Christ Community Church (CCC) sprang up from Oakleigh Christian Fellowship [Greenwood, VA] in 1987, arising from a two-year conviction to pray for Charlottesville. Oakleigh had been birthed in the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and had planted five other churches during the mid-1970s. From the beginning, CCC has endeavored to be a congregation that lives out the balance between the Truth of God’s Word and the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit, believing that we’ve been called by God to embody this value in Charlottesville.

On April 26, 1987, we held our first service at Walker Middle School in Charlottesville. John Manzano was the senior pastor, serving alongside his wife Alyson. This small flock trusted God for something new in Charlottesville that would honor Him, and we worked together to see it established. Exactly five years from our first service – April 26, 1992 – we were able to dedicate our own building.

We have sought to live and proclaim the gospel faithfully in the various stages of the church’s life. During one season of growth in the late 1990s, we were able to continue our vision for church planting by sending out a team to plant Blue Ridge Community Church [Greene County]. David and Amy Butt oversaw this new work, which has since planted two new churches of its own.

Into the 21st century, CCC has continued to seek God’s glory by being a gospel community, extending the good news of Christ, and worshipping the Father in Spirit and Truth. We are grateful for the many faithful staff and members who have served the Lord through CCC with their gifts and their unique presence. For instance, Bill Copeland (lead pastor from 2006-2017; pastoral team 2017-2021) spearheaded a renewed emphasis on spiritual formation and developed a strong team of elders. Julie Bernstein (worship director from 2005-2023) excelled in raising up other leaders who could work alongside her deep love for Jesus and musical expertise. Our current pastors, Tom White and Geoffrey Maurer began in 2010 and 2011, respectively, and work alongside one another with complementary gifts.

Looking forward, CCC seeks to continue to “Be, Make, and Send for the glory of Christ” in Charlottesville and beyond. We want to see the Church throughout Charlottesville continue to grow and thrive, playing our role faithfully as God will lead.