Sundays at 10:00 am at 500 N Clinton St, near the University of Iowa campus.
Sunday Worship
One Ancient Hope is a Presbyterian church in downtown Iowa City. We worship Sundays at 10:00 am at 500 N Clinton St, near the University of Iowa campus. All are welcome: families, students, and visitors.
Our Father in heaven designed us to worship, and our time together on Sunday morning is our church community's outlet of our desire to worship.
We are created to worship the Creator: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God's only Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our King, is the rightful recipient of our praise.
The Holy Spirit, who dwells in God's people, connects us to God through our worship.
What does our worship look like?
We blend elements of ancient practice (historic liturgies, weekly communion, and the creeds and confessions of the church) with new elements (new psalm settings, hymn tunes & texts, and songs) into a The worship service is a two-way conversation between God and his people. God speaks through preaching, scripture and the Lord's Supper and the people respond in song, prayer, confession, and scripture..
Why is worship structured the way it is?
Our service is designed to be participatory, placing us in dialogue with God, and the elements of the service work together to tell the Gospel story.
Why do we sing songs and hymns the way we do?
We sing old hymns to remind us that we are a people of God with a rich and ancient tradition. Those old hymns may be set to new music to remind us that the church is living and active. We sing new songs to remind us that our faith is not tied to any particular era of time. And we sing songs from a variety of cultural traditions to remind us that the church exists around the world and is made up of people from every tongue and tribe and nation (Revelation 7:9).
What should you wear?
There is no dress code. Some people dress up and some dress down. We believe the most important thing is to bring a reverent heart of worship that desires to connect with the Almighty God who drew near to us through Jesus Christ and fills us with the Holy Spirit.
Do you worship at other times?
Yes. We often have special services before Christmas, on Christmas Eve, and on Good Friday, to name a few. Check our Facebook page for these opportunities.
Will you be warmly welcomed?
Absolutely!
Adults
One Ancient Hope desires to help spiritually form our adults in worship and discipleship. Our adult Ed Hour is our term for Sunday School. is held in two 8-week semesters between September and April. It equips and encourages people in the truths of God's Word, not just to know more information, but to know God better and work together to seek out how to serve God, our city, and one another.
Since we believe there is "not one square inch of creation over which the Lord does not declare - mine!", we address a broad range of topics. Some recent classes have been: a study of Hebrews chapters 1-7, "How to Read Scripture", "The Great Passion: a study of the St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach", and "Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies" by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung.
Kids
One Ancient Hope wants to walk alongside children and together discover the richness of God's Word and how Christ is at the center of all of it. From simple retellings of classic biblical stories to equipping students with a theologically-rich lens in which to understand scripture, our prayer is for all children who enter the doors of One Ancient Hope to grow into the likeness of Christ.
One Ancient Hope also hopes to instill in everyone a life-long love for and involvement in the church universal. We learn about the rich traditions of worship and the liturgical year, and are in community with all generations through opportunities for involvement in music, the arts, fellowship, and service.
All children stay with us in worship during our initial time of liturgy and singing. After our pastor gives the children a short lesson that ties into the main sermon, children ages 3 and under are welcomed into the nursery if the parent desires. Children ages 4 and up are encouraged to stay with us during the remainder of the service.
Nursery
One Ancient Hope desires to care well for the little ones of our church. Our nursery is for children ages 3 and under and is located in a safe and clean environment. At least two screened adults staff the nursery regardless of the number of children. Safety procedures are followed to ensure that children are well cared for and are put back into the proper loving arms of their parent at the end of their stay.
We open our nursery during the song before the sermon and parents can pick children up during the song of response after the sermon.
Parking & Maps
Our building is on North Clinton Street, between Fairchild and Church Streets in downtown Iowa City.
Church lot: Reserved on Sunday mornings for families with young children, first-time guests, and visitors with limited mobility. The accessible sanctuary entrance is right beside it on the south side of the building.
Street parking: Free on Sunday mornings on all streets around the church building. Watch for posted signs that govern nearby parking.
Lot 24: A University-run lot just west of Clinton Street. Regular attenders and members can request a parking tag by contacting the office.
Entrances
Sanctuary: south side, by Fairchild Street. Use this on Sunday morning.
Office: west side, by Clinton Street.
Hover or tap the highlighted areas for Sunday parking details.
