Dear Church Family,
No doubt this summer has been an active one at Sparta Church with all the kingdom opportunities we have had from community events, to Breakaway Day Camp, to multiple adult and student missions trips. There are many exciting stories and testimonies of how the power of the gospel has transformed the lives of many children and adults.
As we look toward finishing up this summer in the next couple of weeks, we also look forward to God’s leading in the days ahead.
As many of you know, a few short years ago, our church was gifted a church property in Jefferson Township. As leaders and members, we have been praying over this potential ministry site, asking and seeking the Lord’s direction for what He wants us to do with this kingdom's potential.
The Elders and Pastors believe that God has entrusted this property in Jefferson to us for a reason. As we see the unique opportunities for a gospel preaching church ministry in that community, we believe the Lord is leading us to launch a satellite campus of Sparta Church in Jefferson, with the ultimate goal of planting a healthy new church there.
We, as Elders, are stepping out in faith, along with you, trusting that the Lord will provide the necessary means, resources and people for this to become a healthy church body.
Over the past year, we have been praying and discerning God’s provision for the right man to help lead this new ministry launch. Just at the right time, it feels, we began discussions with Owen Dorrity, who has just recently graduated with a Master’s of Divinity from Cedarville University. Owen has a deep, God-given desire for church planting! Even though we’ve known Owen throughout the years as he has grown up in our church, it has become even more evident, during his pastoral summer internship with us, that he is the right man that God is raising up to help lead this new effort.
Given all this exciting news, in God’s timing, the Elders would like to present Owen to you as the candidate for Campus Minister. The membership has already voted and approved this position in the budget.
With that in mind, we are proposing a candidating weekend, September 12–13, 2026, so that you will have the opportunity to get to know Owen Dorrity, and his wife Rose, and hear their passion for ministry and church planting, with the anticipation of a membership vote to follow on Wednesday, September 16 ,2026.
This candidating weekend will kick off on Saturday, September 12th, 2026, at Sparta Church, with a breakfast from 9 AM-10:30 AM in the worship center, where there will be an opportunity to get to know Owen and Rose. You can also join them after breakfast at the Jefferson Ministry Center (5550 Berkshire Valley Rd, Oak Ridge) for a work day from 11 AM- 2 PM. The candidating weekend will then finish up with a Q&A on Sunday, September 13th, 2026, from 11:45 AM- 12:30 PM (immediately following the second service).
Please continue to bathe this journey in prayer as we seek to follow the Lord’s leading and what He has for us in the days ahead, not only for the greater Sparta area but also for the Jefferson community.
Thank you for your prayers and all that you do in serving so faithfully to make disciples with our continued goal to become mature followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
To The Glory of God,
The Sparta Evangelical Free Church Elders
As we look toward finishing up this summer in the next couple of weeks, we also look forward to God’s leading in the days ahead.
As many of you know, a few short years ago, our church was gifted a church property in Jefferson Township. As leaders and members, we have been praying over this potential ministry site, asking and seeking the Lord’s direction for what He wants us to do with this kingdom's potential.
The Elders and Pastors believe that God has entrusted this property in Jefferson to us for a reason. As we see the unique opportunities for a gospel preaching church ministry in that community, we believe the Lord is leading us to launch a satellite campus of Sparta Church in Jefferson, with the ultimate goal of planting a healthy new church there.
We, as Elders, are stepping out in faith, along with you, trusting that the Lord will provide the necessary means, resources and people for this to become a healthy church body.
Over the past year, we have been praying and discerning God’s provision for the right man to help lead this new ministry launch. Just at the right time, it feels, we began discussions with Owen Dorrity, who has just recently graduated with a Master’s of Divinity from Cedarville University. Owen has a deep, God-given desire for church planting! Even though we’ve known Owen throughout the years as he has grown up in our church, it has become even more evident, during his pastoral summer internship with us, that he is the right man that God is raising up to help lead this new effort.
Given all this exciting news, in God’s timing, the Elders would like to present Owen to you as the candidate for Campus Minister. The membership has already voted and approved this position in the budget.
With that in mind, we are proposing a candidating weekend, September 12–13, 2026, so that you will have the opportunity to get to know Owen Dorrity, and his wife Rose, and hear their passion for ministry and church planting, with the anticipation of a membership vote to follow on Wednesday, September 16 ,2026.
This candidating weekend will kick off on Saturday, September 12th, 2026, at Sparta Church, with a breakfast from 9 AM-10:30 AM in the worship center, where there will be an opportunity to get to know Owen and Rose. You can also join them after breakfast at the Jefferson Ministry Center (5550 Berkshire Valley Rd, Oak Ridge) for a work day from 11 AM- 2 PM. The candidating weekend will then finish up with a Q&A on Sunday, September 13th, 2026, from 11:45 AM- 12:30 PM (immediately following the second service).
Please continue to bathe this journey in prayer as we seek to follow the Lord’s leading and what He has for us in the days ahead, not only for the greater Sparta area but also for the Jefferson community.
Thank you for your prayers and all that you do in serving so faithfully to make disciples with our continued goal to become mature followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
To The Glory of God,
The Sparta Evangelical Free Church Elders
Campus Minister Candidate
