Brief History of Promise Church

The idea of a new church in a non-traditional setting emerged during a gathering of a diverse group

of people at pool party during the summer of 2005.  As the discussion continued, several people

expressed dissatisfaction with current or previous church experiences.  Nothing really happened as a

result of this conversation until several months later.

In the late winter of 2006, a few people began to seriously consider the possibility of a new church start on the South Shore.  On April 11, 2006 about 14 people gathered to worship and assess the interest and need for a new church.  We also began a study of the Book of Acts which will be completed next month.

The purpose of a new church would be to create an alternative place for worship where those who have not found welcome in traditional churches would find sanctuary.  Over the next few weeks, a core group emerged as did an early version of our current promise (mission) statement, which is listed below.

Through the summer and fall, we met every other week for pot-luck dinner and informal worship in various homes throughout the Weymouth and Quincy area.  In Advent, we began to meet weekly and have continued to do so.  On February 18, 2007, after much study, discussion, and prayer, we voted on the name, “Promise Church.”

  Promise Statement

Our promise to you and to one another is:  to welcome all who seek a church home, need sanctuary,

search for faith, and want to follow Christ; to offer hospitality to new visitors and to old friends; to accept and offer fellowship to people of all ages, of all colors, of all sexual orientations and gender identities, of all stages of faith and places of doubt.  As a community we seek to bring justice and hope to a broken world.  Toward this end, we promise welcome to everyone.  May you find promise fulfilled and peace in our worship.

      Vision of Promise Church

As we grow, our vision is to have a storefront church that would be a mission and outreach center.  We would share space (either formally or informally) with community groups who share our vision of promise and welcome.  Our worship would remain informal with the hopes of incorporating the worship styles and traditions of those who come to us.

 We strive to be accessible to all  people, open to the wonderful diveristy of all humanity, and dedicated to working toward justice and peace.  We believe our goals and vision match those of the United Church of Christ, which has led us to seek a more formal relationship with the Pilgrim Association and the Mass. Conference.

Missions Supported to Date

• We participated in gathering items for Christmas stockings to send to soldiers in Iraq.
• We sponsored a family of four at Christmas through the Friends of the Homeless.
• During Lent, we raised $202.00 for the Free Wheel Chair Mission which is the equivalent of 4 ½ chairs.
• Some of us have also been making sweaters for the Guidepost Sweater Project.