The original building was purchased in 1962 from the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church by the Metropolitan Church of God (M.C.G.)--Anderson, Indiana affiliation--located in Detroit. Through a series of events Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo & Zelna S. Wilson, initiated that purchase. Both Mr. & Mrs. Wilson are now deceased. The church was at that time named The Metropolitan Church of God--Sumpter.
In 1969, after deciding to purchase the
building from M.C.G., the then congregation sought out Dr.
M. Tyrone Cushman as Senior Pastor to lead them through
this process. The campaign was successful and the church
was renamed The Sumpter Community Church of God. The church
then became an entity separate from M.C.G. but still affiliated
with the Church of God Anderson, Indiana.
From inception in 1962 the pastoral baton was passed several
times with each of the leaders contributing in some way
to the development of the congregation. The seventh baton
pass was firmly grasped by Apostle Rita J. Johnson in 1980
in an interim position. However, in 1983 she made the transition
into her current position as the Senior Pastor.
The congregation continued to grow and
in 1988 Apostle Johnson cast the vision that would result
in the purchase of 19.7 acres of land and the construction
of our current site. There still remains much of the vision
to be fulfilled, including a two-thousand seat sanctuary,
a school, a retreat center and a community center. We are
all now at a point of history in the making.
The
following Pastors have served this congregation |
| Rev. George Massey |
1962-1963 |
| Rev. Vernon Rayford |
1963-1964 |
| Rev. Edgar Bell |
1964-1965 |
| Rev. Richard McTere |
1965-1966 |
| Rev George Massey (Interim) |
1966-1969 |
| Rev. M. Tyrone Cushman |
1969-1975 |
| Rev. Joseph Yokely |
1975-1979 |
| Rev. Walter Bass |
1979-1980 |
| Rev. Rita J. Johnson (Interim) |
1980-1983 |
| Rev. Rita J. Johnson |
1983- current |
