Though the walls, or tent flaps as the case may be, might change around this ever-growing body of Christ, the Spirit is always the same.
The Chicken Coop
Our Beginnings
The CFC journey began in 1973 when a young evangelist from Florida, Lonnie Langston, held tent meetings in Brier Hill, NY. The crowds attending the tent services grew, and in 1974 Lonnie moved the meetings to a rented building just outside of Ogdensburg, NY. The building, originally constructed as a chicken coop, became the site of a move of God’s Spirit. People from around the region came to ‘the Chicken Coop’ to hear the message of Christ and to experience the touch of God’s Spirit. Many gave their lives to Christ and were filled with the Spirit. God used Lonnie to minister miraculous healings to many.
In 1977 Lonnie left the North Country and a new young pastor was installed. Tom Wells, a 24 year old native of Ogdensburg, assumed the pastorate and led the church in an important season of spiritual growth and transition. Under Pastor Tom’s leadership, the identity of CFC as a functioning local church was established. And after only a year of ministry experience, Tom led the church in purchasing land and building a brand new facility near Madrid, NY. CFC left ‘the Chicken Coop’ and moved to the center of St. Lawrence County.
1978 Building on Rt. 310
The Growth
Over the next several years, Pastor Tom emerged as an excellent Bible teacher and a dynamic leader. People from all over northern New York and southern Ontario came to CFC to meet Christ, receive the Holy Spirit, and be discipled. As Tom considered ways to best reach the people from around the area, he turned to church planting. In December, 1980 he began Sunday evening services in Massena, NY and laid the groundwork for a new church.New Testament Church of Massena held their first Sunday morning service in a rented facility on Ober Street in Massena, and in April of 1982 Pastor Tom left CFC to devote himself full-time to the new church plant.
When Tom left CFC to pastor in Massena in April of 1982, he installed Rick Sinclair as the new pastor of CFC. Rick had served under Tom for a year and a half, assisting him with the preaching, teaching and care of the church. Over the next 20 years, under the direction of Pastor Rick Sinclair, CFC planted three more churches:
New Sanctuary 1995
Grace Covenant Church, Ogdensburg in 1985.
Grace Community Church, Moira in 1992.
Richville Christian Fellowship, Richville in 1992.
In 1994 Pastor Mike Tomford, another former college student attendee, was set in as Associate Pastor after graduating from RHEMA Bible Training Center. A New Building fund was begun in 1988 to accommodate the growing congregation and the New Sanctuary was mostly completed in 1996, just in time to be enjoyed for a short time.
The Fire 2001
The Fire
CFC attendees who have been part of the church since before 2001 would list the events of January that year among events of pivotal turning points of CFC. In the late night hours of January 20th a fire was started in the rear of the new sanctuary that culminated in the entire loss of the newly finished building, as well as the attached classrooms, fellowship hall, and offices. Everything was lost: except the Spirit of this community of believers.
The following morning, a Sunday, the scheduled guest speaker delivered a message he’d previously planned concerning the Fire of God. This congregation was not going to lose momentum at this critical time. CFC met in area theaters, local churches, and living rooms for all the regularly scheduled meetings. There was a sense that the purposes of God could not be thwarted by the attacks of the enemy.
CFC 2001:The Old Elementary School
Within a few days of the fire the team of Elders and Deacons had found that the owner of the old Madrid elementary school would rent the building, and eventually sell it, as well as the surrounding 53 acres–including a nine-hole golf course–to the church. Although the building hadn’t been inhabited for a few years and was in need of much repair, it provided enough office and classroom space for the growing ministries of CFC–as well as a gym which would hold the congregation.
The Journey Continues
We aren’t under the assumption that the story is finished, or that our journey has ended. As this is being written Christian Fellowship Center has nearly reached the maximum space that our building can hold for Sunday morning services and we are always praying and strategizing for more effective ministry. The four universities within ten minutes of our building have given CFC a unique ministry opportunity. Our College Ministry continues to thrive and double every semester under the direction of Daniel Paladin, our campus minister. Over 44 countries are represented in this small pocket of northern New York and CFC continues to reach out to them in strategic ways, including English Language Classes and outreach methods. Family is the trademark of CFC and it is evident in every pore of the body–children fill the building and the lives of the individuals who call CFC their home.
We hope that if you’re joining us for the first time, or if you’ve called this place home since the tent and Chicken Coop days, you will continue to be a part of our exciting journey.
Psalm 84.5-6
How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring;
The early rain also covers it with blessings.