Primary Words: 2026 Community Practices Series

Sundays at 10 am

What does it mean to belong to HopeGateWay? For many years, it has been our habit to commit annually to Community Practices by signing our individual names to the practices poster on the wall. This year we have reimagined our practices with input from the whole community. Our new practices are verbs, action words, that are already broadly enacted in our community. These are our Primary Words — words that we begin with, words of highest importance, and words that ground us in direct and firsthand experience. Each of these practices has the potential to take us deeper, to call us to more, and to lead us further on our journeys.

Over the next five weeks we will take the words one by one: Gather, Listen, Act, Share, Evolve. We will explore how these practices shape us as a community and as individuals, both in our life together and our life beyond the boundaries of HopeGateWay.

Jesus gathered with his beloveds. He listened to those on the margins as well as the sounds of the wind. He kept moving forward in action, even when that put him in the path of danger. Jesus shared himself again and again. He demonstrated to his followers an evolving faith and growth mindset, so that his followers might never believe they had arrived but always know they are on the path towards further growth.

Celebrate with us. 

Please join us at 10:00 am Sunday at 515 Woodford St in Portland, Maine, or via Zoom, for a time of worship and fellowship. We'll share some music, lift up our joys and concerns, pray together, and share Communion. (If you're joining us from home, feel free to bring a beverage and crackers, or whatever you like, to your screen so you're prepared to receive Communion with the in-person worshipping community.)

We post our weekly Zoom Worship meeting link on our main worship page.