A Decade in Domestic Missions
- Keeley Rollert
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
Hello, friends and family!
As the congregation here in Tilton reaches a new level of growth we want to pause and thank God: for the increase, for the generous love and support from all of you, and the personal growth we’ve experienced in the last 13 years. The past decade especially has been full of learning curves, rewarding relationships, and opportunities we could never have imagined when we began this work.
In general, most congregations in New England continue to struggle. Members of the Lord’s church make up but a small percentage of the religious population, which is not big to begin with.
From World Population Review: "The United States has seen a steady increase in the number of people who claim no religion since 1990... The least religious states are Massachusetts and New Hampshire, both of which have only 33% of adults identifying themselves as “highly religious.” In Boston, Massachusetts, new belief systems and values dominate the city, shifting people away from religion."
That said, the work here in Tilton is changing. The congregation's dynamic is so different from what it was in the past and the shift of mindset from "small congregation" to "larger congregation" is in progress.
For the first time, we are rapidly approaching 100 members - which makes Tilton 1 of 2 congregations in New Hampshire to be anywhere close to that size. We have a lot happening!
So, what's happened in the last decade?
In 2014, there were 24 people regularly attending. Our older two children, Silas and Olivia, were the only children regularly in attendance. There had been no eldership for many, many years.
In the summer of 2015, two qualified men were appointed as elders: Dan King and Robert Blouin.
By 2020, the congregation had grown to an average of 40 in regular attendance!
Since then, the congregation increased from around 40 in attendance to an around 75 on a regular basis.
We've averaged about 6 baptisms each year, and a number of Christian families have moved to the area and placed membership with us. We now have 86 individuals listed in the directory! We have a handful of members who are semi-shutins and not able to make it each week. But when we have everyone there, plus visitors, it's a really full house!
In 2024, a third elder was installed, and we also have three hardworking deacons. The elders and deacons are wonderful men who eagerly engage in the work and make a tremendous impact!
The count of children in regular attendance has grown steadily:
2014 = 2 kids
2019 = 4-5 kids
2020 = 6-8 kids
2025 = 16-18 kids!
Our building's auditorium capacity is only 96, so the major need at this point is to either build a new facility or expand the one we have.
A committee of guys have volunteered to explore the options and put together a plan for resolving our need for a bigger facility. This is often an endeavor with lots of bumps in the road for growing congregations, so please pray that we can either find a location with more room for parking and building, or that we can expand and increase the capacity in our current location.
Needless to say, we are thrilled with the growth. It's been wonderful to work alongside these wonderful brethren, sowing the seed, and seeing the increase God has provided here in Tilton.
We are thankful for the supporters who have made our work here possible, and for the handful of families who have recently finished preaching school and moved to New Hampshire to work alongside the brethren here. While the church in Tilton is growing, many of the other congregations in the Northeast are really struggling. Now and then, we will hear that some congregation is considering closing its doors, and with so few in the area, that can be very discouraging.
That's why we host a wide array of events to provide encouragement and teaching, strategies for outreach, and more. Each year we invite brotherhood speakers from around the country to share their expertise on essential topics for building up strong Christians, healthy families, and thriving congregations. We sincerely hope you can take time to visit and enjoy one (or more!) of these events.
Whether you just have an interest in seeing a beautiful part of the country, or if you’re looking for a mission work to get involved in, we want to personally invite you to come up for an event or just to visit. We’d love to show you around!
Please subscribe for more, and consider forwarding this email to someone who might be interested in hearing more about the work here in New England.
Have questions about the region or about our work? Let us know! Comment below or contact us.
In Christ,
The Rollerts
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