In 2021, Free Christian Church acquired the land at 35-37 Elm Street as well as the apartment building at 41-43 Elm St. The FCC Bell House at 40 Elm St. was combined into the project along with the newly acquired properties.

The ground floor of the apartment building will be converted into a new ministry center with a midsize gathering/hangout room with a restroom and kitchenette. The ministry center will also have rooms suitable for counseling and spiritual direction and an office space.

The upper levels of the Lighthouse building will be completely renovated into 6 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom efficient, furnished apartment units for rental. The rental income from these apartments will help us pay down the mortgage on the building. However, in the future, we hope to use these apartments as ministry housing or as an ongoing revenue stream for other ministries.

The outdoor spaces were improved in the summer of 2024 including grading, drainage, paving, sod installation, irrigation and construction of fire pit area, new shed, and storage spaces. Andover VBS 2024 utilized new outdoor spaces for the first time!

The Bell House was renovated into two, two-bedroom units. The larger unit will function as a traditional rental and the smaller unit is available for ministry housing (global partners, visiting ministers) and as a short-term rental.

The remaining cost to finish the project is estimated to be $2.7 million. By faith, our fundraising efforts between Thanksgiving Sunday 2024 and Thanksgiving Sunday 2025 will raise $1 million in donations for the project. The remainder of funds will be borrowed using the collateral of our real estate assets.

The repayment of existing and new loans will come from future income generated through the rental units at the Lighthouse and Bell House combined with the rental or sale of the Parish House.

We are asking people to prayerfully consider making financial contributions towards the Lighthouse vision to develop these new ministry spaces that will provide for the ministry needs of the church for years to come.

Timeline:

March 2021: FCC acquired the buildings and land at 35-43 Elm Street.

April 2022: The Proverbs 3:5 Fund was established and financial gifts began to be received for the development of Lighthouse Project. The generous giving to this fund has sustained the good work of this project including funding for compliance and repairs, furnishings for the Bell House, architectural drawings and site plans, Lighthouse demolition work, and other ongoing expenses.

2022: Renovations of the Bell House were completed. The house was transformed into two residential units, one occupied by property managers and the other for short-term rentals and global mission partners.

2022-2023: Site plans were completed with the final layout of the new ministry center, housing units, and appropriate improvements to traffic flow, parking, and green space.

October 2023: The last of the existing tenants moved out and the Lighthouse became vacant.  Teams of volunteers began the demolition phase of the Lighthouse Project including the removal of four chimneys. 

March-August 2024: Green Space was developed including grading, drainage, paving, sod installation, irrigation and construction of fire pit area, new shed, and storage spaces.  VBS utilized new outdoor spaces for the first time!

August 25, 2024: Special dedication ceremony of green space.

September 2004: FCC votes to add the Parish House to the Lighthouse Project to use for collateral or sale to fund the renovations.

October 2024: Begin the “Shell Phase” of construction to enclose the Lighthouse with foundation repair, utility trenching, siding, roof, windows, doors, porches.

October-November 2024: Members of Free Christian Church prayerfully consider giving towards the $1M fundraising goal.

November 24, 2024, Thanksgiving Sunday: Pledges and first gifts are received and dedicated on this date. Pledges are fulfilled November 2024-November 2025.

2025: Begin the “Interior Phase” construction of the Lighthouse including the new ministry center and residential spaces.

2026: The ministry center and residential spaces will be ready for occupancy.

We have set a fundraising goal of $1,000,000 over 12 months to complete this project. This is a big goal but we believe that God will move in our hearts and provide the resources needed to fulfill the vision. Please consider making a one-time or monthly donation to this project.

Step 1: Pray. Pray for our church and all of our ministries. Pray for God to provide the wisdom and financial resources to complete this project. Ask God to show you how you might give to the Lighthouse Project.

Step 2: Plan. Consider how God has blessed you and how you can partner financially in this good work. Have a conversation with family and financial advisors about how giving to the Lighthouse Project might be part of your larger financial goals. If you need more information about the project to help you make a decision, please contact the FCC Board of Elders elders@freechristian.org and we’re happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.

Step 3: Pledge. Pledging is an important part of this project as it will let us know how to proceed. Please return your pledge card on or before Thanksgiving Sunday, November 24, 2024. All gifts should be designated to the Proverbs 3:5 Fund online, in the offering box, or through bank transfer.

Step 4: Partner. Pledges can be fulfilled from Thanksgiving 2024-Thanksgiving 2025.

Larger gifts, including gifts of stock or real estate can also be accepted. Please contact Assistant Treasurer Jen Paquette at: jen.paquette@freechristian.org

The ministry of Free Christian Church has never been confined to any one location. We believe that some of our best ministry happens beyond the walls of our buildings as we love and serve our neighbors across the Merrimack Valley and beyond. At the same time, we know that our property is a valuable tool for gospel ministry as we equip disciples from youngest to oldest.

In our earliest years, FCC shared space with another church in town until moving into our first church building on Railroad Street in 1850. After 58 years of ministry in that location, the church built a new building on Elm St. which has served as the meetinghouse of Free Christian Church since 1907.

In 2001, a major renovation was completed with the addition of the Rotunda and associated classrooms. This allowed for substantial growth of the church but essentially maxed out our downtown Andover property. Around the same time the church also acquired the Bell House and, in 2005, the Parish House.

Within five short years following the dedication of the Rotunda, the church was again faced with the limitations of our physical space and the challenges of multiple Sunday services, limited parking, and a lack of children’s and youth spaces. In an effort to expand, FCC leadership unsuccessfully approached our abutters on 35-37 Elm Street to the east and the Verizon Building to the west. Frustrations in our attempt to acquire additional property led to a period of discernment which led us to begin a multi-site ministry with a new location in North Andover. For nearly ten years, the multisite strategy was fruitful but proved to not be a long-term solution for our physical needs (in fact, it served to amplify the challenges of limited facilities in two locations!). Once again, God led us in a different direction, and we rejoined our gathered worship back to one campus in 2019.

In 2020, a door opened for us to acquire the 35-43 Elm Street property, the very opportunity that was closed to us for many years. In 2021, FCC realized this amazing opportunity with the purchase of the property (land and building) enabling FCC to expand, as needed, to grow God’s ministries for the foreseeable future. This newly acquired property is often referred to as “The Lighthouse Property” and will provide the space for us to construct a new ministry center in the existing building we will call the “Lighthouse”.

Lighthouse: We have received our building permit and work has begun for the “Shell Phase” of construction to enclose and winterize the Lighthouse including foundation repair, utility trenching, siding, roof, windows, doors, porches.

The Bell House: Renovation of the Bell House is complete! The Bell House, which was in very poor condition, is now “like new”. It has been re-zoned as a two-family building and has been beautifully renovated into two, two- bedroom units. One unit is occupied by our property managers and the other unit is used for short-term rentals and also as housing for our global partners visiting on furlough. The renovations have vastly increased the value of the Bell House.

Green Space: The development of the Green Space is complete! Overgrown and oft-flooded, the 35-37 Elm Street lot has been transformed into a multi-use recreational and gathering spaces. The “court area” can be used for a variety of games and activities and is sized to accommodate an event tent for various outdoor worship services, receptions, and events. VBS 2024

Parking Lot: The work on the parking lot is complete! Traffic is now diverted away from the back door and the “pinch point” along the east side of the building has been fixed. New parking spaces have been established at the location of the old shed and dumpster and along the east wall of the building. Our expanded space allows for perpendicular parking along the green space which has further expanded our capacity.