The Story of Saint Nicholas Mission (AKA Saint Nicholas Ministries, Inc.)
Saint Nicholas Mission—AKA The Mission—was an independent sacramental community within the Independent Sacramental Movement and the International Council of Community Churches. The Mission served parishioners in the Malden, Everett, Revere, Chelsea, and Winthrop area of Massachusetts from 1995 until 2016 with a special sensitivity to those who no longer feel welcomed (for whatever reason) by other faith communities. Our membership was theologically and liturgically eclectic. Elements of our worship were gleaned from the Roman Catholic Sacramentary, the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, the Lutheran Book of Worship, the United Methodist Book of Worship, the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship, and other less well publicized texts resulting from the liturgical consensus of the 1960s and beyond.
First gathered during 1995 to serve the Greater Boston Area (Massachusetts), The Mission Parish of Saint Nicholas of Myra began by holding services in the sanctuary of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church (Beachmont-Revere). During the 17 years that followed, we shortened our name to Saint Nicholas Mission, The Mission Parish, and even simply The Mission. We shared the altars of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church (Malden), Saint John’s Episcopal Church (Winthrop), Grace Episcopal Church (Everett), and First Lutheran Church (Malden). We also held smaller services in our own Saint Florian Chapel which was set apart in the pastor’s residence in Chelsea.
In each of these “sharing the altar” situations we would barter the services of our pastor in lieu of paying rent. Depending on the need, David would teach adult religious education classes, lead Bible Studies, provide pulpit supply, conduct healing services, facilitate bereavement support groups or other parish meetings in times of transition, serve as a resource person for information about Hospice or other End-of-Life issues, and otherwise just be of assistance to the pastor and/or the congregation of the host church. We still count many, many friends with whom we shared God’s love through these relationships and are very, very grateful for their ongoing support!
In 2013, The Mission started transitioning into The Eldad and Medad Project when we rented space from Admirals Hill Office Suites (Chelsea), maintained an office, and held services in the Conference Room. After two years we opted to give up the office space in Chelsea. As the pastor’s residence—with our beloved Saint Florian Chapel—had recently been sold, we moved the bulk of our “church stuff” to a storage facility in Malden from where we would carry what was needed for our semi-monthly services in the Hamilton Room of Atria Maplewood Place (Malden). Our services at Atria Maplewood Place ended Labor Day weekend 2016 when our pastor was allowed a well-earned three-month sabbatical.
In 2016, we went on hiatus and entered into a period of self-study. Our hiatus was extended indefinitely when our pastor had to extend his sabbatical to care for a family member’s medical crisis. The crisis having lessened significantly in 2018, The Eldad and Medad Project reentered its period of self-study and re-emerged as an active ministry on November 24, 2018 when we observed the 20th Anniversary of our Incorporation as Saint Nicholas Ministries.
First gathered during 1995 to serve the Greater Boston Area (Massachusetts), The Mission Parish of Saint Nicholas of Myra began by holding services in the sanctuary of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church (Beachmont-Revere). During the 17 years that followed, we shortened our name to Saint Nicholas Mission, The Mission Parish, and even simply The Mission. We shared the altars of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church (Malden), Saint John’s Episcopal Church (Winthrop), Grace Episcopal Church (Everett), and First Lutheran Church (Malden). We also held smaller services in our own Saint Florian Chapel which was set apart in the pastor’s residence in Chelsea.
In each of these “sharing the altar” situations we would barter the services of our pastor in lieu of paying rent. Depending on the need, David would teach adult religious education classes, lead Bible Studies, provide pulpit supply, conduct healing services, facilitate bereavement support groups or other parish meetings in times of transition, serve as a resource person for information about Hospice or other End-of-Life issues, and otherwise just be of assistance to the pastor and/or the congregation of the host church. We still count many, many friends with whom we shared God’s love through these relationships and are very, very grateful for their ongoing support!
In 2013, The Mission started transitioning into The Eldad and Medad Project when we rented space from Admirals Hill Office Suites (Chelsea), maintained an office, and held services in the Conference Room. After two years we opted to give up the office space in Chelsea. As the pastor’s residence—with our beloved Saint Florian Chapel—had recently been sold, we moved the bulk of our “church stuff” to a storage facility in Malden from where we would carry what was needed for our semi-monthly services in the Hamilton Room of Atria Maplewood Place (Malden). Our services at Atria Maplewood Place ended Labor Day weekend 2016 when our pastor was allowed a well-earned three-month sabbatical.
In 2016, we went on hiatus and entered into a period of self-study. Our hiatus was extended indefinitely when our pastor had to extend his sabbatical to care for a family member’s medical crisis. The crisis having lessened significantly in 2018, The Eldad and Medad Project reentered its period of self-study and re-emerged as an active ministry on November 24, 2018 when we observed the 20th Anniversary of our Incorporation as Saint Nicholas Ministries.
