Visitors to the church are greeted with a relaxed atmosphere and a congregation that not only enjoys the company of one another, but makes it a point to welcome newcomers.
Pastor Richard Kriesch, a Michigan native, has been at the church since 2000 when he and his wife moved from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Wilmore to fill the position.
Kriesch, a former high school history teacher and coach, is a 1991 graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary. He describes CMC as a "sending church" because so many from the church have gone on to be pastors - including a military chaplain, missionaries and Christian educators.
Though often thought to be a non-denominational church, the church is in fact a denomination that follows a Biblical, Wesleyan tradition. There are only two in Kentucky, Community Missionary Church in Wilmore and another in Cloverport.
Founding member Irene Anderson noted that she was once the youngest mother in the church and is now the oldest.
She said the congregation consists of very real, caring people and described Pastor Kriesch as a people person.
"No matter where he's going, he's ministering," she said. "It's not just here in the church."
In Kriesch's casual style he delivers the message of Scripture with both humor and seriousness, and has a sincere desire to help folks understand that they are loved and accepted.
"Church is not just showing up on Sunday, it's reaching out to the community to help others, using Jesus as our model - letting people know you care," he said.
Acoustic guitar, bass and percussion instruments fill the sanctuary with music at the start of the worship service on Sunday mornings. The worship team is comprised of seven people, including worship leader Josh Salsburey, John Ingram, Ken Reitz, Tim and Erin Gibson, and Mike and Abby Dobie.
While Kriesch compliments the contemporary worship team as the best kept secret in Wilmore, Salsburey said, "The bottom line is that the worship team's goal is not to perform but to help those who are there in attendance to connect with God. If folks come away with that connection then we've accomplished our goal."
Salsburey said that music sets are often a mix of newer contemporary songs with traditional hymns incorporated as well.
Youth group meets every Wednesday night from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and they also have their own Sunday School class before worship on Sunday mornings. Youth Leader Tim Gibson said the atmosphere within the group is a very comfortable, come-as-you-are one. Gibson said that he and assistant youth leader, Brian Hiatt, want to have an environment where the group can grow and comfortably come to understand the true meaning of following Christ.
Wednesday nights offer teaching, plus games and snacks and on weekends there are outings such as bowling, movies and retreats. Kids who attend range in age from 5th grade to 12th grade, though some activities aren't suitable for the younger crowd.
The youth group will partner in the spring with several others in the community for a nationwide 30 hour famine, where participating youth fast for 30 hours, raising money through sponsors for World Vision, a non-profit Christian organization which provides global relief programs to benefit children in poverty stricken areas.
Two unique ministries CMC offers are: Health Church Initiative, which is a community ministry where help is given to families in need of assistance with seeking employment, budgeting, cooking, etc. and WOW - Wilmore on Wednesday - where, on the first Wednesday of each month, the community is invited for food, fun and a film. There is a suggested donation of $2 for the meal.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
