1. Chris Little, who had been senior pastor of Mount Pleasant since 2001, died suddenly on April 19, 2016, at age 51.

Bishop Emeritus Seilhamer became senior pastor of New Hope in 2004. In 2010, the congregation dedicated a 13,000 square-foot Family Life Center which includes a multi-purpose gymnasium, where the congregation now holds worship services, plus a kitchen, large foyer, and other rooms. The total cost was $980,000. The congregation raised over $300,000; outside investors pitched in $490,000, and various fundraisers brought in the rest. During the July 25 service, New Hope celebrated by burning the mortgage.

Bishop Todd Fetters led an installation service for Amos and Annalee Rawley. David Rawley was among those participating in the laying on of hands.

Amos graduated from Huntington University in 2010, and went on to earn a Master of Divinity in 2015 from Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, Pa. Annalee, whom he married in 2011, also graduated in 2015 from Evangelical Seminary, but with a masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Huntington University and has been involved with two local counseling centers.