Ministries

In this Page:

Why We Serve

The grace of God motivates us to radical acts of love and service that guilt and fear never will.

There can be many motives for serving: because we see a need, because we feel guilty, because it makes us a feel better about ourselves. The Bible calls us to service for a different reason—because God served us in Jesus. Jesus said that He came not be served, but to serve (Mark 10.42-45). And this service culminated in offering His life for our sin. Seeing the poverty of our souls, Jesus becomes poor, so we might become rich. So, the Christian motive is different, it's not to work off a guilty conscience, or a crutch to feel righteous and acceptable, but rather fueled by our gratitude for grace.

The Bible calls for Every-Member ministry.

Why we serve has everything to do with the way we serve. God's grace helps us to appreciate our gifts and talents, but also accept our God-given limits. We then come to appreciate our need for others in the community (1 Corinthians 12). At City of Hope, we believe that every member is necessary. Only when the entire community is appreciated and employed in serving will we grow into the body of Christ (Ephesians 4).

Sunday School

All are welcome. Classes take place from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.

Adults

Topic: The Book of Revelation Class Schedule
Location: Lower Level of church facility

  • Baptism: Two-Part Class on Infant Baptism and Believers' Baptism.

    Sunday, January 18: Part 1 with Pastor Jeff (during adult Sunday School)
    Wednesday, January 21: Part 1 with Pastor Irwyn (at the Ince home from 6:30 - 8:00 PM)
    Sunday, January 25: Part 2 with Pastor Jeff (during adult Sunday School)
    Wednesday, January 28: Part 2 with Pastor Irwyn (at the Ince home from 6:30 - 8:00 PM)

    We're offering each part twice (covering the same material) so that as many people as possible can attend. If you want to, you can double your fun and attend all four!

Middle School

Topic: The Disciplines of Faith
Location: Lower level of church facility

Elementary School

Location: Lower level of church facility

Sunday School Newsletter--Fall Edition

Sunday Operations

As a community-driven church, City of Hope depends on its members and regular attendees to be involved, and use their gifts.

Our Ministry Teams were started organically as needs both inside and outside the church were identified and addressed, so we understand that programs exist to serve people, not merely create tasks. Ministry Teams are also a great way to get to know people.

We invite you to learn more about them.

Setup Team

The Setup Team members arrive at 3:15 pm to place signs, equipment, tables, etc. around the church in designated locations. After the service, they put everything back in the storage room and make sure the sanctuary is as we found it. For more information or to get involved serving the church in this very practical and indispensable way, contact Mike Randolph.

Communion Team

Communion is a regular part of worship at City of Hope. God's zeal for us to know His grace is seen in the way He preaches it through our five senses. Members of the Communion Team arrive early, fill the cups with wine and grape juice, arrange it with the bread on the table in the sanctuary, and clean up the table after the service. Also, we are looking for people who are willing to make the communion bread. To get involved in this way of directly serving the congregation, contact Val Rickett.

The Bread:
Jan 4 -- Amy
Jan 11 -- Val
Jan 18 -- Kelli
Jan 25 -- Amy

The Wine:
Jan 4 -- Kim
Jan 11 -- Val
Jan 18 -- Julie
Jan 25 -- Tiffany

Sound Team

Our Sound Team members work with the sound system to amplify the service, mix the worship, and record the sermon. Training is provided, but prior experience is helpful. If interested in serving with the Sound Team, please contact Mike Randolph.

Greeter & Info Table Team

City of Hope desires to welcome all who come. If you desire to greet people when they come to our doors and help arrange and hand out the information booklet please contact Tiffany Hogan.

Music Team

The Music Team serves City of Hope by leading our community in musical worship.

We are an eclectic group of musicians, with formal and informal musical training or performance experience, which practices Sunday afternoon before the service. The Music Team is always interested in auditioning new musicians, who have training or experience and who are comfortable with improvisation, to serve as regular team members or substitutes. In our worship, we attempt to incorporate various cultural experiences so we will lead the congregation in spirituals, black gospel, hymns to new music as well as traditional hymns.

For more information about the Music Team, please contact Irwyn Ince.

Children's Ministry

Christian Education, which includes Sunday School, is for ages three and over and is held at 3:30 pm in the lower level.

Nursery

City of Hope Nursery is now ready to receive children! We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing Christian atmosphere for the youngest members of our church family. Nursery care is available downstairs during the service.

We hope that our loving care for the little ones in our community will enable parents to participate fully in worship and to become an active part of our community.

Please contact Theresa Simmons or email her at tsimmons@seedschooldc.org for more information.

Children's Christian Education

Our Children's Christian Education classes seek to prepare our children for their life of following and serving Jesus Christ, and to introduce Jesus to those who do not know Him.

It is designed for children in grades K-6, with age-appropriate material and activities from Great Commission Publications and other carefully selected sources. Children are instructed in the content and wisdom of the scriptures through reading, studying and memorizing scripture, and expressing themselves in crafts, music and prayer. Children also explore their relationship with God, and His will for their lives.

It is our hope that our children will be enabled to see, glorify and joyfully serve God in all aspects of their lives, including school, sports, playtime and tea parties.

For more information or to get involved, contact Martin & Laurie Gallagher.

Prayer

As a church and a community, City of Hope considers how to pray – both corporately and individually. Praying together as a church community helps us as we individually struggle with unbelief, forces us to be honest with God and one another, and changes our perspectives. We come to him humbly because we know our faith, our lives and the life of our community depend on Him. We pray because we have glimpsed the power of God at work in our lives and the lives of countless others, and we long to see God's grace radically change our lives, our city and the world.

Current Prayer Opportunities Includes:

  • Wednesday mornings at the Laurel Race Track. We meet from 6:00 am to 7:00 am. Contact Pastor Irwyn.
  • Sunday Evening Prayer. Every Sunday 20 minutes before the service we gather to pray for the service and for those who come to the service. Contact Pastor Jeff for more information.
  • If you are interested in participating in or starting a new prayer group, please email Pastor Irwyn at Contact Pastor Irwyn or contact one of the individuals listed above.

Missional Team

Mercy Ministries

As Christians, we show mercy to others because of the radical mercy God showed us through Christ. When we begin to realize we need God's grace constantly and desperately, not only once for salvation, we will begin to see ourselves mirrored in the physically and emotionally needy. Acts of love and mercy will flow naturally out of and testify to a heart changed by Christ's love.

As the Church, our mercy should mirror God's mercy to us in Christ, thus reflecting the Gospel to those we serve. This mercy is sacrificial, relational, honoring, and meets people where they are but does not leave them there. The organizations that the Missional Team has principally partnered with seek to embody these principles.

The current organizations we have relationship with are as follows:

  • Grassroots Crisis Prevention and Homeless Shelter (www.grassrootscrisis.org): The mission of this agency is to provide shelter for the homeless people and families in Howard County. Additonally, it desires to create the opportunity for people in crisis and need to make positive empowering changes in their lives by being a 24 hour resource responding helpfully and professionally, while recognizing each person's individuality and dignity.
  • Route 1 Day Center for the Homeless: Our homeless friends on Route 1 now have a place to get meals, shower, do laundry, collect mail, etc. Hours: Saturdays, 10:00 - 2:00; Mondays, 2:00 - 6:00; and Wednesdays, 4:00 - 8:00. Needs: Volunteers are needed to be at the site when it is open, to prepare meals to bring to the site, and to go out to the sites to maintain contact with everyone who is not coming to the Center. Contact Denise Ai for more information.
  • Volunteer Howard County (www.volunteerhoward.org): The mission of this organization is to stimulate and expand volunteerism in the community through connecting people to nonprofit and public agencies in order to improve the quality of life for all people in Howard County.
  • Christian Jail Ministry (www.christianjailministry.org): The mission of this agency is to minister to the personal, social, and spiritual needs of inmates at the Howard County Detention Center, their families, Detention Center Staff, and volunteers involved with inmates.
  • Domestic Violence Center (www.dvcenter.org): The mission of this agency is to eliminate domestic violence in the county by providing shelter, counseling and advocacy, increasing community awareness and changing social attitudes. The DVC believes that it is the right of every individual to live free from the fear of abuse.
  • Friends of the Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway (www.patapscoheritagegreenway.org): The mission of this organization is to connect people with the natural, environmental, historic, cultural, and recreational assets of the Patapsco in ways that interpret, preserve, and enhance those assets and peoples awareness, understanding and appreciation of them.

We at City of Hope Church exercise our faith in Columbia and surrounding areas through deeds of mercy to those in need. We have connected with established organizations, ministering to disadvantaged communities all over the area. The Missonal team facilitates opportunities to get involved with these organizations at all levels of commitment-from occasional events to more regular or long-term activities that will allow you to develop relationships and more deeply impact a community. Contact Mark Edelen for more information.

Missions

Not only is City of Hope concerned for our local community, we also desire to see the gospel of Jesus Christ extend to the world. The following are those we support by prayer and financially.

Long-term Missionaries

  • Kevin & Rebecca Dingle – serving with MTW in Chiba, Japan, teaching at local school
  • The Jones Family – serving in Quebec, Canada, pastoral leadership
    • Click here KUWTJ to subscribe to the Jones' newsletter, Keeping Up With the Joneses.
  • Dan & Somer Paserelli – serving with World Harvest in London, England, church planting
  • Pastor Charles Amicy – a Haitian pastor serving the poor and orphans in Haiti.