Worship & Spiritual Formation
ADULT EDUCATION: Plans and coordinates educational opportunities for adults intended for spiritual formation through biblical study and critical examination of cultural, social, and moral issues from a Christian perspective.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: Helps Hope Church members and friends to grow and deepen their faith, as we all seek to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. They seek to celebrate Hope’s diversity, to become even more faithful to the vision of Jesus, and to assist the church in becoming a mission center in our community and world.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION: Works with the Associate Pastor of Discipleship to support opportunities for members across the generations to grow in their faith together.
WORSHIP: Focuses on creating and maintaining a worshipful environment for Hope Church, attending to aesthetic, musical, liturgical, spiritual, and theological aspects of worship. They work to develop the congregation’s spirituality by offering resources for prayer and devotions, healing, and retreat.
Care & Hospitality
CONGREGATIONAL CARE & HEALTH: Works with the pastoral staff to minister to both the needs and joys of the Hope Church family to nurture a caring, loving community of faith. They invite the whole congregation to participate in sharing loving care and encouragement with one another to build up the body of Christ, through coordinating prayer, visits, transportation and meals. Recognizing that we are stewards of our own good health, and realizing the importance of the connection of physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual wellness, they seek to involve the members of Hope Church in a healing ministry to each other and the community. Download Congregational Care & Health Ministry Brochure (PDF)
FELLOWSHIP: Provides opportunities for fellowship among the members and friends of Hope Church through an assortment of intergenerational events of interest to all members.
OUTREACH AND HOSPITALITY: Reaches out to visitors and non-members in the Holland community and area to encourage their participation and membership in Hope Church, and works within Hope Church to foster a sense of warmth, openness, and hospitality that will enrich the life of the church and promotes interaction between members and visitors.
Mission and Social Justice
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ACCESSIBILITY: Advocates for welcoming all people to worship, regardless of physical, mental, or developmental ability, and promoting a spirit of community without boundaries, to share Christ’s love in the world and create an environment where “everybody belongs and everybody serves.”
CREATION CARE: Explores the intersection of faith and environmental care, with an emphasis on direct experience of nature as an essential component of spiritual growth, and on lifestyle critique as a spiritual discipline.
COMMUNITY: Supports social, economic, and environmental justice work undertaken by Hope Church members and through support of and partnership with a number of local organizations to meet needs for food, health, housing, education, and a sustaining environment.
RECONCILIATION: Focuses on implementing Hope Church’s commitment to the Belhar Confession, which calls us to unity, reconciliation, and justice. They offer support and resources within Hope Church engaging in diversity and inclusivity efforts, discern advocacy for community issues, and build relationships with community organizations with a shared mission.
Administration
ART: Cares for and promotes the visual arts at Hope Church, caring for the existing collection of historical artifacts and artwork and arranging for exhibits of our own or from external artists or organizations.
BUILDING AND GROUNDS: Responsible for the care and maintenance of the physical facilities of Hope Church. They keep the physical plant functioning smoothly so that all the other groups can function with the greatest efficiency, taking seriously the commitment to be good stewards of our church resources.
COMMUNICATIONS: Works to effectively share Hope Church’s mission and invite people to engage in the life of our church as they develop and guide the implementation of a cohesive, strategic approach to communications.
DISCERNING OUR FUTURE: Supports Consistory in thinking strategically about the ministry of Hope Church. They provide a place for discernment about the mission and vision for the congregation and provides opportunities for the leadership of the church to assess its health and vitality.
ENDOWMENT: oversees and manages the assets of the Fund to provide funds as a source of income and / or for some future need for Hope Church. The Fund is a separate but parallel organization to the Church with its own Board as its controlling body. The Board is elected by the members of the Endowment Fund, such membership being the same as membership of Hope Church
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: serves as planning/advisory/administrative body for the Consistory regarding agenda and process.
FACILITY STRATEGY: Long term oversight of the facility, leading to a strategy for both priorities and funding and taking into account long-term and proactive maintenance, preservation of our historic sanctuary and exterior, and ongoing refurbishing and revitalization to keep the facility in step with our needs as a community.
PERSONNEL: Responsible to the consistory for all decisions related to staffing issues and acts as liaison between the congregation and ordained and non-ordained staff members.
SACRISTY: Assists in caring for the worship environment in the sanctuary including paraments, candles, and communion ware as well as readying the space each week for worship.
STEWARDSHIP & FINANCE: Seeks to cultivate the outlook and action of true stewards in the congregation through the generous sharing of God-given time, talent and possessions for service to others. Oversees the annual church budget, financial statements, and periodic audits to assure compliance with policies and procedures.
CONSISTORY: The governing body of the church:
ELDERS faithfully study God’s Word, governing the household of faith, encouraging spiritual growth, maintaining loving discipline, and providing for the proclamation of the Gospel and the celebration of the sacraments.
DEACONS manifest Christ’s love and care, gathering and distributing the offerings of God’s people, visiting and comforting the distressed, ministering to the poor and needy, and furthering God’s reign of justice and peace.