A River on the Move: Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel is Newest Church Plant
Some churches are built to gather. Others are built to grow. And some – like Open Arms Community Church – are built to GO!
God is moving in EXACTLY that way RIGHT NOW! A brand-new church plant, Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel, is launching in Custer City at 68 Minard Run Road. It begins with a soft launch this Friday at 7 p.m., with its official weekly gatherings kicking off on Good Friday (April 3) at 7 p.m.
The latest church plant in the Open Arms Community Church network is a river running freely. As Lead Pastor Zoe Hatcher puts it: “We see the church as a river, not a reservoir.”
Let’s celebrate what happens when a church truly lives out its mission: raising people up and sending them out. Jesus calls us to discipleship. We are listening and obeying!
We hope to see you for the launch. Let’s keep the river flowing (and learn what Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel is about).
🎸 Worship That’s Real & Unapologetic
Free Spirit won’t be your typical church experience
Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel will take high-energy musical worship to new levels – mixed with raw testimony and Scripture reflection that meets people where they are.
But it’s about authenticity more than volume. Free Spirit will be a space for:
- People who may not feel comfortable in traditional settings
- People who’ve been through some tough things in life
- People who are still figuring it out
In other words: real people. Loving God, Loving people. Sound like the Open Arms mission to you?
🙌 Leadership That Was Built, Not Imported
At the center of this story are Co-Pastors Shawn Pierce and Rich Dennison and their beautiful families.
Their leadership wasn’t hired from the outside. It was built over time – through years of service, friendship, worship, and obedience. Those who’ve attended Open Arms before have likely seen Shawn and Rich on either the praise band stage or working the sound system. (Did we mention they LOVE music?)
“Rich has been my best friend for more than 20 years,” Pastor Shawn said. “We’ve played music together, watched our kids grow up, and walked through ministry side by side.”
They’ve led together. Served together. Grown together. And now – they’re stepping into something new together.
“We’ve been saying, ‘Here I am, Lord, send me,’ for years,” Pierce said. “At some point, you have to stop saying it and start living it.”
That moment is now.
🌱 From Microchurch to Movement
What makes this launch even more powerful is where it came from. Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel didn’t just appear overnight. It grew out of The Least of These Riders, a microchurch at Open Arms.
What started as a group of Christian bikers gathering weekly in faith has grown into a full-fledged congregation.
That same model has already led to successful church plants in Port Allegany and Lewis Run. Now, it’s happening again – this time in Custer City with Free Spirit.
If you’re not familiar with microchurches, they’re one of the most impactful shifts Open Arms has made in recent years. Our church reimagines discipleship – not as something that happens in rows of pews, but in circles.
- Small, tight-knit groups
- Real conversations
- Real accountability
- Shared burdens
- Growth that actually sticks.
(From the EmpowHer women’s group to the Homecoming Recovery addiction support group, we have plenty of microchurches to serve people’s unique needs of spiritual growth and connection.)
It works. That’s why we do it.
People need spiritual nourishment and true human connection during the week, too. We’ve seen true spiritual growth and faith transformation happening in real time. Families aren’t just restored on Sundays. Addictions aren’t toppled by sermons. Lives aren’t redeemed by communion.
These things require ongoing love and attention.
🌊 A Church That Sends, Not Just Gathers
Pastor Zoe describes a river of faith. That’s what Open Arms does.
We don’t just build bigger rooms to fit more people. It builds people, and spirits in Christ don’t grow in confinement.
- People who are willing to be shaped.
- People who are willing to grow.
- People who are willing to go.
“This is what it looks like to trust God with people,” Hatcher said. “Not to hold onto them, but to release them into what He’s calling them to do.”
Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel is the next step in that mission. It’s not a copy. It’s not a franchise. It’s a new expression of the same heartbeat — reaching people who feel overlooked, disconnected, or unsure where they belong.
🚪 An Invitation to Something Real
If you’ve ever felt like church wasn’t for you…
If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t quite fit…
If you’ve been looking for something real… Free Spirit Redeemer’s Chapel is it!
Friday nights. Real people. Great music. Honest faith. And a community that’s just getting started.
Because when a river moves, it brings life everywhere it goes.
