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Our History
On March 6, 1994, New Life Presbyterian Church of Tifton, Georgia, became a particular church, meaning that the Central Georgia Presbytery had previously examined, questioned, and approved several men for church office. On that day the congregation elected John McCoy, Gary Morey, and Steve Brown as ruling elders and Ron Clegg as Teaching Elder / Pastor. We had 25 charter members. While that marked a formal date of establishment, much occurred prior to that time to lay the foundation.
In 1986, Alton and Donna Dye moved to Tifton from Ormond Beach, Florida, where they had became part of a new PCA church there after seeing an ad in a local shopper. After their move to Tifton, Donna contacted Presbytery representatives in Macon to inquire as to the possibilities of a church planting work here. She passed out fliers in their neighborhood but had little response. In the early summer of 1986, I (Steve Brown) applied for a job here with The University of Georgia and in July 1986, Lisa and I were married. In October of that year, I interviewed and accepted the position here and we made plans to move to Tifton. We consulted with our pastor John Ragland in College Station, Texas. Pastor Ragland's advice about the possibility of starting a new church, "Consider it a five year project." At the time that seemed like FOREVER. Now it is but a quick flash. He contacted Ben Kanopa, Pastor of Westminster PC in Valdosta, and learned of the Dyes presence and interests here. Similarly, the Dye's pastor in Ormond Beach had previously contacted Westminster. On a house hunting trip to Tifton in November 1986, we briefly visited Donna and talked about the possibilities. We moved to Tifton in December 1986.
In January 1987, the Dyes and Browns began meeting for Bible study in the Dye's home. We frequently invited co-workers, neighbors, and others but for months it was the Dyes and Browns. For months we ran a small add in Tifton Gazette but about the only response we received was a phone call from a concerned lady from another church about the fact that the word "Bible" was not capitalized in the announcement (the Gazette's error, not mine). We were about to cancel the ad, and then one day, Lisa received a call from a newcomer to town, Mary Greene. She and her physician husband Jim, who had an office in Ashburn and saw patients in Tift General, had just moved from Fort Oglethorpe, GA. They had been involved in a PCA church there and in Augusta. The Greenes, who became our dear friends, were a welcome addition to our struggling group in October 1987.
We (the Browns) became involved in a local Baptist congregation and indicated to the pastor our long term goal. He was supportive. We also periodically visited Westminster PC in Valdosta. In fact, Charles Brown, born February 5, 1988, was baptized there. We had occasional contact with the Presbytery MNA committee. MNA stands for Mission to North America and is the group responsible for church planting within the geographical bounds of Central GA Presbytery which at the time went from Columbus to Augusta. Bill Douglas, a pastor from Columbus who was a college classmate of mine, and Ken Webb, the Associate Pastor from Valdosta, were among those on the Committee. These men knew our dreams and desire. The Presbytery was interested but...
In May 1988, Bill Douglas arranged for Lisa and me to attend the meeting of the Presbytery MNA Committee. The meeting was at First Presbyterian in Macon, and the Committee Chair was the pastor from First Presbyterian - he is now President of Reformed Seminary in Greenville. Altogether there were about 10 men in the group. Our conversation with them lasted 15 minutes or so. They invited us to join them for a sandwich lunch at the church.
The Committee Chair assured us of their interest and finished his comments with a BUT... and "maybe later."
Surprisingly, they invited us back after lunch. The Chair reiterated his thoughts and buts and several men echoed his sentiments of "maybe later." The discussion was almost over when one elderly man from Perry named Hall Schenk jumped in with a totally contrary statement. He said, "I've been on this committee ever since it's been a committee. We've always talked about a work in Tifton or Sylvester. I believe God is speaking to us, and I don't believe we should wait." Bill Douglas and Ken Webb nodded. Nobody else said much. I was encouraged and inspired by the fact that one man, despite the near certainty of not winning the argument, was willing to go against the grain, to speak his heart. That was enough for me. We were dismissed.
To my surprise, that night Bill Douglas called to say the committee had agreed to support a church planting work in Tifton. He indicated that the search for a church planting pastor would begin immediately but that it might take a year. Again, we were excited about the possibility, but I could not get away from the encouragement of Mr. Schenk's remarks.
Over the next months the Presbytery Committee talked about possible men. We visited with a couple. They flew in an Air Force Chaplain for an interview. That didn't work out. In the fall of 1988, they had contact with Ron Clegg, who was serving in his first pastorate in a small church in Eufaula, AL. He was excited about the possibility. He had an interview with Bill Douglas and Ken Webb and came here for a brief visit with the Browns, Greens, and Dyes. The Dyes had met Ron in their church in Ocala where Ron had served as an intern. We heard Ron preach at Northgate PC in Albany where the Moreys had been members. A call - which includes the financial and other matters relative to pastoral employment - was developed by the MNA Committee. Ron was examined and approved by the Central GA Presbytery at its spring meeting April 11, 1989. His appointment was Organizing Pastor. Presbytery agreed to support the work in Tifton at $30,000 for two years. I believe that support actually continued for almost five years. The core group had already accumulated about $9,000 in an escrow account held by Presbytery.
The Cleggs -- Ron, Gayle, and their four children -- moved to Tifton in May 1989. Ron was installed at a special evening service at Westminster PC in Valdosta on May 21, 1989.
That summer we began having an evening service in the home of the Cleggs and in others' homes as well. At those gatherings, we probably had 10 to 15 adults.
In preparation for our first Sunday morning service scheduled for November 5, 1989, we leased a facility, the Carolyn Ellis School of Dance on Tift Avenue, which is right across the street from what eventually became our more permanent church home. Also in preparation for our first formal service, we engaged in a telephone campaign that had been successful in Florida and other high growth areas. Over two or three nights, the core group went down to Webb & Sims Realty to use their bank of phones. We called over a thousand homes to invite folks to the "new New Life Presbyterian Church." I think that one or two people came as a result. We developed a church statement, a strategy, and a logo.
Our first service was a success. I cannot remember how many attended...maybe 40 folks total. We sat in chairs that were given to us (and which we still have) by Northgate Presbyterian in Albany. It was quite an effort to set up and take down the chairs each Sunday. We met in the dance studio for about a year or two.
We eventually moved across the street to the Debonnaire Plaza next to the Dairy Queen on Tift Avenue. Our worship room was formerly a hair salon and our office and Sunday School rooms were formerly a doctor's office. In 1997, we moved our worship facility to the other end of the Plaza to gain space.
At our 10th Anniversary Celebration on November 5, 1999, Pastor Ron Clegg indicated his desire to serve on the mission field in Eastern Europe with World Harvest Mission and announced his resignation effective April 2000. The Cleggs relocated to Randy and Darlene Barber's "Mission Lodge" (their very cozy basement), itinerated across the country for months, and departed for Budapest, Hungary, September 9, 2001. David Prescott served as Pastor from September 2000 to December 2002. Cory Colravy became our third pastor on May 25, 2003, being officially ordained at New Life on August 20, 2003.
Back in 1994, we purchased five acres of land on Fulwood Road from Joel Carrington and Carrington Farms for a price of $50,000. The land note was paid off in 1995 and celebrated with a note burning. In 1996, we commissioned a Building Committee that worked with an architect from Orlando to develop plans for a new facility. Bert Hopper served as Chair of the Committee. In 2002-2003 an alternative plan was initiated. In September 2003, just a few months after Pastor Cory Colravy's arrival, New Life's leadership called upon each family to enter into a week of fasting and prayer concerning estimated financial commitment levels over the next three years - $1500 additional per month was the required minimum we needed to go ahead with the new construction. At the end of that week, the commitments received reflected a $3000 per month increase in giving so the construction of our 10,800 square foot building located at 3500 Fulwood Road in Tifton began in the late summer of 2004 and was completed in March of 2005. In October of 2017 we paid off our building note and are now debt free!
Our providential story is in order. About 15 years before the construction of our building, a tornado swept through the north Georgia property of Dr. Bert and Mary Lynn Hopper. Many of the oak trees were uprooted in the storm. Bert and his son, Wes, took the time to cut all the oaks up and stored the lumber in a silo on their farm., Through the years some of the wood was used, but a majority of it was still in the silo when Bert and Mary Lynn moved south to Pitts, Georgia (about 40 minutes from Tifton). A decision had to be made: to haul all that oak lumber to south Georgia or not. In the end, it was brought south and stored in another silo on their new property. Again, some of the wood was used here and there, but today, New Life is blessed to have a good deal of that wood upon the walls of our foyer area and sanctuary. It was put there with love and skill of craftmanship by Bert himself to the glory of God. In addition, Mary Lynn added her own touch by crafting the beautiful stained glass windows in our foyer. These sacrificial acts of love are representative of the many acts of love though which God has blessed us and this community so richly.
It is certainly appropriate that the Cross of Christ hangs prominently in our sanctuary and high above our church sign - for it is by His ultimate sacrifice of love on our behalf that we receive new life and extend the love and riches of this new life to those around us, including our church family.
In June 2008, Pastor Cory Colravy left New Life to begin ministering to the congregation of Covenant PCA in Panama City, Florida. In November 2008, after months of searching, the Pulpit Search Committee put forth to the congregation a candidate - Pastor Sam Maves. The congregation affirmed the Maves' calling and the feeling of the pulpit committee when they voted, on November 16, 2008, to extend a Pastoral Call to Pastor Sam.
We have grown in numbers over the years. We have sent many, many folks from here to various parts of the globe to serve the Lord. In the early days these losses were particularly painful. It was difficult to see those who had become an integral part of our lives leave to take other jobs and ministries. A few of our regulars have graduated to heaven.
Ultimately, the Church is people. We are His Body, His people, His handiwork. May we walk in faith and love and honor His Name.
Steven M. Brown - February 2005
Revised by the church office - January 2010, January 2018
In 1986, Alton and Donna Dye moved to Tifton from Ormond Beach, Florida, where they had became part of a new PCA church there after seeing an ad in a local shopper. After their move to Tifton, Donna contacted Presbytery representatives in Macon to inquire as to the possibilities of a church planting work here. She passed out fliers in their neighborhood but had little response. In the early summer of 1986, I (Steve Brown) applied for a job here with The University of Georgia and in July 1986, Lisa and I were married. In October of that year, I interviewed and accepted the position here and we made plans to move to Tifton. We consulted with our pastor John Ragland in College Station, Texas. Pastor Ragland's advice about the possibility of starting a new church, "Consider it a five year project." At the time that seemed like FOREVER. Now it is but a quick flash. He contacted Ben Kanopa, Pastor of Westminster PC in Valdosta, and learned of the Dyes presence and interests here. Similarly, the Dye's pastor in Ormond Beach had previously contacted Westminster. On a house hunting trip to Tifton in November 1986, we briefly visited Donna and talked about the possibilities. We moved to Tifton in December 1986.
In January 1987, the Dyes and Browns began meeting for Bible study in the Dye's home. We frequently invited co-workers, neighbors, and others but for months it was the Dyes and Browns. For months we ran a small add in Tifton Gazette but about the only response we received was a phone call from a concerned lady from another church about the fact that the word "Bible" was not capitalized in the announcement (the Gazette's error, not mine). We were about to cancel the ad, and then one day, Lisa received a call from a newcomer to town, Mary Greene. She and her physician husband Jim, who had an office in Ashburn and saw patients in Tift General, had just moved from Fort Oglethorpe, GA. They had been involved in a PCA church there and in Augusta. The Greenes, who became our dear friends, were a welcome addition to our struggling group in October 1987.
We (the Browns) became involved in a local Baptist congregation and indicated to the pastor our long term goal. He was supportive. We also periodically visited Westminster PC in Valdosta. In fact, Charles Brown, born February 5, 1988, was baptized there. We had occasional contact with the Presbytery MNA committee. MNA stands for Mission to North America and is the group responsible for church planting within the geographical bounds of Central GA Presbytery which at the time went from Columbus to Augusta. Bill Douglas, a pastor from Columbus who was a college classmate of mine, and Ken Webb, the Associate Pastor from Valdosta, were among those on the Committee. These men knew our dreams and desire. The Presbytery was interested but...
In May 1988, Bill Douglas arranged for Lisa and me to attend the meeting of the Presbytery MNA Committee. The meeting was at First Presbyterian in Macon, and the Committee Chair was the pastor from First Presbyterian - he is now President of Reformed Seminary in Greenville. Altogether there were about 10 men in the group. Our conversation with them lasted 15 minutes or so. They invited us to join them for a sandwich lunch at the church.
The Committee Chair assured us of their interest and finished his comments with a BUT... and "maybe later."
Surprisingly, they invited us back after lunch. The Chair reiterated his thoughts and buts and several men echoed his sentiments of "maybe later." The discussion was almost over when one elderly man from Perry named Hall Schenk jumped in with a totally contrary statement. He said, "I've been on this committee ever since it's been a committee. We've always talked about a work in Tifton or Sylvester. I believe God is speaking to us, and I don't believe we should wait." Bill Douglas and Ken Webb nodded. Nobody else said much. I was encouraged and inspired by the fact that one man, despite the near certainty of not winning the argument, was willing to go against the grain, to speak his heart. That was enough for me. We were dismissed.
To my surprise, that night Bill Douglas called to say the committee had agreed to support a church planting work in Tifton. He indicated that the search for a church planting pastor would begin immediately but that it might take a year. Again, we were excited about the possibility, but I could not get away from the encouragement of Mr. Schenk's remarks.
Over the next months the Presbytery Committee talked about possible men. We visited with a couple. They flew in an Air Force Chaplain for an interview. That didn't work out. In the fall of 1988, they had contact with Ron Clegg, who was serving in his first pastorate in a small church in Eufaula, AL. He was excited about the possibility. He had an interview with Bill Douglas and Ken Webb and came here for a brief visit with the Browns, Greens, and Dyes. The Dyes had met Ron in their church in Ocala where Ron had served as an intern. We heard Ron preach at Northgate PC in Albany where the Moreys had been members. A call - which includes the financial and other matters relative to pastoral employment - was developed by the MNA Committee. Ron was examined and approved by the Central GA Presbytery at its spring meeting April 11, 1989. His appointment was Organizing Pastor. Presbytery agreed to support the work in Tifton at $30,000 for two years. I believe that support actually continued for almost five years. The core group had already accumulated about $9,000 in an escrow account held by Presbytery.
The Cleggs -- Ron, Gayle, and their four children -- moved to Tifton in May 1989. Ron was installed at a special evening service at Westminster PC in Valdosta on May 21, 1989.
That summer we began having an evening service in the home of the Cleggs and in others' homes as well. At those gatherings, we probably had 10 to 15 adults.
In preparation for our first Sunday morning service scheduled for November 5, 1989, we leased a facility, the Carolyn Ellis School of Dance on Tift Avenue, which is right across the street from what eventually became our more permanent church home. Also in preparation for our first formal service, we engaged in a telephone campaign that had been successful in Florida and other high growth areas. Over two or three nights, the core group went down to Webb & Sims Realty to use their bank of phones. We called over a thousand homes to invite folks to the "new New Life Presbyterian Church." I think that one or two people came as a result. We developed a church statement, a strategy, and a logo.
Our first service was a success. I cannot remember how many attended...maybe 40 folks total. We sat in chairs that were given to us (and which we still have) by Northgate Presbyterian in Albany. It was quite an effort to set up and take down the chairs each Sunday. We met in the dance studio for about a year or two.
We eventually moved across the street to the Debonnaire Plaza next to the Dairy Queen on Tift Avenue. Our worship room was formerly a hair salon and our office and Sunday School rooms were formerly a doctor's office. In 1997, we moved our worship facility to the other end of the Plaza to gain space.
At our 10th Anniversary Celebration on November 5, 1999, Pastor Ron Clegg indicated his desire to serve on the mission field in Eastern Europe with World Harvest Mission and announced his resignation effective April 2000. The Cleggs relocated to Randy and Darlene Barber's "Mission Lodge" (their very cozy basement), itinerated across the country for months, and departed for Budapest, Hungary, September 9, 2001. David Prescott served as Pastor from September 2000 to December 2002. Cory Colravy became our third pastor on May 25, 2003, being officially ordained at New Life on August 20, 2003.
Back in 1994, we purchased five acres of land on Fulwood Road from Joel Carrington and Carrington Farms for a price of $50,000. The land note was paid off in 1995 and celebrated with a note burning. In 1996, we commissioned a Building Committee that worked with an architect from Orlando to develop plans for a new facility. Bert Hopper served as Chair of the Committee. In 2002-2003 an alternative plan was initiated. In September 2003, just a few months after Pastor Cory Colravy's arrival, New Life's leadership called upon each family to enter into a week of fasting and prayer concerning estimated financial commitment levels over the next three years - $1500 additional per month was the required minimum we needed to go ahead with the new construction. At the end of that week, the commitments received reflected a $3000 per month increase in giving so the construction of our 10,800 square foot building located at 3500 Fulwood Road in Tifton began in the late summer of 2004 and was completed in March of 2005. In October of 2017 we paid off our building note and are now debt free!
Our providential story is in order. About 15 years before the construction of our building, a tornado swept through the north Georgia property of Dr. Bert and Mary Lynn Hopper. Many of the oak trees were uprooted in the storm. Bert and his son, Wes, took the time to cut all the oaks up and stored the lumber in a silo on their farm., Through the years some of the wood was used, but a majority of it was still in the silo when Bert and Mary Lynn moved south to Pitts, Georgia (about 40 minutes from Tifton). A decision had to be made: to haul all that oak lumber to south Georgia or not. In the end, it was brought south and stored in another silo on their new property. Again, some of the wood was used here and there, but today, New Life is blessed to have a good deal of that wood upon the walls of our foyer area and sanctuary. It was put there with love and skill of craftmanship by Bert himself to the glory of God. In addition, Mary Lynn added her own touch by crafting the beautiful stained glass windows in our foyer. These sacrificial acts of love are representative of the many acts of love though which God has blessed us and this community so richly.
It is certainly appropriate that the Cross of Christ hangs prominently in our sanctuary and high above our church sign - for it is by His ultimate sacrifice of love on our behalf that we receive new life and extend the love and riches of this new life to those around us, including our church family.
In June 2008, Pastor Cory Colravy left New Life to begin ministering to the congregation of Covenant PCA in Panama City, Florida. In November 2008, after months of searching, the Pulpit Search Committee put forth to the congregation a candidate - Pastor Sam Maves. The congregation affirmed the Maves' calling and the feeling of the pulpit committee when they voted, on November 16, 2008, to extend a Pastoral Call to Pastor Sam.
We have grown in numbers over the years. We have sent many, many folks from here to various parts of the globe to serve the Lord. In the early days these losses were particularly painful. It was difficult to see those who had become an integral part of our lives leave to take other jobs and ministries. A few of our regulars have graduated to heaven.
Ultimately, the Church is people. We are His Body, His people, His handiwork. May we walk in faith and love and honor His Name.
Steven M. Brown - February 2005
Revised by the church office - January 2010, January 2018
©2014-2021 New Life Presbyterian Church. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.