The Church Of The Exceptional is a non-denominational, interracial ministry devoted to ministering to the physically and mentally handicapped in the area around Rutherford County, NC.

The church operates five vans that transports most of the people who attend the Sunday Morning Service. The majority of our attendees live in group homes or rest homes, or with relatives. The church began holding services in May of 1974 in an unused fellowship hall of the Cliffside United Methodist Church. The church is supported by churches, local organizations and individuals in the area who not only provide funds to operate the vans and worship facility, but they also help to maintain the property, and assist with services, van driving, and a host of other invaluable functions. The church is a non-profit organization with a board of directors.

For thirty-five years the church has provided a place of worship for many who would feel left out or uncomfortable in a conventional church setting.

People who attend the services come to regard themselves as members of The Church Of The Exceptional even though there is no formal membership. Attendees who are members of other churches retain their membership at that body. The Sunday schedule typically has a Sunday School lesson, then a snack and fellowship time, and a worship service which usually begins at 11AM. The fellowship and snack time is important because many of the people who attend the service will spend between forty-five to ninety minutes each way in transit to and from the services.

Occasionally, the entire congregation will have joint services with another church, and will worship and share a meal and perhaps a special program at the host church.

Churches will often invite the church and allow them to be in charge of the worship service. In that way the host congregation has an opportunity to see for themselves the beautiful service in which the Exceptional members participates so fully. A local church holds Vacation Bible School yearly for our members at their facility. Several churches and a local school hosts special events annually for our attendees.

The Church Of The Exceptional also has an anniversary service in April and a Christmas program in early December.

On those days, the service times are in the afternoon. All of the members have a part in the Christmas program. There are also no services held for a couple of weeks in the Summer and for two Sundays in December/January. Many of the membership is visiting relatives at this time, and it also gives the volunteer staff more opportunity to worship in their home churches. Due to the fact that our vans travel over 200 miles each Sunday, there are no services during icy/snowy weather.

In the regular Sunday Worship service, some twelve people participate in the service. This is done on a rotating basis, so that everyone who attends has an opportunity to be actively involved in the worship.

From carrying the Bible, carrying American and Christian flags, lighting and extinguishing candles, taking the offering, leading the call to worship, reading the scripture or leading in prayer, the attendees participate.

The church is blessed with many volunteers that operate the vans, maintain the facilities, assist with all types of duties, many of which are unnoticed.

A person that would have difficulty sitting through the worship service by themselves will have a volunteer sitting beside them to give them a sense of comfort and security.

The morning message is usually kept brief because many of the people in attendance have a short attention span.

Guest speakers who come to the church on a rotating basis present messages. The members also enjoy singing, and throughout the year, many musical groups will do the entire service. Fifteen years ago, two of the workers organized a choir comprised of some of the people who regularly attend. Since then, the Exceptional Choir has sung Over 130 times at churches and events in Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina. They have traveled to Charlotte, to Asheboro, to North Wilkesboro, to Asheville in North Carolina, to Greenville, SC and many locations in between.

The staff, with the exception of the Director, Mattie Lackey is all volunteer.

Mattie who has been with the church from the very beginning and had the initial God-given inspiration for the church is paid a very modest salary. Mattie retains the same humbleness and meekness that she had years ago when working in a textile plant she said: "Here I am Lord, send me.” The church has been blessed to be able to operate debt-free, to operate and maintain five vans and to acquire a sanctuary, Sunday school rooms and enough property to establish a prayer garden. As far as we know, there is not another church in North Carolina that is established exclusively for the purpose of providing Christian worship for the physically and mentally handicapped.

From the information that we have been able to obtain, there is not another church in the nation with a similar ministry that owns its own vans and facilities .

People who visit the church for the first time are very impressed with the reverence, the Spirit of Worship, and also the presence of the Love of God that is experienced during the service.

Please pardon our enthusiasm for The Church Of The Exceptional - many have had the privilege of being involved with this wonderful, God-inspired fellowship for over thirty years, and are still awed to see the Power and Spirit of God work in such a way.