Read about what's going on in our HopeGateWay Community Newsletter June 5, 2026.
If you don't find the information you're looking for in the newsletter, on this page or within the website, please send us an email!
Sundays 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
We will hear from four different voices on this quote that has gotten such traction that it's hard to know where it originated.
Do not be daunted
by the enormity
of the world's grief.
Do justly, now.
Love mercy, now.
Walk humbly, now.
You are not obligated
to complete the work,
but neither are you free
to abandon it
We will reflect together on these timely words inspired by Micah 6:8, which is the HopeGateWay mission statement.
How can we be undaunted by the enormity of the world's grief? What is our work to do? How can we sustain it without feeling overwhelmed?
Join us as we reflect on this powerful statement.
Community Sing
Sunday, June 14 • 3:30 pm • at HopeGateWay
Help us sing in our next rotation around the sun! It's been a year of growth, connection, creativity, resistance, expansion, and SONG.
From Emilai Dahlin: Deep gratitude for my team, my collaborators, my friends: Ember Rilleau, Sara Ewing-Merrill, Jamien Jacobs, and Deb Bicknell for building a beautiful container.
Thank you for being part our community. If you're not yet, join us!
All ages welcome. Facilitated by Emilia Dahlin in a perfection-free field. No Experience necessary.
Masking is always welcome. Air purifiers will be present.
More info here or subscribe to the Greater Portland Community Sing newsletter.
Walking in the Portland Pride Parade
Saturday, June 20 • 11:30 am
Save the date! We will be joining with the Multifaith community group to walk together with others faith communities in the Portland Pride Parade. There will a multifaith gathering at First Parish Unitarian Universality Church (425 Congress Street, Portland) at 10:30am. More details to come! If you plan to join and would be happy to carry HopeGateWay signage please let Bethany or Sara know.
Alternative Sunday Gatherings • June 28, July 26, & August 30
The last few summers, we have experimented with not meeting in the typical way once a month, and this year we are going to continue that practice. For three Sundays this summer, we will be gathering differently in ways similar to what we did last summer. More details to come, but mark your calendars with these special dates.
MultiFaith Prayer Vigil near Cumberland County Jail
Wednesdays • 2:45-3:15 pm
You are invited to join leaders from the Greater Portland MultiFaith Organizing group who will host weekly vigils to lament the harm inflicted on all those caught up in the immigration system, and to affirm the inherent worthiness of all people. Each gathering will include songs, silence, prayer, or other spiritual practices. We are planning this action to pray for those detained by ICE locally at the Cumberland County Jail and those who are a part of that system that is detaining them.
Tai Chi Practice
Tuesdays at 10am • 515 Woodford St
You are invited to practice Tai Chi and Qigong at HopeGateWay, led by Bronwen and Francis. 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, are welcomed.
If you are interested, please contact Bronwen so that you can be placed on an email list that is just used if class is cancelled for that day. Otherwise, classes are every Tuesday at 10 .m.
Gather and Grow with HopeGateWay Small Groups
HopeGateWay offers a number of small groups. 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, email hello@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. 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 2026?
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 2024 here. You may also make a one-time or recurring gift through our website or send a check to 515 Woodford Street Portland, ME 04103. We are grateful for your generous support of HopeGateWay's ministry and programs.
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!
Read about what's going on in our HopeGateWay Community Newsletter April 17, 2026.
If you don't find the information you're looking for in the newsletter, on this page or within the website, please send us an email!
Sundays 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
New Sermon Series: Mary Rose And Embraced Them
The Gospel of Mary is an ancient Christian text from the 2nd Century, which was rediscovered in three different locations over the last 130 years. The text is tragically short; over half its pages are missing. And yet, what survives is seismic. What emerges from this text is not a sentimental portrait of Mary Magdalene. It is a glimpse of an entirely different Christianity, one where: sin is not guilt, but a loss of alignment; the heart is our truest guide; apostleship is earned through inner mastery, not gender or hierarchy; and where a woman stood as the foremost living vessel of the teaching. But this Gospel does more than reveal what was lost. It invites us to remember what is still possible — and to answer its deepest call: to become fully human.
Community Sing
Sunday, May 17 • 3:30 pm • at HopeGateWay
Help us sing in our next rotation around the sun! It's been a year of growth, connection, creativity, resistance, expansion, and SONG.
From Emilai Dahlin: Deep gratitude for my team, my collaborators, my friends: Ember Rilleau, Sara Ewing-Merrill, Jamien Jacobs, and Deb Bicknell for building a beautiful container.
Thank you for being part our community. If you're not yet, join us!
All ages welcome. Facilitated by Emilia Dahlin in a perfection-free field. No Experience necessary.
Masking is always welcome. Air purifiers will be present.
Upcoming Community Sing Dates:
- May 17
- June 14
More info here or subscribe to the Greater Portland Community Sing newsletter.
HopeGateWay Kids + Parent Fellowship: Calling all HopeGateWay Kids ages 4-10!
Sunday, May 3 • 9 am
You're invited to gather on Sunday mornings once per month from 9-9:45 am. This winter we'll be exploring HopeGateWay's community practices: Gather, Listen, Act, Share, Evolve.
HGW Kids is a time of exploring what it means to follow Jesus in community through singing, storytelling, discussion, and sensory play. We can't wait to wonder and listen and play with you! Parents are invited to enjoy coffee and conversation together during the kids' meeting time.
If you are interested in volunteering with HGW Kids in any capacity (bringing snacks, telling a story, leading a song, being the helper for the lead facilitator) please email christina@hopegateway.com.
Upcoming Dates:
- May 3
- June 7
“Love is the Point”
Friday, May 15th 6:30-8:30PM • First Parish UU, Portland
MultiFaith Prayer Vigil near Cumberland County Jail
Wednesdays • 2:45-3:15 pm
You are invited to join leaders from the Greater Portland MultiFaith Organizing group who will host weekly vigils to lament the harm inflicted on all those caught up in the immigration system, and to affirm the inherent worthiness of all people. Each gathering will include songs, silence, prayer, or other spiritual practices. We are planning this action to pray for those detained by ICE locally at the Cumberland County Jail and those who are a part of that system that is detaining them.
Tai Chi Practice
Tuesdays at 10am • 515 Woodford St
You are invited to practice Tai Chi and Qigong at HopeGateWay, led by Bronwen and Francis. 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, are welcomed.
If you are interested, please contact Bronwen so that you can be placed on an email list that is just used if class is cancelled for that day. Otherwise, classes are every Tuesday at 10 .m.
Gather and Grow with HopeGateWay Small Groups
HopeGateWay offers a number of small groups. 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, email hello@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. 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 2026?
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 2024 here. You may also make a one-time or recurring gift through our website or send a check to 515 Woodford Street Portland, ME 04103. We are grateful for your generous support of HopeGateWay's ministry and programs.
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!