An Alliance Church in the Heart of Trumbull County
North Mar Church sits on East Market Street in Warren, Ohio, in a part of the Mahoning Valley where the Christian and Missionary Alliance has had a presence for generations. The congregation describes its calling in three sentences: leading people to love Jesus, grow together, and serve the world. That motto shapes everything from the way Sunday mornings are organized to the way the building is used during the week.
As a church in the Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) family, North Mar belongs to a national movement of churches passionate about bringing the Good News of Jesus to their neighborhoods and the world. The church's beliefs reflect that Alliance identity, with an emphasis on staying one step behind Jesus and following His lead both locally and globally.
Four Sunday Morning Worship Options
North Mar has built its Sunday schedule around the idea that different people connect with God in different settings. Three services run simultaneously at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, and an online option mirrors those times for people who cannot be in the building.
The 9:00 AM Traditional Service meets in the Fellowship Hall and centers on classic hymns, Scripture reading, and Christ-centered teaching. At the same hour, the main sanctuary hosts a Contemporary Service with dynamic worship and an engaging message. A second Contemporary Service fills the sanctuary at 11:00 AM, while the 11:00 AM Acoustic Service offers a quieter, acoustic style in the Fellowship Hall. Each gathering is designed to be welcoming and easy to step into for a first-time visitor.
For those at home or out of town, services are livestreamed through the church's Facebook page, YouTube channel, and online.church platform. Past messages and the current series can be accessed through the North Mar app, which is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Kids From Infants Through Fifth Grade
North Mar Kids is built around the conviction that parents and families have the key role in leading their children to Jesus, with the church partnering to support and equip them. The ministry points kids to Jesus through worship, Bible stories, Scripture memory, games, crafts, and age-appropriate teaching.
On Sunday mornings during the 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM services, classes run all year for infants through kindergarten. First through fifth graders have classes throughout the school year, with family worship in December, on Easter Sunday, and during the summer months of June and July. KidsZone, the Wednesday evening program for children ages four through fifth grade, meets during the school year.
Safety is a visible priority. Every North Mar Kids volunteer passes a background check, a security team monitors the building and kids' spaces, and a name-tag check-in system matches each child with the right parent or guardian at pickup. A free indoor playground on the lower level is open for free play on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with parent supervision and a signed permission form required. The same space can be rented for parties on Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings.
Middle School, High School, and a Mentoring Program Called Battalion
North Mar's youth ministry is split into a middle school track and a high school track, each with its own calendar of summer and year-round events. Small groups are a core piece of the program, giving students a place to build relationships and dig deeper into Scripture. A local SERVE mission trip to Toledo has been a regular part of the summer rhythm, taking middle school students out of the classroom and into hands-on service for a few days.
Battalion is a discipleship ministry that pairs Christian men with teenage guys for mentoring, with the goal of raising up the next generation of Christian leaders. It is one of the more distinctive offerings in the youth department and ties into the broader men's ministry of the church.
1824 Young Adults for Ages 18 to 24
1824 NMC is the church's gathering for young adults ages 18 to 24. The group meets in the Loft and is built around deep-rooted community, faith-filled encouragement, Jesus-centered growth, and full-bodied coffee. The group is also active on GroupMe and Instagram to keep young adults connected between events.
Women's Ministry: Bible Studies, MomLife, and a Retreat
The women's ministry gathers women of all ages in both large and small settings, with the stated goal of flourishing personally through the study of God's Word in community. The Bible study slate is the deepest of any group at the church and changes by season, with recent offerings including studies by Priscilla Shirer, Courtney Doctor, Jen Wilkin, Jerry Bridges, and Kelly Minter, taught by women from within the church. A long-running MomLife group meets the first and third Tuesdays from September through May, with breakfast and childcare included.
Each fall the ministry hosts a Renew Women's Retreat at the Carlisle Inn in Sugar Creek, Ohio, drawing women of all ages for a relaxing and spiritually focused weekend away.
Men's Ministry, Mentoring, and a Mission BBQ
The men's ministry exists to give men a community for growing in their relationship with Jesus and others. The Bible study schedule for men is similarly deep, with studies running on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday evenings, Thursday mornings, Sunday mornings, and Saturday mornings, taught by men from the congregation. The annual Mission BBQ brings men together for axe throwing, corn hole, tournaments, pickleball, a golf simulator, and food.
For men who want more focused discipleship, the church runs a Men's Mentoring program that pairs participants with a mentor to walk through a biblical model of manhood as husbands, fathers, friends, workers, and Christian leaders. Applications are available through the men's ministry page.
Senior Adults 65 and Up
The Senior Adult Ministry is for everyone at least 65 years old and includes activities designed to help seniors meet friends, study the Bible, and participate in life enrichment classes, outings, and entertainment. A Sunday morning study meets in Room D2 during the program year, and a Senior Adult Gathering on the second Tuesday of every month offers lunch, games, and fellowship.
Growth Groups for Every Season
The church's small-group ministry operates on a simple idea: life happens in circles, not rows. Groups meet on different days of the week, in different rooms of the building, and offsite in homes around the area. Beyond the men's, women's, senior adult, and young adult groups already mentioned, North Mar also runs a Care group, a group for grandparents caring for grandchildren, a grief support ministry, and a separate set of seasonal men's and women's studies that run in shorter windows. A six-week Experience North Mar class, led by the pastoral staff on Sunday mornings, is designed for newcomers and longtime attenders who want to learn more about the church.
Local Outreach: Food, Mentoring, and a Respite Program
North Mar takes its local mission seriously. The Food Assistance Ministry distributes food from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM; recipients bring a photo ID and proof of residence, and questions can be sent to the church office. The church has a long-standing relationship with Bella Women's Center, a local organization that supports women navigating unplanned pregnancies with free testing and confidential medical care.
Kids Count is a mentoring partnership with Willard School in which volunteers give about one hour a week to invest in a student. Alliance Women groups meet monthly to pray for and support the church's international workers and their families. A nursing home ministry sends volunteers into local facilities to pray, share devotionals, sing hymns, and offer encouragement to residents.
Buddy Break is a free respite program for families of children with developmental delays, disabilities, or behavioral health needs. Trained volunteers lead the children through music, arts and crafts, and games for three hours so caregivers can take a break.
Global Outreach: From Warren to Japan, Germany, and Beyond
Global missions are a central part of the church's identity. North Mar supports five international worker families, sends short-term teams to places like El Salvador, and partners with two non-profits. The Kropps serve in Japan, the Manghams oversee missions work in Europe, the McKelveys serve in the Middle East, the Youngs serve in Germany, and the Williams equip leaders in Taiwan. Past and current short-term teams have traveled to Jordan, China, Africa, Japan, Germany, Thailand, and El Salvador, with a medical, construction, and evangelism team scheduled for the next El Salvador trip.
The church also partners with two outside organizations. Hope 4 Africa focuses on bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people in remote West African villages through microloans paired with discipleship. Remember Nhu is committed to ending child sex slavery through prevention, currently running 117 homes for children in 16 countries. North Mar hosts an annual walk, run, and bike fundraising event for Remember Nhu.
Faith and Finance, Planned Giving, and a Mobile App
A dedicated Faith and Finance hub, powered by Orchard Alliance (the stewardship and generosity ministry of the CMA), offers practical guidance for every life stage: starting out, getting established, building impact, and leaving a legacy. The hub includes a Planned Giving section that walks through appreciated assets, IRAs, real estate, donor advised funds, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, life insurance, and cryptocurrency, along with a Will and Trust Planning Ministry.
Giving to North Mar is possible in person during Sunday services, by mail, through bank online bill pay, or through the mobile app. The same app also gives users access to livestreams, sermon content, outreach opportunities, and event registration.