The New Deliverance Church is aptly named, having come about as an opportunity for Christian Ministry in the Roseland neighborhood to embody a “new deliverance” of God’s children. The history of this congregation is rich, and its membership represents a diversity of homes over the years.
The Bethlehem Covenant Church, located at 73rd and Maryland Avenue in the Grand Crossing neighborhood, was the result of the union of the Bethlehem Presbyterian Church and the Brookline Presbyterian Church. The Bethlehem and Brookline congregations united due to urban renewal, in which Bethlehem’s building was cleared for the construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway. In 1967, the Bethlehem Covenant and Chatham United Presbyterian Churches joined forces to become the Chatham-Bethlehem Presbyterian Church. Located at 84th and Evans Avenue, the Chatham congregation started as a mission church and anchored the budding residential community surrounding the facility with many of the members living within walking distance of the church.
Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church of Roseland, founded in 1898 occupied our current location at 112th and State Streets for decades and witnessed firsthand the transformation of the Roseland community due to white flight. In November 2002, the Presbyterian Church of Roseland joined forces with South Shore Presbyterian Church, founded circa 1885, located at 7566 South Shore Drive, in the South Shore Community. This union resulted in the two congregations uniting as one house of God and assumed the name Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Church of Roseland was chosen as the site to offer the greatest opportunity for spiritual growth and community outreach.
In 2014, the Holy Spirit called for Chatham-Bethlehem and Cornerstone to join forces. Under the banner of New Deliverance Church and the spiritual leadership of Rev. Marty C. Gool, the newly formed congregation was challenged to grow by meeting the needs of the community. Our mission is “to reach the unreachable, touch the untouchable, love the unlovable. To live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Taking a fresh approach to ministry, we have held outdoor worship services, job fairs, health fairs, community picnics and other activities in the community. During the devastating Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, New Deliverance continued its support of the community. Today, we embrace the power of social media and other advanced communication methods to worship God and to study His word. We continue to worship virtually and in person, we continue to reach our members and the community with Bible Study, Wellbeing checks and programs such as our Diaper Distribution and “Feed the Homeless”. We offer our facility as a meeting place for appropriate community groups, and we look forward to continuing to be a part of God’s solution for the Roseland community and beyond.
With God’s continued blessings we will continue to pursue our mission of bringing His “New Deliverance” to the greater Roseland community and beyond!
