Hope United Methodist Church
A place where everyone joins together.
Join however you are Comfortable
JOIN US IN-PERSON OR ONLINE
We welcome you to come and worship with us as you are able! Our Sunday services start at 10am. If you live in the Belchertown area and have local cable, you’ll find our services on Channel 191 at 7pm on Sundays. If you’d like to join us online, find our Zoom link info in the Worship section below.
Worship
Come and worship with us Each Sunday at 10am
Bible Sudies
Check News and our Calendar for the latest classes.
Our Community
Hope UMC is active in our community. Check News and Calendar for the latest
What Methodists Believe
Find out more about our faith tradition
YOU ARE WELCOME
The UMC Vision
The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.
Love Boldly: We passionately love God and, like Jesus, embrace and include people of every age, nation, race, gender, and walk of life. (Matthew 22:37-39 | John 13:34-35)
Serve Joyfully: With the heart of Christ, we journey alongside the most vulnerable among us, offering care and compassion with joy. (Psalm 100:1 | Nehemiah 8:10 | John 13:14-15 | 1 Peter 4:10)
Lead Courageously: Following Jesus’ example, we resist and dismantle all systems of evil, injustice, and oppression, striving for peace, justice, and reconciliation. (Joshua 1:9 | Ephesians 6:10)*
*from The UMC Vision | UMC.org
Hope United Methodist Church is a welcoming and affirming community of faith for all! We are a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network.
Join however you are Comfortable
JOIN US IN-PERSON OR ONLINE
Worship on Cable
Watch the morning worship service on Belchertown Cable channel 191 at 7:00 pm on Sunday
Worship on Zoom
Please contact the church office for information about joining our Worship service on Zoom (413-323-7584)
Our Church Community
Celebrating Jack’s 100th Birthday
We recently had a joyous celebration of the 100th birthday of Reverend John (Jack) Moss. Jack’s family surprised him by travelling from various parts of New England to be with him and his church family for the big day. He was celebrated and prayed over during the church worship service followed by a luncheon in his honor.
Jack and his wife, Hatsumi were missionaries in Japan for forty years. They met when young Jack was on a short-term missionary assignment in Japan. After returning to the states and finishing their studies, the couple married and then returned to Japan to follow a calling to missionary work. After years of working in the church in Japan, they were instrumental in starting the Keiwa Gakuen High School, a private Christian school. Their daughters, Patricia Nozomi and Carolyn Megumi were raised there.
In 1994, the Mosses retired to South Hadley to live near their daughters and grandchildren. They began attending Hope United Methodist Church at that time. They quickly became involved in church activities and fit right into our mission-minded faith community. Jack always kept us apprised of mission opportunities and concerns. His prayer requests often end with a prayer for Peace with Justice in our world. His wisdom, kindness and strong faith have been shining examples for many.
At 100 years young, Jack enjoys a vigor that defies his age. Until recently, he drove himself to church most Sundays from the Lathrop Community in Easthampton. He has a great knack for storytelling and engaged the crowd at his party with a couple of his stories and tunes on the Shepherd’s flute that he made as a boy. And he never misses an opportunity to step out with friends from Lathrop to protest and stand up for his beliefs! Happy birthday Jack!
A Message from our pastor
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
Born in 1807 in Portland, Maine, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was regarded as one of America’s greatest poets. His life, however, was one marked by tragedy. Married in 1831, by 1834 Longfellow was viewed as one of the country’s most respected scholars. He had just moved to Massachusetts and was teaching at Harvard. Yet, tragically, within a year of his move to Massachusetts, his wife became ill and died.
Head to our Pastor’s Page to see the rest of the message!
Sunday Sermon
Go to Scripture and Sermons to hear this week’s Sermon
Mission News
Help to Feed our Community!
Our special collection for the Food Bank of Western Mass ends November 9th. Items for the local food pantry can be brought in through Friday November 14th to be included in this month’s food distribution. After that donations will be delivered on a regular basis.
We perform
Services
Marriage Services
Our sanctuary is the perfect place to exchange your vows
Church membership
Baptisms Confirmation
Are you ready to join His church? Contact our pastor for more information
Renewals
Renewing your wedding vows
Funeral Services
Contact our pastor for help during this challenging time
Our Pastor
Michelle Grube
pastor
Reverend Michelle Grube has been in ministry for 30 years, having served churches in Maine and Massachusetts. Before that, she served various student appointments in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She has a passion for teaching, preaching, and counseling. She enjoys visiting and although she does not have a passion for working with children and youth she has been told she is really good with them.
Michelle, as she prefers to be called, grew up in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and Religion. She received her Masters of Divinity degree from the Theological School at Drew University. In 2007, she received her Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Maine. In the process of completing her Social Work degree, she became very active in domestic violence issues and issues pertaining to the equal rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals. Michelle believes that a Christian’s call is to end violence in whatever form it may take.
Michelle also believes that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. She believes that the Church must reach out beyond the four walls of its building. Michelle has travelled to the former Soviet Union, Africa, South Korea, and Israel. Each of those trips has been life-changing and transformed her outlook on the cultural values of our society. She has a vision to help people slow down in their busy lives so that they can hear the music of life and learn to find joy in every day.
While serving churches in Maine, Michelle served as an on-call chaplain to the mental health unit at the local hospital. She was chair of the District Committee on Ministry, a committee that works with those people just starting out in ministry and supervises local pastors. Michelle also served on the Board of Ordained Ministry, interviewing and working with those persons who are seeking ordination. Michelle now serves on the District Committee on Buildings and Locations, like district trustees. She is chairperson of the Conference Administrative Review Committee that deals with process matters when clergy have committed an offense. She is also a mentor to those starting out in ministry
For fun, Michelle likes to be a big kid at heart and simply enjoy all the pleasures in life that God has provided. She enjoys the theater and special musical events. And she loves to simply read a good mystery novel or theological treatise