We started in October 1996 as a Bible Study and support group by MCC'ers from around the country who had come home to the greater Joplin area.
Our first meeting was in the home of our pastor and worship leader with seven people in attendance.
Almost immediately we started talking about worship and needing a place we could call our church home.
We chose our name, Spirit of Christ MCC at the second meeting, contacted Rev. Bob Arthur, the District Coordinator for the Mountain and Plains District and negotiated a rental agreement with Unity of Joplin.
The first Sunday in December of 1996 we were iced out but we gathered together via conference calls to share scripture and pray.
The second Sunday of December, we were able to hold our first worship service at 6 PM.
Our concert series started the first year with Marsha Steven's performing her witness in music and testimony. Marsha has celebrated with us every year since and we have added such distinguished artist as Shawn Thomas, Sam Sampson, Justin Vaughn and others.
The church has been closely associated with AIDS Project of the Ozarks (APO) for ten years and three of it's member have been trained to perform oral testing for persons concerned with catching the HIV virus.
We have been faithfully served by our Worship Leader Steve Urie since the inception of the church. He was appointed Interim Pastoral Leader and through special circumstances was ordained during General Conference on July 20th, 2005. Rev. Steve Urie remains with us today.
In 2009 we agreed to partner with OARS in NWA in Eureka Springs, AR.
In October 2010 we hosted the Kansas/Missouri Network of MCC Churches gathering in Joplin, MO with six MCC's attending and brought together a MCC Homecoming Concert that included such LGBTQ GREATS as Marsha Stevens-Pino, Shawn Thomas, Sam Sampson, Brenner & Beckstead, Delores Berry as well the MCC Topeka Drumming Circle.
Now celebrating 15 years of serving the greater 4-State Corners
MCC Joplin 
