A Family Decision: The Claxton Family
Katie and Bobby Claxton grew up believing in God, but they were not involved in church communities. “We believed God created us, we believed in heaven—but there wasn’t a lot of depth,” she said.
As adults, she and her husband Bobby began to feel a pull toward something more, especially after their children, Brayden and Kinley, were born. “We didn’t want our kids to have to figure it all out in adulthood like we were,” Katie said. That pull became even more personal when her father—later in life—shared that one of his biggest regrets was not raising his children with a stronger faith foundation.
While the Claxtons were “church shopping,” they found Summit unexpectedly through Kinley’s piano recital at the Lake Mary campus. “We didn’t even realize it was a church at first,” Katie said. “But when we came back for a Sunday service, it felt welcoming and real.”
Then came the baptism video. The first time she saw it, Katie was overcome. “It brought us to tears,” she said. “We weren’t ready yet, but we knew we wanted to get there.” A year later, she saw the video again—and this time, something had shifted for everyone in their family.
She enrolled her children in the “Why Believe?” class, started asking deeper questions, and began to understand what baptism truly represented. “We realized it’s not the finish line. It’s the starting point.” When the Beach Baptisms were moved indoors to the Lake Mary campus, due to weather complications, the Claxtons had to decide where, when, and why they were taking this step of publicly professing their faith—with hearts set, they all stepped into the water. Katie was baptized alongside her husband, children, and her mother-in-law, three generations in one moment of obedience and hope. “Summit gave us a place to grow, and a way to begin again.”
A Call to Africa: Ella’s Story
Ella Stanley has called Summit home since second grade—a community that has shaped her faith, her friendships, and, this past year, her sense of calling. After years of serving in Base Camp alongside her mom, Lindsey Stanley, Lake Mary’s Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Ella said yes to the 2025 special-needs trip to Malawi. This decision was made possible through the generosity of family, friends, and church members who fully funded her. From the moment she stepped off the bus and was surrounded by children reaching for her hands, she felt a deep peace and clarity—“this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.” Throughout the week, whether in village visits or at Vacation Bible School with children with a wide range of disabilities, she witnessed joy, hospitality, and a sense of connection that reshaped her understanding of generosity. Ella returned home convinced that giving is far more than financial—it’s relational, rooted in the simple but profound act of making people feel seen, valued, and loved without condition.
So Others Can Find Grace: Del’s Story
For nearly twenty years, Del Schwalls has given his whole heart to Summit—showing up, serving widely, and trusting God with his resources in a way that reflects deep conviction rather than obligation. Summit is the first place where the grace of the gospel truly “clicked” for him, and he describes this community as the ground where God used people to shape him, steady him, and call him forward. Del has served across almost every ministry—students, Base Camp, reGROUP, worship, hospitality, and prayer—often stepping into whatever need was in front of him. As a small-business owner, he tithes with the same wholeheartedness, pointing repeatedly to the quiet ways God has “shown off” in his provision. What fuels him now is simple: he gives so Summit can continue to be a place where the next unseen or searching person encounters the same grace, truth, and belonging that changed the trajectory of his own life.