Read about what's going on in our HopeGateWay Community Newsletter March 15, 2023.
Every Sunday at 10am EST
In person at 515 Woodford St in Portland, Maine
& on Zoom
Dial in audio: 1.929.205.6099
Meeting ID: 533 469 2118
Wandering Heart: Our Lenten Journey
This Lent, we are focusing on the life and faith of one of Jesus’ most famous disciples. In Peter, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter, we often see ourselves. By following Peter’s journey, we watch the story of Jesus unfold through the eyes of a very normal human trying to figure it all out — just like us. Like many of us, Peter has a wandering heart. His journey is not polished, or linear, or perfect, but he is always tethered to the love of God.
Sunday, March 24th: Palm Sunday Protest
Thursday, March 28, 6pm: Maundy Thursday Interactive Worship
Friday, March 29, open sanctuary all day: Good Friday Stations
Friday, March 29, 12 noon: Good Friday Stations on the Street with Trinity Episcopal Church
Sunday, March 31, 10am: Easter Worship Celebration
Lenten Journey through Art and Poetry
Wednesdays at 7 pm, starting Feb 28
A Sanctified Art has created some amazing art and poetry for our Lenten journey this year. Our small group offering will be engaging this art and poetry in personal and group reflection on Wednesday evenings at 7pm on Zoom. Mark your calendars and sign up to indicate your interest. No preparation or pre-reading necessary. Just show up and share the time engaging together. Poetry and art area ll found in the Lenten Devotional Booklet, but will be shared in other forms with participants.
Save the Date: Saturday March 23 • 4-6 pm
Intergenerational Game Night!
HopeGateWay is hosting another Intergenerational Game Night, this time on the weekend! All ages are invited to come play board games, cards, creative activities and time to have fun in community! More details to come soon but for now please save this date!
Palm Sunday Protest • Sunday, March 24
We will continue the tradition we began last year by including protest as a part of remembering Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. This year we have our own high traffic corner, so we are going to gather for worship at 515 Woodford Street, inside, and then spill out onto the street with signs. Our plan is to stand for Gaza, though we pray there may be a ceasefire by then.
Good Friday Stations on the Streets
Friday, March 29 • 12pm
Our friends from Trinity Episcopal Church invite us to join others from the Portland Community in reflecting on how we continue to see the passion and love of Christ played out in our community today. This will include traveling to parts of our community where Jesus’ road of sorrow continues to be lived out to this day. Come and walk through our community in this powerful and moving Stations of the Cross which will involve about 2 miles of walking and an hour of your time. Stations will include the Center for Grieving Children, the Jewish Funeral Home, the Red Cross, the Sahara Club, and many other important locations. In case of rain or snow, we will use the Trinity Nave and we will project images of the community locations we would have walked to in the Sanctuary.
Meet at Trinity Church, 580 Forest Avenue, Portland, at 11:50 am on Friday, March 29. For more info contact Peter Swarr at priest@trinitychurchportland.org.
HopeGateWay Companions Training
Saturday, April 6 • 9:30 am – 12 pm
HopeGateWay is a community where we naturally care for one another's needs, from a listening ear to a schedule of delivered meals during a personal crisis. Our goal is a shared ministry distributed throughout the congregation, and now we are taking steps to organize and equip the caregiving gifts in our community. Sometimes we will be caregivers, and sometimes each of us will be care recipients. Sometimes these can even happen in the same day or week. We envision a community of mutual care and support.
We have a new plan for Community Care at HGW — it's called HopeGateWay Companions. Are you one of the people who is already doing this within our community? Would you like to be a part of a team of trained companions? Are you looking for opportunities to form more connected and meaningful relationships?
Being a companion will be a time commitment of 2-3 hours a month for 6 months. If you would like to become a companion or are curious to learn more, we will be hosting a training on April 6, from 9:30-12 (coffee and pastries included!). Please reach out to Christie with any questions and to RSVP for the training.
Spring Work Day at 515 Woodford Street!
Saturday, April 27 • 9 am – 3 pm
We have been in our new church home for a few months now, and we are seeking to continue to make this space welcoming for all. You are invited to come help with indoor and outdoor projects, from painting, to planting flowers, and a variety of other handy projects. All are invited and encouraged to join us on Saturday, April 27 — for a morning shift (9-12) or an afternoon shift (12-3) or both. There are also some small projects that could be done on a Sunday after worship. Please contact a Building Team member with questions — these include Martin Turnidge, Katie Mears, Sara Bruce, Allen Ewing-Merrill, Stephanie Cooke, and Rick Smart.
Tell Your Story: Sacred Storytelling Experience
Culminating Event • Friday, May 10 at 7pm
A small group is being developed to take part in a special storytelling project at HopeGateWay, facilitated by Stacey Knight, one of our Worship Managers.
Everyone has profound life experiences that have shaped them. These experiences may have set you on a different path than you had planned, taught you a valuable lesson, changed your perspective, or made you laugh. These stories deserve to be told.
Stacey is a 2nd year student at the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine (ChIME) and is on track to being ordained as an interfaith minister in June. As part of the chaplaincy program, Stacey is required to complete an internship. This storytelling project is part of her internship. Over the next few months, Stacey will work with the participants 1:1 as well as in a group setting to help each of them develop a story from their life that they would like to share. Once a story is identified, Stacey will coach (if needed) the storyteller on giving an effective verbal presentation. There will be lots of practice and support.
The exciting part: Each participant will have the opportunity to tell their story to a wider audience on Friday, May 10 on the HopeGateWay stage! This event will be open to the wider community outside of HGW. Learn more and sign up here.
Facebook Livestream and on-demand video
Worship services are usually live-streamed and recorded on Facebook.
If you miss worship, you can always join us! facebook.com/hopegateway
Gather and Grow with HopeGateWay Small Groups
HopeGateWay offers a number of small groups. Our Active Hope group and our three Murmuration groups meet monthly. Recovery groups meet weekly on most nights of the week. We're always planning ahead for our next book study, film or podcast discussion. If you're interested in being part of a small group or if you have an idea for either a short-term or longer-term small group, talk with Christie or email christie@hopegateway.com.
Community Care: Caring for One Another
At HopeGateWay, we follow Jesus' invitation to "love one another as I have loved you." Sometimes we offer our gifts and support and at other times we find ourselves on the receiving end. This is community, the kind of community that we want to be, graciously giving and receiving. Currently, we are providing meals for two families and we are looking for drivers willing to give rides to one or two people before and after worship on Sunday mornings. Please contact our Care Coordinator if you'd be willing to help! If you need assistance with some home cooked meals, groceries, errands or a visit, please contact us as well!
Looking to serve in a new way in 2024?
Consider Volunteer Opportunities with Hope Acts!
Hope Acts is seeking new volunteers as housing mentors, English language program support, transportation needs, and more. Check Hope Acts' volunteer page for more information. If you prefer, please call the Hope Acts office at 207-274-6005 or 207-228-1140 to discuss volunteer opportunities. Contact Alice for the ASAP program, Sarah for HHELP and Martha for anything/everything else. Volunteering is an act of hope AND a gift of hope. Reach out today.
HopeGateWay Conversations and Sermon Podcasts
If you'd like to learn more about what's going on within our HopeGateWay community, simply connect to our podcast page. You will find our weekly sermon podcasts at the same link. We encourage you to stay connected; let us know if there's something you'd like to know about HopeGateWay. Art McClanahan puts his heart and soul into making these conversations come alive.
Gateways Daily Reflection
Gateways is a daily email offering inspiring words for your daily time with God from HopeGateWay. Each morning we send out a prayer, reflection, poem, or other thought-provoking work along with a question or observation to take with you into your day. If you would like to try adding this to your daily spiritual practice, please sign up and join us. Subscribe here.
Sing along with the HopeGateWay Virtual Choir
Do you ever have worship songs going through your mind long after worship? You can now sing along at home any day of the week! Kelly and the HopeGateWay Acapella Virtual Choir creates a new song recording for worship every week. So our library of songs is growing! You can listen at this link.
Thank you for your faithful Stewardship!
Your generosity fuels HopeGateWay's Micah 6:8 mission to "do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God." You can access all of the materials to make your pledge commitment for 2023 here. You may also make a one-time or recurring gift through our website or send a check to 509 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME 04101. We are grateful for your generous support of HopeGateWay's ministry and programs.
Tai Chi Practice
Tuesdays at 10am • 509 Forest Avenue
You are invited to practice Tai Chi and Qigong at HopeGateWay, led by Fred Brancato. This practice encompasses beginners and those who have practiced before. Tai Chi and Qigong - described as meditation in motion - are ancient Chinese practices promoting physical, mental and spiritual well-being through soft flowing motion harmonized with the rhythms of breathing.
Classes are wide open, warm and welcoming for anyone interested. They run a little over an hour in length and people participate as their schedules allow. There is no fee; however, modest donations, based on whatever participants can afford, is welcomed.
If you are interested, please contact Fred Brancato at opus4fred@gmail.com so that he can place you on an email list that he uses only if class is cancelled for that day. Otherwise, classes are every Tuesday at 10 a.m.
This class meets on the Western Prom for the summer ~ gathering at HopeGateWay in case of inclement weather. Please join the email list noted above for full details.
Grab a CLYNK Bag and Support HopeGateWay
Support the ministry and mission of HopeGateWay in a super easy way! Just pick up one of our Clynk bags in the green tote in our lobby, fill it with returnable bottles and cans, and return it to a Clynk collection site near Hannaford. If you have a personal Clynk account, you can also donate your balance to HopeGateWay!