Fairfield Church of Christ sits on Symmes Road in Fairfield, Ohio, a Butler County suburb just north of Cincinnati. The congregation describes itself with three short phrases that hang over everything it does: Devoted to Jesus, Passionate for People, Committed to Serve. On any given Sunday you will find two identical worship gatherings, one at 8:45 AM and another at 11:15 AM, with a full hour of classes and small groups for every age in between. Around those services the church has built a wide program of midweek children's ministry, student ministry, adult Bible study, a Thursday night recovery ministry, and a network of small groups that meet on Sunday mornings and during the week.
A Sunday at FCC
Each Sunday worship gathering lasts about an hour. Members and visitors sing together, listen to a message from God's Word, and participate in the Lord's Supper. Dress is casual, and coffee and donuts are on hand if someone missed breakfast. The church does not pass a collection plate during the service; offering boxes sit at the back of the sanctuary, and giving is also available online. Both services are identical in format, so families and friends can pick the hour that fits their week without missing any part of the gathering.
Casual, Family-Friendly, and Open at the Table
First-time guests are welcomed into a relaxed setting. The Lord's Supper is observed at every service, an unusual practice among evangelical churches and a key distinctive of the Restoration Movement tradition to which FCC belongs. Partaking is meant for those who have become baptized followers of Christ, and the church teaches that the bread and cup symbolize the breaking of Christ's body and the shedding of His blood, are to be observed repeatedly throughout the Christian life, and are a sign of unity with other members of Christ's body. For parents who prefer their child not participate, the children's ministry staff is happy to make that adjustment at the check-in desk.
Baptism by Immersion
FCC practices believer's baptism by full immersion. The church teaches that the New Testament pattern is conversion followed by going under the water as a symbol of union with Christ in His death and resurrection, and that baptism is the first expression of faith rather than something separate from it. Anyone who has been sprinkled and is interested in immersion is invited to talk with the ministry staff about the meaning of the change. Baptisms are scheduled for those who have decided to follow Christ and want to mark that commitment publicly.
Midweek: Three Programs Under One Roof
Wednesday nights are built so the whole family can show up at the same hour and find something for every age. Doors open at 5:30 PM for kids' check-in and an open gym in the back entrance, and the official programming runs from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
Wednesday Night Kids
Wednesday Night Kids is for children from Pre-K through fifth grade (the children's page lists kindergarten through sixth grade for the program itself). Doors open for check-in and open gym at 5:30 PM at the back entrance, with the program running 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Each evening mixes gym rotations and high-energy games with large-group worship and intentional small-group time led by background-checked volunteers. Parents get two hours to recharge, run errands, or simply sit in the parking lot and read, knowing their kids are safe and learning. The program is housed in the Kids' Wing and is part of the broader Kidopolis umbrella.
Students Midweek
Across the hall, in the Upper Youth Center, sixth through twelfth graders gather for Students Midweek, also from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The evening opens with games and hangouts, moves into student-led worship and a Bible message aimed at the realities teenagers face, and finishes in age-appropriate small groups where students can ask honest questions and process the teaching together. The Student Ministry describes its mission in three words: love, discipline, and good works to the glory of God. Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM add a small-group hour in the youth center, and there is also a Sunday evening option for older students that includes games, the student band, a Biblical message, and small groups.
Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study
Down the hall in Room 113, right across from the gym, the Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study opens its doors at 6:15 PM and runs from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. The teaching intentionally mirrors the themes the kids are learning the same night, so a parent dropping off a child can walk straight into a study that lines up with what their son or daughter is hearing upstairs. The goal is twofold: to give adults a midweek moment to deepen their own walk and to make the drive home a real family conversation rather than a one-sided recap.
Celebrate Recovery on Thursdays
Thursday nights belong to Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered, confidential program that meets every week from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. CR is designed for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, or hang-ups, from addiction and past wounds to the quieter struggles that keep people from the peace they are looking for. The room is open to anyone who wants a safe place to heal, and the program is built on biblical principles and a clear path toward lasting freedom and restoration through Jesus Christ. There is no charge and no requirement to share before a person is ready.
Kidopolis: The Children's Ministry Umbrella
The children's ministry at FCC goes by the name Kidopolis and serves infants through fifth grade. On Sunday mornings, Kids Worship meets at 8:45 and 11:15 AM, with Kids Sunday School for all ages during the 10:00 AM hour. Kidopolis describes itself not just as programming for children but as a ministry to families, helping parents build their home on a firm foundation of God. Three partner programs live under the Kidopolis umbrella.
Upward Sports
FCC participates in the basketball and cheerleading divisions of Upward Sports. Evaluations, cheer clinics, and drafts take place in October and November, and the season runs through early March. Upward at FCC accommodates children from kindergarten through eighth grade.
American Heritage Girls
American Heritage Girls is a faith-based, scout-style character and leadership program for girls. Troops at FCC participate in badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities, and outdoor experiences, all with an emphasis on Christian values and family involvement.
Trail Life USA
Trail Life USA is the outdoor adventure counterpart for boys. The program emphasizes camping, hiking, fishing, archery, riflery, and canoeing, taught in a structured outdoor environment with an emphasis on character, leadership, and biblical values. Both AHG and Trail Life USA use the church as their home base.
Vacation Bible School: Emerald Crossing
Each summer, FCC hosts Vacation Bible School for five evenings in late June. Doors open just after 5:00 PM and the program runs from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, with dinner served family-style at 6:45 PM. The church rotates a simple menu: hot dogs, pasta, pizza, chicken fingers, and tacos, with an ice cream truck visiting on theme-costume day. Each year includes a service mission; the most recent VBS raised money for Pathway to Hope Crisis Pregnancy Center in Hamilton, with the top-earning team winning a bowling, pizza, and ice cream party before the school year started.
Young Adults and the Rooted Class
The Young Adults Ministry at FCC is built around two anchors. On Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM, the Rooted class meets in Room 105. Rooted is designed for the awkward stretch between high school graduation and settled adulthood, typically ages 17 to 26, and is described by the church as a discipleship bridge: a place to dig roots deep into Christ, the Word, and fellowship so the season bears fruit. The verse behind the class is Colossians 2:7, about being strengthened in the faith and overflowing with thankfulness.
On Monday evenings at 6:00 PM, a second young-adult Bible study gathers around a shared dinner and an open Bible. The group is led by Jacob Ackermann and rotates its study topics while keeping the rhythm consistent: food first, then the Word. Singles, college students, early-career adults, and young married couples all sit at the same table.
Anchored: Young Families and Parents
Anchored meets on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM in Room 111 and is aimed at young adults and emerging professionals, generally 21 to late 30s, including singles and couples with or without kids. The class digs into Scripture with an eye toward navigating the messier parts of modern adult life: career, marriage, parenting, singleness, finances, and identity. The teaching is paired with honest conversation and a goal of getting Anchored firmly in faith while everything else keeps moving.
For parents with kids in Wednesday Night Kids, there is also a Wednesday night adult Bible study option at 6:30 PM in Room 113 designed to cover the same scriptures their children are learning, so the whole family is on the same page.
Midweek Adult Bible Fellowships
The 10:00 AM Sunday hour is also home to a cluster of midlife and senior adult Bible fellowships, each with its own personality:
- B.A.S.I.C. meets in Room 113. B.A.S.I.C. stands for the practical commitment of the class: practical application of faith principles to real life situations, with an emphasis on growing in love for Christ and for one another.
- Everyday Perspectives meets in Room 112 and uses book studies, topical studies, and video material to ground members in a Godly worldview and apply it to daily life.
- Journey meets in Room 108. Journey is built around in-depth study of whole books of the Bible, with several rotating instructors and an expectation that members can look back year over year and see measurable growth.
- Soul Sisters meets in Room 104. Soul Sisters is a women's group that intentionally welcomes women who have felt like misfits in other classes, with an emphasis on authentic, vulnerable fellowship.
Senior Adults: New Horizons, H.O.P.E., and Workers for Christ
FCC has a deep bench of senior adult ministry. The umbrella group is New Horizons, which serves the 55-plus community with fellowships, luncheons at the church, day trips, and meals at local restaurants. Recent outings have included Krohn's Conservatory, an Amish Country tour in Indiana, the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, the annual picnic at Mason Christian Village, and the Beau Verre glass factory. New Horizons also plans multi-day trips; the perennial favorite is Senior Saints in the Smokies near Knoxville. Service projects include a banana bread ministry for new guests, a greeting card ministry, sorting clothes at Rethreads, Master Provisions, and a Veteran's Day celebration.
Three Sunday morning Bible fellowships gather specifically for seniors:
- H.O.P.E. meets in Founder's Chapel and focuses on bridging the gap between ancient text and modern life.
- Workers for Christ meets in Room 206 and is built around humble fellowship, flexible topical and book studies, and a relaxed atmosphere where visitors are never pressured to read aloud.
- BYKOTA (Be Ye Kind One To Another) meets in Room 204 and is the church's primary outreach-oriented senior class, with year-round projects like back-to-school supply drives, minister appreciation, and the Wish Tree.
Two specialty groups round out the senior offerings. Empty Nesters is a fellowship group for parents whose kids have left home, organized around hearty breakfasts and warm conversation. We Can is a monthly lunch group for widows and widowers focused on companionship, encouragement, and a new support system during a shared life transition.
OnPoint Men's Ministry and Ladies Bible Study
OnPoint Men's Ministry meets at 7:45 AM on Sunday mornings in Room 112 and is open to men ages 12 and up. The format is prayer, praise, study, and a hard look at opportunities to serve. The group's name borrows from a military term: the first and most exposed position in a combat formation. The teaching acknowledges that every man is a work in progress and finds common ground in two allies, Jesus Christ and each other.
A separate Ladies Bible Study gathers around deep Bible study, encouragement, and connection among women. The group describes its purpose as women gathering to learn, grow, and walk alongside each other while chasing Christ.
Starting Point: A Class for the Curious
For newcomers who want a clear overview of who FCC is, Starting Point is a seasonal, conversational class led by Lead Minister Brian Schreiber. Sessions walk through the church's identity, history, beliefs, and core values, with plenty of room for questions. Starting Point is the recommended first step for anyone considering making FCC their church home and feeds directly into the next steps of baptism and membership.
Membership and the Eldership
While the church does not see formal membership as a scriptural requirement, it uses membership as a practical way for people to commit to this body of believers and to participate in congregational decisions. To become a member, a person must be an immersed believer in Jesus Christ. Spiritual oversight sits with a rotating group of elders selected by the congregation. The current eldership includes Jim Weaver as Chairman, Tracy White as Vice Chairman, Phil Abbott as Secretary, and elders Larry Cline, Mick Wright, Paul Ackermann, and Mike Lyons. Questions, prayer concerns, or doctrinal inquiries can be sent to the elders through a shared email address.
What FCC Believes
FCC teaches a classical evangelical, Restoration Movement faith. The church affirms one God eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It teaches that Jesus Christ is the one and only begotten Son of God, that He lived a perfect life, died for our sins, rose again, and reigns at God's right hand until His return. The Holy Spirit is given to every follower of Christ to comfort, teach, and empower daily life. Scripture, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is described as the inspired and inerrant Word of God and the final authority on all matters of faith and practice.
Salvation is through Jesus alone and is received through repentance, confession of faith, and baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The church is described as the body of Christ on earth, called to make disciples through worship, prayer, teaching, fellowship, the use of gifts, and the proclamation of the gospel both locally and globally. FCC looks for the physical, visible, and glorious return of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, final judgment, and the hope of a new heaven and a new earth.
Distinctives of Fairfield Church of Christ
Three practices set FCC apart from many other evangelical churches:
- Weekly observance of the Lord's Supper. Each Sunday service includes communion, which the church describes as a normative practice of the early church that they seek to maintain.
- Baptism by immersion as the first expression of saving faith.
- Congregational eldership, with the church independently governed by a rotating group of elders who shepherd the spiritual life of the body alongside the ministerial staff.
The Mission Behind It All
The mission statement breaks the church's purpose into three movements. Jesus is our Message. The purpose of FCC is to share the hope of Jesus, and methods may come and go, but the message will remain the same. People are our Heart. All people are loved by Jesus, so the heart of FCC is for all people too, especially those who are far from God. Servant Leadership is our Identity. The greatest leadership is through service, and every role at FCC, from the lead minister to the parking lot team, is a form of neighbor love.
Serve at Church, Locally, and Globally
FCC organizes service into three lanes. At church, members can serve on the worship team, teach in a children's classroom, greet visitors at the door, or join one of many behind-the-scenes teams. Locally, FCC partners with a network of organizations in Butler County and the greater Cincinnati area. Globally, the church supports a handful of mission partners and sends teams abroad. A service interest form gathers volunteers for all three.
The Staff Team
The ministerial staff is led by Brian Schreiber as Lead Minister, with Drew Staudenmaier as Worship Minister, Jacob Hoover as Student Minister, Patrick Gainard as Children's Minister, and Bruce Stoker as Connections Minister. The Connections Ministry is the front door for anyone new: welcoming visitors, guiding people through the pathway of discipleship, and helping adults of every age find their place to serve. Supporting the team are an Office Administrator who keeps schedules and correspondence running, and a Media Director who manages the church's digital platforms.
Worship, Music, and the Sermons
Worship at FCC is led by Drew Staudenmaier and a team of musicians and vocalists who curate a mix of musical styles aimed at helping the congregation engage meaningfully. The goal is an atmosphere conducive to spiritual growth and connection, not a particular style bracket, and the blend leans contemporary while leaving room for older hymns and more reflective songs. A Spotify playlist of songs the congregation sings is linked from the music page, and full services are available on the church's YouTube channel.
Sermons are released as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Simplecast, and can be played directly from the church's sermon page. Anyone who missed a Sunday or wants to share a message with a friend can catch up the same week.
Giving, Online Tools, and Communication
Giving is offered in two ways: in person through the boxes at the back of the sanctuary on Sundays, and online through the church's giving page. The church has recently transitioned its management software to Planning Center Online, with an option for returning ACS users to manage their accounts during the migration. Text reminders are available for parents, students, and members who want a heads-up on weather cancellations or last-minute changes.
Getting Connected
Five doorways lead into the life of the church:
- Starting Point for newcomers who want a clear picture of who FCC is.
- Baptism for anyone ready to take the step of identifying with Christ.
- Membership for immersed believers ready to commit to this body.
- Groups for adults who want to study and pray with peers at the same life stage.
- Serve at the church, in the community, or through a global mission partner.
Anyone exploring the church can fill out a connection card on the New Here page or contact the church office at info@werfcc.com. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM at 745 Symmes Road in Fairfield.
Visiting Fairfield Church of Christ
Plan to arrive a few minutes before either Sunday service. The dress code is casual, coffee and donuts are waiting, and the worship center is set up so communion flows naturally into the rest of the service. Children can go straight to Kids Worship, parents can find the adult gathering, and newcomers can stop by the welcome area for a connection card. For anyone arriving midweek, the Wednesday night programs run from 6:00 to 8:00 PM with kids' doors open at 5:30 PM, the adult Bible study covers the same scriptures upstairs from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, and Thursday nights at 6:30 PM are reserved for Celebrate Recovery.