In April 1932, Bro. William Ring and Bro. McCray arrived in a small fishing village of Back Bay to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He held services on the corner until they were invited to gather in the Church of Christ (known as “the Church on the hill”.)
As he was preaching there for a short period of time, souls were being saved and transformed by the gospel. The Pentecostal experience was preached, and it had caused a conflict with the parishioner of the Church, and it had caused a division, so the owner of the clam factory (Ruby Cooke) offered the use of the clam factory to Bro. Ring.
A few got together and whitewashed the building, placed lanterns around the walls and hung the rafters, and the men-built seating with planks. The pulpit was placed in the far end of the building which hung out over the water.
As time went on, they discussed the possibilities of building a new Church. Orb Harris donated the land for them to start the Church on. The first donation of $100.00 was given by Alphonso French. Then others came on board. Gratis Cooke, Merrill Hooper, Peter Hooper, Herman Hooper, Ottie Hooper, Boynton Hanley and Joe Hanley were all fishermen and they began the process of the new Church.
Later in the years as the Church began to grow, they decided to expand on the back of the Church and place the pulpit further back to make room for new converts who were being saved and transformed by the gospel.
1941-1942 Rev. Edward Buchanan
1942-1943 Rev. C.K.S. Moffatt
1943-1948 Rev. Ellery Cady
1948-1949 Rev. Carroll Hickling
1949-1951 Rev. Frank Drost
1951-1952 Rev. Ralph Helms
1953-1955 Rev. Samuel Paisley
1955-1965 Rev. Ian Kelsey
1965-1969 Rev. William Fullerton
1969-1970 Rev. Robert Gass
1970-1971 Rev. Dan Mendenhal
1972-1979 Rev. Gilbert Kinney
1979-1980 Rev. Wayne Cunningham
1980-1982 Rev. Ian Kelsey
1982-1983 Rev. Michael Hood
1984-1985 Rev. Schuyler Burrill
1985-1987 Rev. Merritt Durost
1987-1990 Rev. Norman Shorey
1990-1995 Rev. Steven Roach
1995-1996 Rev. Carlos Torrez
1996-2017 Rev. Gordon Cooke Jr.
2017-2023 Rev Randy Crozier
In 1943, the first parsonage and land was bought.
In 1944, the first dining hall was built.
In 1949, a prayer room was added to the church.
In 1956, a basement was put under the Church for Sunday School classrooms.
In 1960, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for a new parsonage.
In 1961, an open house and dedication service of the new parsonage.
In 1964, the Church’s interior was renovated.
In 1970, the old dining hall was torn down and a new dorm was built that
would accommodate our convention visitors.
In 1973, land was purchased from Medford Harris.
In 1973, land was purchased from Otis Kaglar.
In 1973, a nursery and room was built on the front of the Church.
In 1975, an electric organ was purchased for the Church.
In 1977, a parking lot was installed.
In 1979, the platform and choir area was renovated.
In 1984, the new Church was built across the road.
In 1989, the old Church was torn down.
In 2015, the new metal roof was installed on the Church and Dining Hall.
In 2019, the entire Sunday School area was renovated. The week after the grand opening, Covid 19 struck, and it didn’t get used for many months.
