Who We Are
H.O.P.E. is a Homeschooling Opportunity for Purposeful Education.
Our goal as a Christian faith based co-op is to provide a bible-centered education, physical activities, and opportunities for parents and children alike to build relationships with one another. We desire to encourage and challenge the children in their learning and physical skills, and to have many shared learning experiences with other children.
We believe God created all that we have. That means in all we do He is to be glorified — even in educating our children.
This is all with the goal that the teachers encourage a bigger view of God, and how He is at work in their lives today. We see our time spent as a wonderful opportunity to enrich the lives of our children with like-minded families who share a similar Christian faith and values.
The H.O.P.E leadership team makes all decisions and class planning. Currently our team includes the following: Abby Barberg (kids coordinator), Esther Nelson, Josh & Sarah Sohl, Matthew & Aidan Butz, and Lee Juvland (teen coordinator). If you have any further questions or concerns, please connect with any one of us. You can also each us by emailing us at the H.O.P.E email.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
The History of H.O.P.E.
H.O.P.E. was founded in the summer of 2012 by Esther Nelson, Jolene Lund, and Abby Barberg. Esther and Jolene were part of a co-op in Willmar, MN, named GRACE for two years.
They were very blessed by the structure and leadership and vision for this co-op, but driving an hour twice a month was a lot to commit to. In addition, friendships that were formed were hard to develop since they lived so far away.
During these two years, they started talking about starting a similar co-op in the Dassel-Cokato area. Jolene contacted Abby Barberg and asked her to join the team and she set up our checking account and has been our financial advisor.
In July of 2012, they met with the leader of GRACE and she gave them a zip drive of their documents. She was very encouraging and just asked that they come up with their own name. GRACE didn’t have a teen program so they started developing their own.
In August of 2012, they had their first parent/teacher meeting. God brought amazing families and teachers that first year and they were blessed with over a hundred children! Their first co-op meeting was in September of that year. Over the years, they have adjusted to the needs of their children and God has provided wonderful teachers.
Their vision is to keep their co-op affordable and to provide classes to supplement your home-school curriculum at home. In order to do this, their teachers for the younger groups are completely volunteer-based and the teen teachers are paid a small stipend for their time since they have grading and a little more prep time.
In 2013-2014, they heard of a creation science teacher. Their thought was to have her teach at a time apart from the rest of co-op time because what she was offering was different from the rest of the classes they provided. However, to accommodate the families that were driving a distance, they decided to include her classes in their co-op day. Her fees include all her labs and specimens so they are higher than the other classes.
We are always looking for new classes to offer our teens so if you are passionate about something you would like to teach, let us know!
We are excited about what God has planned for HOPE and for your help in making this all possible. To God be the glory—great things He has done!
H.O.P.E Co-op’s Statement of Faith
The Scriptures are true, authoritative and sufficient.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” - 2 Timothy 3:16
Additional Scripture: Psalm 19:7-11 & 2 Peter 1:20-21
There is only one true God, Creator of heaven and earth, who eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
“Therefore, as to the eating of food of no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth — as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” — yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” - 1 Corinthians 8:4-6
Additional Scripture: Genesis 1:26, Deuteronomy 6:4, Psalm 45:6-7, 110:1, Isaiah 45:5-6, 46:9-10, Matthew 3:13-17, 28:17-20, John 17:3, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, & 1 Timothy 2:5
All things exist for the glory of God.
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” - Romans 11:33-36
Additional Scripture: Psalm 148, Proverbs 16:4, Isaiah 61:3, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 5:15, & Ephesians 1:3-14
All humanity, Christ excluded, is sinful by both birth and action.
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” - Ephesians 2:1-3
Additional Scripture: Genesis 6:5, Psalm 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9, & Romans 3:23, 5:8, 12-21, 7:18
The deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death.
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” - James 1:14-15
Additional Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17, 3:19, & Romans 5:12, 6:23
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” - John 1:1-4
Additional Scripture: Matthew 1:20, Luke 2:52, John 1:14, Colossians 1:15-20, & Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin.
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” - 1 Peter 3:18
Additional Scripture: John 1:29, 10:1-18, Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:21, & Galatians 1:4
Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will one day physically return.
“So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” - Hebrews 9:28
Additional Scripture: Matthew 28, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24, John 1:20-21:5, Acts 1:11, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 John 3:2, & Revelation 1:7
There will be a future physical resurrection of the dead. Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in faith and repentance will be raised to eternal reward. Those who do not turn from sin and to Jesus will be raised to eternal punishment.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” - John 8:51
Additional Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:28-29, Acts 24:15, & Jude 7
Only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12
Additional Scripture: John 3:18, 14:6, Romans 3:21-26, & 1 Timothy 2:5-6