One Story
Sharing Christ through sports on the Treasure Coast
Travis O’Neal and Dave West are using father-son football games to build boys’ character and interest in our Stuart Campus
One family's driving passion
It's been many years and many miles. The launch of the Stuart Campus means the Connollys' long commute will soon end.
To give and to receive
Wendy Francy volunteered for the Visitation Ministry to care for someone else. She found what was missing in her own life.
One family's driving passion
Carroll and Jo Anne Connolly estimate that they’ve driven roughly 76,000 miles to Christ Fellowship’s Gardens Campus over the past 13 years. (Yup, that’s another 76,000 miles to get back home to Stuart.)
“We’ve burned tires and vehicles up,” laughs Carroll. “But Pastor Tom summed it up one time when he said, ‘A church alive is worth the drive.’”
Over the years they’ve averaged three trips a week, coming south not only for weekend services but to serve in various capacities and to support their kids’ participation in virtually every Children’s and Student Ministry. So the Connolly family is excited for the launch of the Stuart Campus this fall, but not just because Martin County High School is only about 3 miles from their house.
“It’s unbelievable how desperately we need Christ Fellowship up here, how badly Martin County needs an outreach” so that people can come to know Jesus, Jo Anne says.
Their home away from home
The Connolly family came to Christ Fellowship in 1995, when services at the Gardens were held on South Campus. Their first visit was an emotional one, as they watched children’s home director Dr. Johnny Cook introduce dozens of Mexican orphans the church had helped. “Our three daughters are of Mexican descent,” Jo Anne remembers, “and we must have cried the whole service.”
Carroll and Jo Anne have assembled what they call a “rainbow family” of five adopted children: Zachary, now 26; Jesyca, 19; Maria, 18; Pricella, 17; and Jacob, 14. They were committed to raising their children in a Christian environment, and their church helped support that.
“We wanted the children involved in a church like Christ Fellowship,” Jo Anne stresses. “We wanted to do whatever we could to keep them involved. The Children’s Ministry is phenomenal.”
“A mighty movement”
The Connolly family is looking forward to laying such a foundation for the northern communities. “I think that the Lord will be so present and so strong,” Carroll says. “It will just be a mighty movement up here.”
Christ Fellowship plans to launch the Stuart Campus in the fall of 2008 at Martin County High School, a venue that will accommodate 750-1,000 people. This school, situated right in the heart of Martin County, will allow us to impact the Treasure Coast for Christ. Learn more on our website.