On a recent Saturday, Grace and I, along with the Fab Five, took a field trip up to Everett. We wanted to see the progress on our soon-to-be new home for the northernmost Mars Hill location, an awesome and growing church with some people we know very well and love very much.
It was awesome.
Pastor Sutton found the building. It’s an old National Guard Armory—45,000 square feet, complete with huge bank vaults that stored guns and ammo along with firing ranges in the basement. We got a great deal, and the building is in an amazing location right down the street from Comcast Arena, the heart of the entire region north of Seattle.
Mars Hill Everett is ministering to a very important part of our region, and they’re growing. Last year in September, Everett averaged 575 people per Sunday and, in the last three weeks, they have averaged over 700 people, with last Sunday’s attendance at 780.
Thank you to Pastor Ryan Williams (lead pastor at Mars Hill Everett) and Pastor Brandon Andersen (executive pastor at Mars Hill Everett) for leading the charge here. We are still finishing work and raising money for the project, but hope to move in as early as Christmas Eve, if we get our permits in time, or by January in time for the start of our upcoming series on the book of James.
People from the church have been putting in countless hours doing demolition, painting, woodwork, etc. Almost every community group has come in and helped with the building project. Most of them have been serving 1–2 times a month. The place is looking amazing, and these hardworking people deserve a standing ovation.
The people of Mars Hill Everett have been very faithful. Over 90% of the members have given to the fund. Since September 2012, we have collected 50% above and beyond our annual budget. (Mars Hill Everett brings in about $900,000 a year, and we are close to bringing in an additional $450,000 in the past 13 months.)
We don’t have deep pockets, or big givers. What we have are a lot of faithful givers doing what they can every month.
What we need now, Mars Hill, is some help from the rest of you in order to finish making this home for the Everett church ready. We’re almost there, but we’ve still got a little ways to go. Everett is trying to raise $750,000 to get the building ready, and we’ve got $316,000 left to complete this project. As the people of Mars Hill Everett have demonstrated, all it takes is enough people giving a little bit together to make things happen.
We have amazingly generous people in Everett. They are all in. Will you help them move into their new home?
Support Mars Hill Everett Here
Ashley, the oldest Driscoll child at 16, brought her camera and captured some great photos that I thought would make a very cool photo essay so you could see the progress.
