South Hadley
Massachusetts
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Community Pentecostal Church
History:
Community Pentecostal Church was born in the fall of 1952 when Sister Pansy McKay, an evangelist, came to the home of Jim and Laura Stevens in Latonia Lakes, Kentucky. Weeping and crying, she told of a vision from God of a patch of half-runner beans that needed to be harvested in the Taylor Mill area and requested prayer meetings be held in the home of this couple. Laura began to cry. Although her mother was a Godly woman and she had a Pentecostal background, she knew she could not conduct the prayer meetings in her home. Nevertheless, Sister McKay did not give up. She began holding meetings at various other houses in the area.
By spring of 1953, the meetings were being held at the home of Dewey Sizemore. The glory of the Lord began to fill that humble home, and revival broke loose! Mr. Sizemore purchased a tent which was set up on his property. The tent was packed every night throughout the summer of 1953. Malvin Ridener became the first leader of this small congregation. Under his ministry, many people were saved and filled with the Holy Ghost.
Once cold weather began to move in, conditions became unfavorable to have services in the tent. On their farm Brother and Sister Gadd offered the use of a chicken house, which was cleaned out and filled with pews. Brother Osborn became the new leader, and the work of the Lord continued. The chicken house soon proved to be too small, and the services were moved to the barn. Once again the leadership changed, and Brother Ellis Rowland became the first official pastor to lead the flock.
As membership increased, the barn was soon filled, and the decision was made to purchase some property at the intersection of Harris and Taylor Mill to build a new church. Once the basement was completed, the church moved in. Then, on December 2, 1954, the church was chartered with Kentucky's Department of State, under the name of "Community Pentecostal Church of God."
About this time, Brother Rowland returned to his home church in Newport, Kentucky, where he would remain for sixteen months. As his replacement, God sent Clarence Seeley, a mountain man from Laurel, Indiana. Prior to his conversion, Bro. Seeley had been a wild, fighting, gambling man who could neither read nor write. Many miracles and revivals took place in that basement, and the Lord continued to add to the church. However, a year later, in August of 1958, brother Seeley left the church, and Ellis Rowland was re-elected as its Pastor. On September 9, 1959, the church moved from the basement to its new sanctuary upstairs. A short two years later, on September 9, 1961, Pastor Rowland died in the arms of his son, having suffered a heart attack while mowing the church yard
By a unanimous vote, Brother Charles Gulley was elected as the new Pastor and served the church until 1970. Brother James Floyd served as Pastor from 1970 until 1976. A nine-week revival broke out in 1973, which resulted in the purchasing of new property and the construction of our present facility. Brother Gulley returned to the church as Pastor in 1976 and officiated in the dedication of the new church building in September, 1979.
In 1981, Thomas D. Bates was voted to be the new Pastor, where he remains today. Changes and growth have continued under the direction of his anointed ministry: the church has become debt-free; a new school was built which teaches pre-school through grade twelve; a Family Life Center (with stage, gym, walking track, and exercise equipment) was constructed; and the new Tara Center (an adult education building) opened in 2004. We now have two Sunday morning worship services; our services are televised over the local cable networks; and the list goes on.
To date, the church has purchased one-hundred and eight acres of prime property, about eighteen miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio, and only fourteen miles from the Greater Cincinnati Airport. The church is in a pivotal position for the Kingdom of God. With the additional buildings (Educational Wing, Family Life Center, and the Tara Center), Community Pentecostal is moving forward to building the new four thousand seat sanctuary. In addition, a second Sunday morning worship service (9:00 a.m.) has been added to accommodate a quickly growing congregation of over two-thousand people.
Community Pentecostal Church was born in the fall of 1952 when Sister Pansy McKay, an evangelist, came to the home of Jim and Laura Stevens in Latonia Lakes, Kentucky. Weeping and crying, she told of a vision from God of a patch of half-runner beans that needed to be harvested in the Taylor Mill area and requested prayer meetings be held in the home of this couple. Laura began to cry. Although her mother was a Godly woman and she had a Pentecostal background, she knew she could not conduct the prayer meetings in her home. Nevertheless, Sister McKay did not give up. She began holding meetings at various other houses in the area.
By spring of 1953, the meetings were being held at the home of Dewey Sizemore. The glory of the Lord began to fill that humble home, and revival broke loose! Mr. Sizemore purchased a tent which was set up on his property. The tent was packed every night throughout the summer of 1953. Malvin Ridener became the first leader of this small congregation. Under his ministry, many people were saved and filled with the Holy Ghost.
Once cold weather began to move in, conditions became unfavorable to have services in the tent. On their farm Brother and Sister Gadd offered the use of a chicken house, which was cleaned out and filled with pews. Brother Osborn became the new leader, and the work of the Lord continued. The chicken house soon proved to be too small, and the services were moved to the barn. Once again the leadership changed, and Brother Ellis Rowland became the first official pastor to lead the flock.
As membership increased, the barn was soon filled, and the decision was made to purchase some property at the intersection of Harris and Taylor Mill to build a new church. Once the basement was completed, the church moved in. Then, on December 2, 1954, the church was chartered with Kentucky's Department of State, under the name of "Community Pentecostal Church of God."
About this time, Brother Rowland returned to his home church in Newport, Kentucky, where he would remain for sixteen months. As his replacement, God sent Clarence Seeley, a mountain man from Laurel, Indiana. Prior to his conversion, Bro. Seeley had been a wild, fighting, gambling man who could neither read nor write. Many miracles and revivals took place in that basement, and the Lord continued to add to the church. However, a year later, in August of 1958, brother Seeley left the church, and Ellis Rowland was re-elected as its Pastor. On September 9, 1959, the church moved from the basement to its new sanctuary upstairs. A short two years later, on September 9, 1961, Pastor Rowland died in the arms of his son, having suffered a heart attack while mowing the church yard
By a unanimous vote, Brother Charles Gulley was elected as the new Pastor and served the church until 1970. Brother James Floyd served as Pastor from 1970 until 1976. A nine-week revival broke out in 1973, which resulted in the purchasing of new property and the construction of our present facility. Brother Gulley returned to the church as Pastor in 1976 and officiated in the dedication of the new church building in September, 1979.
In 1981, Thomas D. Bates was voted to be the new Pastor, where he remains today. Changes and growth have continued under the direction of his anointed ministry: the church has become debt-free; a new school was built which teaches pre-school through grade twelve; a Family Life Center (with stage, gym, walking track, and exercise equipment) was constructed; and the new Tara Center (an adult education building) opened in 2004. We now have two Sunday morning worship services; our services are televised over the local cable networks; and the list goes on.
To date, the church has purchased one-hundred and eight acres of prime property, about eighteen miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio, and only fourteen miles from the Greater Cincinnati Airport. The church is in a pivotal position for the Kingdom of God. With the additional buildings (Educational Wing, Family Life Center, and the Tara Center), Community Pentecostal is moving forward to building the new four thousand seat sanctuary. In addition, a second Sunday morning worship service (9:00 a.m.) has been added to accommodate a quickly growing congregation of over two-thousand people.