The History of Woodmen Valley Chapel
September 1979
Church starts up in the home of founding pastor, Bill Dodder.
February 1980
Moved into converted farm/chinchilla house, which became a small chapel (today's Prayer Chapel).
November 1980
Purchased three acres at our current Rockrimmon site.
September 1982
Led by faith, 40 families broke ground for what we now know as the Stone Chapel.
July 1983
Dedication of the Chapel.
June 1986
Church calls Senior Pastor Gary Huckabay.
February 1990
Five acres of adjacent land is donated to the church.
August 1991
Church calls Senior Pastor Jim Tomberlin.
September 1994
Labor Day ground breaking for Worship Center.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 1995
Dedication of new 1200 seat Worship Center.
October 1999
Overflow expansion in Stone Chapel.
August 2000
Senior Pastor Jim Tomberlin resigns to join the staff leadership team at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Illinois.
April 2001
Matt Heard of Grand Rapids, Michigan accepts the call as Woodmen Valley Chapel's new Senior Pastor.
August 2001
Matt Heard officially begins as our new Senior Pastor.
May 2002
Week of Prayer and Fasting regarding God’s vision for the next chapter of Woodmen Valley Chapel’s ministry.
September 2002
Our new vision is unveiled: To launch and strengthen a fleet of Christ-following communities who are compassionately sailing through a turbulent culture toward a deeper amazement of God’s grace. (And that amazement will involve “Exploring, Experiencing and Expressing” God’s grace.)
October 2002
Liberty Community is launched at Liberty High School.
December 2003
Purchase of the initial 50 acres (eventually to expand to 114 acres) at Woodmen Heights.
May 2004
Celebration of Launch Your Faith with one combined outdoor service at Woodmen Heights.
July 2004
Rockrimmon Community Center opens and our Rockrimmon Campus improvements begin.
October 2004
Liberty Community moves into new the Community Center at Woodmen Heights to become the Woodmen Heights Community.
October 2005
Woodmen Valley Chapel celebrates 25 years in ministry!
Autumn 2006
We discover that our focus during this next season of ministry – as we are fulfilling the vision God entrusted to us in 2002 – is to expand the borders of Christ’s impact and our amazement in three distinct areas:
Church starts up in the home of founding pastor, Bill Dodder.
February 1980
Moved into converted farm/chinchilla house, which became a small chapel (today's Prayer Chapel).
November 1980
Purchased three acres at our current Rockrimmon site.
September 1982
Led by faith, 40 families broke ground for what we now know as the Stone Chapel.
July 1983
Dedication of the Chapel.
June 1986
Church calls Senior Pastor Gary Huckabay.
February 1990
Five acres of adjacent land is donated to the church.
August 1991
Church calls Senior Pastor Jim Tomberlin.
September 1994
Labor Day ground breaking for Worship Center.
Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 1995
Dedication of new 1200 seat Worship Center.
October 1999
Overflow expansion in Stone Chapel.
August 2000
Senior Pastor Jim Tomberlin resigns to join the staff leadership team at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Illinois.
April 2001
Matt Heard of Grand Rapids, Michigan accepts the call as Woodmen Valley Chapel's new Senior Pastor.
August 2001
Matt Heard officially begins as our new Senior Pastor.
May 2002
Week of Prayer and Fasting regarding God’s vision for the next chapter of Woodmen Valley Chapel’s ministry.
September 2002
Our new vision is unveiled: To launch and strengthen a fleet of Christ-following communities who are compassionately sailing through a turbulent culture toward a deeper amazement of God’s grace. (And that amazement will involve “Exploring, Experiencing and Expressing” God’s grace.)
October 2002
Liberty Community is launched at Liberty High School.
December 2003
Purchase of the initial 50 acres (eventually to expand to 114 acres) at Woodmen Heights.
May 2004
Celebration of Launch Your Faith with one combined outdoor service at Woodmen Heights.
July 2004
Rockrimmon Community Center opens and our Rockrimmon Campus improvements begin.
October 2004
Liberty Community moves into new the Community Center at Woodmen Heights to become the Woodmen Heights Community.
October 2005
Woodmen Valley Chapel celebrates 25 years in ministry!
Autumn 2006
We discover that our focus during this next season of ministry – as we are fulfilling the vision God entrusted to us in 2002 – is to expand the borders of Christ’s impact and our amazement in three distinct areas:
- Enlarging our Hearts (Exploring His Grace)
- Deepening our Community (Experiencing His Grace)
- Unleashing our Compassion (Expressing His Grace)
