What to Expect

FAQ

• Where do we gather?

• We intentionally gather together every Sunday at 10 AM. 

• Our location and the intent of our various gatherings fluxes throughout the month so that we fulfill the vision and purpose God has given us.

• Every Month Currently (Addresses in Footer)
  • 1st & 3rd Sundays | HOPE Community Gatherings at the Healing House  (with Brunch)
  • 2nd & 4th Sundays | Worship & Mission Gatherings at The Alliance Center
  • 5th Sundays | REACH Opportunities - From The Alliance Center. Meet at 9:45 AM. 
  • Holiday Sundays | Community Life - Healing House (Check Calendar for alternative locations). 

• a few things about us...

  • We are a part of The Alliance—a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 Family (The Acts 1:8 = Spirit-empowered Deeper Life & Mission). We believe in the redeeming power of God through His Word, His Kingdom Church, and His Holy Spirit. You can see our Statement of Faith by clicking on the button. 

• • We are a fresh-start church, meaning we are just getting started but with a few people from a pre-existing church. (Even the website is still being rebuilt). 

• • We are big on hospitality and are open to all kinds of people who want to walk fully with Jesus because we believe that moving toward Jesus and being transformed into His likeness is more important than where we start the journey or how messy it is along the way. 
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  • We believe the Bible tells us to value being intentionally diverse yet unified in belief and purpose when it comes to ages and stages; races and ethnicities, socio-economic realities; multi-intelligences and neurodiversity, as well as abilities and disabilities. In accordance with Alliance polity we equip, empower, and endorse both men & women to serve in all aspects of the ministry and mission including functioning as and being called pastors; even as our lead pastor and governing elders are men.

• What about my Kids & Youth?

• We do family church…  sometimes it means we meet in homes and sometimes it means the kids are with us the whole time. We believe the Kids and Youth are part of the church now even as they mature into who they will be. We do our best to make sure they have growing experiences that match their needs and not cultural expectations. This can be messy at times, but “we do awkward graciously”, so it’s also glorious. We aren’t about being perfect people, and we are about people becoming whole and purposeful.  

In this, every week we are intentionally investing in all our Kids to prepare them in following Jesus all their days. So, regardless of the place where we are gathering, there is something specifically for them that will cultivate and nurture them as functional God-loving people during their life's journey. 

• What about my Pre-Teen or Teenager?

We encourage your teenagers to begin to see themselves as participants and partners in the Kingdom. We want them to know they are seen, valued, and appreciated as part of the community. They can worship, serve, grow, develop, and lead as part of the community. (See Below)

In addition to this, currently, we are intentionally investing in them through mentoring. We hope to once again have a specific disciple-making pathway and gatherings for them on an evening during the week and various other times throughout the year. (For Specific Opportunities see the Youth page)

• What are your weekend gatherings like?

• On the 1st and 3rd Sunday | we gather as HOPE Communities in a Neighborhood Home near you. (24 Weeks each year) Currently only at The Healing House

• • We gather to Enact the Kingdom by practicing our Missional Core Values –
    • Welcome Home | Embrace Community
    • Orient to Christ | Encounter Jesus
    • Progress Together | Equip the Saints
    • Extend Life Everlasting | Empowered for the Mission
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  • At each Hope Community gathering, we enjoy a Meal together, Scripture Meditations through Lectio Divina, Engage & Respond to an Equipping Resource, and Prayer & Activation with each other and for our neighbors. 

On the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays and Holiday Weekends | we gather at the Alliance Center at 3242 Ridge Rd or start from there. (28 weeks)

• • The 2nd & 4th Sundays is our Worship & Mission Gathering. (See the Worship Movement tab for more info. This Sunday is geared towards the Mission, and specifically for leaders, but all are welcome. We all grow by listening and then enacting what we hear.  We often eat together after the gathering. 
  • On 5th Sundays, We usually start at the Alliance Center, but move from there out into the City to serve our neighbors.  
  • On Holiday weekends each year regardless of where they fall, we invest in our church community with a special meal together, a few words of encouragement, and by making space for relationships to grow. (Remembrance Sunday (Memorial Day), Freedom Sunday (4th), Rest Sunday (Labor Day), Gratitude Sunday, and Promise Sunday (New Year's).

There will be some acceptions to this gathering rhythm due to special days and holidays but generally, you can depend on this rhythm over the course of 2023.

• Since we still meet some weeks in Homes and other weeks in the Church Center or in a park or doing “gospel work” in some way, this can create some minor confusion as to what we are about each week. The goal here is to cultivate Gospel Rhythms.
• Right now we are working as a community on what those Rhythms are going to be and how they will work logistically for us as a community to make it obvious to you our guests that our door is always open to new people to participate and partner with us. We hope to move beyond just Sunday mornings in the next few months and this will also bring clarity to our functions and purpose as a church community as those things spread out to different times, spaces and places. 

• Do I need to bring anything? 

Starting out, if you have a Bible and/or journal bring those with you. (If you need/want a set, we will be happy to help you acquire them). As you have a sense of belonging in the community, we would love for you to contribute to our meals, to discover your passion & purpose to engage in serving opportunities where you will see you are always a blessing in the community, and as God leads you to contribute financially or with other resources to the mission locally and globally. 

• What do I wear?

We do ask that you dress modestly in your "best", whatever that might be to you. This isn't about meeting certain criteria for maintaining self-image or status but about the inner qualities of humility, honesty, honor, and dignity. This can mean wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt, or shorts and sandals in the hot summers. For some, this means a dress or suit and tie, but we don't have an expected dress code. What you wear might mean being the most comfortable you find yourself on a Sunday morning when you are a guest within a new community. 

• How can I get connected?

One of the best ways to get connected is either through Open TABLE (Mid-July) or our Friday Night Gatherings. (Starting again in August) This is a good introduction to the Community. 

• • Family Fun Nights
  • Partnering and Parenting Dinner Club 
  • Welcome to the Neighborhood (especially for new residents to Charlotte, but all are welcome)
  • Check the Calendar for upcoming dates of gatherings and opportunities.

Also, Join us when we gather for HOPE Community

Or join a Fellowship (Starting in Autumn 2023 for the Autumn, Winter/Spring, and Summer trimesters, with holiday breaks in between)

• • LIFE Fellowships will practice our 5E Rhythms and 5M Markers, gather anywhere in the City for 1-2 hours at least once or twice a month, and have from 4-12 participants. (Check back in late early July to see where there are LIFEGroups gathering nearest you).
  • GROW Fellowships help to explore the foundations for being a Fully-devoted Kingdom Disciple of Jesus.