Lutheran Church of Hope - Local Forest City

Lutheran Church of Hope - Local Forest City Reaching out to the world around us to share the everlasting love of Jesus Christ! The Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ.

Worship every Sunday at 9:15 am. Located at the YMCA Community Room.

06/12/2026

Summer is officially here, and there’s a lot happening around the Hope this month! We’d love for you to stay engaged and rooted in community throughout the summer season! 🤗

📖 New sermon series: “Who Is This?”
This month, we’ve kicked off a new series through the Gospel of Luke as we continue exploring the identity, character, authority, and heart of Jesus through the stories and encounters found in Luke.

As a church, we’re also officially halfway through walking through all four Gospels together this year!

🍿🌎 VBS is almost here!
VBS is happening June 20–24, and registrations are open! This summer, Hope Studios is coming to Hope Local Cedar Valley Hope Local Clear Lake and Hope Local Panora along with all of Hope’s campuses! There’s still room for volunteers to jump in and help make the week special for kids and families! ✨

☀️🙌🏼 Young adults, stay connected this summer!
REVIVE is Hope’s grace-based ministry for young adults in their 20s and 30s to connect, worship, grow, and serve together. Whether you’re home from college, recently graduated, new to the Des Moines area, or looking for community, REVIVE is a great place to plug in this summer.

and REVIVE Young Adult Ministry | ANKENY meet on Thursdays at 7:00pm. You can also tune in online from anywhere at YouTube.com/revivewdm!

🙏🏽 If you could use prayer, support, encouragement, or someone to talk to, Hope is here for you! 💙 Please reach out to your site leaders or directly to Mark Brandt at [email protected] or visit hopewdm.org/prayer to share online.

Thank you for being part of the broader Hope family! 🫶🏼 We hope you can join us for worship this Sunday at 9:15am!

We’ve journeyed through the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Now we’re turning to the Gospel of Luke and asking one life-cha...
06/05/2026

We’ve journeyed through the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Now we’re turning to the Gospel of Luke and asking one life-changing question: Who is Jesus, really? ✨

From the moment He is born, people are amazed by Him. He inspires and transforms hearts, teaches with wisdom beyond His years, calms storms, raises the dead, and changes lives wherever He goes. Again and again, people are left asking, “Who is this?” 👀

As we begin our new series through Luke, we’ll discover that the answer changes everything. ❤️‍🔥

Join us this Sunday at 9:15am as we kick off a new journey through Luke and encounter Jesus in a fresh and powerful way! We’d love to worship with you! 🙌🏼💙

📍 YMCA Community Room
⏰ Sunday at 9:15am

The biggest event of the summer is almost here…🍿🎥 HOPE STUDIOS!!! 😎🎬Kids age 3 through grade 6 are invited to join us fo...
05/29/2026

The biggest event of the summer is almost here…

🍿🎥 HOPE STUDIOS!!! 😎🎬

Kids age 3 through grade 6 are invited to join us for an unforgettable week of fun, friendship, music, games, and discovering God's incredible love! 🌟❤️

Hope Studios is happening across 10 locations this summer, and there are opportunities for both kids and volunteers to be part of the story. Whether you're registering a child or looking for a way to serve, we'd love to have you join us! 🙌✨

Learn more at hopewdm.org/vbs 🍿🎥🎟️

The story doesn't stop here! Join us for worship this Sunday at 9:15am as we continue to grow in faith together. We can't wait to see you there! 💙

So grateful for the leadership and service from the Happel’s and the Mathiasen’s!! 🥹🫶🏼Forest City will not be the same w...
05/26/2026

So grateful for the leadership and service from the Happel’s and the Mathiasen’s!! 🥹🫶🏼

Forest City will not be the same without them, but we’re thankful knowing God isn’t finished with their stories yet. The same God who faithfully began a good work in and through them here in Forest City will continue carrying it on in their new neighborhoods.

And just as we’re excited to see how God continues to move in and through both of these incredible couples, we’re so incredibly encouraged by the emerging leadership here in Forest City that continues to step up, serve faithfully, and carry the vision and mission of Hope forward each week! 🙌🏼💙🩵

Praying for this next chapter for the Happel’s and Mathiasen’s, while also praising God for the ways He continues to grow and guide Hope Local Forest City into what’s next! 🙏🏼

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸

We’re grateful for the sacrifice, courage, and love demonstrated by so many for the sake of others. As we reflect today, may we also remember the words of Jesus:

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
– John 15:13

Praying for peace, comfort, and gratitude for all who carry the weight of remembrance today.

As we reflect on Jesus’ words in Mark 12:28-31 to love God and love people, we also get to celebrate two people who have...
05/23/2026

As we reflect on Jesus’ words in Mark 12:28-31 to love God and love people, we also get to celebrate two people who have faithfully lived that out in our community for years! 💙

We’re so grateful for Scott & Mary and the love, leadership, and faithfulness they’ve shared with our church family through the last decade!

Come join us for worship and celebration tomorrow morning! 🙌🏽

📍 YMCA Family Room
⏰ 9:15am

Hope Local is looking for a Summer Communications & Ministry Intern to help support storytelling, social media, events, ...
05/22/2026

Hope Local is looking for a Summer Communications & Ministry Intern to help support storytelling, social media, events, content creation, and communications across our 8 Hope Local Sites this summer! 📸☀️

If you’re passionate about communications, photography, videography, social media, design, leadership, or simply want hands-on experience making an impact in ministry, we’d love to connect with you! 😊

Super flexible hours. Hands-on experience and mentorship. Meaningful work for your portfolio. Incredible people. 💙

Tag someone who’d be a great fit or send them our way to learn more!

https://lutheranchurchofhope.org/internship/

Celebration Sunday is almost here!!🥹🩵🎉Join us this Sunday as we celebrate Scott & Mary Mathiasen and their decade of lea...
05/22/2026

Celebration Sunday is almost here!!🥹🩵🎉

Join us this Sunday as we celebrate Scott & Mary Mathiasen and their decade of leadership, love, and faithfulness at Hope Local Forest City before they move south to be closer to family. 🤗

After worship, we’ll continue the celebration with a potluck and time of fellowship together! Feel free to bring a dish to share… or simply come hungry and enjoy time together around the table!

Most of all, we’d love for you to come celebrate, laugh, pray, share memories, and say “see you later” to Scott & Mary as they begin this next chapter. 🙌🏼

Worship begins at 9:15am, and a celebratory potluck to follow!

05/21/2026

Sometimes God starts something bigger than you ever expected through a simple conversation and a willingness to say yes.

When we moved to Forest City in 1993, we were looking for a church where we’d grow in our faith and help others do the same. Over the years, we served in different churches and ministries but found ourselves longing for a place rooted in Scripture, authentic community, and the mission of Jesus. After a season of worshiping online from home, an idea began to take shape.

Instead of everyone watching separately from home, what if we gathered locally to worship?

With support from Mark Brandt, Hope leadership, and a growing group of people hungry for Christ-centered community, we stepped into the unknown and gave it a try … and Hope’s first Local Site was formed.

In 2015, our first Sunday at the YMCA where we decided to meet brought around 25 people. From the beginning, the group was made up of different ages, backgrounds, church experiences, and life stories. Over the years, we watched God shape Hope Local Forest City into a true family. We celebrated baptisms, supported grieving families, served our schools and neighbors, and watched people linger after worship simply because they wanted to spend time together. In a world that often feels isolated, this community became deeply connected.

We never imagined something so simple would eventually help shape other Local Sites and impact so many lives. None of it happened because of us alone. It’s all a reflection of God’s faithfulness through so many leaders, volunteers, families, and the vision of Hope as a whole. We’re beyond blessed to have been part of Hope’s story as part of our own and, above all, part of God’s story here in Iowa.

As we step into a new season of life and move away from Forest City to be closer to family, we do so with gratitude. It’s difficult leaving our church family in Forest City, but we’re excited to watch others carry the mission forward.

God is always up to something new, and we’re thankful we trusted him enough to step into the unknown.

Mary & Scott M.

Address

916 West I Street
Forest City, IA
50436

Opening Hours

9am - 10:15am

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