Ever wonder about the profound impact a church can have? Pligrim Church of God in Christ stands as a testament to faith. It also embodies community spirit in Detroit.
Pligrim Church of God in Christ is more than bricks and mortar. It’s a beacon that shines brightly. It guides those seeking spiritual solace and community connection.
Now let’s journey back to the roots of the Church of God in Christ. It began in 1897. A group of disfellowshipped Baptists formed it. Key figures were Charles Price Jones and Charles Harrison Mason. They preached the Wesleyan doctrine. This doctrine emphasizes Christian perfection. It’s a second work of grace.
In 1897 Elder Mason founded the St. Paul Church. It was in Lexington Mississippi. It became the first church of the new movement. The group identified simply as the Church of God.
Later in 1897 C. H. Mason said God gave him the name Church of God in Christ. He got the name from 1 Thessalonians 2:14. Mason believed it was divinely revealed.
By 1906 the church had grown to nearly 100 congregations in three states. C. H. Mason visited the Azusa Street Revival. He received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
In 1907 a separation occurred due to disagreements. It was about speaking in tongues. Mason reorganized the Church of God in Christ. It became a Holiness Pentecostal body.
In 1907 the Church of God in Christ became the first legally chartered Pentecostal body. It was incorporated in the United States. C. P. Jones continued as Holiness churches. His group organized the Church of Christ Holiness U.S.A.
Bishop Mason moved to Memphis Tennessee. He established a local congregation called Temple COGIC. He also established the COGIC national headquarters there.
COGIC originated among African Americans. They lived in the Southern states. It grew rapidly nationally. It attracted racially integrated congregants. Bishop Mason licensed both white and African American ministers.
In 1914 white ministers separated from COGIC. They formed what would become the Assemblies of God. There seemed no prospect of an integrated Pentecostal movement. It would be under the leadership of an African American.
Bishop Mason traveled across the nation preaching. He established COGIC churches. As African Americans migrated north and west he began to establish churches there.
In 1926 Mason authorized the church’s constitution. In 1933 he set apart five overseers to the Office of Bishop.
Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis in 1945. The building had nearly 4000 seats. It was the largest church auditorium of any African American religious group in the United States.
Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr. is the current Presiding Bishop. He is the Senior Pastor of the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ of Detroit Michigan.
Pligrim Church of God in Christ is part of this rich history. It stands as a place of continuous ministry. It serves Detroit. It welcomes all who seek its embrace. It builds on a legacy of faith. It continues community service. It strives for spiritual growth.