The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years

Kathy Chamberlain reflects on a life shaped by profound loss, unwavering faith, and a calling to help others find healing and hope in Christ. In this episode of The First 50, Kathy shares a deeply personal story that took her through some of life's most painful and unexpected seasons. In each of those chapters, her faith became the anchor that sustained her and ultimately shaped the calling th...

Four of Fellowship's 50th graduating class share what it meant to grow up, serve, and find family within City Youth. In this episode of The First 50, Marin, Bri, London, and Hunter reflect on how their stories with Fellowship began, from an unexpected invitation to youth group, to years of serving behind the scenes, to walking through difficult seasons while staying rooted in community. The co...

Brooke Ford shares her personal story of marriage, motherhood, and finding a church home at Fellowship Orange. In this episode of The First 50, Brooke reflects on her background, her marriage, and the journey that led her family to Cleveland. She shares the story of driving by Fellowship City Church and how that moment eventually led to finding a true church home. The conversation explores Brooke&...

In this episode of The First 50 , Ron and Linda Deresckey reflect on a lifetime of faithfulness, family, and nearly fifty years of life within Fellowship City Church. As founding members, Ron and Linda share memories from the earliest days of the church, offering a firsthand perspective on what it was like to help launch a new congregation and watch God faithfully guide it through every season tha...

Lyle Binns reflects on a lifetime of faith, leadership, and faithful service within the local church. In this episode of The First 50 , Lyle shares stories from his early years, his faith journey, and decades spent at Bethlehem Baptist Church, where he served as a leader, Bible teacher, and trusted voice during some of the church's most significant seasons. The conversation explores the prayerful...

In this episode of The First 50 , Keith Melugin shares his story shaped by faith, adventure, youth ministry, and a growing passion to reach people with the love of Christ. Keith reflects on his early years and his calling to ministry, tracing the journey that eventually led him to Fellowship, where he served as Youth Pastor for 10 years and poured into the lives of countless students and families....

In this episode of The First 50, we follow Halle Thompson’s journey from being born into the Fellowship family to serving on college campuses across France. Halle reflects on her early years, her faith journey, and the people God used through Fellowship’s children’s and student ministries to shape her life. Looking back, she can now see how God was preparing her for missions long before she fully...

Some stories make more sense when you start at the beginning... and Natalie Caruso's is one of them. In this episode of The First 50 , Natalie shares how her upbringing, her relationship with Alex, and the journey that brought them to Fellowship City Hudson all connect in ways she couldn't have seen coming. She reflects on finding community, helping build something meaningful in the earlie...

What started in a living room… a small group of people gathering for prayer, worship, conversation, and community… eventually became the foundation for Fellowship City Hudson. In this episode of The First 50 , Andrew and Kimberly Pfeifer reflect on the years of quiet faithfulness, meaningful relationships, and open-door living that prepared them to help launch a campus and build a deeply connected...

In this episode of The First 50, we see how Joan Nosal ’s story became woven deeply into the fabric of Fellowship City Church , not through titles or a platform, but through decades of faithful service, hospitality, and genuine investment in people. Joan reflects on her early years, her marriage to Bob, and how the two of them became a quiet anchor for couples, families, and friendships across gen...

In this episode, we sit down with Rick and Jill Mlakar to hear their story marked by hardship, honesty, and the relentless faithfulness of God. Rick shares openly about seasons of anxiety, depression, addiction, spiritual drifting, and relapse, along with how God continued pursuing him even in the darkest moments of his story. Jill reflects on what it looked like to walk through those seasons as a...

In this episode, we sit down with former Fellowship Senior Pastor Dave Lynden, a pastor whose path to Fellowship began with a phone call he never saw coming. Dave reflects on his early years, coming to faith, and the people God used to shape a deep love for Scripture and a calling to ministry. He shares openly about seasons of uncertainty, what it looked like to follow God's direction one step...

In this episode, we sit down with Jamie Rasmussen, a Chagrin Falls native, who came to faith as a high schooler, served as a young intern at Fellowship, and eventually returned years later to succeed founding pastor Lud Golz as Lead Pastor. Jamie reflects on the journey God took him through across those seasons, sharing stories from the early days of Fellowship, the vision behind the new sanctuary...

In this episode, we sit down with Dave Chittock , someone who has spent decades faithfully investing in people at Fellowship City Church and far beyond. As an Elder and longtime leader in men's ministry, Dave's impact has been showing up, staying consistent, and walking with people through seasons of life. Dave also shares about his experiences in Kenya through ASPIRE Globally, and what th...

Jim and Audrey Kristoff’s story is deeply woven into the story of Fellowship City Church. From Audrey growing up in one of Fellowship’s founding families… to Jim finding faith and eventually discovering a church community that would shape their marriage, family, and future… this episode is filled with stories of faithfulness through every season of life. In this conversation, Jim and Audrey reflec...

In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Fransko to hear a story shaped by transition, perseverance, and learning to trust God through seasons you never would have chosen. Patrick reflects on the challenges of change, finding community in unfamiliar seasons, and the unexpected ways God was working even when life felt uncertain. What began as a difficult chapter eventually became part of a much bi...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Tim and Tiffany Shedden to talk about faith, family, intentional parenting, and the quiet consistency that shapes a home over time. From their own upbringing and faith journeys to raising a family deeply involved in the life of the church, Tim and Tiffany share how small everyday decisions helped create a culture wher...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Candace and Allison to hear a story shaped by faithfulness, obedience, and a deep passion for the next generation. Both began their careers in education. But at different points in their journeys, each sensed God calling them toward something that looked different to the world and turned out to be even greater in impa...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Gary and Kyra Barnes to hear a story shaped by faithfulness, community, and what it looks like to serve together as a family. After a season of searching, Gary and Kyra share how their journey to the Hudson Campus became about more than finding a church. It became about finding family. From first impressions to meanin...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Ben Good to hear a story shaped by discipline, calling, and what it looks like to live out your faith in everyday life. From his early years in St. Louis to the journey that led him to Fellowship City Church, Ben shares how God has formed his life through consistent rhythms and a commitment to follow Him faithfully. A...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Margo Most and Will Lovell to hear a story shaped by calling, consistency, and the impact of investing in others. From different seasons of life, Margo and Will share how their own stories led them to a burden for youth ministry and a desire to walk with students during some of the most formative years of their lives....

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Meredith Bennington to hear a story shaped by faith, prayer, and the power of a simple invitation. At a time when life felt heavy, one small act of obedience changed everything. Through an invitation from someone who noticed her in a difficult season, Meredith found her way to Fellowship City Church. What began as a s...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Joe and Aime McGinnis to hear a story shaped by calling, faithfulness, and a heart for people. From their early years and time at Cedarville to the moments where God began to clarify their calling, Joe and Aime share how their lives have been shaped by learning to recognize and respond to God’s voice. As their journey...

In this episode of The First 50: Fellowship Through the Years , we sit down with Ashley and Brittney Owen to hear a story shaped by faith, friendship, and the way God brings people together. From Ashley’s early years growing up in England to Brittney’s journey through faith and family, their lives were unfolding in completely different places. As part of a week highlighting stories connected to th...

What does faithfulness look like over a lifetime of ministry? In this episode, we sit down with David Oakley, a pastor whose journey spans decades, continents, and seasons he couldn't have mapped out on his own. From his early years in ministry to his time serving at Fellowship City Church, David reflects honestly on the moments that shaped his calling, the decisions that weren't easy, and...