A RICH HERITAGE
New Community Church over the years has experienced steady growth, sound leadership development, increasing maturity, and made many rich memories of God’s amazing faithfulness. Founding pastor Chuck Angel led the initiative to plant New Community Church in 1995. A core group began meeting in January motivated by a passion to plant a local church with expressive worship, open to contemporary models of ministry, and engaging the community through relationally focused home group gatherings. Thirty one believers constituted the new church in Muskogee, Oklahoma on April 15, 1995.
THE EARLY GATHERINGS
The are many fond memories of NCC's humble beginnings. The first few weeks of gatherings were hosted in homes. It was soon apparent that a larger place was needed. A member offered the body to meet in a room at his place of business. That meeting resulted in one of the church’s favorite memories -- gathering for worship at the Spot Not Car Wash on Main Street. The joy of this setting spawned a praise song remix of the classic “Car Wash.” The first temporary home for New Community was the YMCA on 6thand Court St. This facility was only available on Saturday nights. So before the current trend of churches hosting Saturday night services, New Community was demonstrating early in its history our flexibility and creative courage. Many people teased that we were “7th day saints.” The early gatherings we were small in number but mighty in Spirit! With the worship leadership of two founding members, Matt Vandiver and Dennis Jernigan, the body was blest and challenged to blaze trails in worship that resulted in lives being transformed. With the DNA strands of passionate worship, strong Biblical teaching and relational ministry, the body of New Community was built on a deep and hardy foundation that has proven durable through many seasons. New Community began as a small group, an intimate circle with strong bonds of fellowship, hearts open to Spirit-led life and committed ministry to one another. This was the essence of church life. In the Summer of 1995 the church launched an intentional strategy to multiply church life among a growing base of members and attenders. Home-based cell groups called “Community Groups” provided a small group solution to offer a means of life-change and meaningful relationships to everyone who attended our worship gatherings. During this same year, the church called Brent Featherston to serve as a Youth Pastor organizing youth home groups and activities in the Fall.
NEW PROPERTY
In March 1996 God led the church leadership to pursue the purchase of an eight acre property on Shawnee Bypass as the future permanent campus of New Community. The church was given a twelve month option on the property with the owner agreeing to allow the church one year to raise half of the asking price of $110,000. If $55,000 was given then that amount would be paid to the owner on March 1, 1997 with the balance due on January 1, 1998. During this grace period no payments were necessary and no interest would be accrued. Immediately a special offering called the “Rehoboth Offering” was initiated with members encouraged to give regularly and on days of special emphasis. Also in the Fall of 1996 the agreement with the YMCA expired and in December the church moved to its second and final temporary home at the Muskogee Civic Assembly Center. Although the YMCA had proven a good time for the NCC family, we were ready for the change and the transition went well. To commemorate our time at the YMCA we celebrated the last service with a remix of “YMCA” which along with “Carwash” gives us fun memories of our early years. Also during this transition, the worship services moved from Saturday nights to Sunday mornings. 1997 proved to be a fruitful year. Not only was the Rehoboth Offering goal of $55,000 reached, it was surpassed with over $80,000 in offerings by our March 1 deadline. During a Men’s Meeting in February, it was unanimously discerned that it was God’s will for us to buy the property. The initial payment of $55,000 was made to the owner and to God’s glory all the funds for the completion of the purchase of the property were secured on August 3, five months before the balance was due.
NEW GROWTH
In July of 1997 our staff experienced another addition by adding Craig Conaway to serve as assistant pastor. Craig came to New Community as a seminary student who wanted to train to become a church planting pastor. In 1997 New Community reached another critical milestone, during the first three years the church hosted a monthly men’s meeting that involved Bible study, leadership training and a forum for discussing and discerning important body-life decisions. The Sr. Pastor utilized this environment to cultivate the development of local church elders. By the Fall, seven men were invited to serve on the first team of Elders tasked with overseeing the church’s health, its direction and an accountability covering for the Sr. Pastor and pastoral staff. Those seven were: Denny George, Robert Jackson, Dennis Jernigan, Brian Lanham, Tom Parker, Matt Vandiver and Chuck Angel. As the church continued to grow in faith, in membershipand vision, the body acquired an additional 3.3 acres that bordered the west side of the church’s existing 8 acre property. This addition increased the frontage on Shawnee Bypass by over 400 feet and allowed for more flexibility in developing a church campus plan. The property was purchased through a special offering and paid for in cash.
During 1998 the Student Ministry expanded its footprint by changing its focus from home-group based meetings to having a weekly youth service at the Civic Center called Crossroads. This ministry featured youth led worship and was a successful step for developing a broader based youth ministry. In 1999 as our Community Groups, worship services and youth ministry continued to grow, focus was placed on developing a strategic ministry to impact children. Original programming was developed called Kingdom Kids that put children in a fast paced “Nickelodeon Channel” style format that taught essential Biblical principles through fun set designs, energetic music, game competitions, puppets and costumed character skits, and age focused small group huddles. The incredible success of this program created the need to increase our staff with a Children’s Pastor. In April 2000 Kevin Dutton came on staff and led this this ministry to new and greater levels of fun and life change for children and families. During 2001 an additional 2.1 acres of property bordering the west side of our existing land was purchased. This tract included a 1,300 sq ft. house. This provided an on-site location for ministry offices, elder and minstry team meetings. This purchase brought the total church property to 13.3 acres. Also during the Fall of 2001, Tom Hopkins a was hired to serve as an Executive Pastor to help oversee New Communities ministries and the development of our campus site. He worked with the Sr. Pastor in developing building plans, a financial strategy and construction management.
PROJECT 31
2002 marked the most prolific season of the church’s growth and vision. In February, Project 31 began. This was an in-house stewardship campaign and resulted in over $500,000 being pledged toward the construction of Phase One of the church’s campus plan. In addition to this development, 6.5 acres of property that extended to Country Club Road was offered to the church at a remarkable price. The elders moved to purchase the propoerty and the sale on that land was completed in December. The land holdings for the church exceed 20 acres on Muskogee’s prime artery. During Easter services the church hit a new momentous mark hosting over 500 worshipers. That achievement opened a new horizon vision and opportunity for what was possible for ministry and outreach in the Muskogee/Green Country region and beyond.
CHURCH PLANTING
2002 marked the beginning of a vision of planting other life-giving churches. Two of our staff, Craig Conaway and Brent Featherston formed the core of a church planting team that moved to Norman, Oklahoma. New Community sent members and financial support to undergird this new work. 2003 began a sad but hopeful chapter as the founding pastor transitioned out of leadership at NCC to plant a church in the Atlanta, Georgia region. New Community served as the sending church supporting this plant with financial invesments and volunteer teams to come on short-term mission trips.
STRONG FOUNDATIONS POINT TO FUTURE GROWTH
Through the founding years the New Community family has shown a history of great faith, passionate fellowship of Christ, risk taking and bold mission support. The foundation established in the church’s first season of life has proven capable of pressing forward and supporting greater heights of faith, vision and growth.
New Community Church over the years has experienced steady growth, sound leadership development, increasing maturity, and made many rich memories of God’s amazing faithfulness. Founding pastor Chuck Angel led the initiative to plant New Community Church in 1995. A core group began meeting in January motivated by a passion to plant a local church with expressive worship, open to contemporary models of ministry, and engaging the community through relationally focused home group gatherings. Thirty one believers constituted the new church in Muskogee, Oklahoma on April 15, 1995.
THE EARLY GATHERINGS
The are many fond memories of NCC's humble beginnings. The first few weeks of gatherings were hosted in homes. It was soon apparent that a larger place was needed. A member offered the body to meet in a room at his place of business. That meeting resulted in one of the church’s favorite memories -- gathering for worship at the Spot Not Car Wash on Main Street. The joy of this setting spawned a praise song remix of the classic “Car Wash.” The first temporary home for New Community was the YMCA on 6thand Court St. This facility was only available on Saturday nights. So before the current trend of churches hosting Saturday night services, New Community was demonstrating early in its history our flexibility and creative courage. Many people teased that we were “7th day saints.” The early gatherings we were small in number but mighty in Spirit! With the worship leadership of two founding members, Matt Vandiver and Dennis Jernigan, the body was blest and challenged to blaze trails in worship that resulted in lives being transformed. With the DNA strands of passionate worship, strong Biblical teaching and relational ministry, the body of New Community was built on a deep and hardy foundation that has proven durable through many seasons. New Community began as a small group, an intimate circle with strong bonds of fellowship, hearts open to Spirit-led life and committed ministry to one another. This was the essence of church life. In the Summer of 1995 the church launched an intentional strategy to multiply church life among a growing base of members and attenders. Home-based cell groups called “Community Groups” provided a small group solution to offer a means of life-change and meaningful relationships to everyone who attended our worship gatherings. During this same year, the church called Brent Featherston to serve as a Youth Pastor organizing youth home groups and activities in the Fall.
NEW PROPERTY
In March 1996 God led the church leadership to pursue the purchase of an eight acre property on Shawnee Bypass as the future permanent campus of New Community. The church was given a twelve month option on the property with the owner agreeing to allow the church one year to raise half of the asking price of $110,000. If $55,000 was given then that amount would be paid to the owner on March 1, 1997 with the balance due on January 1, 1998. During this grace period no payments were necessary and no interest would be accrued. Immediately a special offering called the “Rehoboth Offering” was initiated with members encouraged to give regularly and on days of special emphasis. Also in the Fall of 1996 the agreement with the YMCA expired and in December the church moved to its second and final temporary home at the Muskogee Civic Assembly Center. Although the YMCA had proven a good time for the NCC family, we were ready for the change and the transition went well. To commemorate our time at the YMCA we celebrated the last service with a remix of “YMCA” which along with “Carwash” gives us fun memories of our early years. Also during this transition, the worship services moved from Saturday nights to Sunday mornings. 1997 proved to be a fruitful year. Not only was the Rehoboth Offering goal of $55,000 reached, it was surpassed with over $80,000 in offerings by our March 1 deadline. During a Men’s Meeting in February, it was unanimously discerned that it was God’s will for us to buy the property. The initial payment of $55,000 was made to the owner and to God’s glory all the funds for the completion of the purchase of the property were secured on August 3, five months before the balance was due.
NEW GROWTH
In July of 1997 our staff experienced another addition by adding Craig Conaway to serve as assistant pastor. Craig came to New Community as a seminary student who wanted to train to become a church planting pastor. In 1997 New Community reached another critical milestone, during the first three years the church hosted a monthly men’s meeting that involved Bible study, leadership training and a forum for discussing and discerning important body-life decisions. The Sr. Pastor utilized this environment to cultivate the development of local church elders. By the Fall, seven men were invited to serve on the first team of Elders tasked with overseeing the church’s health, its direction and an accountability covering for the Sr. Pastor and pastoral staff. Those seven were: Denny George, Robert Jackson, Dennis Jernigan, Brian Lanham, Tom Parker, Matt Vandiver and Chuck Angel. As the church continued to grow in faith, in membershipand vision, the body acquired an additional 3.3 acres that bordered the west side of the church’s existing 8 acre property. This addition increased the frontage on Shawnee Bypass by over 400 feet and allowed for more flexibility in developing a church campus plan. The property was purchased through a special offering and paid for in cash.
During 1998 the Student Ministry expanded its footprint by changing its focus from home-group based meetings to having a weekly youth service at the Civic Center called Crossroads. This ministry featured youth led worship and was a successful step for developing a broader based youth ministry. In 1999 as our Community Groups, worship services and youth ministry continued to grow, focus was placed on developing a strategic ministry to impact children. Original programming was developed called Kingdom Kids that put children in a fast paced “Nickelodeon Channel” style format that taught essential Biblical principles through fun set designs, energetic music, game competitions, puppets and costumed character skits, and age focused small group huddles. The incredible success of this program created the need to increase our staff with a Children’s Pastor. In April 2000 Kevin Dutton came on staff and led this this ministry to new and greater levels of fun and life change for children and families. During 2001 an additional 2.1 acres of property bordering the west side of our existing land was purchased. This tract included a 1,300 sq ft. house. This provided an on-site location for ministry offices, elder and minstry team meetings. This purchase brought the total church property to 13.3 acres. Also during the Fall of 2001, Tom Hopkins a was hired to serve as an Executive Pastor to help oversee New Communities ministries and the development of our campus site. He worked with the Sr. Pastor in developing building plans, a financial strategy and construction management.
PROJECT 31
2002 marked the most prolific season of the church’s growth and vision. In February, Project 31 began. This was an in-house stewardship campaign and resulted in over $500,000 being pledged toward the construction of Phase One of the church’s campus plan. In addition to this development, 6.5 acres of property that extended to Country Club Road was offered to the church at a remarkable price. The elders moved to purchase the propoerty and the sale on that land was completed in December. The land holdings for the church exceed 20 acres on Muskogee’s prime artery. During Easter services the church hit a new momentous mark hosting over 500 worshipers. That achievement opened a new horizon vision and opportunity for what was possible for ministry and outreach in the Muskogee/Green Country region and beyond.
CHURCH PLANTING
2002 marked the beginning of a vision of planting other life-giving churches. Two of our staff, Craig Conaway and Brent Featherston formed the core of a church planting team that moved to Norman, Oklahoma. New Community sent members and financial support to undergird this new work. 2003 began a sad but hopeful chapter as the founding pastor transitioned out of leadership at NCC to plant a church in the Atlanta, Georgia region. New Community served as the sending church supporting this plant with financial invesments and volunteer teams to come on short-term mission trips.
STRONG FOUNDATIONS POINT TO FUTURE GROWTH
Through the founding years the New Community family has shown a history of great faith, passionate fellowship of Christ, risk taking and bold mission support. The foundation established in the church’s first season of life has proven capable of pressing forward and supporting greater heights of faith, vision and growth.