Crossings Mayfair

[Bill Robertson]

It was announced this morning that Mayfair Church of Christ is becoming Crossings Mayfair. Shooting for by the end of the year. I'm happy now that we didn't buy First Christian. Mayfair is in much better condition.

[Pete]

It was announced this morning that Mayfair Church of Christ is becoming Crossings Mayfair. Shooting for by the end of the year. I'm happy now that we didn't buy First Christian. Mayfair is in much better condition.

Holy cow; that complex is immediately west of Oak.

I walk or drive by there almost daily and their congregation had really shrunk. I know they had talked to Oak about possibly spinning off the western parcel as recently they took out parking and put down sod.

It's a big, beautiful church with lots of ancillary space and plenty of acreage. Will be interesting to watch this.

[Pete]

[Bill Robertson]

I should have added this in the first post. Mayfair CoC is giving Crossings the property.

[jdross1982]

I should have added this in the first post. Mayfair CoC is giving Crossings the property.

Really incredible gesture and excited to see Crossings reach into the community and the growth around the property should have a great impact.

[fortpatches]

It was announced this morning that Mayfair Church of Christ is becoming Crossings Mayfair. Shooting for by the end of the year. I'm happy now that we didn't buy First Christian. Mayfair is in much better condition.

Is Crossings Mayfair a church / religious group?

Who is "we"?

[Pete]

Is Crossings Mayfair a church / religious group?

Who is "we"?

Crossings is a community church with multiple locations in Central OK. They also have a large private school at Portland and Memorial, clinics, and other services.

https://crossings.church/locations?g...xoCRysQAvD_BwE

[OkieBerto]

Link to the official announcement.

[Rover]

Really incredible gesture and excited to see Crossings reach into the community and the growth around the property should have a great impact.

This is close to where they started.

[Pete]

^
Thank you.

Mayfair Church of Christ will provide a great church building, a global missions ministry, a committed staff, and a congregation that is motivated to reach the community. Crossings will also provide families that want to be a part of this new effort, a pastoral staff, spiritual oversight, and will work to renovate the church to allow for dynamic worship, discipleship, and outreach ministries.

This sounds like the existing Church of Christ congregation will be absorbed into Crossings. It's not that large and I'm sure some of them will move to another CofC church, as there are plenty around.

[jdross1982]

This is close to where they started.

Yep, about 6 blocks.

[jdross1982]

^
Thank you.



This sounds like the existing Church of Christ congregation will be absorbed into Crossings. It's not that large and I'm sure some of them will move to another CofC church, as there are plenty around.

Correct. and I believe it was 92% of Mayfair COC congregation voted for this.

[Pete]

Correct. and I believe it was 92% of Mayfair COC congregation voted for this.

Like many churches built in the 50s and 60s, they were probably out of options.

We've talked about this before but there are dozens and maybe even hundreds of churches all around OKC that were built in this era or just after and most are hanging by a thread. All those buildings are in need of maintenance or even serious repair and they don't have enough congregants to pull that off. It's exactly what happened to the Presbyterian church at NW 50th & May (very nearby) and First Christian. There is another Presby church just west of this new Crossing location (yes, just half a mile from the one that was recently razed) that is my polling place and it's on its last legs.

In fact, just in a 1- or 2-mile radius there are a bunch of churches built in the same era and facing the same realities. And then at least a hundred more around OKC. Almost none of them have any architectural significance and sit amid seas of never-used parking, so we are going to start seeing more and more demolitions and few conversions. Most the churches within the I-44 loop have a better chance simply because they were built earlier and better.

[TheTravellers]

... And then at least a hundred more around OKC. Almost none of them have any architectural significance and sit amid seas of never-used parking, so we are going to start seeing more and more demolitions and few conversions. ...

One that I hope can be saved is the Village Christian Church on Britton - it *is* actually architecturally significant, but the congregation is dying off, and may get demolished eventually because it would be hard to re-use a building like that for much else besides a church.

[Mississippi Blues]

One that I hope can be saved is the Village Christian Church on Britton - it *is* actually architecturally significant, but the congregation is dying off, and may get demolished eventually because it would be hard to re-use a building like that for much else besides a church.

Agreed. It doesn’t look anything like the First Christian Church, but there’s a style to it that reminds me a lot of FCC. I loathe most Protestant church architecture, especially over the last several decades, but there’s enough uniqueness to a few that are just worth trying to salvage.

[Bill Robertson]

This is close to where they started.

Crossings had been looking for some time to have another site near the original church. Kind of going back to their roots. Mayfair CoC fits the bill perfectly.

[Bill Robertson]

^
This sounds like the existing Church of Christ congregation will be absorbed into Crossings. It's not that large and I'm sure some of them will move to another CofC church, as there are plenty around.

Marty was obviously a little uncomfortable Sunday while making the announcement. He was trying to find the right words to say CoC has a much stricter doctrine than we do but he hoped many of the CoC members would stay.

[therhett17]

Surprised a CoC congregation would vote to be taken over by a different domination, I grew up CoC and they are very strict about their beliefs that they are the only "true Christians" and other denominations aren't.

[OkieBerto]

Surprised a CoC congregation would vote to be taken over by a different domination, I grew up CoC and they are very strict about their beliefs that they are the only "true Christians" and other denominations aren't.

I am not too surprised. Do you remember Quail Springs CoC and how it dissolved? Part of the members wanted a service with instruments and the other half did not. They voted and instruments were added. After that, it started to lose a ton of members. It basically split the congregation in two. Later the Baptist Church next door took over the building.

I spent some time at Mayfair with my friends who lived next to the church. Heck, they were married in that church. The Oak development tore down their old house so I am sure this will be good news to them.

My family had gone to this church even before I was born. We had funeral services at this church and I know how much the Members love this building. I think most of them understand that Crossings will take great care of the building.

[Pete]

Reading between the lines of a carefully-worded press release, the plans for the current CoC congregation to be absorbed into Crossings seems like a nice way of saying, "We'd love to have them but the reality is they will all move to another Coc church."

I'm not CoC but I went to Pepperdine which is part of the CoC. As a graduate student, we weren't required to go to weekly convocation but it was absolutely mandatory for undergrads. It's a pretty rigid belief system so I have a hard time believing the current members will just seamlessly merge into Crossings. It's not like moving from Methodist to Presbyterian.

I live nearby and the most cars I have ever seen at one time were 30-40. They simply didn't have the membership to continue operating that property and it's been shrinking for quite a while -- just like many of these OKC churches that were built to large scale in the middle of last century.

[BoulderSooner]

Reading between the lines of a carefully-worded press release, the plans for the current CoC congregation to be absorbed into Crossings seems like a nice way of saying, "We'd love to have them but the reality is they will all move to another Coc church."

I'm not CoC but I went to Pepperdine which is part of the CoC. As a graduate student, we weren't required to go to weekly convocation but it was absolutely mandatory for undergrads. It's a pretty rigid belief system so I have a hard time believing the current members will just seamlessly merge into Crossings. It's not like moving from Methodist to Presbyterian.

I live nearby and the most cars I have ever seen at one time were 30-40. They simply didn't have the membership to continue operating that property and it's been shrinking for quite a while -- just like many of these OKC churches that were built to large scale in the middle of last century.

the beliefs between CoC and crossings are pretty compatible ... but my guess is that the style of worship would be difficult for most of the CoC members to overcome ..

[Pete]

the beliefs between CoC and crossings are pretty compatible ... but my guess is that the style of worship would be difficult for most of the CoC members to overcome ..

Yes, that's a good way to put it.

[Bill Robertson]

I've never been to a CoC service but I've been told lots of things about the "We're the only true Christians" and the lack of musical instruments in most CoC churches. And other strict "you have to do this" and "you cannot do that" doctrine. Crossings is nothing at all like that. The only belief they really push hard is that you must "Work at all times to follow your Lord Jesus Christ".

[Bowser214]

I grew up in CoC meaning my parents took me with them when they went. lol In Hinton. Yes that's all true. They will kick you out for getting a divorce. Don't believe in Celebrating Christmas bc there's no proof of Jesus's actual birthday. And that you are going to Hell if you're not a CoC member. So it's no surprise they're numbers are dwindling.

[HangryHippo]

It varies by congregation, much like every other church/denomination.