A Place to Call Home on South 113th West Avenue
Sand Springs Church of Christ sits on the south side of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, at 4301 S 113th West Avenue, a low slung set of buildings that the congregation simply calls "A Place to Call Home." That phrase is the church's everyday greeting and, in a real sense, the shape of its ministry. The building houses a main auditorium, an activity building with a fellowship room and a "living room" on the southeast corner, a separate teen building, a nursery, and a kitchen that feeds the body while the preaching feeds the soul. The parking lot fills twice on a Sunday and again on Wednesday night, and a food pantry operates out of it on Wednesday mornings.
The congregation belongs to the Churches of Christ, a fellowship of autonomous congregations that trace their roots to the Restoration Movement of the early nineteenth century. There is no national headquarters, no denominational budget, and no bishop; the church is shepherded by a plurality of elders whom the Sand Springs family calls shepherds, served by deacons, and preached to by Elliott Dunn, who has stood in the pulpit here since 2002.
Sundays at the Building
The Sunday schedule is built around the conviction that worship, Bible study, and small group fellowship are three legs of one stool. Bible classes for all ages begin at 9:30 a.m. and run for about an hour. Worship follows at 10:30 a.m. and includes the elements that mark Churches of Christ everywhere: a cappella congregational singing, prayer, the Lord's Supper observed on the first day of the week, a collection, and a sermon. The gathering typically ends a little before noon, and members linger to talk in the parking lot or step across to the fellowship room for a meal.
Evening worship begins at 5:00 p.m., a quiet hour that gives the day a second reading. The evening service has the same shape as the morning service, with a cappella singing, communion, prayer, and a shorter lesson, and it is the hour that several small groups use as their meeting time. A midweek Bible class gathers on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and is the second sermon of the week, the second chance to take communion, and the second opportunity to spend an hour in the word with friends who are becoming family.
Children are not asked to wait for the adults to finish. A staffed nursery welcomes children from birth through age two during the morning worship hour, and a Children's Bible Hour runs at the same time for older children. Sunday evening small groups often include games, snacks, and a devotional. The church posts its family devotionals, week by week, as downloadable PDFs so that the same Scripture studied in Bible class can be talked about at the kitchen table that night.
Shepherds, Deacons, and the Staff
Four men share the work of shepherding the flock. Bob Fitzgerald has served in that role since 1996, longer than anyone else in the room. Daren Harris was chosen as a shepherd in 2024 and is also known for his skills as a song leader. Curtis Price, chosen in 2019, is the former Science Department Chair at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs and previously shepherded the 29th and Yale congregation. Tom Scism, also chosen in 2019, is a retired environmental manager who has served Sand Springs before, both as a shepherd and as a deacon of missions and youth. Together they make the spiritual decisions of the church and preach, teach, and pray alongside the staff.
The diaconate has a defined portfolio. Bryan Benton is the Deacon of Benevolence, the man who, with the help of the congregation, sees that members' physical needs are met. Kenny Tucker is the Deacon of Education, supporting the adult Bible class teachers, the children's teachers, and the Bible Hour. Rick O'Dell is the Deacon of Evangelism, coordinating the way members and the congregation reach out to those who have not yet believed. Richard Prater is the Deacon of Growing Families, teaches the Growing Families class on Sunday mornings, and, with his wife Melissa, coordinates the church's annual marriage retreat. Matt Tucker is the Deacon of Transportation, caring for the church bus and helping with the weekly contribution count. Torrey Waller is the Deacon of Technology, the person who makes sure the microphones work, the cameras roll, and the livestream finds its way to living rooms near and far.
The preaching minister is Elliott Dunn, a Sand Springs preacher since 2002. Elliott holds a bachelor's degree in preaching from Oklahoma Christian and a master's in counseling from Oklahoma State, and he is married to Stephanie. The Dunns have three grown daughters, Elisabeth, Sydney, and Abigail, and a grandson, Noah. Matt Post joined the staff as Youth and Family Minister in the summer of 2023, and his wife Sarah serves alongside him. Matt holds a bachelor's degree in Bible and a master's in ministry from Heritage Christian University. The office is held by Evet Dunn, who stepped into the role in December 2019 and whose grown children and grandchildren are, in her words, her favorite people.
A Network of Small Groups
If there is a single ministry that defines Sand Springs Church of Christ, it is small groups. The church's own description of the program is plain about the reason: "the opportunity for our members to get into the word of God and share it together in an intimate setting is a vital part of spiritual growth." There are at least eight small groups, each with its own personality, its own meeting place, and its own time of week, and most of them meet on Sunday evenings between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m.
Mark and Anita Yearout lead a group for adults in their fifties through eighties, a community of empty nesters and retirees who describe themselves as striving toward the Father's mansion in the sky. Kenny and Mariann Tucker host a younger group, mostly married couples and singles in their twenties and thirties, who meet in homes on the second and fourth Sundays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. and study the new ground of home, marriage, and children. Daren and Jacque Harris lead a group of empty nesters who meet at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Living Room, the southeast room of the activity building, and then go out to eat at a local restaurant. Elliott and Stephanie Dunn host a group that shares highs and lows from the week over finger foods, watches and discusses "The Chosen," and closes in prayer together for the needs named around the table. Bryan and Kari Benton call theirs the Fab Four Group, an evening of Faith, Fellowship, Food, and Fun that meets at 5:00 p.m. in the activity building and welcomes ages from the early thirties into the fifties, and beyond.
Steve Hess leads a deep Bible study group that meets at 3:00 p.m. in the fellowship room of the main building and includes retired minister and counselor Lendal Bolin, who offers a wealth of pastoral insight. Elliott Dunn also leads a Sunday evening worship service in the fellowship room at 5:00 p.m. for members mostly in their fifties and up, a quieter hour of song, prayer, and study that has its own congregation within the congregation. Tom and Karen Scism host a group of "homies" aged fifty and older who meet in host homes and who talk about being ready for heaven with the same warmth with which they talk about being ready for the week. Matthew Post leads the youth group, sixth through twelfth grades, which meets on Sunday evenings in the teen building, in members' homes, or at area wide teen worships, with games, snacks, and a devotional.
Monday Night for the Master
On select Monday nights, and a couple of Sunday nights each year, the whole church turns out for what the staff calls Monday Night for the Master, a working evening that begins with a meal and ends with a job finished. The women of the church, as the church itself says, "KNOW HOW TO COOK," and the kitchen crew sets up, serves, and cleans up while children are cared for by a nursery team so that their parents and grandparents can serve in their own work areas. After the meal, brief announcements send the group into smaller teams.
Some of those who gather sit around tables and write cards to visitors, members with upcoming birthdays, those who are ill or in the hospital, missionaries, and people they have not seen in a while. A visitation and messaging team calls, texts, and visits members who could use encouragement. A prayer group prays for church growth, the lost, members in need, the leaders, the missionaries, and the nation. A service group tackles building maintenance or takes on a service project that has been requested. Monday Night for the Master is the church's working definition of fellowship: prayer together, growing together, and worshiping together, all in one evening.
Children, Youth, and Growing Families
The next generation is not an afterthought at Sand Springs; it is a stated priority. The Growing Families Ministry, led by Richard Prater, focuses on raising the children who will one day lead the church and on helping parents manage life in a busy world. The annual marriage retreat, organized by Richard and Melissa Prater, is one of the year's most anticipated weekends.
Stephanie Dunn oversees the nursery for children from birth through age two, giving parents the chance to worship while their smallest children are cared for. Kristen Tucker leads Children's Bible Hour, a program that teaches children how and why the church worships the way it does and grounds them in the Word at their own level. Matt Post oversees the youth ministry, which includes the Sunday evening youth group and the church's Vacation Bible School, and coordinates Leadership Training for Christ, a program in which young people study the Bible, perform drama, and take part in regional and national competitions. Bekah Foote plans Kids for Christ activities that are designed to help children grow into disciples who love the church and the Lord.
The Women's Ministry, led by Evet Dunn, hosts Sisters in Christ events, a ladies' retreat, and the showers that bless brides and mothers to be. Savannah Banks coordinates the Wedding and Baby Shower Ministry, an as needed effort that has become a quiet tradition. The Men's Ministry, led by Elliott Dunn and Zach Foote, plans prayer breakfasts, retreats, and outings. Past men's retreats have carried themes such as "Stand Firm, Be Courageous, Be Strong" and "Primed," and they have been held at Camp Rock Creek and other locations around the state.
The Food Pantry and Benevolence
For years, Sand Springs Church of Christ has stocked a food pantry with non-perishable items for those in the Sand Springs community who are in need or are struggling. The pantry is open on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to noon, and the same hours overlap with the midweek Bible class so that anyone who comes for food can also find a friendly face and a word of encouragement. Becky Kupiec serves as the food pantry coordinator, and a separate group of members, organized by Deacon of Benevolence Bryan Benton, buys groceries with provided funds, organizes the shelves, and gives out food on Wednesdays. Members who would rather give than serve can do so with a one time or monthly financial gift.
The benevolence ministry takes seriously the words of Jesus in Matthew 25: "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Helping those in need is part of what it means to belong here.
Mission Work Far From Sand Springs
The congregation has a long memory of mission work outside Sand Springs. Jean Grenier, a missionary to Haiti who has visited the church repeatedly, has been a frequent guest speaker. Solomon Aguh has also come to update the church on his work, and the Haiti and Africa mission trips have been regular enough that their updates are part of the rhythm of the year. The Canada mission trip has also been a regular feature, and the Ukraine mission has been a focus as well. Members have traveled to Liberia and have hosted visiting missionaries in their homes. The church is small enough that missions are personal: faces, names, and prayer card lists, not a line item on a budget.
Music, Communion, and the Form of Worship
The worship services at Sand Springs are intentionally simple. There is no choir, no orchestra, and no instrumental accompaniment. The congregation sings a cappella, in four part harmony when possible, and the sermon series has included a five week study of "Glorifying God In Our Worship," with lessons titled "With Joy," "From The Week," "With Reverence And Awe," and "Why Acapella." The Lord's Supper is observed every Sunday morning as well as Wednesday evening, and members prepare the bread and the cup and serve one another as part of the service.
Communion preparation is a rotating ministry. Members sign up to prepare the elements for a month, to lead the communion Scripture reading and prayer, to restock the pens and cards in the chairs, to count the collection, and to lead the prayers of the church. The Greeter Ministry, organized by Evet Dunn, makes sure that no one walks into the building without a smile, a handshake, and a bulletin that lays out the sermon. Torrey Waller's team runs the sound room for assemblies and special events, photographs new members, keeps the member board in the foyer updated, and records the services that go out to the world.
Family Devotionals, Year by Year
For more than three years running, the church has produced a set of weekly family devotionals, two short readings a week that follow the same passages covered in Bible class and sermon. The 2023 set runs from the first week of January to the last week of December and is available in downloadable PDFs. The 2024 set follows the same format and includes 52 weeks of material. The 2025 set picks up where the previous year left off. The church's habit is to put the next week's devotional in the bulletin and online so that families can talk about the same passage at home that the preacher is preaching on Sunday morning.
Livestream and Online Reach
Every service at Sand Springs Church of Christ is broadcast. The live stream begins on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. Central Time and continues through Bible class and worship, and a second broadcast begins on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for the midweek Bible class. The livestream is available through the church's BoxCast channel, which can be watched on a computer or through the BoxCast app on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. Past services are archived on the church's YouTube channel, and an audio archive of sermons, downloadable as MP3s, goes back to 2013. Members who are traveling, who are sick, who are in the hospital, or who live far from Sand Springs can keep up with the preaching from wherever they are.
What Visitors Notice First
First time visitors are welcomed at the door by the greeter team, given a bulletin and a sermon outline, and invited to sit anywhere. Bible class for adults, teens, and children runs at 9:30 a.m., and worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Communion is observed each Sunday, and members of the Churches of Christ traditionally share it with other Christians who have been immersed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Visitors who are not members of the Church of Christ are not expected to participate, but they are warmly welcomed to stay and observe.
Dress at Sand Springs is what one would expect at a family gathering: jeans are as common as slacks, and there is no dress code. The coffee in the fellowship room is hot, the cookies on the table are homemade, and someone will almost certainly ask where you are visiting from and whether you have a church home. If you have children, the nursery is open for the morning worship hour and Children's Bible Hour runs at the same time. If you visit on a Sunday evening, you may be invited to a small group, and if you visit on a Wednesday, you may be invited to stay for the meal that often follows the Bible class.
How to Give, How to Get Involved
The church receives contributions in the Sunday collection and through online giving. Donations can be made by debit card, credit card, or PayPal, and donors can give once or schedule a monthly transaction. PayPal charges a 2.2% plus thirty cent fee to process electronic transactions, and the church passes that fee along rather than absorbing it.
Getting involved at Sand Springs starts with showing up and ends, as the church says, with the body of Christ fitted together perfectly. The Member Involvement Form lists dozens of ways to serve, from running the sound room to coaching a Bible quiz team, from teaching an adult class to driving the church bus, from card writing to counting the collection. Visitors who want to know more can fill out a contact card on a Sunday morning, and the visitation team will follow up with a call, a text, a visit, or a message. The church's office, at 4301 S 113th West Avenue, is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Church's Own Verse
Underneath the church's name, in the place where most congregations put a verse, Sand Springs has chosen John 20:31 from the English Standard Version: "But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." It is a verse about the Bible and about the purpose of the Bible, and it tells the story of what happens in the building on South 113th West Avenue. The Scriptures are opened. The bread is broken. The cup is shared. The church sings. The preacher preaches. The shepherds shepherd. The deacons serve. The members give. The children grow. And the livestream carries the sound of all of it, in real time, to a screen somewhere in the world.