Last Sunday marked the biggest occasion in our church’s short history since we planted in September 2011—we found a permanent home in the heart of the city we are called to minister to!
Mars Hill Church Everett was planted by a group of faithful members out of Mars Hill Church Shoreline. We have been a set-up/tear-down church since, which meant every Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m., volunteers picked up three huge trailers containing all we needed to hold church services in the community college gym. Rain, hail, snow, or shine, faithful volunteers gave their time to set up church for the many people who call Mars Hill Everett home.
In January 2013, we closed the sale of the Washington National Guard Armory in the heart of Everett. We picked up the building for a steal and it is an absolute miracle we were able to purchase it. Since January, we have undertaken the huge project of remodeling this great building into a church. There have been many early mornings where the people of Mars Hill Everett got up and sought the Lord through prayer, asking him to provide all we need to hold services in this place and to make much of Jesus in our city.
This project tested the people of Mars Hill Everett as the Lord called us to trust him. He tested our generosity and comfort, he called us to trust in his promises and the great truth that he does not bring his people half-way, but walks with us all the days of our lives. We have clung to the promise of Jesus that he will build his church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it!
Jesus built his church faithfully for close to 2,000 years and he continues to build it to this day. He built his church in Everett, and as the day approached for us to hold services in our new home, we outgrew our old location.
Sunday, November 24th marked the day Mars Hill Everett deepened its roots in the city of Everett for the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.
We had over 900 people come and worship with us. Our grand opening is not until January 12th and we are already thinking about adding another service to accommodate all the people the Lord is bringing to Everett to hear the good news of Jesus.
The building we now call home has stood for 92 years, and now we look to the next 92 years and more, praying for legacies to be changed, for lives to be changed, for hearts to be changed, for sinners to repent of their sin and trust in Jesus for eternal life. We know Jesus is building his church, and we hope and pray to be faithful to him and bold in our proclamation of his gospel.
