History
The Church of God in Lewisburg, like most churches across the land, had a humble beginning.
With only a few families of Church of God Heritage, the church here began by having services in homes. Rev. Otto Winston came from Alabama to conduct these services in the home of Neil Manleys. From this, they moved into a tent on Limestone Avenue. Then later, when Rev. Harry Martin came to be the pastor, they had services in his home. A new family of Church of God faith had moved to Lewisburg. The John M. Harts. Mrs. Hart, being the daughter of one of our pioneer ministers, Rev. Bridwell, and Bro. Hart, being reared in a Church of God home, had a vision and a burden for a church building in Lewisburg. They donated a lot for a church building. Some of the members gave logs to be sawed into lumber for the building. Many gave money and since Bro. Hart was in the construction business, he and his crew of workmen along with much donated labor in 1947 built the church building on Easy Street.
At that time, the building consisted of a sanctuary and two very small classrooms. Br. and Sister Pogue were pastors at this time. When Br. Pogue resigned of bad health, Br. James L. Hartman from Lima, Ohio came to be our pastor. But due to the bad health of Mrs. Hartman, they had to leave after a few months. We were very fortunate to have laymen in the church to fill in during the months that we were without a pastor. Fred M. Dennis would conduct services for us and Sister Hart would have our Prayer Meetings. They were a great asset to the church here in Lewisburg for many years. Br. and Sister J. N. Richardson came to us from Parkersburg, West Virginia as our pastors following the Hartman’s. It was while they were with us in the later part of 1954 that we built an addition to our church, consisting of three Sunday School rooms, a fellowship hall, a small kitchen, and two rest rooms.
In 1957, Br. and Sister Richardson resigned, and Br. and Sister V. Ray Foster came with their two sons from McMinnville to be our pastors.
Our church attendance practically doubled under the leadership of Br. and Sister Foster. But after five years in the summer of 1962, they felt the call to go to Grand Cayman. They resigned and answered the call. They were followed by Rev. and Mrs. Ben Ullmer from Indiana. The Ullmers stayed with us for two years. It was during the last few months of their last year that we began our building fund. When they resigned in August of 1965, Br. and Sister Foster resigned from the Colorado Springs Church and came back to be our pastors again.
Since the Fosters and the whole congregation felt the need for new church building in a new location, we began taking special offerings and our building fund grew rapidly.
We the church at Lewisburg feel that we have been very fortunate and that God has richly blessed us in many ways. Mr. T. A. Wakefield and Mr. Roy Allen Richardson donated four acres of land on Ellington Parkway.
Since that time in the early 1970’s, we have continued to grow. We have since purchased adjacent land and have 20 acres. In 2000, we completed construction on a new sanctuary and continue to grow.
The Church of God in Lewisburg, like most churches across the land, had a humble beginning.
With only a few families of Church of God Heritage, the church here began by having services in homes. Rev. Otto Winston came from Alabama to conduct these services in the home of Neil Manleys. From this, they moved into a tent on Limestone Avenue. Then later, when Rev. Harry Martin came to be the pastor, they had services in his home. A new family of Church of God faith had moved to Lewisburg. The John M. Harts. Mrs. Hart, being the daughter of one of our pioneer ministers, Rev. Bridwell, and Bro. Hart, being reared in a Church of God home, had a vision and a burden for a church building in Lewisburg. They donated a lot for a church building. Some of the members gave logs to be sawed into lumber for the building. Many gave money and since Bro. Hart was in the construction business, he and his crew of workmen along with much donated labor in 1947 built the church building on Easy Street.At that time, the building consisted of a sanctuary and two very small classrooms. Br. and Sister Pogue were pastors at this time. When Br. Pogue resigned of bad health, Br. James L. Hartman from Lima, Ohio came to be our pastor. But due to the bad health of Mrs. Hartman, they had to leave after a few months. We were very fortunate to have laymen in the church to fill in during the months that we were without a pastor. Fred M. Dennis would conduct services for us and Sister Hart would have our Prayer Meetings. They were a great asset to the church here in Lewisburg for many years. Br. and Sister J. N. Richardson came to us from Parkersburg, West Virginia as our pastors following the Hartman’s. It was while they were with us in the later part of 1954 that we built an addition to our church, consisting of three Sunday School rooms, a fellowship hall, a small kitchen, and two rest rooms.
In 1957, Br. and Sister Richardson resigned, and Br. and Sister V. Ray Foster came with their two sons from McMinnville to be our pastors.
Our church attendance practically doubled under the leadership of Br. and Sister Foster. But after five years in the summer of 1962, they felt the call to go to Grand Cayman. They resigned and answered the call. They were followed by Rev. and Mrs. Ben Ullmer from Indiana. The Ullmers stayed with us for two years. It was during the last few months of their last year that we began our building fund. When they resigned in August of 1965, Br. and Sister Foster resigned from the Colorado Springs Church and came back to be our pastors again.
Since the Fosters and the whole congregation felt the need for new church building in a new location, we began taking special offerings and our building fund grew rapidly.
We the church at Lewisburg feel that we have been very fortunate and that God has richly blessed us in many ways. Mr. T. A. Wakefield and Mr. Roy Allen Richardson donated four acres of land on Ellington Parkway.
Since that time in the early 1970’s, we have continued to grow. We have since purchased adjacent land and have 20 acres. In 2000, we completed construction on a new sanctuary and continue to grow.
We are now in the process of bringing to Marshall County it’s first Christian School. In the Spring of 2007, in preparation for this new school, Ellington Parkway First Church of God overwhelmingly voted to change their name to LifeSong Family Church.
In August of 2009 we launched our first of five envisioned church plants located at 206 Depot Street in Chapel Hill.
More changes are in store as we seek to do God's will. Stay tuned…