A Great Opportunity: Building on Our Legacy of Worship
Work is officially underway on the chancel in our Sanctuary—and it’s more than just a construction project. It’s the continuation of a sacred story that began in 1944 and continues today with a new and pressing challenge: we’re running out of room to worship.
This summer, both our Modern and Traditional services are meeting in The Well, where we’ve seen remarkable growth and engagement. But that growth has brought limitations—especially for our modern worship gatherings, which have routinely reached or exceeded capacity. And yet, this problem is not a burden. It’s a great opportunity.
Just like generations before us, we’re taking bold steps forward in faith to prepare a space where more people can encounter the transforming love of Jesus.
A Journey of Growth: Embracing Great Opportunities
From Basement to Sanctuary (1944–1966)
The seeds of Northminster Church were planted in 1944 in a basement on Compton Road. But the community quickly outgrew the space. That challenge led to a lease at Liberty School in 1946 and, one year later, to the official organization of Northminster Church in 1947.
When the lease ended in 1949, the church seized another opportunity—purchasing the land at 703 Compton Road. Construction began, quite literally, under a tent. In 1951, the first education wing was built, and Christmas was celebrated in what is now the Upstairs Youth Room.
As the church continued to grow:
1953: “The Well” was built to expand worship space.
1958: A new education wing was added.
1964: Space again became limited, leading to Easter services at Finneytown’s school building.
1966: The Sanctuary was built and opened—yet another step forward in embracing God’s call.
Worship That Grows with the Times (1997–2024)
In the decades that followed, Northminster adapted to the changing rhythms of worship and culture:
1997: A 7-month contemporary worship trial began.
2002: "Crosspoint" launched—“a church within a church”—meeting new worship needs.
2020: The pandemic presented new challenges, but we responded with livestreaming, online outreach, and deepened community care through The Big Step initiative.
2023: We experienced remarkable growth. Attendance for our modern service grew 42% compared to pre-COVID levels, and Christmas Eve saw our highest in-person crowd ever—201 people inside, exceeding The Well’s capacity, with more joining outside.
2025: A New Horizon
Now, in 2024, we stand at the brink of another great opportunity.
We have a good problem—more people are coming to worship, grow, and belong at Northminster. But we need more room to continue making space for all whom God is calling into this community.
The current work on the chancel is part of that response. It’s about building a space that reflects who we are becoming. A space that strengthens our ability to welcome, to worship, and to serve.
As we’ve done so many times before, we are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us—those who saw limitations not as roadblocks, but as invitations to trust God and take bold steps forward.