A Millard Congregation Since 1963
Hope Presbyterian Church has been part of the Millard neighborhood of southwest Omaha for more than sixty years. The story began in 1961, when the National Council of Churches surveyed religious needs in this fast-growing corner of the metro and concluded that one Lutheran church could not serve the wave of new families moving in. The Presbyterian Church was invited to send field representatives, and on Palm Sunday, April 6, 1963, the new congregation held its first service in the gymnasium of Millard's Central Elementary School. Hope was officially chartered on December 1, 1963, with 125 members.
For the next several years, the young church met in a local shopping center, then moved through Western Electric and Sandoz Elementary School. In the spring of 1970, Hope bought land and built its first home, holding the first service on Christmas Eve at 14015 Q Street. By the late 1990s, the congregation was ready for a larger footprint. Ten acres were purchased at 159th and Q Street in August 1999, and after years of fundraising, design and construction, Hope moved into its present building at 5220 S. 159th Avenue in February 2006. The current sanctuary, classrooms, and gathering spaces are still anchored in that 2006 building, set in a neighborhood that has continued to grow around it.
Loving God, Loving All People, Living in Grace
Hope describes itself as a welcoming, inclusive, and affirming congregation. The mission statement, "Loving God, Loving All People, Living in Grace," comes straight from the church's front door and shapes how newcomers are received. Hope actively embraces every sexual orientation, gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic condition, physical and mental ability, household composition, and political and theological background, and invites anyone who wants to participate fully in the life of the church to do so. First-time visitors are invited to stop by a Welcome Center for a small gift and to fill out a connection form so someone can reach out.
That posture of welcome is matched by a strong network of lay leadership. The church is governed by twelve standing committees, each led by an elder, ranging from Outreach and Fellowship to Music and Worship, Children's Faith Formation, and Adult Faith Formation. The Caring Hearts Coffee Group, a new monthly gathering for anyone feeling lonely or in a difficult season, launched in October at Holy Grounds Coffeehouse on Polk Street, the first Wednesday of each month at 10 am.
Sunday Morning at 10
Worship is the weekly anchor of life at Hope. Services are held at 10 am Central each Sunday in the sanctuary at 5220 S. 159th Avenue and are also livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, so members at home, traveling, or unable to attend in person can follow along. The worship style is best described as blended: a Presbyterian congregation that follows the church year and celebrates Communion on scheduled Sundays, while drawing on a music program led by Music Director Luke Furman and contemporary sermon series such as "God on Film," which drew congregations through August and early September.
Children are welcome in worship. Sunday morning also includes children's and youth Sunday school classes, and an Adult Faith Formation hour that meets at 9 am. A typical series has included a six-week study of the book Migration at 9 am on Sunday mornings, with a participant guide provided at no cost. After the service, visitors are invited to linger over coffee and conversation.
Hope Youth and Children
Faith formation for the next generation is a major part of the church's identity. Jenny Gollehon serves as Director of Youth and Children's Faith Formation, and the church offers programming for children from preschool through fifth grade, and for youth in grades six through twelve. Children's Sunday school uses fun, engaging lessons provided with all curriculum and lesson plans ready for volunteers, so parents and other adults can serve as teachers without prior experience.
Hope Youth meets on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 pm during the school year, beginning with a shared dinner and moving into games, fellowship, Bible study, and discussion. The stated goal is a welcoming midweek space where students can build friendships, ask hard questions, serve others, and deepen their relationship with Christ. A summer "Messy Ministry" program and intergenerational family worship round out the children's ministry. A Faith Formation registration form is available for any family wanting to enroll a child or youth.
The Pantry of Hope and Other Outreach
Outreach is one of the most visible pieces of Hope's ministry. The Pantry of Hope is open every Monday from 9 am to 12 pm, providing free food to anyone in the community facing food insecurity. The pantry keeps a posted wish list of non-perishable staples, including canned vegetables, rice and noodle packets, canned meat (no pork), canned fruit, boxed macaroni and cheese, pancake and muffin mix, syrup, peanut butter and jelly, instant potatoes, instant oatmeal, granola bars, pasta, and pasta sauce. Glass containers are not accepted. Cash donations to restock the pantry can be made through PayPal.
Other outreach work runs through the Mission Committee. The church supports the Neihardt Weekend Lunches program, hosts the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace for a Build-A-Bed event in October, and welcomes Crossroads Connection of Omaha, a ministry supporting incarcerated men and their families that was founded by a former Hope pastor, the Reverend Roy Fox. Hope also periodically hosts Red Cross blood drives on its property. The Mission Committee identifies needs in the wider community and coordinates projects to meet them.
Groups That Meet Through the Week
Beyond Sunday worship, Hope's calendar fills out a steady weekly rhythm. Mondays bring the Pantry of Hope in the morning and the Prayer Shawl Group from 1 to 3 pm, where knitters and crocheters make shawls for members and others in need of comfort. The first Monday evening of each month is set aside for the Cancer Support Group, hosted in Room 102 with childcare available by registration.
Tuesday is committee night on the first Tuesday of the month, an open door for anyone who wants to learn about and plug into one of the church's ministry areas. The second Tuesday belongs to the Hope Quilt Group, which gathers from 10 am to 3 pm with sewing machines, projects, and a brown-bag lunch. Wednesdays pair Hope Youth at 5:30 pm with the monthly Caring Hearts Coffee Group in the morning at Holy Grounds Coffeehouse on Polk Street. Thursdays are anchored by a Sermon Based Bible Study from 11 am to 12:30 pm, and a Card Players Group meets on the second Thursday afternoon.
Special programming rotates through the year, including a stargazing night at Carol Joy Holling Camp near Ashland with an astronomer from the Omaha Astronomical Society, and book studies that bring the congregation together around a common text. All of these activities are open to the wider community.
Beliefs and Presbyterian Identity
Hope is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), part of the Reformed tradition. The church's brief statement of faith names belief in the one triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hope holds that the Bible is the Word of God and that knowing God's love and faithfulness comes through the study of Scripture. The church also teaches that eternal life is a gift of God's grace, received through the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, not earned by individual good works.
That grace is the heart of the congregation's name and the lens through which Hope reads both its Reformed heritage and its local calling. Children and youth are nurtured in faith through curriculum and community. Adults grow through Bible study, book groups, sermon-based classes, and adult faith formation. Members are encouraged to find their place in the life of the church, serve on a committee, and use their gifts.
Pastoral and Program Staff
Pastor Mike Geiler (he/him) leads the congregation. His preaching and teaching are at the center of Sunday worship and many of the adult studies, including the recent six-week series through Colossians. Jenny Gollehon (she/her) directs faith formation for both children and youth, overseeing Sunday school, the midweek youth group, and the Children's Faith Formation Committee. Luke Furman (he/him) is the Music Director and coordinates the music side of weekly worship, working with volunteer musicians and worship leaders through the Music and Worship Committee. The church office is staffed Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm and can be reached at 402-895-4044 or office@hpcomaha.org.
Getting Involved and Practical Details
Anyone curious about membership can attend the free Next Steps Class, which covers the Christian faith, the Presbyterian tradition, the life of Hope, and the path to membership. The class is offered periodically on Sunday after worship and on Wednesday evening, includes a meal, and provides childcare with advance registration.
The church building is also available to rent for meetings, sports gatherings, parties, and weddings, with a separate set of policies for wedding use; inquiries go through the office. A staffed Staff and Elder Contact List PDF is available for members who want to reach a particular leader.
Hope is located at 5220 S. 159th Avenue in Omaha, with easy access from Q Street and the Millard area. Sunday parking is on site. Worship is held in person and on YouTube at 10 am Central, and the Wednesday Weekly email keeps members and friends connected between Sundays. Giving is available online through the church's PayPal link, by mail to the office, or by completing a stewardship pledge card.