Lutheran Church in Santa Rosa Beach, FL | Hope on the Beach Church

MISSION

Hope on the Beach Church is rooted in God’s Word, shaped by His heart, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Our mission is simple:

Awakening Hearts to Jesus, Every Day.

Church isn’t just where we gather on Sunday, it’s who we are every day. We are called to carry the hope of Jesus into our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

We don’t just go to church. We ARE the Church and we leave on mission.

GRACE, LOVE, HOPE

HOPE is what we share with the world.

LOVE calls us to grow.

GRACE is the foundation.

DOWNLOAD LIGHTHOUSE ONE PAGE MINISTRY PLAN

VISION

While the Church has long been a beacon of hope in a dark world, it can sometimes become more focused on what happens inside its walls than on the mission beyond them. Our vision is to make disciples throughout the Panhandle by meeting people where they live, work, play, and learn. As we shine the light of Christ through simple acts of love, service, and witness, we pray that hearts will be awakened to Jesus and lives united in His love and mission.

WHAT SHAPES US

What Shapes Us

TRUSTING GOD BOLDLY
We trust God’s faithfulness and step forward with courage, knowing He keeps His promises.
Deuteronomy 7:9

BEING SHAPED BY GOD’S WORD
God’s Word is our foundation. Through Scripture, He teaches us, changes us, and guides the way we live.
Psalm 119:97–100

LOVING GOD & LOVING PEOPLE
We love because Jesus first loved us—welcoming, serving, encouraging, and caring for one another as He taught us.
John 13:34

MAKING DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES
Following Jesus means helping others follow Him. We share His hope and equip people to live out their faith wherever God sends them.
Matthew 28:18–20

LIVING GENEROUSLY
Everything we have is a gift from God. We joyfully invest our time, talents, and resources in His Kingdom and the lives of others.
Matthew 6:33

SENT DISCIPLE:

What You’ll Experience

Come As You Are — A welcoming place without judgment.
Biblical Truth — Relevant messages grounded in God’s Word.
Spirit-Led Worship — Music that helps us encounter and respond to God.
Casual & Comfortable — No dress code. Just be yourself.
Real Community — Relationships that extend beyond Sunday morning.
Joy — We believe following Jesus and doing life together should include plenty of it.

OUR STORY

🕊️ From the beach. For the community. Built on the hope of Jesus.

Hope on the Beach began with a simple vision: bring the hope of Jesus to the growing communities of South Walton, especially to people who may not feel connected to a traditional church.

What began with a small gathering has grown into a church family with a heart for worship, relationships, service, and sharing Jesus—on the beach and beyond.

1998 — Hope Begins

On March 14, 1998, an interest meeting was held at the Seaside Meeting Hall. Just one week later, on March 21, Hope gathered for its first worship service.

As a mission start of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), those early years were built around relationships, outreach, and a desire to meet people where they were.

2001–2003 — Worship Moves to the Beach

In 2001, Hope held its first Easter Sunrise Service. The beach soon became an important part of Hope's story.

An Easter service at Ed Walline Park on March 31, 2002, welcomed approximately 275 people. The following year, Easter worship grew to approximately 725.

On April 27, 2003, Hope began holding regular Sunday worship services on the beach at Ed Walline Park.

2005–2010 — A Church Without Walls

Hope became known as a “church without walls,” gathering on the beach, in parks, homes, and community spaces.

“Hope on the Beach” became more than a name. It expressed a calling: to carry the hope of Christ beyond the walls of a church and into the community.

On September 9, 2009, Pastor Jason Scheler was installed as Hope's first called pastor.

2012–2020 — Putting Down Roots, Reaching Out

As Hope established a home base, the ministry continued to grow beyond Sunday worship.

Life groups and discipleship opportunities developed. Community outreach and service expanded. Beach baptisms, mission opportunities, and local partnerships provided new ways for people to experience and share the love of Jesus.

Through it all, Hope remained committed to being a joyful and welcoming presence in South Walton.

2020–2026 — Preparing for What’s Next

Hope entered a new season focused on developing leaders, strengthening ministries, expanding digital outreach, and preparing for future growth.

The church invested in both staff and lay leadership and began preparing future pastoral leaders through the LCMS Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) pathway.

In 2025, Hope began a capital campaign for the next chapter of ministry. Christian Bouldin transitioned into full-time ministry and later accepted his vicarage assignment, being installed as Vicar in 2026.

Hope's staff leadership also expanded to a team of four ministry directors.

Looking Ahead

Hope's story is still being written.

Plans for the years ahead include continued leadership development and work toward a future church facility, with current planning anticipating completion around 2029. Additional ministry and ordination milestones are anticipated as Hope prepares to serve the next generation.

These aren't simply plans for a building or an organization. They're about creating more opportunities for people to meet Jesus, grow in faith, find community, and carry His hope into the world.

Pastoral Leadership

Pastor Ray Angerman — Mission Developer, 1998–2007; returned to pastoral leadership in 2025
Pastor Wes Toncre — Interim Pastor, 2008–2009
Pastor Jason Scheler — 2009–July 2026

🌊Today & Beyond

More than two decades after that first gathering, the heart of Hope remains the same.

We worship on the beach and at our campus. We gather around God's Word. We serve our neighbors. We build relationships. And we continue looking for new ways to bring the hope of Jesus into our homes, workplaces, schools, and community.

The locations have changed. The ministry has grown. But the mission remains:

Awakening Hearts to Jesus, Every Day.

OUR BELIEFS

An introduction to what Hope on the Beach Church believes.

We believe that the Bible is the written Word of God, handed down to us in order to point us to the truth that we are saved from our sin and eternal death by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe that the Bible is completely reliable and without error. In it, we learn everything we need to know about God's love and His gifts to us. 2 Timothy 3:16

The best statement of belief that summarizes what Scripture teaches about God is the Apostles Creed. This statement of belief was developed in the 4th Century.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God
the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

There is only one true God - the Triune God - who exists in three separate but equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God the Father is our maker and the creator of all things. By the Father's Word, all things were made, and we are His most beloved creation; we are closest to His heart. The Son is Jesus Christ, who came to earth as the perfect bridge between God and humanity. He has redeemed us, or bought us back, from sin, death and the devil. The Holy Spirit gives us faith to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, keeps us in the one true faith, and equips us for living out our faith. The Bible describes the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as being on the level of the One True God. While the Trinity is a man made term, it is a wholly Biblical understanding. (See Genesis 1:1-3, Matthew 3:16-17, and Ephesians 1 for a glimpse at Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the same place at the same time.)

We all fall short of God's expectations because we are all born "sinful". Sin can be summed up as all the things we say, think, do, and don't do, that don’t measure up to the holiness of God’s commands. Sin was brought into world when Satan lured the first people God created (Adam and Eve) into temptation through their own free will and weakness, breaking the perfect relationship between God and us (Genesis 3). From that point on, sin became part of our very existence. Because God also demands perfect obedience, our ultimate punishment became death (Romans 6:23).

Yet God is a loving God whose will is not for us to live in eternal punishment. That's why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live the perfect life He requires and to become our substitute. Christ never sinned - not even once - but He took our sin upon Himself and died on the cross on our behalf. When we believe, have faith, in Jesus Christ as our Savior, He bears our sin and gives us His forgiveness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

We believe, based on God’s Word and actions, that He has given Means of Grace for the growth and development of Christians in the Church. These means of grace, or spiritual gifts with physical elements, are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Jesus instituted and created both of these gifts in Matthew 28:19-20 (baptism) and during His last meal with the disciples as recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22, and as summarized by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. These gifts deliver forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation to all who receive these gifts in faith.