How it all started...
Woodlawn Community Fellowship began in 2020 as a merger of two former churches. The founding members were committed to becoming a truly neighborhood-centered fellowship for the entire community. They wanted to “do church different” from what they had experienced or seen. They wanted to create space for all people to respond to God’s love for us and for the world by being active in service to the needs of the community, by inviting everyone to grow spiritually, by creating a “table” that would seat everyone in the neighborhood without any judgment. They wanted to serve the neighborhood as an essential part of the neighborhood instead of simply being “in” the neighborhood.
Since 2020, we have tried not to be just another church that expects the community to support us just because we are a church. Instead, we have tried to open our campus up for community organizations like Charlotte Is Creative (Creative Mornings) and Our Bridge for Kids, and take on projects like The Bulb produce market and a weekly free meal for anyone who wants to come. We believe we are here to serve, not be served.
As a United Methodist congregation, our rhythm of life is rooted in the uniqueness of our denominational history that is committed to: service, sharing life together, responsible reading of Scripture and church tradition, openness to having our minds changed, care for the earth, on-going transformation of our lives to “perfect us in love,” social justice, and visible signs of inward grace. As United Methodists, we believe that God’s grace is offered freely to all people, regardless of age, race, economic status, gender-identity, national background, creed, etc; we also claim our responsibility to create spaces and places for accepting and responding to God’s grace by seeking to serve God through a “practical divinity” that makes God’s love real in our actions. The
We are painfully aware of the harm that has been created by racism, injustice, prejudice, and oppression—and, sadly, we know “Christianity” was often complicit or to blame. This is not the Way of Jesus. We seek to “do church different” by honoring, welcoming, and supporting the beautiful diversity of God’s image. We are called to be a place of retreat and healing, particularly for those who have been harmed by previous experiences in church. Serving God in the Way of Jesus means recognizing God’s love as a gift for everyone.
-Pastor Jonathan Coppedge-Henley
Since 2020, we have tried not to be just another church that expects the community to support us just because we are a church. Instead, we have tried to open our campus up for community organizations like Charlotte Is Creative (Creative Mornings) and Our Bridge for Kids, and take on projects like The Bulb produce market and a weekly free meal for anyone who wants to come. We believe we are here to serve, not be served.
As a United Methodist congregation, our rhythm of life is rooted in the uniqueness of our denominational history that is committed to: service, sharing life together, responsible reading of Scripture and church tradition, openness to having our minds changed, care for the earth, on-going transformation of our lives to “perfect us in love,” social justice, and visible signs of inward grace. As United Methodists, we believe that God’s grace is offered freely to all people, regardless of age, race, economic status, gender-identity, national background, creed, etc; we also claim our responsibility to create spaces and places for accepting and responding to God’s grace by seeking to serve God through a “practical divinity” that makes God’s love real in our actions. The
We are painfully aware of the harm that has been created by racism, injustice, prejudice, and oppression—and, sadly, we know “Christianity” was often complicit or to blame. This is not the Way of Jesus. We seek to “do church different” by honoring, welcoming, and supporting the beautiful diversity of God’s image. We are called to be a place of retreat and healing, particularly for those who have been harmed by previous experiences in church. Serving God in the Way of Jesus means recognizing God’s love as a gift for everyone.
-Pastor Jonathan Coppedge-Henley
A Place For Everyone
At Woodlawn Community Fellowship, community is at our core! Our campus, nestled in a beautiful and thriving neighborhood, is open to everyone, no matter what you do on Sunday morning. We host weekly dinners for the neighborhood, a wide variety of special events, and the Barking Lot dog park is open 7 days a week. Check out all the great community events and amenities at WCF below, and we’ll see you soon!
Where we are headed...
New Worship Space
A new worship space designed to be flexible to meet the needs of the
congregation and community. Thoughtfully designed to accommodate
mobility needs along with purpose-built audio-visual technology to
increase accessibility of both the in-person and online worship
experience, the new space is welcoming to all. The main worship space
has a capacity of 250; like our current sanctuary, it can be arranged in
a variety of ways to meet to needs of specific worship services and
community events.
Retreat
In addition to the main space, the new building will contain a number of smaller spaces for groups to rent in order to purposely reflect. Whether spiritual or secular, retreat spaces are sought-after in Charlotte, and WCF is ideally positioned to offer space to meet the demand. By positioning WCF as a retreat center, we will be able to generate sustaining revenue to cover operational expenses of the building.
A new worship space designed to be flexible to meet the needs of the
congregation and community. Thoughtfully designed to accommodate
mobility needs along with purpose-built audio-visual technology to
increase accessibility of both the in-person and online worship
experience, the new space is welcoming to all. The main worship space
has a capacity of 250; like our current sanctuary, it can be arranged in
a variety of ways to meet to needs of specific worship services and
community events.
Retreat
In addition to the main space, the new building will contain a number of smaller spaces for groups to rent in order to purposely reflect. Whether spiritual or secular, retreat spaces are sought-after in Charlotte, and WCF is ideally positioned to offer space to meet the demand. By positioning WCF as a retreat center, we will be able to generate sustaining revenue to cover operational expenses of the building.
Community Hub
Our campus will continue to serve as a “third space” in the community. Approximately 13,000 people live within one mile in an area otherwise lacking a community focal point. In addition to serving our immediate neighborhood, we have already started to make a name for ourselves as a community center through hosting artists and community groups; our new space will allow us to deepen our relationships with the local creative and nonprofit communities, as well as host weddings and milestone events. A key component of the building will be a coffee shop, inviting community members to come inside, make a connection, and take a deep breath. The coffee shop helps keep the building and campus active and vibrant seven days a week.
Our campus will continue to serve as a “third space” in the community. Approximately 13,000 people live within one mile in an area otherwise lacking a community focal point. In addition to serving our immediate neighborhood, we have already started to make a name for ourselves as a community center through hosting artists and community groups; our new space will allow us to deepen our relationships with the local creative and nonprofit communities, as well as host weddings and milestone events. A key component of the building will be a coffee shop, inviting community members to come inside, make a connection, and take a deep breath. The coffee shop helps keep the building and campus active and vibrant seven days a week.