Dayspring Christian Fellowship’s facility is located in the heart of Jackson Township, and we are a member of Evana Network (https://evananetwork.org/). From the beginning we have been committed to experiencing the person, power, and presence of God (as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), Biblical integrity, building one another up in Jesus Christ, and loving people into the Kingdom of God. God has used our history to position us well for the present and the future.
Dayspring began with a leap of faith in 1984, when a small group of people from Chestnut Ridge Mennonite Church said yes to God’s call. They stepped out in faith, were released and blessed by their Chestnut Ridge church family, and intentionally began this ministry in the Jackson Township community. Pastor Glenn Steiner was the founding pastor.
For twenty years Dayspring met in rented space; initially at Kent State Stark University (one year) and then at Stark State College. In April of 2004 we broke ground for the facility we now have, and began meeting here in November 2004. That twenty years of rented space helped us to understand that the facility is not the church, it is just the place where the Church gathers. The Church is the people, the body of Jesus Christ.
Today we walk in the excitement and anticipation of seeing God at work in our local church family and His Body here and around the world.
Reach
We accept God’s call to share the good news of Jesus where God provides opportunity.
Teach
We accept scripture as instructive and authoritative for our daily lives, and use scripture as the source of what we teach.
Care
We accept God’s call to attend to the needs of those who hurt, beginning with needs within the fellowship and then beyond.
Praise
We accept the privilege of giving glory to God in corporate as well as private worship.
Blaze
We accept Paul’s challenge to Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God… for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline” (II Timothy 1:6-7).
In worship each week we want to meet Jesus. A strong emphasis is placed on music in a wide variety of forms, from traditional to contemporary. Along with music, a variety of visual arts are often used to portray worship themes.
To meet the unique needs of children, a special children’s church program is held during the regular sermon time twice a month. On the other Sundays, a children’s lesson is often part of the morning worship service. A nursery is provided for the youngest members of the church family.
Jim Bartholomew has been the Pastor since June 1986, and Kent Miller serves as Associate Pastor. Heather Curtis is our Worship and Administrative Pastor; David Curtis is Youth Pastor. As the church has grown and heard the call of God to serve a wide range of age groups, additional lay pastors have also come alongside. Sean and Hannah Miller are Youth Pastors and Jan Wickline serves as Children’s Pastor. Working with the pastors and lay pastors in spiritual and operational leadership are four elders and a church council. Several committees function within the church giving direction in worship, finance, fellowship, and gifts discernment.
