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Church History
August 10, 1980 - Audubon Mission begins
A group of people who lived on Merritt Island began meeting for Bible study in the carport of the home of Troy and Margie Altman. This group was sponsored as a mission of the First Baptist Church, Cocoa, Florida and was named the Audubon Mission. The pastor was Reverend Stewart Clark, and his wife Sarah Clark was director of music. The mission continued to meet in the Altman home for Sunday morning services and Wednesday evening prayer and bible study through December, 1982.
In January, 1983, the group moved to Lori’s Little Land, a day nursery on North Banana River Drive. The Home Mission Board provided S. C. Crumley as pastor for one year. Although flyers were distributed to the neighborhoods about the new location, only adults (mostly seniors) came.
During the summer of 1983, two young women college students who were mission volunteers for the summer came and held backyard bible studies to outreach for neighborhood children. This effort was blessed and work began at the mission with children and youth. Tom & Mona Ragan, Roy & Donna Edwards, Debbie Cummings, and Janeice Cummins Mason joined the church in 1983 and are still members today.
After Pastor Crumley’s departure early in 1984, volunteer speakers preached until 1985, when Jerald Jacobs was called as pastor. He served until 1987, and then guest speakers came until Mike Tier was called as pastor in 1989.
While at Lori’s Little Land, the group purchased the property at 1000 N. Banana River Drive for future building of a church. The purchase was for two acres at $100,000. The group decided to move to the triangle strip mall just south of our present facility in 1990, where they worshipped until December, 1995. The name of the church was changed to Audubon Baptist Chapel during this period of time. While at the strip mall facility, several couples from First Baptist Church, Cocoa served with the fellowship for two years to assist in growing the church.
It took one year to build the new church facility. Church members provided most of the labor and many other volunteers from other areas came to help. They were all fed a good lunch for their labors. Campers on Mission teams also assisted in the building process. Buddy & Sarah Taylor were here for a year, along with Bob & Voncile Mallory providing invaluable help with the electrical installations.
In early 1996, the name of the church was changed from Audubon Baptist Chapel to Island Community Church (Some people thought the former name sounded like a funeral home). Mike Tier was called to another church in 1997 and Phil Fisher, a retired military chaplain, was the interim pastor until 1998.
Rocky Van Hoose, was called to the church in 1998. He and his wife, Jerri blessed the church with their faithful service, love and leadership for eight years.
On August 26, 2007, Island Community Church called Glen Clementi as pastor. Pastor Glen has served on the mission field in Ukraine and Eastern Europe since 1996. During this time he and his national coworkers established eight churches, three which he pastored. ICC has been blessed with his leadership to April 19, 2009.