Welcome, to our church website. We trust that the Lord will bless you and your family.
The History of Our Church
Love and Kindness Independent Church Ministry formed in January of 2007 as an outreach initiated by Kathryn Truss of Grantsville. She teamed up with Toby and Jennifer Wagoner, and Robert and Debbie Wagoner to form the ministry that would reach people that no longer attended church. The three families had attended church together in Spencer before deciding to unite in this outreach style ministry. Kathryn’s husband Dr. Walter Truss, who went on to be with the Lord, was a mentor for the Wagoners and one they referred to in private as their Pastor. Following his passing, the three families knew there was a higher calling on their lives to do more as a team and it was determined to build the church that would reach out to people that no longer attended church. So, the three families joined efforts and finances to start the new ministry in Ripley, West Virginia by leasing a building and opening a church called Love and Kindness. The paperwork was now filed with the State to do just that.
Love and Kindness Independent Church began in a small 600 square
foot rented storefront building on Court Street in Ripley in February
2007. While small and cute, the facility was affordable for the ministry team and needed no improvements to open. Following the leasing of the building, both Kathryn and Toby were ordained as ministers and officially licensed with the Secretary of State's office as ministry officials. They would soon officiate their first wedding together in July of 2007.The small building in Ripley limited the church’s seating to just 25. The church had one area used for a sanctuary, one small classroom, one bathroom and a kitchenette. Being surrounded by large churches in Ripley would have seemed intimidating for some, but the group pressed on. Services were held twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday evening. Easter of 2007 the church hosted it’s first-ever full service which including communion and a foot washing. Before long, more people were coming to the church. It was clear, the little building was the biggest obstacle to expansion. So, the Ministry Team started looking and praying for a place to relocate. Low and behold, that prayer would be answered, when they were offered a building without even asking. Where? The church would relocate to Roane County, back to where Kathryn and the Wagoners once attended church together– in Spencer. The Ministry Team or inner circle as they often call it, had now grown to five families. Five families had signed on to support the ministry and build this church.
Both Kathryn and Toby believe the small beginning in Ripley fueled their confidence to do more. That meant, expansion but it had to be affordable. Toby was certain Spencer would bring unlimited opportunities for outreach and projects since both he and Truss are known there.
In September of 2007, Love and Kindness entered into an agreement
with Donna and Frank Westfall to purchase the former Spencer Testing
building located just outside of Spencer on Route 14N on Barrcut Road.
The facility was vacant for nearly eight years and that meant a lot of problems. Every water line in the building was broken. The gas line
leaked. Walls were mildewed and would need replaced. Flooring was
torn. The repairs seemed numerous which just increased the group's
prayers. The group was ready to move forward.The first step was to renovate. Renovations began almost immediately. The Ministry Team is always looking to improve the facility but always remembering that the focus is on ministry. It was five families that supported the facility while it was under renovations through personal tithes and offerings. This Ministry Team knew they would need to open soon to support the effort. They instituted a plan to be open within the year 2008. Work feverishly continued. The doors were open to the public September 30, 2008.
What started out in a little 600 square foot building has now grown to an over 3,600 square foot facility. The Ministry Team will tell you that they see more expansion down the road. This may surprise some since they opened just a few years ago. Toby believes his Keep it Real Ministry that the Love and Kindness Ministry Team has adopted as the theme for the church will be contagious. Toby says the Love and Kindness mission is to “Teach people to serve an unchanging God in an ever-changing world, by simply keeping it real.” Pews were given to the ministry by a church in Michigan that delivered them. Two years later, the ministry team has updated the pulpit and added new padded chair seating. God continues to bless.
The church does not have a dress code. All that is requested is that attendees dress decently and respectfully toward God. Some have attended in shorts, jeans and slacks. You wear what you want. Jesus never forced a dress code on those that came to hear him. Sunday mornings start at 10 and last until 12:00.
The church has a full contemporary praise and worship on Sunday morning and utilizes video in their sermons.
Since opening the church now fully operates the Samaritan's Closet that provides free personal hygiene products to those in need monthly. Over 1,000 people have benefited from the program in its first year. The church operated its first church camp in 2009. Forty-eight children participated in addition to adults and camp leaders. This was an expensive project that took massive fund raising to complete.
If case you wondered, both Toby and Kat are volunteer ministry leaders for the church which means they are not paid for their positions. Both do their jobs because they love the Lord and they love people. Please email the church for more information. Love and Kindness invites you to join us sometime. You'll be glad you did. Just 3.2 miles from downtown Spencer.