The families that started Christ Church had moved here from other locations;  First 2 couples, and then 12 families met and agreed to commit their time and resources to starting a new church. The first worship service was held in rented space on February 11, 1990.

The church originally affiliated with a Congregational denomination. Our first pastor, Len Silvester, began July, 1990.   The new church grew.  Our outreach focus was to those new to the area and to the “unchurched.” 

We developed a style of worship that focused on praising God, prayerful and friendly, with warm hugs and welcoming words.  Christ Church became known in the community for our Needs Ministry (our local mission arm) which, through tithing church offerings, provided for some emergency needs of people in the area and events such as the Christmas Eve Dinner for those in need of a meal and companionship.

After a 3-year search, God provided land at our present location.   At purchase we donated 7+ acres to the East Greenwich Land Trust for open space to be part of a park system, while the church retained the 4+ buildable acres, with recreational and program use of the rest. By 1995 the church had grown to about 80-100 people at worship services, but in 1996 growth slowed. We began to question the theological fit with the denomination.  The pastor was then called to another ministry.

The Elders remained steadfast in their faith and commitment to Christ Church, as did the 40-50 regular worshipers who trusted God for new direction.  The Lord was doing a new work in the life of Christ Church.

A God-directed search process led to calling a new pastor.  Lyle Mook’s name first surfaced when he was working as a director of a Hospice program in Rhode Island, having previously been the pastor of West Kingston Baptist Church.  Lyle accepted the call to become pastor in July 1997.

Two Churches Coming Together

Christ Church was being renewed, and we needed a new affiliation, more compatible with our identity.  Lyle  felt led to explore a relationship with West Bay Covenant Church, an Evangelical Covenant church with a similar history.  They had begun as a "church plant" of Riverside Covenant. The founding pastor, Robert Anderson had also been led to move after many years of fruitful ministry.  West Bay Covenant was also in need of land and was seeking God's next steps.    This process led us to the Covenant denomination as a place or partnership. There was clear leading to bring the churches together with a common vision.  Worship together began in December 1997, and we formally affiliated with the denomination as Christ Church, Evangelical Covenant in June 1998. 

God had created a new Christ Church.  The church grew emphasizing spiritual growth through small groups and gift-based ministries. God continued to build “a new community, centered on Christ.” 

On Easter of 2000 we added a second service which helped prepare us for the explosive growth about to occur. After a “Faith Promise” building campaign in which over $1 million dollars was given, we moved into our own building on Post Road in July of 2000.  With God’s blessing Christ Church has grown rapidly.  A third Sunday morning service was added in 2001 along with Tuesday Evening Worship, focused on prayer, weekly Communion, and healing prayer.

            2003 brought more growth and new direction for expansion and vision.  We added a new service on Sunday evenings called Sanctuary (now expanded to two services)  that is especially reaching the “emerging culture.” In 2005 The Next Steps Team and Elders began to explore interim growth plans and longer term needs related to the vision God has given.  Well over 1000 people are attending worship and ministry programs each week. In April 2006, we began a new kind of service, Christ Church @ Cole - simultaneous to the "Main Street" 10 am service. Our vision includes purchasing new land and developing a Multi-site plan for continued growth in the region.

           We are so blessed to see how God is not only adding to our numbers, but also deepening our commitment to be devoted Christ-followers.  We have focused on building our staff and other ministry leaders, strengthening families, starting new ministries, deepening small group community, equipping volunteer servants, and continuing to reach out with the Good News of Christ in innovative ways to diverse people all over Rhode Island and beyond.  We desire to live prayerfully, humbly, and gratefully as God works in and through Christ Church.

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