Glad Tidings Assembly of God
Decatur, Illinois
Our sincere gratitude goes to Mr. Jerry Ozee for his efforts
in compiling the history of our church from 1956 to 1997!
1956
25
adults and their children begin meeting for church in the garage of
George & Charlotte Tuton at 434 North 33rd Street in Decatur,
Illinois.
Business
meeting is held in which the name Glad Tidings Assembly of God was
chosen for the congregation. Church constitution and by-laws are
drafted, and the first board of deacons is voted on.
Glad
Tidings congregation outgrows Tuton's garage and begins renting space
at a lodge hall at the corner of Main and Main in Decatur.
Reverend J. Herschel and Margaret Crouch become first pastors at Glad Tidings.
Congregation moves services to 300 West Main Street, the Decatur Women's Club Building (now the Decatur Historical Society).
1957
Glad Tidings obtains a $20,000 loan to purchase a brick church building and parsonage at 1003 West Macon Street.
1959
Rev. Crouch takes position as Director of Youth and Education for the Illinois Assemblies of God.
Pastor George Rutledge becomes Glad Tidings' second pastor.
1963
1964
Rev. Crouch returns to serve as pastor.
1970
Five acres of land at 655 Airport Road is purchased and ground is broken September 13th for new church facility.
1971
Congregation moves into the education & fellowship hall wing of the new facility in November.
1972
1973
Sanctuary at new facility is completed in April. Week-long building dedication ceremonies is held in October.
Reverend Doug and Rosemary Lowery are hired as assistant/youth pastor at Glad Tidings.
1974
Rev. Lowery leaves Glad Tidings to pastor in California.
Kenneth and Linda Hinkle becomes new youth pastor.
1975
1979
Former
"Eldorado School" at 1050 South 44th Street is purchased, renovated and
renamed Glad Tidings Christian Academy. Dedication ceremony is held
September 9th, and classes begin for kindergarten through eighth grade.
1981
Glad Tidings celebrates 25th anniversary on October 18th.
1983
Kenneth Hinkle resigns as youth pastor, and is succeeded by Bill and Jeannie Milligan who come to Glad Tidings in August.
1984
Pastor Herlin & Glenda Summers are elected new Glad Tidings pastor on September 9th.
Bill Milligan resigns as youth pastor; Bill Kruger replaces him.
1985
Bill Kruger resigns; Glenda Summers succeeds him.
Rev. Glen Freeman hired as assistant pastor.
1987
Dedication
held February 8th for new all-purpose/activities building (later named
Christian Life Center) which is constructed behind the main church
facility.
1991
1993
1994
Glad Tidings Christian Academy merges with Grace Baptist School to form Decatur Christian School.
1996
Glad Tidings celebrates its 40th anniversary.
1998
All Church Celebration is held May 3 at Decatur Holiday Inn to kickoff "God's Challenge...Our Choice" stewardship campaign.
Pastor Lori O'Dea joins Glad Tidings staff as discipleship pastor.
1999
In
April, Glad Tidings congregation votes to purchase prime property in
Forsyth, Illinois for expanding future ministry (photo at right).
24 People are dedicated to the ministry of small group leadership in the 1st LifeBuilders ordination.
"The Trial", an original GT production, premieres at Easter and reaches many for Christ.
Youth Drama Team, "A View from the EDGE, excels at state competition and goes on to perform at National Fine Arts Festival in Orlando.
Glad Tidings records "Awesome in this Place", a praise & worship CD that ministers across this nation and beyond.
Groundbreaking
held at Airport Road property in October for new 30,000+ square foot
worship center, scheduled for completion in September 2000.
2000
All Church Celebration II is held April 30 at Decatur Aviation's Main Hangar to kickoff "A Time To Build" stewardship campaign, which will serve to extend and renew "God's Challenge...Our Choice".
Two new services, KidZone and Team 56, are started in the Childrens' Ministries Department.
Glad
Tidings' new worship facility opens September 10. This building marks
the 6th facility that the GT family has worshipped in since the church
was founded in 1956. GT's Youth Department, The EDGE starts to remodel and redecorate the old sanctuary to fit the needs of the growing youth program.
Dedication
for new worship facility is held November 5. Reverend Paul Martin,
District Superintendent for the Illinois Assemblies of God, presents
messages at the morning services. Honored guests at the Dedication
service were Reverend J. Herschel (Margaret) Crouch and Pastor Herlin
(Glenda) Summers, former Senior Pastors at Glad Tidings (pictured
above).
Glad Tidings' Music & Drama Department presents "A Preacher's Wife", a dramatic holiday presentation.
2001
The EDGE (Jr./Sr. High) holds grand opening in the newly redecorated youth center -- 500 attend.
Glad Tidings catches a vision for missions through Pastor B.G.'s first-hand experience of persecution in the Republic of Georgia (the former Soviet Union) and "Shake the Nations" dramatic audio-visual presentation.
EDGE Youth release a Praise & Worship CD entitled "Motion Blur".
Glad Tidings holds first annual Father's Day Car Show; nearly 1,000 attend.
Music Department records 2nd live praise & worship CD, "Can't Stop Praisin'".
Pastor BG & Brenda celebrate their 10th anniversary at Glad Tidings.
2002
Glad Tidings hosts Assemblies of God state convention -- 500 students in attendance.
LifeBuilders attendance crosses the 50% mark -- over half of adult congregation is invoived in small groups.
Glad Tidings hosts Community 9/11 Memorial Service.
Pastor Bob & Darlene Hoover joins Glad Tidings staff.
Sam Johnson featured at Missions Emphasis Month (November).
2003
The EDGE takes 12 students to Scotland to help with the largest outreach in Scotland of its kind (Convoy of Hope).
Missions
team from Glad Tidings takes Easter Drama, "The Greatest Story Ever
Told", to Armenia. Over 2,000 Armenians receive Christ!