And The Two Shall Be One

Sunday, January 9, 2011 marked the culmination of a unique merger of two FCA churches in Madison, Wisconsin. Lake City Church (founded in 1927 and known in early days as Madison Gospel Tabernacle) joined with Mad City Church (started in the late 1990s with an “alternative” flair) to become, simply, “City Church” (www.citychurchonline.org). Mad City’s Tom Flaherty is the new lead pastor, while Lake City’s John Ruck becomes pastor for business administration.

This is “a journey that began a couple of years ago,” said a late-December news release, “but began in earnest last fall when a Word from the Lord was presented to the lead pastors of both churches. The defining moment of our journey was at a meeting” when the two groups of elders and ministry staff thoroughly aired the question, prayed together, and voted to go forward. It concluded with a foot-washing ceremony.

The two congregations first began worshiping together at the start of the Christmas season, using Lake City’s building (Mad City Church had been renting a high school). The full public debut, however, was not rolled out until this past Sunday. Dr. Brian White, now a professor in Michigan and one of the external overseers whom God used to bring the original prophecy to both churches, led in a dedicatory prayer. Pastor Tom Flaherty then preached on the first of City Church’s four core values: “Come as You Are,” based on Matthew 11:28-30 and Galatians 5:1. A number of people, including first-time visitors, responded for salvation at the end.

Afterward, a free lunch was served in the gymnasium to some 465 people. The benefactor was the local Noodles franchise, which provided all food and service in exchange for publicity and a requirement that the meal be used as a fund-raiser. Some $1,700 was donated by those who ate to underwrite an upcoming youth group outreach to inner-city Chicago.

“Whenever you bring two families together under one roof,” John Ruck wrote in the news release, “there will be challenges, there will be growing pains, there will be resistance to change. We ask that you join us in praying that City Church will be a testimony to our community of God’s love and will bring Him honor and glory!”

Tom Flaherty says, “We have an amazing team here, utilizing gifted leaders from both former congregations. There’s an atmosphere of hope and expectancy. We are all looking forward to what God will do among us.”

To read local newspaper coverage of the merger, click here.