The Council of Churches of the Ozarks was founded in 1969 in Springfield, Missouri. The founder, Rev. Dorsey Levell, saw a rising number of families in poverty. Area churches were receiving more requests for assistance and Dorsey took a lead to get churches collaborating together for a common cause and a greater impact on poverty in the Ozarks. Crosslines was the first outreach service of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks with a mission to “Serve God’s People in Need” through a food pantry. Since that time, many services have developed within the Council of Churches family to offer a solution to poverty issues in our community. Today, the Council of Churches of the Ozarks is dedicated to our mission to serve our most vulnerable neighbors through a collaborative model that unites nine unique outreach services, each one helping to address the growing and urgent needs of our community. We are a membership organization, with over 70 member churches from a variety of denominations and backgrounds that come together for the common call to serve.
Jaimie Trussell – Chief Executive Officer
Rick George – Chief Operating Officer
Dana Baldwin – Director of Human Resources
Marc Truby – Director of Development
Kristy Frans – Director of Business Administration
Keke Rover – Ambassadors for Children Director
Ashley Carlew – Child Care Food Program Director
Richard Virnig – Connections Handyman Services Director
Tom Faulkner – Crosslines Food Pantry Director
Paula Gronniger – Daybreak Director
Nicole Piper – One Stop for Early Childhood Director
Connie Payne – Ombudsman Director
Kelly Harris – Safe to Sleep Director
More than 45 awesome support staff
Volunteers too numerous to name but dearly loved
Linda Merkling – President/Springfield Business Journal
Tom Ryan – Vice-President/MODOT, Retired
Anitra Appleby – Secretary/Sanctuary of Praise C.O.G.I.C.
Mike Pruett – Treasurer/Elliott, Robinson and Company
Rev. David Kendrick – St. John’s Episcopal Church
Keith Noble – Commerce Bank
Bill Hennessey – Mercy Health
Rev. Dr. Bob Perry – University Heights Baptist Church
Britton Jobe – Neale & Newman, LLP
Joe Costello – Joe Costello Company
Andrew Tasset – Development Committee Chair/Central Bank
Pastor Tyler Padgitt – Courageous Church
Christina Ryder – Missouri State University
Cora Scott – City of Springfield
Rev. Adrienne Denson-Ewell – Campbell United Methodist Church
- Asbury United Methodist Church
- Billings Christian Church
- Billings United Methodist Church
- Bois D’Arc United Methodist Church
- Brentwood Christian Church
- Broadway United Methodist Church
- Campbell United Methodist Church
- Central Christian Church
- Community of Christ/Chapel for Peace
- Christ Episcopal Church
- Christ United Methodist Church
- Church Of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints
- Clever First Christian Church
- Covenant Presbyterian Church
- East Sunshine Church of Christ
- Elwood United Methodist Church
- First and Calvary Presbyterian Church
- First Baptist Church of Springfield
- First Christian Church Of Ash Grove
- First Christian Church of Mt. Vernon
- First Christian Church of Republic
- First Cumberland Presbyterian Church
- First Presbyterian Church of Mt. Vernon
- Gateway Christian Church
- Gibson Chapel Presbyterian Church
- Grace United Methodist Church
- Hillcrest Presbyterian Church
- Holy Trinity Catholic Church
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
- King’s Chapel
- King’s Way United Methodist Church
- Marshfield Christian Church
- Marshfield United Methodist
- Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church
- National Avenue Christian Church
- Nixa Christian Church
- Ozark Christian Church
- Pathways United Methodist Church
- Peace Lutheran Church
- Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church
- Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
- Renew United Methodist Church
- Ridgecrest Baptist Church
- Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
- Schweitzer United Methodist Church
- South Street Christian Church
- Southminster Presbyterian Church
- St. Agnes Cathedral Parish
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church
- St. James Episcopal Church
- St. John’s Chapel United Church of Christ
- St. John’s Episcopal Church
- St. John’s United Church of Christ
- St. Joseph Parish
- Strafford United Methodist Church
- The Venues
- Trinity Presbyterian Church
- Unity of Springfield/Christ Church Unity
- Unity Spiritual Center
- University Heights Baptist Church
- Walnut Lawn Church of God
- Walnut Street Christian Church
- Wesley United Methodist Church
- The Connecting Grounds
- The Downtown Church United Methodist Church
- Turning Point Baptist Church
- Westminster Presbyterian Church
- Woodland Heights Presbyterian Church
Affiliate Churches