The story of New Community Church is being written.

Right this very second.

My wife and I grew up in Buckhannon, WV, and for ten years we have dreamed of coming home to plant a church.  We have dreamed of watching a community of Christ followers take up the cross of Jesus in the world around them and watch God’s hand work to expand the Gospel as this radical bunch of disciples follows his leading.

New Community Church is the fulfillment of these dreams.  We are coming home to plant a Church that passionately loves Jesus beyond Sunday mornings.

Our story of church planting has emerged from Jeremiah 29 where God sends a letter through his prophet to a people living as exiles.  These people, stripped of their own land, homes, and identities are a people seeking meaning.  Identity.  Purpose.  Hope.  Belonging.

To this people God gives a mandate of the Kingdom:

Build houses.
Settle down.
Plant gardens.
Strengthen your families.
Seek the peace of the city.
Stay faithful to true teaching.

It is in these actions, these lives lived and devoted to God himself that He promises his presence:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  (Jer. 29:11-13)

These verses mirror the landscape we see in North Central West Virginia.  We resonate with the people one author describes as modern-day exiles:

“All young people who are torn between the Christianity of their upbringing and the complexities of the world they are seeking to influence…”

We know these exiles as friends and we believe that the way of Jesus might look different if it went beyond one hour on Sundays.  We believe the story of New Community lives this.

* What if Jesus truly offers life and not just a temporary experience?

* What if his call for justice for marginalized and broken people builds a church centered on loving without an agenda?

* What if grace shared through the actions of a community instead of shouted from a pulpit begins a movement of people coming to Christ and being transformed as agents of reconciliation?

New Community Church believes it can be this community.  God’s words speak of standing in a place with no identity and no home and doing the work of making it home. This is our heartbeat for New Community, a place that believes people are seeking meaning, purpose, hope, and healing in their families.  The promise of God to give the Israelites “hope and a future” continues today.  Through the saving work of Jesus Christ and making him known, New Community is inviting others to a relationship with him.  It is proclamation and transformation–the Word of God and its saving work beginning a process of growth that builds the new community through those who had no hope or future.  This is all because of Jesus!

Our dream as we come home to Buckhannon is to walk with those who are far from God as they find their hope and future in Jesus.

Without judgment.
Without agendas.
But in love and grace.
Led by Jesus.

We hope you’ll journey with us.

- justin bowers :: lead pastor