H7 Story: Creating Community

by Wendi Kitsteiner
Harry and Debbie Hayes came to East TN in April of 2021. Harry had recently retired from the post office, and they were seeking warmer weather and lower taxes. They drove their camper from Lincoln, Nebraska and found a spot to rent at the Baileyton KOA.

However, like many people during the Pandemic, the Hayes quickly found that escalating prices and a shortage of choices meant they might be living in their camper for longer than they would have liked. It was during this time that they felt the Lord directing them away from their original plan. “We would travel into Greeneville to grocery shop, and we really liked the size of Greeneville,” Debbie recalls. It didn’t take very long for them to shift their focus to putting down roots in this smaller town.

They tried many churches, and near the end of June, they walked through the doors of FCC. “We knew as soon as we visited that this was the church for us,” Harry explained. The Hayes had been a part of a small group for many years at their previous church in Lincoln. They had even spent the last two years leading their group. “We knew that we needed that connection you can only get in a small group setting,” Debbie began, “so we immediately asked Chris Oakes to find us a small group.”

This was no easy task. The pace of growth at FCC has created a shortage of Life Groups and leaders, so finding a group they could be a part of took a little while. “We did get placed in a wonderful small group about the same time Chris asked if we would go through small group leadership training,” Harry explained.

Both Harry and Debbie felt that it was important that there were enough Life Group options at FCC, and they decided to be part of the solution. They became Life Group leaders about the same time they finished their membership process here at the church. “It was a bit bittersweet as we loved the group we were in. It was full of younger people with kids. We loved seeing their enthusiasm for God and how they shared their lives together. We learned a lot from that group.”

In August, they launched their new Small Group. Almost all of the people attending were new to the area (and subsequently the church) themselves. No one really knew each other or their new leaders. But they, like the Hayes, knew they needed connection and community. “What was wonderful to see was how many really wanted and needed connection with others at FCC,” Debbie recalls. This meant that the group members became close very fast. “We don’t feel as though we lead as much as facilitate the group to come together to eat and to learn from one another discussing the lesson, praying for each other, and enjoying each other’s company.”

Harry agreed, “The blessings of being part of a life group are tremendous.”  

Harry and Debbie’s story is just one example of the new people coming to this area and our church. They listened to the Lord’s call on their lives and are being used to help others find community. You don’t stumble upon great Christian community and friendships; you create them.
And that’s exactly what the Hayes family did.
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