What is Williams Community Church?

The Four Basic Purposes

Our Constitution states, The purpose shall be to exalt the true and living God. This is to be accomplished by the regular church services, Bible teaching ministry, personal witness, appropriate youth and adult organizations, and in various missionary enterprises.
This statement can be summarized with these 4 purposes:

1. Exalt Christ.

   He is head of the church [ . . .] so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. Colossians 1:18. Because of this purpose all of our music, preaching, fellowship, outreach programs, weddings, funerals, and EVERYTHING we do, the Person of Jesus Christ will be central, praised, and honored. As the Apostle Paul said, We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (II Corinthians 10:5) Other important scriptures on this subject include: John 14:6, I Corinthians 2:2, Philippians 4:7-11, etc.

2. Educate in the Word.

   II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, All scripture is given by inspiration of God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. The Bible not only tells us about eternal life, it tells us where and how to walk in this life (teaching), confronts us when we are walking in a way that displeases God (reproof), tells us how to get back on the right path (correction), and teaches us how to not fall away again (training). It is the 66 books of the Bible which give us our definition and direction. AT WCC we study, practice, and proclaim the Bible - as the final authority for what we believe and how we live.

3. Encourage one another.

   Hebrews 10:24-25 says, Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. There are dozens of one another commands in the New Testament. As believers, we are members of Christ's body; which the Bible presents BOTH as an invisible worldwide spiritual organism AND as visible local physical organizations. As a community of believers, our goal at WCC is to obey all the one another commands of scripture.

4. Evangelize the lost.

   Jesus commanded His disciples to Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15) Our Master gave us this Great Commission, which we take seriously here at WCC. It is our job to share the good news (gospel) about Jesus Christ with our friends, family, neighbors, and everyone who has never heard, including other people groups around the world. The Bible divides the world into two groups: those who know Jesus Christ who will spend eternity with Him, and those who do not know Him who will be lost forever unless they place their faith in Christ. (See Missionary Outreach section)

WCC History

In the late 1800's there were three denominational churches in Williams. The Baptist church was where Watergap Rd. meets Williams Hwy. The Brethren church was on upper Cedar Flat Rd. near 4 corners. The Methodist church was lower on Cedar Flat in front of Hartley Cemetery. Sometime in the 1930's, the Brethren moved their church to Grants Pass, and the other 2 churches closed their doors.

In the 1930's, Brother Randall, area missionary of The American Sunday School Union (InFaith since '11), began a Sunday School which met at the Williams School. By the mid-'40's he urged the growing group of believing dairymen, farmers, and loggers to establish their own Bible-believing, non-denominational church. They bought .8 acres behind Varner's store at 228 E. Fork Rd. where they began to build Williams Community Church.

Bob Gerry was the first full-time pastor, a recent BIOLA graduate who came for the summer of 1949, before he married Dorothy and became a missionary to Pakistan.

Phares & Lucile Huggins served WCC from 1949 to 1953. The sanctuary and 2 Sunday School rooms were completed just before Christmas 1949. The bell and other furnishings came from the unused Baptist church building. Jim Elliot, a friend of Phares from Portland, held a week of evangelistic meetings to inaugurate the new building. Jim was supported by WCC when he was martyred as a missionary in Ecuador in 1956. In 1953 Huggins' became missionaries to Japan.

Virgil Terry led WCC from '53 to '59.  A kitchen, small fellowship hall and rest rooms were added in '58.

Roy & Sandy Price and his young family served WCC from 1959 to 1963. They were the first to live in the newly built parsonage. A constitution was adopted in 1961 and WCC was incorporated.

Earl & Doreen Best served WCC from 1963 to 1967. The half acre south of the parsonage was donated by the Tompkins family. Earl left WCC to help start Wilderness Trails - a ministry to troubled teens.

Roger & Millie McKay served WCC for 35 years; from 1967 to 2002. The Fellowship Hall was enlarged in 1968; plus remodels of the parsonage, church kitchen, and bathrooms were completed in the 1980's. Rob & Jan Culton were part-time youth workers from '76-'82. The baptistery was donated by the Vencill family in 1988.

Rob & Jan Culton returned to WCC in 2002, after 15 years as missionaries in Spain. The Annex was donated to WCC in 2003, the north parking lot was paved in 2005, and the Food Share expansion was completed in 2012.

Since 1949 WCC has diligently pursued our purposes as stated in our Constitution; to exalt the true and living God. This is to be accomplished by the regular church services, Bible teaching ministry, personal witness, appropriate youth and adult organizations, and in various missionary enterprises.

The body of believers in Williams is thankful to the Lord for those who have been faithful in establishing this local church. We give all the glory to Jesus Christ for extending His kingdom here and around the world through the people and ministries of Williams Community Church.

What We Believe

Doctrinal Statement of Williams Community Church

As members of the New Testament revelation of the body of Christ we believe, and stand without compromise for the following:

1. THE WORD OF GOD - We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired of GOD, and inerrant in the original writing, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. Mark 12:26; Acts 17:2,3; Romans 15:4; II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:21.


2. THE TRINITY - We believe in one God existing in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, co-equal and eternal. Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19, 20; John 1:1-4; II Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 1:4-6.


3. MAN - We believe that man was created in the image- of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. Gen. 1:26; Gen. 2:17; Psalm 14:1-3; John 3:6; Romans 3:10-19; Eph. 2:1-3.


4. THE DEITY OF CHRIST - We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. John 1:1-2; John 1:14; Luke 1:35; 1 Pet. 1:3-5.


5. THE ATONEMENT - We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of his shed blood. Lev. 17:11; Isa. 64:6; Romans 5:6-9; II Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:4-9; 1 Pet. 1:18,19,23; Romans 3:24,25; I Pet. 1:3-5.


6. THE RESURRECTION - We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord and in His ascension in the heavens and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. Heb. 7:25; 9:24; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1,2.


7. THE BLESSED HOPE - We believe in that blessed hope, the personal, visible, premillenial return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 4:13; Zech. 14:11; Rev. 20:6; John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51; Titus 2:11-14.


8. SALVATION - We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit, and thereby become children of God. John 5:25; 17:23; Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1; Eph. 2:8-10; II Tim. 1:12; I John 5:13.


9. THE RESURRECTION OF MAN - We believe in the literal resurrection of the dead, both the just and unjust. I Cor. 15:42-44;Rev. 20:5,6; Rom. 6:5; Phil. 4:20,21; John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15.


10. THE ETERNAL STATE - We believe in the eternal preservation and everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the eternal conscious punishment of the lost. Romans 8:1,38,39; John 10:27-30; I Cor. 1:4-8; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:15; 22:3-5,11.


11. THE BELIEVER'S WAY OF LIFE - We believe that the grace of God that saves, teaches believers to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and teaches that we are to live soberly, righteously, and Godly in this present world, and to be careful to maintain good works. Romans 6:11-13; 8:2, 12, 13; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 4:22-24; I Peter 1:14-16; Titus 2:11-14.


12. SATAN - We believe Satan is a personal being, created perfect, fell with a host of angels, is the father of all ungodliness, is a deceiver, and though powerful, is not all-powerful and will one day be cast into an eternal punishment. Isa. 14:12-15; Luke 10:18; John 14:30;I Pet. 2:4; Matt. 4:10,11; II Cor. 11:14; Eph. 2:2; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:10.

Youth

"Even Friday" Youth Meeting - 7pm Youth Annex

"Even Friday" has two meanings; 1) We meet on "even" numbered Fridays, and 2) we take "time out" to think about God "even" on Fridays - not JUST on Sundays. "Even Friday" is for all kids grades 6th to 12th. We usually meet at the WCC Annex from 7 to 9pm; where there is ping-pong, pool table, air hockey, pinball, and other games. We usually play a game together before discussing a Bible passage or answering questions about God, the Bible, life, death, heaven, or whatever is on your mind. Every 2 or 3 months we take the WCC van for a special outing like to ice skate, go-kart, caroling, Hidden Valley sports event, etc Call if you have any questions.

Men's Breakfast

Men's Breakfast at Applegate Store - van leaves Tuesdays at 7:30am

Since the late 1980's WCC men have met once a week for "no-host" breakfast. We meet at WCC before leaving in the van to Applegate Cafe at 7:30am - where they reserve the back section for us. The food is great and reasonably priced. The fellowship is great and we usually end our time reading the Daily Bread before returning to WCC around 9am. All men are welcome.

Food Share

Food Share - Tuesdays 10am to noon.

Since the early 1980's WCC Food Share has given out "free" food boxes to the needy of Williams on Tuesdays from 10am to noon. Anyone on food stamps, TANF, SSI, state subsidy, or below current poverty level qualifies for a food box once per calendar month. WCC Food share is one of the oldest Emergency Food Box distribution centers of the Josephine County Food Bank. Please call if you have questions.

Missionaries supported by WCC

Please pray for our missionaries' spiritual, emotional, & physical health; marriage & family life, ministries, financial needs, relationships with co-workers and nationals, wisdom, and encouragement.

Glenn & Sue Ashcraft - with AVANT. Pray for strength & wisdom to manage a very busy camp facility in the mountains of So. Spain.

Bill & Aida Hamilton - with Presbyterian Evangelical Fellowship in Rio de Janairo, Brazil campus ministry, evangelism training.

Ed & Glenna Houston - with Interact. Directors of the Native Bible Center. Live near Calgary. Pray for Ed's prostate cancer therapy & heart issues.

Stan Jarrell - serves with Commission To Every Nation out of Mexico. Stan is a landscape architect.

Teachings

Location

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