When you walk into Newcastle Christian Church, you are literally standing on the Word of God. After the church moved from their previous location where the Newcastle Public Schools Administration building is now located, to the facility at 2200 N. Main Street, the church in December 1999 had a Y2K party.
“Every person in that party wrote their favorite scripture on the concrete floor. They then installed the carpet,” Mike Aston, one of the church founders, said. “Now we can say to anyone who comes in that church, you are standing on the word of God.”
Newcastle Christian Church wants you to stand on the word of God. They invite the public to celebrate their 30th Anniversary at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 12 at the church, 2200 N. Main.
An invitation to the anniversary from Minister Billy and Michelle Collier and the NCC church family states, “For three decades, our church has been a place of faith, fellowship and service. Together we have grown in spirit, supported one another, and shared God’s love within our community. This anniversary is not just a celebration of years, but of lives touched, prayers answered, and blessings received.”
They plan a memorable service with worship, music, reflections and thanksgiving, the Colliers noted.
“Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or are newly part of our family, your presence will make this occasion even more meaningful,” said the Colliers. “To God be the glory for the great things He has done.”
Newcastle Christian Church is “a community of believers eager to tell others about Jesus,” Billy Collier said.
Newcastle Christian Church Elder Mike Aston said a group of elders and ministers during the early- to mid-1990s wanted to make a church in Newcastle. He said Newcastle Veterinarian Keith Gilliam was among them, and there was no Christian Church located in Newcastle at the time.
“We needed a core group of people, and there was a group that had become concerned about the direction of the church where they were,” Aston said. “Sixteen people start- ed meeting in homes, at first at a home in Oklahoma City, but then the group grew to 37 people and met at Dr. Gilliam’s home.”
NEWCASTLE CHRISTIAN 30: Looking forward to seeing where God takes us
They continued meeting at people’s homes, but quickly grew to about 65 people.
Collier said the group talked with the City of Newcastle about moving and sharing use of the City Administration building, 101 N. Main Street. Aston said they negotiated with the City, which had offices in the building, to use a part of it on Wednesdays and Sundays. He said the City agreed and only charged them $50 per month, noting that the Lord takes care of them. The facility soon became full, according to Aston, and they still had not hired a minister.
Aston said at the time it was as if they were a mobile church, because they were setting up and tearing down after each service.
As of August 1996, the church still didn’t have a minister, but they did plan and carry out a Dedication Service on August 4. Minister Mark Scott, who was from Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, officiated over the service. Aston noted that the college is one of the missions they supported then and still do today.
With the growth Newcastle Christian Church had experienced, the elders knew they would need to have a building of their own. Aston said they began a Capital Campaign in the latter part of 1997.
Aston said Newcastle residents Tom and Rita Gilliam made a commitment to donate some land they owned off State Highway 37, but at the time the land was not suitable for expansion. Instead, the Gilliam’s said they would sell the land and donate the proceeds to the church. Their commitment and those from others resulted in pledges for more than $1 million.
Aston said at that time, the church planners knew they could begin negotiations for land.
Aston said, “Donna Long’s son, Greg, had some land — 10 acres at their current location. He sold it to us at a great price, and then he took the tax break on the sale.”
In 1998, they began building a church facility. Aston said everyone wanted to help so they had a lot of volunteers. Nearing completion of the buildings, they had the aforementioned Y2K party. On Easter Sunday in the year 2000, they held their first service at the new site.
Aston said Don Soard was brought in as their first minister. He was a former Tuttle resident, and graduated from Ozark College. Soard came to the church in August 1997 from Westside Christian Church in Springfield, Ill.
“He knew a lot of people and the church really began to blossom,” Aston said.
Soard eventually decided to take a different position and the church hired a minister from Indiana, but his tenure was short.
They then hired Rod Rieger, Aston said.
“He was really good about pulling the church back together, and we began to grow again,” Aston said. “Rieger eventually moved back to where he came from.”
At the time they built the current facility there was nothing in the area — no houses, or businesses, said Collier. He added that the church had to lease 3.1 acres in front of the building, and eventually bought it for $130,000.
Aston said Billy Collier was hired after Rieger. He had been a youth minister at the church for nine years and was very well liked. Billy became the minister on May 2, 2005. He was named Senior Minister on August 6, 2014.
“Billy knew the church and he knew the people,” Aston said. “He is a community connector and was very instrumental in introducing the church to the community.”
As the church celebrates their past with Sunday’s 30th Anniversary, they also look to the future.
Collier said, “The best days for the church are always ahead of it. We want to have more opportunities in a growing community to meet needs as things arise. We are going to continue with our community organization and involvement. We are looking forward to seeing where God is going to take us.”
Special guest for the celebration service on Sunday is Don Soard. There will be stories and testimonies about the church’s impact on attendees, and a fajita bar. The church service will be over “Celebrate the Past and Challenge for the Future.”
Collier reiterated, “The best days of the church are ahead of it until Jesus comes.”
Original Trustees of Newcastle Christian Church, from right, are: Jim Woolsey, Don Riepe, Lynn Jones, Mike Aston, and Keith Gilliam. Not included in the photo are: Tom Gilliam and Gary Pitzer. • photo provided
Newcastle Christian Church members who were in attendance at the 1996 Christmas service took a group photo. • photo provided
Don Soard was the first minister of Newcastle Christian Church. He came to NCC on August 15, 1997. He is pictured with his wife, Shelley. • photo provided
Billy Collier is the senior pastor at Newcastle Christian Church. He is pictured with his wife, Michelle. Billy started out as youth minister and was moved to church minister. • photo provided
A groundbreaking ceremony was held December 13, 1998, for the Newcastle Christian Church facility on North Highway 62, now known as 2200 N. Main Street. • photo provided
Newcastle Christian Church First Elders, Wives Roger and Doris Atchley Mike and Sharyl Aston Gary and Aquanette Pitzer Keith and Sam Gilliam
