Who We Are
Thanks for visiting our website. We hope you will visit our church as well. Please select from the topics below to become
more aquainted with us. If there is anything you wish to know that isn't covered here, please e-mail us at info@bhcchurch.org.
Sunday Mornings
Geo Groups
What is a Church
Our History
Who is Jesus
What does it mean to follow Jesus
Core Values
Sunday Mornings
Is it a party or a memorial service? Is it is a lecture or a lab? Is it a place to comfort the afflicted or afflict the comfortable? It is all of these and more. It is the moment when the eternal dips into the normal.
In our Sunday services we spend time in song, reflection and prayer. These times are lively and interactive. With the Bible as our guide, we express ourselves to God in thanksgiving, celebration and song.
Another part of our time each week, is to share our lives. This can be in conversation, in prayer for each other and shared experience.
At the centerpiece of our service is the declaration of Gods truth found when the Bible is shared with the help of Gods Spirit. We approach the Bible with the expectation that it is true, accurate and absolutely relevant to our lives. Even more than a how to book, is also serves a picture book of the God of the universe and His design for us.
It is our hope each week, that each person in our service will encounter God in very real ways. When the time comes to conclude the service, we expect that people can leave refreshed, renewed and challenged.
Small Groups
Boston Harbor Community Church is made of up people from a variety of neighborhoods across the city and greater
Boston area. In order to build relationships and share on significant levels, Small Groups were developed.
These are groups of people who typically live in the same neighborhood or general area.
These groups meet two to three times a month for conversation, friendship building, Bible study and prayer.
The driving goal of these groups is that each person will maintain a handful of significant relationships.
The Bible describes our need for relationships that are characterized by knowing people well enough
to 'weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice'.
Througout the year the church emphasizes involvement in Small Groups and details the locations and plans
for new groups. The groups are open all the time and new folks are welcomed anytime.
What is a Church?
Here at BHCC we have a desire to be a church that makes sense. We are interested in a way of thinking that is relevant. Relevant to your life, family, work, struggle and success. Peoples lives are too full to add something else that is just filling time.
At BHCC, through our worship, study of the Bible and prayer, we hold to a transcendent hope. Most conclude at some point, that there must be more than what we see. Life must have a greater purpose than using up oxygen for 80 or so years. It is critical to lift our eyes a little higher to see the mystery and majesty of God. Like walking though a fog filled field, every so often the fog parts and you see the city and can continue. This is our desire, catch a glimpse of God, and we are changed, challenged and encouraged in our life.
We here in Boston hunger to go "where everybody knows our name". At BHCC we want to work hard on being connected in significant ways. We hold to the priority that nobody has to walk alone and that everybody needs people in their life that know them well enough to "weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice". We pull this off with a combination of weekly worship gatherings, small group meetings, ministry teams and service projects.
Finally, at a risky moment, Jesus turned to His followers and passed the baton. On his departure, He made it clear that this message of life and hope must be told. The story of God is often referred to as "good news". News is only news to those who have never heard it before. If you have heard it, either you ignore it, reminisce about it or disagree with it. It is our passion to tell the story of God with our words, life, creativity and acts of service to those who would find it to be news.
Our History
Boston Harbor Community Church finds it's roots in a prayer meeting that met in homes in the early 1980's. Moving from location to location, the group of people living in the North End began to grow. In 1984 the church was formed and began to meet at the Longwarf Marriot. In 1985 the church purchased the building at 9 Salutation Street and that is where the church meets today.
Boston Harbor Community Church (originally Boston Worship Center) was founded to create a place of ministry in the downtown neighborhoods. A place that would demonstrate the love of Christ and communite His priorities to the community.
Since the founding of the church BHCC has had three pastors. The founding pastor was Tom Hinton (1984-1985). Gregg Detwiller followed from 1984 to 1997. Then Nick Fatato pastored from 1997 to 2006.
Currently, we are privileged to have Dave and Beth Wenrich serving as pastors of BHCC.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus made some statements in the Book of John (New Testament part of the Bible) about himself. They are kind of like his signature. As you look at these statements, you will get a good look at who Jesus is.
"light of the world" - you don't ever have to walk in darkness again
"good shepherd" - offers both guidance and protection for your life
"the way, the truth and the life" - he doesn't point the way, he is the way; he doesn't talk about truth, he is truth; he doesn't describe life, he is life
"the resurrection" - death has lost it's grip on the follower's of Jesus
"the bread of life" - you will never hunger (real hunger) again
"the true vine" - without him you can do nothing, need to be hooked into the vine
Pretty large claims, but then He is a big God! We at BHCC encourage you to check out the person of Jesus Christ through his Word ( the Bible) and by getting to know His people (the church).
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Jesus made some strong declarations when he walked on this planet. Things like: the Kingdom of God is now, I am the bread of life, come all that are weary and I will give you rest, if you are thirsty than you can thirst no more, you have to loose your life to find it and so much more.
To follow Jesus is a journey. As with all journeys, there needs to be a starting place. The amazing good news Jesus displayed in the story of a runaway son, is that to start you don't have to clean yourself up, right every wrong or clarify every issue. You start by coming to Christ and allowing him to manage it (the Bible word here is Lord). With Him as the manager, the journey can unfold. The breathtaking concept is that the journey is not limited to this life alone, but Jesus promises His followers eternal life.
Some things that assist in the journey are the Bible. This is God's primary mode if information for our lives. Secondly, we need to communicate with God and we call that prayer. Prayer is making requests, offering thanks, presenting worship, listening and engaging in conversation. A third key to the journey is that you don't walk alone. The Bible is full of encouragment to be involved in other peoples life along the way. The church is God's brilliant strategy to pull this off. There you find others on the journey, shoulders to bear the load with you and loads for your shoulders to bear.
Jesus declared Himself to be the way for us to follow and made it reachable He then established the church as the vehicle to assist in the journey. A journey that is open to all takers!
Core Values and Beliefs
Worship
We are a community of Worship. The Westminster confession states: "Man's sole purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever". It is our purpose to worship in song, words and actions. Every time we gather, we will declare the wonder and majesty of God.
Fellowship
We are a community of Fellowship. In a society that separates and isolates, we are committed to each other's lives. We strive to know each other well enough to "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep"
Discipleship
We are a community of Discipleship. We are each on a journey to become like Christ. Growing, learning and maturing in our Christianity is our goal.
Witness
We are a community of Witness. We have good news that must be told. The message of Jesus Christ needs to be communicated to our families, workplace, city and world.
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