Rooted in love. Growing in faith. Welcoming all.
New Hope United Church of Christ is a progressive Christian church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, serving Chicago’s South and Southwest Sides.
Rooted in love. Growing in faith. Welcoming all.
New Hope United Church of Christ is a progressive Christian church in Oak Lawn, Illinois, serving Chicago’s South and Southwest Sides.
About Us
About Us
Our Values & Beliefs
For many people — especially LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and families — church has not always felt safe. We want you to know that you’re joyfully welcomed here, regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or life circumstance.
At New Hope, we worship and serve Christ by showing up for each other and for our neighbors.
That looks like:
● Showing Faith in action, not just words. Our missions like the Pilgirm Faith Food Pantry, Blanket Committee, and Peace Synergy Group exist because we believe love is something you do, not just something you say.● Helping people feel safe, seen, and like they belong. However you choose to participate, you'll always find a warm reception here. There are no boxes to check or hoops to jump through.● Lowering anxiety and increasing connection. Our services and messages are centered on Christ’s love, hope, and grace — not a set of rules designed to make you feel guilty.● Care for the whole community. New Hope provides space for licensed therapists to offer private counseling at significantly lower rates than you'd find elsewhere, because mental health support should be within reach for everyone.● Changed lives over attendance numbers. We measure success by the people we serve and the connections we build and not how full the seats are.Our Staff & Leadership
Rev. Steve Hoerger
A “Preacher’s Kid”, I learned the church from the inside out. I was blessed to have faithful parents that taught and lived the faith. However, as I grew into adulthood, I realized that some of what I had been taught no longer made sense to me. How could someone born and raised in Vietnam as a Buddhist be consigned to eternal hell because they didn’t believe as I believed?
That question, and others, haunted me. It even caused me to walk away from my faith for a short time. Fortunately, the Spirit moved me back into faith and provided a new and deeper understanding. I was introduced to seeing the metaphors beneath the literal stories and a new world opened up for me.
For the last 30 years I’ve been committed to opening that world for others.
I am married to Joni Hoerger who is the Musical Director at New Hope. Together we have been committed to bringing contemporary music into the life of the mainline denominational churches we have served. We have two adult sons and two adult step-sons. It has been a joy to serve New Hope for 20 years.
Testimonials
Hear from our members!
Hear from our members!