Community Christian Church began in the 1960s and built a building on CR 500 West.
Photo provided
NEW PALESTINE — Whenever a church member is in the hospital and Lyle Parker goes to visit, the minister often finds someone else from church has already been there see them.
That’s the closeness and caring people describe when talking about Community Christian Church. Someone can no longer drive to church, so another person will pick them up. Someone else remembers showing up for the first time years ago, and though a stranger finding a warm welcome.
“It’s a friendly, God-fearing, Bible-believing church,” said Vic Tucker, one of the original charter members. “You’re always welcome there, no matter who you are.”
Later this month the congregation will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a weekend of services, meals together and reminiscing. Organizers have received word that past members from as far away as Louisiana and Wyoming plan to return for the event.
In 1964, a group of people who’d worshiped together at another church set out to form a new one. There was no church building at the start, and services were in someone’s home. Looking back, Tucker said one of his grown children has chuckled that even the kitchen sink could be pressed into seating.
Tucker remembers that a local mortuary donated some chairs, and somehow a congregation of more than 60 gathered in the home. “Some of the wooden chairs are still around” at the church, he said.
Eventually someone offered to sell the church 3.5 acres on CR 500W — for $5,000.
“Five thousand dollars, back in 1964, was an astronomical amount of money,” Tucker said. “But we got together at a little place on 200 with an outside shelter, had a cookout and raised the money that day.”
That was just the land. Right away they had to save for plans, a building and financing. Unable to obtain a loan locally, a few leaders drove to Illinois to talk to a venture capitalist. Tucker said the man lent them $30,000 after asking what they did for missions and hearing their answer: They said they tried to give 10 percent of their offerings to missions.
People of the church say that desire to give has continued through the decades.
“We have a church that has a tremendous heart for missions and community outreach,” said longtime member Darlene Bradley, an organizer of the anniversary celebration. “We take a large amount of food down to the homeless in Indianapolis every other week; we have a church van, and they fill that up.”
Tucker said the church has sponsored scholarships for young people and met other needs.
“Anybody that has a hardship can come — we’ll have prayer circles, we’ll have special donations for them, food, housing … There’s always somebody that’s going to help them.”
Parker remembers visiting the church for the first time in May 2023 when he had interviewed for the minister job and was there to preach a trial sermon. He found people welcoming and said it’s been that way ever since.
“When you walk in, you feel like family,” he said. “There’s a sense of camaraderie that is really unmatched … Both physical and spiritual needs are both actively being pursued, to meet both of those.
“A lot of these people have been here for years; they’ve grown bonds that kind of meet the definition of what it means to be a spiritual family.”
And yet, those newer to the church also describe a warmth.
Chris Walden remembers visiting the church for the first time about seven years ago. His church’s pastor had moved away, and the congregation was looking for a possible merger if it could find another like-minded church that would welcome it.
He went to Community Christian, experiencing it as any visitor and not bringing up a merger to those greeting him. He found “extremely friendly people,” he said, leaving with the thought that “That’s how you want people to treat you when you go to church.”
CCC did welcome the people of North Eastwood Christian Church in a 2016 merger. Parker became minister in 2023, seven years later, and said though he knows about the merger the church seems unified, with people integrated into the life of the church.
“It’s a testament to kingdom being greater than just one congregation,” he said, … and, ‘We’re all on the same team here. It doesn’t matter where we worship; it matters that we’re family when we do it.’”
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS
Community Christian Church will celebrate 60 years of ministry Sept. 21-22 at the church, 3123 S. CR 500W, New Palestine.
Activities, reminiscing, dinner and a dessert auction will highlight the opening day of the celebration. Through the years, Catherine Bradley’s pies and cakes and Deb Johnson’s caramel apples have been among congregational favorites.
“I’m sure there will be wonderful desserts,” said Darlene Bradley, an organizer of the event. “Things will go high, some of them, because we all know who the good bakers are.”
The celebration continues that Sunday with worship and lunch.
“Everyone is invited,” Darlene Bradley said, “whether they’re past members or visitors or just want to come and enjoy a good time.”
Sept. 21
3 p.m.: meet and greet, activities for children and adults
5 p.m.: dinner (pulled pork, cheesy potatoes, baked beans, green beans)
6 p.m.: dessert auction
7 p.m.: music hour
Sept. 22
10:30 a.m.: service with guest speaker
noon: pitch-in dinner
Information: https://cccnewpal.church/celebrating60years
