Learn about HOPE

What we believe

…and what it means.

As Lutherans, we understand that we belong to the Christian Church that exists beyond the boundaries of time, geography or denominational distinctions. We share a faith in Jesus Christ with billions of others. We find that faith most understandable to us when we view it through a Lutheran theological lens.

Formally, that means we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, revealed to us in the Bible, expressed in the Church’s historic Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian) and witnessed to by the Lutheran Confessions.

That faith includes belief in:

• The Trinitarian God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• The crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the means of our salvation from sin and death
• The Old and New Testaments as God’s Word, witnessing to God’s actions through time and God’s promises to believers
• The possibility of our salvation:
  • By grace alone – God’s free and undeserved gift through faith alone – Apart from any work or worth on our part in the Word of God alone – Jesus Christ, whom we know through Scripture.
  • Baptism as a sacrament, the means of grace whereby God claims us in a relationship of lifelong growth in faith and discipleship; and as the sign of each person’s vocation or “calling,” his or her role in the world for the sake of God Holy Communion as a sacrament, the means of grace whereby the believer encounters the very presence of Jesus Christ through bread and wine, receiving forgiveness and the assurance of everlasting life as surely as he or she sees, smells, feels, and tastes the food and drink.
  • The Priesthood of All Believers; the understanding that all Christians are called to ministry within the Church and throughout their daily lives
    What this means is that we live as a people with identity (as the children of God), value (redeemed at the cost of Jesus’ life), and purpose (living to make God’s presence known in all we do).

We are drawn to experience God in worship, engage one another in fellowship, grow in faith through lifelong learning, and serve those in need. Or as Martin Luther so simply put it, we believe that we are “to see Christ in our neighbor, and be Christ to our neighbor.”

To learn more about what we believe and what it means, visit the “ELCA Teachings” section of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s website.

What to expect

The first visit to any new community means encountering the new, the different or the unexpected. Whether you’re a lifelong Lutheran or have never set foot in a Lutheran church before, we want you to be comfortable, so we offer these few notes.

In Worship

Lutherans are a “liturgical” bunch. That means our worship has the same general outline used by Christians since the earliest days of the Church. While there are variations each week, the general order is the same: we Gather (sing and pray together), hear the Word (Scripture readings and sermon), come to the Table (to receive Holy Communion), and are Sent (blessed to go into the world as disciples). “Liturgy” means “the work of the people.” There are no spectators in worship – all are participants.

Music is essential to worship (hymns, parts of the liturgy, special music sung or played by individuals/groups), but you don’t have to be a musician to join in. Our postures – standing, sitting, kneeling, turning, walking – reflect the action going on in worship at the moment. Our worship space is filled with visual symbols of the faith – banners, robes, candles, crosses.

The entire order of worship is laid out in the worship bulletin and is easy to follow. Expect to be greeted during the “passing of the peace” in the middle of the service, and don’t be afraid to ask the ushers (or anyone else) for information or assistance.

Before & After Worship

Some have joked that coffee is a sacrament in the Lutheran church. In truth, we’re less interested in the coffee – or tea, lemonade, etc. – than in the conversation that develops when people share refreshments. Stop in the Narthex outside the worship space or the Community Hall to grab a beverage and a snack and strike up a conversation. And check out the Welcome Center, located outside the Community Hall, to see what information might be of interest to you.

In General

Hope Lutheran is a place where all are welcome and grace is the guiding principle. We are drawn by Christ’s love and strive to share it with others. We invite and encourage you to be our guest. We look forward to meeting you.