This is a little something Pastor Sean shared at our 50th Anniversary, just for a little fun, to share a little amazement at what God has done, to roughly go over our history, and to get to know each other a little bit better. 

As for a history, it should be more or less accurate, but we wouldn't build a church history around it. The format of a spoken activity didn't allow for that and we have another history page for that.  That being said, as we become aware of them, we will denote historical events that deviate from our timeline. Enjoy the read!

🎉 Decades Roll Call – 50th Anniversary Edition 

When you first come to New Life in Christ Church?  

Let’s take a little walk through time. When I call out the decade you first started attending New Life in Christ Church, stand up loud and proud! If you were a child … just go with the year your started attending with your parents.   

We’re going to celebrate your arrival, your impact… and yes, your fashion. 

🕺 1970s – “The Trailblazers”  

If you started attending in the 1970s, would you stand so we can celebrate you?  

This was the era of flannelgraphs, 57-cent gas, and powder-blue leisure suits. Sermons were typed on typewriters with plenty of white-out, and the bulletin came off the mimeograph machine—equal parts ink and anointing.  

But don’t be fooled by the bell bottoms and overhead projectors—this was a group of young, bold believers, most of them in their 20s or early 30s, who were figuring it out as they went. Some of our elders could’ve been confused for college students. There was no church planting playbook—just prayer, conviction, and a whole lot of improvisation.  

They had to decide where to meet—sometimes on Sunday morning. They launched worship and children’s education, helped start Christian schools, hosted their first missions conference (because Pastor Doug already had a vision to outdo the church he came from), and even got involved in the cause of life. It was a time of gospel clarity in a culturally chaotic world—and they leaned in, not out.  

And they did all this in a region that was still basically a back road. In 1975, the combined population of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford was just under 52,000 people. Today? Over 350,000. There was one stoplight on Route 3. And yes—you could get from one end of town to the other without needing prayer and repentance.  

But God knew what He was doing. He planted New Life here before the explosion—so this church could be ready to welcome, disciple, and reach the thousands He would send.  

They didn’t just attend—they pioneered. They gave. They led. They adapted. They prayed. They probably ran extension cords through hallways and baptized people in places that weren’t technically up to code. And we’re here today because they were faithful then.  Let’s give a huge thank you to The Trailblazers! 

💼 1980s – “The Builders”  

Stand up if you first came in the 1980s!  

Ronald Reagan was in the White House, your Christian music came on cassette tapes, and here at New Life, we had a cozy little home on Kenmore Avenue. But this was also the decade we moved into our forever home—a building so practical, it could host a worship service, a youth lock-in, and a basketball tournament all in the same weekend.  

This was a season of trying new things to see what worked. We called our first assistant pastor, we started parenting conferences, and we launched boys' and girls' programs like Boys Brigade and Pioneer Girls—ministries that helped families disciple their children and helped kids form lifelong friendships around Christ, and also how to use graphite to get a Shape N Race car down the track.  

If you were here in the 80’s, you were most likely guilted into serving in a ministry by a phone call from Jackie Geoffrion—and somehow, you’ve been serving ever since. Your Sunday best included shoulder pads that could take flight, and some of you rocked perms with biblical boldness. These were the years of big hair and big faith.  

And of course, we honor the greatest miracle of all: the original 1980s carpet in the education wing is still here. Stronger than ever. Just like you.  

Thank you, Builders, for putting your mark on this place! 

💾 1990s – “The Resilient Reformers”  

If you joined New Life in the 1990s, go ahead and stand—we want to recognize you!  

This was the decade of dial-up internet, Beanie Babies, and Blockbuster. Worship choruses got longer, jeans got baggier, and if you wore a WWJD bracelet, you were basically a theologian.  

Youth group games were mildly unsafe, sermon slides were on overhead projectors, and someone—definitely someone—wore a denim jumper with little fruit stitched on it. You know the one.  

And let’s be honest: if your computer didn’t survive Y2K, your church still did.  

But beneath the baggy jeans and emotional music, this was also a season of serious soul-searching for New Life. We had conflict, disappointments, and a few congregational meetings where the fruit of the Spirit was still ripening.  

It was a time when we realized, maybe being an independent church with no denominational accountability isn’t the best long-term strategy. So after prayer, study, and a little sanctified wrestling, we joined the Presbyterian Church in America.  

This wasn’t just about finding a label—it was about finding a family, committed to the truth of God’s Word, with solid doctrine, mutual encouragement, and yes, really well-organized meetings.  

And if you came during those years, you may have arrived in a turbulent time—but you stayed. You prayed, you listened, you gave, and you helped shape what this church would become.  

And let’s be real—you probably had to sit through at least one very awkward congregational meeting.  

Let’s thank God for The Resilient Reformers! 

📊 2000s – “The Faithful Few (and the Overhead Crew)”  

If you started attending in the 2000s, would you stand?  

This was the decade of flip phones, MySpace, and burnt CDs labeled “Sunday Worship Mix.” And while the rest of the world was discovering PowerPoint, here at New Life, we were still laying transparencies on the overhead projector—one careful slide at a time. And if you remember trying to swap them without burning your fingertips, your reward is great.  

The decade began with a significant reduction in people—a sobering and refining moment in the life of our church. But what followed was nothing short of a rebirth. A fresh wind of God’s Spirit brought peace, renewed energy, a passion for missions, and the kind of joy that keeps growing.  

It was the beginning of a 25-year season marked by deep unity, gospel purpose, and a church that began to flourish again.  

And to kick off the decade, Pastor Doug was running everything—literally everything.  Missions? Doug. Youth group? Doug. Care groups? Doug. Founding New Geneva Seminary? Also Doug.  Fixing the copier? Absolutely not. That was Christine’s job. Or Jonathan’s. Or whoever got there first.  

It was also the decade of global missions on the move.  Almost every youth or young adult went on a trip to Peru, and many had the unforgettable chance to go to Israel with Pastor Doug—where the Bible came alive, and some folks strongly considered getting baptized in the Jordan… until they remembered we’re Presbyterian, and sprinkling only once was more than enough.  

And for me personally, it was the year I joined New Life—hired by Sam Capitano, a godly man I would later hire as my assistant. Proof that God has a great sense of humor—and a long-range plan.  

This wasn’t just a decade of recovery—it was the start of something beautiful.  

Let’s thank God for The Faithful Few—and the Overhead Crew! 

📡 2010s – “The Ministry Modernizers”  

If you started attending in the 2010s, would you stand so we can celebrate you?  

This was the decade when New Life officially entered the modern age (1). The overhead projector finally retired (2)—we gave it a respectful send-off—and our tape ministry faded into history, replaced by something called the internet (3).  

Sermons went online, and we even figured out how to use a digital projector without calling a teenager.  

But this decade wasn’t about tech upgrades—it was about ministry momentum.  

After years of carrying a heavy load, Pastor Doug began handing off leadership—not because he stopped caring, but because he wisely saw the need for a team.  It was a healthy and hopeful shift that set us up for long-term strength.  

The ministry team expanded, and so did the ministry itself.  Our baseball ministry exploded, reaching families in our community with games, snacks, and the gospel.  At the same time, our drama ministry soared—thanks to Esther and a team of gifted volunteers, we saw musicals and performances that moved us to tears and pointed us to Christ.  Whether you loved cleats or choreography, there was something for everyone.  

We also celebrated the completion of the back building addition, giving us much-needed classrooms.  It happened because this congregation saw the vision and gave sacrificially to make it possible.  

And the mission didn’t slow down.  We kept sending people to Peru, bought the college ministry house to reach students, and even planted our second church—because we believe the gospel is too good to keep to ourselves.  

The 2010s were full of movement, beauty, and shared leadership.  It wasn’t flashy, but it was fruitful—and it helped shape the church we are today.  

Let’s give a big hand to The Ministry Modernizers! 

Notes:
(1) There is a lot of historical license in this paragraph. The 2000's needed to focus on refocusing our mission (again remember limited time), so some of the tech changes ended up here.
(2) What is correct here: The 2010's were the first full decade without transparencies. What is exaggerated: The overhead projector was installed in 2007 so we would have been off transparencies around then.  
(3)  This is not to say that we were not on the internet by then. While we kept our tape ministry around for a long while, we were definitely on the internet. In 2001 the deacons got us established on the world wide web, choosing NLICC.ORG as our domain name. In March 2002 our first website went live (you can see iterations on the wayback machine). 

😷 2020s – “The Pandemic Pilgrims”  

And finally—if you started attending in the 2020s, during the pandemic or after, would you please stand?  

Your first New Life service may have been in pajamas on your couch.  Communion wasn’t quite BYO grape juice—but let’s be honest, it crossed your mind.  Masks became the new Sunday accessory, and we removed half the chairs to give everyone more elbow room—and breathing room.  

We had drive-in services, lawn chairs in the parking lot, and livestream on day one, thanks to Scott Oberlin, who somehow pulled off tech wizardry while the rest of us were still trying to buy toilet paper.  Our livestream gave everyone the comforting illusion that you could go on vacation and still “attend church.”  

But here’s what mattered most: we got back to meeting in person as soon as possible.  While many churches stayed closed for months, New Life pressed in.  We knew we needed to gather. And so we did—carefully, prayerfully, joyfully.  

This also happened to be the year I became your pastor—late 2019, just in time for a global pandemic.  Let’s just say… they don’t cover that in seminary. But God was faithful—and you were too.  

Oh—and while all that was going on, we also started and finished the balcony.  Because when things get hard, what do we do? We build something.  

So if you came during all of this—masks, livestreams, distancing, balcony construction—you didn’t just show up.  You stuck.  And you became part of the family.  

Let’s give thanks for The Pandemic Pilgrims! 

🎯 Closing Comments:  

Different decades, different styles, same faithful God. Whether you came in bell bottoms or skinny jeans, whether your first church coffee came from a percolator or a Keurig—you’re part of a living, growing, gospel family. And we praise God that we stand together now. Let’s keep building for the next 50 years!