A Congregation on Norman Island Drive
Community in Christ Lutheran Church sits on Norman Island Drive in Cornelius, North Carolina, on the shores of Lake Norman just north of Charlotte. It is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its members describe themselves in plain terms: ordinary people who believe that God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things in God's name. The church's stated mission is to grow a community of people who live as Jesus did - loving the Father, caring for each other, and serving the world.
The two pastors who share the work of preaching, teaching, and pastoral care are Lisa Beery and Michael Beery. The church building at 7621 Norman Island Drive houses a sanctuary, a Spirit Center, a Fellowship Hall, a Parlor, and classrooms that fill with activity nearly every day of the week.
Two Sunday Services, One Pattern of Worship
Sunday is the heart of the week at Community in Christ. Two worship services bookend a Sunday School hour, with coffee and fellowship in between.
At 9 a.m. the contemporary service begins, led with a style of music geared toward a more modern feel. At 11 a.m. the traditional service gathers, with the liturgical rhythms familiar to long-time Lutherans. Both services are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube, and both follow the same pattern: prayer, singing, scripture reading, a sermon preached from the Bible, celebration of Holy Communion, the offering of tithes, and a sending out to do God's work in the world. Every baptized Christian who believes in Jesus is welcome to receive Holy Communion.
Between the two services, at 10 a.m., the Spirit Center fills for Sunday School and the Narthex becomes a gathering place for coffee and conversation. A weekly worship bulletin is available for each service, and sermons can be watched anytime through the church's YouTube channel.
Midweek Bible Study, Choir, and Bell Choirs
The rhythm of the week continues beyond Sunday morning. Tuesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. a Bible study meets in the Narthex. Wednesday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. the Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers in the Parlor, and on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. the Adult Choir rehearses in the Sanctuary. On Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. the Agape Bell Choir meets in the Spirit Center, and on Sunday mornings before the contemporary service the Kool Kids Bell Choir gathers for young ringers.
Music is directed by Sherry Malia, the Director of Music, who oversees both vocal and handbell programs that contribute to worship throughout the year.
The CIC Weekday Preschool
Housed in the same building is the CIC Weekday Preschool, a Christian-based learning program serving children ages two through pre-kindergarten. Classes run from September through May, meeting from 9:05 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Morgan Naum serves as Director of Preschool Ministries.
The preschool operates under the conviction that children are a heritage from the Lord. In addition to classroom learning, weekly enrichment activities include Chapel and Music with Pastor Michael or Pastor Lisa, a movement program called Stretch & Grow, and STEM sessions for four-year-olds led by Ms. Morgan. The program follows the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools calendar for holidays, though the preschool makes its own decisions about weather closures and is closed on any Election Day when the building serves as a polling place.
Summer camps for ages two through five are offered each summer, and the preschool welcomes children whether or not they attend CIC Weekday Preschool during the school year.
Women, Quilts, Shawls, and Cards
Community in Christ has long-standing ministries that bring people together around table and crafts. The 5:11s is a women's fellowship group that meets between Sunday services and exists to encourage and build one another up. The Card Ministry gathers twice a month in Classroom One to write notes of care and encouragement, and the Quilting Ministry meets on Wednesday mornings and other days throughout the month to cut squares, sew quilt tops, and tie finished quilts. A Blessing of the Quilts takes place during worship each year.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls for people in need of comfort, and members may participate either at the Wednesday gatherings in the Parlor or from home by crafting pieces and bringing them to the church.
Youth Ministry and the Annual Golf Outing
Middle and senior high youth at Community in Christ take part in a busy calendar of retreats, mission trips, and service outings that include a White Water Center trip, an evening called Light the Knights at Charlotte's minor-league stadium, a Synod-wide Lutheran Youth Organization weekend in Greensboro, Agape Day Camp with volunteer days at local charities, and a Gathering Expedition week at Lutheridge in the North Carolina mountains.
Each year the congregation holds a CIC Golf Outing at Verdict Ridge Golf Club in Denver, NC, with proceeds going directly to support these youth programs. The outing includes sponsorships at several levels - Hole In One, Eagle, Birdie, Par, Bogie, and Friend of CIC - along with raffle prizes, mulligans, and a luncheon following play. The funds raised have paid for student trips, event tickets, summer camp scholarships, and the inflatables that marked Rally Sunday.
Weddings, Baptisms, and Funerals
Pastors Lisa and Michael Beery officiate weddings for members of Community in Christ and, on a case-by-case basis, for others. Couples being married at CIC are offered three pre-marital counseling sessions using the Prepare/Enrich curriculum, with rehearsal and wedding dates reserved through the church secretary.
Baptisms are scheduled through the pastors and include a time of teaching and preparation beforehand. The church teaches that baptism is God's work of welcoming people of all ages into the Christian family, uniting the baptized with Jesus and sharing in the promise of resurrection.
Funerals are arranged by contacting either pastor directly at the church number. A funeral request form and planning booklet are available to help families think through the shape of the service.
Outreach, Collections, and the Wider Church
Community in Christ keeps a monthly grocery cart in its Narthex to collect food and household items for the Angels and Sparrows Community Table Kitchen. The congregation also collects pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House and empty medical bottles to be recycled for a charitable cause. A Pastors' Emergency Relief Fund (PERF) accepts donations that provide timely financial help to pastors and their families during unexpected emergencies.
The church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and participates in that denomination's broader youth, formation, and service opportunities. A brochure and registration link are available for an upcoming Splendors of Egypt trip planned for January and February 2027, with an optional Petra extension.
Visiting Community in Christ
First-time guests will find the church on Norman Island Drive in Cornelius, with the main phone line reaching the church office at 704-892-0120. The contemporary service at 9 a.m. and the traditional service at 11 a.m. both include Holy Communion, both are livestreamed for those at home, and Sunday School for all ages meets in between. Whether someone arrives on a Sunday morning or finds the building during a weekday preschool tour, the welcome is the same: you are loved by God, and there is a place for everyone in this family of faith.