Hope Gate Way

06/17/2026

Breathe

We move through our lives at such a frantic pace that we often forget to do the very thing that keeps us alive: breathe. Breath is a divine gift and a sacred rhythm that anchors us to the holy ground of the present moment.

When we integrate breath prayer into our busy days, we don’t need a perfect sanctuary or a polished spiritual résumé. We just need to notice the air filling our lungs.

~Kayla Craig, Liturgies For Parents

Breath is a divine gift and a sacred rhythm that anchors us to the holy ground of the present moment.

06/16/2026

Click https://tinyurl.com/33jmpfat to hear Rev. Katie Mears reflect on the passage "Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now" — exploring how they and many others unconsciously hear scripture through a lens of judgment and personal shortcoming. Katie invites the congregation to reimagine these words, spoken by a kind, gentle narrator, shifting the message from indictment to a simple, compassionate invitation: just try the next loving thing.

Podcast Episode · HopeGateWay Sermons · June 7 · 1 sec

06/14/2026

Everything you need to know about our upcoming renovation and The Room for All Capital Campaign can be found at this link: https://mailchi.mp/hopegateway/room-for-all

06/14/2026

Something big is about to happen at HopeGateWay. With your help, we can transform our space and make Room for All.

Read on for more details about this campaign and how you can get involved, but the short version is this: we’re renovating the first floor to make it a welcoming and functional space for HopeGateway and the wider community and we need YOU to make it happen!

Our campaign goal? $70,000 by June 30, 2027.

The good news? We’ve already raised $25,555 during the quiet phase of the campaign, thanks to early supporters. That’s 37% towards our goal.

With your help, we can get there!

Room for all is a campaign to transform The Community Room. Our vision: Imagine The Community Room, on the lower level of HopeGateWay's 515 Woodford Street home, fully renovated, with new flooring and new windows — clean and inviting, accessible and welcoming, ready to host HopeGateWay and community groups for meetings, yoga, shared meals, and more!

Renovations will include: new epoxy floor, updated and versatile lighting and acoustic panels, safe removal of asbestos tiles, new windows, and a colorful mural by a local artist.

Room for kids. Room for meals. Room for recovery. Room for gathering. Room for shelter. Room for community organizing. Room for collaboration. Room for all.

Gifts of every size count. Here are some examples of what your donation will do:
$6,000 upgrades our 1961 windows
$2,500 contributes to a colorful new mural by a local artist
$1,000 supplies new DIY acoustic panels and lighting upgrades
$500 installs 25 square feet of new floor
$100 installs 5 square feet of new floor
Every gift brings The Community Room to life!

Make your pledge today at:
https://tinyurl.com/RoomforAllHGW

or make a gift directly via Venmo to

06/12/2026

As we move into the summer season, there are many ways to be involved in the life of the HopeGateWay community. Lots of details here in this week’s e-newsletter — check it out! ☀️🌿

As we move into the summer season, there are many ways to be involved in the life of the HopeGateWay community. Lots of details here in this week's e-newsletter — check it out!

06/12/2026

In peace, we can let your light touch our
deepest place, Rock of Ages, Rainbow of Love.
We slip, we err, we lose our way.
In quiet moments, we can confess the sin that
has harmed us and the sin by which others
have been harmed.
We often behave as if we are not loved,
as if you do not love every other creature,
as if we are not lovable at all.
Touch us with your light, we pray.
Let us glow with the rainbow light of love.
Love persists.
Love knocks on the door and doesn’t stop.
Love waits for us to open and welcome it in.
Be assured that you are lovable and loved.
Be assured that you have endless love within
you because you are God’s beloved child.
Thanks be to God!

~Robin Wardlaw, Gathering

Love knocks on the door and doesn’t stop.

06/10/2026

Blessed be the Non-Conforming One.
God, who took on flesh
Of the economically oppressed,
Of an immigrant,
of an infant.
Whose family and birth was anything but traditional.
This Holy One won’t be hindered by social norms.
She defies our expectations.
She challenges our preconceptions.
She awakens us to new possibilities.
Praise be to God, the queerest of us all.

~M. Jade Kaiser, enfleshed

05/29/2026

Aren’t these matching HGW peeps adorable?!? Bethany and Sharon are with Sara and Jeremy and a bunch of other people from around Maine today to learn about organizing power to build a broad based organization here in Maine. If you’d like to learn more talk with one of us or Diane, Katie, or Kathy.

05/29/2026

Check out all that is happening this weekend including a new series, Go Humbly, Now and the Sea Change Chorale. And so much more coming up to engage with in our community and beyond.

Check out what's going on in our community.

05/28/2026

LOVE is the Point. was a beautiful gathering of love, support and solidarity for all that feel marginalized/targeted by or who do not support the values and tactics of the current administration, by far-right politics and religion, and the white christian nationalist agenda.

Despite how much coverage polarizing extreme politics receives in the media, there are in fact MORE people and faith communities that believe ALL humans, regardless of origin, race, gender identity and gender expression, sexual orientation, or faith tradition are beloved and have equal and inherent worth. The 26 MultiFaith Congregations and Organizations, 8 speakers and 5 amazing local musicians who came together for this LOVING event are evidence of that, as is the $2360 donated by attendees for local organizations.

We want everyone in the Portland community, throughout Maine and beyond to know they're not alone. And we want everyone to feel the love emanating from the music, words and love shared at this this truly beautiful event. So... the recording of LOVE is the Point is now available to the public here! Please share this link widely and enjoy it!

No matter what, remember You are not alone. You are loved. You are worthy. You are welcome.

A recording of the May 15, 2026 event hosted by 26 MultiFaith leaders, congregations and organizations to provide a safe, loving community event of solidarit...