Cambridge, MA -- April 11, 2005 -- The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge (VCFC), one of the fastest-growing churches in the Boston area, and the biggest new church in Cambridge, will hold its first Sunday services in its newly renovated sanctuary and first permanent home on May 8th.

The church is planning a month of celebration and community welcoming events including: a May 14th and 15th open house and kids' fair in partnership with the North Cambridge Artists (NoCa) Open Studios, and a dedication ceremony on June 4th.

In just over seven years, The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge has grown from 30 members to 1000 in regular attendance at Sunday services growing at rates of 25 to 50% a year. "It is astounding, yet humbling, to be a part of this spiritual growth spurt in Cambridge," said Senior Pastor Dave Schmelzer. "When the church held it's first public services in 1998, just over 2% or about 2,000 people in Cambridge were in church on a Sunday morning."

The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge purchased the Our Lady of Pity four building campus on Rindge Avenue in North Cambridge from the Boston Archdiocese in February 2004. Since its first public services, the church has rented Cambridge public schools (first, Rindge and Latin High School and, currently, the Morse School) to hold its services and events.

On Saturday May 14th the VCFC will host an open house in partnership with the North Cambridge Artists (NoCa) Open Studios. Activities will include a kids' fair, local performing artists, a barbecue, and guided tours of the new sanctuary. The open house will feature activities ranging from face-painting to live music, theater and an art gallery featuring NoCa pieces in the church's Ministry Center. Galleries will also be open on Sunday May 15th from 12pm to 5pm.

On Saturday, June 4th, the Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge will hold a dedication service from four to six in the eveing. Community leaders will join together to welcome the Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge into its permanent home.

The VCFC undertook major renovations to the church building, rotating the sanctuary one hundred eighty degrees to create a lobby and modifying the acoustics to accommodate contemporary music. "It may look like a very traditional church on the outside but it's far from that on the inside,” says Glenn Knowles of CBT, the commissioned Boston-based architectural firm. "The renovations capture the Vineyard's being a smart and hip church.” The new sanctuary preserves the best of the original art while bringing modern comforts and conveniences including replacing pews with chairs, an extensive audio-visual system, new restrooms, and handicap accessibility. The sanctuary will seat up to 750 people.

The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge is one of the fastest growing churches in the Boston area, and it is the biggest new church in Cambridge.

The church was started primarily to help people seeking to explore faith or to make a spiritual connection, but who have previously not connected well with churches. The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge is known for vibrant contemporary music, a dynamic kids' church, and inspirational, relevant teachings.

The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge has a thousand attendees on Sunday mornings from diverse denominational and ethnic backgrounds from the greater Boston locale.

Sunday services are at 9am and 11pm with kids' church offered during the 9am service. The Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Cambridge also offers over twenty-five ministries and partnerships with local groups that serve the community.

More information is available at www.bostonvineyard.org.