Lutheran Church of Hope organized as a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in November 1994. Since that time, Hope has become one of the fastest growing Lutheran churches in the nation, offering a wide variety of ministries for people like you who are searching for a new or deeper relationship with God.
Prior to 1994, the church was a "developing congregation," led by Lloyd Menke from 1991 to 1993. The ELCA asked Mike Housholder to re-start the developing congregation in 1993. Average attendance was 15 to 20 people per weekend. During those developmental years, the church met for worship in several creative locations, such as the chapel at Living History Farms.
In 1994 -- the same year Hope was organized as a congregation -- the growing church of about 200 charter members moved into a new building at 6820 Ashworth Road in West Des Moines. The rapid growth continued, and a new building addition was completed in December 1995. Soon after, the church purchased 24 acres of land at the southeast corner of Jordan Creek Parkway and Ashworth Road.
Since its birth in 1994, the church has continued to grow deeper in faith and wider in size as a result of effective evangelism. Hope’s "garage door" outreach events (Christmas Eve candlelight services, Easter worship, and the "Taste of Hope" summer celebration -- the idea is you open your home up when the garage door is up) now reach thousands of people. Local and global mission efforts have multiplied. Care ministries has launched a number of groups and trained volunteers to support and pray for people in need. Gifted new pastors and staff directors have been hired to lead ministries for children, youth, young adults, men, women and couples. Hope’s music ministries continue to bless and inspire the thousands of people who now worship each at one of eight weekend services, or at Immersion, Hope’s Thursday night service. The Alpha Course, offered three times a year, is for people new to Christianity or those who want a refresher course. For those who are hungry to grow deeper in their understanding of God, Bible studies are offered on a regular basis.
In October 2000, Hope moved into a new building on the corner of Jordan Creek Parkway and Ashworth Road, and quickly outgrew it. Making room for the people who are already here and those who God will bring to Hope led to "Building Hope Chapter 2" -- a giving campaign in the fall of 2002 that made possible the new gym, Youth Booth and Children’s Ministry area, the Chapel and doubled office space.
Building Hope 3D, the final giving campaign to build the church into what God has envisioned, was completed in the fall of 2005. Work on a new 2500 seat worship center and additional classroom space began in July 2006, and was completed in the spring of 2008.
NorthBranch, Hope's satellite congregation in Ankeny started meeting in 2005. They worship at Northview Middle School and have recently renovated a warehouse in Ankeny to serve as a meeting space. North-Branch reaches out particularly to the young adult population of Ankeny.
CityBranch is a Hope satellite that started worshiping in 2008 at Hubbell Elementary School at the intersection of Interstate 235 & 42nd St. in Des Moines.
God has blessed Hope with a clear vision for the future. Plans include the development of new ministries/congregations around the world and in the area, biblical literacy, getting connected to one another, prayer and outreach.
Hope’s vision statement still provides a picture of where the congregation is headed: "To be a Spirited, Growing, and Christ-centered community filled with hope!"
