OUR STORY

It all begins with an idea…

In the early 1960's, the Pioneer Park Church of Christ began planning for the establishment of a new church in southwest Lubbock. On May 1, 1962, they purchased five acres of land at 58th Street and Memphis Avenue as a building site for the new congregation. The property was at the south edge of a rapidly developing residential area where many houses were being built.

In March 1963, a portable church building unit, purchased by Lubbock Churches of Christ to assist in starting the new congregation, was moved to the site. The unit included an auditorium, which would seat one hundred and fifty people, and a classroom section, which would accommodate about one hundred students.

On April 7, 1963, one hundred seventy-seven people met for the first time in the frame building for worship and Bible study. The name for the new congregation was selected at the first Wednesday evening service. "Monterey" was chosen because a pioneer community by that name had existed somewhere in that area of Lubbock.

Monterey experienced rapid growth from the beginning and has continued to deal with a need for more space. In December 1964, groundbreaking for permanent buildings was held. A 500-seat auditorium and twenty-five classrooms were completed in May of 1965. An annex was completed in July 1971 for additional classes and fellowship, and a new auditorium was built in April 1974. In 1980, the original auditorium was renovated with second floor classrooms, a kitchen, and a fellowship hall. In its twenty-fourth year, Monterey again began to plan for growth by adding more classrooms and a new fellowship hall. This addition was completed in April 1988.

In 2000, Monterey renovated certain areas of the building to accommodate the city building codes. In October 2000, the church again added a second worship assembly on Sunday morning to allow for growth.

In early 2001, a Strategic Planning Committee was formed to research and present recommendations to the elders and the congregation for future growth. After ten months of study, the recommendation was made that the Monterey congregation relocate to southwest Lubbock with the belief that additional land would position the congregation for continued growth for the future.

As a result of that recommendation, 24 acres of land were purchased at 82nd & Iola in early 2001. The church held a Ground Blessing for the new location in May 2001, began developing plans for new facilities, and launched a three-year Capital Stewardship Campaign to raise funds for new facilities. Official ground-breaking was on October 12, 2003, and construction began in late 2003. The church held a special assembly in the partially completed building on November 7, 2004 that they called “Reinforcing the Building with Scripture.” Members wrote scriptures and other messages on the floors and walls before the final coverings for the floors and walls were in place – with the commitment to build our future on God’s Word.

Monterey’s final Sunday at the 58th and Memphis location was on Father’s Day, June 19, 2005. The first Sunday in the new building was June 26, 2005 with 1377 in attendance.

Phase I of the facilities had approximately 73,000 square feet. A large Multi-Purpose Room serves as the Worship Center for the church as well as providing for multiple activities throughout the week. The two-story education wings provide space for children’s and youth ministries, as well as a courtyard for numerous activities. In 2007, the church added a “Fireside Room” on the west end of the building that provides additional space for fellowship, classes, and other activities.

Monterey’s Mission is: Love God; Love Others. The church is currently led by 11 elders, and numbers over 1500 adherents. Barry Stephens has served as the Senior Minister for the church since April 2000. The church is blessed with ten full-time and four part-time ministry staff members that serve in children’s ministry, youth ministry, college ministry, family ministry, and senior adult ministry. Monterey is deeply involved in community ministries, partnering with other churches and community organizations to serve people from all walks of life. The church has also been involved in mission work from its beginning in 1963, and is currently engaged in mission efforts in several countries around the globe.