Our Church: A Launchpad for Generations

 As we prepare for communion this morning, we pause to remember the past. Some of my earliest memories in life are at church. I had a big wheel at Beechwood and would ride down a cement sidewalk and hit the blacktop parking lot going at least 80 mph, hit the brake, turn the wheel, and do the most awesome spin-outs ever! I hate to admit this. Confession is therapeutic. I remember sneaking to taste communion. Yes, I repented. I remember trying to jump down the highest number of steps possible. I would go as high as possible without a severe sense of pain in my legs upon landing. I think seven was the magic number.

I remember I didn’t want Ed Smith, the man in charge of starting this church, to leave in 1982. He had been a source of leadership, stability, and security for my family. I remember him talking about being called to start more churches in stark county, but my six-year-old mind struggled with not wanting more churches if that meant he was leaving Beechwood. 

I remember when Ed invited my sister to sing at one of the first church locations, the Louisville Constitution Center. I spoke with Joanne Rossow and told her I remember walking in and seeing all the glass. She said, “we were called the church in the fish bowl because everyone could see in.” I remember my sister singing in the fishbowl. I remember playing sardines, prayer walks, and Wednesday and Sunday night youth group-Sunday Night Live. I remember all the Sunday School and Youth group leaders who poured their hearts and souls into my spiritual growth.  I remember people who have come and gone who didn’t give up on my family, and I remember my baptism. 

Probably most of all, I remember communion. I remember every Sunday taking an inventory of my behaviors. I remember caring about my teenage habits. Every Sunday was a new beginning. It was an opportunity to give one more go, remembering I was forgiven, and that I wanted to show my love for Christ by growing. 

Communion is a time to remember Christ’s sacrifice and to examine our hearts. That includes praying about our habits. As we reflect on our past and the importance of the church to spread the love of Christ, this week, I have found myself asking what habits lead the Dehoffs, the Rossows, and the Browns to remain committed to this church. You can bet they all had their feelings hurt, times of disappointment, and times when expectations weren’t met. However, they all had a God-given vision, a dream, and a commitment to the great commission right here in Louisville. 

When it comes to not giving up on people, I see you all as leaders in the community. I want you to find hope, fuel, and inspiration to pursue your missions here. Our church is a launchpad to do His work in His community.

As you reflect, I want you all to know this church was sown in love w a vision to win thousands and millions to Christ and to be a place where all people can practice life w one another and work toward the joy of realizing our salvation and being transformed in Christ. 

Louisville Christian Church History

 History of LCC: Rick Brown and Joann Rossow as contributors in addition to my memories.

Good Morning. My name is Andy Beltz. I am one of the elders here at LCC. We are excited for what is going on here at our church. We are so thankful for what is about to happen. As we prepare to pay off our church loan, we want you to know more about our church, what we are doing, where we have been, and where we are going. Last Sunday, you heard from Russ about our great outreach programs. This morning, I get to talk about a topic that is near and dear to my heart, and I will share why. 

I want you to know I am going to talk about our past briefly now and also at communion. As we prepare to worship this morning, listen to our past and ask, what can we learn from our past to guide our present and our future? What story has our Father in Heaven written in our church, and what story will be told years from now? 

In 1982 LCC was planted by an evangelistic organization called Northeastern Association of Helpers (NOAH), based in Hartville. Three area churches provided five total church family members to help make up the core of the newly-founded church: The Indian Run Christian Church in Osnaburg Twp, The Minerva First Christian Church, and The Beechwood Christian Church near Maximo. Two out of the five original families continue to serve today. Thank you, Pat Dehoff and Joann Rossow, for all you have done and continue to do for our church.

This small group eventually grew to a little under 50 people who formed the nucleus of the church. They soon purchased the six acres plot the building is currently located on (according to Joanne, they purchased a plot South of the current plot and then purchased the one we are on now). Ed Smith was the pastor of Beechwood and became the Director of NOAH. I will share more about Ed during communion, but as a six-year-old member of Beechwood, I remember when we helped launch this church. Ed served as this Church’s 1st minister.

Over its first six years, the church had three different ministers, and attendance wavered between 40 and 100. The church met in various rented facilities. One was the Louisville Constitution Center, known by some locals at the time as “The Fish Bowl,” near where the police station is catty-corner from Dairy Queen. By the fall of 1988, attendance had dwindled to 40. They had no minister and some considered closing. Remaining true to the Great Commission, the decision was made to hire another minister to rebuild the church. That fall, Rick and Holly Brown was hired, and Rick began ministry at LCC on Jan 1, 1989. 

The church began a capital-raising program and building on this property in early 1990. That fall, a telemarketing and direct mail campaign was initiated to promote and invite residents to the Grand Opening Service of LCC in its first building on Nov. 11, 1989. 201 people were in attendance.

The attendance after that service settled @ 125, and the church has grown slowly, but steadily ever since. Building programs to add space were conducted in 1994 and 2004. Today attendance runs an average of 275, with over 390 people who attend here regularly.

The church added a Youth Minister to the staff in 1998. Tony Wolfe, our current Youth Minster, is the 3rd we have had in that position. He started ministry here in 2006. A Children's Minister was added to the staff in 2014. That position was split into two positions by Holly Brown, who served as Children's Director for seven years. She recruited and mentored Season Kerr & Jenna Dente

- who currently lead our children's program.

As we worship together this morning, may we praise God for the people who helped bring us to this moment in time and for the lives transformed in Christ through the work here.

My Notes:

Spoke with Joan ROSSOW who did not recall the church ever having a hard time enough to discuss closing. She did not recall getting to the point where they were trying to decide whether to close or hire a new pastor.

Original families from Beechwood

Lynn and Sandy Burrier, Ed and Bonnie Smith, John and Dianne Porter, Mary and Marrianne Dehoff, Pat and Millard Dehoff

Minerva First Christian Church Rick and Joanne Rossow, 

Indian Run, Mel and Gail Long