Our Story.
Our People.
Our Purpose.

The Neighborhood Church is a Jesus-centered community where everyone is welcome at the table. Here, you’re not just attending church—you’re finding a place of belonging.

We’re rooted in West Pontiac, where we believe God is already at work—restoring, healing, and bringing justice and love to our community. Our mission is to join the Spirit’s movement right here in our neighborhood.

Whether you’re a seeker or skeptic, exvangelical or deconstructing, lonely or hurting, certain or full of questions, don’t feel like you belong, and everything in between—you are welcome here. We are a proudly LGBTQIA+ affirming, anti-racist, justice-seeking church that embraces immigrants, refugees, orphans, widows, and all who are often left out or pushed aside.

We believe every person is a beloved child of God—created in God’s image, and fully loved, exactly as they are. Our community includes and celebrates people of all races and ethnicities, all abilities, all backgrounds—including those who are neurodivergent, experiencing homelessness, formerly incarcerated, or in recovery.

At The Neighborhood Church, we practice radical hospitality. Every week, we share a meal—not as an afterthought, but as a sacred expression of being the church. Around the table, grace flows, stories are shared, and healing begins.

We are a community of screw-ups, imperfect, and broken people seeking hope, wholeness, and liberation through the love of Jesus Christ.

Our Roots in
the Neighborhood

We follow the example of Jesus: The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.
(John 1:14, The Message)

We didn’t just plant a church—we moved into the neighborhood. We became neighbors, friends, and co-laborers in the work of building beloved community.

Our calling is to be a church in and for West Pontiac. That means we don’t show up as saviors—we show up as partners. We empower local leaders, walk alongside our neighbors, and support what God is already doing through grassroots efforts, nonprofits, other churches, businesses, and justice initiatives.

We believe the kingdom of God is already breaking through—right here, right now.

Who We Are

  • The Neighborhood Church began in 2014 as a ministry of Micah 6 Community, rooted in the heart of West Pontiac. We started small—with a house in a low-income neighborhood, a few Hot-N-Ready pizzas from Little Caesars, and a Bible study around the dining room table. But from the beginning, we weren’t here to plant a church for our neighborhood—we came to become part of our neighborhood.

    We spent that first year walking the streets, listening deeply, building relationships, and learning what mattered most to our neighbors. That simple Bible study grew into something more. As our community formed, we moved into the back of our vegetable store, Sprout, and continued gathering.

    We quickly realized a few things that helped shape our identity:

    • Our people were not morning people—so we moved our worship gathering to 6:00pm on Sundays.

    • A lot of folks smoked—so we kept the service short (about 30 minutes).

    • And we were hungry—not just for food, but for connection. So we made it a priority to share a meal together every single week. That’s where real church happens: around tables, in conversations, with laughter and real love.

    As our community grew, so did our ministries. Today, we offer:

    • Weekly Bible studies for adults, kids, and teens

    • A vibrant and growing youth ministry

    • Monthly community events, like our Neighborhood Barbecue on the first Saturday of each month

    • Ongoing neighborhood projects rooted in justice, equity, and healing

    In 2026, we moved into our new gathering space at Webster Community Center, meeting in the Event Center. This new chapter is opening doors for greater accessibility and deeper connection.

    But through it all—our real story is our people. This church has grown because our neighbors have stepped into leadership and shaped it with their gifts. Our community preaches, prays, sets up and cleans up, leads worship, cooks, and welcomes with radical love.

    We remember and honor those who have been a part of this journey and have passed on—beloved friends like Red, Cheryl, Ms. Ann, Tim, Derrick, and others. Their love, stories, and legacy live on in the heart of this church. They helped build us. And they are still with us.

    We are not perfect. We are a community of healing and transformation, still learning, still growing. But we believe deeply that we are living as the embodiment of the Resurrected Christ—right here, in our streets and homes and shared meals.

    We love this neighborhood. We still live in this neighborhood. And we believe the Kingdom of God is already here. So when we say The Neighborhood is our church, we mean it. We are a church in and for our neighborhood—rooted, growing, and alive

  • We believe that:

    • Jesus Christ was crucified, died, and was buried, and on the third day rose again.

    • Every person is a reflection of the divine—created in God’s image, worthy of love, dignity, and inclusion.

    • LGBTQIA+ people are fully affirmed and celebrated in every aspect of life and leadership in our church.

    • We are called to be actively anti-racist, seeking justice and equity in our community and beyond.

    • God’s dream includes the flourishing of all people: access to housing, education, meaningful work, physical and mental health care, and the chance to thrive.

    • Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, the power of oppression, evil, and death has been defeated. We are now free to live like Jesus—welcoming the outcast, healing the hurting, flipping tables of injustice, and proclaiming hope.

    As Jesus proclaimed:

    “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to bring good news to the poor.
    He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
    to set free those who are oppressed,
    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
    — Luke 4:18–19

    We are a Reconciling in Christ congregation and a ministry of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).

  • At the heart of our church is the open table of Jesus. A place of welcome, healing, belonging, and joy.

    This is the table, not of the church, but of the Lord.
    It is made ready for those who love God and for those who want to love God more.
    So come, you who have much faith and you who have little;
    You who have been here often and you who have not been here long;
    You who have tried to follow and you who have failed.
    Come, because it is the Lord who invites you.
    It is God’s will that those who want God should meet here.
    — Iona Community

    Everyone is welcome at this table. No exceptions.

Contact us

There’s a place for you here—and we’d love to connect with you.
Whether you have a question, need prayer, or want to learn more about The Neighborhood Church, send us a message below. We’d be glad to hear from you.