Churches That Work – July/August nominations
Send your nominations to [email protected].
South Florida Church of Christ, Plantation, Fla.
I nominate the South Florida Church of Christ for a “Church that Works.” The South Florida Church has a membership of nearly 1,400, with services and ministries in English, Creole and Spanish. The congregation is diverse with members from the U.S., Caribbean, South and Central America, and many other countries.
The church is evangelistic, with Sunday services averaging about 1,700 people and weekly baptisms. As part of its mission mindedness, the congregation helps support mission work in Haiti and nine other churches throughout South America.
A teaching program includes advanced Sunday School classes for the more mature members and introductory classes for new Christians. Wednesdays have in-depth teaching for people in different life stages. Vibrant teen, campus and singles ministries provide vehicles for youthful zeal to develop.
The membership excels in the area of community and church service. Volunteers staff a Saturday school program for “at risk” children. Most of the church functions are staffed at the volunteer level and in an excellent manner. The degree of commitment and participation by everyone is appreciated by those who benefit.
The spirit of worship at services is attributable to the relationship members have with God and their desire to respond faithfully to His grace. When members were surveyed about strengths in the church, there was an overwhelming response of “Loving Relationships” as one of the greatest strengths of the South Florida Church of Christ.
A leadership group consisting of lay and staff elders, evangelists, teachers, ministers and deacons has taken great pains to serve, lead and motivate our congregation to greater faith, with input from the membership and from outside the congregation. Their humility is admirable. Every congregation has its challenges (as seen in the New Testament), but the ability to seek council to change and mature is the key to keeping challenges from becoming obstacles.
Silver Spring, Md., church of Christ
This church has, since WWII, planted a dozen other area churches including Columbia, Olney, Rockville, Hagerstown and others. The church has sponsored scores of missionaries, led the way in the nation’s capital in human diversity in all its forms — Hispanic, black, Asian, handicapped.
This is pillar of light in the Northeastern U.S., true to the faith. The church recently completed two major building renovation projects and is recognized in the community for improving access to the hanicapped.
Its faithful elders and preachers are sought by others for advice and prayer,
and teaching engagements.
This church is deeply involved in missions, with one if its elders personally overseeing a dozen missionary funds and fundraising.
Metro Church of Christ, Sterling Heights, Mich.
The Metro Church of Christ is located across from City Hall. There are two big events each year. Thousands of people gather to watch the Memorial Day Parade. Then in September there is a Sterling Fest Jazz festival. The church opens its doors for open house and passes out literature to thousands. They invite the community to tour the building. They give out free coffee and offer the community parking on their seven acres of ground. On Saturday of Sterlingfest they take up donations for parking. The proceeds for the last two years have went to Rochester College and The Church of Christ Care Center.
They have an excellent web page with a “Life Thoughts” web broadcast. Paul Killlom the Sr. Minister is faithful in writing a new article every week. Rick Woodall, the associate minister, does an excellent job keeping the Web page updated and recording the short devotional message.
The Web page ministry has opened doors for communication with congregations in many other countries and has brought in many visitors. They have a direct link to the Sterling Heights city page for those church shopping.
They have recently set up ministry groups that serve the congregation and have a beautiful landscaped curb appeal that is made possible by many hard-working volunteers in their ministry groups.
The Web page can be viewed at: http://www.qix.net/~metrococ.
Congratulations to the Eldership at Metro for there hard work and dedication in this vital area for the Gospel.
Friendly Avenue Church of Christ, Greensboro, N.C.
I love the Body of Christ at Friendly Avenue Church of Christ, in Greensboro, N.C. God has not only blessed me through Friendly Avenue, but he blesses Greensboro, N.C., as well.
The list of ministries is long and fruitful — The eldership is strong and if longevity is any measure of “what works,” our minister, Dr. Ron Newberry, has been there for over 22 years.
One unique aspect of our church are the number of full-time ministers for a church of its size (450 to 500). We have five, including full-time ministries to the deaf and Spanish speakers.
I love the people there and they love God. I have never been to a church that I was more interested in bringing my friends to visit, and I sense that others feel this way as well.
We are the most racially and culturally diverse church of Christ I have ever seen in the South, and this works to further develop our members in a sense of the beauty of God’s diverse creation.
I nominate the South Florida Church of Christ for a “Church that Works.” The South Florida Church has a membership of nearly 1,400, with services and ministries in English, Creole and Spanish. The congregation is diverse with members from the U.S., Caribbean, South and Central America, and many other countries.
The church is evangelistic, with Sunday services averaging about 1,700 people and weekly baptisms. As part of its mission mindedness, the congregation helps support mission work in Haiti and nine other churches throughout South America.
A teaching program includes advanced Sunday School classes for the more mature members and introductory classes for new Christians. Wednesdays have in-depth teaching for people in different life stages. Vibrant teen, campus and singles ministries provide vehicles for youthful zeal to develop.
The membership excels in the area of community and church service. Volunteers staff a Saturday school program for “at risk” children. Most of the church functions are staffed at the volunteer level and in an excellent manner. The degree of commitment and participation by everyone is appreciated by those who benefit.
The spirit of worship at services is attributable to the relationship members have with God and their desire to respond faithfully to His grace. When members were surveyed about strengths in the church, there was an overwhelming response of “Loving Relationships” as one of the greatest strengths of the South Florida Church of Christ.
A leadership group consisting of lay and staff elders, evangelists, teachers, ministers and deacons has taken great pains to serve, lead and motivate our congregation to greater faith, with input from the membership and from outside the congregation. Their humility is admirable. Every congregation has its challenges (as seen in the New Testament), but the ability to seek council to change and mature is the key to keeping challenges from becoming obstacles.
Silver Spring, Md., church of Christ
This church has, since WWII, planted a dozen other area churches including Columbia, Olney, Rockville, Hagerstown and others. The church has sponsored scores of missionaries, led the way in the nation’s capital in human diversity in all its forms — Hispanic, black, Asian, handicapped.
This is pillar of light in the Northeastern U.S., true to the faith. The church recently completed two major building renovation projects and is recognized in the community for improving access to the hanicapped.
Its faithful elders and preachers are sought by others for advice and prayer,
and teaching engagements.
This church is deeply involved in missions, with one if its elders personally overseeing a dozen missionary funds and fundraising.
Metro Church of Christ, Sterling Heights, Mich.
The Metro Church of Christ is located across from City Hall. There are two big events each year. Thousands of people gather to watch the Memorial Day Parade. Then in September there is a Sterling Fest Jazz festival. The church opens its doors for open house and passes out literature to thousands. They invite the community to tour the building. They give out free coffee and offer the community parking on their seven acres of ground. On Saturday of Sterlingfest they take up donations for parking. The proceeds for the last two years have went to Rochester College and The Church of Christ Care Center.
They have an excellent web page with a “Life Thoughts” web broadcast. Paul Killlom the Sr. Minister is faithful in writing a new article every week. Rick Woodall, the associate minister, does an excellent job keeping the Web page updated and recording the short devotional message.
The Web page ministry has opened doors for communication with congregations in many other countries and has brought in many visitors. They have a direct link to the Sterling Heights city page for those church shopping.
They have recently set up ministry groups that serve the congregation and have a beautiful landscaped curb appeal that is made possible by many hard-working volunteers in their ministry groups.
The Web page can be viewed at: http://www.qix.net/~metrococ.
Congratulations to the Eldership at Metro for there hard work and dedication in this vital area for the Gospel.
Friendly Avenue Church of Christ, Greensboro, N.C.
I love the Body of Christ at Friendly Avenue Church of Christ, in Greensboro, N.C. God has not only blessed me through Friendly Avenue, but he blesses Greensboro, N.C., as well.
The list of ministries is long and fruitful — The eldership is strong and if longevity is any measure of “what works,” our minister, Dr. Ron Newberry, has been there for over 22 years.
One unique aspect of our church are the number of full-time ministers for a church of its size (450 to 500). We have five, including full-time ministries to the deaf and Spanish speakers.
I love the people there and they love God. I have never been to a church that I was more interested in bringing my friends to visit, and I sense that others feel this way as well.
We are the most racially and culturally diverse church of Christ I have ever seen in the South, and this works to further develop our members in a sense of the beauty of God’s diverse creation.
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