About Us

The Beginning:

Lakeholm Church of the Nazarene officially began on Sunday afternoon, September 13, 1970.   Dr. Harvey Galloway, district superintendent of the Central Ohio District Church of the Nazarene, organized the small group of Nazarenes from Mount Vernon in the first meetings.  The first interim pastor was Rev. John Nielson, and the charter membership was fifty-one.

It is important to note that the beginning of the church came shortly after the beginning of Mount Vernon Nazarene University.  Lakeholm met weekly on the campus of the university in the student lounge of the Campus Center and the Multi-Purpose Building, which at that time was used as the university chapel. Sunday school was held in some of the university classrooms.  A number of the early members of the congregation were faculty, staff, and students of the university.

Since few children were in the congregation, early Sunday school workers like Mildred Clinker and Eileen Hess built the children’s Sunday school through visitation in the surrounding neighborhoods.  Keith Clinker became the first Secretary of the Church Board. During those days, Lakeholm was determining its direction as a congregation.  With such close proximity to the university and the community of Mount Vernon, Lakeholm sought to establish itself as a community church.  Reports indicate that it did not desire to become a typical college church.  Over time, however, it became “a community church with a face toward the university.”  

The First Pastor and Building:

After about one year of John Nielson’s leadership as interim pastor, Lakeholm called its first full-time pastor, Rev. Luther Watson.  Watson pastored the church during that year until his resignation.  Rev. Charles McCall served as interim pastor until Lakeholm’s second full-time pastor, Rev. Jim Cummins, was able to move to Mount Vernon in 1972.

Under Pastor Cummins’ leadership, Lakeholm began to work toward developing a permanent home.  The church acquired the property at its present location on the north end of the university and built the original sanctuary, fellowship hall, offices, and classrooms.   It celebrated its first worship in that new sanctuary on September 9, 1973.  The church by that time had grown to 84 members and had raised an annual budget of $40,000. Under Cummings leadership, Lakeholm began to develop one of its early characteristics as a congregation.  Cummings attracted a number of people who, though they were Christians, felt disenfranchised in earlier church experiences.  These new members came from a number of denominations including the Church of the Nazarene.  At the same time, the church began to develop a significant relational community within the congregation, and over time, the Lord has used that to bring healing to many of these people.  Over the years, Lakeholm has continued to be a haven for such persons.

Also under Cummings, the church reached out to the student population at the university through the Lakeholm Associates.  This was an association of students who were committed to specific connection with Lakeholm and who were mentored by Cummings.  They were used in worship, Sunday school, and ministry to their fellow students in various ways. In August of 1977, Pastor Cummins resigned.   Under interim pastoral leadership, Lakeholm continued its ministry until Rev. Ron Lush accepted the call to Lakeholm during the fall.