A Brief History of Summit Community Church

-- Journey and Calvary Becoming One

In Matthew 19:26 Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” What we have seen happen in the creation of Summit Community Church is definitely something only God could do. Summit Community Church began on October 5, 2014 from two churches that captured the vision of something that truly only God could do.

Summit Community Church is the result of Calvary Baptist Church and Journey Church. Calvary Baptist Church began in 1910 from a small group of people who had a vision for a new church in Morganton. The group began renting property from the Presbyterian Church and later in the same year, founded what came to be known as Calvary Baptist Church. They built a small church and eventually grew to build on the current site of Summit Community Church at 407 S. Green St. in Morganton, NC.

In August of 2008, Journey Church was an idea planted by Biltmore Church in Asheville, NC.
Biltmore Church, through God’s leading pulled together Mike Chandler and John Setterlind to begin Journey Church in Morganton. Mike, was born and grew up in Burke County, so, in a sense, Mike was coming back home. He was currently serving a church in Aiken, SC.

Mike and family moved back to Morganton to begin making connections and building relationships. In March 2009, Journey Church had its first service at Table Rock Middle School. Over the next 5 years God would bless this congregation with immense growth which left the elders, pastor and congregation excited about what was next for this Church.

By 2014, God began to move in both congregations about the possibility of the two congregations becoming one body within the Body of Christ. After much prayer it was obvious this was something God desired to happen. On June 1, 2014, we held our first joint service on a Sunday evening and what a service it was.

"We were all moved by God’s Spirit that evening in a way we had never been moved before. God continued to move and stir our hearts and by July the decision was made to proceed with the merger," said Pastor Mike Chandler.

With only a of couple months to plan, strategize and organize, Summit Community Church held its first service as on October 5, 2014 . God moved on that day in an amazing way and He continues to pour out His blessings on His people here at Summit. We continue to seek God and His vision everyday as we move forward. We want to follow God where He leads us. We never want to be so far behind - or get so far ahead - of God that we can’t see Him. We want to be right in step with God in obedience as He leads us where He wants to to go.
Our purpose statement says, “We exist to love God and love others!” This is based on what Jesus said was the greatest commandment. As we love God with all of our hearts we will then love others inside and outside the church. As we do this our desire is that we would see life change happen in the lives of those around us. We desire to be a place “where faith and life  meet” so that when people with real life issues are confronted with real life answers they will see God and respond to Him in ways they never have before.
Matthew 19:26