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Community Church at Tellico Village is 35!

The Community Church at Tellico Village held its first service on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1988 with 11 people in attendance. The church was intentionally started to bring people together across denominational lines and to be as inclusive as the love of God. It was the start of a story that continues today.

CCTV Story

CCTV Story

Background

Our interdenominational community church began in Tellico Village thanks to Dr. Robert M. Puckett, who was then pastor of the Norris Religious Fellowship in Norris, Tennessee, and president of the International Council of Community Churches.

Dr. Puckett wrote a letter to developer John Cooper proposing the crazy idea of an interdenominational Community Church in the newly developed community of Tellico Village. After much correspondence and several meetings with the new village residents, the church was born.

Our first official worship service was held on Palm Sunday, March 27, 1988. That service, held at the home of Art and Iris Spurrier, was led by Founding Pastor Carl Burke, a retired minister who agreed to serve without pay. Because of their strong faith, eleven people attended that service and committed themselves personally, spiritually, and financially to a goal that seemed impossible to some but was no less than God-inspired to them.

That was the beginning of an amazing spiritual journey for the people of the Community Church at Tellico Village. Thirty-five years later, our church has become one of the largest in East Tennessee with strong outreach ministries that serve the needs of countless people throughout Loudon and Monroe counties. Over 1,000 members now carry on the work started by those eleven who attended that first service!

We’re sure our founding members had no idea of the impact that their actions would have on this community. The same is true today. What we do now for our Lord will have a ripple effect for generations to come as we follow the example set before us and continue to be faithful servants.

 

Community Oriented

The essence of our faith is to share the love of Jesus Christ from within the church to the community outside the church. We do so in several significant ways with volunteers and monetary gifts.

Community Church at Tellico Village was instrumental in the creation of and continuing service to Loudon County Habitat for Humanity (seven houses completed since 2008), Kids First / Child Advocacy Center, the Good Neighbors Shoppe and Smoky Mountain Service Dogs.

Through our mission partnerships, we support many other service organizations in Loudon and Monroe counties and we continue our generous outreach by providing our campus facilities for use by outside organizations.

Other community activities include: Easter Sunrise Services held at Kahite and Rarity Bay, an annual Veterans Day Service, Spaghetti Suppers, Crafters Fellowship; a Fine Arts Concert Series, and care groups such as our Caregivers Support Group, AA, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Grief Support and our Stephen Ministry Program.

CCTV Timeline

Chronology of Milestones in the Life of Our Church

1987 - 1989

  • Exploratory meeting held for establishing a church in Tellico Village

  • First religious service- a Christmas Eve Service is held in Tellico Village

  • March 13, 1988 – decision to begin a community church

  • March 27, 1988 – first service of the new congregation

  • September 1988 – Crafters group formed

  • November 1989 – choir organized

 

1990 - 1994

  • Congregation votes to establish a building committee and building fund

  • Congregation approves site for new church with property donated by Cooper Communities, and congregation approves new building plans

  • February 1994 – Groundbreaking ceremony for new church

  • December 24, 1994 – 670 people attend first service in newly completed sanctuary (Founders Chapel)

 

1995 - 1997

  • Children’s Sunday School provided

  • February 1996 – Church welcomes its 500th member

  • Second Sunday service added

  • First confirmation class received into membership

  • First Stephen Ministry Training Class begins

 

1998 - 2000

  • Construction of Christian Life Center approved, followed by the Christian Life Center ground breaking ceremony and its dedication

  • Columbarium and Memorial Grounds completed and dedicated

 

2001 - 2005

  • Church library opens

  • Parish Nurse Ministry begins

  • Church Bus ministry begins service to 10:30 Sunday Worship and Fellowship Trips

  • MondayChurch! – an evening contemporary worship service begins

  • Friendship Kitchen Ministry begins

  • Cooper Communities gifts model home properties to our church

 

2006 - 2009

  • Burke Puckett Parish Ministry Center opens

  • 15 additional acres purchased for future development

  • Irene Lane opens providing additional church access and egress

  • MondayChurch! becomes WednesdayChurch!

  • Church’s first Habitat House completed and dedicated

  • Membership approves proceeding with the proposed $8.8 million expansion of its facilities

  • Groundbreaking of new sanctuary expansion

 

2010 - 2016

  • December 5, 2010 – Church Sanctuary opens for Sunday services

  • Pipe organ debuts at Sunday services

  • May 1, 2011 – Dedication of the new sanctuary

  • Fine Arts Concert Series begins

 

2017 - present

  • Homecoming day as the church celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2018.

  • Worship services go to livestream only due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

  • Donated antiphonal organ pipes are added to the back of the sanctuary

  • March 27, 2023 - Community Church at Tellico Village is 35!

CCTV Ministers

Ministers at CCTV

Dr. Carl F. Burke – Founding Pastor, 1988-1996

Dr. Robert M. Puckett – “Friendliest Man in Tellico Village”, 1994 - 2011

Rev. Martin C. Singley, III – Senior Pastor, 1996 - 2014

Dr. Stephen Nash – Associate Pastor, 1999 - 2003

Rev. Margaret Manning – Associate Pastor, 2004 - 2006

Dr. R. Tim Meadows – Associate Pastor, 2005 - 2016

Dr. Rhonda A. Blevins – Associate Pastor, 2007 – 2015

Dr. John R. Orr – Minister of Worship and Music, 2010 - Present

Dr. Dan Ivins – Interim Pastor, 2014 - 2015

Dr. Perry McCallen – Senior Pastor 2015 - 2016

Dr. Stephen B. Prevatte – Associate Pastor, 2016 -2017; Senior Pastor, 2017 - Present

Rev. Devin Phillips – Associate Pastor, 2016 - Present

Rev. Jennifer Brown – Associate Pastor, 2019 – 2022

Rev. Emily Collins – Pastoral Resident, 2019 - 2021

Rev. Shawn Klein – Pastoral Resident, 2021 - 2023

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