A Patterson Road Congregation with a 1918 Tent-Meeting Past
Grand Junction First Church of the Nazarene meets on Patterson Road on the north side of Grand Junction, Colorado, where it has been rooted since 1996. The church is part of the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition and is a caring and welcoming family where people love the Lord and love one another. Worship is held in person each Sunday, with services also available online through the church's YouTube channel.
How the Church Began
The congregation's story starts in June 1918, when Rev. C.P. Ellis held a gospel tent meeting at the corner of Rood Avenue and Fourth Street. A windstorm nearly demolished the tent after only a few nights, but the meeting moved indoors to a hall at 125 S. Fifth Street. Just one month later, on July 18, 1918, Grand Junction First Church of the Nazarene was organized. Early gatherings were held on the southeast corner of Main and Sixth Street until a permanent building was constructed two and a half years later. After decades of building and remodeling, the church moved to its current Patterson Road facility in 1996, where the congregation continues to seek new and creative ways to participate in God's redemptive mission.
Sunday in Grand Junction
The Sunday rhythm begins at 9:30 a.m. with Discipleship hour, when classes are offered for children, students and adults across the church. The Worship Service follows at 10:30 a.m. Visitors are welcome in person or online; recent services are archived on the church's YouTube channel for those who want to listen later in the week. On Sunday evenings, Community Groups meet in homes and other locations around Mesa County, giving the congregation a regular way to build relationships beyond the church building.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Midweek programming begins with Mid-Week Children's Ministries at 6 p.m. in the children's modular behind the main church building. Children ages 4 through 5th grade gather for games, worship, activities and Bible teaching designed for their level. At 6:30 p.m., students in 6th through 12th grade meet for a midweek refreshment that includes fellowship, games and practical conversations about faith. Adult midweek activities are also part of the Wednesday evening schedule, giving the whole congregation overlapping ways to connect during the week.
Children, Birth through 5th Grade
Children's ministry is led by Michelle Tompkins and intentionally designed to help every child develop a love for Jesus and His church. A nursery is available each Sunday morning during Sunday School and the Worship Service, providing a clean space for diaper changes, a quiet corner for fussy babies and a private place for nursing mothers. A toddler class meets during both Sunday School and the Worship Service, giving the youngest children a space to play and begin learning who God made them to be. Children's Worship during the 10:30 a.m. service focuses on children learning worship by watching their family and friends, with activities provided to help them engage.
Students in 6th through 12th Grade
Student ministry is part of Nazarene Youth International and is led by Associate Pastor Rev. Jeremy Stover. Students gather on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. for discipleship, on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. for fellowship and study, and on Sunday evenings through Community Groups. The ministry grounds itself in 1 Timothy 4:12, encouraging young people to set an example for believers in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, and giving them real opportunities to serve inside the local church.
Adult Ministries
Adult life at the church is shaped around several streams. Women's Ministries connects and builds relationships through biblical enrichment, social activities and serving others in Grand Junction. Men's Ministries provides time and space for guys of all ages to deepen their relationship with God and with one another. J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) is the senior adult ministry, setting an example for younger generations in Christian living, caring for others and having good, clean fun. Family Ministries was created to strengthen families and help them build a strong foundation with God as the head, addressing topics such as marriage, divorce and the dangers children may face.
Heaven's Little Steps Childcare
Operating out of the church building at 2802 Patterson Road, Heaven's Little Steps Childcare is a faith-based early learning program for children ages 6 weeks through 8 years. The center is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, offering full-time care and some part-time care, with a Christian curriculum that weaves basic concepts of God and the Bible into everyday learning. Tuition is tiered by age, with a registration fee of $50 per family and daily rates ranging from $43.50 to $56.50 for full-time care; part-time rates are available for children under five hours per day. The program participates in Colorado's Universal Preschool Program, offering free PreK from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and accepts CCCAP. Director Amber Moore leads a teaching team that includes lead teachers, assistant teachers, aides and kitchen and maintenance staff. Families can join a waiting list by submitting a request to the church.
Mission and Outreach
The church's mission is to make Christlike disciples in the nations, mirroring the sending language of John 20:21. Locally, Compassionate Ministries seeks to help meet the needs of children, families and communities. Globally, the church supports Nazarene missionaries and partners with Alabaster, a fund that provides property and buildings for ministry around the world, helping congregations put down roots in the places they serve.
What Nazarenes Believe
As a Church of the Nazarene congregation, the church stands in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, organized in 1908 and now home to roughly 2.5 million members worshiping in more than 30,000 congregations worldwide. Its Articles of Faith affirm one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the plenary inspiration of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, the fallen nature of humankind, the atoning work of Jesus Christ for all who repent and believe, entire sanctification as a subsequent act of faith, the witness of the Holy Spirit to the new birth and to entire sanctification, and the return of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead and final judgment. The congregation's own mission is simple: to praise God, to tell the world God loves them, to live holy lives and to love one another in Christ Jesus.
The Team
Rev. Wayne Spencer serves as Lead Pastor, with Rev. Jeremy Stover as Associate Pastor to Youth & Young Adults. Michelle Tompkins coordinates Children's Ministries and also serves as Assistant Director of Heaven's Little Steps. Jessi Spencer leads worship, Marie Stover directs missions and Julia Bjork leads discipleship. Cassi Stover serves as administrative assistant and Debbie LeTurgez as treasurer and bookkeeper. The childcare team is led by Director Amber Moore.