About Us
A MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR
The past 17 years as the Senior Pastor of Community Country Church have been thrilling to say the least. I'm not most excited about the new building as wonderful as it is, or the beautiful view and visibility of this new ministry center. We truly want to reach the unchurched and what I am most excited about is seeing the Kids' Bible Club Program and S.W.A.T. (Students with a Testimony) expanding. It warms my heart to see people turning to the Lord. We stopped taking attendance at church because in the end nickels and noses mean nothing. Changed lives are the mark of a church where God is at work. We will continue to preach God's Word. Christ is the only answer for the problems of today. We will continue to lift up Christ so that all will see how beautiful a savior. Join us in this endeavor!
In Christ's Love,
Pastor Greggrey A. Valentine
ABOUT OUR PASTOR
Greggrey A. Valentine
Rev. Gregg Valentine and Nancy accepted the call to be the Pastor of Community Country Church on November 1, 2006. Gregg had been the Interim Pastor at CCC for about eight months. After 40 days of prayer, the congregation took a vote and extended the call. Pastor Gregg Valentine is the full-time Chaplain for the Morrison County Sheriff's Office. Gregg's primary calling is to help people, and he feels that the preaching, teaching, and Chaplaincy work he is able to do is a gift from the Lord.
He has been a Pastor since 1984, having pastored for 13 years in Verndale, MN at the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church. From Verndale, the family moved to Little Falls, MN in 1998 where Gregg pastored the Little Falls Alliance for five and a half years. On October 1, 2003 Gregg became the first full-time Chaplain of the Morrison County Sheriff's Department.
Pastoring and preaching are Gregg's heart. He has a passion to share the love of God.
Church Staff
We praise God for His faithfulness throughout the history of our congregation!
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1894 – John Soltis donated one acre of land upon which the church was built
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1896 – Mr. John Sabol came to do missionary work among the Slovak people. John began with a Sunday School class of seven children. The first men and women of the church included: Mr. & Mrs. John & Mary Soltis, Sr., Mr. & Mrs. John Soltis, Jr., Mr. & Mrs. George and Mary Soltis, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph and Emma Epsky, Mr. & Mrs. Andrew and Suzanna Porupsky, Mrs. Elizabeth Oravetz and Mrs. Susanne Konchar.
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1900 – 16 members and the average church attendance was between 20 & 25.
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1909 – the parsonage was built.
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1915 – a new sanctuary was built and joined to the original building.
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1916 – church was known as “The Slovak Congregational Church of South Elmdale
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1930 – sermons were given in English one Sunday per month
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1938 – up until this time adult Sunday school classes were taught in both English and Slovak.
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1970 – the church joined the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.
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1979 – an addition was added to the church.
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1986 – planting of a new church in Avon, MN.
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1988 – church name was officially recorded as “South Elmdale Congregational Church.”
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1989 – a new church parsonage was built.
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1994 – construction of a new wing on the church building was started.
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1997 - 100th year of South Elmdale Congregational Church.
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2003 - changed the name to Community Country Church.
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2003 - purchased land in Holdingford for future church site.
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2009 – began the building project in Holdingford.
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2010- the new church building was opened in Holdingford.
OUR PASTORS
1897-1904 John Sabol
1904-1907 Paul Jamarick
1909-1922 A.J. Moncol
1922-1938 Adolph Yukl
1938-1943 V. Vavrina
1945-1948 William Huntley
1948-1950 Marvin Thompson
1950-1953 Ralph Oman
1954-1960 Peter Waller
1962-1964 Harold Beatty
1965-1968 Leonard Bergstrom
1968-1971 Edward Smith
1972-1974 Ronald Hamilton
1974-1979 Jesse James
1979-1982 Milton Reimer
1982-1988 Bruce Pinke
1988-1990 Raymond Moushon
1990-1992 Harold Sanders
1992-1998 Terry Wilkinson
1999-2005 Garry Schick
2006-Present Gregg Valentine