A Small-Town Church Where Every Face Is Known
In the rolling farmland of Black Hawk County, Community Church of Hudson sits along Eldora Road on the edge of Hudson, Iowa. The congregation is small enough that a first-time visitor at the 10am Sunday service is likely to be greeted by name before they reach the welcome table, and large enough to support ministries from nursery through high school. The church's simple motto, Building God's Community, shapes everything from the coffee table in the lobby to the Wednesday night dinner that opens its doors to anyone in town.
Affiliated with the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, Community Church of Hudson (often shortened to CCOH) describes itself as a non-denominational, theologically conservative church that values the autonomy of each local congregation under Christ. The leadership team includes Lead Pastor Paul Porter, Children's Director Nicole Rogers, Worship Directors Brent, Julie, and Bobbi, and Office Manager Julie Sigmund. Six elders and four deacons share the spiritual and ministry shepherding of the church.
Sundays at Ten, In Person or Online
Worship takes place every Sunday at 10am, both in the building on Eldora Road and on the church's YouTube livestream. Visitors are told to come as they are; there are no assigned seats, and the coffee is hot. Doors to Community Kids classrooms open at 9:50 so parents can sign children in before the service begins. A children's program is offered for nursery through third grade during the message, using the Grow curriculum so that age-appropriate teaching matches what families can continue at home.
The service blends contemporary music with biblical preaching. Those wanting to revisit a message can browse the full archive on the church's YouTube channel, which serves as the hub for both livestreaming and on-demand sermons.
Community Kids: Nursery Through Third Grade
Community Kids is the church's children's ministry, with a secure check-in system that prints matching name tags and pickup stickers for each child. The nursery, for babies through age three, includes music, coloring, and plenty of room to move. Older children gather for messages tailored to their age group, and a private Facebook group keeps parents in the loop on classroom activities and family resources. The ministry also provides at-home learning tools for Sundays when families cannot attend in person.
Safety protocols are built into every drop-off and pickup: only those listed on the sign-in form may collect a child, and a phone number is printed on each name tag in case a parent needs to be reached during the service.
Community Students: Wednesday Nights for Grades 6 to 12
Middle and high school students have their own ministry, Community Students, which meets Wednesday evenings during the school year and adds special events and retreats in the summer. Activities range from small-group conversations and teaching rooted in Scripture to volunteer opportunities and student-only events. A Facebook page, facebook.com/hudsoncommunitystudents, keeps students and parents connected between gatherings.
Adults, Small Groups, and RightNow Media
Adult ministry at CCOH centers on Sunday morning and a handful of recurring small groups. Bible Study Groups use the video library of RightNow Media, a free resource CCOH provides to anyone in the church or community who signs up. Current groups include a men's group, a women's group, a couples group, and an online e-study that meets through the YouVersion Bible App. Anyone interested in launching a new group is invited to contact the office.
Two Life Groups gather outside the Sunday service. Coffee & Conversation meets every Thursday morning from 9 to 11am with snacks and open conversation. A women's Bible study gathers Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8pm at St. Timothy Lutheran Church and is open to young ladies and women from ninth grade up who live in or near Hudson.
Wednesday Dinner and the Wider Community
Twice a month during the school year, the church opens its doors for a free-will Wednesday dinner from 5:30 to 6pm. Open to the public and publicized through a printed menu, the meal has become one of CCOH's most visible points of contact with the surrounding community. Volunteer sign-ups and a current menu are posted online, and the dinner pairs naturally with the Wednesday night youth gathering for families who want to make a full evening of it.
Beyond the dinner table, CCOH encourages members to serve through eleven volunteer teams: Missions, Community Kids, Worship, Greeting, Community Students, Adult & Family, Tech, Safety, Grounds, Photography, and Hospitality. Each team has its own sign-up form.
What the Church Believes
Community Church of Hudson holds to a clearly evangelical statement of faith. The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God and the supreme authority for faith and life. There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died and rose again bodily, and now reigns at the right hand of the Father as advocate and mediator.
Salvation is a gift received by repentance and faith in Christ, not by personal effort. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer, empowering Christ-like living and granting spiritual gifts for service. The church teaches that the local congregation gathers for worship, prayer, instruction, encouragement, mutual accountability, and community, and is the primary vehicle through which believers fulfill the Great Commission.
CCOH practices believer's baptism by immersion for anyone able to profess faith, and offers child dedication for infants whose parents pledge to raise them in the Christian faith. The church's statement on marriage defines it as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, as described in Genesis and affirmed by Jesus.
As an affiliate of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, CCOH shares that denomination's commitment to biblical authority, congregational autonomy, and cooperative mission work, while remaining locally governed by its own elders and deacons.
Getting Connected
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm and can be reached at 319-988-4510 or office@ccohonline.org. Online giving is available through the church's Fellowship One portal, with options for one-time or recurring gifts from a checking account, MasterCard, Visa, or Discover. Visitors who decide they want to join can follow a Next Steps process that includes a conversation with the office and a membership class. Those wanting to learn more about baptism or child dedication are invited to contact the office.
Whether someone has lived in Hudson for decades or is passing through Black Hawk County on a Sunday morning, Community Church of Hudson's invitation is the same: come as you are, grab a coffee, and find a seat.