About Us
Our Story
Hope Lutheran Church started as a mission church in 1993, first meeting in members’ homes and then at Little Lambs Preschool, transforming it each week into a place of worship. In 1995 the members of Hope raised the money to buy a piece of property and made plans to build a church one day. In 1996, having outgrown Little Lambs, services were moved to the Atascadero Lake Pavilion. Hope continued to grow, its members serving the community of Atascadero and supporting ELCA organizations and relief efforts worldwide. In August 2003, we moved into our present church home on San Gabriel Road.
Our Mission
We are a Christ-centered community—grateful for the life we’ve been given and the grace of God—who work together to care for each other, all God’s people, and God’s creation.
What we value:
Faith in God and Christ-centered relationships
Serving others with humility in the name of Christ
Worship, praising God, and welcoming fellowship
Development of faith in our children and youth
Growth in discipleship through sermons, Bible studies, book groups
Our Pastor & Staff
Rev. Dr. Aaron Smith
Too often we think of God’s love as something we have to earn. We don’t start from the fact that God’s love is the ground of our life. Faith isn’t about dreaming up the idea of a benevolent deity and clinging to it, but entrusting ourselves to the priority of a living Charity; experiencing heavenly grace as our most basic earthly need, we recognize that God is eternally for-us, and give thanks in worship, study, and service.
These basic convictions have guided Pastor Aaron’s journey of faith and continue to inform his ministry at Hope Lutheran. He wants every member, guest, and visitor each week to hear the Good News of God’s redemptive, new-making work in Christ Jesus, no matter how desperate circumstances may be, and to experience the grace of Christ in the sacraments.
Because God is living and active, the journey of faith is a dynamic, lifelong event. It involves wrestling with God, like Jacob at Peniel (Gen. 32), and continued growth in the Spirit of God. Pastor Aaron earned masters degrees and a Ph.D. in theology, but considers himself “at best a remedial student in the school of divinity.” He invites others into the discipline of sincerely interrogating the scriptures.
Pastor Aaron and his wife, Dawn, are delighted to live in Atascadero. He used to play beach volleyball professionally, and she used to work in production in Hollywood. They enjoy the beach, reading, and sampling local beer and wine.
Hope Lutheran Leadership
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Greg Zocher
Greg Zocher is Hope’s very talented music director and pianist. He brings vitality and spirituality to the music he plays.
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Rebecca Evans
Rebecca Evans is Hope’s coordinator of youth ministry. As a former school teacher and a devoted follower of Christ, she enjoys working with kids and being an artist as well as being a big fan of music!
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April MacLean
April serves as Hope’s office administrator.