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OUR STORY... 
On September 12, 1993, a handful of adults and children gathered under an oak tree at Valley Forge National Park with the desire to be part of a church community that would reach the area with the good news of Jesus Christ. A few days after that first gathering, God dramatically provided a rent-free facility for the group to use for its weekly meetings. For the next two and one-half years the group, known as the Philadelphia Seeker Project, met every Saturday night for worship and teaching at the Barn on the campus of the Fairview Village Church of the Nazarene. In addition to these weekly gatherings, small groups were formed for the purpose of building deeper relationships with God and one another. On February 4, 1996, the Philadelphia Seeker Project moved its meeting place to the Audubon YMCA and formed a church called Valley View Community Church. The name of the church tells its story. Valley signifies the church's vision to be part of a movement of God that reaches the Delaware Valley with the good news of Jesus Christ. It is also a reminder that the group first met at Valley Forge National Park. View recalls how God provided the group's first meeting place at the Fairview Village Church of the Nazarene. Community reflects the church's mission to be a biblical community that helps people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ who make a difference in this world. And theChurch is the people of Valley View, not a building, organization, or institution. In the fall of 1996, the church first began to publicize its presence at the Audubon YMCA. At that same time, the church began to hold monthly meetings at the Children's Learning Center in Newtown to serve those from Valley View still living in Bucks County. After a year, the meetings in Bucks County were discontinued so more effort could be placed on the work around the Audubon YMCA. About that time a number of the original families from Bucks County moved closer to the area to continue their help with the church. In December 1997, the church purchased a burned-out house in the Borough of Phoenixville. With the help of more than 230 volunteers and donations in excess of $80,000, "Operation: Big Old House" was successfully completed and celebrated on April 18, 1999. The house now serves as the residence for one of the pastors, a meeting place for various gatherings, and a reminder of God's faithfulness. In the summer of 1999, a family whose lives had been impacted by Valley View offered to sponsor a radio ministry in order to expand the church's outreach. This half-hour radio broadcast called "A View from God's Word" debuted on WBYN on Sunday night, November 7, 1999. The weekly program aired for a year, proclaiming the truth of God's Word to the Philadelphia area and bringing a number of families to the church. From the beginning, Valley View has always desired to be part of God's work around the world. In February 2000, the church sent out its first mission team to serve with the Culiacan Project, an outreach to migrant farm workers in Culiacan, Mexico. Since then multiple teams from the church have participated in this strategic outreach that has seen thousands introduced to Jesus Christ. In September 2000, the church began leasing an office on Main Street in Collegeville and hired an administrative assistant to help with the expanding work. The church continued to gather for worship and teaching each Sunday at the Audubon YMCA and to meet in a variety of smaller settings throughout the week. In addition, many from Valley View began serving as leaders with the Young Life student ministry in a number of area high schools. In January 2001, the church sponsored its first Alpha Course, a safe place for those who are just starting to investigate the claims of Jesus. The Alpha Course has been a great help to many people in their spiritual journey. In order to accommodate the steady growth of Valley View a second Sunday gathering was added in April 2001. The church now offers two opportunities for worship and teaching, one at 9:00 a.m. and another at 11:00 a.m. The first gathering offers childcare and the second gathering includes the Valley Kids children's ministry. In 2002, the church grew by almost fifty percent with many coming to know Jesus Christ personally and following him in baptism. In addition, a number were sent out to Botswana, China, Ghana, and Mexico following God's command to take the gospel to the whole world. Each year the church also participates in Operation Christmas Child, an outreach ministry sponsored by Samaritan's Purse, sending hundreds of shoebox gifts to needy children worldwide. Sensing the need to get more involved with the under resourced in its own area, the church began a Compassion Ministry in 2003. As an arm of the Compassion Ministry, Helping Hands was started to help better care for the needs of those within Valley View. Valley Mids and Valley View High were also added to provide community for a growing number of middle school and high school students.
In 2004, God miraculously provided Valley View with a church building on seven acres of property free of charge! For years the church has been praying for a more permanent facility to use for worship gatherings and other activities. Those prayers were finally answered when nearby Sunnyside Community Church gave Valley View its building and property. In September 2004, the church moved its offices there and plans got underway to eventually move the church on site for all its gatherings. While the process to develop the Sunnyside property continued, 2005 saw an increased use of the Sunnyside facility. The building has provided a wonderful tool for both community and outreach opportunities during the week. In January 2006, Matt de Montaigne joined the church staff to continue his work with youth and to help with other areas of the church. Matt and his family have been part of the Valley View community for years while he served as Area Director for Young Life Schuylkill Valley. The year also saw numerous people from Valley View board buses and planes to extend the mission of Christ to needy places throughout the country and around the world, including Adam and Tasha Hoover who left in September to serve Christ in southern France. 2007 was a year of major transitions for Valley View. In January renovations got underway to expand the Sunnyside building in order to accommodate the Sunday worship gatherings of the church. In July, construction began on the parking lot and the extensive storm water management system. Then on August 12, after more than eleven years, the church met for the final time at the YMCA. Words of appreciation and gifts of gratitude were exchanged with Janet Genuardi, the director of the Audubon YMCA. The very next week, August 19, Valley View celebrated its first worship gathering on the Sunnyside property. After more than three years the church was so grateful to finally be on site. 2008 saw an increased emphasis on the mission of Christ with a greater desire to make a difference in this world. Through initiatives like the Advent Conspiracy with it’s emphasis on generosity to the needy, various clothing, food and computer drives, along with partnering with inner city schools in Philadelphia and Camden the church became more proactive in helping the under resourced both inside and outside the Valley View community. A relationship was also established with the Norristown homeless shelter, as well as with area food banks in Schwenksville and Phoenixville. In addition, many from the church participated in the E100 program by reading the 100 most essential passages in Scripture. From the start, the leader of Valley View Community Church has been the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the head of his body, the church. The founding team of Bruce Carter and Tim Giessler, along with the Leadership Team, are responsible to lead the church and to facilitate its effective development according to its vision, values and beliefs. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit they seek to discern God's direction for his church. All along God's gracious hand has been on this work. He has wonderfully led and faithfully provided for Valley View Community Church. God continues to patiently teach Valley View what it means to be a biblical community that helps people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ who make a difference in this world. As long as the church continues to follow the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, its future is bright. FOR MORE INFORMATION about Valley View Community Church, feel free to contact us at info@valleyviewseek.org or call 610.631.2707. |