A 19th-Century Congregation in the Heart of Danvers
Maple Street Congregational Church sits at 90 Maple Street in the center of Danvers, Massachusetts, directly across from a familiar neighborhood landmark and a short walk from the town flagpole. The congregation traces its roots to the middle of the nineteenth century and marked its 175th anniversary in 2020. Today the church lives out an Open and Affirming identity under the motto shared on its front door: "No matter who you are or where you are on your faith journey, you are welcome here." Its members describe their purpose in a single sentence that runs through bulletins and signage: "We share God's love, hope, and healing and serve our neighbors."
An Open and Affirming Identity
Maple Street is a self-declared Open and Affirming congregation within the United Church of Christ. Its mission statement names a faith community that "welcomes and accepts all persons, celebrating the diversity found in the congregation, including persons from all backgrounds such as race, religion, economic class, abilities, ethnicity, gender, age, and sexual orientation." Members pledge themselves to "education, reflection, actions for peace and justice, and the realization of the vision of the heavenly banquet where all are loved and blessed." The congregation also quotes the denomination's motto, drawn from Gracie Allen: "Never place a period, where God has placed a comma," a line that captures both the progressive and the hospitable spirit of the place.
Worship on Sunday Morning
Sunday morning begins at 9:50 a.m. with a brief gathering for joys and concerns, followed by worship at 10:00 a.m. The order of worship blends preaching, prayer, scripture, and music, with leadership that Pastor Pam describes as "a blend of inspirational music, preaching, prayer, and being open to where the Spirit of God leads us." Two sacraments are practiced: Communion at the Lord's table and Baptism. Communion is open to all who wish to partake, regardless of membership, and baptism is offered at any age. The sanctuary is filled with children on most Sundays; a children's message is offered before young people are invited to step out for their church school classes. On First Sundays the congregation gathers for Family Worship and Communion, with children taking part in reading scripture and leading song.
Pastor Pam and Pastoral Care
Reverend Pamela Cochrane, known as Pastor Pam, joined Maple Street in 2016 as Associate Minister of Youth and Families, was named Lead Pastor during a 2019 pastoral transition, and was called as the settled Senior Pastor in 2021. She holds a Master of Religious Education (2010) and a Master of Divinity (2014) from Andover Newton Theological School, a Certificate in Clinical Pastoral Education from Brigham and Women's Hospital, and a Certificate in Ministerial Leadership from Andover Newton. Her ministry emphasizes storytelling, artistic expression, and intergenerational experiences. She serves on the Danvers Interfaith Partnership, the Danvers Cares Coalition, and the Committee on Ministry for the Northeast Association of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ. Reverend Douglas Vooys serves as Minister of Pastoral Care, working alongside the deacons to provide visitation and support to homebound members.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Children and youth are central to the life of the church. On Sunday mornings, families find bulletins, name tags, and pew packs in baskets at both sanctuary doors, and greeters are on hand to help. After the Gathering of Children and the children's message, young people process to the Education Wing and gather in the Cuvatent room for prayers of joys and concerns, an offering for Heifer International, and a Bible story. They then break into smaller groups for hands-on activities by grade level: PreK-1, 2-4, and 5-7. Nursery and toddler care is available every Sunday in Kids Corner with a trained childcare provider and student helpers, and audio streaming of the worship service is piped into the chapel and kitchen for parents of infants.
For younger children, FFFAMS (Friends, Faith, and Fun at Maple Street) meets on two consecutive Thursday afternoons each month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. with Bible stories, songs, games, and a snack for ages four through grade one. Confirmation is a ten-week intensive program for tenth graders, designed around mentorship and experiential learning. Each confirmand is paired with an adult mentor from the congregation, with the goal of discipleship and a lifestyle shaped by the teachings of Jesus and the values of Shalom.
A Music Ministry for Every Voice
The Music Ministry is one of the church's most distinctive offerings, with four choral programs under the leadership of Director of Music Ministry Kathy Keesey Gross and Assistant Director Jonathan Graham Gaines. The Chancel Choir, open to singers from grade nine through adults, rehearses every Thursday evening from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. and sings every Sunday morning, presenting two special services a year during Advent and Lent and joining the annual Choir Festival at the St. Joseph-St. Lazarus Parish in East Boston each January. The Joyful Noise Choir is a treble ensemble for grades four through twelve that rehearses once a month on the first Sunday following worship and sings in worship at least once a month. The Handbell Choir welcomes ringers from grade five through adults and plays three or four times a year. All four programs welcome new members at any time, and no prior music-reading experience is required.
For more than fifty years the Maple Street Artist Series, also known as the Festival of the Fine Arts, has brought guest artists in concert and to special worship events. The series is underwritten by contributions from church members and friends and has become a fixture on the Danvers cultural calendar.
World Service and Street Ministries
The World Service Committee oversees the congregation's local and global mission work. Through its annual budget and special offerings, Maple Street supports Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) and the Neighbors in Need offering of the United Church of Christ, and distributes the Three-in-One Reach-Out funds into programs for children, families in crisis, and outreach and education. Recent partners in Essex County include the Danvers People to People Food Pantry, the Danvers Community Council's programs for families living in hotel shelters, the Lifebridge Mission in Salem, the Open Door Food Pantry, HAWC, Hospice, Habitat for Humanity, Beverly Bootstraps, North Shore Community College Student Life, Operation Troop Support, and River House in Beverly. In Greater Boston, the church supports Ecclesia Ministries, Chaplains on the Way in Waltham, the Outdoor Church of Cambridge, and outdoor ministries in Salem. Members regularly donate sandwiches, socks, and monetary gifts to these street ministries, and serve as volunteers.
Earth Stewards and Care for Creation
Maple Street's environmental ministry, called Earth Stewards, is a partnership with the Danvers Interfaith Partnership and reflects a vision of responsible stewardship of creation. The church describes it as a way a few individuals can make a big difference, and it is one of the congregation's stated core values alongside transformational worship, hands-on mission, meaningful fellowship, and good financial stewardship.
The Maple Street Nursery School
Sharing the building at 90 Maple Street is the Maple Street Congregational Church Nursery School, a non-profit, non-denominational, fully licensed preschool for children ages 2.9 through five. All teachers are EEC Qualified and certified in first aid and CPR, and parents stay connected through a daily-updated web portal called My Classroom Connection. The program emphasizes creative, emotional, physical, and social growth through art, music, science, language, and motor development. The director is Lynne Hathaway, and registration materials are available from the church office.
Fellowship Groups and Adult Life
Three named groups shape adult fellowship at Maple Street. The Women's Group is open to all women of the church and meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Reception Room, with guest speakers and an emphasis on spirituality, social activity, and mutual support. The Men's Club meets one Saturday each month at 9:00 a.m. at a local restaurant, gathering for a guest speaker and time together. The Sandwichers, a women's group for those who feel "sandwiched" between parents and children, meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 2:00 p.m. in the social hall to share joys and concerns. Bible studies and book studies are offered periodically throughout the year, often during Advent and Lent, and short-term small groups form around fellowship, shared reading, or service projects as members are moved to lead them.
Weddings at the Sanctuary and Chapel
Maple Street hosts weddings for members, immediate family, and non-members in both the sanctuary, which seats about 400, and the chapel, which seats about 90. The sanctuary and chapel are available for ceremonies, with church coordinator Lynne Duffill helping couples through the details. Reverend Pamela Cochrane and Reverend Douglas Vooys officiate, and organist Ji Hye Jung provides music. Alcohol is not permitted anywhere on the property, aisle runners are not used, and an elevator provides accessibility to the chancel. Detailed fee schedules for sanctuary and chapel weddings are published on the weddings page of the church, with contributing-member and non-member rates, and a $50 non-refundable deposit reserves the date.
The Building, Parking, and Accessibility
A paved parking lot behind the church includes reserved visitor spaces, with additional parking available in the town-owned lot diagonally across the street and along the Hobart Street side of the building. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and visitors are asked to call or email ahead if they need to stop by outside those hours. The congregation has identified making the building fully accessible as a priority of its current vision, with work already underway to ensure that all who come through the doors can take part in every aspect of congregational life.
The Wider Church and What It Believes
Maple Street is a member congregation of the United Church of Christ, a Protestant body that traces its roots to the time of the Pilgrims. The church teaches that the Bible holds a privileged place in faith and life, and that God continues to provide revelation today. Its members describe God as "a dynamic presence of love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy" who calls them "to work for justice in a broken world." Deacons prepare the sanctuary for worship, assist with communion and baptisms, and provide visitation to homebound members and neighbors in need. Trustees care for the buildings and grounds and steward the church's finances. The Council, with a moderator and at-large members drawn from committees, serves as the primary governing body of the congregation.
Worship Beyond the Sanctuary
Sunday worship is also broadcast on local access television through DCAT on Comcast channel 99 and Verizon channel 36, with services airing on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (with a one-week delay), and is available on demand through the Danvers TV website. A mobile-friendly web application built around the church's own online portal offers live streaming of the Sunday service, the weekly message from the pastor, bulletins, the newsletter, the church calendar, giving, and contact information. Giving is also accepted online through Tithe.ly, and weekly bulletins and updates are posted for those who cannot attend in person.