Programs

Spirit of Hope United Church is a recognised as an Affirming Ministry by Affirm United/S’affimer Ensemble. This means that the congregation is committed to a public, intentional, and explicit welcome and involvement of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Furthermore, Spirit of Hope is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and accepting gathering space for people of all ages, genders, abilities, gender identities, sexual orientations, faiths, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds to worship God, foster connections, nurture wholeness, and strengthen relationships. 

Spirit of Hope United Church is located on Treaty 6 lands — the traditional and ancestral territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux and Nakota Sioux and the home to the Métis Settlements and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Regions 2, 3 and 4 within the historical Northwest Métis Homeland. Spirit of Hope is committed to living in right relations with all.

Explore these workshops that the congregation offered as part of its journey towards becoming an Affirming Ministry:

• November 2020: Not a Choice
• April 2021: Affirming Ministry: What Does It Mean?
• Affirming Ministry Service - February 13, 2022
• Letter - Our Affirming Celebration - Rev. Richard Bott, Moderator
• Letter- Our Affirming Celebration - Northern Spirit Regional Council

Each Sunday preschool and elementary school aged children are welcome to attend the first 15 minutes of the main worship service and then head off to a special children's program. We have a team of teachers who lead using the Whole People of God Curriculum developed by Wood Lake Publishing. Each week the children are provided with a lesson, activities and a music session. Community outreach is also encouraged, and the church school children participate in a few small projects each year.

Youth and young adults from grade six and up meet on Sunday mornings in the Youth Room after attending the early part of the worship service in the sanctuary. Participation in worship services and other church activities is encouraged, including greeting, reading, singing, playing musical instruments and helping to run our AV equipment (including sound, camera operation and PowerPoint presentation).

Many aspects of faith are explored during discussions and they are encouraged to be involved in outreach projects including neighbourhood youth service organizations and the Garneau Strathcona Food Security program that operates out of Spirit of Hope United Church.

Opportunities are provided to connect with other Edmonton church-based youth groups and to participate together in activities they enjoy such as skating, art activities and even building a fireplace from donated cans of food!

Everyone is welcome to attend programs or events. For more information, or to get involved, please contact the church office at [email protected] or 780-468-1418.

In addition to our programs for children, youth and young adults, each year we pursue one or two series of study for adult spiritual enrichment, under the direction of our minister, Reverend Heather Wright. In 2017 we had a ten-week study group examining Brian D. McLaren's book, The Great Spiritual Migration and in the summer of 2018 our services were based on Joyce Rupp's The Cup of our Life.

In the Spring of 2019, a ten-week study group discussed Part III of “We Make the Road by Walking: Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation” by Brian D. McLaren.

This group meets monthly in the lower hall of the Church, excluding July and August. We are a friendly group and offer fellowship to all women of the Church who wish to join. If you can only attend on a casual basis, we look forward to seeing you when you are available.

The group caters for funerals, organizes several lunches after worship throughout the year and hosts special annual events such as Irish and Halloween potluck suppers, a Christmas bazaar and tea. We provide funds to several charities and to general funds of the Church.

For more information about the group or becoming involved, please contact the church office at 780-468-1418 or via email at [email protected].

The Around 60 Club is an outreach program of Spirit of Hope United Church that meets monthly for various types of activities. It has been going since 1973, having been initiated by Reverend Harke.

On the first Tuesday of every month from October to March we meet in the Spirit of Hope United Church Lower Hall at noon for fellowship and speakers or entertainment. Starting in April, we arrange bus trips to various community events and locations in and around Edmonton (theatre, dinners, museums, farms etc). We currently have 80 members.

The BLT! Breakfast is an event organized by men of Spirit of Hope for all members and friends of the congregation. The breakfasts are organized and prepared by a dedicated core group of men and assisted by many of the regular attendees who help in clearing the tables and cleaning up the kitchen.

There are four BLT! Breakfast group events each year on Saturday mornings to share breakfast and enjoy presentations by guest speakers; usually in September, November, February and April.

The BLT! Breakfasts serve the congregation as educational fellowship events.

The Glass Menagerie

https://youtu.be/jZG-lpHiV6A  

Not a Choice 

https://youtu.be/57meYoUj2og

Affirming Ministry: What Does It Mean?

https://youtu.be/wX6ZXcHI8f4  

An Advent Gift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHcgM2M47vQ&t=137s

If you would like more information about the breakfasts, have an idea for a guest speaker or would like to speak, please contact the church office at 780-468-1418 or via email at [email protected].

The Worship Team discusses and coordinates all aspects of worship: music, Sunday morning hospitality, and worship support including services while the minister is away.

The committee coordinates regular and special occasion services as well as services during the minister's absences.

The Worship Team also addresses sanctuary colours, decoration and supplies to reflect the various seasons of the liturgical year.

The Senior Choir is a group of dedicated singers under the direction of Warren Mack, the Music Director for Spirit of Hope United Church. The choir's primary function is to enhance the Sunday morning worship experience for the congregation through leading of the hymns, singing anthems to supplement the scripture messages, and to participate in other ways that contribute to a meaningful worship service. In addition, the choir contributes to several services during the year that focus on sacred music and occasionally joins with the Robertson-Wesley choir to sing concerts.

The Spiriti of Hope Senior Choir is a friendly group that welcomes anyone who enjoys singing. We practice on Thursday nights (7:30 to 9:30) in the months of September through June. We have access to a variety of music resources that help all of us with practice and tackling any of the more difficult anthems. New and novice singers are aided by the choir director and more experienced choir members to help them contribute as best as possible to the music we provide.

For more information or if you are interested in joining, please contact the Spirit of Hope church office at 780-468-1418 or via email at [email protected].

The Chancel Ringers, an inter-generational handbell choir, practice every Tuesday evening from early September to early May. Learning a variety of music, members play as part of Sunday worship every four to six weeks.

For the past 15 years, the group has presented a Christmas service at Garneau Hall. The Chancel Ringers are a very committed, loyal group who are wonderful to work with, always up for new challenges and full of fun.

Other very important functions of this group include providing our members with a musical outlet in a caring atmosphere, and an amazing support group when one meets a "bump on the road."

Playing bells is a lot more difficult than it looks! Some members of our group have an extensive music background, but several are "learning on the job!" We are always looking for new members to train as regular players or substitutes.

For more information about this group or becoming involved, please contact the church office at 780-468-1418 or via email at [email protected].

Many of the 9th Street Players theatrical group are members of Spirit of Hope. Each year this group adds drama to several worship services, and may present a major production.

The 9th Street players are always looking for new actors and people to work behind the scenes. No experience is necessary, just a desire to have fun.

For more information about this group or becoming involved, please contact the church office at 780-468-1418 or via email at [email protected].

Gathering Choir provides a singing opportunity for people in the congregation who love to sing without a more regular commitment. This choir gathers on a Saturday morning for practice and fellowship, presenting the anthem at the following day’s service. Two or three gatherings are held each year, with numbers ranging from six to ten people forming the choir.

You are most welcome to join in! The Gathering Choir is coordinated by Judy Meintzer with Warren Mack's musical support.

The Congregational Care Team at Spirit of Hope works together to identify needs and provide support during our church family's life changing times. It provides an empathetic presence during bereavement, transition and illness.

In addition to our pastoral visiting team, Spirit of Hope also has a Prayer Shawl Ministry. The shawls are deeply appreciated and they are a material presence representing the love and prayers of our congregation.

The NeedleWORCS group that organizes knitters and works on the shawls meets monthly.

For more information about this group or becoming involved, please contact the Spirit of Hope church office at 780-468-1418 or via email at [email protected].

Every August, 18 members from Spirit of Hope and St. Paul’s United Church serve lunch to 300 inner city residents attending the Inner City Pastoral Ministry worship service at the Bissell Centre. 

Other members from these two churches work together to prepare loaves of sandwiches, vegetables, fruit and cookies for this meal. 

On Saturday, May 7th, 2022, the Garneau Strathcona Food Security program will return to Spirit of Hope United Church (7909 82 Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6C 0Y1). 

The food distribution will continue to be on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

We have consulted with public health specialist to ensure adequate precautions are taken to protect the program clients and volunteers  in the face of Covid-19. 

The Garneau Strathcona Food Security Program (GSFS), formerly known as The Bread Run, is currently held on Saturday mornings at Spirit of Hope. Three south side United Churches are involved: St. Paul's, Garneau, and Spirit of Hope. Members of the Spirit of Hope congregation provide the workforce for the second and fourth weekends of each month and other weekends as needed. On Friday mornings, items are collected from the Food Bank and bread is collected from Bonnie Doon Safeway. Volunteers receive groceries and pack food hampers to be distributed on Saturday.  On Saturday mornings bread is collected from the Save-on Foods in Old Strathcona.  Food is distributed between 8 and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings to low-income families. Approximately 55  to 70 guests pick up the food items for their families (representing more than 210 people) each week. 

We are looking for more volunteers to assist with this vital and ongoing service. The commitment would be once a month for approximately 3 hours on a Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., or on a Saturday from 7:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Founded in 1997 by Spirit of Hope members Meheret Worku and her husband Scott Smillie, Sustainable East Africa Education and Development Society (SEEDS) has supported childhood education in Ethiopia by partnering with schools in rural Ethiopia to support hundreds of children who would otherwise be unable to attend school. It costs SEEDS $204 CDN to send one child to school for a year; just $17 a month. Any contribution helps reach the goal of bringing education to as many Ethiopian children as possible. Currently 260 students are able to attend school because of SEEDS. 

With the underlying belief that education is the key to bringing families out of poverty and to developing communities, SEEDS has also been involved in activities directly related to strengthening these children’s families and communities through economic, community and capacity development activities. 

Spirit of Hope United Church is happy to continue our involvement in and support of SEEDS by providing opportunities for SEEDS to use our facilities for meetings, education and special events (including our annual Christmas lunch) and for members to be involved as volunteers and supporters. See https://www.seedseastafrica.com for more information or to make a donation.