Steadfast Church formally launched in late September, inviting the community at large to join those who had already discovered Lauren and Kyle Collins during Worship Nights the couple had hosted in previous months. The once-monthly events, conducted June through August at Newtown Community Center, shared the commitment of the Sandy Hook couple “to create a love of genuine worship,” Kyle recently told The Newtown Bee.

When they invited the community to join them for the formal launch of the church, the Collinses had “a phenomenal, very special morning,” with more than 80 people in The Alexandria Room of the historic building at 45 Main Street. Lauren and Kyle are both serving as Lead Pastors for Steadfast Church.

Family, friends and members of both Connecticut churches the Collinses had been attending since their move to Connecticut were among those in attendance that first morning.

“It was such an exciting day,” Lauren said. “We have a lot of people who have supported us along the way, and encouraged us in this journey. They were excited to see what this is, and it was really special.”

“We’ve settled in at 30-40 people each week, with genuine relationships being formed,” Kyle said.

A Sandy Hook native, Lauren (nee Nute) met Kyle while she was living in Florida. He is from Lakeland, Fla.; they were married in July 2010. They returned to Sandy Hook in 2011 and now have four sons — Bentley, Logan, Grayson and Elijah.

They have also been in ministry nearly 14 years. It was while attending Shoreline Church in Branford that Lauren and Kyle were invited to serve as youth pastors.

“They said ‘Hey listen, we see something in you. Would you have any desire to lead the youth?’” he said.

After prayerfully considering the invitation for a few months, the Collinses felt they were ready to take that step. It was while praying with other members of that church before a first day of school that the answer found them.

“The kids were all lined up in front of the church and we were all praying over them before they went back to school the next day, and we both just really felt like that was what we needed to do. We needed to be part of the students’ lives,” Lauren said.

Kyle did formal training through The Assemblies of God, earning credentials to be a youth pastor. They spent about five years there, before transferring to Cornerstone Church in Oxford, where Kyle was served as Associate Pastor of Discipleship.

“He was helping with pastoral needs there and led the men’s group, and I led a moms group as part of the women’s fellowship,” she said. Each did a lot of different jobs in both churches, Lauren said, “but we both knew the Lord was calling us to do something different.”

At Shoreline, the Collinses were volunteers. At Cornerstone they initially began working per diem before stepping down from the part-time work. They continued to attend the church, however.

Kyle works remotely in the electronics industry for Flip Electronics, supplying microchips to the aerospace and defense companies in support of this country’s military. Lauren is a stay-at-home mom, who homeschools the couple’s four sons.

“We waited, and prayed, and sought the Lord for what he was calling us to do,” she said. “We just weren’t sure what that looked like.

“We had a feeling it would be a lead pastor position. We never thought it would be starting our own church,” she added with a laugh. “Going into a church that’s already established is much different that starting from the ground up.”

That’s what they have done, however. They approached the Assemblies of God District-Southern New England, they were told nine churches needed pastors in 2024, Kyle explained. When were asked if they would consider planting a church, he said, the initial response was a gentle “I have not.”

After several months of consideration, Kyle said, the couple felt that was indeed where they were needed. Steadfast Church began forming.

A Bible Believing Church

The vision of Steadfast Church, Kyle said, which ties in to all Assemblies of God churches, “is to help individuals and families grow in their relationship with the Lord through genuine community and walking through every season of life together.”

Steadfast is a Bible believing church. It offers a “very contemporary” service, he added.

“All scripture is used — there’s no cherry-picking. Scripture is the authority we teach and base our lives off of,” Kyle said. “We are a Holy Spirit-led church. As the Lord leads, as he draws people, as he directs our paths and our plan, he’s the One. He sits in the driver’s seat.”

Music opens each service, followed by a 25-30-minute sermon. Shelbie Taylor coordinates the music, and Kyle delivers the sermons.

A Seymour resident, Taylor has been friends with the Collinses for “a while,” she said February 24. She has been involved with worship since she was a child, and spent 14 years under the wings of her father, the worship leader at Cornerstone Assemblies of God in Oxford, she shared.

“I answered the call from God to become a worship leader and it has been such an amazing time being a part of Steadfast Church,” she said. “Each week I organize songs and a practice to familiarize our team for Sunday.”

The music team members include a guitar player, a drummer, and two singers. They spend time every week “encouraging each other and learning how to better our team,” Taylor said, before the live music is incorporated into each Sunday’s service.

“For us it’s not a performance, we aim to worship Jesus and that is our audience of one,” she said. “We get to join in with the congregation in worship which is such a joy.

“We are so blessed to be able to worship the Lord together in Newtown,” she added.

Steadfast Church has also launched a children’s ministry, with teachings around a scripture, a craft or activity, and handouts sent home with parents to connect with that their children have been learning. The children’s work is done between the small dressing room areas on the third floor of the building, just off the main Alexandria Room.

“It’s fun to watch the children, and it’s fun to partner with the parents to help them walk though this with their children,” Kyle said.

A Launch Team of approximately 15 people has been assisting the Collinses. No one — including Lauren and Kyle — is being paid for their time.

“We don’t take a paycheck, none of us do. It’s a volunteer position,” Lauren said.

Tithing offerings are collected, both traditionally with attendees welcome to leave an offering in a box on site or through an app.

“We feel that’s part of an act of worship,” Kyle said. “If someone comes in and they see or they feel a tangible change, the giving is easy but it’s not something we chase down from the beginning.”

Those funds received are used toward rent of the space at Edmond Town Hall, signage, items used for the children’s ministry, sound equipment, and outreach. The congregation donated candy to be given away on Halloween, Lauren noted, “but we did buy the cups to hold it, and different things that we’ll do in the future for the community.”

Steadfast Church also hopes to support missionaries, which will be another financial output. Even further down the road, Lauren and Kyle would love to find a permanent home for their church. The couple and their boys pack everything into bins and transport everything via their family vehicle every Sunday.

“We want to make sure everything is in order before we jump into something more permanent, but that will be the goal,” Lauren said. “Within the next few years that should be attainable.”

“As the Lord opens a door…” Kyle said, adding he and his wife are “so grateful to everyone at Edmond Town Hall. This is more than we could have wished for.”

Meanwhile, following each Sunday service, Steadfast Connections are held in the kitchen area and northern area of the Alexandria Room. Over coffee and donuts, this is a time for everyone to connect and remain as long as they want for further conversations and connection.

Newtown resident Mark Bilotta says that’s his favorite part of each Sunday morning.

“Connecting with one another over coffee is really nice because we start to develop connections with people in the church,” he said recently.

Bilotta said he and his wife were looking for a church when they learned about Steadfast from a friend who knew Lauren and Kyle Collins and their plans to launch the church.

“It really answered a prayer for us,” he said. The contemporary services, the connection time following each weekend’s service, and even small groups that have started “has been really nice,” he added.

“It’s been a great place to connect with God and understand how he is part of our daily lives,” he said.

Community Outreach

Steadfast Church immediately began outreach efforts.

“Our heart is to serve the community,” Lauren said. Five weeks after that first service at Edmond Town Hall, Steadfast members were among those offering treats to the thousands of people who spent at least part of their Halloween on the town’s historic thoroughfare.

The young church gave away more than 2,000 glow-in-the-dark cups with candy in them and served countless cups of apple cider from a tent with glow-in-the-dark signs, black lights, neon colors and other thematic elements. The tent’s theme was “You were made to glow in the dark,” based on Matthew 5:14.

“It was so much fun seeing those kids’ faces,” Lauren said. “Their faces lit up, they were so excited when they saw it was not just candy, it was also a gift. We can’t wait to do it again.”

“That will be a staple,” Kyle said. “It was fun. It was special.”

In November, the church provided a meal to a local family through Women Involved in Newtown’s Thanksgiving Basket Program. In addition to Thanksgiving and other food the congregation provided cleaning supplies, and pet food.

“We put that out to the congregants and they brought it,” Lauren said. “We told them one week that we would be collecting food for a family in town, and the following week they filled the table with food.”

“It was overflowing,” Kyle added. “The people that are coming are community driven, wanting to help, wanting to serve, and that’s the nice side to see,” he added. “It lines up with what we’re doing here.

“Whatever we can do in practical ways, both within the church but also outside the walls,” he added.

It was clear from his voice Kyle was proud of the response to that inaugural effort.

“To be very early on in the body of the church and to be cultivating a heart of serving outward, it’s special,” he said.

“That’s what fuels us: the community and being out there, and loving and serving people, even if they never step foot in our door,” Lauren added.

In December, Steadfast Church collaborated with The Newtown Fund, sponsoring three families for the holiday season.

According to Kyle, the congregation includes not only Newtown residents but continues to grow thanks to residents of Bethel, Seymour, Monroe and Ansonia joining them on Sunday mornings.

Lauren said the world needs hope, which she and her husband are determined to offer.

“The world really needs that right now, and we’re wanting to be that for people, whatever that looks like in their lives, whether it’s just listening and encouraging them through scripture and teaching them through scripture,” she said. “If they want to learn more about the Lord, that’s what we’d love to have an opportunity to share with them, and how he’s changed our lives and really has transformed us.

“We just want to share what we have found to be peace and joy and getting through difficult times, we have an anchor, a source, which is the Lord. He helps us get through things we’re walking through,” Lauren said.

Steadfast Church presents services each Sunday at 9:30 am at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street. A Good Friday Service is planned for April 3 at 7 pm, and then Easter Sunday will be celebrated at the regular 9:30 am service time. For additional information visit steadfastchurchct.org, find the church on Facebook, or send email to SteadfastChurchCT@gmail.com.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.