Tucked onto a leafy stretch of College Avenue in Somerville, Massachusetts, Somerville Community Baptist Church has spent nearly five decades building a congregation that looks like the city around it. The church was founded in 1977 by families who wanted a worshiping community that welcomed every background, and that founding impulse still shapes the life of the church today. Members arrive from many countries and traditions, and the building fills each Sunday with voices that reflect that mix. Out of that diversity, the church has made unity its central theme and its daily practice.
Loving God, Loving People, Loving Life
The church's vision is captured in three short phrases: Loving God, Loving People, Loving Life. Everything the congregation does is meant to flow from that vision. Members describe the call as sincerely loving God, joyfully sharing His love with the community and its people, and diligently showing the love of Christ in everyday life. Six core values anchor that vision: a Christ-focused, Word-centered identity; a grace-oriented posture that extends God's unconditional love to others; a passionate commitment to prayer; a deep commitment to community lived out in small groups; and a deliberate celebration of diversity as a gift from God.
Somerville Community Baptist Church is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches through the American Baptist Church of Massachusetts, known locally as TABCQM. As Baptists, the congregation holds two ordinances: believer's baptism and open communion. Baptism is a believer's public declaration of faith, not a means of saving grace. Communion is observed on the first Sunday of every month and is open to all believers. The church teaches that the bread and cup symbolize Jesus' sacrifice, the New Covenant, and the promise of sharing in the Kingdom of God.
Four Sundays, Four Sounds
Few things say more about a church than the music that fills its sanctuary each week. SCBC has organized its calendar so that the style of worship changes from Sunday to Sunday, giving the congregation a chance to experience different expressions of praise throughout the month.
- Classical Sunday. On the first Sunday of each month, the Praise and Worship team and house musicians lead a classic music-themed service.
- Contemporary Sunday. The second and third Sundays feature spirit-filled, joyous contemporary worship led by the Praise and Worship team.
- Jazz and Gospel Sunday. On the fourth Sunday, the Mina Cho Jazz band joins the Praise and Worship team for a service that has become a signature offering of the church.
- Cultural Sunday. On special Sundays, the congregation celebrates SCBC's cultural diversity with music, food, and worship that represent one or more cultures from the church family.
The order of service centers on live music, prayer, sharing the Gospel, and fellowship. Each service lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes, followed by a coffee hour with beverages and snacks where newcomers and longtime members can meet face to face.
Music as a Way In
Music sits at the heart of life at SCBC. The Praise and Worship team brings together vocalists, professional musicians, and sound technicians whose passion is to lead the congregation into the presence of God through live sound. Mina Cho serves as Director of Music and also leads the jazz ensemble that anchors the Jazz and Gospel Sunday services. Stacie Clayton serves as Minister of Music. The team tailors its repertoire to match the service of the week, switching between classical, contemporary, jazz, and gospel so the music itself becomes a form of teaching.
Music at SCBC does not stop on Sunday morning. The church hosts a Community Gospel Choir, a Mission Concert, and participates in Somerville PorchFest, the city-wide neighborhood music event, opening the doors of the church to neighbors who might never otherwise walk inside.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
The Children's Ministry at SCBC partners with parents in the discipleship of their children, offering age-appropriate learning for children ages two through twelve while parents attend worship. Sunday school takes place during the service in the SCBC Sanctuary, with nursery care available for the youngest. The program is built on the Bible and designed to be engaging: Bible stories, book readings, art crafts, games, and Christian family-friendly materials fill the morning. Special events through the year include Vacation Bible Study, a Children's Choir, a Christmas Party with Santa, a Good Friday Children's Service, Children's Sunday, and various outdoor outings. Ha Rim Lee coordinates the children's work and distributes weekly curriculum to families who want to continue the lessons at home.
The Youth Ministry, called the Youth Crew, gathers every Sunday for Sunday school at 10:00 AM during the school year and at 9:15 AM during summer. The goal is to see students build a strong and trustworthy relationship with Christ, serve within the life of the church, and forge lasting friendships. Youth take part in Bell Choir performances at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, a Christmas Party, Youth and Children's Sunday in June, Summer Camp, an All-Church Retreat, a Youth Multi-Church Retreat in winter, scripture reading during worship, Adventure Week, Children's Church, the Church Media video and photo team, Church Outreach Ministry, the Church Choir, and the Usher team.
The Young Adults Ministry gathers students, young professionals, and other young people on Thursday nights at 7:00 PM, except on the last Thursday of the month. The group meets at the SCBC Sanctuary and currently meets virtually. Members describe it as a community that cheers for one another, prays for one another, and rejoices with one another, supporting each other through the unknown stretches of young adulthood.
Connection Groups for Every Season
Beyond the Sunday morning crowd, SCBC offers a number of small groups where relationships deepen and faith grows.
- Women of Faith meets every other week on Saturdays at 10:00 AM for conversation rooted in God's purpose for women.
- Friends in Faith meets once a month on a Thursday at noon at the SCBC Sanctuary and is open to all adults.
- Men of the Armor of God (M.A.G.) gathers on the third Saturday of every month at 9:00 AM, taking a break during the summer. The group focuses on fellowship, prayer, outings, and creating a space where men can bring up personal struggles. The men host an annual breakfast fundraiser for Hearty Meals For All and have organized community giveaways during times of need.
- Two Become One is a marriage ministry that meets twice a month on non-consecutive Wednesdays at 8:30 PM via Zoom. It is designed for committed couples who want to build a Kingdom marriage with Christ as the cornerstone.
Anyone can sign up for a small group online and indicate their life stage, age group, or area of interest. The church team then helps connect newcomers with the group that fits best.
A Table Open Every Monday
SCBC takes seriously the call to serve its neighborhood. The most visible expression of that call is the Monday Night Community Meal, a partnership with the Somerville Homeless Coalition that provides free, full meals every Monday from 4:30 to 5:30 PM in the SCBC Sanctuary. Meals are not served on Monday holidays such as Memorial Day or Labor Day. Volunteers from the church and the wider community help prepare and serve, and the partnership has grown into one of the congregation's most sustained outreach efforts.
Two other ministries extend the same care beyond the building. The Community Fridge ministry supports local residents by stocking community-operated refrigerators with free, fresh food placed in accessible locations around the city. The Manna Bag ministry distributes care packages filled with essential items to neighbors experiencing homelessness. Both initiatives are volunteer-driven and open to anyone who wants to help.
The church's mission statement sums up the work: to get people on a mission with God through serving the church, the city, and the nation. The goal is to grow in ministry skills and to be strategically involved locally, nationally, and globally, sharing the Gospel inside and outside the church walls.
What to Expect on a Sunday Morning
Worship begins at 10:45 AM at the sanctuary on 31 College Avenue. During the summer, from mid-June to mid-September, the service moves to 10:00 AM. The building is wheelchair accessible. Ushers and greeters welcome every guest at the door, and new guest information cards are available for anyone who wants to share contact details so the church can follow up.
Parking is free and easy. There is a dedicated lot on Morrison Avenue across from the church, limited space behind the sanctuary, and free street parking around the building on Sundays. After the service, a coffee hour offers beverages, snacks, and food along with a chance to meet other attendees and ask questions about the church and its ministries. Nursery service and Sunday school are available for children during the service so parents can worship without worry.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. A service library of past worship services is available online for anyone who wants to catch up on a sermon they missed.
Leadership and Pastoral Care
Rev. David J. Y. Lee has served as senior pastor since 2013. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, Pastor David is married to Mina Cho, and together they have a daughter named Grace. He describes his personal vision and mission from God as living out Acts 20:24 through pastoring, preaching, and teaching the Gospel. His three great causes are the Gospel, spiritual renewal, and changed lives in Boston and across nations. His practical messages focus on the Gospel and are uplifted by the energetic praise and worship with the church's signature jazz-gospel ensemble.
Ha Rim Lee serves as Superintendent and oversees the children's ministry, distributing weekly curriculum and coordinating Sunday school. The Director of Music, Mina Cho, leads the church's distinctive worship sound, while Stacie Clayton serves as Minister of Music.
The church's office is open during the week, and Pastor David holds regular office hours on Tuesday from noon to 6:00 PM, Wednesday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, Thursday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, and Saturday by appointment. Anyone can submit a confidential prayer request online, and the leadership team prays over each one.
What the Church Believes
The teaching of the church is centered on the Bible as the inspired, authoritative Word of God. Members confess one living and true God, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Trinity and the only Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully human. He paid the price for the sins of all people by dying on the cross, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and promises to return.
The Holy Spirit is believed to be the third person of the Trinity, sent by the Father and the Son to renew and indwell every believer, giving assurance, strength, wisdom, and gifts for building up the church. The church itself is described as the body of Christ, with Christ as its head and foundation. Members are called to work together in love and unity for the glory of God. Salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ as the resurrected Son of God, bringing forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and the promise of eternal life.
From its founding vision of unity in diversity to its weekly table open to anyone who is hungry, Somerville Community Baptist Church holds a simple conviction: life is better together, and the love of Christ is meant to be shared across every border, neighborhood, and generation.