In this episode of The First 50, Steve and Kathy Mintz look back on more than four decades of calling Fellowship City Church home.

They share their individual journeys of faith, how their story together began, and what first brought them to Fellowship in the early 1980s. Along the way, Steve and Kathy reflect on raising a family, serving through different seasons, building lifelong friendships, and the people who helped make Fellowship much more than simply a church they attended.

Their story is a reminder that the life of a church is built not only through big moments, but through families who continue to show up, invest in others, and faithfully follow Jesus from one season to the next.

In this episode of The First 50, 92-year-old founding elder Joe Tax takes us back to the very beginning of Fellowship.

Joe shares his journey of faith and family, the conversations and decisions that led a small group of families to begin a new church, and his memories of those earliest days with founding pastor Lud Golz. Along the way, Joe reflects on a friendship with Lud that has lasted more than fifty years and what it means to look back at all God has done through Fellowship.

We also get a special cameo from longtime Fellowship friend Ron Deresckey, before ending the episode in a completely different way. After hearing from one of Fellowship’s oldest voices, The Rewind turns to some of our youngest voices as City Kids share what they love about Fellowship.

Joe’s story is a beautiful reminder that fifty years of faithfulness began with ordinary people willing to trust God and take the next faithful step. One generation started the story, and another generation is already carrying it forward.

In this episode of The First 50, Wyatt and Sara Mann share an honest story of faith, marriage, struggle, healing, and discovering God’s faithfulness through some of life’s hardest seasons.

Wyatt and Sara reflect on their different journeys to faith, the challenges that tested their marriage and their trust in God, and the people who walked alongside them when they needed it most. They also share the journey that led them to grow their family through adoption and what becoming parents has taught them about faith, grace, and trusting God.

Today, many of the experiences they once walked through have shaped how they invest in others through worship, small groups, and practical care for families. Their story is a beautiful reminder that God doesn’t waste the seasons that shape us. The places where we have experienced His grace often become the very places where He invites us to extend that grace to someone else.

In this episode of The First 50, Aaron and Ginny share the journey that brought them together, from Ginny's upbringing in South Africa and Aaron's decision to travel there, to their first meeting, dating, marriage, and the unexpected path that eventually led them to Cleveland and Fellowship City Church.

The conversation explores what it means to navigate life's many transitions together, how Team Tredway has learned to champion one another's unique callings, the joys and lessons of raising Noah, and what it was like for their family when Aaron was called to become Lead Pastor more than eight years ago.

Aaron and Ginny's story is a reminder that we rarely see the whole picture while we're living it. God faithfully prepares us through every season, weaving together a story far greater than we could ever imagine ourselves.

In this episode of The First 50, Kirt Kirtland shares the fascinating journey that shaped his life, from a family history rooted in vaudeville and years of moving from place to place, to the people and experiences that led him to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The conversation explores the mentors who invested in him, the path that brought him to Fellowship, and more than two decades of faithfully serving as an elder, teacher, small group leader, and mentor. Along the way, Kirt reflects on God's grace through every season and why investing in people has become one of the greatest callings of his life.

Kirt's story is a reminder that God is often at work long before we recognize it. He faithfully uses every chapter of our lives to prepare us for the story He is writing.

For nearly forty episodes, The First 50 has celebrated the people who helped build the story of Fellowship City Church. In this episode, we turn our attention to the next generation.

Born and Raised features Troy, Violet, and Jocelyn, three students who have never known another church home. They share their earliest memories of Fellowship Kids and Awana, how City Youth shaped their faith, and what it's been like growing up in a church that has invested in them every step of the way.

The conversation explores the impact of parents, volunteers, pastors, and mentors who faithfully poured into their lives and how those investments are now inspiring them to invest in others through City Kids, City Youth, and missions.

This episode is a reminder that fifty years of faithfulness isn't measured only by buildings or programs. It's measured by lives transformed, generations impacted, and a church that continues to point people to Jesus.

In this episode of The First 50, Marty Dummermuth reflects on the people and experiences that shaped his faith, from the moment God began stirring his heart in high school to the journey that eventually led him to Fellowship City Church.

The conversation explores how one calling can take many different forms through student ministry, worship, missions, young adults, and now serving as an elder. Marty shares about the mentors who poured into his life, the quiet impact of serving others, and how God often prepares us for what's ahead long before we can see it.

This episode is a reminder that God rarely shows us the whole picture at once. He simply asks us to take the next faithful step, trusting that He's writing a story far greater than we could ever imagine.

In this episode of The First 50, Jared and Erica Lichtin reflect on growing up in Jewish homes, how God brought them together, and the remarkable journey that eventually led them both to a personal relationship with Jesus. Their story is a powerful reminder that God is often at work long before we recognize His hand, faithfully pursuing us through every season of our lives.

The conversation also explores moments of deep joy and heartbreaking loss, and how their faith in Christ, the support of their church family, and the hope of the gospel have sustained them through life's most difficult moments. Through it all, they have discovered that God's presence remains constant, even when life doesn't unfold as expected.

This episode is a reminder that no story is beyond the reach of God's grace, and that His faithfulness never wavers, even in the seasons we never would have chosen.

In this episode of The First 50, Gary and Margo share the stories that shaped them long before Fellowship City Church. They reflect on their upbringing, how each came to know Jesus, how God brought their lives together, and the journey that eventually led them to Fellowship.

The conversation explores decades of serving through youth ministry, eldership, small groups, and discipleship, while also sharing the joys of marriage, raising a family, and remaining faithful through every season in the life of the church. Through it all, their desire has remained the same: to love Jesus, love people, and help others grow in their faith.

This episode is a reminder that a lasting legacy isn't built in a single moment. It's built through a lifetime of following Jesus, faithfully investing in others, and trusting God through every season.

In this episode of The First 50, Adam and Jenn Tompkins share their personal stories, how God brought their lives together, and the unique journey that led them to Fellowship City and eventually into ministry across all three campuses.

The conversation explores their years of serving through worship, student ministry, and mission trips, along with the beautiful tension of balancing ministry, family, and work. Along the way, they discovered that worship isn't simply about the songs we sing. It's about offering every part of our lives to God.

This episode is a reminder that some of the greatest moments of worship don't happen from a stage. They happen through people who faithfully serve wherever they're needed, and point others to Jesus through the way they live.