missions
How to Revitalize a 400-Year-Old Church
By Mia Staub at Christianity Today
· June 30, 2026
· 1 min read
In 2022, when John David Mangrum and his team of elders sat down with the remaining congregants of First Church in Charlestown to discuss merging their historic church with Mangrum’s plant, only two women showed up, including 90-year-old Ms. Pat, who’d attended First Church for nearly a quarter of i
Key takeaway Pat, who’d attended First Church for nearly a quarter of its 400-year history.
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Category: missions ·
Published: June 30, 2026 ·
Source: Christianity Today ·
Reading time: 1 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? In 2022, when John David Mangrum and his team of elders sat down with the remaining congregants of First Church in Charlestown to discuss merging their historic church with Mangrum’s plant, only two women showed up, including 90-year-old Ms. Pat, who’d attended First Church for nearly a quarter of i
When was this published? This article was first published on June 30, 2026 by Christianity Today and curated for Jesus Give readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Mia Staub at Christianity Today. To learn more about how Jesus Give selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more missions coverage from Jesus Give, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .