Local church celebrates 40th year

Six full time ministers currently serve Community Christian Church from left Tim Woodring,discipleship/involvement minister; Marcy Reynolds, women's ministry coordinator; Paul Martin, children's minister; Caleb Hutchcraft, student minister; Kevin Moyers, evangelist; and Dusty Drake, associate minister. (Related story, page 7.) (Submitted photo)

Community Christian Church, 1919 S. Horton, will celebrate it's 40th anniversary this Sunday.

"We're not really planning a celebration of what we've done, but rather a celebration of what God has done through us and sometimes in spite of us," said Senior Pastor Kevin Moyers.

Leon Weece, the church's first pastor, will be preaching Sunday at the 9 and 11 a.m. services.

Mike Armstrong will preach following after a catered meal, at 6 p.m. Mike grew up in the church, served as it's first youth minister and now is a campus minister at the University of Arkansas.

Leon Weece served for 14 years at this church and the attendance grew to 300 people under his ministry. Kevin Moyers came in 1987 and has served for 25 years as senior pastor. The church has grown to 600 attendees served by six full time ministers under his ministry.

The church had 63 people on it's first Sunday on January 21, 1973, which met at the "High Rise" at 3rd St. and Scott Ave. The second Sunday in February 1973 was the charter service. There were other meeting places such as the Round Room at Fort Scott Community College and the 4-H building, before the church bought ground and constructed a building at its' present site.

On Nov. 11, 1973, the group broke ground to build the worship center, with the first service held on May 12, 1974.

The church has had numerous building and remodeling programs through its history. A new worship center was built in 1981 and the church's gym and Family Life Center was built in 1998. Last year the church remodeled the worship center.

The many highlights of the church's history will be revisited at 10 a.m. Sunday.

"Many souls have been brought to Jesus through the years and lives have been changed," Moyers said. "All of that is to God's glory, and that's what we are about. The church is very mission minded, supporting missionaries in India, Japan and southeast Asia, as well as giving support to missions that are right here at home. Several young people who have grown up in the church are now serving in ministry around the country, and one of those young people is serving as a missionary in southeast Asia. We presently have 20 students in Bible college and I'm sure a number of them will enter ministry as well."

The church's mission statement is, "Community Christian Church exists to love God, love people and live God's plan."

"The church would like to invite the public to come to the weekend services," Moyers said.