HISTORY

 
 

Brookside is a non-denominational New Testament Church. It was founded on November 10, 1986, with the purpose of exalting Jesus Christ as LORD and building up His body, the church. The Lord put on the hearts of Pastor Jerry and Shar Helman, and Rich and Sandy Romig the message of restoration, and Brookside was birthed.

 
Our first public service was held on Sunday, December 22, 1986 at 10:00 AM at the Holiday Inn in Shamokin Dam, Pennsylvania. We continued to hold Sunday worship services there and a mid-week prayer meeting in homes until the present building on Stetler Avenue in Shamokin Dam was leased, with the first service held there on Sunday, August 29, 1987.
 
Our church was chartered with the Ministerial Fellowship of the U.S.A., Inc. on December 23, 1986. We became officially incorporated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 26, 1988. Our church trustees felt the need to have our own recognition as a tax exempt church organization established with the Internal Revenue Service. Therefore, we amended our Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on April 2, 1990 to better reflect the vision of the church and subsequently were approved by the Internal Revenue Service on August 31, 1990.
 
On July 15, 1993, we were able to purchase the building and property we had been leasing. In 1997, we completed a building project to enlarge the sanctuary, nursery, and restrooms. Included in this same undertaking was the addition of the kitchen, fellowship hall, four classrooms for Christian education, and the installation of the central air conditioning which completed this phase of the building project.
 
Brookside is committed to establishing God’s present truth (I Pet. 1:12). We believe God is sovereignly restoring and preparing the church of Jesus Christ, that in and through her He may reveal Himself throughout the earth in an un-surpassing way. This restoration (or restitution) is of all the truths and principles believed and practiced by the early church (Acts 3:18-24).
 
Our goal is to work with the Holy Spirit and with the ministries God has given the church (Eph. 4:11-13), to bring individual believers to maturity in their commitment to Christ. This process, we believe, will eventually result in a glorious unified universal Church, the �holy and unblemished� bride of Christ, ready for the return of her beloved Bridegroom (Eph. 5:22-32; Rev. 19:6-9).
 

Brookside is only a part of what God is doing on the earth today. What God is doing is worldwide in nature and purpose. God’s desire has always been the world. God is moving in many similar congregations throughout the world. We thank and praise the Lord that we can have a part in this great work of the Spirit of this present hour!