Through Jesus Christ we have been able to grow and share the many gifts we have been given. Our road has been joined by a great variety of believers. We are made up of people from all different backgrounds, ages, talents and economic situations.
Our common purpose is to make Christ known. In this truth, our compass is unwavering. We are united in our love of God, our support of each other and our purpose. We strive to spread the message of grace and forgiveness to a world in need of both.
Who Are We?:
Spirit of Hope is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We are one of nearly 10,000 ELCA congregations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More information about the ELCA may be found at www.elca.org.
ELCA Teaching
The ELCA confesses the Triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In our preaching and teaching the ELCA trusts the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. ELCA teaching or theology serves the proclamation and ministry of this faith. It does not have an answer for all questions, not even all religious questions. Teaching or theology prepares members to be witnesses in speech and in action of God’s rich mercy in Jesus Christ.
Scriptures, Creeds and Confessions
The ELCA’s official Confession of Faith identifies the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (commonly called the Bible); the Apostles’, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds; and the Lutheran confessional writings in the Book of Concord as the basis for our teaching. ELCA congregations make the same affirmation in their governing documents, and ELCA pastors promise to preach and teach in accordance with these teaching sources. This Confession of Faith is more than just words in an official document. Every Sunday in worship ELCA congregations hear God’s word from the Scriptures, pray as Jesus taught and come to the Lord’s Table expecting to receive the mercies that the Triune God promises. Throughout the week ELCA members continue to live by faith, serving others freely and generously in all that they do because they trust God’s promise in the Gospel. In small groups and at sick beds, in private devotions and in daily work, this faith saturates all of life.
Teaching for a life of faith
This connection to all of life is the clearest demonstration of the authority that the canonical Scriptures, the ecumenical Creeds and the Lutheran Confessions have in the ELCA. The Holy Spirit uses these witnesses to create, strengthen and sustain faith in Jesus Christ and the life we have in him. That life-giving work continues every day, as Martin Luther explained in the Small Catechism: the Holy Spirit “calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.”
What Is Our Purpose?:
To provide assistance to those who are in emotional, spiritual, and physical need.
To strengthen and enrich lives by providing opportunities for growth and development through prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and discipleship.
To support and encourage people in a joy filled, accepting environment to live and share the love of Christ.
To instill the idea that God dwells in everyone and everything, and assists people in transforming their lives by focusing on thoughts, feelings, actions and prayer.
Our Core Values:
- We welcome and love all people.
- We value diversity in the body of Christ.
- We strive to grow in Christ through worship, study, and action.
- We hunger to serve and respond to those in need.
Our Vision:
To put God first, as dedicated Disciples of Christ, to put our families and neighbors second, as servants of our community, and to put ourselves last, in unselfish service and devotion to Jesus.
Our Mission Statement:
To Make Christ Known
