HCSM

Hope City School of Ministry (HCSM) is an eight-month leadership in-ministry initiative designed for individuals passionate about deepening their understanding of the Bible, growing in leadership, and having a love for the local church. The program consists of weekly classes, a weekend retreat, ministry practicum at Hope City, and pastoral mentoring.

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HCSM

Who is this for?

HCSM is designed for attendees of Hope City church who want to be used by God within the local church. It is geared towards gap-year students, post-secondary students, and working individuals who feel a strong desire to make an impact for Jesus. The program aims to help individuals who are uncertain about their future and/or those who feel called by God to serve and lead in a greater capacity.


What will I get out of it?

  • A better understanding of your identity in Christ & unique calling
  • A deeper understanding of the Bible & core theological doctrine
  • An increased love for the local Church
  • Foundational ministry leadership skills
  • A strengthened community with fellow believers
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What will be expected of me?

  • Classroom: 24 classes (Thursdays from 6pm-8pm starting September 25, 2025 to April 9, 2026. There is an optional home-cooked meal served at 5pm)
  • Retreat: Attend the retreat on January 30-31, 2025 (out of town at Alberta Beach)
  • Self Practicum: ~3 hours/week at Hope City 
  • Homework: ~3 hours/week
  • Total: 8-10hrs/week commitment


What does it cost?

The total program cost is $500. This cost includes your books, the retreat, class materials, food, and social events. This is payable in two $250 payments (one in September 2025 and one in January 2026).

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The Classroom Experience

The heart of HCSM is the classroom. Hosted at the Mill Woods campus on Thursday nights from late September to April, students can expect engaging teaching from Hope City pastors and special guests that will focus on four crucial areas:

Bible and Theology: Learn to interpret Scripture and comprehend core theological doctrines.

Spiritual Formation: Teaching and experience on the process of becoming more Christ-like.

Leadership Development: Gain practical and real-world experience in leading yourself and others.

Cultural Engagement: Learn how to approach our post-modern culture through a Biblical vantage point.

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God Has a Call on Your Life!

Grow in your love for God’s word, gain an understanding in core theological doctrines, develop your leadership skills, grow in your Christ-likeness, and learn to engage the world with through a faithful Biblical lens.

HCSM Team

Ken McIntyre

HCSM Director

Ken is the associate pastor at Hope City Church and oversees HCSM. Ken teaches about 1/3 of the classes at HCSM.

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Ruben Valeny

Assistant Director

Ruben is the lead pastor at ‘The Project’ at Hope City. Ruben helps give leadership to HCSM and is one of the primary HCSM class instructors.

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Abbey Martin

Instructor

Abbey serves as the assistant pastor at ‘The Project’ and is on the regular teaching rotation at HCSM.

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Rachelle Bzdel

Administration

Rachelle is the administrative guru behind HCSM. She handles applications and interviews, helps onboard new students, and ensures that everything runs smoothly!

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FAQ's

HCSM is broken into two semesters:

Semester One: September 25 -December 11, Semester Two: January 15-April 9.

We meet every Thursday night from 6:00pm-8:00pm at the Mill Woods Campus for class. There is an optional home-cooked meal served at 5:00pm! This is a great option for those coming directly from work.

Our retreat happens on Jan 30-31, 2025, at Alberta Beach Camp.

At this time, HCSM is a non-accredited educational program. Meaning you will not receive any credits upon completion of this program. Instead, HCSM is a local church training initiative intended to help students develop God’s calling on their life while training them in God’s Word, leadership, and ministry application.

We have attempted to make this program as affordable as possible. You do have the option to pay in two installments of $250. Unfortunately we do not have any scholarships available.

This program will require some grit to get through some of the reading and homework. If you’re not willing to put in the work or don’t have any margin for homework, this isn’t the program for you.

Once you submit an application form, our team will review it. If everything checks out an in-person or Zoom interview will be scheduled.

Our team will review the applicants and make decisions on students based on previous church engagement, pastoral/ministry leader references, and prior schooling.

Applicants will be notified at the beginning of July if they have been accepted.

Once you have been accepted, you will receive an email to pay the program fee.

The practicum component of HCSM is crucial for applying what you’re learning in a real-world ministry context and expressing your desire to serve and build God’s church. 

You can choose in what area of church ministry you want to do your practicum in (hospitality, groups, youth, kids, care ministry, music, Alpha, etc.). The time allotment is ~3 hours/week.

Practicums are 'self-directed,' meaning we work on the honour system! We'll help you get involved in a ministry, but no one will hold your feet to the fire to ensure you honour your commitments! Luke 16:10 is the driver behind our practicum. It states, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."