CHURCH HISTORY
THE WEEK BEFORE PALM SUNDAY....2008.....24 OF US FELT THAT THE LORD WANTED US TO
START A NEW CHURCH IN ASHTABULA.
PALM SUNDAY WE MET AT THE REPUBLICAN BUILDING DOWN ON MAIN AVE. ED LOFTUS, ONE
OF OUR "FOUNDING GROUP",
CALLED ME & SAID HE HEARD THERE WAS A CHURCH THAT WAS GOING TO CLOSE "THEIR
DOORS"....AND HAD DECIDED TO GIVE THEIR BUILDING AWAY "FREE". I SAID TO
ED...."FREE...THEIR GIVING A BUILDING AWAY "FREE"!. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A
THING.
BY THAT POINT WE WERE THE 5TH CHURCH OR MINISTRY GROUP TO BE INTERESTED. WE WERE
GETTING SUCH A LATE START....I DID NOT SEE HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A
CHANCE...TO BE SO BLESSED!
4 DAYS LATER....YES, 4 DAYS LATER....THEY CALLED US AND SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO
GIVE US THIS "GIFT FROM GOD".
ON EASTER SUNDAY....3 DAYS LATER WE HAD OUR 1ST SUNDAY SERVICE THERE....ON
EASTER SUNDAY MORNING!
I FORGOT TO MENTION.....THE MAIN REASON THEY WERE CLOSING.....THE FURNACE BOILER
QUIT WORKING......THEY ONLY HAD 12 PEOPLE LEFT IN THE CONGREGATION.....THEY
COULD NOT AFFORD THE $12,OOO-15,000 TO FIX IT. I THINK I ALSO FORGOT TO
MENTION....OF THE 24 PEOPLE WE HAD.....ONE WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF DAN
WOLFGANG, A FURNACE INSTALLATION EXPERT! WOW! IS GOD GOOD!!
THE CHURCH HAS A BEAUTIFUL SANCTUARY THAT SEATS FROM 170-190 PEOPLE....2 ORGANS,
2 PIANOS, HYMN BOOKS, OVERHEADS, FULLY STOCKED KITCHEN, TABLES, CHAIRS,
BIBLES...& .ON & ON!
NOW....ABOUT 1 /12 YEARS LATER.....GOD CONTINUES TO BLESS US!
WE HAVE NORMALLY HAD BETWEEN....55-70 ON SUNDAY MORNING (EASTER SUNDAY WE HAD
103...ON OUR 1ST ANNIVERSARY WE HAD 136).
WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE NO-DEBT...SOME MONEY IN THE BANK.....A "SWEET"
CHRIST-LIKE SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH.
WE HAVE 4 MISSIONARIES THAT WE HELP SUPPORT....ANNUAL SUPPORT TO THEM ABOUT
$6,000.....AND WE ARE PRAYING ABOUT ADDING ANOTHER MISSIONARY SOON.
WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY....THE LORD STILL DOES MIRACLES TODAY!!
GOD BLESS.
PASTOR DAN & PAT EVANS