The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Colorado native Don Larreau is the new Associate Pastor of the New Hope Church in Haxtun. Many local residents may know the New Hope Church at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Bryan Street as the former Berean Bible Church.

Larreau and his wife, Deb, live in Ogallala, Neb. but commute to Haxtun several times a week for both weekly Sunday services and life groups throughout the week. The change in name to the New Hope Church reflects the church's continued desire to reach out to the community with the hope of Jesus Christ.

"It also represents the partnership with New Hope Church in Ogallala as we can share resources and staff making different ministry opportunities possible that a single church might not always be able to do," Larreau said.

Larreau was born in Colorado Springs and grew up in the Pikes Peak region. He met his wife Deb while at college at Grade University in Omaha, Neb. The couple have been married 34 years and have two grown sons and five grandchildren.

"Deb and I both felt called to ministry, her from a very young age, and myself from late in high school," said Larreau. "After college, God placed youth on my heart and I became a full-time youth Pastor for the Berean Fellowship of Churches, first in the mountains of Northern California and then in North Platte, Neb."

After being in youth ministry, Larreau said he and Deb felt God calling to look at other ministry opportunities and in 2005, he began working for the Evangelical Free Church of America in the mountains of California again. In 2017, the couple returned to Colorado where he began work as an Interim Pastor.

"As an Interim Pastor, the task is to come alongside a church that is in transition for any number of reasons and to help them reorganize and plot their future direction and help them acquire a new pastor who shares that ministry direction," said Larreau.

Now, Larreau serves as the Associate Pastor at New Hope Church in Ogallala and the campus Pastor at New Hope Church in Haxtun.

"I spend about half of my time here in Haxtun and the other half in Ogallala," he said. "We currently live in Ogallala and I commute to Haxtun several times a week."

Larreau said New Hope Church in Haxtun has weekly Sunday morning service and several life groups that meet throughout the week.

"On Sundays we have both live streaming and in-person preaching depending on the week, but there is always worship service taking place," Larreau added. "We are looking at starting some youth-oriented activities in the near future and Vacation Bible School is just around the corner as well so be watching the new digital sign for more information on that as well as other events."

In their free time, the Larreaus enjoy a rural lifestyle that comes with smaller communities. "We love spending time with our kids and grandkids whenever the opportunity comes up," Larreau said. "We love motorcycles, jeeps, camping, fishing or just about anything outside."