Hope United Methodist Church
A place where everyone joins together.
Join however you are Comfortable
JOIN US IN-PERSON OR ONLINE
We welcome you to come and worship with us as you are able! Our Sunday services start at 10am. If you live in the Belchertown area and have local cable, you’ll find our services on Channel 191 at 7pm on Sundays. If you’d like to join us online, find our Zoom link info in the Worship section below.
Worship
Come and worship with us Each Sunday at 10am
Bible Sudies
Check News and our Calendar for the latest classes.
Our Community
Hope UMC is active in our community. Check News and Calendar for the latest
What Methodists Believe
Find out more about our faith tradition
YOU ARE WELCOME
Open and Affirming
Hope United Methodist Church in Belchertown, Massachusetts, established in 1874, has long been a welcoming community. We strive to follow the example of Christ, grow in love and welcome into full fellowship persons of every race, gender, culture, nationality, sexual orientation or gender identity, economic circumstance, age, physical and mental ability, family and marital status. We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth.
Join however you are Comfortable
JOIN US IN-PERSON OR ONLINE
Worship on Cable
Watch the morning worship service on Belchertown Cable channel 191 at 7:00 pm on Sunday
Worship on Zoom
Please contact the church office for information about joining our Worship service on Zoom (413-323-7584)
Our Church Community
150th Anniversary Celebration
Hope United Methodist Church is celebrating 150 years of ministry in Belchertown, MA!! On February 11, 1874 the Belchertown Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated in Belchertown. One hundred and fifty years later, we kicked off our year of celebration. The celebration continues on June 16th when Bishop Peggy Johnson will be joining us for our Worship service. She will be preaching on “From the Past will Come the Future”. We will gather for a special Pot-Luck Lunch after Worship. We hope that you can be there! If you are interested in learning more about the history of our church, you can read the article that was recently published in The Sentinel.
Sunday Sermon
Go to Scripture and Sermons to hear this week’s Sermon
Sunday School News
Water is Life
The Sunday school children & youth have embarked on a new project. We are exploring how we can help our neighbors with the concept of “water is life”. We have talked about ways to conserve and ensure clean water in Puerto Rico, Africa and here at home. The mission’s committee (M.E.O.W.) has shared information about a special well building project in sub-Saharan Africa which we have decided to work on. For the next six Sunday’s preceding Earth Day, April 22 nd , you will find a large water bottle in the back of the sanctuary where you can deposit loose change. We hope to raise $475, the cost of one well which will be constructed by the Marion Medical Mission, an interdenominational group that has provided
10,000 wells in remote villages which don’t have access to safe drinking water. Please help us provide one more well. Update: Enough money was raised to provide TWO wells! Thank you to everyone who donated!
We perform
Services
Marriage Services
Our sanctuary is the perfect place to exchange your vows
Church membership
Baptisms Confirmation
Are you ready to join His church? Contact our pastor for more information
Renewals
Renewing your wedding vows
Funeral Services
Contact our pastor for help during this challenging time
Our Pastor
Michelle Grube
pastor
Reverend Michelle Grube has been in ministry for 30 years, having served churches in Maine and Massachusetts. Before that, she served various student appointments in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She has a passion for teaching, preaching, and counseling. She enjoys visiting and although she does not have a passion for working with children and youth she has been told she is really good with them.
Michelle, as she prefers to be called, grew up in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and Religion. She received her Masters of Divinity degree from the Theological School at Drew University. In 2007, she received her Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Maine. In the process of completing her Social Work degree, she became very active in domestic violence issues and issues pertaining to the equal rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals. Michelle believes that a Christian’s call is to end violence in whatever form it may take.
Michelle also believes that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. She believes that the Church must reach out beyond the four walls of its building. Michelle has travelled to the former Soviet Union, Africa, South Korea, and Israel. Each of those trips has been life-changing and transformed her outlook on the cultural values of our society. She has a vision to help people slow down in their busy lives so that they can hear the music of life and learn to find joy in every day.
While serving churches in Maine, Michelle served as an on-call chaplain to the mental health unit at the local hospital. She was chair of the District Committee on Ministry, a committee that works with those people just starting out in ministry and supervises local pastors. Michelle also served on the Board of Ordained Ministry, interviewing and working with those persons who are seeking ordination. Michelle now serves on the District Committee on Buildings and Locations, like district trustees. She is chairperson of the Conference Administrative Review Committee that deals with process matters when clergy have committed an offense. She is also a mentor to those starting out in ministry
For fun, Michelle likes to be a big kid at heart and simply enjoy all the pleasures in life that God has provided. She enjoys the theater and special musical events. And she loves to simply read a good mystery novel or theological treatise