In October of 2007 Mike & Kristin sold their home, took at $20,000 cut in pay and moved their family from Western Maryland to Western Massachusetts, where Mike grew up, to start New Day Church. In the beginning Mike worked bi-vocationally and supported his family from his personal savings, while working in conjunction with three other couples (Peter & Rachel Axtmann, Andrew & Kristi Charko and Jon & Sarah Watson) to plan New Day’s first service - Friday March 21, 2008 at the Longmeadow Community House in Longmeadow, MA. They met once a month on Friday night for six months before beginning weekly services on September 12, 2008. Then, when God provided the opportunity to begin meeting on Sundays they switched to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Enfield, CT starting January 1, 2009. When the hotel came under new management in December of 2009 the New Day family began looking for a new home. God provided a spot at the Basketball Hall of Fame, where we currently meet. The New Day story is one of faith, courage, and God’s miraculous provision. In less than six months God provided a core team, a place to meet and the resources needed to begin leading people to become mature followers of Jesus in Western Mass. To God be the glory!

Why start another church? First, not everyone connects best with God through a traditional church format. As Mike looked around the area all he saw were traditional churches. He wanted to start a non-traditional church that would meet the needs of those who best connect with God through a non-traditional church format. Second, as Mike looked around he saw plenty of churches for the Veteran and Baby Boomer generations, but the subsequent generations by and large didn't have a place that was created and designed with them in mind. Mike wanted New Day to meet that need. But New Day isn't just for the young. It's for the young and the young minded! Third, as Mike studied the demographics of New England he learned that it had the second highest concentration of unchurched people in the United States. It also has one of the lowest church to people ratios as well. And since Jesus came to seek and save the lost Mike felt God confirming in his heart that New England was just the place to be.