In 1956 Calvary Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa felt led by God to begin a missions located in the Noelridge addition on the Northeast side of Cedar Rapids. The members of Calvary decided to name the new church Noelridge Baptist Church and on November 27, 1956, ground-breaking took place for the new building. It would be almost a year before the building would be completed and the first service held. But regular services were being held at a home in the neighborhood. On January 27, 1957, Noelridge Baptist Church was officially dedicated for service.
March 4, 1959, Noelridge Baptist Church voted to affiliate with the Conservative Baptist Association, now called the Venture Church Network, on state and regional levels. On July 12, with 68 charter members, Noelridge Baptist Church officially received its charter and became independent of its founding church.
Throughout the 1960s the church, under the leadership of pastors Robert Shackelford and Bruce Young, experienced a time of much growth. In order to sufficiently meet the needs of the growing congregation an educational wing was added in 1964 to meet the growing demand for additional classroom space. The new wing was completed and dedicated on April 19, 1964. Additional parking was added to meet parking demands.
Growth continued into the 1970s and in February 1971, the church voted to approve the founding of a mission church in Marion, Iowa. In August, Pastor Kermit Jelmeland, who had been associate pastor at Noelridge, lead services at the new satellite location. This location became Squaw Creek Baptist Church, now called Creekside Church. Several families from Noelridge moved over to Squaw Creek Baptist Church to provide leadership to the new congregation. On September 12, 1971, services officially began at Squaw Creek. The church continues to thrive today as Creekside Church.
In 1975, Pastor Bruce Young resigned, and Pastor Roy Tindal stepped in to begin his term as pastor of Noelridge Baptist Church. A month after his arrival, Noelridge began a Wednesday night AWANA ministry.
The 1980s brought a time of transition to Noelridge Baptist Church as it struggled to find its identity and purpose in the fast pace of a changing society. The church endured trials and hardships throughout the decade but was encouraged by new growth. In May 1992, Richard Marsceau became the pastor and under his leadership Noelridge Baptist Church found a renewed sense of commitment and purpose as it began to reach out to the community.
New hope and challenges came with the new millennium. In 2004-2005, Noelridge Park Church made extensive revisions and changes to its constitution and by-laws and in October 2005, Noelridge Baptist Church changed its name to Noelridge Park Church. In 2008, Imago Christi, a church plant was founded. Several families of Noelridge Park Church moved over to Imago Christi to help provide leadership under the leadership of Pastor Donovan Santamaria.
Noelridge Park Church has seen its share of challenges. It has seen its share of growth and decline, of consistency and change. But NPC is still, and will continue to be, a light in the darkness.