A historic Bremerton church built in 1910 has reopened its doors after extensive renovations, marking a new chapter in its long-standing presence in the community.

Discovery Church celebrated its grand reopening Feb. 2, following years of restoration aimed at blending the church’s historical charm with modern updates.

The restoration project cost about $1 million. Much of the funding came from the sale of the Manette School, supplemented by donations and grants. A recent $30,000 grant is now being used to renovate the upstairs youth room.

Originally constructed as the First Baptist Church in 1910, the building has served multiple congregations over the decades. One of its defining features is its towering stained-glass windows, which stand approximately 20 feet tall and were shipped from Italy in molasses to prevent damage during transit.

“This is the oldest church in Bremerton,” pastor Stephen Olson said. “The stained-glass windows are probably the coolest part of the church and one of the coolest things in Bremerton.”

The church has witnessed significant moments in local history, including a dramatic event in 1986 when an explosion at a photo lab across the street shattered most of the stained-glass windows—except for two main panels, which miraculously remained intact.

Before its reopening, the building had fallen into disrepair. The congregation, which had owned the building since 1962, outgrew the space and moved to the former Manette School in 2007. The church then rented out the original structure to various organizations, including Kitsap Rescue Mission. However, years of deferred maintenance left the building in poor condition.

When Olson took over as lead pastor 3 1/2 years ago the church was in the process of selling the Manette School to Catalyst Public Schools and needed a new home. Despite initial hesitation due to the building’s deteriorated state, Olson and his team decided to restore the historic structure after recognizing its potential.

“I was pretty reluctant at first, but after coming inside and seeing the stained-glass windows, I knew it could be something special,” Olson said. “Contractors told me, ‘She’s got good bones,’ and that convinced us to move forward.”

The renovation focused on making the church more open, bright and welcoming. The team demolished an old apartment and garage on the property to create a courtyard entrance with an ADA-accessible ramp. Major interior updates included a new electrical system, HVAC, doors, windows and lighting.

One of the biggest changes was replacing the old pews with padded chairs, though one pew was preserved for historical purposes. Additional updates included remodeling the bathrooms, painting the interior, installing new flooring and adding grand chandeliers.

Throughout the renovation, the team discovered hidden rooms and storage spaces, including an old floor safe that, despite high hopes, contained no forgotten treasure. “There were so many surprises,” said Olson, who has been in full-time pastoral ministry for 14 years. “We found an old safe and had to jackhammer it open, but unfortunately, there was nothing inside.”

Given its downtown Bremerton location, one of the challenges was ensuring the church remained open and welcoming while also securing the property as it can be a high-crime area. “We want the church to be a place where people experiencing homelessness feel welcome,” Olson said. “But we also knew we couldn’t have people breaking in and living in the rooms.”

To address security, the church installed window guards and built a fence around the courtyard, which is opened during services and events. Since reopening, the church has not experienced any security issues, though Olson recalls times during the renovation when he would find people seeking shelter.

Volunteer efforts played a crucial role in the restoration, with groups like the Thrive Young Adult ministry in Kitsap County providing labor. “We couldn’t have done it without a lot of help,” Olson said. “It was amazing to see other churches and volunteers come together to support this project.”

The grand reopening drew a full house of 150 attendees, the church’s maximum capacity. Since then, weekly attendance has been steadily growing, with a recent record of 51 people in a single service. “It’s been the best couple of months of my pastoral career,” Olson said. “We’re seeing people who have never been to church before walk in, stay, get baptized and invite their friends. It’s incredible.”

Beyond his work at the church, Olson and his wife, Corissa, are deeply involved in the community. Corissa, a Bremerton native, works as a clinical supervisor for Catholic Community Services. The couple has been married 16 years and has three children.

Olson hopes to expand the church’s role in the community by providing social services, particularly for Bremerton’s homeless population. The church has already begun distributing hygiene kits and offering a welcoming space for those in need.

Looking ahead, the church plans to restore its stained-glass windows, replace the building’s siding and install a wheelchair lift for full accessibility. Discovery Church also hopes to serve as a community gathering space, and, “A lot of people who have seen the church say it would make a great wedding venue,” Olson said. “We plan to start hosting weddings within the next few weeks.”

Beyond its current mission, Discovery Church has long-term goals to expand its presence throughout Kitsap County, which has one of the lowest church attendance rates in the nation. “The national average for church attendance is about forty percent of the population. In Kitsap County, it’s only ten percent,” Olson said. “There’s room for more churches, and our goal is to grow and eventually help plant new ones.”

Pastor Stephen Olson and his wife, pastor Corissa Olson.