Pembroke, New Hampshire
Hillside Baptist Church was planted in 1984 as a cooperative effort by Southern Baptists in New Hampshire, New England and various southern states. Worship participation has two years since peaked at or over 100 which is approximately the maximum capacity in the current building. However, worship attendance has averaged 10 - 25 for the years 2012 - 2023. Renewed outreach and visitation efforts were begun in Fall of 2023 when average attendance was 14 and the Church has experienced renewed enthusiasm and growth. The Church set an average worship attendance goal of 24 by December 2024 and is on track to reach it. (Worship attendance in October 2024 averaged 22.8)
The Church’s beloved Pastor of 19 years, Dr. Jim Robertson, resigned effective August 1, 2024 as he was called of God to an administrative/teaching position at Northeastern Baptist College in Bennington, VT. In spite of that loss, the Church continues to grow in faith and enthusiasm for reaching our community for Christ.
Current Leadership
Associate Pastor: Rev. Al Page is a US Navy submarine service veteran who was called to the ministry upon his Navy retirement and graduation from Clear Creek Bible College. Al has been an important part of Hillside, off and on, since its founding in 1984. Al served as the Church’s interim pastor for over a year in 2004-05 until the Church called Rev. Jim Robertson in November 2005. Al has been the Church’s Associate Pastor under Jim Robertson and continues in that role during this interim period.
Guitarist: Mike Frascinella has been a member of the Church for over a decade and is the Church guitarist and takes the lead in music ministry.
Interim Pastor: Tom (and June) Cairns joined the Church in May 2022. Tom retired in 2019 after 19 years service in the Philadelphia Police Department. He and June were previously home missionaries of the North American Mission Board, SBC. Hillside asked Tom to take on the responsibility of Interim Pastor until a new pastor is called.
Treasurer: Randy Baker is the Church’s recently elected Treasurer and chair of the Finance and Budget Committee.
Financial Status
2023 total receipts: $78,461 2024 projected receipts: $101,778
Lottie Moon Offerings for international missions: 2022: $500 2023: $1,095
Annie Armstrong Offering for North American missions: 2023: $500
Care Women’s Center Offering: 2024: $428
NC hurricane relief offering October 31, 2024: $826
The Church sends 1.5% of its undesignated receipts to support the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Services and Ministries
The Church has a Bible study/Sunday School hour at 9:30 am. There is one adult class led by Tom Cairns which typically attracts 10-12 adults.
The Church worship service is held at 10:45 am and in October 2024 averaged 22.8 in attendance. A preliminary goal was established in October 2023 to grow worship average attendance to 24 by December 2024. (Average attendance in October 2023 was 14.)
The Church holds a Bible study/prayer meeting on Wednesday at 7:00 pm led by Al Page which typically attracts 5-7 people.
Description of Church Property
The Church sanctuary was built in 1986 and has 8,000 square feet on two floors. The sanctuary is above and classrooms are below. As currently configured the sanctuary seats 80 including 10 on the platform. This could be slightly expanded to almost 100. There is no debt on any of the Church’s properties.
The Church parsonage is a two story colonial which was built in 1996 featuring 2,500 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 6 total rooms and a finished basement. Included is a detached 2-car garage with a pastor’s office above consisting of 576 square feet.
These two properties are situated on 4 sloping acres on NH Route 3 (Pembroke St.).
In 2020 the Church was gifted 18.18 wooded acres adjacent to and on the hill above the parsonage and church. There is a 20 year lien on this property which requires the Church to give a percentage of any sale to the Baptist Convention of New England. The percentage starts at 100% and declines by 5% each year until it reaches 0% in 2040. If the Church were to sell this wooded property in 2025 the Church would keep 25% and forward 75% to the Baptist Convention of New England. A recent professional evaluation came to the conclusion that this property would be difficult to develop for residential or commercial purposes because it currently lacks access to Pembroke Street or any other road.
Our Beliefs
The Church adheres to the Baptist Faith and Message of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Membership and Participation
New Hampshire has the oldest average age of its citizens of the 50 United States and that is reflected in the people who worship with Hillside Baptist Church. Except for a handful of members and regular attenders, everybody in the church falls into the 60-98 age group. The Church is looking forward to attracting people from all age groups from birth to 100 with the leadership of a new pastor.
Demographics
https://www.pembroke-nh.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif4861/f/uploads/pembroke_demographics_2018.pdf
https://censusreporter.org/profiles/05000US33013-merrimack-county-nh/
New Hampshire is a post-Christian mission field! You would find more Christian people that participate in worship services each week (per capita) in many foreign countries than are found in New Hampshire. This fact sets the tone of our strategy and work here. As a result, we are looking for a pastor with a missionary heart and outlook.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/state/new-hampshire/