Worship on Johnnycake Ridge

Set along Johnnycake Ridge Road on the east side of Mentor, Hope Ridge United Methodist Church has been a presence in Lake County since 1957. The congregation gathers in two Sunday services each week - a traditional service at 8:45 AM in the Chapel and a contemporary service at 10:30 AM in the Worship and Family Life Center - and the lobby between them opens onto a cafe where coffee and donuts anchor the morning from 9:45 to 10:30. The wider community, including families from Mentor, Concord Township, and Painesville, is welcomed as visitors and as members of the life the church shares with its neighbors.

The Mission: A.L.I.V.E. with Hope

Hope Ridge's identity is built into an acronym that fills the welcome materials and weekly emails. The church is Accepting, Loving, Inviting, has Vision for discipleship, and is Engaged with the community. The mission statement is shaped by the United Methodist call to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and the staff describe it with a simple image: every person who walks in has a story to tell and gifts to share.

Four rhythms flow from that mission. Welcome is the way new and returning visitors are greeted. Worship is the gathered life of the church on Sundays and in music rehearsals through the week. Nurture is the network of small groups, classes, and care ministries that hold members in prayer and study. Send is the work of carrying that care out into Lake County through mission partnerships and seasonal drives.

Two Sunday Services, One Sunday School Hour

The early service in the Chapel leans on hymnody, prayer, and weekly Communion. Hope Ridge practices an open table, so anyone who wants to participate, including children, is welcome at the rail each week, with no church membership required.

The later service in the Worship and Family Life Center has a more contemporary feel. A praise band leads modern worship, and the room is set up to make space for families. Communion is shared on the first Sunday of each month, and that day is also called Family Sunday, when children remain in worship with their parents for a short Children's Moment and the sacrament.

Children are welcome in either service, wiggles and all. Nursery care is available both Sundays from 8:30 to 11:30 AM for little ones under age five, staffed by a paid Nursery Caregiver and helpers. At the 10:30 service, families can pick up Kid Kits (activity bags) at the back of the room, and children of any age are invited to gather in the KidZone corner at the front-left of the Worship and Family Life Center during the opening praise songs. They can sing, dance, and play rhythm instruments before being escorted either back to their seats or on to RidgeKidz for ages 5 through 2nd grade, which meets in the Music Room each week except the first Sunday of the month.

Children in grades 3 through 5 are invited each fall to receive an Adventure Bible during worship and then join Bible Explorers, a class held on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 9:30 AM in the Youth Room. Bible Explorers is designed to help children learn how the Bible is organized and to grow comfortable navigating it on their own.

Between the services, the Cafe just off the main entrance is a relaxed place to meet people, hear about the day's sermon, or find out about a current donation drive. The dress code is casual, parking is easy near each marked entrance, and a Welcome Table near the doors offers a clipboard to sign in so the office can stay in touch.

Music That Shapes the Week

Music carries a lot of weight at Hope Ridge. The worship life is supported by a Chapel Choir, the Ridge Ringers handbell choir, and a Contemporary Praise Band, all open to new participants.

The Chapel Choir sings at special services throughout the year, including seasonal services at Advent, Christmas, and Easter. No audition is required; rehearsals happen on alternating Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the Chapel. The Ridge Ringers share handbell music at the same seasonal services and rehearse on alternating Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the Music Room. Both choirs are led by accompanist Christian Brooks, who also welcomes vocal soloists and instrumentalists who want to share special music during worship.

The Contemporary Praise Band leads the 10:30 service and rehearses on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 PM in the Worship and Family Life Center. Vocalists, guitarists, keyboardists, drummers, percussionists, and other instrumentalists of any experience level can join. The Sound Booth and Tech Team runs audio, livestream, media slides, and lighting every Sunday, with training provided for all roles.

Worship Leaders (liturgists) are also needed, especially for the 8:45 AM service, to lead prayers and readings from the front. The music ministry is coordinated by Contemporary Worship Coordinator Jared, and the broader tech and band teams are open to teens as well as adults.

Children, Youth, and the Preschool

Children and youth ministry sits at the center of the church's identity, and so does Hope Ridge Preschool, which was established in 1967 as an outreach ministry of the church and incorporated in 2007. The preschool is licensed by the State of Ohio and is an active member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the curriculum is built on the Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards.

The preschool offers part-time classes for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, with a 2 1/2- to 3-hour class day during the school year (September through May). A Young 3s class runs from January through May. Classes for 4-year-olds run 2 1/2 to 3 hours, and the 5-year-old class meets four days a week for 3 hours per day. The Creative Curriculum for Preschoolers and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness are paired with teacher-created themes. A weekly music class and 30 minutes of daily large motor play are part of every classroom, along with handwashing routines and outdoor playground time when the weather cooperates. The preschool does not use a religious curriculum.

The school is led by Director Jenny Levine and a teaching staff that includes Michele Blakeslee, Rachel Bordonaro, Nancy Gamber, Emma Hildebrecht, Marcia Kubiak, Chelsea Nay, Sharyce Newby, Nikolina Ruzic, Stacey Shaver, Sharon Smith, and Meg Wolowiecki as Administrative Assistant. Enrichment options include monthly Fun Fridays, lunch bunch, and an optional partnership with the Cartwheel Connection for gymnastics. A parent group called P.O.P.S. (Parents of Preschool Students) supports the school through fellowship, social events, and light fundraising.

For older children, the Youth Group welcomes students in grades 6 through 12 on the first and third Sundays of each month from 4:00 to 5:30 PM in the Youth Room, October through May. Membership at Hope Ridge is not required, and friends are always welcome. The year typically includes corn mazes, escape rooms, bowling, camps, and church lock-ins alongside mission projects, and graduating seniors are honored each May on Graduate Recognition Sunday. Scholarships, including the Perry Metcalf Scholarship and United Methodist scholarships through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation, are available through the church office.

Vacation Bible School is held each summer as a half-day program, run by a team coordinated through the church office. Family Ministry and Children's Ministry leaders (Stephanie Langel as Nurture Team Chair and Sue Nahumck as Welcome Team Chair) help hold the children's work together, and the church runs background checks for everyone who serves with children and youth.

Centering Prayer and the Quiet Side of Faith

Hope Ridge is widely known in Northeast Ohio for its weekly Centering Prayer gathering, a contemplative prayer practice rooted in silence and stillness. The group meets on Thursdays at 6:30 PM in the Library, which sits just off the lobby near the main entrance. The hour follows a simple structure: a brief settle-in, about 20 minutes of shared silence with a sacred word or symbol, and time afterward for reflection, journaling, and gentle sharing.

The practice draws on resources from Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. and the Center for Courage & Renewal, and the group's gatherings use the Courage & Renewal Touchstones to hold sharing in deep listening and non-judgment. The group is open to everyone, including those with no prior experience with Christian meditation, and a Centering Prayer App (by Contemplative Outreach) is recommended for personal practice at home. Weekly reflections are posted to the church's blog, with themed posts throughout the year - winter meditations, Epiphany gatherings, and reflections on presence and letting go.

For those who want to learn more, the church's Centering Prayer page links to a brochure and to the Touchstones document, and the gatherings are free and open to anyone interested in contemplative prayer or faith-based mindfulness in Northeast Ohio.

Adult Small Groups and Studies

A wide network of small groups meets throughout the week. The Adult Life Fellowship gathers on Mondays from 6:45 to 8:15 PM in the Library for short-term studies that follow seasonal churchwide offerings such as Advent and Lent, often paired with video-based studies like The Chosen. Men's Bible Study meets Mondays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Conference Room, led by Pastor Jim and Jim Davies, and has historically focused on scripture study and fellowship.

Two women's studies run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Tuesday Women's Group (1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Conference Room) has been meeting at Hope Ridge for more than 25 years and combines home reading, a video, and discussion. Children of God (COGs), the Thursday morning group from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, uses short-term video-based studies. The LIGHT is a Wednesday evening online study at 6:30 PM on Zoom, built around Andy Stanley videos and practical application. The Hope Ridge Book Club meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Youth Room.

Young adults in their 20s and 40s meet monthly on Sundays at 4:00 PM in the Cafe for a study and discussion, with childcare available on request. A small group called Raising Hope gathers adults in their 30s and 40s for fellowship and faith conversation. Pastor Jim also leads a Worship Reflections group on Mondays from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM during the program year.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers on the fourth Sunday of each month after worship, from about 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in the Library. Volunteers knit or crochet prayer shawls that are prayed over and given to those who are ill, grieving, or going through a difficult season. Materials and instruction are provided.

GriefShare, the church's longest-running care ministry, hosts a 13-week Christ-centered video and workbook program on Sundays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Conference Room. The current session is facilitated by Linda Kallay and Diana Trubiani. The workbook costs $25, and the group is free and open to the community.

Local Outreach: SEND

Hope Ridge's outreach work is coordinated through the SEND Team, which meets on the first Sunday of each month from 9:45 to 10:30 AM in the Conference Room. The team is chaired by Laura Moll and oversees the church's ongoing partnerships.

Project Hope for the Homeless receives a meal prepared and delivered by Hope Ridge volunteers on the second Friday of every month, serving about 50 guests. Volunteers sign up to bring part of a shared meal.

End 68 Hours of Hunger Lake County is a long-running partnership. Volunteers pack food kits for local students who face weekend food insecurity, gathering at the Giant Eagle Plaza in Painesville. Dates and sign-ups are coordinated through the church office and contact Jeannie Nelson.

Hope Chest, an ongoing collection point inside the church, accepts new or gently used seasonal items (with blankets being a current need) for distribution through a partner site on Mentor Avenue. Red Cross blood drives are hosted on the church campus several times a year. Seasonal projects include school supply drives, holiday giving trees, and other short-term collections.

Beyond Lake County, Hope Ridge participates in Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) and supports UMCOR Relief Kits, the United Methodist Committee on Relief's disaster response supplies that are packed and stored at the church for deployment when emergencies arise.

Hosting the Community

Hope Ridge opens its building to several community groups throughout the week. Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meet in the Chapel and Youth Room, with meetings on Tuesday evenings (Big Book), Wednesday evenings (Women Only), Thursday evenings (Serenity), Saturday mornings (11th Step), Saturday evenings (Keep Coming Back), and Sunday evenings (Al-Anon). Cub Scout Pack #3174 also uses the building, and outside groups can request meeting space through the church office.

Hope Ridge Preschool holds its tours by appointment and welcomes prospective families to schedule a visit through the preschool office. The preschool uses a portion of the church's education wing, with a fenced outdoor playground and indoor rooms for active play on bad-weather days.

Beliefs and Connectional Life

Hope Ridge identifies as part of the United Methodist Church, a connectional denomination that links the Mentor congregation to the Northern Waters District and the East Ohio Conference, and through them to the wider church. The congregation shares Christian beliefs with other Christians while emphasizing a primacy of grace, drawing on John Wesley's Wesleyan heritage.

Hope Ridge understands faith through the United Methodist theological guidelines of scripture, reason, tradition, and experience, and celebrates the two sacraments of baptism and holy communion. Baptism is offered to infants, children, youth, and adults; classes are scheduled several times a year, and the office can connect individuals or families with the next step. Holy communion is celebrated weekly at the 8:45 AM service and on the first Sunday of each month at 10:30. Hope Ridge practices an open table: everyone is welcome to participate, including children, with no membership required.

The church embraces the United Methodist social principles and social creed, seeking to live out its faith by serving in missions and social concerns both locally and beyond its walls.

Staff, Lay Leadership, and Giving

The church is led by Pastor Jim (Rev. Jim Winkler), with Office Administrator Lori, Accompanist Christian Brooks, and Contemporary Worship Coordinator Jared rounding out the staff team, along with an accountant and a paid Nursery Caregiver.

Lay leadership is shared with the staff through a 2026 Lay Leadership team that includes Laurie Rider (Lay Leader), Cheryl Noviski (Lay Delegate), Judy White (Administrative Council Chair), Fred Dingeldein (Board of Trustees Chair), Wynne Bogert (Finance Committee Chair), Jerry Tindall (Staff-Parish Relations Committee Chair), Stephanie Langel (Nurture Team Chair), Sue Nahumck (Welcome Team Chair and Adult Nurture Team Representative), Laura Moll (SEND Team Chair), Carol Benroth and Becky Dingeldein (At-Large Members of the Administrative Council), and Gary Baptie (Youth Representative).

Members and friends support the church through online giving via the church's secure giving platform, by text-to-give, at a kiosk in the front lobby, and through matching gift programs offered by employers such as Progressive, FirstEnergy, and Thrivent. Celebrations Giving lets families and friends mark a birthday, anniversary, or the life of a loved one with a gift in place of altar flowers, and the church's annual stewardship planning relies on the regular giving of its congregation.

Online and Around the Building

The 10:30 AM Contemporary service is livestreamed on YouTube each Sunday, with replays available on the same channel. A weekly email called the Hope Ridge eUpdate goes out on Saturdays with highlights from the Weekly Rundown, and the Calendar & Events page on the church's site lists the latest programs and gatherings.

The building itself is clearly signed from Johnnycake Ridge Road (SR 84): the Worship and Family Life Center is the first entrance on the right and hosts the 10:30 service; the Chapel for the 8:45 service is the second entrance; and the Church Office is the third. Parking is available near each entrance, and the office is open Sunday 8:30 AM to noon and Monday through Thursday 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The preschool office can be reached at (440) 639-8817 or preschool@hoperidge.com, and the main church office is at (440) 352-2141 or hopeoffice@hoperidge.com.

For prayer requests, the church operates a prayer team that lifts needs throughout the week; requests can be sent to prayerrequests@hoperidge.com. Pastoral care for weddings, baptisms, and funerals is coordinated through the church office, and the sanctuary and Worship and Family Life Center are available for wedding ceremonies. Hope Ridge is also a place where AA, Al-Anon, GriefShare, scouts, and outside small groups find a home in Mentor, carrying the church's mission from Sunday morning out into the wider community of Lake County.