In 2001, Delaware natives Kari and Alan Jones were pastors at separate churches in the Seaford area when they recognized the need for a new faith community because of the growing population in the Middletown region. 

For six months, they were on staff at Cornerstone Church with the responsibility of casting the vision for this new faith community. Fourteen families felt called to join them, financing the renovation of a downtown warehouse on Green Street, across from the fire hall. Connection Community Church held its first service on Christmas Eve in 2001.

CCC held its first ALPHA course just a few months later in 2002. Other ministries included small groups and youth group. Within two years of the first worship service, CCC was holding three Sunday morning services in its expanded space. 

In 2005-2006, CCC launched God Squad (a children’s musical ministry), prayer ministry, and grief support, among other programs. 

Moved by the Holy Spirit to have “One Church, Many Locations” in 2007, CCC purchased 27 acres north of Middletown nearly at the same time as the church launched a Dover Campus in the then-Sheraton Hotel from 2008-2009. Over the next few years, new ministries included Summer Vacation Bible School, a women’s conference, a men’s conference, and the free coat giveaway in the winter.

CCC hosted its first remote worship live feed during a snowstorm in December 2009. Over the years, the church would continue to invest time and funding in technology to provide a quality remote worship experience.

The church began a long but faithful journey to build a new worship center on the 27 acres of soybeans in 2010, working with a local architect and involving the congregation in the planning. Throughout the nine-year process, God showed up time and time again. When there was no other way, God showed us that nothing is impossible with Him!

In the meantime, CCC was busy renovating the final rental space on Green Street, opening the Garage for the children’s worship experience, 252. That summer in 2012, CCC expanded our involvement in the Peach Festival to include activities for the entire family in our parking lot and building.

New ministries in 2013-2015 included Operation Christmas Child, Stomp Malaria 5K, Halloween on Main Street involvement, and Student Arts Ministry.

God was removing every obstacle in our path to a new church home: Miracles included the elimination of the requirement of a street-side sidewalk, the relocation of utility poles for free by the phone company, and the elimination of the requirement to move – at great cost — gas lines. When bids came in more than $2 million over what CCC could afford in 2017, we found a blessing in the business next door to our church: PHB owner Danny Burris offered to redesign our facility within budget. 

CCC held two stewardship campaigns to fund the building: The congregation pledged $1.7 million during “The Future is NOW!” in 2013 and $300,000 in 2017’s “Rise & Thrive.” We held a groundbreaking celebration in September 2017 and construction began that fall. As the building neared completion, we held our last service on Green Street in January 2019. 

After two months of services held at the Everett Theatre, CCC moved into our new church home at 4744 Summit Bridge Road in April of 2019 and currently has services Sundays at 9 and 10:30am.