There is a great need for communities of faith like Johns Creek Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Johns Creek, GA and nearby towns.
As an open and affirming congregation, it provides a safe and comfortable space for worshipers, no matter their sexual orientation.
“People have been hurt by other churches and are just looking for a second chance,” explains Senior Pastor Rev. Joel Saucedo. “We truly mean it when we say, ‘all means all.’ We welcome everyone, regardless of whatever division the world has placed upon a person.”
In 2022, Johns Creek Christian Church (JCCC)’s loans from our ministry were in forbearance. If the faith community couldn’t find a way to resolve the difficulties it had in paying off its debts, then its future would be hard to imagine.
With our capital fundraising campaign guidance, JCCC is well on its way to becoming more financially stable, ensuring that it continues to share God’s love for all people.
Partnership comes to the rescue
JCCC has a long history with us, getting its start in 1997 with our financial assistance services.
Rev. Joel Saucedo, however, only began serving the church five years ago, right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. When he and his wife drove from Texas to Georgia on Christmas Day in 2020, their apartment wasn’t ready. Instead, they moved their family and their belongings into a local motel.
The situation at JCCC was just as rocky.
Due to public health concerns, its worship services were pared down to a skeleton crew, including the choir and other essential staff, which were then streamed online. After the worst days of COVID-19 were behind them, leadership decided to open the doors of Johns Creek again. Despite offering a hybrid worship, church membership and attendance had dwindled—not everyone who had stayed home returned.
“When we began gathering in-person again,” Rev. Joel remembers, “it almost felt like we were a new church start.”
On top of that, JCCC was in default over its twice-adjusted loans. Even though the congregation had fallen on hard times, it was not alone.
Due to our longstanding partnership with the church, our Vice President Rev. Gilberto Collazo contacted them in September 2021 for a goodwill visit. After having lunch with Rev. Joel, Rev. Gilberto knew that JCCC was due for a loan consultation, which took place a year later. Members of the church’s financial team met with our staff, where they explored their options: stay in their building and transform their ministry, sell their facility and move to another location, or close their congregation altogether.
“The meeting got everybody together to choose whether they wanted to move forward and continue the ministry or recognize that the church had had its season and it was time to sell its place of worship,” Rev. Joel divulges. “It was a wake-up call. We were given a spoonful of reality. Without Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF), we wouldn’t be here. It has a heart for ministry.”
In the end, JCCC’s leadership decided that continuing the work of the church was not only important for its members, but for the neighborhood as well.
“Our church needs to be here.”
Rev. Joel comes from a very conservative background, so JCCC was the very first open and affirming congregation that he had attended.
“One of my favorite memories at the church was when a ten-year-old girl ran up to greet me. She said, ‘Pastor, hi! My name is ___ and I’m trans!’ I told her my name and that I was 1/8 Lipan Apache,” he joyfully recalls through tears. “In that moment, we both laughed. Later, I found out that leadership at her family’s previous church not only prevented her from attending youth rallies and Bible study, but also prevented her parents from fully serving the congregation.”
Having gone through exclusion himself due to his skin color, culture, and first language, this family’s experiences resonated with Rev. Joel. It also confirmed that he was in the right place.
“We have more than one same-sex couple here at church that have their own kids. We’ve had trans parents. We have people that are questioning,” he adds. “We have a racially diverse membership. The more that I read Scripture, the more I believe that diversity is part of God’s plan to bring about his kin-dom.”
In addition to being the first open and affirming Disciples of Christ congregation in Georgia, JCCC is active with both Gwinnett and Atlanta Pride.
From skepticism to success
Some church members were doubtful that a fundraiser would solve their congregation’s financial woes. After all, the average worship attendance was around 50 people—70 on a good day—and what could that small number of folks accomplish? But after sitting down together in prayer, the faith community ultimately took on the challenge to pay off their mortgage debts through a DCEF-led capital fundraising campaign.
“I’ve been in churches before that have substantial holdings, but I think I’d rather be in a church that fights to survive, at least there’s something alive there,” shares Rev. Joel. “They are willing to make the changes, willing to do the work, willing to take the risk, and to forward the gospel into the future. I’m so proud of them.”
In late 2022 and early 2023, JCCC met with Senior Director of Services Rev. Richard Williams to learn how to successfully raise funds. In October 2023, the church launched its campaign and by its 25th anniversary reached its goal of $150,000. On November 12, 2023, Rev. Richard and regional leaders joined in fellowship with the people of Johns Creek to commemorate the congregation’s Celebration Sunday.
“In that service, we had a full house. We had folks from the regional ministry attend. We had members that we hadn’t seen in a while and people that had separated from the church,” Rev. Joel recollects. “One thing I have learned is that even when people separate from the church, they still consider themselves part of it. They hadn’t separated from the church’s mission and still believed in the precepts of being open and affirming. At the same time, we also had the bonus of celebrating a successful campaign!”
Rev. Joel, Rev. Richard, and Rev. Joel’s wife, Xee
Today, JCCC is still collecting on its pledges and has even gained a few members since the capital fundraising campaign. In fact, 80% of its Board is comprised of new church members.
“Johns Creek is an incredibly resilient congregation. Under Pastor Joel and their strong lay leaders, they have thrived in their new era of ministry. I was so glad to work with them on securing their financial future,” Rev. Richard says. “When DCEF and local congregations partner great things happen. Not only in the church, but in communities as well.”
Does your community of faith need to raise funds? If so, our experts guide your leadership through how to empower and inspire your faith community to be more. Contact your regional Building and Capital Services Advisor today to move your ministry forward.