~MORNING STAR
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ~
Throughout 1995 Don led a men's group within the Vero Beach
community that studied theology. As the group developed under his leadership,
Don
began to pray for guidance as to whether or not to plant a new church.
With the humble beginnings of this small group and sensing God's guidance
to start a new work, our first worship service was held in the cafetorium
of Oslo Middle School on the second Sunday of February, 1996. Our church
continued to hold regular worship services in the Oslo School cafetorium
until accepting an invitation by First Christian Church to share their
facilities. We worshiped at First Christian Church for a year and a half.
Initially we were an unaffiliated church (although Pastor Watkins was
connected with the Presbyterian Church in America ), and were known as
Morning Star Church. As the church developed, a leadership team was raised
up, and they were led to pursue membership in a denomination. After thorough
research and much prayer, this team selected the Associate Reformed Presbyterian
Church. In October of 1997, Morning Star began a formal connection as
a self-supporting mission church with the ARP. It was also in October
of 1997 that Pastor Watkins was able to move from part-time as pastor,
to full-time status.
In November of 2001 we purchased ten acres of land located on Oslo
Road . The property, which included a fitness center and a residential
house, was a perfect fit for our growing congregation. We immediately
resumed our worship services in our new location, and that same month
we advanced from mission church status to a particular organized church.
With humble hearts full of gratitude, we ordained our first elders, Jim
Romanek and Glenn Bradwell, and our first deacon, Phil Delange. About
a year or so after moving in, we began major remodeling of our new facility.
Purchasing the Oslo property has been a great lesson in the providence
of God. It was in the details of the property acquisition that God's
provision and sovereign blessing was so evident. The former manager of
the Timber Ridge Fitness Center was a friend of our ministry. Because
of his previous position as well as his contacts, God used him to provide
the Watkins' family the opportunity to rent the residential house currently
on the property (while waiting to have their house built). Soon thereafter,
the church was told that the entire parcel of land, fitness center and
house included, were for sale. The likelihood of our young church purchasing
the property seemed to be a near impossibility.
All things are indeed possible with God however, and we witnessed God
move on our behalf. Through the unexpected offer made to us by the owner
of the property and the magnanimous assistance of the new pastor of First
Christian Church, (he also happens to be the vice-president of a bank),
we were able to finance the purchase of the Oslo property. After five
years of looking to God to provide us with a permanent location, we now
had our own facility in which to “call home”.
These unique circumstances, timing, opportunity God afforded, and the
rapid acceleration of property value in our community in the few years
since our purchase, causes us to rejoice and heartily give thanks for
God's goodness to us, His children.
Our vision at Morning Star is related to the family, and our desire
has always been to equip, minister to, and raise up healthy, biblical
families. This vision is encapsulated in our church motto which is to
be ~A CHURCH FAMILY THAT BUILDS FAMILIES~. This
vision has led us to develop ministries to men and women as well as the
entire family unit. With this vision, and the principles necessary to
carry out this vision, we seek to be an age integrated, rather than an
age-segregated fellowship.
We can truly say that God has been faithful to us. As we look back
at our history and His faithfulness, it causes us to confidently look
forward to the future for His continued leadership and provision. We
pray He will continue to build His church here at Morning Star so that
He will be glorified and His children ministered to in a meaningful way.
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