NORTH WOOLWICH

A forward-looking approach has the North Woolwich Methodist Church looking forward — to expansion.

The church — located about halfway between U.S. Route 1 and the Dresden town line on Route 128, is not really “denominationally defined” — as Pastor David Ouellette put it, even though it’s technically a Methodist church. It takes a “relaxed” attitude toward children, and devotes a significant amount of time to adult classes.

Beginning in the spring, North Woolwich Methodist Church will build a $150,000 expansion to the north side of its building. The addition will accommodate five new classrooms.

The foundation is poured, and most of the money has been raised.

“We have the demand for more space,” Pastor Ouellette told The Times Record on Dec. 4. “The classes are crowded.”

That’s because more than 50 children take part in Sunday school and 30 adults also take classes, in two available classrooms.

The expansion will be the third for the church, which was established in 1831. The “L” between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall was built in the 1990s, and the fellowship hall itself was constructed in the early 2000s.

The church still has the original pews, minus the doors, and they hold 120 people. To fit in the more than 150 people who typically attend church on Sunday, though, services are held at 8 and 10:30 a.m.

The Sunday school and adult classes are held inbetween the services.

Ouellette and his wife, Esme, met when they both were music students at the University of Southern Maine. After cementing their Christian faith, they served as missionaries for more than 12 years in Siberia. They are blessed with five children.

In September 2011, Ouellette replaced Pastor John Thorpe, who returned to Bangladesh as a missionary. Ouellette is doing his seminary studies at Cornwall Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass.

“Over the years,” he explained, “this church has had this kind of permission to find its own pastor.”

The church strives to meet the needs of its families, Ouellette said.

“We are intentionally relaxed about the way kids act in church,” the pastor said, “and it’s worked. We have many young families.”

As for adults, the idea is to help them gain a better understanding of their faith. Ouellette and other church members teach the classes.

“Prior to the start of each session, we just kind of ask around, ‘who’s up for teaching this time?’” he said.

It all amounts to a splendidly busy church on the Sabbath.

“It’s an active place on Sunday morning,” Ouellette said. “The parking lot is packed.”

The Christmas Eve service will feature traditional lessons and carols.

lgrard@timesrecord.com