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In
the fall of 1958, a small group met in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert
Yates to discuss the possibility of organizing a Church of the Nazarene in
Wallingford, CT. After much prayer, regular weekly prayer meetings were
held at the Yates home beginning in January 1959. During the Spring they
met with Rev. J. C. Albright, District Superintendent and Rev. C. E.
Winslow, Zone Home Missions Representative, and plans were discussed
concerning starting a Sunday School in the fall. IN august a very
successful Vacation Bible School was conducted.
The
day the early church will never forget was September 12, 1959. They held
their first Sunday School session at Parker Farms School. At first it
started with 7 but began to grow rapidly. The church held Thanksgiving and
Christmas Sunday services with Dr. Harvey Blaney, of Eastern Nazarene
College (ENC). This spring-boarded the church to begin regular morning
worship services in January 1960 with Rev. Edison Grant. Then on February
18, 1960 the Wallingford Church of the Nazarene was officially organized
and Rev. Edison Grant was appointed to be the first Pastor. In May and
October of that year the church took big steps of faith and purchased the
lot on Parker Farms Road and the parsonage on 18 Gregory Road.
Some
high-water marks in the early years were Easter Sunday 1962 with 93
present in Sunday School, and Easter 1964 under Pastor Stanley E. Brooks
Jr.; there were 114 in attendance. Then on Pentecost Sunday 1964 we had
134 in attendance for a great morning service. Also in 1964, the church
added more room and in 1972 the Leasure Fellowship Center was dedicated in
honor of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard G. Leasure.
The
church flourished under the Pastoral ministry of Rev. William Restrick
from 1972 until 2004 when Rev. Herbert Bailey accepted the call from the
Lord to lead the church as an interim pastor. Pastor Bailey was installed
as Senior pastor in 2005. He has led the church through exciting
renovations and important outreaches into the local community and New
Haven County.
We
plan to celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2010!
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