The Name
sovereign grace might be a new one for you. People have said it has a churchy ring to it. They're right, it does! We chose it however, because in its meaning we find two powerful truths at work. First, God is sovereign. This means that God is in control of everything and nothing happens outside of His knowledge or allowance. The second truth is that God is always at work--and this is what grace is. The opposite of grace is 'me' at work. So, Sovereign Grace embodies the concepts that God is both in control and at work! We have found this to be true in our personal lives and want our identity as a community to be found in sovereign grace as well. This is why we're called Sovereign Grace Community Church!
Our Story
is still evolving. Yours probably is too. We always are. We began as nothing more than 'what if' statements; what if a church could look like this... what if we could do that... what if.... After a while these 'what if's' turned into 'why not's'. In October of 2008 a small group of courageous people stepped out in faith that God was calling and leading them to launch a new church--a church that would do things differently. You can keep current with us through this website or by requesting to receive our weekly emails (simply email us at info@sovG.us to be put on our email list). Oh, and keep us posted about your story too...
A Little Bit More About Us
We are interested in communicating with you in such a way that God's message resonates with your reality...otherwise, what's the point? Technology? We use it, we're not afraid of it. Tough questions? We want to ask and try and answer them too. We know we have to be relevant, but at the same time God's truths remain timeless! We know the future of the church is in the hands of the next generation, and we want to reach them. As you'll see, children, youth and students are really important to us. Worship, we're contemporary but love to mix it up with some traditional stuff too.
We are a community of people that is very similar to you...and different from you too. We know your life is messy...because ours is. We aren't looking to make you a carbon copy of someone else, but to help you become who God created you to be! We strive to be a community of people that is comfortable to come into, authentic, energetic, useful, exploratory, family focused, next generation & service oriented, that reaches out into the community...and most importantly is a Christ centered church! Our goal is to daily surrender to Jesus as our Savior and Lord and be the men and women that God longs for us to be. We probably won't look like the church you grew up in...
We will challenge you with relevant messages and questions that are applicable to your today...and to your whole family. We meet together on Sundays to worship, but the heart of our community is found in small groups that meet all over the North Shore.
WORSHIP TIMES... every Sunday at 10AM!
SUNDAY SCHOOL... sovG has Sunday School each week for kids ages 2 through 6th grade. Sunday School takes place during our Worship Service so that the kids and adults will both have a meaningful worship and teaching time!
COMMUNITY GROUPS and BIBLE STUDIES... While Sunday mornings are set aside as a time of worship, the heart of Sovereign Grace is the community groups that meet weekly! On a Sunday morning, there is a limited opportunity for personal interaction with others, let alone conversations, questions, developing and maintaining deeper relationships. Community Groups meet weekly to allow for this and more!
Contact Pastor Craig Gabel at craig@sovG.us to sign up for a Community Group.
Community Groups are arranged according to your geographic location. Adult community groups meet three or four times each month. Community groups generally have 4-5 couples (couples staying together) or 8-10 singles. Groups meet together for 12-18 months before splitting and forming new groups. IT IS EXPECTED THAT ALL MEMBERS of Sovereign Grace WILL ALWAYS BE IN A COMMUNITY GROUP, BIBLE STUDY or AFFINITY GROUP. To join a group or for more information about them, see a pastor or email us at info@sovG.us
CLASSES... In addition to small groups, we are always offering classes at Sovereign Grace!
If you are interested in one of these courses, contact a pastor or email us at info@sovG.us
STRATEGIC SERVICE TEAMS (see the 'SERVE' link at the top of the page)
Our Vision...
is to help you connect with God; connect with others, and to serve alongside with you!
Connecting with God means walking with you as you grow in your understanding of who God is and who God wants you to be. On the first day of the week we come together to worship as a larger community and to and to hear a message from God's Word. Throughout the week small groups meet in homes all over the North Shore to continue the discussion and to dig deeper.
Connecting with others is part of God's design. People who are following Christ need to be. We were never intended to journey through life alone. Each of us is part of the body of Christ and together we make up the church. Small groups are the heart of Sovereign Grace. This is where we really get connected with each other and where community, discipleship, and 'real life' occur.
Serving our community together gets to the very core of who we are at Sovereign Grace! God has given each of us different gifts and His desire is that we use them to serve others. By community we mean both within our church environments and our neighborhoods. We believe a heart for service begins inside oneself, starts in our homes and church, extends to our neighbors and community and then to the world at large. Again, our vision at Sovereign Grace is to help you: Connect with God, Connect with Each Other, and Serve our community together!
Our Mission...
is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We do this by creating irresistible environments where people are encouraged and equipped to pursue intimacy with God, community with insiders and influence with outsiders.
Our Core Values...
guide us as a church. Everything we do will relate back to one of our nine core values:
Biblical Authority... God has spoken to us through the Bible and we recognize it as the final authority for our lives.
Are your motivations and convictions consistent with God's Word?
Intimacy with God... God loves and desires an intimate relationship with each of us.
Do you have a relationship with God? Is your relationship with God growing?
Authentic Community... Belonging, care, spiritual growth and accountability happen best when we are relationally-connected.
Are you in a small group?
Families Matter... Whatever your family dynamic happens to look like, it matters to God and to us. God intended for you to also have a family through your Christian community.
Do you have people you can call day or night, and rely on like brothers and sisters?
The Next Generation... Children and youth eventually turn to someone else besides their parents for counsel and advice. It is important that parents trust that person and they say the same thing parents would. Furthermore, today's kids are tomorrow's pastors, elders, deacons and Sunday School teachers.
Who do your kids turn to for advice and do they say the same thing you would?
Strategic Service... Your life has it' maximum impact when you use your gifts and resources to serve others for God's glory.
Where are you serving? What is your motivation?
Intentional Mentoring (Discipleship)... We are responsible to pass along to others the knowledge, skills, and wisdom that has been entrusted to us.
Who is mentoring you?. Who are you mentoring?
Relational Evangelism... God's message of forgiveness through Jesus is most effectively conveyed within the context of personal relationships.
In whom are you investing?
Relevant Environments... Every environment should be designed to effectively connect with its target audience.
Are your environments inviting, authentic, engaging, and helpful?
Statement of Faith
Sovereign Grace Community Church is committed to a biblical, Christ-centered understanding of the Christian faith as reflected in our belief...
The Word of God: We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God's will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority and standard of truth in all matters to which they speak
The Trinity: We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three Persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, that these are equal in every way and they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
God the Father: We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, justice and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, that He saves from sin and death, and all can be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is God's only eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only 'true God', but 'true man', conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible, return to earth from heaven. We believe Christ died on a cross, and rose bodily from the grave in order that those who come to Him in faith might receive abundant and eternal life.
Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections as God the Father and God the Son. We believe in His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ's work in redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for Godly livings and service.
Man: We believe that all people were created in the image of God to have fellowship with him but became alienated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, people are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through their own efforts.
Salvation: We believe that the work of Jesus Christ on the cross provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sin. Therefore, God freely offers salvation to those who place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin and begin to follow Him.
The Church: We believe that the church is the body of Christ, of which Jesus (the Christ) is the head. The members of the church are those who have trusted by faith in the work of Christ. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by loving him and by making him known to the lost world.
Christian Conduct: We believe all Christians should live for Christ and not for themselves. By obedience to the Word of God and daily yielding to the Spirit of God, every believer should mature, grow and be conformed to the image of Christ.
Baptism and Communion: We believe both baptism and communion are to be observed by those who are of age and have confessed Jesus at their Lord and Savior. Baptism is a onetime act to be completed by an individual after they have come to know Christ. Likewise, communion is a continual act to be observed by their believer throughout their lifetime.
Last Things: We believe in the bodily resurrection of all persons who ever lived, both those saved by Jesus Christ and those who are not; and the eternal, conscious existence of all persons in heaven or hell. Those who are not saved will endure eternal separation from God with Satan and his angels. Those who are saved will enjoy eternal joy and happiness in the presence of God. We believe God will reward each believer according to his or her works here on Earth.
Our Approach To Ministry...
Chances are you will quickly become familiar with many of our ministry environments. No doubt they are a big part of what hooks you to begin with. We ask our members to move beyond simply participating in these incredible environments to partner with us in creating, leading, and funding our environments as well.
We currently have the following environments available:
- A Weekly Worship Service (where all of us get together weekly).
- Weekly Community Groups (small groups that meet in homes).
- Project Intersect (serving our community in hands-on ways and with projects that make a difference).
- Youth Group (on Friday nights at 7PM for 7th - 12th graders).
Our Pastors...
are excited to be on staff at Sovereign Grace Community Church! Our lead pastor reports directly to the elders. He is responsible for all other pastors and staff. Together his team oversees the day-to-day operation of the church, casting the vision to and for the church, teaching, preaching, leadership development, discipleship, small groups, community service and facilitating worship. A short bio of our two current pastors is below:
Michael Williams, Lead Pastor is originally from Traverse City, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Michael has taught and coached both junior high and high school for ten years. He was a staff pastor at a congregational church north of Boston for six years, before founding Sovereign Grace Community Church. Michael and his wife Jessica were married in 1997. They live in Topsfield, MA with their daughters Lily and Abby. Michael can be reached at michael@sovG.us
Craig Gabel, Staff Pastor is originally from Clearfield, Pennsylvania. He attended Messiah College and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Craig served as both a Youth and Worship Pastor at a congregational church north of Boston, prior to founding Sovereign Grace Community Church. Craig and Suzanne were married in 2005. They live in Essex, MA with their daughter Hannah and are expecting a new baby in January 2012. Craig can be reached at craig@sovG.us and will frequently be found wearing flannel, even in the summer.
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