Hawthorne Gospel Church

Beliefs and Mission

The mission of Hawthorne Gospel Church is to glorify God by "Developing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ".

The beliefs center on these ten principles:

• In the verbal inspiration of all the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, and that they are the final authority in faith and life.

• In one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

• In the total depravity of all humanity, and the necessity of regeneration.

• That salvation is the free gift of God, entirely apart from works, and is possessed by all who by faith received the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

• In the virgin birth of Christ, and that he is true God and true man.

• That the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that with his shed blood, he obtained for us an eternal redemption.

• In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in his ascension into heaven, and in his present life as our high priest and advocate.

• That the Holy Spirit is a divine person and that he indwells all believers.

• In the personal, pre-millennial, imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• In the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.

History

Hawthorne Gospel Church was founded on June 5, 1925 but has roots in a campaign in Paterson from April 4 to May 23, 1915, by evangelist Billy Sunday. As a result of the campaign, a ladies’ Bible class was begun, taught by Mrs. Alma Fischer. One of the men, waiting for his wife at the Bible class, suggested that they consider Sunday afternoon meetings that would not be held at “church time.” Although all were active in a variety of different churches, they felt the need for steady Bible teaching and to hear evangelistic messages. Two of the men would see about renting the Lafayette Avenue Fire Hall for this purpose. On June 5, 1925, the Sunday afternoon meetings for Bible study began in that Fire Hall and a few months later, Sunday School began with 24 children attending. It did not take long before the group sponsored weeknight meetings with special speakers. These meetings, held during the summers of 1928 to 1933, were conducted in tents, the first located on property on Lafayette Avenue where the Louis Bay II Library now stands. As time passed the group became more and more connected and decided that the area did need another church that would reach out to the people in the Hawthorne community. So on Thanksgiving Day, 1930, there was the dedication of a church building on Lafayette Avenue, a few doors up the street from the Fire Hall. The Hawthorne Gospel Mission as it was originally known became the Hawthorne Gospel Church in 1932.

Ministries

The ministries at Hawthorne Gospel Church are "all for the purpose of pursuing Jesus Christ more in everything that we do." With a large staff and volunteers ministers, Hawthorne Gospel provides biblical teachings and worship services. It also has Bible Education classes, a 60+ church choir, orchestra, band and specialized ministries for adults, children, students, as well as mission outreach at local and global levels.

The church operates a day camp ministry, known as the Top 'O The Hill which offers boys and girls entering grades 1 through 6 a well-rounded day camp program will be provided for each age group. They also have a Sports Camp at Top O' The Hill Day Camp is optional and is available at no additional cost to campers entering 5th and 6th grades.

Hawthorne Christian Academy

Hawthorne Christian Academy is located on the church campus and has approximately 510 students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through grade 12.