Vision and Values

Why we’re doing it

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Psalm 145:4

A Note from Pastor Bobby

I’ve been reflecting on the fact that for nearly 200 years our church has been witnessing to the gospel of Jesus on the North Shore. We have a remarkable history—certainly not perfect, but by God’s grace, persistent. Many of the parables of Jesus speak of the persistence and inevitability of the kingdom of God: the gradual, expansive, abundant life of God for the world. And although the emphasis is on God’s provision, he continually works through fallible human partners, by casting the seed, cultivating the vineyard, and reaping the harvest. Participation is an expression of God’s love. We hope that will be the prevailing sense of this campaign – an invitation to participate in forming the future.

There are many ways to be involved (praying, pledging, volunteering); find one that fits your ability and interest. And remember that you are participating in a 200-year story that God is telling with this church. Jonathan Edwards, in a sermon he preached around age 18, offered the church 3 reasons for why we can have open-handed and durable joy: 1) God really does work all things (even the bad things) for our ultimate good; 2) the truly good things will never be taken away from us; and 3) the best things are yet to come. What a relief!

So please consider how you may participate in this building campaign. Help us invest in the next 200 years, so that our space can continue becoming a trellis that grows something beautiful for Christ.

Bobby Warrenburg Senior Pastor

Why We're Doing This

Our building hosts much more than our Sunday services. From Vacation Bible School and Night to Shine, to youth group, small groups, and Christian formation classes, many of our core ministries flourish within our walls. We have also opened our building over the years to community groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous; the Center for Balance, Mobility, and Wellness; Family Promise, GriefShare; the Haitian Community Center, Everett; That’s the Spirit Players; Young Life; and pickup basketball and volleyball games.

We love our building, but aging, inefficient infrastructure, and lack of accessibility create real barriers to ministry. Our vision is to remove these barriers as we create beautiful, welcoming, safe, and functional spaces for generations to come.

Why It Matters

Our world longs for true and meaningful community. We all do. But spaces that foster meaningful community are few and far between. Everyone needs spaces where they find belonging, form deep and meaningful friendships, and are fully known. We believe the church is where a weary world can find rest, connection, and ultimately, God himself. Together we can cultivate spaces where the gospel is proclaimed and lives and communities are transformed.

Values and Priorities

While developing plans for our building, every decision has been made thoughtfully, with prayer and input from the congregation.

The values guiding the campaign include:

Accessibility
Hospitality
Collaboration
Stewardship
Classic Aesthetic
Organic Ministry
Relational Warmth
Intergenerational
Built to Last
Easy to Navigate
Multi-purpose
Open to the Community

Gospel Partnership

How a Gospel Movement Grows Beyond Our Church

As we begin this campaign, we want to continue that communal practice of generosity beyond our walls. An External Gift will be stewarded as a flexible fund, enabling us to participate in places where the gospel is quietly taking root, where burdens are lifted, where communities are drawn together, and where fresh works of grace are beginning to emerge. Like the rest of the campaign, this External Gift is entirely voluntary, but our aim is to raise 10% for impact beyond our walls. We are eager to see how God will use our investment to grow his kingdom of renewal in ways that reach far beyond what we could accomplish within our own building.

As we participate in a gospel movement, we have opened our building over the years to groups such as these:

Alcoholics Anonymous
Alpha
Center for Balance, Mobility, and Wellness
Family Promise
Gordon College
Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
GriefShare
Haitian Community Center, Everett
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship

Men’s Support Group
MomCo
Night to Shine
North Shore Gospel Partnership
Pilgrim Church, Beverly
That’s The Spirit Players
The REAL Program
Young Life

Where we've come from

Our church has seen many capital improvement campaigns over the years. Here are the few from recent memory.

2004 - Foyer, Kitchen, and Family Room (Gym)

In 2004, a building committee led by Matt Teal with help from Ralph Drinkwater, Bob Campbell, Pastor Mark Coleman, Bob Howell, and Tom Richardson oversaw the installation of a new commercial kitchen, and construction of large family room / gym, a new main entrance foyer and lower level bathrooms and gathering space for future children’s ministry spaces.

1970s - Education Wing

The main corridor of the church connecting the parking lot foyer with the sanctuary is a building from the 1970s. This space includes staff offices, Nursery/PreK/K spaces, library, a central courtyard, and main restrooms.

1859/60 - Fire and Rebuilding

At this time the church and Sunday School were flourishing and the building had been redecorated. However, at about eleven o’clock on the evening of November 6, 1859 the meeting-house was discovered to be in flames and soon was destroyed at a total loss as there was no insurance whatsoever.

The construction of a new church was completed and a service of dedication took place on December 25, 1860. This is the present structure.

The church was built from the same plans as the Hampton Falls meeting house.

One of the requirements was that “there should be a spire of imposing design and

strong enough to hold a bell weighing not less than 800 pounds.” The contractor was George Hanson.

1829 - Church formed

In 1826 Benjamin Knight of Salem began holding church services in a small schoolhouse in Beverly Farms. In 1829, they became an official church and began baptizing believers, sharing communion, and holding concerts of prayer. More and more committed their lives to Christ and were baptized over the next 70 years. The building expanded to accommodate the growing congregation. And it all began with a gospel-driven imagination.

Gospel-driven imagination for 200+ years

From humble beginnings in the 19th century to rebirth in the 20th century, a faithful group of believers have imagined what God can do on the North Shore.

Help Form the Future Today

Any donation amount, no matter the size, will help us reach our goal.

Pledges last for 3 years and can be paid as a one-time gift, yearly, or monthly.

Want to give in advance to inspire others? Connect with us!

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.