The newlyweds became members of TCC after relocating to Amarillo from Wichita Falls.

 

Both had attended the same church there for most of their lives – so walking into a new church was a new (and uncertain) experience.

 

But that hesitation didn't last long.

 

"Sometimes the scariest part of going to a new church is walking through the door and meeting new people," Mackenzie said. "But I learned that at TCC everyone will only be strangers for a minute."

 

Now, Landon and Mackenzie are the ones greeting first-time guests at church, as part of TCC’s welcome team! 👋

 

“One of my favorite things about TCC is the way that we love each other so well," Mackenzie said. "You can always count on handshakes, hugs, and greetings anytime we get together.

 

"We will meet you where you are, just like Jesus does for us.”

 

The two love helping at TCC’s community events, including at the church’s annual Back-to-School Party and Trunk or Treat on Halloween. They’ve also volunteered with TCC at the Snack Pak 4 Kids warehouse.

 

"We are an action-oriented church that encourages serving in every facet we can," Landon said.

 

Landon and Mackenzie also joined a midweek Bible study, and they’re part of TCC’s young adults group at TCC!

 

"No matter if you grew up in church, have never set foot in a church building, have experienced church hurt, or have never opened up a Bible before, all are welcomed and encouraged to be a part of this family," Landon said. "We hope you’ll take the courage to come and see." 😊

Joy moved to the Tradewind community a decade before Tradewind Community Church started – but she spent those 10 years praying for a church nearby.

​

Joy attended South Georgia Baptist Church (TCC's sending church) during that time. But "I always yearned and prayed for a neighborhood church. And then, it did happen!"

​

When TCC started in 2019, "I knew God had answered my longtime prayers," she said. "That's why I'm here!" 🤗

​

Joy became a founding member of TCC – and her prayers for TCC and people in our community continue through today.

​

"You never know what people are going through, so I just ask God in a very simple prayer to take care of just what they need for that day and just know and believe He will handle it," she said.

​

On Sundays, Joy is quick to meet and welcome first-time visitors. She also serves by making TCC's communion bread each month from scratch.

​

"My favorite thing about TCC is that it feels like a close-knit family," Joy said. "People feel loved. Anyone that’s looking for a church family should consider TCC."

Right after moving to the Tradewind neighborhood, Steven posted a question online: "So...we are wondering about Tradewind Community Church?" 

​

A few comments and connections later, the two decided to bring their family to TCC that Sunday.

​

"And we haven't looked back since," Ashley said. 😌 

​

That was four years ago. The couple became members in late 2019, and their three girls each believed in the Gospel of Jesus and were baptized at TCC since then, too.

​

Besides on Sunday mornings at church, you can expect to see the family at nearly all of TCC's community events!

​

"Serving at TCC has become something that we really love and look forward to doing," Ashley said.

​

They decked out their car trunk and distributed gobs of candy at TCC's Trunk or Treat last year. And Steven custom-built a "Tradewind Express" train ride for kids that he "conducts" each year at TCC's Community Easter Festival! 🚂

​

"If you are looking for a wonderful, family-oriented church, then TCC is the one for you," Ashley said. "People care about you and care for you."

​

"TCC has shown me a church full of people who truly love you, and who you can love," Steven echoed.

Bella's a fifth-grader at Tradewind Elementary School, but she's been a regular at TCC since kindergarten! Bella and her grandparents, Ben and Jackie, have attended since the church started in 2019. 👍

​

Bella (who believed in the Gospel of Jesus a year ago and was baptized at TCC) says some of her favorite things about TCC include:
✔️ making new friends,
✔️ learning about the Bible, and
✔️ "singing my heart out" on Sunday mornings!

​

Church is one of her favorite places to be, Bella said.

"When I walk in those doors, I know I'm with the goodness of God."

​

Besides going to church on Sundays, Bella loves TCC's summer kids camp (she's attended twice!) and the church's annual Community Easter Festival ("that's an all-time favorite – there are like, 3 billion eggs").

​

Bella said most of all she wants other kids to come to TCC so they can hear about Jesus and know Him.

​

"Jesus, He is my everything," she said.

For Alisha, TCC is more than a place to go to church. It's like family, she said.

​

"We help one another, pray for one another, and loves one another – like a family," she said.

​

Alisha became a member of TCC in 2021. Since then, she has found multiple ways to be involved in the life of her church family.

​

She is on TCC's tech team as a photographer, she participates in the church's young adult group, and Alisha serves on the kids teaching team, regularly leading TCC's Sunday kids class.

​

"I can plant seeds in each kid and hope that one day they will trust in God and give their heart to Him," she said. ❤️

​

Alisha said she has been encouraged by the variety of people who go to TCC — different in many ways, but each united by the Good News of Jesus.

​

"I pray that more people come and join our church family," she said.

They were the first two people from the Tradewind neighborhood to become members of TCC after the church started in 2019!

​

It was the church's emphasis on "community" that caught their attention. At the time, they had a fourth-grader (Blayke) at Tradewind Elementary School.

​

"I like how involved the church is in the Tradewind neighborhood and in the school," Aaron said. "What a blessing it is to the kids and their families."

​

Today, Aaron and April – and Blayke, too – are active members of TCC.

​

Aaron recently was ordained as a deacon; he's one of three who serves the church in that role. April serves on one of the church's leadership groups.

​

And both of them teach in TCC's toddlers and preschoolers Bible class on Sundays!

​

"I love the opportunity to plant Gospel seeds in the kids, and then watching them grow up and come to Jesus and be baptized," April said.

​

The couple said they pray that others in the community would know there's a church for them in their own neighborhood.

 

"God is growing His church more and more every year," Aaron said. "And I pray that the church would continue to keep spreading the Gospel throughout Tradewind."

She’s one of the newest TCC members, having recently believed in the Gospel of Jesus after attending the church for several months.

​

“The minute you walk in to TCC you find what you are looking for,” Pam said. “You can feel the presence of God.”

​

Pam was baptized in January to display her new life in Jesus. “I had so much peace that day I was baptized,” she said. “Everything was going to be ok.”

​

Pam said since she began attending TCC, she has started reading, understanding, and loving the Bible. She rarely misses the church’s midweek home Bible study.

​

And the personal connection with other members has been most encouraging, Pam said.

​

“It’s such a blessing to have people that care about you,” she said. “I just love this church.”

The two first attended TCC in 2019.

 

"The day we walked into TCC, I felt something I had not felt in a long time," Adriana said. "I know this is where I was supposed to be. I knew this was God's plan for me and our little family."

​

Zack and Adriana became TCC members in early 2021, and since then, their sons (Chris and Darren) have believed in the Gospel and were baptized at TCC.

​

On Sundays, you can find Zack and Adriana cheerfully setting up for church at The Shop Event Venue. Adriana volunteers in a kids classroom, and Zack is one of TCC's audio techs. And they bring the coffee! ☕️

​

The couple also serve in church leadership groups, help at community events, and have hosted one of TCC's Bible studies.

​

"This church is full of love and compassion," Zack said. "My prayer is that we continue to be a place of hope for the community, and bring others to know Jesus."

Blayke first started attending at TCC when he was a student at Tradewind Elementary School. 

​

That was in 2019 — Blayke believed in the Gospel and became a member of TCC then, not long after his parents (Aaron and April) became members.

​

At that time, TCC was meeting in the school cafetorium for church, and (fun fact!) Blayke is one of only a few TCC members to be baptized on the same campus where he also attended as an elementary school student!

​

Blayke is at Fannin Middle School now, and is a regular at TCC’s weekly Bible study for grades 6-12 — and at most of TCC’s student activities.

​

Look for Blayke on Sunday mornings, too. He might be serving alongside his parents in TCC’s preschool classroom, or as of TCC’s visual techs.

​

"My favorite thing about church is that we are always learning about Jesus," Blayke said. Yes! 👍

She's been a member at TCC since early 2022 — and is right where she knows she belongs.

​

"This church has become a family to us,” Jayme said.

​

Jayme's two kids, Jayden and Rayme, are also TCC members (Jayden was baptized at TCC last year!). 

​

“TCC has made it so easy for my teens and I to become involved. There is a place for all three of us to serve and hear God’s Word." 

​

Jayme is one of TCC’s kids leaders. She teaches TCC’s Bible class to grades K-6 once a month on Sundays, and she helps organize family events. (Jayme’s a pro at planning epic games for kids. Shaving cream and Froot Loops, anyone? 😎)

​

Jayme also volunteers at TCC’s student activities with her children, serves on one of TCC’s leadership groups, and loves to make others who come to TCC know they are loved, too.

​

"TCC is such a welcoming and loving place!" Jayme said. "You feel at home." ❤️

James was introduced as a new member of TCC just one year ago – but he's had a full life of loving the local church!

​

James, who is 94, first believed in the Gospel 70 years ago.

 

He remembers the moment: It was 1953; he was reading the Bible – probably the Gospel of John (his personal favorite!), James recalls – while traveling on a ship with his fellow soldiers on the way to Korea.

​

Since then, James has devoted his life to knowing and serving God. He attended seminary, served underprivileged youth, and preached in country churches throughout the Texas Panhandle.

​

"To know God on the inside is a wonderful feeling," he said. "It's a thrill." 

​

On Sundays, James's family drives him to TCC, where he joins in singing and listening to the sermon. And he's always ready with a smile and a handshake!

​

"It's a good, easy spirit that dwells here," James said of TCC. "I know I’m always welcome."

Mady became a member of TCC in September 2020.

 

That’s also when she was baptized – one of several people that year to be baptized at TCC outside, while the church was meeting on Sundays in the parking lot of Tradewind Elementary School during the pandemic. 

​

Mady has a love for sharing the Gospel of Jesus with kids. She’s a co-teacher on Sundays in TCC’s elementary school Bible class, and volunteers at various kids events.

​

“I love working with the kids at TCC,” she said. “It’s so amazing to see the light of Jesus be ignited in these children.”

​

Mady is also a regular at TCC's Wednesday Bible study, assists with setting up the Sunday morning welcome area, and loves to see new people arrive on Sundays at church! 👋

​

"There’s such diversity in our church," she said. "The ranges and backgrounds differ so much, but one thing remains the same – the love of God, and it's abundantly noticeable every Sunday."

Nate's a fourth-grader at Tradewind Elementary School, but he's been a regular at TCC since kindergarten! His family (including twin brother, Ryan) have attended since the church started in 2019. 👍

​

Nate's list of favorite things about TCC includes: Singing, the kids Bible classes, and opportunities to help out.

​

Nate's family enjoys serving at community events. They hosted one of TCC's "Front Yard Festivals" on Halloween last year, and they'll be ready to meet neighbors at TCC's Community Easter Festival on Saturday, April 8!

​

"TCC is a good church," Nate said. "I hope more people come!”

The two have been members at TCC since the church started in 2019. They sensed especially that God was leading them and their family to be a part of  kids in the Tradewind neighborhood and telling them about Jesus.

​

"We felt God calling us to love the kids in the Tradewind neighborhood," Jessica said. "To learn their names and give them a purpose in the church."

​

Since then, Jared and Jessica have been instrumental in leading TCC's kids programs. Together, they've regularly taught in TCC's Sunday morning kids Bible class.

​

Their own five kids – from ages 6 to 18 – also have been involved at TCC, serving and learning alongside their parents.

​

Jared and Jessica also have led adult Bible studies, and both serve on church leadership groups.

​

"We come from different walks of life, yet come together to help others and ultimately worship the one true God," Jared said.

​

On Sundays, look for Jared and Jessica welcoming new families at the kids check-in area, setting up the kids classroom, or having cheerful conversations with friends.

​

"I am praying that TCC will allow the Holy Spirit to work through us as we continue the mission we started here – to spread the Gospel to the Tradewind neighborhood and beyond," Jessica said.

The couple became members of TCC in early 2021, and it’s TCC’s small-ness that they both say they love most about the church.

​

Previously, Chip and Donita had mostly attended larger churches in the area. But they found the size of TCC to be a just-right (if not surprising) fit.

​

“We’ve learned that it’s not the number of people in a church that really matters,” Chip said. And Donita adds: “You don’t have to have a large church to feel the love and presence of God.” ☺️

​

Donita serves on Sundays at TCC’s welcome area, and occasionally as a volunteer in the church’s preschool Bible class, loving kids.

​

And look for Chip on Sundays (alongside his sweet service dog, Cache! 🐕), ready with a handshake — and also usually surrounded by kids, who have come to love him as the church’s unofficial resident grandfather.

​

“Some of my favorite things about our church are the children and all the happiness and warmth of our congregation,” Chip said.

​

The closeness of the church means Chip and Donita have become well-known — and well-loved.

​

“We’re so thankful to be part of a church that makes you feel loved and understood,” Donita said. “I pray that we can share that more with others.”

Courtney became involved with TCC before TCC was TCC – she was part of the original group that helped start the church and is a founding member. 😊 

​

"Being at TCC and watching it grow from the very beginning, it's big and obvious that God has been the One keeping us," she said. "He is better than we can imagine, and He has taken care of us so well."

​

On Sundays, Courtney serves by singing – she helps lead the congregation in music.  🎶

​

Her current favorite song to sing with the church? "It's 'Christ Our Hope in Life and Death,'" she said.

​

"In that song, we get to sing together so clearly what we believe. There's not a song that the congregation sings louder or better."

​

Courtney also helps write Bible studies for TCC's Wednesday groups, serves on one of TCC's leadership groups, and is a super-encourager!

​

"TCC is a place where you're going to be loved in a way that is an obvious overflow of the love of Jesus,"  she said. "It's a family, and I think we all really need a family of a church."

Both were baptized in March 2023 – they're among the newest members of TCC!

​

They're not new to the church, though. The couple (and their two kids!) have been attending TCC since moving to the Tradewind neighborhood from Colorado 18 months ago.

​

They said TCC's commitment to being a local, community-oriented congregation made an impact on their family from early on.

​

"TCC is part of our neighborhood, and I love the support the church gives to the community," Jeneen said. 

​

Since first attending, the family has participated in the church's various community events and in small-group Bible studies (including kids and student Bible studies for their two daughters).

​

"I have always heard that it takes a village to raise kids," Jeneen said. "TCC has been that village for our family since we moved here."

​

Both Josh and Jeneen believed in the Gospel of Jesus earlier in their lives, but God led them both to display the Gospel and their belief through baptism recently at TCC. 😊

​

"We jotted the day we were baptized down in our Bibles – it was so important to us," Josh said. "TCC has become a perfect place where we found friends and a church family to worship with."