About Christ Memorial Church
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Our Story
In January of 1991, Wes and Sue Pastor packed their four children into the family station wagon and drove from Philadelphia to Burlington, Vermont. Wes had just completed his studies at Westminster Seminary, and the couple believed God was calling him to plant a gospel-preaching church in New England.
In September of 1992, following months of recruiting, home Bible studies, and preview services, Christ Memorial Church launched under the auspices of the Baptist General Conference (now Converge Worldwide). Seven couples, a smattering of singles, and as many children as adults - all told, fewer than 50 people - met on the Champlain College campus.
The following year we moved to Angell Lecture Hall on the University of Vermont campus (and the fifth Pastor baby was born). In 1994, with attendance nearing 125, CMC moved again, this time to a former church building in Williston. By the end of 1995 we'd purchased and renovated that building, and attendance had grown to nearly 200.
Our vision has been the same from the start: "To see God display His power by saving sinners through the proclamation of the gospel by all of our members to His eternal glory" (1 Cor. 2:1-5). By God's grace, that gospel-driven vision has borne much fruit. Today over 400 people gather each Sunday. God’s Spirit has been working in our congregation, with both adults and youth being saved and baptized every year. We’ve witnessed over 200 solid conversions resulting in lives redeemed and marriages restored, as well as several "mini-awakenings," with numbers of people coming to faith in a short time. We’ve added an executive pastor, a preaching pastor, a missons pastor, and a youth pastor to our staff. We’ve expanded and improved our property and, by God’s grace, we paid off the mortgage in 2008.
Wes and Sue's original vision included becoming a flagship church that would mentor future church planters. That vision became a reality with the establishment of The NETS Center for Church Planting and Revitalization in 2000. Already, Christ Memorial has launched churches in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Cameroon through NETS. And, Lord willing, we will be part of many more church plants for generations to come.
The story of Christ Memorial Church is still being written. We desire to be used of God to promote His kingdom throughout Chittenden County, throughout Vermont, throughout New England, and throughout the world. We pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ will always be the lifeblood of this church and of all that we do.
And we invite you to be part of the story.
