North Beverly Residents Raise Questions, Concerns About Historic Church's Future

BEVERLY, MA — North Beverly residents raised questions and expressed concerns about the future of the historic Second Congregational Church site during a community meeting on Wednesday amid a proposed sale to Lifebridge North Shore.

Some residents said on Wednesday, and at a previous meeting last week, that they worry long-term plans for the site could include shelter housing, and that the residential nature of the neighborhood is
not conducive to providing services related to Lifebridge's mission of support for homeless and vulnerable members of the North Shore.

According to a release announcing the proposed transfer, co-issued by Church Legacy Pastor Rev. Adam Isbitsky and Lifebridge President Jason Etheridge on June 18: "The organization plans to use the historic site as a Day Drop-in Resource Center to expand outreach, host community meals and events, and collaborate with other local agencies to deepen its impact."

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"We are honored to carry forward the legacy of Second Church," Etheridge said in the release. "This historic space will allow us to broaden our outreach and strengthen support for the people of Beverly and the North Shore."

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"I understand that there are people who have come into the room tonight who are very concerned and don't want this to happen," Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill said. "I understand there are people who are in the room who very much support the missions of Lifebridge, support the church and what the church is trying to do, support Family Promise, which also has been operating some of their work out of the church to date.

"And I know that there are people here who come into this room with concerns and are looking for answers. ... There are people coming in with very different views."

Ward 5 City Councilor Kathleen Feldman said the direct abutters have a "valid concern" about the future of the site, while she has talked with other Ward 5 residents who are in support of the sale.

"Your voice is being heard," she said. "And I just wanted to reassure the residents directly abutting this area that I am listening and that your voice is the guiding force behind what I am doing in this project."

Family Promise North Shore Executive Director Rachel Hand said the church would not become a shelter that is "not the solution" to the housing crisis on the North Shore and beyond, but that the intent is to provide resources for those in danger of losing housing.

The sale agreement is subject to the approval of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Public Charities and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court before being finalized. But as a transaction between two private entities, it is unclear — and apparently unlikely — whether either the city or the nearby residents have standing to challenge the sale.

"I am not inclined to try to insert myself where the law does not give me standing," Cahill said. "I am inclined to work with you all in the neighborhood to try to make sure that if this sale goes forward, and goes through, that Lifebridge does the things that they are talking about doing and doesn't do things that would seem inconsistent with the resource that the building is and with what they're trying to accomplish.

"I think it can be consistent with what you folks are OK with and what you most don't want to see happen."

Isbitsky said the congregation's January vote to back the sale was 52-1-1 among its members and that the Lifebridge sale is the only one being pursued at this time.

"We feel that when a vote like that happens," Isbitsky said, "it is almost a sign of the Holy Spirit's blessing, if you will, that we have all heard each other through the process and that we trust that this is what God is calling us to do.

"We feel very strongly that this is God's next action for this location. For the building that has been our home for 310 years."

Cahill said the Attorney General's Office and SJC process can be expected to take between six months to a year before the sale is finalized.

"The most important thing," Cahill said, "if you are willing to do it as neighbors, is to engage in this conversation with Lifebridge and engage with the help of us, your elected officials, and try to help with Lifebridge to shape what they're doing if it is them at the end of this process.

"Unless something goes sideways with the church and Lifebridge before the AG and before the Supreme Judicial Court — if it plays the way you would expect — then Lifebridge comes in at some point as owner. Along the way, let's take this conversation that has started and keep it going. And try to engage it in a positive way with Lifebridge."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)