Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Stuckey.
Hi Joel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I led music for 10 years in churches in Jacksonville and felt a call to plant a new church in Riverside, where my family lived. We launched in January, 2021 and from the very beginning, knew we wanted to make a big impact in our community. The day before we launched, we were able to purchase coffee for everyone that came into Bold Bean Coffee for a 3 hour period. We got to meet some great people and neighbors and just express care and love without any kind of catch. Since we began, we have been able to do many wonderful community events – multiple end of school block parties and back to school block parties where we give away free school supplies, hot dogs and hamburgers, and have also had free raffles with gift cards and gifts from local businesses, give away free cookies and hot chocolate at Luminaria, a large community easter egg hunt in Boone Park each year, and plenty of other great events that pour into our community! We have deep relationships with Central Riverside Elementary, West Riverside Elementary, and Riverside High School, and each year we provide a pre-planning breakfast for all of their staffs, as well as a lunch for their staffs during Teacher Appreciation Week. This school year we were able to provide many more school supplies, hand soap, wipes, paper towels, etc. to Central and West Riverside after school began, to help make up any areas where they were lacking. We participate in almost every event in the 5 Points / Riverside area whenever possible and also have deep connections with many residents and business owners in the Avondale area. We are a small church, about 40-50 people, but we have a huge heart to show the love of Christ to our neighbors and community in everything we say and do.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some of our main struggles have existed around places to meet. We began meeting on Sunday nights at 600 King Street, subleasing from another church that met there, because it was so difficult to find a place to meet. Amazing Life Church was incredibly kind and helpful to us, even allowing us to share some of their equipment so we didn’t have to make as many large purchases in the beginning. We then moved to Friday Musicale where we got a sweetheart deal, inheriting the same terms of a previous church plant (Mars Hill Church) that had met there for 2 years. After purchasing commercial lawn equipment and working out a deal to be the janitorial service for all of their events, two of the three main employees left within a few weeks of us beginning to meet there. In three months, when we went to re-up our lease, we were given new terms that equaled four times more than the rent we originally agreed to, as well as removing our responsibilities with the janitorial duties and lawn maintenance, thus making it even more financially expensive to stay. We moved to Be the Light Dance Studio in Fairfax/Avondale area in January of 2022 and stayed there until September of 2024, when we began meeting at Unity Church in 5 Points.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am incredibly consistent with being involved with every aspect of our community. From attending the Avondale Merchant’s Association meetings, the 5 Points Merchants Association meetings, being consistent in participating with community cleanups and other RAP sponsored events, and being deeply connected with our neighborhood schools to make sure they recognize they are loved, cared for, and prayed for throughout the year. So, I would say, one thing that we are known for is our direct involvement in the community, offering free events and trying to meet needs.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I began playing music in church at a young age and tended to be a bit different from my older brother and sister. They both cared passionately about school, and I didn’t care very much about it. After graduating from Ed White High School, I went on and off to Florida Community College at Jacksonville (now Florida State College at Jacksonville) for a handful of years, and finally decided to pursue my Bachelor’s in horticultural science with a focus in citrus at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. While I pursued that degree, I came back each weekend to lead music at Macedonia Baptist Church, and in my last semester before graduating with that degree, I began also leading music at TheCity.church on Sunday evenings. I graduated and moved back to Jacksonville where I began working at Merrill Lynch while leading music on Sundays at TheCity.church. I have always been a bit of a creative and with my dreadlocks, I definitely stood out a bit from the other employees at Merrill Lynch. Even though I moved up the corporate ladder a bit, I knew that was not my lifelong calling. I moved to working full time at the church in January of 2020 and still get to pursue my interest in and love for music as well as leading TheCity.church at Riverside as the Pastor there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecity.church/riverside
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecity.church_riverside/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecity.churchatriverside
