Spirit of Hope Case Statement

Spirit of Hope: Living lives of hope and love in our city as followers of Jesus Christ.
In the late 1990s the congregations of Faith Memorial Lutheran and Trinity Episcopal Churches, located just blocks from one another, began exploring what it would mean to do ministry together and share a pastor. Times had changed since the congregations’ founding. The closing of numerous neighborhood housing projects and movement of members to other neighborhoods meant a shifting mission for both congregations.

After years of deliberation and prayer, Trinity and most active members of Faith Memorial took a leap of faith in April of 2006 and began worshipping together as one congregation, since known as Spirit of Hope. Today we worship God in everything that we are, blessed followers of Jesus Christ.

Ministry is neighborhood-based and seeks to serve whosoever walks in the doors as well as those who stay around us in our community. Sunshine Community Preschool, 12-step recovery programs, Pray and Play Youth Basketball, a food pantry, and our Saturday community kitchen serve the immediate needs of addressing early childhood and family education, youth activity, and poverty. In addition, we seek to reach a community largely "unchurched" through our Spirit Spit Open Mic Poetry as well as our Urban Farm Project. Both projects reach to those who might not otherwise enter our church doors, and still address and learn from their spiritual curiosities outside of Sunday morning worship. In addition, we serve as founding members and hosts of the Corktown Residents' Council and work closely with other important community or faith-based groups including Acts In Common, MOSES, Greater Corktown Development Corporation and the Woodbridge Development Corportation. All of these diverse ministries provide opportunities not just for service to neighbor, but also to witness to the power of Jesus Christ given to us to change our communities for the better.

The neighborhood of Spirit of Hope is experiencing a rebirth as renovation of historic homes and the building of new developments rise around us. We work closely with Greater Corktown Development Corporation as new homes and business are envisioned and built in the community. Some residents have been in this neighborhood for generations while others are brand new. But one commonality between them is a passion for uplifting the City of Detroit. Artists, activists, business professionals, healthcare workers, lawyers, non-profit corporation staff members, writers, real estate investors, small business owners, restaurant workers, architects, homemakers, retirees, students and many others make up the diversity of our community.

In addition, we are located near some of the largest homeless shelters in the city. We take that call seriously as well, serving meals and providing a food pantry. We also assist in providing shelter on a rotating basis with other congregations. Our community can be a study in contrasts, rich and poor, and this is where we will remain to bring a message and spirit of hope.