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What We Believe

Spend time with us and you will see what we believe. What we do has meaning.

  • In our best of hearts, we welcome all. This means that we believe in the one God, creator of us all.
  • We offer the peace of Christ with others, we share around the communion table and baptize, we pray in the name of Jesus, we know the cost and joy of following Christ. We believe in Jesus Christ. Not only was Jesus our teacher, Jesus Christ is living among us today in the work of hope, love, healing, and justice.
  • We experience God through the Spirit in worship, in relationships, in joining with others in God’s good work.
  • The themes of our worship are drawn from the Bible, we look to the Bible for guidance on issues, and we are challenged by and challenge the Bible. We believe in a God who is still-speaking — in the Bible and among us today.

Our beliefs are shared by many within the United Church of Christ of which we are a part. Hope United Church of Christ also reflects the beliefs of those who call themselves progressive Christians.

Hope Church Believes . . .

Church must be relevant.

Hope Church is a growing community that understands the demands that are placed on the lives of people who live in Northern Virginia. If a spiritual community is to have any impact it must meet the people where they are in life. We want to do this! This spiritual community wants to help you make relevant connections with the message of the gospel and your life that is simple and easy to understand.

Diversity is embraced.

Hope Church can provide a sense of belonging and home for all people - no matter who you are, what you’ve done, or what has happened in your life. We want to help you live the life that God intends for you.

It’s OK to ask questions.

Hope Church values exploration of the faith and encourages people to seek answers for some of today’s hardest questions. This is a safe community to bring questions about spirituality and the role of the church in today’s culture.

Discipleship is important.

Hope Church is building a contemporary educational ministry for children, youth, and adults that will teach values of tolerance, responsibility, and compassion. We believe that these are the values of Jesus Christ, and we are committed to modeling them both inside and outside the walls of our church.

We are Christ-centered

Hope Church believes in the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ as described in the Bible. We look to Jesus as our example of integrity, wholeness, and justice. We also believe that we experience the living presence of Christ today through prayer, relationships, worship, Holy Communion and Baptism, through acts of loving justice. Our name “Hope” comes from the hope we have known through God in Christ.

Hope Church’s Core Values

Worship

Worship is central to Hope’s existence. It is where we explore and celebrate God’s mystery, learn and practice Jesus’ love, challenge our spiritual thinking, hold ourselves accountable, open ourselves to the Spirit’s calling, and taste the goodness of God. It is out of worship that love and acceptance, reaching out, spiritual growth, community, and hope grows.

Love and acceptance

We welcome, respect, and value diversity by providing a place of honest, authentic relationships where we can be real and be accepted. These two words sum up Jesus’ ministry. Jesus broadened the understanding of what the community of God’s people looked like to include all people. We come together offering an inclusive, unconditional, and loving environment where those who are hurting, frustrated, and confused can find guidance and encouragement as we travel our shared spiritual path.

Reaching out

Jesus calls us to move beyond the four walls of our church to spread the good news of love and acceptance. As growing Christians, we are encouraged to put our faith into action as we accept the call to go and serve others. Each of us has been given gifts to work in the building of God’s realm. We encourage all members to discover their unique gifts so they can take the church into the wider community and world.

Community

Hope is a “rainbow” of people from all walks of life. We experience a depth and breadth of community that is rare and precious. As we celebrate our diversity together through worship, outreach, and fellowship, God blesses us with unity. Linked together, we are God’s instruments to strengthen the congregation and reach beyond the church walls.

Spiritual Growth

One of the main purposes of a church is to lead people to a deeper understanding of themselves, their neighbors, and God. Here at Hope Church we take each member’s spiritual journey seriously. We invite members to bring forward their questions and explore their own spiritual depths. Opportunities for spiritual growth include: worship services, small groups, retreats, service projects, fellowship, and Bible studies.

Hope Church’s Covenant

The covenant of any UCC church is its most important document. This is the path and agreement through which the local UCC church lives out its faith.

Those who are members automatically become part of this covenant — in living it out and in dialoging with the community about its effect.

This latest covenant was made by the congregation’s members in 1998 and was modified in 2001.

Hope Church embraces the cost and joy of discipleship by:

  • Caring for the spiritual and life enrichment of its members and friends;
  • Reaching out to the local community to provide spiritual growth and Christian love and action;
  • Challenging its members and friends to care for the global community and the earth itself;
  • Helping all people grow in their faith, discover their unique spiritual gifts for ministry, and find ways to honor God with their worship and lives.

In the spirit of Christian love, we are an open and affirming congregation welcoming people of every race, ethnic heritage, class, age, gender, sexual orientation, and ability.

We covenant, in the spirit of our Brother and Savior, the Christ, to pursue the truths of the universe, all impulses toward human justice and world peace, and words and deeds that promote our growing understanding of God’s abiding love and grace.