After meeting in rented space in Boynton Beach for nearly three years, some Haitian Christians in Delray Beach now have a new home.

A partnership between The Church of the Palms and Bethel Community Haitian Church began Aug. 1 and has allowed Creole-speaking Haitians to attend weekly services much closer to home.

Some 40 Haitian residents are expected initially for the services, to be held in the Fellowship Hall of The Church of the Palms on North Swinton Avenue, avoiding the need to travel to Boynton Beach.

“There was really a need. We needed a new congregation for Delray Beach and they opened up their building for me,” said the Rev. Jacqueson Pierre, pastor of Bethel Community and founder of Bethel Community Haitian Church Ministries. “This gives more people an opportunity to come to services.”

Pierre is not a novice with new churches, having started three congregations in his native Haiti, as well as locations in Lake Worth and Port St. Lucie.

“It wasn’t easy in the beginning with these churches, but God called me to do this,” said Pierre, 45, who has been preaching since the age of 19. “I started the Lake Worth church in 1995. We share space with First Presbyterian Church there, and I started the church in Port St. Lucie last year, which we share with another Presbyterian congregation.”

Leaders at The Church of the Palms, an affiliate of the United Church of Christ, saw sharing their facilities as an opportunity for community outreach.

“He [Pierre] was challenged on affording space, so we had conversations within our church, looked over our facility and realized it was underutilized,” said senior pastor the Rev. Roger Richardson. “We offered them our Fellowship Hall for services.

“This is a great thing for our church,” Richardson said. “We’re excited about helping them get started here.”

Pierre’s congregation will start with one Sunday service, but eventually may expand to offer additional services and programs.

“I had a similar experience with a group from Puerto Rico when I was at a church in New Jersey, and it worked out well,” said Richardson, who took over as pastor of the 44-year-old church a little more than a year ago. “It will be easier for them here because it will be more convenient to the people they want to serve.”

Joint programming may be scheduled in the future.

“We may possibly have fellowship time together after services, since our service starts at the same time as theirs (10 a.m. Sundays),” Richardson said. “I’m hoping we’ll share music with one another and have joint communions as well.”

Pierre is publicizing the service through the media and word of mouth.

“We’ll use a Haitian radio station (WHSR 980 AM) to broadcast announcements about the services,” said Pierre, who lives in Port St. Lucie. “We want to reach the children of these families, too, and hold Bible studies and Sunday school.”

Pierre’s wife of four years, Viliane, helps him by teaching Sunday school at the Lake Worth church.

“She will be helping me with the new ministry as well,” Pierre said.

He said additional help is needed to keep all the ministries running.

“I have been working to teach other pastors, so they can help out at the other congregations,” Pierre said. “Eventually, I hope to have another pastor lead this congregation.”

Pierre said he is determined to bring Christianity to more Haitians.

“Some Haitian people study voodoo and I want to teach them to be Christians,” he said. “God is good, so I must continue to work to reach others with the Gospel.”

The Church of the Palms is at 1960 N. Swinton Ave. Call 561-276-6347.