About
Hope Episcopal Church
Mission
The mission of Hope Church is to follow Jesus and His Great Commandment:
Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and love thy neighbor as thyself.
Jesus states that if you keep only these (commandments), you will find that you are obeying all the others.
Vision
We the members of Hope Church aspire to accomplish this mission by living our lives as advocates of the Great Commandment through stewardship, worship, evangelism, education, pastoral care and service/outreach.
Mission of Vestry
In accordance with the parable of the talents, we will faithfully manage the many gifts entrusted to us by God for the benefit of our beloved Hope Church and our fellow human beings, both now and for future generations.
Core Values
Our core values are shared beliefs that guide our behavior and interaction with others, our decision making and our better instincts toward helping the less fortunate. They unite us with Episcopalians nationwide, with the Anglican Communion, and Christians throughout the world.
Caring
Showing a sincere concern for others, whoever they are, wherever we find them.
Honesty
Being truthful in what we say and do.
Respect
Doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.
Responsibility
Being accountable for our words and actions.
Forgiveness
Being able to forgive. Forgiveness is the greatest act of love. On an everyday basis, it’s giving people a face-saving way out when they make a mistake. True forgiveness does not demand apologies
Clergy, Staff, &
Lay Leadership
Our parish relies on the talents and leadership of our members and we are blessed with many helping hands.
The parish Vestry is the primary governing body of the church, composed of six members. At the annual parish meeting in November of each year, two members are elected for a rotating term of three years each. In addition to the Vestry, we have parish officers and various committees supporting the mission, worship and the ministries of the church.
Clergy
The Rt. Rev. Audrey C. Scanlan, Bishop of the Diocese of Central PA
The Rev. Bradley Mattson, Rector
The Rev. Nancy Lesher, Deacon
Church Staff
Organist, Gail Edgell
Adjunct Organist, Terry Heisey
Adjunct Organist, Doug Beach
Parish Administrator,
Katie Brown
Sexton, Gwen Norton
Parish Officers
Senior Warden, Jo Steffy
Junior Warden, Jeremy Brown
Treasurer,
Assistant Treasurer, Mary Sims
Vestry Members
Gail Edgell (2024)
Steve Palmer (2024)
Tom Brown (2025)
Steve Norton (2025)
Jeremy Brown (2026)
Brandon Peach (2026)
Committee Chairs
Altar Guild, Lynette Brown
Creation Care, Rob Gokey
Finance, Lucy Longo
Garden of Hope, Gail Edgell
Outreach, Kathleen Peach
Property, Jeremy Brown
History
Click a topic for more information:
Since its consecration in 1849, Hope Episcopal Church has had a rich history, beautiful architectural details, and a caring congregation that have made it welcome to all.
Visit the linked topics to explore Hope’s legacy.