A Century on Rowan Road
Hope Lutheran Church sits along Rowan Road in Cranberry Township, Butler County, where a stretch of northern suburbs meets open country north of Pittsburgh. The congregation has watched the township grow from farmland and orchards into the bustling northern edge of the Pittsburgh metro. Today the church gathers under the slogan Knowing God. Inspiring People. Transforming Lives. and pursues a vision of Growing community through worship, learning, and service.
Three weekly worship services, a full music program, and an active slate of youth, education, and outreach ministries make Hope a busy place. The campus includes a Sanctuary, a Community Hall, a Youth Center, a Narthex where visitors are greeted, a Welcome Center, and a Columbarium, all set at 8070 Rowan Road.
Three Weekly Worship Gatherings
Hope holds three regular worship services. Saturday worship takes place at 5:00 pm in the Sanctuary. On Sunday, a 9:00 am service is livestreamed each week and is offered in a blended style. A Family Service with Sunday School runs at 10:00 am. The 11:00 am Sunday service is traditional and continues the morning's liturgy in the Sanctuary.
The pattern follows the historic Lutheran outline that the congregation traces back to the early Church. Worshipers Gather through song and prayer, hear the Word in Scripture readings and sermon, come to the Table for Holy Communion, and are Sent out as disciples. Music is woven through every part of the service, including hymns, liturgy, and special music sung or played by individuals and groups. Postures change with the action of the moment, standing, sitting, kneeling, and walking. Visual symbols of faith fill the worship space in the form of banners, robes, candles, and crosses. The full order of worship is printed in the bulletin and is easy to follow.
Holy Communion is celebrated as a sacrament in which the bread and wine convey the real presence of Jesus Christ, along with forgiveness and the assurance of everlasting life. Baptism is a means of grace by which God claims the baptized for a life of faith and discipleship, and marks each person's vocation or calling in the world.
What to Expect on a First Visit
Visitors at Hope can expect to be greeted warmly, including during the "passing of the peace" in the middle of the service, and the ushers are available to answer questions. Before and after worship, people gather for coffee, tea, or lemonade and snacks in the Narthex outside the Sanctuary or in the Community Hall, where conversation is part of the rhythm of the morning. The Welcome Center, located outside the Community Hall, holds information of interest to newcomers. Children and families will find a Sunday School program that meets at 10:00 am on Sundays between the two worship services, and a Family Service offered in that same hour.
Anyone wishing to take a next step can fill out a Visitors Card, request prayer, or join a New Member Class. Continued visitors are invited to learn more about becoming a New Member of Hope Lutheran; the New Member Class gathers in the Community Hall with a light lunch.
What Lutherans at Hope Believe
Hope belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and its Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod. The congregation teaches that it shares a faith in Jesus Christ with Christians around the world, and finds that faith most understandable through a Lutheran theological lens.
Specifically, Hope confesses the historic Christian Creeds (Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian) and the Lutheran Confessions. The faith is summarized in the belief in the Trinitarian God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the means of salvation from sin and death, and in the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God. Salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed in the Word of God alone.
The priesthood of all believers shapes the community's sense of calling: every Christian is a minister within the church and in daily life. As Martin Luther put it, Christians are called "to see Christ in our neighbor, and be Christ to our neighbor."
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is central to life at Hope. Bryan Helsel serves as Director of Music and leads the choirs, plays piano and organ, and is growing the youth choir and the Joyful Noise orchestra. Beth Wehr is the longtime organist. The Adult Choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary, and organ and trumpet rehearsals happen weekly on Thursdays and other days.
The music program extends beyond the congregation to the wider community through Hope's Concert Series and Recital Series. Concerts have featured organ repertoire ranging from J. S. Bach and César Franck to American composers such as Leo Sowerby, performed by guest and member musicians. A Rock Bottom Barbershop Quintet recital is among the events planned in the recital series.
Christian Education and Faith Formation
Christian education at Hope is led by Deacon Beth Caywood, an ELCA Deacon in Word and Service ordained in 1999 with seminary studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. She coordinates Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Confirmation, and teacher training, and her email reaches families at cec@hlc.church.
Elementary youth in grades K through 5 gather monthly for high-energy evenings that include a meal, games, crafts, music, and Scripture. Middle schoolers in grades 6 through 8 are part of a program called CHAOS that focuses on relationships with God and with one another. The High School Youth Group meets for service, faith-building, and fellowship and gathers on Sunday evenings at Youth Night. A Confirmation program includes regular breakfasts, classes, and a Meet and Greet for new students, with confirmation students sometimes spending part of the Sunday worship hour in Community Hall to work through the material together.
The Fall Kickoff each September gathers children and families at the start of the program year with food, a bounce house, face painting, ice cream, popcorn, hotdogs, and other activities. VBS happens during the summer months and is paired with service projects such as an LWR (Lutheran World Relief) project.
Adult Learning and Small Groups
A Wednesday Bible Study meets at 10:00 am in the Community Hall each week. A Saturday morning Men's Study with Pastor Ron gathers at 8:00 am. Women in the Word is a women's Bible study that meets several times each fall for conversation and prayer, working through a chosen book.
Book discussion groups are part of the rhythm of the year. The Hope Book Discussion Group meets midweek to talk about contemporary titles, and a series in the fall and spring uses a question-and-answer format to walk through Lutheran Questions, Lutheran Answers: Exploring Christian Faith by Martin E. Marty. A Zoom Book Study led by Pastor Halle Kluever considers titles such as Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren. A Hope Dinner Group visits local restaurants, including a gathering at Cenci's Pizzeria in Cranberry Township. A Tuesday Breakfast Group meets monthly.
For older adults, the J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) Group gathers on Wednesdays. Widowed Leaning on Widowed offers an evening of conversation, laughter, and support for those on the widowed path. The Hope Dinner Group, the book discussions, and the men's and women's studies round out the year.
Outreach Beyond the Church
Service is one of the three words in Hope's vision. Senior Lunch Packing and Delivery happens on Tuesdays, with volunteers meeting in the Community Hall and Break Room at 10:00 am to pack and then deliver meals. Hope also partners with the Butler County Area Agency on Aging and the local council of churches to serve lunch to seniors at the Cranberry Municipal Center once a month.
God's Work, Our Hands is Hope's monthly day of service, gathering in the Community Hall to work on projects benefiting others in need. Harvest Street Mission and Pleasant Valley Men's Shelter Dinners extend the food ministry into the wider region. Angel Tree and a Food Insecurity Ministry reach people in need during the holidays and year-round. The Mental Health Association of Beaver County is served by congregational volunteers who help with desserts and outreach.
Hope also walks together. The congregation takes part in the Walk to End Alzheimer's at North Boundary Park in Cranberry Township, supports Relay for Life, and hosts the Tournament of Hope, a golf scramble that raises funds for cancer-related causes. The Annual Hope Trap Shooting Event at the Rochester Sportsmen's Club is a popular outing that includes dinner. A Fall Car Cruise draws members and friends to the parking lot on a Saturday in October. Trivia Nights happen off-site at Recon Brew at Meeder, and a Young Adult Bonfire at Hope's pavilion gathers young adults in the fall.
Music, Arts, and Community Events
Hope's Concert Series and Recital Series open the Sanctuary to musicians from beyond the congregation. Programs have featured organ works by Bach, Langlais, Franck, and Sowerby, with September 11 Patriot Day concerts a recurring way to mark the day with solemn and triumphant music. The Rock Bottom Barbershop Quintet has been part of the recital lineup.
Scouting and Community Use of the Building
Scouting has a long presence at Hope. Boy Scout Pack 406 meets at the church on Monday evenings, sometimes in the Community Hall, sometimes in the classrooms, with an annual camping weekend. Girl Scout Troop #71055 meets on Tuesday evenings, and the Morning Star Girl Scout Service Unit gathers in the Community Hall. These troops use the church as their home base.
Outside groups also use the building, and members of the community rent the facilities for family events. The Community Hall hosts Bible studies, the Cranberry Township Senior Meal Program, the Fall Kickoff, P.E.O. meetings, scouting events, and committee meetings. A Hope Forward initiative invites the congregation into a season of visioning for the church's next chapter.
Weddings, Funerals, and the Columbarium
Hope hosts weddings and funerals as part of its ministry. The Sanctuary, with its stained glass windows, banners, candles, and crosses, is the setting for funeral services and Saturday and Sunday weddings. Members and family members can be remembered in the church's Columbarium, a consecrated place on the grounds that holds cremated remains.
Leadership and Staff
Senior Pastor Reverend Ronald A. Brown has served Hope since March 2003. Ordained in 1999 as a rostered ELCA pastor in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, he earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from California University of Pennsylvania in 1995 and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 1999. He lives in Cranberry Township with his wife Brenda and their two daughters, and follows Pittsburgh's Penguins, Pirates, and Steelers.
Associate Pastor Reverend Halle Kluever joined the staff in August 2025. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016, earned a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul in 2020, served an internship and pastoral assistantship at First Lutheran Church in Downtown Pittsburgh, and was ordained in 2021. She previously served as solo pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Slatington, Pennsylvania. Her passions include pastoral care, worship planning, preaching, and outreach, and she lives in Zelienople with her husband Josh and their dachshund Elton.
Visitation Pastor Reverend Robert Zimmerman was a vicar at Hope in 2005-2006 and has since returned to the congregation. He previously served St. Luke's Lutheran in Westview and St. John in Mars, and was transitional interim pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church of Perrysville. His wife Carol serves as the church's treasurer.
Deacon Beth Caywood serves as Interim Christian Education Coordinator. Jessica Freeman joined Hope in March 2025 as Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator, and can be reached at yfmc@hlc.church. Bryan Helsel serves as Director of Music, leading choirs and growing the youth choir and Joyful Noise orchestra. Beth Wehr is the organist. Brittany Kellar has served as Office and Finance Manager since February 2021. Jean Ignatuk began as Communications and Office Administrator in June 2026, and the office assistant can be reached at officeasst@hlc.church.
Communication and Giving
The congregation stays connected through a weekly newsletter called the Weekly Spirit, weekly bulletins, and the Gracious Givers. Subscribers receive the e-mail blast, and a Communication Form and a Connect and Engagement Form help newcomers find their place. Online Giving through VANCO is available with both web and text message options; text message giving is set up by sending a text to 833-253-9734. Hope's livestream is available on the church's YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person.
The Building and the Grounds
Hope's building has grown to match its ministry. The Sanctuary holds the principal worship services and concerts. The Community Hall is the social center of the church, with space for Bible studies, the Welcome Center, the Fall Kickoff, the Senior Meal Program, scouting meetings, and many other gatherings. The Youth Center is home to CHAOS, High School Youth Group, and High School Bible Study and Dinner. The Narthex at the entrance to the Sanctuary offers space for conversation and refreshments before and after services. A pavilion behind the church hosts the Young Adult Bonfire, Pack 406 outings, and other gatherings. The Columbarium provides a sacred resting place on the grounds, and the stained glass windows are among the visual landmarks of the Sanctuary.
From its place in Cranberry Township, Hope Lutheran Church continues a century of ministry rooted in the Lutheran confessions, shaped by liturgy and music, and given over to the service of neighbors near and far.