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ABOUT  US

First Lady Melany and Pastor George

​MISSION AND HISTORY

Celebration Baptist Church was launched in January, 2018 by a group of committed Christ-followers who had a desire to create a place where loving and caring friends help each other grow in God’s grace. 


We believe each time we gather is a time of “Celebration” of what God is doing in and through us. Those who attend for the first time are amazed at the genuineness of how they are greeted and received. Celebration is the perfect place for people who are not perfect, or people who have given up on church but not on God.

Mission & History
Leadership

LEADERSHIP

 

PASTOR: George Thomas, and his wife, Melany, have served together in ministry for more than 50-years. They have been Pastor of three great church ministries. 

They have 4-children and 8-grandchildren. Both of their sons serve in full-time ministry in other states.  George is an avid Tennessee Volunteer Fan.

George attended Tennessee Temple University and Temple Baptist Theological Seminary. He has a degree in Biblical Preaching and a minor in Psychology. In 1986, Heritage Baptist University bestowed on him an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity. 

George & Melany have served on the Patient Advisory Board of South Lake Hospital in Clermont, FL., and the Corporate Patient Advisory Board for Orlando Health. Both have a passion for building strong marriages, and developing fully-devoted followers of Christ.  Melany has a great heart for mentoring ladies of all ages. Her wisdom from years in ministry, as a wife, mother, and grandmother is valuable in guiding ladies through the heartaches and burdens of life.  

CHURCH COUNCIL:  Our leadership structure operates with a 5-Member Council who serve as overseers of the operation of the church business. 

 

DEACONS: Our Deacons serve the church in various ministries, including Deacon Care Ministry, Baptism, Communion, Benevolence, Widows, Prayer Initiative, Bereavement, and more. 

 

STEWARDSHIP: The Stewardship team serves as the church financial oversight team, reviewing and approving budget expenditures.  

2021 LEADERSHIP TEAM

 

Church Council

Bill Detschel (Chairman)

Paul Baker (Vice-Chairman)

Berena Rigdon (Secretary)

Bonnie Collins

Guy Weiter

 

Stewardship Team

Tony Krzic (Chairman)

Bonnie Collins, Jim Kimpel

Debbie Parker, Berena Rigdon

Madeleine Charland (Alternate)
 

Deacons

Tom Galinski (Chairman)

Brad Carmean (Vice-Chairman)

Thomas Mitchell (Secretary)

Jack Erkert

Randy Wilson

Harold Moore

Don Barkhimer

Royce Eisenhauer

Kris Knudsen

Yokebearers

Mike Kekel

Ernie Rainey

Keith Sefton

Alan Chase

Dick Babcock

David McClain

John Burd

John Carter

Bill Stevens

Ron Jenkins

Jim Carpenter

Ray Hiskell

Bob Henck

Bruce Young

Beliefs
OUR BELIEFS

GOD: 

We believe that there is one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.​​

JESUS: 

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, was born of a virgin, was wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died in our place as a sacrifice for the  sins of mankind, was buried, arose bodily from the grave, and ascended into Heaven.

CHRIST'S RETURN: 

We believe that Jesus Christ will literally return to earth.

HOLY SPIRIT: 

We believe that God the Holy Spirit is active in convincing unbelievers of their need for salvation, and is the Comforter and Guide Who lives in every  believer.

BIBLE: 

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God without any error, the sole authority for life and faith.

MAN:  

We believe that man is a special creation of God, made in His image, but that through the sin of the first man, Adam, mankind fell so that all men are sinners  and need salvation.

SALVATION: 

We believe that salvation is a gift received through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

ASSURANCE: 

We believe that every person who is truly saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ.

ETERNITY:  

We believe that those persons who die in their sins without Christ spend eternity in Hell

and those persons who die with their sins forgiven through Christ spend eternity in Heaven.

BAPTISM: 

We believe that water baptism is an act of obedience to Christ's command and is done by immersion after salvation.

CHURCH: 

We believe that the church is a local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head.

PRAYER:  

We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.


GOVERNMENT: 

We believe in the separation of church and state, but not in separation of God and government.  

Christians are salt and light in society.

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