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History of Dolores Park Church

 

Dolores Park Church had its beginning in 1877. It was known then as the Swedish Evangelical Mission Church and met at the YMCA and was the first Covenant church to be established on the West Coast. After the 1906 earthquake destroyed their building on Jesse Street, they purchased the lot at Dorland and Dolores and built the current structure which was dedicated debt-free on August 25, 1907.

 

Since those early beginnings, Dolores Park Church has been a light in the Mission District of San Francisco and a bridge for God’s love to our city and to the world.

 

Known for their hospitality and Biblical integrity, the people of Dolores Park Church have extended the love of Jesus Christ to the generations that have come and gone or who still are in our city: Swedish seamen, hippies of the 60’s, the military of the Presidio, those suffering from AIDS and HIV, the Mission District’s Hispanic community, students and families in our immediate neighborhood, and our many friends and family members.

 

Dolores Park Church today is an intergenerational, multi-ethnic faith community in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District. What’s changed is that we’re no longer a Swedish Church. What hasn’t changed is our love for Jesus and desire to reach our world with the message of His transforming grace.

 

If you are interested in more info about the long history of DPC, feel free to check out the history room off of the balcony in the sanctuary at 455 Dolores St.

 

Dolores Park Church is affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of America www.covchurch.org.

  
     

 

  
     
 

About DPC

 

For over 130 years Dolores Park Church has been an intergenerational, multi-ethnic community of Christian faith and mission rooted in the center of San Francisco.

 

Our Vision is to make real the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven through the life and love of Jesus.

 

Our Mission is to put our faith into action as we passionately pursue Jesus and live as his hands and feet in the world.
        
Our Action is shaped by Five Values…

 

•Worship: Glorifying God in all
•Gospel: Revealing Jesus to all                  
•Spiritual Formation: Growing the church in the life of the Spirit
•Community: Pursuit of ongoing relational reconciliation
•Mission: Loving and serving the world both locally and globally

 

Our Goal is Kingdom growth (Mark 4:1-8, 26-28). We pursue growth through the following Growth Priorities…

 

 

• Centrality of the Word of God

• Transformational Living with Jesus

• Becoming the Feet of Jesus: Intentional Witness

• Becoming the Hands of Jesus: Active Compassion, Mercy & Justice

• Authentic Christian Community

• Global Vision and Engagement

• Generosity in Worship and Living

• Faithful and Fruitful Leadership

 

 

 

Dolores Park Church - Theological Foundations

  • We affirm the centrality of the word of God: We are focused on seeking and discovering God's grace, truth, transformation and mission through Jesus Christ as the Living Word of God, and the Bible as God's inspired word for his people.We believe that the Bible is the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine and conduct. The dynamic, transforming power of the word of God directs the church and the life of each Christian.

  • We affirm the necessity of the New Birth: New birth is God's work to regenerate and remake us into his likeness, for his purpose.To say that new birth in Christ is necessary is to acknowledge that without God's mercy and grace in Christ we do not have hope for new life. As we commit ourselves to Christ and receive his mercy and grace we become alive in Christ, receiving forgiveness, acceptance and eternal life.

  • We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the Church: The whole mission of the church involves a full integration of the Great Commission (making disciples) and the Great Commandment (loving the Lord our God and our neighbors as ourselves). This means we seek to live as the hands and feet of Jesus as we grow together in Christ-likeness, share the message of life and hope in Christ, and serve people through ministries of compassion, mercy and justice

  • We affirm the Church as fellowship of believers: The church is a grace-filled fellowship of believers and is often called the body of Christ. It is the family of God's children and Jesus' followers seeking to embody the life, love and mission of Jesus Christ. Membership in the church is open to all followers of Jesus who have made a confession of personal faith in Jesus Christ. We believe in the priesthood of all believers - that is, we all share as equals in the ministry of the church.

  • We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit: We believe the bible teaches us that God is Trinity (Three-in-One) Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus and gives us God's grace, love, power and gifts (God-given strengths/abilities) to grow up into Christ-likeness and to live as his stewards, partners and people in the world.

  • We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ: Freedom is a gift of God as we live in relationship with Christ and dependent upon his Spirit. It leads us to live in unity with God and with others. Freedom in Christ means we are set free from the power of things that, on their own, tend to divide. As people, united in Christ, we seek to focus on what unites us, rather than on what divides us.