Our History
Founding year: 1923
Locally Focused: Nelsonville, Philadelphia, Palmyra, and Surrounding Communities
World Impacting: Supporting 21 Missionary Teams Around the World
Our Story
The congregation at Nelsonville AG was established in 1923 to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and serve the farming communities of rural Northeast Missouri. The church met first in tents, then in a small log cabin church until the mid-1960s, when the original structure was replaced with the current sanctuary which has since been remodeled and expanded numerous times to accommodate our growth. We gather in a pastoral setting of forests, pastures, and farmland among the many small towns we serve.
Today, Nelsonville AG continues to be a place where families are welcomed, the Gospel is preached, and Jesus is glorified. Our church centers around times of prayer and preaching, intimate worship, small and large group gatherings, and fun events for the whole family. We desire to see every lost soul saved in our community, and believe no one is too far to be reached by the love of Jesus! Join us during any of our service times. We’d love to have you!
While the church focuses on service to the local community, we recognize our call to “the uttermost parts of the earth” currently supporting 21 missionaries with monthly pledges, acting as a primary benefactor to a ministry focused on partnering with local pastors in Guatemala, funding many Assembly of God programs, and having our members in the church young and old participate in numerous evangelistic works, and missions trips to nations around the world. We know God has blessed us in many ways, so we feel a strong burden to share our blessings with our community, our region, and the world for the sake of the Gospel.
Our Pastor - Rev. Isaiah D. Jesch
In 2018, Pastor Isaiah accepted the call to come to Nelsonville, MO to serve as our Lead Pastor. His primary work include leading our worship gatherings through the preaching of God's Word and overseeing the discipleship of God's people. He regularly meets with members of our church to offer counsel, answer questions, and help believers orient their lives around Christ every day.
He holds a Master of Theological Studies focused on Preaching & Pastoral Ministry from Midwestern Theological Seminary, in addition to a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology, and both a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministries and an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies from Central Bible College.
Pastor Isaiah was born in Kansas and grew up in the small town of Conway Springs. He moved to the Springfield, MO area a few years before attending Central Bible College where he met his wife, Melia. Melia shares a passion for ministry and enjoys partnering with Pastor Isaiah to serve the church. She was raised in a strong Christian home, with her father having pastored churches in Missouri, Iowa, and Alaska.
Pastor Isaiah and Melia have three children, Tobiah, Julia, and Noah.
Our Team
Nelsonville Assembly has faithful and gifted individuals that serve our body. These servant leaders work with our pastor to bless our church family, the communities around us, and the globe broadly through our many areas of ministry.
Deacons:
Dale Elston
Eric Hathaway
Reed Plunkett
Secretary-Treasurer:
Joel Swisher
Sunday School Superintendent:
Sean Hathaway
Sunday School Secretary:
Marsha Elston
Kids Ministry Director:
Melia Jesch
Youth Ministry Directors:
Reed & Stephanie Plunkett
Local Outreach Coordinator:
Carolyn Spratt
Admin Assistant Team:
Hailey Chatfield (Media)
Madison Stewart (Office)
Marsha Elston (Supplies)