Project 2: Sites RGV

I have attended church for as long as I can remember. I was baptized shortly after I was born by one of our pastors, Scott Stripling, who is a cofounder of Christian Fellowship Church. We started small, it’s a sister church that had started in Harlingen. Scott Stripling was our junior pastor; Scott Windrum was our senior pastor, and Ron Corzine who is the founder of the Christian Fellowship Church franchise of 6 different churches. Although we were a small community and located in the upper part of another building in Edinburg, we were a team, friends, a family. I interviewed a series of people that had and have attended this church because our websites are not very informative. I first texted our current pastor if I could have permission to document this, in which he did not reply because he has been at a pastors conference for the last two weeks, unable to use their phones. But, my dad was a deacon for a number of years before our church decided not to have any and has been the sound technician since the building opened. I asked my father, “When did we break ground at the McAllen location?” He answered, “Oh, 1995? I don’t know? You’d have to ask your mom.” I proceeded to ask him a few more questions but the, “I don’t know, ask your mom.” was basically all he could answer. Only to then ask my mom and have her say, “I don’t know, ask Scott?” “I came in 1990 so I think we broke ground for the building around 1993, but Sandy may have a more accurate memory exactly when we did”, Scott Windrum answered. I love them all, but man, we should really keep better records of our church. I remember being able to walk, talk and even do a cartwheel in the isle. I do not think it was 1990 or 1993, but closer to 1997, 98 or 99. If I ever see Sandy, I’ll ask her. It was about 10-20 families that were there when we first built in McAllen. We had home groups after church on Sunday and Wednesday church. The kid’s ages ranged from 7-18 and there were so many of us and we’d do everything together. I met my two best friends at church, the pastors’ daughter, Britney and the pianist/vocalists daughter, Kelsey. As I toured the church recently, I noticed how completely different it was over the last 15 years. I use to attend on Sundays but because I haven’t been in the last several years, I had never really seen the changes. The outside building is now a dark brown with a blue logo, instead of its flat matte beige color. We now have a school added to the building called Fox Homework Club that has taken over the children’s area of the church. I could not photograph any of this because I didn’t have permission from any parents to photograph their children and I didn’t want to interrupt their classes. I grew up in this church, I was too old for the nursery but I wasn’t a fan of the church so I would go and help out. I’d attend children’s church where my mother and her friend Kathy would teach. My best friends and I were bible maniacs who could answer every question in Sunday school. I couldn’t get any pictures of this either because its now sectioned off and has a code to get in. I took photos in the sanctuary and it is so different. What was once sea foam green carpet is now a more modern carpet with tile in some areas. We also had matching green chairs that are now; thankfully reupholstered to an odd but much better choice, grey. Where we used to have this huge, amazing, sequined map of the world that covered the entire back wall of the stage is now a plain black as well as the stage. The table where wed have our Spanish interpreter sit is still there in the same spot near the sound booth. The sound booth, where my dad still works, is now more modern with new gadgets and computers but my father’s favorite gum, Extras Polar Ice is still there, hopefully it’s a new pack. Although, this church has changed on both the outside and inside, the inside, the heart of Christian Fellowship Church is the same. “What makes CFC unique is the desire of the people to enjoy God and share the good news with others. CFC McAllen even more than when I was there now provides a place where secular groups can hold their musical and social events and I believe has even hosted events related to the city of McAllen”, Scott Windrum. Our church has hosted a lot of events over the years and has had several famous people come and minister. It is a place of fellowship and worship for the McAllen community.