On Palm Sunday, members of Hope Church in Roslindale, Massachusetts waved palms and sang hymns during their service. Hope Church seeks to be a diverse and welcoming community for people of any background. The founders' goal was to create an environment where anyone would feel comfortable worshipping together in a spirit of unity. Over seven years, Hope Church has grown to have over 200 members.

1. Photos and text by Sarah Beth Yoder March 16, 2008 – Members of the congregation at Hope Church in Roslindale wave their palms in the air as they sing on the steps of Roslindale Congregational Church on Palm Sunday. Hope Church, a church of the Disciples of Christ, is a diverse community whose motto is “Open Minds, Open Hands, Open Hearts.” “Anyone who wishes to worship God is welcome here,” said senior pastor Elizabeth Myer Boulton. “We are a community that does not judge anyone because we were all made by the One.”

2. March 16, 2008 – Palm Sunday at Hope Church is a joyful celebration that draws hundreds of people to the pews of Roslindale Congregation Church to wave their palms in the air and worship God together. Hope is start-up church in the Disciples of Christ that seeks to be a community of openness that welcomes people of any race, gender, sex and age. Over the past seven years, Hope has grow to have more than two hundred members.

3. March 16, 2008 – Scherazade and Rod King bring their one-year old son Arshan to Hope Church in Roslindale every Sunday night. Arshan was baptized at the church in September. “We really wanted to raise him in a church that would be loving and accepting no matter what decisions he makes on his life journey,” said Scherazade King. “I believe we found that community in Hope and we can already tell that Arshan loves it here too.”

4. March 16, 2008 – The choir at Hope Church in Roslindale sings a hymn during the Palm Sunday service. The group is led by the associate pastor, Rev. Matt Boulton, who, with his wife, the senior pastor Rev. Elizabeth Myer Boulton, founded this church seven years ago. “Our goal was to create an environment where anyone would feel comfortable worshipping in the spirit of unity,” said Matt Boulton. “We’ve really achieved this and I hope we can continue to grow together.”

5. March 16, 2008 – Neil Helme, bassist in the Hope Band, and Harry Griest, pianist lead the musical aspect of worship at Hope Church in Roslindale this Palm Sunday, and every Sunday. Hope is a small start-up church that was born seven years ago in an effort to create an open community for anyone to worship God. “I’ve been coming to Hope for all seven years,” said Helme. “I used to get paid for playing, but then I realized that this wasn’t a job for me, this was where I came to worship each week. I was getting paid in a spiritual way that was much more important than the money.”