Church History
On September 19, 1982, Pastor Doug Lowery (pastor of Marantha Assembly of God church in Decatur, IL) and his wife, Rosemary, came to hold the first Marantha church service in Tuscola. We met at 2:00 in the community building, North Central Ave.
We held services on Sunday afternoons through December. In January, 1983, Bob Goolsby accepted the pastor position along with his wife, Mary, and son Seth. We held Sunday morning and evening services in the Community Building and Wednesday evening Bible Study in Pastor Bob and Mary's home.
We rented and moved into "Petit Place" on the corner of Court and Houghton streets in 1983.
In April 1985 we bought the Church of Christ building at 215 Pembroke. After a couple of years, due to the increase of the congregation, we needed more space so we once again rented the Community Building on Sunday mornings for the adult service and evening services were held at the church.
Eventually we went back to the church and held two Sunday morning services. In 1992 we bought the property at 902 S. Court Street. After completely remodelling it, we held our first service there on January 9, 1993.
Pastor Bob stepped down in June 1995 and in February 1996, Don Kopp was elected to be our pastor, along with his wife Kim and children, Joshua, Jordan and Jessica.
We purchased the former United Methodist Church building (built in 1895) at 401 E. Sale in August 2001. After extensive work on the building we held our first service there in February 2003.
Pastor Don resigned in July 2004 and Pastor Darin Elder accepted the position June 5, 2005 along with his wife Mary Ann and sons, Daniel & Michael.
Joel Ruppert joined the church staff as youth pastor in July 2007, accompanied by his wife, Jeannie, and their 5 children.
The church continues to grow, with an average morning worship attendance of about 100 adults, teens and children.
1907 Picture of Church
Church in 1909
How is my local church affiliated with the Assemblies of God?
Within the fellowship of the Assemblies of God there are two classifications of churches - General Council affiliated churches and district affiliated churches. General Council affiliated churches enjoy full autonomy, having developed to the point of where they are self-governing and self-supporting. These fundamental principles have been catalysts for growth in the Fellowship. District affiliated churches are those which have not yet developed to the point where they qualify for full autonomy. All assemblies are required to adhere to the Statement of Fundamental Truths and a biblical pattern of conduct. Learn More
What distinguishes the Assemblies of God from other Christian groups?
The Assemblies of God is an evangelic protestant fellowship that believes God exists in three persons -- the Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. The most definitive identification of the Assemblies of God is Pentecostal. Just as it was founded in 1914, the Fellowship remains a full gospel church—one where the fullness of the Holy Spirit is welcomed, nurtured, and taught. This includes speaking in tongues as the initial evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Other manifestations of the Holy Spirit embraced by the church include: messages in tongues with interpretations, prophecies, word of knowledge, and the complete gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit as indicated in the Bible. Among Pentecostal churches—the Assemblies of God is largest worldwide with over 52 million constituents.
How can I learn more about the Assemblies of God?
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