In the closing months of 2000, three families met to discuss the possibility of planting a new congregation in the North River region of Manatee County.  Mark and Carra Byers had been members of the Midway Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida for several years, but had recently relocated to Parrish.  Bill and Tonya Thomas were members of the Bell Shoals Church of Christ in Brandon, Florida. They too had recently moved to Parrish.  While both the Byers and Thomas families were happy to be a part of sound congregations of the Lord’s church, a long trek south for the Byers', and north for the Thomas', had prompted the serious consideration of beginning a new congregation where it was obviously needed.

The third family involved in planting the North River Church of Christ was Demar and Dixie Elam.  The Elams had been worshipping with the Lake Tarpon Church of Christ in Tarpon Springs, Florida for several years.  The Elams understood that committing to this work would mean a significantly longer drive. However, this family was also keenly aware of the need for a strong congregation of the Lord's church in the Ellenton/Parrish area.  Demar, a gospel preacher for over 40 years, and a missionary for the last 22, was an immediate asset to this new congregation. Demar, who was also at the time serving as the Director of Mission Studies at Southern Christian University in Montgomery, Alabama, was very excited about planting a church on native soil. With the experience and determination of Demar and Dixie and the dedication of the Byers’ and Thomas’, the North River congregation quickly became an evangelistically-minded group of Christians.

After much discussion and planning, the North River Church of Christ assembled to worship on the first Lord's Day of 2001 in a former bank building in Ellenton. The building had great visibility, being on a major thoroughfare. On that historic first Sunday there were more than fifty in attendance.  Though many were visitors and well-wishers, a strong core of men and women already existed at North River.

During the first year, Demar Elam handled the majority of the preaching duties. When he was away on missionary journeys Mark Byers and Bill Thomas taught the adult Bible classes and preached.  Many of the ladies participated in teaching the children's Bible classes.

Through the generous contributions of local members, Christians in other places, and sister congregations, in 2001 the North River Church of Christ was able to purchase six acres of former cow pasture in the neighboring village of Parrish, approximately seven miles north of their current meeting place on the same major thoroughfare.

At the close of 2001, the bank building in Ellenton was bought by Manatee River Community Bank.  The saints at North River faced the challenge of finding an affordable place to meet until their new facility could be built.  God provided the solution in the form of a rent-free community room at the Parrish Family Health Care Center.  This location served the church well for nearly two years as they waited to move to the new property.

In March 2002, the North River church hired their first full-time preacher.  Ryan Roark began his work two months prior to graduating from the Florida School of Preaching located in Lakeland, Florida.

In January 2004, after several construction delays, the Christians at North River began meeting in their very own meeting house; almost three years to the date of their inception.  While it is a modest facility the brethren already have dreams to expand anticipating their growth potential.

In July 2004, Ryan Roark moved to Tennessee. For the next several months the men of the congregation stepped up to fill the duties of preaching and teaching. Mark Byers, James Daley, Larry Stephens, and Bill Thomas took turns filling the pulpit. These men confessed that their faith increased tremendously as they had opportunity to stand before God’s people and proclaim His Holy Word.

In October 2004, Howard Johnson began to do fill-in preaching/teaching once a month. Howard was a member of the Bells Shoals congregation in Brandon, Florida. Howard was a graduate of the Florida School of Preaching and Southern Christian University, and had preached fulltime for eight years before taking a job with the Department of Children and Families, providing in-home therapy to families in Polk County. Howard would commute monthly from Plant City, where he and his family lived, to offer the men a respite from preaching; knowing they also worked full-time secular jobs. In January 2005, Howard increased his work at North River to twice a month. In April 2005, at the recommendation of the Preacher Selection Committee, Howard left his work with the state and became the second full-time minister to work with the church.

The sky is the limit and heaven is its goal for the North River church. The fields are white unto harvest, and waiting for the Lord’s people to enter and teach the gospel in the Parrish/Ellenton and south Hillsborough County areas. We, the brethren of the church at North River, are ready to work and we thank God every day for His richest blessings on us.