Our Story

Our beginnings 


Church of the Rock Ministry was birthed out of a Bible Study being held at the Lamport’s home. The study had been meeting for a number of years when Reid felt God calling him to start a church in Poland. Through prayer, fasting, spiritual confirmation from all of their friends in the study, and a miracle of God, Reid and Michele reached out in faith and began holding Sunday services in the gymnasium at Union Elementary School in Poland. Mark and Kari Brungard had made the decision to “join forces” with the Lamports and came alongside them as co-pastors.

The Rock began with its first service on December 28th, 1999. For six months the church met there every Sunday with pastors Reid and Mark arriving early enough to haul in all the sound equipment, set up chairs in the gym and make sure the entrance ways were shoveled. Six months later, the church was looking for a new home due to renovations being done at Union.

The second miracle. Dan Becker, the owner/operator of Becker Funeral Homes called Pastor Reid out of the blue to say his Poland Chapel was available if they wanted to use it for church services. For two and a half years, the Church of the Rock held worship at Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home. The third miracle was that Dan Becker wouldn’t accept payment of any kind as rent, and because they didn’t have to pay rent the church was able to save enough money and purchase the six acres of land on Luteran Lane where the present building sits.

Feeling as though they may be overstaying their welcome at Becker’s, the church got another phone call (miracle number four); this time it was from Pastor Peter Lawson (Brownlee Woods Presbyterian Church). He had heard The Rock may be looking for a place to meet. Within two months’ time, COTR was holding service in the Fellowship Hall at BWPC. It was during the next two and a half years that the church was able to save enough money to begin construction of phase one on Luteran Lane.
In the summer of 2005 Church of the Rock began worshipping in their new (and their very own) church building. The fifteen year mortgage on the building was paid off before the end of 2009 (miracle five). For the next eight and a half years, the building at 7025 Luteran Lane served as home for the Church of the Rock believers.
Outgrowing the original building in more ways than one, the Church building has now more than doubled in size thanks to the unity and generosity of its members. Thanks also to Marchese and Company for the beautiful construction of the present structure.
No longer the “Little Church in the Woods,” COTR is committed to going out and seeking and saving those who are lost.