From a School Cafeteria to a 20,000-Square-Foot Campus
Jackson Friends Church opened its doors for the first time on April 9, 1989, holding services at Sauder Elementary School in Jackson Township. The plant was launched with the help of Canton First Friends Church and the Evangelical Friends Church - Eastern Region, and its early goal was simply to share the Word of God with the surrounding neighborhoods. Three years later the congregation moved out of the school cafeteria and began construction on the present facility. The first service in the new building was held on July 11, 1993, and within four years the Sunday morning attendance had grown from 200 to more than 600.
Steady expansion followed. In 1998 office and educational wings were added, along with fourteen new classrooms and an extra 100 seats in the worship center. The Ministry Activities Center (MAC/Gym), the Bistro/Atrium, and the Hospitality Room came online in 2003, and a dedicated Kid's Clubhouse was finished in the fall of 2012 to host Wednesday night programs and weekly children's church. Outdoor spaces kept pace with the indoor growth: soccer and flag football fields plus a playground were added in 2019, a pavilion in 2021, and a Prayer Garden in 2022. Founding Pastor David Tebbs retired in July 2022; after a season with Dr. Tom Kinnan serving as interim, Todd Schreiner was welcomed as the new Lead Pastor in September 2023.
Today the church sits on the corner of Arlington Road and Portage Street in Jackson Township, Massillon, Ohio, and identifies with the Evangelical Friends Church - Eastern Region, adhering to the doctrine set out in that body's 2023 Faith and Practice edition.
Sundays at Jackson Friends
The Sunday rhythm begins early. From 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. the Java House Bistro serves a full breakfast along with coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies, and hot chocolate; the proceeds support a homeless ministry in Akron called Team Jesus. At 9:00 a.m. the building fills with Bible study. Children meet in classrooms by grade (Preschool through 3rd in Room 203, 4th and 5th in Room 206), students gather for their own time together, and adults spread out across eight different small groups on the second floor and in the Hospitality Room.
At 10:30 a.m. the congregation comes together in the worship center for a service that typically includes three or four songs, a time for giving, congregational prayer, and a Bible-based sermon. Visitors are invited to sit anywhere, to bring a Bible, and to expect a warm welcome from those seated nearby. The church practices communion or the Lord's Supper four to five times a year. Students in 6th grade and up join the main worship service; children in 5th grade and younger are dismissed upstairs to Children's Church in the Clubhouse. American Sign Language interpretation is offered during the 10:30 worship service every Sunday.
Greeters stand at each of the three entrances to hand out bulletins and help direct newcomers. The Main Entrance (Door #1) opens closest to Portage Street and leads into the worship center and church offices. The Atrium Entrance (Door #2) leads into the Java House and Bistro and on to the children's check-in and nursery. The Arlington Entrance (Door #3) opens from the Arlington Street parking lot directly into the hall of the worship center.
Glorify, Grow, and Go
The mission of the church is captured in three short words: Glorify, Grow, and Go. Members glorify Christ in word and deed, grow as disciples of Christ, and go to serve others through the Gospel of Christ. This three-fold purpose flows from the Great Commandment to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Great Commission to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).
Eight core values shape the daily life of the congregation: the Word of God as inerrant and central to all teaching; prayer as heartfelt communion with God both privately and corporately; unity established through clear communication and trusting relationships; worship as spirit-filled and guided by God's truth, expressed through song, sermon, community, culture, and work; equipping believers for service through Biblical truth and the discovery of spiritual gifts; obedience modeled by Jesus and cultivated in an environment of trust; the dignity of every person made in the image of God; and outreach that reaches the local community and the ends of the earth with the Gospel.
What the Church Believes
Jackson Friends teaches a classical evangelical doctrine. There is one eternal, unchanging, personal God who exists as a Trinity of three distinct persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - identical, inseparable, and equal. Jesus Christ is God revealed in human form, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, sinless in life, crucified as the perfect sacrifice for sin, raised on the third day, ascended to heaven, and destined to return. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer from the moment of salvation, producing both the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit and guiding the church into truth.
The Bible is regarded as the only infallible rule of faith and living, given by inspiration of God and without error in all that it affirms. Human beings were created in God's image but fell through disobedience, bringing sin and death into the world. Salvation is a free gift, received through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The Church is the people of God united on mission, not the building they happen to meet in. Heaven and Hell are both real, and every human being will exist eternally in one or the other.
Among the church's distinctive moral teachings: marriage is the union of one man and one woman in a lifelong covenant; every human life is sacred from conception to natural death; people are purposefully created as male or female, and sexual immorality in any form is contrary to God's design; and because all human beings are image bearers of God, racism and any claim of inherent human superiority are rejected.
Children, Students, and Adults
The children's ministry treats the task of discipling kids as both an honor and a privilege. On Sunday mornings the nursery cares for newborns through preschool-age children during both the 9:00 and 10:30 hours. During the Sunday school hour, Preschool through 3rd grade meets in Room 203, and 4th and 5th grade in Room 206. During the 10:30 service, 4th and 5th graders gather in Launchpad, 1st through 3rd graders head to the Clubhouse, and 4-year-olds through Kindergarten meet in the Preschool Campground room. Wednesday nights add an arts component: from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. the JFC Arts Ministry, led by Sandy Dennis, teaches puppets, drama, and visual arts; from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. JFC Kids gathers for worship, hands-on activities, gym time, and Bible stories.
Student ministry is built for grades 6 through 12. At 9:00 a.m. on Sundays middle and high school students share a Bible study in the Student Ministry Room, and at 10:30 they join the main worship service. Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. are reserved for middle schoolers, and Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m. bring high schoolers together in the youth room and gym for fellowship, games, and Bible study. Throughout the year special events include hiking trips, sporting events, outings, and open gym times.
Adults have several pathways. Sunday morning small groups at 9:00 a.m. include Generations (60+, led by Michael Chappuis), Let's Get Growing (multigenerational, led by Bill Heade), The Seekers (60+, led by Dave Linton and Bob Sturm), and Pray About It (multigenerational). Home Groups meet during the week in more intimate settings for fellowship, prayer, and Bible study, and additional Wednesday night Bible studies are open to both men and women. The Bridge, a young adults group for high school graduates, college-age, and young adults, meets Sunday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the downstairs cafe room under the leadership of Jeff and Jessica Weygandt. The men's ministry gathers on Wednesday evenings around a 6:30 p.m. fellowship and a 7:00 p.m. Bible study, and also hosts a quarterly Saturday morning breakfast from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. The women's group centers on rich Bible study and community.
Ability Ministry and the Deaf Community
The Jackson Friends Ability Ministry (JFAM) exists so that children and adults with disabilities can know how much God loves them and find a thriving community in which to shine for Jesus. During the 9:00 a.m. Sunday school hour and the 10:30 a.m. worship hour, children with different abilities are paired one-on-one with a buddy assistant. Beginning in the fall, a dedicated class meets at 9:00 a.m. in the Sensory Room near the nursery under the leadership of the Ability Ministry Director. A substitute buddy program provides coverage when regular buddies are unavailable.
Sign language ministry runs alongside the ability ministry. On Thursday evenings during the fall, an intermediate sign language class meets from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and a beginners class from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., both in the Hospitality Room. The class workbook runs between $15 and $20 depending on the Amazon price. Anyone needing an interpreter for a worship service, event, or meeting can request one through the church office. The deaf ministry also relies on volunteers willing to serve as buddies in the sports programs, where children with different abilities participate alongside their peers.
JFC Sports
Few things are more visible on the campus than JFC Sports. The ministry serves almost 2,000 participants a year from the surrounding communities and grounds every league and camp in a desire to provide a Biblical basis for competition while sharing the hope of Christ through the Gospel. Equal playing time is a point of pride across the youth leagues.
The calendar turns with the seasons. Fall brings co-ed flag football and cheerleading for K through 6th, fall soccer for Pre K through 3rd, and volleyball leagues and clinics for 3rd through 6th. Winter brings basketball leagues divided into K through 6th, 7th through 8th, and 9th through 12th, plus volleyball clinics in the spring for 3rd through 6th. Summer opens up basketball, soccer, football, volleyball, skills, and all-day sports camps for K through 8th, an adult 18-and-over basketball league that runs roughly June through July, and adult volleyball open gyms in the fall. Coaches for the various programs include Coach Larry Taylor for basketball, Coach Frank Gagliardi for soccer, Coach Jenna Johnson for volleyball, and Coach Marquelo Suel for football and skills camps.
The stated purpose of the sports ministry is straightforward: to enhance fellowship and interpersonal relationships, to share a Biblical basis for competition, to make every experience fun and positive, and to keep the programs open to the community regardless of race, sex, creed, or church background.
Reaching Out Locally and Globally
Outreach at Jackson Friends Church is woven into the calendar. Locally, the church partners with Sauder Elementary to run Good News Club, an after-school program that teaches the Bible to more than 60 children through lessons, games, and activities. Two or three large community events reach further into the neighborhood: Spring Fling, an Easter-themed afternoon with inflatables, an egg hunt, crafts, and a Gospel message, and Fall Fest, a fall outdoor festival with inflatables, games, live music, hayrides, and food trucks. A food and clothing distribution program supplies local schools and families, and the Pins IN NEEDles crochet team makes scarves and hats for those experiencing homelessness as winter approaches.
The church works with several ministry partners in northeast Ohio. Haven of Rest in Akron operates a homeless shelter that serves free meals every day, distributes clothing, and runs Christ-centered recovery programs. Refuge of Hope in Canton offers shelter, meals nine times a week, clothing, and healthcare services. A pregnancy and parenting center in the area protects the unborn and ministers to women and men, and Unexpected Blessing, a Christ-centered ministry in downtown Canton, helps families with baby items and children's clothing. The Java House food pantry supports church families and neighbors in need, and a Women's With a Mission team collects ACME grocery receipts between August 1 and February 15 for a Community Cashback fundraiser that supports missions.
On the global side, Jackson Friends supports missionaries serving with Evangelical Friends Mission and organizes its own short-term trips. An Oklahoma Mission Trip takes teams to the Kickapoo Friends Center on a Native American reservation to share the Gospel with the Kickapoo people. An Albania Mission Trip sends volunteers to the Johnson Center in Albania to serve individuals with special needs and partners with a local church for village VBS outreaches. Camp Gideon, the Evangelical Friends Church camp, offers additional opportunities to develop passionate followers of Jesus Christ through outdoor experiences.
Worship Style, Giving, and Visiting
The worship style at Jackson Friends is blended, marked by contemporary songs led by a worship band, congregational prayer, giving, and expository preaching from the Bible. Communion is observed four or five times a year. Services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, and past sermons can be listened to on Spotify or watched on YouTube.
Visitors planning a first visit are encouraged to arrive around 10:00 a.m., thirty minutes before the worship service, in order to park, grab a free coffee or espresso drink from the Java House, and settle in. Dress is described as come as you are, you will be among friends. The building has three entrances and a Welcome Center where greeters hand out bulletins and help families find the children's ministry check-in. Sunday morning donations are collected during the service; secure online and recurring giving is available through the church's giving platform, and gifts can also be mailed to the church address. The Church Center app for iOS and Android handles giving as well as the children's ministry check-in and a steady stream of church updates.
The pastoral staff is led by Lead Pastor Todd Schreiner and Associate Pastor Scott "Moby" Dick. Ministry directors include Eric Stucki (Worship), Lea Nathaniel (Children's Ministry), Anya Ressler (Student Ministries), Susie Bell (Care Ministry), and Collin McClure (Sports Ministry Interim), with Rebekah Cole serving as Communications Director and Assistant Children's Director. Six elders - Elizabeth Kozenko, Justin Greenfelder, Libby Brinkman, Thomas Drew, Jeff Weygandt, and Bob Sturm - oversee the various areas of ministry and church life. Together this team keeps the church pointed in the same direction it has carried since the first service in 1989: to glorify Christ, to grow as His disciples, and to go wherever He leads.