| Faithful
Apostolic Church Inc., started the way many small churches do–in the home
of the pastor. In 1993, two years after receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost,
Elder Clark and his wife started holding services in their home. The Lord
blessed and the congregation grew. By the time they broke ground for the
sanctuary on “O” street, the church's membership was 60-70 members
strong.
According to Brother Bill Gray and other saints, (they all tell the
same story with humility and pride) there was a building on the property they
intended to use as the main sanctuary, but nature's demolition experts–termites–had
rendered the edifice untenable.
That wasn’t the only setback the "Faithful" congregation would face.
After breaking ground, various and sundry members began to leave the church,
creating a tremendous void in the construction crew, which consisted
of Elder Clark and the saints, and , on the other hand, a tremendous opportunity
for God to honor faithfulness.
With a congregation of approximately 12 members, work on the sanctuary
continued. “I would arrive at 6 a.m.”, said Elder Clark, “ and work until
10 p.m.”
According to Brother Willie Gray, there were more
women on the crew than men and sacrifices were made, but he learned something
spiritual from the experience. “It taught me what paying tithes
can do,” he said.
As you can see from the above photograph (upper
right) that hangs in the hallway between the rest rooms and main sanctuary,
the building is beautiful, and the Lord has certainly blessed.
Drawing on his engineering background, Elder
Clark designed the church, hung the doors, painted and did the plumbing
on the project.
The skylights in the sanctuary create a sense
of openness, which adds a vitality and vibrancy to the ambiance of
the sanctuary. Elegant glass blocks used to construct the cross in
the front outer wall of the sanctuary, and in other areas of the sanctuary
add a sophistication and elegance that give Faithful Apostolic a regal texture.
From the bathrooms (stocked full
of toiletries and supplies), to the meticulously manicured landscape, Faithful
Apostolic is a wonderful place, and the Lompoc Beautification Commission
recognized their efforts with a first place Beautification Award
in 2003.
Faithful Apostolic is also active
in the community in various capacities. For its work with hospitalized
veterans in 2005, the church was recognized as the The Good Samaritan
of the Year. In addition to this, the church was also recognized
as a Donor of the Year for its work with Totes for Tots.
Its appearance is immaculate and
its location picturesque and refreshing, but the saints of Faithful Apostolic--congenial,
loving and diligent--are the real treasure. To see them working to together
as a unit is impressive, and to engage in conversation with them is easy
and pleasant.
After a scenic drive from the Central Valley up the
panoramic California coastline, it was a blessing to be greeted by
such beauty and hospitality.
As you will see from the pictures
on the next page, this was a blessed fellowship meeting , in a lovely place
and hosted by a precious group of saints. Thank you for a wonderful day,
Faithful Apostolic!!!!
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