About Communities of Hope
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Communities of Hope is a gathering of churched, un-churched, & de-churched people who are seeking to explore faith in new & creative ways, with a strong focus on service in both local & global communities.
Communities of Hope (COH) began as a response to the desires of a group of individuals to find a safe space outside of a church building to gather & explore faith meaning & expression.
As we began to engage in Word, Sacrament, & Service as a group - drawing from the experiences of our diverse backgrounds & religious understandings - we experienced authentic community. We continue to engage in faith conversations that are honest & non-judgmental.
God is calling us to provide diverse opportunities for people to participate in COH in ways that encourage a sense of belonging without judgement. We encourage people to enter without dissuading them to connect or disconnect with a traditional church community. God is calling us to be vessels for healing through tender listening to those who are suffering.
COH is a creative & ever-evolving ministry, focused on God's restoration of a broken humanity through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Harrisburg is an economically, culturally, & racially diverse city. COH seeks to serve underrepresented groups in the area, including: youth & young adults, people of color, poor & working-class, people with a high-school diploma or less, & people with little or no church background or involvement.
As a group, we find meaning & purpose expressing our faith through local & global service with our neighbor, particularly with the community experiencing homelessness in downtown Harrisburg, & children & their families living in poverty locally & globally. We have learned that our participants with little to no religious identity experience faith through service in local & global mission contexts.
COH is an ELCA Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community.
