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Greater Faithful Apostolic Ministry |
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On the third Sunday, October 18, 1970, at 4:00 p.m., which also marked the third Pastoral Anniversary of Elder Hurshel Langham, the building was formally dedicated. The following Clergy participated in the ceremonies: Bishop Norman Bridges, Master of Ceremonies; Bishop Wendell McLeod Invocation; Evangelist Beatrice Payne, Church history; Bishop Thomas J. Weeks, Diocesan of the Massachusetts State Council, led in the reading of the Litany of Dedication and gave the Dedicatory Address. Bishop Raymond Murray read the Scripture (II Chronicles 6:18-23), and Bishop Theodore Hester, gave the Benediction. Deacons Walter Rock and Hosea Langham received the Dedicatory Offering, and the Faithful Church of Christ Choir, the Massachusetts State Missionary Choir and the Jordan-Hite Trio provided the dedicatory music.
The mortgage was paid off in full, June 20, 1974, and was celebrated with a worship service that included the mortgage-burning ceremonies as one of its highlights.
Within a short time of moving to the 235 Woodrow Avenue site, the triple-decker housing that surrounded the church deteriorated. The City demolished all of the housing and the lots and those properties became vacant. Without owners, these parcels became havens for thieves and vandals in the neighborhood. They were overgrown with weeds, cluttered with stolen automobiles that were dropped off and many times burned. Contractors dumped their refuse and building material wastes and dead animals were discarded. For approximately ten years, efforts were made by the Faithful Church of Christ with assistance from the citizens of the Community to keep the area from becoming more of a blight than it was. This was an impossible task. Because of the many vacant lots in the immediate church area, along with an overgrowth of weeds, poor lighting, etc., this area lent itself as a perfect site for thieves and other criminals to vandalize the Church property and steal the cars belonging to the church parishioners who were forced to park on the dark and abandoned streets. Members of the church had been robbed while walking to and fro from their cars and the church building itself had been vandalized at least six times during 1985.
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During the year of 1943, a small two-story one-family house located at 763 Shawmut Avenue in Lower Roxbury was purchased to serve as a House of Worship. In February of 1946, the church seal was acquired and letterhead was printed with the new address of the Church. In July 1946, a special business meeting was called for the Church to accept a written plan for alterations. The Trustees were authorized to sign for the agreement and to have the work finished as soon as possible. The newly renovated building served as the home for the Faithful Church of Christ until the fall of 1970.
Throughout the early 50’s, membership included approximately thirty-five (35) people. Shortly thereafter, seeds of discord were sown and the congregation began to dwindle. This process continued until there were only several people left.
One Wednesday evening, a Native American Preacher from Tucson, Arizona was directed by the Lord in a vision to travel to Boston with a message for a particular church and it’s Pastor. This Evangelist had been preaching in New York at the time. Obeying the Lord, he came to Boston despite the fact that he had neither address nor name of the Church.
Bishop & Evang. Payne
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