Hope & Bread Church

08/31/2026

All good things must come to an end. Tonight's gathering--our last night together in the park--was bittersweet but hopefully over time, the sweet will eclipse the bitter. Hope & Bread has been an important ministry for our wider community and also for those who have had the honor of serving our neighbors in this way. Many, many hands who have been part of this mission over the past two and a half years, but none have worked so tirelessly, especially in the past several months, as Joe O'Neil, Cheryle Cerezo-Gardiner, Mel Foresman, and Jennifer T. May the memories of our times together in the park be a blessing and--always--the stuff of hope.

08/12/2026

Sunday was lovely at Montavilla Park - the sun was shining, but it was shady under the trees and there was a cool breeze.

Ben and Tonorio were joined by Leslie, a violinist, and the music was magical! We're blessed with our venue and with our neighbors.

08/04/2026

Our Hope & Bread congregants are such a joy and there's always the unexpected.

This week, a young woman who converted to Roman Catholicism visited us and provided a brief course on rosaries - how to use them and why - to a couple of our evangelical friends. It was an interesting lesson in how to be attentive and accepting of people who may not share the same spiritual views. I was pleased to witness that, despite their discomfort with Marian spirituality, both of our evangelical friends asked questions and were unfailingly polite in their interactions.

Our Creator is big enough, loving enough, diverse enough, to accept us all. Thanks be to God.

07/21/2026

We had a big crowd last night and a lot of new faces. Dinner was delicious according to everyone, and the way it disappeared proved it.

The meal and supplies are always given freely, with no expectations, but we also have a brief service and break and share bread. In addition to prayer requests, we recently began a "God Talk" table where those who wish to join in can discuss scripture and/or spirituality. I has started small, but we expect it to grow as our friends become more familiar with the idea.

This week's prayer requests are in the comments.

07/13/2026

Not a big turnout tonight, but we had some very meaningful interactions and conversations with our friends.

Last week we began hosting a "God Talk" table where those who wish to share experiences, ask questions, have prayers, discuss Scripture, or whatever else comes to mind can have the opportunity. It has been well received and we hope it will grow to be a vital part of the community.

The art table is a hit again this summer, and gives our friends an opportunity to express their creativity. We're thankful to have Sabina to provide supplies, space, and encouragement.

To wrap up the day, we were honored to offer prayer and encouragement to someone who took an out of character step and asked for counsel and prayer. God is at work at Hope & Bread and we're very thankful.

Please join us in praying for our friends. All neighbors are welcome at Hope & Bread.

07/08/2026

And speaking of t-shirts, come to the Community Barbecue at PDX Saints Love on July 18, 3-6pm, and customize your own Hope & Bread shirt!

07/08/2026

Here are a few of our volunteers from Saint David of Wales. (Note the t-shirts.) We're pretty blessed.

07/06/2026

The weather was beautiful and the food was delicious. Our heartfelt thanks to the good people of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church and Saint David of Wales who provided the meal and volunteers to help serve.

As we grow, we continue to look for new ways to engage with and meet the needs of the Hope & Bread community. One new things is a table designated for "God Talk," which provides a space for people to ask for prayer, study scripture, and ask questions. Of course, "God talk" can - and does - happen throughout the afternoon. Sometimes God speaks in our words and sometimes God speaks through our actions, but our friends indicated they'd like a place that is set aside for this purpose.

Because change can be challenging, our prayer list this week isn't as lengthy as it often is. Still, each request is made in faith and with the knowledge that people beyond our community are praying with us.

We invite your church, your prayer group, and individuals to join with us each week to pray with and for those who each week find physical and spiritual sustenance at a place where hope and bread are abundant.

06/29/2026

We weren't sure what the weather would be last night - we're in that changeable time of year - but the rain held off except for a few sprinkles. Richard and Vai provided the meal (it's always delicious!) and it turned out to be a pretty laid back evening.

We're fortunate again this year to provide an opportunity for creative expression through art. Sabina brings a huge variety of supplies and the art table is a popular place. A lot of creativity takes place Sunday evenings in Montavilla Park!

As we collect prayers, we tell our friends that they'll be published on Facebook and that many of you will be praying for them at home and in church. In our conversations Sunday, we asked what they value most about Hope & Bread. Unsurprisingly, many of them mentioned how important it is to them that they're prayed for during the week.

Thank you for remembering those who trust us with their hopes and concerns.

06/24/2026

Our June Newsletter is out! Read, share, subscribe.

Every winter in the park, someone reminisces about the Montavilla Park picnic shelter that was demolished in 2021. The much-loved and well-used shelter was never replaced despite plans to the contrary. This past spring, several of us started talking about how we might work with the City to get this....