Who We Are: A Testament to God's Grace in Motion
Montclair Community Church is a diverse family of believers rooted deeply in solid, unapologetic Bible teaching and authentic Christian community. But to understand who we are today, you have to know our story—a story that is, at its heart, a testament to God's enduring faithfulness.
Decades ago, after enduring painful divisions and church splits, the congregation found itself on the brink of closure. The property was nearly sold, and a final vote was cast to dissolve the church entirely. Miraculously, that vote failed by a margin of just two votes. God wasn't finished here yet.
In 1990, Pastor Edward Banghart stepped in to lead, and the church was reborn as Montclair Community Church. Pastor Ed brought a clear, defining vision: to be "God's grace in motion." He intentionally cultivated a haven of grace for the community, building a family defined by love and truth.
As the church embraced this mission, the community flourished. By 2003, the growth was so abundant that we were blessed to build and move into a brand-new facility to accommodate our expanding church family.
In 2021, Pastor Ed retired after decades of faithful service, passing the baton to our current Lead Pastor, Lee Grzywinski. Today, we continue to build upon that same rich legacy. The mission that saved and sustained us—to be a fountain of God's grace in motion—remains the heartbeat of everything we do..
Our Mission
To be a fountain of grace: A place where grace comes to us, works in us, and flows through us.
Our Vision
To see every life in our community set in motion by the life-changing love of Jesus.
Our Strategy: Three Pillars of Grace
Encounter
Grace to UsWe gather to receive. Our church is a sanctuary where people encounter God's grace through corporate worship, prayer, and the preaching of the Word.
Embrace
Grace in UsWe grow together. We are passionate about seeing people embrace the life of Christ and one another through community groups and authentic discipleship.
Extend
Grace through UsGrace isn't meant to be contained; it's meant to be shared. We carry the fountain of God's love into our neighborhoods and families.
Our Core Values
These values define how we live out our faith and serve our community
Biblical Authority
We are committed to the Bible as our ultimate authority and the sufficient, infallible guide for faith and obedience. God’s timeless truth, when shared with love and received with an open heart, is the most powerful catalyst for lasting life change.
Grace-Centered Culture
God’s grace alone—not our effort or accomplishments—is the basis for our freedom, our character, and our service. We foster an environment that reflects the unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness we have received in Christ.
Radical Dependence
We are utterly dependent on God for all that we are. We commit to seeking the Holy Spirit’s leading at every level of our ministry, keeping prayer at the center of our church life and trusting God’s direction in every decision.
Meaningful Worship
Our gatherings are designed to help people truly encounter God’s presence. Through the ministry of the Word, the fellowship of the saints, and sincere worship, we create space for God to move in our midst.
Authentic Relationships
Spiritual growth happens best in the context of a healthy, loving community. We encourage everyone to step into a small group or ministry team where we can live out our faith together—supporting, praying, and learning in circles of authentic friendship.
Gifted Service
Every Christ-follower has a unique and valuable contribution to make to God’s Kingdom. We are dedicated to helping you discover your God-given design and develop your unique gifts so you can experience the joy of meaningful service to others.
Gospel Outreach
The answer to humanity’s deepest needs is found in a restored relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We are intentionally committed to sharing the hope of the Gospel with our neighbors and across the globe.
Meet Our Leadership
Our Pastors

Lee Grzywinski
Lead PastorPastor Lee has been in ministry since 2006. He holds a degree in Pastoral Ministry from Bethany Bible College and an M.Div. from Reformed Baptist Seminary. He is also certified as a Mental Health Coach and Marriage and Family Counselor.
lee@montclair.church →
Eric Temple
Associate PastorSince age 5, Eric has faithfully attended MCC. He earned a Bachelor's in Youth and Family Ministry and a Masters in Counseling from Cairn University. He has dedicated 7 years of service overseeing youth and young adults.
eric@montclair.church →Our Staff
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[email@montclair.church] →[Staff Member Name]
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[email@montclair.church] →Elders & Leadership Team
Lee Grzywinski
Elder & Leadership TeamEric Temple
Elder & Leadership TeamJoe Del Grande
ElderDavid Langford
ElderDave Howard
ElderEliazer Rachuri
Elder Candidate[Leadership Name]
Leadership Team[Leadership Name]
Leadership Team[Leadership Name]
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Leadership TeamErnie Campusano
TreasurerStatement of Belief
Our faith is grounded in Scripture and expressed through these core convictions
The One True God
We believe in the one true and living God Who exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering and gracious.
The Holy Scriptures
We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture, which are the Word of God. The Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments, being God-breathed, are infallible and inerrant in all their parts and are, therefore, when rightly interpreted, trustworthy in all that they affirm concerning history, doctrine, ethics, religious practice, or any other topic. The authority of the Bible is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men. While we believe in the ongoing power and ministry of the Holy Spirit in regenerating, equipping, illuminating, leading, and teaching God’s people, we also believe in the final authority and sufficiency of the Bible over all areas of faith and practice.
Creation and the Fall of Man
We believe that God made our first father, Adam, sinless, holy, and upright. He was appointed representative and head of the human race, thereby exposing all his offspring to the effects of his obedience or disobedience to God’s commands. We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin and brought upon himself and all his offspring death, condemnation, and slavery to sin.
The Condition of Fallen Man
We believe it to be utterly beyond the power of fallen man to love God, to keep His laws, to understand the Gospel, to repent of sin, or to trust in Christ.
Sovereign Election
We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, and for his own glory, elected a great host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon his foresight of human faith, decision, works, or merit.
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that God sent his Son into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the Law, to live a perfect life of righteousness, on behalf of his elect people.
Redemption and Atonement
We believe that God’s Son died at Calvary as a sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God and bring about reconciliation, redemption, and atonement for his elect people. God testified to the acceptance of his Son's work by raising him from the dead.
The Enthronement of Christ
We believe that God’s Son physically ascended to his Father's right hand and is enthroned in glory, where he intercedes on behalf of his people and rules over all things for their sake.
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Son has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached word. The Spirit of God regenerates the elect sinner and draws him irresistibly to repentance towards God and faith in Christ the Savior, and illuminates the believer to understand the Scriptures He breathed out through man.
Justification by Faith Alone
We believe the elect, who are called by grace, are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone. This righteousness is received by faith alone.
Perseverance of the Saints
We believe that all who are regenerated, called, and justified shall persevere in holiness and never finally fall away.
The Moral Law of God
We believe that the moral law of God is summarized in the Ten Commandments and revealed through the whole Mosaic Law, and that the moral law continues today to be the standard of righteousness which every child of God ought to love and obey.
The Local Church and Ordinances
We believe all believers are duty-bound to join a local church as members, bringing themselves under church government and discipline. We also believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated believers and are to be practiced in the context of such local churches.
Biblical Worship and Leadership
We believe that our corporate worship must be regulated by the Scriptures alone and that we are not free to impose extra elements into our worship before God. We believe that the Scriptures teach that only biblically qualified men are to hold the office of Elder or to preach during the weekly worship service. We believe that the local church is under the authority of Christ alone. The communion of saints, however, requires recognition of and fellowship with other churches.
The Return of Christ and Final Judgment
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, and that the righteous shall enjoy everlasting life and the wicked shall endure everlasting punishment.
Note—This summary of the 1689 Confession was originally compiled by the International Fellowship of Reformed Baptists, modified by the elders of Grace Baptist Church in Taylors, SC, and Cornerstone Bible Church in Ridgecrest, CA, and further modified by the elders of Montclair Community Church.
