A Blended-Worship Church on Ninth Street SW
Faith Community Fellowship gathers in a single location on Ninth Street SW in Massillon, Ohio, a city with deep roots in northeast Ohio. The church's mission is to help people know, grow in, and serve Jesus Christ, and that three-word rhythm is stitched into almost everything the congregation does, from Sunday morning worship to its large-scale monthly giveaway. Members and attenders describe the style as blended - meaning contemporary music and hymns share the same service - and the dress as casual. The Bible, according to the church's own core statements, is the sole and primary authority for its beliefs and practices.
Faith Community Fellowship is an independent, self-governing body, free from the authority of any denomination, association, or church conference. Its adopted constitution names Jesus Christ as the only head of the church and grounds its doctrine in a written Statement of Faith. Communion is open to all believers in Jesus Christ and is offered at least six times a year; the Lord's Supper and baptism (by immersion or sprinkling) are the two recognized sacraments.
Sundays at Ten
Worship is the anchor of the week. Sunday service begins at 10:00 a.m. and lasts about an hour. The livestream runs at the same time on YouTube for those who want to participate from home. Children in preschool through elementary join their parents for the opening music and are then escorted by an Upward Kids team member to their classroom; nursery-aged children can be dropped off after sign-in. After the service, parents return to their child's classroom, give the teacher's name, and sign their child out - no one not listed on the registration form is allowed to pick up a child.
The service style is intentionally warm and welcoming. First-time guests are greeted at a Welcome Center as soon as they walk in and offered a small gift. There is always a message from God's word that applies to everyday life, and worship music blends contemporary songs with hymns. Clothing is casual.
The Monthly Giveaway: Food, Clothes, and a Hot Meal
What makes Faith Community Fellowship most visible in the wider Massillon community is its Monthly Giveaway. On the last Saturday of every month, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the Outreach Ministry opens the building to anyone in need and distributes clothing for all ages, shoes, coats, hoodies, purses, kids' books, toys, household items, hygiene supplies, diapers, and groceries sourced from the Akron Canton Food Bank. Blood pressure checks are available, and pet food is offered for those who need it. A free hot meal is served on giveaway day.
The protocol is orderly. Numbered tickets are handed out starting at 8:00 a.m. by an Outreach volunteer in a yellow vest; those in line before 8:00 receive tickets first. Everyone aged 12 and up needs their own ticket. Ticket holders may wait in their cars or move about freely until their number is called. There are no limits on clothing or household items, but the church asks people to take only what they need so others can be served. When the weather is below 40 degrees, above 90 degrees, or raining, indoor waiting is provided, with hot chocolate, coffee, and a snack.
The Outreach Ministry, led by Director Shelly Salewsky, also accepts donations of gently used clothing, shoes, coats, curtains, sheets, dishes, silverware, kids' books, and toys Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 1303 Ninth Street SW (small donation bin by Door #1). Mirrors, decorative items, figurines, and broken or unusable items are not accepted. For an emergency need outside the regular giveaway, residents can call the church office at 330-830-6476 to schedule an appointment.
Upward Kids and BLAST: Teaching the Next Generation
Children's ministry at Faith Community Fellowship is called Upward Kids. The program uses the Gospel Project curriculum, supplemented with games, videos, and crafts. The goal, in the words of the ministry, is to show children the love of Jesus Christ while partnering with parents to help each child build a solid foundation and a lifelong relationship with Him. Upward Kids is not limited to Sundays - it runs alongside a robust Wednesday-night program called BLAST.
BLAST runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings from September through March, totaling seventeen weeks across the school year. It is open to children ages three (potty-trained) through twelfth grade and is split into two semesters. Children pre-K through fifth grade rotate through three stations - craft, lesson, and games - while junior and senior high students stay in their own rooms for lessons, discussion, and game time, and help with cleanup at the end of the night. A dinner is served from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. for all BLAST kids before their lesson time; the church asks families to pay attention to the planned menu and send an alternative if a child cannot eat what is offered (no nuts or nut butters). There is a one-time $20 registration fee per child, with scholarships available. Families can keep up with updates and cancellations through a dedicated Facebook Parent Info Group and Remind alerts.
The Sunday and Wednesday teaching programs are anchored by a small teaching team that uses curriculum designed to reinforce the same lesson at home. Parents receive a weekly paper that walks through what was taught and offers ways to discuss it as a family.
Teen Ministry: Welcoming, Walking, Worshipping, Witnessing
Junior high and senior high students meet on Sunday mornings from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for food, fun, and fellowship. The ministry is led by Associate Minister Justin Boughter, who brings six years of youth ministry experience and a focus on discipleship, in-depth Bible teaching, and extracurricular activities. The structure is built around four pillars, known at FCF as the Four W's: Welcoming each person who walks through the doors, Walking with Christ in every facet of life, Worshipping Christ not only in words but in action, and Witnessing Christ to those around them through word and deed. Parents and students fill out emergency medical, photo release, and transportation waivers before events and trips.
Small Groups and Bible Studies
Faith Community Fellowship runs a wide variety of small groups for adults throughout the week. Men's groups include three Timothy Teams - one meeting the third Sunday of the month at 8:30 a.m., another one Saturday a month at 7:30 a.m. with Pastor Mike, and a third on Wednesdays at a varying time - plus Bill's Night Out on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. Prayer groups include Prayer & Praise on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in Pastor Mike's office, and Thursday morning prayers at 8:00 a.m. in the FCF Café. Study groups include Circle of Praise and Sunday Morning Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. in Room 7, two Digging Deeper studies (one Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., another Tuesday from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. in the Movie Room), Emmaus, and a seasonal Prodigal God study on Thursday evenings. Newcomers are invited to start with the Partnership Class, a basic overview of who the church is and what it teaches, offered periodically throughout the year.
Leadership and Pastoral Team
The church is led by Dr. Michael Kager Jr., Lead Pastor. Pastor Mike's sense of calling into ministry began in 1997 as a Youth Minister; he has been part of Faith Community Fellowship since 2006 and has served as Lead Pastor for the past nine years. He is joined by Associate Minister Justin Boughter, who oversees youth and teen ministry; Music Director Randy Claes, who has led worship at FCF since 2008; Community Outreach Director Shelly Salewsky, a member of the FCF team since 2011; Treasurer Sarah Colucy; and Office Administrator Jennifer McGavin.
The church is governed by a team of Elders and Deacons. Current Elders are Neil Fritz, Doug Wagner, John Gabbard, and Randy Inboden. Deacons include Kathy Grafe and Mary Gardner (Event), Lynn Brooks (Facility), Sandy Hannan (Communication), Julie Rohr (Finance), and Jeff Karnes and Sam Studer (Deacons-at-Large). Elders are responsible for vision, direction, teaching, prayer, protection, and the handling of conflict; Deacons carry out the practical ministry of the church and meet jointly with Elders two to three times a year.
Beliefs and Core Values
Faith Community Fellowship's statement of faith affirms belief in one God, eternally existent in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and in the deity, virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and personal return of Jesus Christ. The church believes the Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the only inspired, inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God written; that all who receive Christ by faith are born again of the Holy Spirit; and in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The congregation accepts the Apostles' Creed as an affirmation of its faith and believes in the biblical definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
The church's core values emphasize that the Bible is its sole and primary authority; that love of God and others is to mark every relationship; that Christlikeness is the goal of every believer through prayer, study, fellowship, and service; that prayer is a primary focus; that peacemaking guides how conflict is handled; that believers are called to be a witness to the world; and that ministry to children and teens is a priority.
Missions and Partnerships
The Missions ministry supports a network of partner organizations locally and around the world, including the Pregnancy and Parenting Center, New Destiny Treatment Center, Hope Outreach Ministry, Total Living Center, and Lutheran Plates & More Stark (lpstark.org). Internationally, the church supports Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru), Samaritan's Purse, Child Advocacy Ministries of Ohio (CAMO), Faith in Action of Western Stark County, and GTI Hope. A Missions Team coordinates communication with these partners and an annual Internal Impact Day.
What Visitors Should Know
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Sunday service is at 10:00 a.m., with the livestream on YouTube running at the same time. Children may be signed in twenty minutes before the service begins. There is no required dress code; clothing is casual. First-time guests are invited to stop by the Welcome Center and pick up a small gift. The church building is at 1303 Ninth Street SW, Massillon, Ohio 44647, and the phone number for the office is 330-830-6476.