A small local church will be celebrating its 60-year legacy, which began in 1964 when it was started by two women despite pushback from peers.
Harvest Apostolic Temple church in Toledo will honor the history of the church and impactful members that have since passed at special praise services at 7 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday.
The services at 801 Toronto Ave. will feature ministers and singers from across northwest Ohio and beyond, including the Rev. Dewayne Swanagan from Owensboro, Ky., and Wesley Vanwyck from Sylvania as well as a memorial flower service for the church’s members who have “graduated to heaven,” said Sharie Rodriguez, church secretary for Harvest Apostolic Temple Church.
“Everybody will just come in with their mindset to worship the Lord,” said the Rev. Dawn Hill, pastor of the church. “Everybody will just join in and worship the Lord and put their hands in the air and clap their hands and enjoy the Lord.”
The church’s long history started when Pastor Mary McGee, Pastor Hill’s mother, and the Rev. June R. Boone “felt the call of God” to start Harvest Apostolic, formerly known as Gospel Mission Workers, which was located at 1353 E. Broadway St. in Toledo.
That history includes years of worshipping during services and Sunday school as well as mission trips to Haiti and providing food and clothes to people in need in Toledo, the pastor said.
It wasn’t easy for her mother to become pastor of the church, the current pastor said, but because she was so young, she doesn’t know exactly why other than how verses in the Bible have been interpreted by her fellow Christians.
Ms. Rodriguez believes it was, and still is, because many follow “old Scriptures of the Bible” but what they might not realize is “God changed that,” she said.
“God says he will pour out his spirit upon all flesh,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “He didn’t just say males.”
Ms. Rodriguez has been a member of the church since she was child, having gone for many years before not attending the church for many years.
She found her way back to Harvest Apostolic after her husband died in 2022; she became the church’s secretary soon after.
“I feel so blessed that I’m a part of this because it’s carrying on my mom and dad’s legacy as well,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “My parents have been followers and supporters of the church since I was about 2 years old. I’m going to be 60 this year, so it’s kind of an earmark for that I’m turning 60 and so is the church.”
Pastor Hill and Ms. Rodriguez said a common saying for members of the church is: “You’re a visitor once and then you’re family.”
“That’s what we’re all about,” Ms. Rodriguez said.
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