Who is HopeGateWay?
HopeGateWay Church is a community of faith in Portland, Maine. Our mission is to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. HopeGateWay is committed to being an inclusive, justice-seeking community. We believe that every human being is a valued and beloved child of God. And that's why we're asking for your partnership today.
Our Decision
HopeGateWay has a history of standing for justice and inclusion, but the denomination that has governed our church – The United Methodist Church (UMC) – explicitly discriminates against LGBTQ people. This discrimination goes completely against what we stand for. After 18 months of conversation, deliberation, and discernment, HopeGateWay has decided to leave The UMC. We want to live and worship according to our values and conscience. After hearing the concerns and the dreams of our broader community, we know that we can only be in fuller solidarity with LGBTQ people when we free ourselves from the United Methodist system. With this understanding, we are carving a new path as a free-standing church that upholds the values of justice, equity, and inclusive love.
Your Role
Leaving The UMC is a decision we have not made lightly, and it comes with a hefty price tag. In order to disaffiliate, we are required to pay $282,000 to The UMC. But we haven't let this number deter us because we believe that the LGBTQ people in our church and community are worth the cost. We are worth the cost!
We have worked hard within our community to secure these funds, including a month-long internal fundraising campaign, and are thrilled to have raised over $100,000 already! Now, we are turning to our loved ones in the broader community that HopeGateWay serves and calls home.
Will you consider pitching in to lay the groundwork for the future of this bold, courageous, and growing congregation? Your donation of any size will help our community stand for justice and leave a legacy of love in our community. We are so excited about the ways that we can grow and transform to better serve our community now that we can fully live out the values we hold dear.
If you can't contribute financially, that's okay! We appreciate you taking the time to learn about HopeGateWay and what we're doing. You can still help us by sharing this campaign with your loved ones. Thank you for your support!
