The Experience Vineyard Church sits on Merrick Road in Rockville Centre, across from the post office, in a building that has housed Christian worship on Long Island for more than a century. The church is affiliated with Vineyard USA, an association of 500-plus Vineyard churches across the United States and 2,500-plus worldwide, and describes itself as a community of people from all walks of life, ethnicities, and backgrounds who follow the way of Jesus through worship, thoughtful Bible teaching, healing, caring for the poor, and building relationships.
From a 1982 Vision to a Rockville Centre Landmark
The church was born in 1982 when young pastors Lance and Cheryl Pittluck received a vision for a new kind of ministry on Long Island. After training under Vineyard movement founder John Wimber at Vineyard Ministries International in Anaheim, California, the Pittlucks moved to New York and planted a congregation committed to helping people meet God without the barriers that sometimes come with religion. By 1990, they had purchased a residential home in Freeport called the Parish House, where single mothers and their children were ministered to in practical ways over the years. Shortly after, the current building at 251 Merrick Road became available - an old Baptist church had occupied the space for nearly fifty years - and the young congregation partnered with them to continue the legacy of ministry that had taken root there.
Lance Pittluck was asked by John Wimber to assume leadership of the Anaheim Vineyard in July 1997. That October, he handed the Rockville Centre church over to Randy and Pat Larson. Randy and Pat led the congregation for nearly two decades until 2015, when they retired after fifty years of ministry and passed leadership to the current Lead Pastor, Ray Longwood, and his wife Julie.
Sunday Mornings in Two Languages
Worship happens three times each Sunday at 251 Merrick Road. English-language services are held at 9:30 and 11:30 am, with a Spanish-language service at 1:30 pm. Each gathering runs about sixty minutes and includes a couple of worship songs, a message from the Bible, communion on the first Sunday of each month, prayer, and free coffee. First-time guests are greeted, introduced around, and given a small gift for stopping by.
The 11:30 am message is livestreamed, and the recording is posted to Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, and distributed as a podcast by 3 pm that same Sunday afternoon.
Worship as Connection with God
The worship portion of each service is described as an important time to connect and communicate with Jesus - a time to reflect on what God has done and to surrender personal will and agenda. It typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes. The church draws on the broader catalog of Vineyard Worship and Vineyard songs.
Connect Kidz: From Infants Through Fifth Grade
Connect Kidz serves children ages 1 through 11 and meets on the second floor during both English services. Three classrooms are organized by age: The Artists (ages 1-3), The Zookeepers (ages 4-5), and The Astronauts (ages 6-11). Kids stay with their parents during the worship portion of the service; after the last song, a team member brings them upstairs to their classroom. Parents pick up children after the service using a matching security tag, and surveillance cameras are in every classroom. All entrances and exits to the Kidz area are locked during services.
A Family Room on the first floor near the restrooms offers a more private space for parents with little ones. It includes toys, seating, a changing station with complimentary diapers and wipes, and a live audio feed of the worship and sermon. For special needs families, the Kidz team works with parents to pair children with a special needs buddy; Director Crystal Nunez or the Connect Kidz office walks each family through the process individually.
Baby dedications are offered a few times each year; families can download the Baby Dedication brochure for details on what the service entails.
Youth: Middle School and High School
Middle School Youth Group, for students in grades 6 through 8, meets Sundays from 11:00 am to 12:45 pm in the Lower Level Lounge. Activities mix games, fellowship, and life-giving conversation about identity and faith.
High School Youth Group, for grades 9 through 12, typically meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the sanctuary. Both groups invite students to serve on the church's E-Team as well.
Grow Groups and Small Group Life
Grow Group semesters run eight to ten weeks in the fall and spring, though several groups meet year-round. Current offerings include a Wednesday morning prayer group at 10:00 am in the first-floor Traction Room; men's, women's, and mixed Bible studies; studies on the Sermon on the Mount, the Book of Daniel, the Psalms, and the Bible as a whole; a Tuesday night Zoom group called "Writing the Road" focused on Scripture journaling; and a Sunday afternoon group on cultivating awareness of God's presence. Some groups meet on campus, others in homes in Baldwin and elsewhere, and several gather over Zoom.
Recovery Ministry
The church hosts several recovery support groups in its lower level. A Recovery Friendly Bible Study meets Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:00 pm, an AA meeting is held Fridays from 7:30 to 8:45 pm, and "Going Through the Steps" - a Christian principles-based adaptation of the twelve steps - meets Tuesdays at 7:15 pm in the first-floor Traction Room. The Compassion Team also partners with Living Water for Women, a structured transitional recovery home in Glen Cove for women working to overcome addiction.
GO Opportunities: Serving Beyond the Four Walls
The church's GO Opportunities program organizes service projects in the surrounding community. A longstanding partnership with Hope for Youth continues, along with park cleanups, seasonal workdays, and the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway, in which the congregation distributes free turkeys and bags of non-perishable side dishes to families in need each November. Members also sponsor children through Compassion International.
Spiritual Direction and Prayer Care
Two certified spiritual directors - Marina Carter and Sami Shaker, both graduates of the two-year Sustainable Faith School of Spiritual Direction program - are available for one-on-one spiritual direction sessions. Marina offers sessions in English and Spanish. Trained prayer team members pray with anyone who comes forward after Sunday services; prayer requests can also be submitted online during the week. A Care Form connects members needing additional support with a care team member for meetings and resource referrals.
What the Church Believes
The Experience Vineyard Church's mission is "Disciples Making Disciples." The congregation adheres to the historic creeds of the Church - the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Chalcedonian Creed - and articulates five core faith priorities: Jesus-centered (salvation by grace through faith in Christ), Scripture-based (the Bible as the written Word of God and the basis for everything believed and taught), Spirit-empowered (welcoming the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit, including miracles, prophecy, and healing), culturally diverse (committed to racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity as an expression of the kingdom of God), and socially engaged (serving as salt and light through good works, care for the poor, and justice). The full Vineyard USA Core Values and Beliefs document is available as a PDF download.
Leadership
Ray Longwood serves as Lead Pastor. Denise Rhrissorrakrai is Executive Pastor. Rob Lowe serves as Pastoral Intern. Josh Jennerjahn leads the High School Youth ministry, Crystal Nunez leads Middle School Youth, and Kathy Sanchez directs Connect Kidz, supported by Natalie Butler (elementary) and Lauren DeMeo (ages 1-5). Shannon Sorensen is the Graphics Designer, Annie O'Donohoe is Business Director, Lou Sicurella oversees Facilities, and June Maisonet coordinates Sunday Services.
Weddings, Funerals, and Membership
The church hosts both weddings and funerals or memorial services, offering on-site ceremonies in the main sanctuary and off-site services when the pastor's schedule allows. Both ministries are described as ongoing pastoral functions based on relationship, and are generally reserved for families connected to the church. Membership Classes are held every couple of months between the two Sunday services in the Traction Room, covering the church's beliefs, VineyardUSA affiliation, and the marks of the Christian spiritual journey.
Giving and Resources
Giving is available one-time or recurring through PushPay, by Zelle to giving@theexperiencevc.com, by text to 77977, by check mailed to the church office, or in the giving boxes in the sanctuary on Sundays. The church also encourages giving through a bank's online bill pay, as no fees are charged on those gifts. Recommended resources for spiritual growth include the YouVersion Bible App, the Lectio 365 daily devotional, a 21-day prayer devotional produced by the church, and a BibleProject reading plan.