Northside Fellowship Church sits on Freeman Road on the northeast edge of Westerville, Ohio, in the shadow of State Route 3 and a couple of miles north of the Maxtown Road and Polaris Parkway corridor. From a single address at 6841 Freeman Road, this ECO Presbyterian congregation runs Sunday worship, a slate of small groups and Bible studies, a children's and youth ministry, an in-house counseling practice, an outreach program that includes regular homeless meal service in Columbus, and a Christian preschool and kindergarten called All the Children of the World Academy. The mission of the church is simple and direct: to know Jesus and make Him known.
Sunday Mornings at 10:00 AM and a Live Stream on YouTube
Worship happens on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM at the church, and the same service is carried live on the church's YouTube channel so that members at home, in the hospital, or out of town can keep up. The church's message archive stretches back through 2019, with older outdoor services from the summer of 2020 also preserved for those who want to revisit a particular sermon.
Across the parking lot, every Sunday at 9:00 AM, Northside also holds a traditional worship service in the Activity Room of Feridean Commons, the senior living community next door. That service is open to residents, their families, and friends and is a quieter, more traditional counterpart to the main gathering.
ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
As of January 1, 2017, Northside Fellowship is a member congregation of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, and the church sits within ECO's Great Lakes Presbytery. The What We Believe page is built around ECO's Essential Tenets, beginning with the conviction that the Old and New Testaments are the authoritative self-revelation of God, alongside the incarnation of the Son. Northside worships the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and confesses that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human.
From the Reformed tradition, the church affirms God's grace in Christ as the answer to a world broken by human sin, the biblical teaching of election for salvation and service, the covenant life of the church as the setting in which grace is received through Word and Sacrament, the three-fold ministry of teaching elders, deacons, and ruling elders, and the calling of every believer to share in the offices of Christ beyond the walls of the church. Northside celebrates the two sacraments of Baptism, including the baptism of infants, and the Lord's Supper. The church also holds to the ancient ecumenical creeds.
Pastor Jason Hutchcraft and the Leadership Team
Pastor Jason Hutchcraft has been at Northside after prior pastorates in Tennessee, North Carolina, California, and Missouri. He and his wife Adah, his childhood sweetheart, have been married since 1999. Jason's studies took him through Ozark Christian College, Missouri Southern State University, and Emmanuel Christian Seminary.
The Session, which functions as the church's governing board, is made up of five elders elected by the Covenant Partners, plus the pastor. The current elders are Dan Barr, Nancy Batterson, Larry Buttermore, Jill Israel, Jessica Maderia, and Rick Gale, who serves as session clerk. The Session oversees the spiritual direction, organization, finances, building and grounds, and staff of the church.
The board of deacons carries the practical care of the congregation and includes Candi Amadio as Children's Ministry Coordinator, Emily Hughes in prayer, Eric Humphreys, Ginny Humphreys in women's ministry, Adah Hutchcraft, Dave Israel in building and grounds, Cathi Nelson in hospitality, and Jen and Craig Wilson in missions. Sue Gale is the office manager and the steady point of contact for bulletins, prayer requests, scheduling, and the day-to-day flow of the church office.
Worship is led by a music team under Jeff, who has sung in church since his teenage years and now leads alongside his wife Jackie and their son Evan. Amy prepares the choir, with a particular emphasis on handbells, and helps foster fellowship among the ringers while they learn new techniques and ring in the community.
Children, Youth, and Lake Ann Camp
Children are welcomed into their own spaces on Sunday morning. The nursery cares for newborns through about 30 months, giving parents a chance to focus on the service while trained adults soothe, rock, talk, read, and play with the youngest members of the church family. Northside Kids, for children age three through grade five, uses creative and playful teaching to make Bible stories stick and to introduce children to Jesus as a forever friend.
The youth ministry walks alongside both middle schoolers, in that pivotal stretch of discovery and first independence, and high school students facing a fast-paced and changing world. The goal is to equip young people to be people of hope, love, and faith, to teach them to use the Word of God for direction and empowerment, and to provide opportunities to discover who they are in Christ through service, prayer, and worship. The interim team is led by Dan Barr, who has been working with the youth for many years alongside his son Corey, while the church searches for its next full-time Youth Leader.
Each summer the church sends kids in grades three through twelve north to Lake Ann Camp near Traverse City, Michigan, a week of camp that has become a highlight of the children's ministry year. Families can sign up individually through Lake Ann Camp, and the church organizes the travel.
Small Groups, Bible Studies, and Sunday Morning Discussion
Northside runs a wide spread of small groups through the week. A group led by Wayne Johnson meets at the church on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM. Mighty Men gathers at the Hutchcraft home on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. On the first and third Wednesdays at 6:45 PM, a group meets at the Kenreigh home, and on the same Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM the Hungry Saints Bible Study meets at the church. A Friday morning men's group led by Rick Gale meets at Scramblers at 7:00 AM. On Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM, before the main service, an open discussion group at the church works through the previous message.
For new attendees, a New Members Seminar is typically held the first Sunday of each month, right after the service, in the fellowship room and sanctuary. The format is teaching, discussion, and a shared meal, with childcare provided and the teaching led by Pastor Jason.
Caring, Intercession, and Christian Counseling
Prayer is woven into the life of the church. Teams pray regularly for requests submitted through the church. On Wednesdays at 9:30 AM, an open intercessory prayer group meets at Northside to pray for church leaders and ministries. On the first Saturday of every month at 8:00 AM, men gather at the church for a focused time of prayer. After Sunday worship, prayer team members stay available for anyone who wants a few minutes of personal prayer. A prayer chain handles emergency requests and can be activated through the church office or by email.
The Benevolence Fund is a giving channel inside the church, supported by contributions, that steps in when members of the faith family face an urgent financial crisis. A Benevolence Committee routes the help through the church office.
Christian counseling is offered through the church by two licensed counselors. Rick Gale, MA, LPCC, can be reached at extension 52, and Emily Hughes, MA, LPCC, at extension 12. Both counselors can be reached by calling the church office. The counseling ministry is described by the church as committed to emotional and spiritual healing, growth, and transformation, seeking the Father's heart, the Son's power and authority, and the Spirit's leading and guidance.
Missions: Local Partners and International Reach
The missions ministry stretches across Columbus and far beyond. Locally, Northside members serve with Lifewise Academy, the Dream Center, Columbus Relief, International Friendships at Ohio State, W.A.R.M., and 8 Days of Hope, and they keep Blessing Boxes stocked with essentials for neighbors in need. Columbus Relief is a mobile homeless outreach, and Northside teams serve meals and build relationships with people in need on the second Saturday of each month, with Dan Barr as the point of contact.
Internationally, the church sends short-term mission teams, ships Bibles to places like India and Africa, and joins in prayer with groups supporting Israel, Iran Alive, Voice of the Martyrs, and Global Christian Relief.
All the Children of the World Academy
Sharing the building and the campus, All the Children of the World Academy, known simply as ATC, is a Christian preschool and kindergarten that has been a ministry of Northside Fellowship for more than twenty years. ATC is a chartered nonpublic school under the supervision of the Ohio Department of Education, and it participates in the state's Ed Choice Scholarship Program.
Jill Kindall directs ATC, a role she moved into in 2016 after serving as the church's Children's Ministry Director and in several earlier roles at the school itself. She holds a Bachelor's in Elementary Education from BGSU and a Master's in Education from UNC-G. The school's stated philosophy is built around the belief that all children are valuable, precious, and uniquely created by God, and that early childhood is a distinct and critical stage of development. Faith is woven into routines, transitions, and snack times as teachable moments, and the school welcomes non-churched and non-religious families as well.
ATC offers half-day and all-day preschool classes for ages from young three's through five plus, with class sizes capped at ten children per teacher. All-day kindergarten runs from 9:00 AM to 3:15 PM, with the option of a four-day Monday-through-Thursday or five-day Monday-through-Friday schedule. Kindergarten Wonder Kids is a Friday enrichment class that is open to ATC students and to children enrolled in kindergarten elsewhere. Daily specials in art, music, fitness, science exploration, and STEAM, along with a hand bell choir for kindergarteners, round out the academic program, and ATC students gather twice a month in the church sanctuary for chapel, led by the pastoral staff of Northside.
The school year runs August through May, with a posted annual calendar, a parent handbook, and required forms including a birth certificate, a child medical statement, immunization records, emergency medical authorization, and a kindergarten assessment for transfer students. Before and After Care is available from 7:45 AM to 5:30 PM, and a Tuesday and Wednesday after-school program called Dance and Doodle offers themed classes with a light snack and the option of extending into aftercare.
Summer at ATC includes themed day camps for ages three through six, Monday through Thursday from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM, as well as the ATC Summer Review, designed for students who have just completed kindergarten.
Family Hour is a Thursday morning gathering from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, after ATC drop-off, where parents can enjoy coffee, encouragement, conversation, and practical parenting input. Free childcare is provided, and the hour is facilitated by Sarah Tenney, a licensed counselor and family coach who runs Love Well, LLC in uptown Westerville.
ATC's day-to-day operations are supported by a five-member Governing Board appointed by the Session of Northside Fellowship. The board meets the last Wednesday of every month at 5:00 PM in the lunch area, and the meetings are open to the public. Parents are welcome to attend.
Giving, Member Access, and Employment
Giving to Northside is handled online through CloverGive, with options for bank transfer or credit and debit card, and checks can be mailed to the church at 6841 Freeman Road, Westerville, OH 43082. The General Offering, VBS, Missions, the Shelter House Project, and gifts in memory of a loved one are all listed giving channels. Members can also sign on to Northside Connect, the church's online community, to find small groups, check the church calendar, and stay in touch with one another.
Employment postings for both the church and the school are available. Open church roles at the time of writing include a Children's Ministry Director and a Youth Leader, and ATC posts both staff and substitute application forms for prospective teachers and assistants.