Interested in becoming a member of Hope, or
ABOUT US
Welcome to Hope’s Olde Providence site! Our OP congregation is a grace-centered community that exists for the purpose of glorifying God and loving our neighbors. We are seeking to be a gospel-centered community similar to the one described so clearly in Acts 2:42-47,
[42] And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. [44] And all who believed were together and had all things in common. [45] And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. [46] And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (ESV)
We believe worship is the foundation which shapes this type of gospel-centered community. What that practically means is that we will gather together each week in order to hear what God says is true from His Word, confess our sins, rejoice and lament, share our stories, and pray together. Our prayer and hope is that God will continue to build us up into a community that glorifies Him and loves and serves our neighbors well. A community which is:
- built on the grace we have been given in Christ.
- honest about real struggle and willing to talk in real time about our need for God’s grace.
- knows how to rejoice and grieve together.
Outside of Sunday morning corporate worship, the main place this type of community is fostered is in our community groups. Community groups meet during the week, usually 3x per month, and are the heart and soul of where real change happens at Hope. Community groups are where we integrate new visitors, grow in our faith, care for one another’s mercy needs, pray and grieve together.
I am thankful and feel privileged to be part of such a community, and I hope that you will make plans to join us for worship.
Grace and Peace,
Matt
location
4418 Rea RoadCharlotte, NC 28226
service times
VISITOR FAQ
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Where is the Olde Providence site?
We meet at 9:00am & 11:00am at 4418 Rea Road, in the Olde Providence area of South Charlotte.
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What do I wear?
At Hope, our overall style is casual. To our Sunday worship services, most people wear a mix of everyday casual to business casual. Our regular attenders and members run the gamut each week which makes it easy to find your place. However, in general, traditional “church clothes” (i.e. a tie) are more formal than most people wear. We know it can be awkward visiting a church for the first time, and we want you to know that the most important thing is to be comfortable coming as yourself. We have a lot of visitors each week and we strive to be a community that is welcoming to everyone just as they are!
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Where should I park?
Any of the parking spots at the church are available on Sunday morning. You may also park across the road in the shopping center.
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What should I do when I arrive?
The Olde Providence worship services last about an hour and 15 minutes, starting at 11am. However, punctuality is not one of our spiritual gifts! While we’re trying to encourage our members and regular attenders to arrive earlier, we want to give you fair warning that if you arrive early (or even on time) the sanctuary may feel slightly empty until the service begins or a few minutes after that. When you arrive, you’ll want to head to the far right set of double doors and turn right toward the sanctuary. You will receive a bulletin from one of our greeters, which will contain the sermon text and outline for that morning, along with announcements about upcoming events at Hope.
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What are your worship services like?
Our worship style is an acoustic blend of traditional and contemporary worship music led by a small worship team. The majority of our music is traditional hymns set to more contemporary music. Almost all of our music is congregational singing. We try to put all of our songs in an easily “singable” key and put the songs lyrics on a screen. Our goal is to make it easy for everyone to participate as much as they want and not have anyone feel “lost” in the service whether it’s their first or fiftieth time worshiping with us. After an initial Call to Worship, we sing several songs together then dismiss the children to Children’s Church. While the children are leaving, we take 5 minutes to say hello to one another. Our intention is not to make you feel awkward or single any one out but to give you an opportunity to at least make an initial connection with someone. Please feel free to introduce yourself to others; Hope always has lots of visitors, and many of the people sitting around you may well be attending for their 1st or 2nd time as well. After this time, we typically sing another song together and then hear a sermon. We alternate between preaching through books of the Bible and topical sermons. Our goal is to let people consider the Biblical picture of Jesus and the message of Christianity for themselves, so all of our sermons are an explanation of a biblical passage. The sermons are usually 30-35 minutes long, followed by communion (the first Sunday of each month) and one or two songs responding to the message. The entire service lasts about an hour and 15 minutes.
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What do I do with my children during the service?
Children’s Ministry is currently open for children ages Infant through 5th grade at both services. In order to keep a safe child/teacher ratio in each class, our OP site is currently requiring registration for Children’s Ministry each Sunday. The link will go live on Thursday of each week, so please check here Thursday-Saturday to sign your child up for the upcoming Sunday. When you drop your child off, a leader will help you print out a name badge and receive a collection ticket. All of our volunteers go through a screening process and we follow a series of safety protocols to ensure that your child is safe while in our care and you’re able to be at ease during the worship service. You’re also welcome to keep your children with you in the worship service if you prefer. We also provide a nursing mother’s room in the hallway next to the sanctuary where you can hear the worship and sermon.
The elders, deacons, women’s shepherding team members, and staff within each congregation come together to form a Congregational Care Team.
Each of these Care Teams focuses on leading and caring for the spiritual and physical needs of their particular congregation.
Staff
SERMONS
Matt Ham - September 15, 2024
The Tension of Exiles
Scripture References: Esther 2:19-23, Esther 3:1-6