Charis Churches Unite to Repair Historic Church
Adapted from Charis Fellowship article See A Need, Meet A Need
The Northern Atlantic District churches came together in a powerful show of unity last fall, rallying around Grace Community Bible Church in Philadelphia to meet a pressing need. Grace Community, with over 125 years of ministry, found itself in desperate need of repairs to keep its doors open and its outreach alive. This historic church had played a foundational role in the early days of Encompass World Partners, serving as a ministry hub where Jacob Cassel, a Charis Alliance forefather, promoted the vision of global missions. It was also the very place where James Gribble, one of the Charis Alliance’s most influential missionaries, was saved and trained before his life-changing work in Africa.
The need came to light when Pete Forshtay (pastor at Metro Grace Church in Philadelphia) mentioned at a district ministerium meeting that Grace Community’s roof was leaking, and rain was causing significant water damage inside. This sparked a district-wide effort to help. Dustin Godshall (senior pastor of Thrive Church in York, Pennsylvania) immediately felt his church could be part of the solution. “As churches, we want to care well for each other,” he said, emphasizing the importance of collaboration within the Fellowship.
Thrive Church didn’t hesitate to act. One of their pastors, BJ Boosz, and Dale Knepper (one of their elders) visited Grace Community to assess the damage and film a video to help spread the word. BJ reflected on the effort, saying, “The Fellowship churches really did a great job of raising awareness and rallying around Grace Community so they could continue their ministry for years to come.”
Repairing their roof would have been impossible for Grace Community to do on their own, since the pandemic had recently dropped their attendance to about 15. “We prayed for years for God to provide for these needs, and He answered our prayer through our Northern Atlantic District,” said Shawn Kidder, lead pastor of Grace Community. “Our district churches have been an answer to years of prayer. It’s been such a blessing to see God meet our needs through our Charis Fellowship family!”
While Thrive Church had the manpower to fix the roof, they needed funding for the project. The Northern Atlantic District spread the word, and churches responded generously. Gateway Church in Parkesburg gave a fifth-Sunday offering, Grace Family Church in New Holland contributed their Christmas project offering, and another church matched a significant portion of the donations.
The collaborative spirit didn’t stop with finances. Tom Eames, a former pastor, used his connections in the roofing industry to secure donated materials. A roofing company in Ohio, with ties to BJ Boosz, offered to complete the project at cost. Camp Conquest’s director, Mike Gehlert, coordinated district efforts, and Grace Community’s own congregation pitched in. Volunteers were hosted in members' homes, meals were organized, and even more work was completed than originally planned—with enough funds left over for additional renovations in the parsonage!
Today, Grace Community Bible Church is back to housing 50–70 people on Sundays, reaching their neighborhood with the love of Jesus. Shawn shared, “Seeing the love of our Lord expressed through our Fellowship family was incredibly inspiring. The way they loved us didn’t just meet the needs of our building—it also encouraged our faith in ways we didn’t expect.”
This project was such a testament to the power of interdependence—pastors, congregations, and the larger Charis Fellowship family all came together to meet the needs of their fellow church.
