3 /5 steve healy: I have been going to this church for almost five years. We were looking for an affirming church. Even though this church is an Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America church it is far from affirming or progressive. During my time here they have never held a same sex marriage ceremony or celebrated Pride Week. You definitely won’t see a rainbow flag or poster either inside or out.
The pastor, Dan Cole, is progressive, but he is only an interim pastor and has received quite a bit of resistance to any moves to become more welcoming.
I am not saying Hope is a bad church. It is certainly more ambivalent than most churches in the Temecula Valley, but ambivalence is not the same as welcoming, is it?
If you decide to attend Hope just know what you are getting into. This is a don’t ask/don’t tell church, with a small intrenched core group of members that is very resistant to any changes that would make it more progressive.
