At Hope United Methodist Church, disciples are followers of Christ who choose to pursue a relationship with Jesus Christ that progresses throughout their lifetime. It begins with questioning, longing, and experimenting with the idea of our need for a savior (seeker). It then moves into a relationship with Jesus (follower). Then, throughout our lives, we move into a deeper relationship with Jesus (disciple).

   This journey is done primarily in three ministry areas. We have chosen to call these Connect, Grow and Serve.

   We affirm that disciples should participate in ministries in all three of these areas. In addition, as our faith deepens, our level of commitment to each of these areas will also increase. 

Connect

Building relationships

Contact the church office if you are interested in volunteering.

Become a member of Hope UMC

Attend Sunday Fellowship in Fellowship Hall

Be a Sunday Fellowship Host

(Make coffee and juice, arrange rolls/donuts on trays, clean up after fellowship time)

 

Volunteer to help with our valet parking service

(assist members with mobility issues, park their car before service, retrieve cars after service)

 

Volunteer to help with worship activities:

  • Worship Leader

(Lead congregation in the Call to Worship, Unison Opening  Prayer, Read Scripture and occasionally assist with Communion)

 

  • Worship Media Arts Team

(Run the camera, computer or sound board during services. Training  provided)

 

  • Communion Server

(assist the Pastor with communion)

 

  • Alter set up and design

  • Share a Bluestone Moment

(give a testimony, share a God sighting from your life)

 

Worship Arts Team

(Help with running the sound board or the screen on Sunday mornings during service)

  • Sing in the Chancel Choir

(Or Joyful Noise, a small vocal group)

 

  • Play in Chimes of Hope

  • Provide Special Music

(instrumental or vocal)

 

    Grow

    Growing in your faith

    Contact the church office if you are interested in volunteering.

    Adult Sunday School 

    (The Adult class meets on Sunday morning in the Rainbow Room with discussion  centered around the current topic/book. New members are welcome at any time.)

    Sunday School for Children

    (Children ages 3 through 6th grade meet each Sunday morning September through May. We use UMC endorsed curriculum to discover the depths of God’s love expressed in the timeless stories of the Bible. The Beginner’s class (for 3-year-olds through 2nd grade) meets downstairs.  The Gatherer’s class (for 3rd – 6th grades) meets upstairs.  We bring both groups together at the end of the session to close with music time, “candle time” and prayer.)

    Youth

    (Middle School youth meet monthly for fun social activities.)

    Prayer Questers

    (Prayer Questers meet weekly on Tuesday mornings for devotions, prayer and to  discuss the current prayer study.  Time is focused on lifting up joys, and  concerns for our church, community, nation and world.  Members are  encouraged to pray individually through out the week.) 

    Wonderful Wednesdays

    (Wednesday after school activities for kids grades 1-4 during the school year.  Activities Include games, snacks, music, bible story and crafts. Field trips are  planned occasionally through out the school year.) 

    POW – Pathways on Wednesday

    (Small group worship experience on Wednesday evenings)

    Grief Healers 

    (Iowa River Hospice sponsors this group and it is open to all individuals who have experienced the recent death of a loved one. The group meets once per month at Hope UMC. Please contact Iowa River Hospice at 641-753-7704 to register.)  

    Common Bonds 

    (Iowa River Hospice’s Common Bonds was developed to nurture caregivers. Each day can be a challenge for the caregiver but you are not alone. Become part of a network to provide strength and caring solutions for one another. This group meets once per month at Hope UMC. Please contact Iowa River Hospice at 641-753-7704 if you are interested in more information or to join this group.)

    Confirmation Class 

    (Class for youth who are seeking membership in the UMC are offered every  couple of years.)

    New Member Class 

    (Class for people seeking membership at Hope UMC are offered periodically.)

    Book Studies

    (Short term small group book studies are offered periodically through out the year.  Check with the church office for current studies.)

    Serve

    Living out your faith

    Contact the church office if you are interested in volunteering.

    Whispering Hope

    (Whispering Hopes is a small group of individuals involved in congregant care by  sending cards, making phone calls or visiting members in care facilities, who are homebound or who are sick.) 

    Wonderful Wednesday Volunteers

    (Volunteers are needed to prepare craft materials (cutting), purchase snacks, lead or assist with the Bible lessons, craft activities, music, games and walking students from Hoglan to Hope UMC.)

    Youth group Volunteers

    (Volunteers are needed to lead or assist with devotions, social activities, group discussions, field trips, and games at each month’s event.)

    Funeral Meal Volunteers 

    (Hope UWF coordinate the recruitment of volunteers when families request a  funeral meal. Volunteers prepare food, serve the meal and clean up after the  meal.)

    Iowa Immigrant Movement for Justice (Formerly Justice for our Neighbors) 

    (Iowa MMJ serves the immigrant and refugee community across the state by providing free or low-cost immigration legal counsel and representation.  Monthly immigration legal clinics are held in Marshalltown at First United Methodist Church and six other regional sites. The clinics assist people with family-based immigration; humanitarian programs including Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and U-visas; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS); removal defense; and naturalization and citizenship. Each clinic has one or two volunteer clinic coordinators who handle all the logistics of the monthly clinic event.  Hope UMC has provided volunteers as well as snacks during the clinic hours. Please call (515) 255-9809 for more information about the immigration legal services or to make an appointment.)

    Chuck’s Little Food Pantry

    (Our pantry is located on the south edge of our front parking lot and is open to  anyone facing food insecurities.  Hope members and community neighbors help  stock it with non-perishable food items.  During the cold months, we do not  accept canned or bottled food items.)

    Monthly C.A.R.E.s Project (Care About Reaching Everyone)

    (Each month of the year, Hope selects a project to support through donations of needed items.  Donations are collected through out the month and then delivered at the end of the month. Such projects might include: Stocking the MCC Tiger Vault, Collecting food for the Emergency Food Box, providing supplies for the House of Compassion Supply closet or Youth and Sheltered Services.  Check the CAREs page for the current monthly project.)

    Serve Through Financial Support

    • Birthday Offerings
    • Noisy Offerings
    • UMC Special Offerings
    • Iowa UMC Conference Giving