PHOTO BY JONATHAN MEYER - New Life Evangelical Free Church Pastor Steve Brant and his wife Amy pose for a photo during the church's 10th anniversary celebration last Saturday. New Life is located at 211 W. 13th St. in Tama.

Free Clare’s tenderloins, Dave’s mini donuts, and live music drew dozens of community members to New Life Evangelical Free Church’s parking lot Saturday evening. The gathering wasn’t just a fall cookout – It marked ten years since the church’s first service, celebrating a decade of faith, fellowship, and service in the Tama-Toledo community.

The celebration, held Oct. 11 from 4 to 7 p.m., featured live music by Sean McFarlin, free food, and delicious donuts. Pastor Steve Brant said the event reflected one of New Life’s central values: building relationships through service.

“We just wanted to do something that engages the community, because that’s a huge part of who we are,” Brant said. “And we wanted something for our church body to celebrate and praise God together.”

New Life Evangelical Free Church held its first service on Nov. 1, 2015, after forming as a church plant from the Marshalltown Evangelical Free Church. Brant, who was serving as a youth pastor in Marshalltown at the time, was part of the team that envisioned a new ministry closer to Tama-Toledo. He served as acting pastor in the early months before being hired as senior pastor in 2016.

“We had people from Tama coming over to worship in Marshalltown,” Brant recalled. “The leadership there wanted to start something here, and long story short, we just ended up coming together to begin New Life.”

PHOTO BY JONATHAN MEYER

The new congregation included members of Fellowship Baptist Church, which had previously worshiped in the same building. Since then, New Life has seen steady growth and deeper roots in the community — something Brant attributes to both faith and intentional outreach.

“We try to be faithful to the Word of God,” he said. “People are hungry for truth and for connection. We’ve also been very intentional about engaging the community in fun and meaningful ways that show Christ both in deed and in word.”

When Brant and his wife, Amy, moved to Tama with their family, the adjustment from Marshalltown came with its own challenges.

“I thought it wouldn’t be much different, but it was,” Brant said with a laugh. “It took a while to adjust, but we absolutely love this community. It’s the people that make it special.”

Through their children’s involvement in school and sports, the Brants found new ways to connect with others — something Brant said has opened doors for friendship and ministry alike.

PHOTO BY JONATHAN MEYER

“The community has been kind to us,” he said. “Sports have been an open door to get to know people, but more than anything, it’s the relationships that make this place feel like home.”

Service

Over the past decade, New Life’s local missions team has developed creative ways to connect faith with service — from community meals and teacher appreciation lunches to outreach events that bring people together in simple but meaningful ways.

“They’ve done a great job brainstorming ideas and putting in the effort to make things happen,” Brant said. “It’s built a lot of bridges in our community.”

As New Life enters its second decade, Brant said his focus remains on faithfulness. “Honestly, I just want us to keep being faithful,” he said. “Faithful to the word, to loving Christ, and to loving people. Whatever that looks like, we’ll trust the Lord with it.”

Many people attended Saturday’s celebration, a mix of church members and community guests enjoyed food, music, and even the Iowa game thanks to a TV that was brought outside. The weekend continued Sunday morning with a special worship service and brunch for the congregation, marking both a milestone and a moment of reflection.

For Pastor Brant, the message of the weekend was simple: gratitude.

“We just want to proclaim Jesus and live out the gospel,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”