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Rev. BJ Sherwood established community Fellowship in 1989. Community Fellowship was born out of a tragedy in Rev. Sherwood's life. His father, Dr. RJ Sherwood, pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Ginieo did in 1987. The Board of Trustees didn't want Rev. BJ Sherwood to become the pastor because he was only 25 years old. The church was a well established church of families who had been members for generations. The board wanted another older associate pastor to be the pastor. The board called at meeting of the membership to vote on the matter. Rev. Sherwood said no to the meeting. Rev. Sherwood also said that he didn't want to become the pastor of St. Paul. The older minister was installed as the pastor. Rev. Sherwood stayed with the church for 3 more months. Trouble began brewing when one of the trustees began saying that Rev. Sherwood was trying to usurp the new pastor's authority. Once Rev. Sherwood got wind of this, he asked the new pastor to call a board meeting. At the meeting, Rev. Sherwood announced that he was leaving the church, so that no further confusion would be stirred up. Rev. Sherwood left the church. Many of the younger members of the church were people who had been lead to Christ by Rev. Sherwood. Those members wanted to leave the church, too. Rev. Sherwood asked them to pray before they left the church. Kathryn Sherwood, Rev. Sherwood's wife, was very supportive of her husband. She prayed for him and comforted him. Not only was he dealing with the death of his father, but also he was forced to leave the only church home he had ever had. In late 1988, Rev. Sherwood, his wife, his mother, and four cousins began having church in a recreation center in Hardaway. The services were exciting and anointed. People from the neighborhood would come to the services. One of the people that came to the services was Mother Ollie Jordan. She decided to talk to Rev. Sherwood after one of the services. She asked Rev. Sherwood if he had the Holy Ghost. He told her no. Mother Jordan invited Rev. Sherwood to a revival service at Anointed House of Prayer. That night, Rev. Sherwood, his wife, Kathryn, and two of his cousins received the Holy Ghost. Mother Jordan introduced Rev. Sherwood to her son-in-law, Pastor Curtis Troy. The two men became friends. Pastor Troy mentored and helped Rev. Sherwood, who was new to the Pentecostal movement. Community Fellowship Church, as it was named, because it was a means of Christian fellowship for the Graystone Community in Hardaway, continued growing. Some of the people, who Rev. Sherwood had witnessed to, joined Community Fellowship. Community Fellowship was bursting at the seams. They needed a new building. Sis Sherwood wanted to remain in the Graystone Community, but Rev. Sherwood did not think that was possible. There was not a vacant lot big enough for them to build a church in the community. The church and Sis had established many programs, ministries, and activities. Sherwood did not want to take them away from the community. She asked the women's prayer group to fast and pray with her that the Lord would open up a door for the church. In February 1989, an office complex became vacant on the outskirts of the Graystone Community. Mother Ollie saw that the complex was vacant. She told Sis. Sherwood. Sis. Sherwood asked her husband to go for a ride with her one evening. As they drove, Sis. Sherwood asked her husband to turn down Overton Road. Rev. Sherwood saw the building as they drove down the street. He told his wife that the building was going to be their new church home. The dedication for Community Fellowship was May 5, 1989. The church has a religious library, an after school program, a learning center, a bookstore, and a business center, all of which are opened to the community. Community Fellowship joined the Greater Buelahland Fellowship in 1989. Community Fellowship is still growing and continuing to be a means of Christian fellowship to the Graystone Community. Parts of Community Fellowship ChurchThe Ollie Johnson Learning Center |
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Community Fellowship Church Fellowship Information Questions or Comments
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