Growing church plans move to bigger site

By Frances Ruth Harris
GOSHEN — At a time when many churches are losing members, the Orange County Gospel Fellowship evangelical church in Goshen is bursting at the seams.

The multi-cultural Fellowship first began with a few people in Pastor Shellie Sampson’s home studying the Bible. Then a group of 40 people moved to 1780 17M, meeting twice a month. They are again out of space.

The Fellowship has a large youth dramatic arts group that presents musical events. In the recent past, they’ve rented a theater in Sugar Loaf, the Castle Fun Center in Chester, and space from nuns on a farm in Goshen.

Their next gala fundraiser is planned for Nov. 14 at the Palacio Catering and Conference Center (Valeria’s) at 1700 17M in Goshen.

The church owns the land its intend to build on. Members say they looked for appropriate land in a four-town radius.

Pastor Shellie Sampson says people come from all over Orange County, with most parishioners coming from about 10 to 15 minutes away.

He says that, contrary to rumor, the Fellowship is not a "mega church." It will seat 400 people, where a mega church seats at least 1,000.

He says he doesn’t want the Fellowship to become a mega church. Then “people become a number, and there’s no genuine connection for a real experience with God," he said.

The project may be brought before the Town of Goshen Planning Board on Nov. 5.