Fellowship Christian Academy Breaks Ground
On Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 16, digging into a damp field in Carthage, 10 shiny red shovels from ACE Hardware broke ground on the campus of New Covenant Fellowship, as construction is set to begin on a 21,000-square-foot facility for the private Christian school Fellowship Christian Academy (FCA). With a sizable crowd of onlookers, Senior Pastor Lee McKinney paused to thank the Lord for His provision and grace, and to mark this momentous occasion with an excavator behind him and eager parents, students, staff and church family gathered around.
The community, as well as local and state government officials, also came to encourage and support the endeavor of FCA. Among those in attendance were N.C. House Rep. Neal Jackson, N.C. State Sen. Tom McInnis, as well as a representative from the office of U.S. Congressman Richard Hudson. In addition, local officials who came to celebrate included Moore County Board of Commissioners Chairman Nick Picerno, Vice Chair Commissioner Kurt Cook and Commissioner Jim Von Canon, as well as Carthage Mayor Jimmy Chalflinch. Adding to the celebration were Gattis Construction and other local contractors who will be working on the build, and many excited youngsters.
The afternoon kicked off with the student government at FCA presenting the colors, followed by remarks from Head of School Paul Nussbaumer, who joined FCA in 2022, as well as Rep. Jackson, who highlighted the expansion of the Opportunity Scholarship and his support for Christian education in Moore County.
Fellowship Christian Academy took flight in the fall of 2017 with eight students and its first kindergarten class, on the heels of the success of Little Promises Preschool, which began on the campus in 2013. FCA has met in a modular campus and space provided to them by New Covenant Fellowship since its inception, humbly growing one grade at a time.
“I believe this ministry of helping parents bring up children the way they should go while educating them in Biblical-based education with strong, traditional values is so important. We are educating and raising up future community leaders and contributors and building a strong foundation that they can refer to and rely on through any troubled times ahead,” said Nussbaumber.
This academic year, FCA is serving approximately 225 students, ages 2 years through seventh grade, and employs 37 staff members. Standing at the juncture of winning the trust of the community and needing additional space to serve their students well, FCA hopes to complete construction on this building, which will include 16 classrooms and a gymnasium, by December 2024. As they build, FCA will continue to exist to educate students in a Christ-centered atmosphere growing their faith, knowledge and character while equipping students and families to contribute to the greater good of the community through the spreading of the Gospel.
FCA will host open house events for families interested in the 2024-2025 school year on Jan. 23 and Jan. 29, for students 2 years old through the eighth grade. Visit www.fellowshipchristianacademy.com or email Admissions Director Elizabeth Harley at admissions@ncftoday.com to learn more. Now is the time to join, as exciting things are on the horizon for Fellowship Christian Academy.