Tell us...what was the first church you ever joined?

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Just for fun, what was the first church you ever joined?

For me: Charlestown, IN Church of the Nazarene. I joined as a child.

Sadly, the church is now closed.

[Jim Chabot]

Faith Alliance Church C&MA in Attleboro, MA

www.faithall.org

I grew up with the present Pastor, we still stay in touch.

[Cynthia Prentice]

I joined Baytown First Church of the Nazarene in Baytown, Tx a few weeks before I married Paul, who at the time was serving as the associate pastor.

[Greg Farra]

David Lutheran, Canal Winchester, Ohio. I was baptized there (Lutherans are baptized, not 'saved'!) 25 years ago this coming September.

[David Graham]

For me it was the Townsville Church of the Nazarene in North Queensland. The church had been organised just a year or so before but I wasn't ready to commit myself to membership at that time (I was 16 years of age then), but a year later I was, and so I joined in hearty fellowship with that small group of a dozen Christians. My minister was the Reverend Terry Green who encouraged me to preach my first message there that same year..... I glad no one recorded it.

Cheers,
Dave

[Charlene Clevenger]

El Sobrante Church of the Nazarene on the Northern California District. I think it's closed now. I think I was about 10.

[Craig Laughlin]

Hoquiam Church of the Nazarene now called Grays Harbor Church of the Nazarene. Still chugging along at about 40 people, just like it was when I was there.

[Marg Shurtliff]

Ottawa First Church of the Nazarene at age 12 . Still a member there only the church is now Trinity Church of the Nazarene . The first church I attended at 2 weeks was Toronto Grace Church of the Nazarene , a basement facility . The move to Ottawa came at not quite 7 years of age . I wouldn't remember much of the Toronto church but we used to visit periodically , at least once a year , for District Assembly and mom brought me with her , usually .

[David Parker]

Arlington Church of the Nazarene in Ada, OK.

Also now closed....

[Jon Bemis]

Sugar Grove Free Methodist Church in Sugar Grove PA - 1974.

[Shea Zellweger]

Covenant Life Church of the Nazarene, High Point Nc in 2007. It's since relocated to Greensboro.

[Mike Schutz]

Lakeland Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, MD when I was 12. We moved the next year and then I joined the Northminster Presbyterian Church in Reisterstown, MD.

[Hal Kreps]

North Nampa Church of the Nazarene, Nampa, Idaho in 19?? or so. I am now on my 26th pastor and about 15 different churches. North Nampa has moved and renamed itself since then. I left there in....well a long time ago.

[Marsha Lynn]

Shipshewana Church of the Nazarene in Shipshewana, Indiana. I was eight years of age, the church had been around for only a couple of years. It is currently experiencing record attendance. My mother and one of my brothers are still members.

[Charlene Clevenger]

North Nampa Church of the Nazarene, Nampa, Idaho in 19?? or so. I am now on my 26th pastor and about 15 different churches. North Nampa has moved and renamed itself since then. I left there in....well a long time ago.

My Dad's uncle, Robert Pitts, was pastor there in the '70s.

[Jim Franklin]

Garyton, Indiana Church of the Nazarene on the east side of Gary. I believe it was the forerunner to Portage First. My dad and mother were the pastors and I had just turned 12 and the folks felt I understood the responsibilities of church membership.

Bob Pitts was our associate at Valley Shepherd Church of the Nazarene in Meridian in the early 90s.

[Bill Morrison]

Bryan, Ohio First Church of the Nazarene - 1959
I was 8 years old, my Dad was the Pastor.
I took it very seriously! I don't think eight years old is too young for some children to know they want to belong and make the commitment.
Tithing a nickel on my 50 cents a week allowance was a great experience too. It really isn't hard now to write that 10% check on the (relative) fortune I make now!

BILL

[Glenda Harvey]

La Puente Church of the Nazarene. I grew up in that Church and became a member during my teen years.

[David Showalter]

My Dad's uncle, Robert Pitts, was pastor there in the '70s.

Charlene, Robert and Charlene Pitts were my pastors in the early 70's. They were some of the sweetest folks I've ever had the awesome privilege of knowing. They had 3 sons if I remember correctly, David, Dan, Mike. Is that the same Robert Pitts. Funny story, not long after they came to Craig MO to pastor we had our annual community parade. The Nazarene church 8 miles away in Mound City had just gotten a pastor by the name of Lord. Our church fixed up a float for the parade and had Pastor Pitts and Charlene ride on it, on the side, in large letters was written:
MOUND CITY GOT THE LORD AND ALL WE GOT WERE THE PITTS! I think pastor thought it was as funny as anyone. They made a tremendous impact on my spiritual life, and he encouraged me to preach my first sermon and to accept God's call on my life to go back to college and enter full-time pastoral ministry. Many fond memories.

[John Kennedy]

I'm trying to remember whether it was Macon, GA First Nazarene or Nashville, TN, College Hill Nazarene. If it was Macon, my father would have received me into membership (he baptized me a few years later). If it was College Hill, there were two pastors while I was there: A.K. Bracken or Claude Galloway. I think College Hill was sort of succeeded by Trevecca Community.
Suffice to say, all that was a looonnnng time ago.

[Gina Stevenson]

Well, it was then called Fuller Avenue Nazarene ... but has changed its name now. It was when I was 12, I do believe ... a little while ago, for sure. ;)

[Kent Campbell]

Lakeview Park COTN in OKC, OK as teen.

[Hans Deventer]

I was born into the Dutch Reformed Church, in Overschie (part of Rotterdam). But the first one I joined as a conscious decision would be the Dutch Reformed Church in Dubbeldam, when I was baptised there at age 20. My mother still attends this church.

[Dennis M. Scott]

College Church, ONU. I was ten, and don't know how old the church was.

Interesting to note how many churches that we first joined no longer exist. Too bad nothing good ever comes out of small, struggling - even dying, churches. Thank God for those pastors and people who were - and are - faithful.

[Scott Sherwood]

Pekin, IL First Church of the Nazarene. A church that did such a great job of being the church that it left me with nothing to add to all the college and seminary class discussions about how much the church had erred and hurt us over the years. I thank God for these people. The church is now larger and healthier now than it ever was during my growing up years. Five years ago they planted a church in a nearby town which is now dangerously close to being the bigger of the two. A church of 250 in my youth is now a church of 450 with a daughter church nearing 500 all in an area with net population decline. Numbers aren't the big deal, but you should hear the stories behind those numbers. So many people feel like they have to overcome what their church of origin did to them; I am blessed to have a home church whose legacy I will spend the rest of my life trying to live up to.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Pekin, IL First Church of the Nazarene.

I watched "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" at the parsonage of that church.

[Mamie White]

The first church I joined was Baptist when I was about 12yrs. Then I joined First Church of The Nazarene In Sherman, TX when I married. Left there in 1980 joined Assembly of God in Whitehouse, TX and now back a member of Tyler First Church of the Nazarene Tyler,Texas.

Now everyone knows why I am so confused. :)))


Mamie



Mamie

[Hans Deventer]

Now everyone knows why I am so confused. :)))

So you're a charismatic Baptarene? ;)

[Scott Sherwood]

I watched "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" at the parsonage of that church.

No way! On Hemlock or Hamilton? Was it next door to the church? That was before my time, but my parents would have been there with my brother. What brought you to Pekin of all out of the way places?

[Linda Bechtold]

I joined Wichita Falls, TX First Church of the Nazarene as a child. My parents still attend there.

[Linda Bechtold]

North Nampa Church of the Nazarene, Nampa, Idaho in 19?? or so. I am now on my 26th pastor and about 15 different churches. North Nampa has moved and renamed itself since then. I left there in....well a long time ago.

I don't know if you were there in the 60's but is this where Kiemel pastored?

[Karen Troxler]

I was "born into" the Selinsgrove Church of the Nazarene in Selinsgrove, PA (Philly Dist). The first church I was an official member of was First Church of the Nazarene in Paterson, NJ (New York Dist, now Metro NY), which is now located in North Haledon, NJ. I think it is now High Mountain COTN, but not sure of the name.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

No way! On Hemlock or Hamilton? Was it next door to the church? That was before my time, but my parents would have been there with my brother. What brought you to Pekin of all out of the way places?

Ha - that was 40 years ago - I don't remember any particulars. I was part of an Olivet group called "Lay Witness" and we went out 1 weekend a month to do a Saturday church project and Sunday services. Our group became a quartet and during the summer we did some weekend revivals, etc. on our own. We were at Pekin that weekend and after Sunday night church everyone went to the parsonage to watch it on their TV.

[Susan Unger]

Too bad nothing good ever comes out of small, struggling - even dying, churches. I wouldn't go that far. The samll, struggling dying church I grew up in and joined when I was a teen produced missionaries and pastors who've gone out to reach our world for Christ.

[Mamie White]

I joined Wichita Falls, TX First Church of the Nazarene as a child. My parents still attend there.

I guess your parents remember my grand exit when I was there for a district meeting and fell in the church parking lot. Broke my wrist, blacked my eyes and had to have my teeth put in braces. My husband was pastoring Burkburnett church at that time. I don't think I was ever invited back to that church. :}

[Ian Gentles]

Uddingston, Scotland, Church of the Nazarene.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

My first "official" membership was at Lowell First CotN in Lowell, MA (New England District).

But I was a member of several before that and after. I used to have them all listed in my NN profile, but lost it with the Crash. This may be incomplete:

Parish, NY (Upstate)
Parkside, Westlake, OH (North Central Ohio District)
Malden First, MA (New England)
Lowell First, MA (New England)
Second Church in Dorchester, MA (New England)
Faith Community, Windham, NH (New England)
Victory Hills, Kansas City, KS (Kansas City)
North Street Community Chapel, Hingham, MA (New England)

[Glenn Harris]

Born into Grace Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City Missouri. (Reverand Melvin Shrout) Joined it as a member at age 11. Transferred to Summit View church of the Nazarene in Kansas City Missouri when I was 15. (formerly Wornell Road Church of the Nazarene where Melvin Shrout's brother Harold Pastored) Moved there when old friends of the family (Clark and Nellie Lewis) came back to Kansas City from Alaska to finish Seminary and Clark became the pastor. Met and married Donna there, officiated by Dr. Kenneth Rice. Total lineup:

Grace Church of the Nazarene - Kansas City Missouri (1955-1970)
Summit View Church of the Nazarene - Kansas City Missouri (1970-1994)
(never transferred membership when I was in the Navy and returned to Summit View when I got out)
Orange Park Church of the Nazarene - Orange Park Florida (1994-1998)
Central Church of the Nazarene - Omaha Nebraska (1998-2001)
Southwest Church of the Nazarene - Omaha Nebraska (2001-2005)
Fort Mill Church of the Nazarene - Fort Mill SC (2005-current)

all are still organized

[Roland Hearn]

I joined the Stafford Church of the Nazarene at around age 14 (I think that was my age). That church is the lineal ancestor of the church plant I now pastor and I live five minutes from where I grew up. Kind of compulsively "safe" if you ask me.

[John Brickley]

The first I was a member of was South Weymouth Church of the Nazarene in South Weymouth MA. It was a great church then and it is even stronger now (at least it was the last time I was there).

John

[Anita Henck]

The first church I ever joined was San Diego First Church of the Nazarene on Euclid Avenue; I joined in 1971 or 1972, as a young teen. Milton Poole (brother-in-law to Reuben Welch) was our pastor at the time. Soon thereafter, Jerry White (uncle-in-law to my current pastor, Scott Daniels) was my pastor. San Diego First has now become the campus church at Point Loma.

Dad was a Navy chaplain, so we grew up attending the base chapel on Sunday morning and were active in a local church for Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, and every other activity available!

[Marsha Lynn]

Born into Grace Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City Missouri. (Reverand Melvin Shrout) Joined it as a member at age 11. Transferred to Summit View church of the Nazarene in Kansas City Missouri when I was 15. (formerly Wornell Road Church of the Nazarene where Melvin Shrout's brother Harold Pastored) Moved there when old friends of the family (Clark and Nellie Lewis) came back to Kansas City from Alaska to finish Seminary and Clark became the pastor. Met and married Donna there, officiated by Dr. Kenneth Rice. Total lineup:

Grace Church of the Nazarene - Kansas City Missouri (1955-1970)
Summit View Church of the Nazarene - Kansas City Missouri (1970-1994)
(never transferred membership when I was in the Navy and returned to Summit View when I got out)
Orange Park Church of the Nazarene - Orange Park Florida (1994-1998)
Central Church of the Nazarene - Omaha Nebraska (1998-2001)
Southwest Church of the Nazarene - Omaha Nebraska (2001-2005)
Fort Mill Church of the Nazarene - Fort Mill SC (2005-current)

all are still organized

Obviously, a church hopper.

:smilies1722: :smilies0262:

[John Reilly]

Lowell, MA First Church of the Nazarene. Later I became the Associate Pastor.

[Mike Wooldridge]

First CotN, Big Spring, TX. I joined as a young child. I'm not sure of my age but I was very young. At that time it was Only CotN :) Since then a Hispanic congregation has been organized. The pastor was either Rev. Lawrence Gholson or Rev. Bill Dorough. Rev. Dorough is the pastor I remember most as a child.

[John Reilly]

Lowell, MA First Church of the Nazarene. A few years later I became the Associate Pastor.

[Monte Butts]

Elk City, OK COTN

[Cam Pence]

muncie first church of the nazarene in muncie, in when i was 17

[Charlene Clevenger]

Bob Pitts was our associate at Valley Shepherd Church of the Nazarene in Meridian in the early 90s.

It sounds funny to hear people call him Bob. He's always been Robert to the family. :) You should look him up. They recently moved to an assisted living place in Nampa. They are members at Karcher church, I believe.

[Charlene Clevenger]

Charlene, Robert and Charlene Pitts were my pastors in the early 70's. They were some of the sweetest folks I've ever had the awesome privilege of knowing. They had 3 sons if I remember correctly, David, Dan, Mike. Is that the same Robert Pitts. Funny story, not long after they came to Craig MO to pastor we had our annual community parade. The Nazarene church 8 miles away in Mound City had just gotten a pastor by the name of Lord. Our church fixed up a float for the parade and had Pastor Pitts and Charlene ride on it, on the side, in large letters was written:
MOUND CITY GOT THE LORD AND ALL WE GOT WERE THE PITTS! I think pastor thought it was as funny as anyone. They made a tremendous impact on my spiritual life, and he encouraged me to preach my first sermon and to accept God's call on my life to go back to college and enter full-time pastoral ministry. Many fond memories.

Yes! They are some of the best people I've ever known. We visited them in Craig once. Uncle Robert just turned 92. Their oldest son, David, is a pastor in Sacramento, Michael is on staff at NNU and their youngest, Mark, lives in Hawaii. This picture is from Uncle Robert's birthday party. My sister arranged to have a flag flown over the US capitol in his honor then gave him the flag for his birthday.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a98/CharRob/CLA/UncleRobertsBirthday.jpg

[Susan Unger]

muncie first church of the nazarene in muncie, in when i was 17

In the early sixties, my dad attended that church for a few years.

[Dennis M. Scott]

muncie first church of the nazarene in muncie, in when i was 17

My grandparents on both sides, my great-grandparents, several aunts and uncles, and both my parents were lifetime members there. I can remember the "good ole days of Muncie First" when attendance was about 500. Those were the days before mega-churches, and bus ministry was just catching on. Unfortunately, I also have attended more funerals there than I choose to recount.

Sometimes Naznetter and longtime Wollaston, MA, pastor Russ Metcalfe served his first assignment on staff at Muncie First Church.

My grandfather was a member of a quartet that sang not only at Muncie First, but in dozens of nearby churches and on a Sunday morning radio broadcast. The day Pearl Harbor was attacked, it fell my grandfather's lot to break that terrible news over the airwaves to central Indiana. The microphone he used is somewhat of a family heirloom, which I have inherited. It is apparently some a type of "holy grail" in the family.