Transformation Through Community

Moncks Corner, South Carolina, is a growing city surrounded by natural beauty just north of Charleston. Upon hearing the name, one might think it is full of monasteries and monks committed to the Christian faith.

While you can find a beautiful monastery, you will find a church not filled with monks but with a leader and a congregation who longs to be deeply formed and transformed by the Spirit.

Fuller DMin grad, Timothy Scoonover, leads First Presbyterian Church of Moncks Corner and has guided his community through cohorts of Fuller Formation Groups. As staff, elders, deacons, and lay leaders have participated, deep transformation has come about. As Timothy has made room for the Spirit, God has shown up time and time again. 

Scott is one of many who have participated in an FFG. Here’s a bit of his story:

I grew up in church and did all the right things. It was more about performing and pretending than a real, intimate relationship with God. I married a pastor’s kid, and we had two children, but the cracks in our marriage started early. There were cracks in my marriage, and my wife wanted to deal with them, but I didn’t. I was highly conflict-avoidant. And in my conflict avoidance, I turned to other women and had multiple affairs. Our marriage ended after 30 years. I hit rock bottom and moved in with my Dad in the small town I grew up in. Everyone knew everything about me, and I was full of shame. 

I knew all the right things to do, but didn’t want to do them. I was running from God. While still living with my Dad, I knelt by the bed and began praying. Not a single word came out of my mouth. In my mind, a Scripture from Romans 8 came to mind, reminding me that the Spirit would intercede for me. At that moment, I recognized that God had been there all along, patiently waiting.

Soon after, a friend invited me to church and back to fellowship with a community. Even though they knew everything about my life, they welcomed me with open arms. It is here that I discovered freedom in Christ and intimacy with him.

Later, I married my second wife, who introduced me to Moncks Corner and Timothy. Also, a neighbor started spending time with me, introducing me to contemplative practices and journaling. Timothy invited me to the FFG, and my practices of journaling, prayer, and solitude and silence retreats were life-changing.

During the retreat on Forgiveness, we got to the lament practice. I wasn’t quite sure what lament was, but as I started practicing forgiveness, I realized I had forgiven everyone except myself. My life was filled with shame and a sense of deep unworthiness. I approached Timothy for prayer during the retreat, and Timothy’s thought, before I shared anything, was, “I hope he knows he’s forgiven.” God was weaving people and practices into my life to free me from shame and unforgiveness. I can now say I am free from that shame and have forgiven myself. I still seek reconciliation with my family and am free from shame.

Since then, Timothy has invited me to participate in Fuller’s Certificate in Spiritual Formation. I dove right in, and the Certificate, along with my experience through FFGs and God’s faithfulness, is allowing me to walk with others in the messiness of their lives. I am on the journey God wants me to be on with a purpose of serving others.