Diocese of Missouri - The Episcopal Church

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Community of Hope

What is the Community of Hope?

The Community of Hope is a Christian community of lay chaplains, united in prayer, shaped by Benedictine spirituality and equipped for pastoral care ministry. The program welcomes Episcopalians and members of other Christian denominations to its training and ministry.

Lay chaplains are taught a ministry of presence, to bring comfort and healing to those in need. They embrace a rule of life which includes daily spiritual reading and prayer, weekly worship, monthly Circle of Care meetings and scheduled quarterly half day retreats known as “a Monastery Without Walls”, as well as an annual full day retreat.

The Community of Hope currently has training centers at The Church of St. Michael and St. George and Christ Church Cathedral.Over fifty lay chaplains have been trained, representing seven Episcopal parishes and several other denominations. These pastoral caregivers are currently serving their own churches as Eucharistic Visitors and parish visitors to the ill and shut in. They also serve at:

  • Ministry in mental health settings
  • Parish pastoral care calls and lay Eucharistic ministry
  • Parish maintenance
  • Drop-in
  • Parish retail
  • Homeless food programs
  • Homeless chapel services
  • Homeless ID programs
  • Bible study with pregnant teenagers
  • House church organizations
  • Ministry in senior centers
  • Ministry in the Cancer Center
  • Hospice Ministry

Community of Hope In the Diocese

The Diocesan Advisory Committee coordinates COH activities, including plans to expand Training Centers in the diocese. Dave Malek, parishioner at Christ Church Cathedral, has been appointed by the bishop to be the Diocesan Coordinator for this ministry. You may contact Dave at, D-malek@sbcglobal.net or (314) 580-5000.

Community of Hope International

A new structure, The Community of Hope International, was formed in June 2005 to facilitate and administrate COH outside the Diocese of Texas. There are now over 90 centers nationwide with 39 in the Diocese of Texas (where COH started in 1996). Mary Bredenberg, (marybre@swbell.net) serves on the COHI Board as one of nine Regional Representatives. Her role is to support existing centers and help start new centers, including the Dioceses of Missouri, West Missouri, and Kansas.

You can link to the Community of Hope International website via http://www.coh-international.com/