It was just six years ago, In February of 2008, that Minister BaSean A. Jackson met with three other people, Wendell Phillips, Janace Coleman, and John Clemons, at Smokey Bones Restaurant in Peachtree City. The topic of discussion was about whether they could change people’s minds, including their own, about church.
For Jackson, this meant creating a church that would be “… focused more on the people rather than the pastor, love rather than laws, relationships rather than religion, and giving rather than receiving.”
Just a few months later, on June 1, 2008, Fellowship of Love Church was born.
This Sunday, June 1, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., Fellowship of Love Church (FOLC) in Fayetteville will celebrate a major milestone — its sixth birthday. The celebration will occur at North Fayette Elementary School, 349 Kenwood Rd., Fayetteville.
Jackson, who studied religion and theology at Morehouse College, The Interdenominational Theological Center, and Emory University, founded FOLC with a “…vision to revolutionize the idea and the impact of church, which meant committing 10 percent of all that we had to empowering our community.”
Church members knew this was a radical step which might ultimately slow them down in the process of owning a church facility; however,they were committed to “… doing what a church should do whether or not they had what most churches have.”
FOLC members say they really believe that the call Christ gives them to love, should manifest itself by loving the community in tangible and meaningful ways.
In the past six years, FOLC has donated more than $150,000 in empowerment packages to Fayette County Schools and non-profit organizations, including Fayette Samaritans, Fayette Senior Services, Fayette Care Clinic, Promise Place, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, Association of Village Pride and A Better Way Ministries.
FOLC’s most significant empowerment packages were made to Fayette County Schools which initially began with the church’s partnership with North Fayette Elementary School.
Over the past two years, FOLC’s partnering endeavors have expanded to Burch Elementary and Flat Rock Middle Schools. Empowerment packages donated to these schools have included, but have not been limited to, purchasing iPads, interactive boards for classrooms and equipment for media room(s).
FOLC has also funded the purchase of school signage, the startup of a parenting class, and educational conferences for teachers to attend.
FOLC, one of the fastest growing churches in Fayetteville, purchased 25 acres of land on Ga. Highway 92 in Fayetteville and plans to build a church facility in the very near future. In the interim, FOLC services are held at North Fayette Elementary School, 349 Kenwood Road. However, this summer, the church will present “Summer Sundays at Sandy Creek” and will move worship experiences to Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone. From June 8 –July 27 the congregation will worship in Patriot Hall at 10 a.m.
For more information about The Fellowship of Love Church, visit http://fellowshipoflovechurch.org or call 404-460-7983.
