On a quiet stretch of Hollywood Boulevard in West Melbourne, Florida, the Melbourne Church of Christ gathers every Sunday morning with the same goal it has carried for years: preparing all generations to impact lives for Christ. The church describes itself as a devoted group of Christ followers who aim to be a church of the nations, representing a variety of ethnic backgrounds and welcoming anyone who wants to follow Jesus.
A Sunday Morning on Hollywood Boulevard
The Sunday rhythm at Melbourne Church of Christ follows a familiar shape for churches in the Restoration tradition, but with its own warm touches. Bible classes for every age begin at 9:30, filling the building with conversation and study before the main hour. A nursery is available for families who need it, and children's classes run from birth through sixth grade.
At 10:30 the congregation moves into the sanctuary for the worship hour. Members are invited to pick up the elements of the Lord's Supper on their way into the main building; communion is observed each Sunday as part of the gathered family. The worship itself is acapella, with the congregation lifting prayers, observing communion, and then settling in for a sermon. Anyone unable to attend in person can join the livestream on Facebook, which begins at 10:15 with announcements before the service starts at 10:30.
What the Church Believes
The congregation's stated beliefs center on a simple confession. They affirm one true God, eternally existent as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and identify Jesus Christ as the head of His body and the authority for life and doctrine. They believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, empowers them for service, and unites those who by faith are baptized into one spiritual body.
The Bible is held as the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God, with the Old Testament read as the history of God's dealings with His people and the New Testament as the authoritative source for understanding the will of God in Jesus Christ. Salvation is understood as a gift of grace received through faith and lived out in obedience. The practices authorized for the church family in the New Testament are identified as baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, with immersion described as a burial with Christ and a resurrection to new life. The church also commits to cooperating with fellow believers, extending patience across differences.
Teaching Kids from Birth Through Sixth Grade
Children's ministry is led by Michele Devine, the church's children's minister, who works to make sure the youngest members know they are loved and known. Sunday morning Bible classes run from 9:30 to 10:30 and are arranged by age from birth through sixth grade. During the 10:30 worship hour, the church offers a nursery for infants through two-year-olds, preschool worship for three-year-olds through kindergarten, and children's worship for first through sixth graders. The teachers' aim is not just knowledge about God but a relationship with Him, and they lean heavily on Scripture to shape both.
Students and Faith in Real Life
The youth ministry, serving students in seventh through twelfth grade, gathers under the banner of Real Faith, Real People, Real God. Leon Stewart has been the youth minister since 2023, and his work is shaped by the same care he brings to his wife and their two children. Lessons are biblically rooted, drawing on stories, games, pop culture, and honest conversation to connect faith to the lives teenagers actually live.
Students meet for Sunday morning Bible class at 9:30 before worship, and additional interactive Bible studies take place during the week, with the schedule shared through a youth newsletter and text updates. Beyond the classroom, the youth calendar is full of camps, rallies, service projects, and trips throughout the year. Parents, students, and adult volunteers all have a place in the rhythm, and the ministry welcomes teenagers who are brand new to church as readily as those who have grown up in one.
Love of Christ Food Pantry
One of the most visible ministries of Melbourne Church of Christ sits at the building every Tuesday morning. The Love of Christ Food Pantry opens at 8:30 and runs through noon, serving Brevard County residents who walk in, fill out a registration form, and receive food for their family. Roughly 150 families come through each week, and volunteers spend the morning sorting cans, organizing donations, and picking up bread. The work is treated as ministry: every guest is welcomed, and the goal is that each person who comes to the pantry knows they are loved and cared for.
Care Groups and Mountain Top Ministries
For members who want a closer circle, the Care Groups program gathers smaller groups of eight to twelve people to study the Bible together in homes or other locations. Groups meet on a regular schedule and often grow into shared meals, holiday gatherings, and outings. Leaders, hosts, and organizers are drawn from within the church to keep the ministry sustainable.
Beyond Brevard County, the church partners with Mountain Top Ministries, an effort in Honduras that reaches impoverished boys and young men - from homeless street kids to rebellious teenagers - with a structured foundation of faith, discipline, and education. The goal is to help these young men grow spiritually and academically and become active members of their society. The church supports the work through prayer, donations, and connection, with more information available through the ministry's own site.
Leadership on Hollywood Boulevard
The church is shepherded by a team of five couples who serve as elders: Jeff and Denise Crowe, Eulice and Wanda Curington, Rob and Sherri Ellison, Calvin and Bonita Potts, and Pat and Bonnie Seamon. Deacons serve in focused areas of ministry: Ray and Stacy Green oversee audio and visual; Jessie and Rita Hewett handle finance; Johnnie and Sophye Wimpee care for buildings and grounds; Shawn and Katie Pocchiare lead worship; and Frank and Teresa Wynn look after shut-ins and widows.
Jimmy Devine serves as the church's preacher and teaching minister, working with the congregation to teach and equip all generations to pursue Christ and make disciples. Teresa Wynn keeps the books alongside the finance committee. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a calendar of events, registration for upcoming programs, and online giving are all available through the church's connection page.
Melbourne Church of Christ invites visitors to come as they are, whether they have been in church their whole life or are just beginning to explore. With a clear confession of faith, a steady Sunday rhythm, and ministries that extend from the nursery to Honduras, the congregation on Hollywood Boulevard continues its work of building up its members and reaching outward into the world around it.