By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – The Rev. David Clark has his eyes on the city, watching for things that are going to make a difference.

As the newly installed pastor at Court Street Baptist Church, Clark is eager to see the church become a more prominent social force.

“I really want to see how the community as a whole operates, because there is a real potential for the church to become a real force for good,” Clark said. “We couldn’t pick a more prominent spot, and it’s a really spiritually strong community.”

He came to the church, located in the heart of the downtown, in May, ending a nearly three-year search for a successor to the Rev. Burt Tidlund.

Dennis Sweetser, chairman of the search committee, said he’s sure they found the right preacher.

“I’ve heard a lot of ministers in my day,” Sweetser said. “Some put you to sleep and some you don’t want to miss a word. I’ve been in churches where you wish you weren’t there. He’s never been that way. You come out of his sermons excited, uplifted.”

Clark spent the past seven years as pastor of the Ogunquit Baptist Church. Auburn’s urban nature will be quite a change.

“Ogunquit was mostly a summer community, a resort community,” he said. It was a wealthy community where church attendance changed dramatically week to week.

The Auburn church has a steady population of about 150 people every week and solid urban social ministries, including clothing and food collections.

“The church’s location really lends itself to that,” Clark said. “One thing I know is that you cannot transfer something that works in one church to another.”

He’s trying to figure out what works for Auburn.

“I’m just plugging in now, seeing what’s exciting the community and what’s effective,” he said.