Tupelo church celebrates milestone

King City Church celebrates new name, same message

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – A Tupelo church less than ten years old recently celebrated a milestone.

Seven years ago, a handful of people from Cornerstone Church in Southaven planted a church with the same name in Tupelo.

The membership quickly grew over the years, and recently, the church on Briar Ridge became self-sufficient enough to change its name to King City Church.

“The plan from the beginning was to become an autonomous church and to be able to stand on our own two feet,” said Morgan Robbins, who is the director of marketing for King City.  She says the church leadership wanted to change the name as soon as the church became self-supporting.

Robbins says choosing the right name was necessary.

“The name King City is kind of a play on words, because, it’s a reflection of the community we live in, we have a heart for Tupelo, and obviously this is the birthplace of Elvis, it’s a play on words because this is King City because it’s where Elvis was born, but ultimately gives honor to the true King, Jesus Christ,” Robbins said.

There is an Elvis connection to King City.  The congregation traces its roots back to First Assembly of God Church, where Elvis and his family would attend in East Tupelo.  Over time, the name and location changed. Now, King City is known for its lively worship, preaching, and congregation that crosses racial barriers.

In fact, King City’s motto is “A Place to Belong.”

“I love that this church is truly a place to belong.  It doesn’t matter who you are, or what you have been through, this is a place where you can become loved and find community with other believers.  It’s also a fun church, a place where the vibe on Sunday is really cool and it’s a place people love to come, have fun and learn about Jesus at the same time,” she said.

King City also has adopted nearby Plantersville Middle School and has provided supplies, backpacks, and even goodies for the teachers.

King City will hold a “Serve Day” on October 29th.  Church members will take part in numerous service projects across the area.