New Mountain View Conference Initiative Takes Hold

Story by Liz Bailey

When the Mountain View Conference (MVC) introduced their new initiative, “Let’s Grow Together,” at the beginning of the year, they provided their pastors with a yearly blueprint, full of program ideas of how to accomplish it. The MVC pastors, however, are witnessing that God is using their efforts in more ways than were planned.

Roger Curtis moved from Washington in April 2024 and took a call in West Virginia to be the new pastor of the Buckhannon, Glenville and Parsons churches. He states, “I didn’t really know about the initiative, but it was just a part of what I already believed we should be doing.”

When the family moved into the provided parsonage, Curtis found that it was right next door to the Braxton church. Curtis began helping William Iannacone, the Bible worker who was leading this small church. Realizing that his help was needed there, Curtis asked the conference leadership if Braxton could be added to his district.

“I didn’t want to go back to a multi-church district, but the doors opened so clearly to come to West Virginia,” states Curtis, “so I prayed for God’s help.” Curtis noticed that the Parsons church was struggling, so he suggested they meet in a local home. But Curtis was met with resistance from a member whose father-in-law had built the church.

Touched by her dedication, he and the elders came up with the idea to adopt Parsons and make it the evangelistic emphasis for the year. “Parsons is like our baby, and we want to take care of it,” states Curtis. “There is just something about that church that you cannot put your finger on, but it feels like something is about to happen.” His other three churches committed to full support of Parsons, raising funds and sending elders to preach and do visits when Curtis was elsewhere. They decided to do a “re-set” of the church, “something like Solomon did with the new temple,” recalls Curtis.

In late spring, the church held a rededication service where those present recommitted their lives and church to God, recognizing His calling. Jay Abell, a Buckhannon elder, along with his wife, Sarah, accepted the call to be a Bible worker for the Parsons congregation.

Curtis emphasizes to all four of his churches that the “sisterhood of churches is just as important as each home church. As we bless others, God will bless us. ... If we have the love of Jesus in our lives, witnessing is as easy as breathing.”

Church leaders say as the MVC strives not only to grow, but to grow together, it is their desire to be like the early church in Acts 2:44, 47: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common. … And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (NKJV).