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Fellowship Assembly of God was first known as the Full Gospel Tabernacle of Sperryville, Virginia. The church was officially set in order on April 20, 1932.
The first pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle was Rev. William F. Dych. At the time, meetings were held in the old Sperryville Baptist Meeting House, then owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Purcell, and later used by the Rappahannock Farmer’s Co-operative.
In 1932, land was given by C. H. and Bessie Woodard so that a frame building could be built. Fifteen feet surrounding the church would eventually be purchased to provide a yard around the building.
Rev. Ethel Harrington succeeded Reverend Dych as pastor of the church. There is no record of exactly when this happened. During the pastorate of Mrs. Harrington many improvements were made to the church building, including the purchase of the piano that is still being used today.
Following Reverend Harrington, Rev. Ray Campbell, Sr., assumed the church pastorate. Reverend Campbell and his wife Georgia, arrived in 1972 to find the Sperryville Assembly of God languishing in church attendance. The Campbells rebuilt the attendance of the church and were responsible for evangelizing and teaching many of the families represented in the church today.
Rev. Michael Lamm, along with his wife, Linda, accepted the pastorate of Sperryville Assembly of God after Reverend Campbell resigned in 1983. However, Reverend Campbell would return as pastor in July 1987, where he would pastor continuously until his death on September 30,1993:
The one-room church soon proved to be too small for the congregation. In fact, as many as six Sunday School classes were taught in the one-room building at one time. The adult class met on the right side of the church, with the toddler and beginner classes meeting in the partitioned-off room in the right front. A drawn curtain separated the adult class from the primary, junior high and senior high classes meeting on the left side of the church.
Sunday School was wellattended perhaps because there was not much of a foyer in the church to permit gathering between services. A curtain hung between the foyer and the sanctuary helped little to keep the heat in or out.
Two Siegler oil-fed heaters provided the heat for the church building. Two window air conditioner units, one on each side of the sanctuary, provided the cooling. A portable toilet at the rear of the building provided the only “facilities” of the church. Church functions were generally held at the Sperryville fire hall or any other place that could accommodate the number attending.
Building and
breaking ground
Sperryville Assembly of God Rev. Ray Campbell, Sr. and his wife, Georgia, broke ground for God. Every age group was well represented in the church, especially the children and youth. The church’s Christmas programs were always standingroom-only events! Although the
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